a real gem

Rating: Null/10 (2 August 2002)

"Totoro" is not like American toons. It takes its time and there are huge gaps when nothing happens. But if you hang in there, you and your munchin will be rewarded with a sweet, smart movie about the meaning of life and the innate need for family and friends. I was impressed at how dead-on the dynamics of sibling relationships were portrayed, especially in light of what the girls are dealing with. Indeed, the girls the kind of well-rounded characters you simply don't find in American cartoons. My 5 year old, a die-hard MIB nut who was convinced that he would hate it, was captivated from start to finish. If that's not reason enough to get it, then I don't know what is.