My favorite animated feature

Rating: 10/10 (22 October 2010)

Hayao Miyazaki is a genius. Most critics and moviegoers will second that notion. My Neighbor Totoro, one of his earlier features, is evidence of that claim. On several occasions when recommending this film to friends they have asked me, "Well, what is the movie about?" And, well, that is mostly hard to explain. There is no set plot, structure, nor is there much conflict; the film simply follows the lives of two little girls that meet the King of the Forest, Totoro. The film is from the perspective of a child, which, in my opinion, is the core of this film's brilliance. You can't help but watch the film without being imbued with a sense of jubilant wonder, joy, and warmth. This movie is older than I am, but still feels new and original. Everything from the music to the scenery to the dialogue is top-notch. I would recommend getting the 2005 English version with Dakota and Elle Fanning, Pat Carroll and Tim Daly, though both English dubbings are great.