My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

After seeing Spirited Away a week or so ago I became so intrigued with Hayao Miyazaki’s work I decided that I must see more. I chose My Neighbor Totoro from my second Miyazaki film because of its excellent reputation, and because it is the favorite film of the son of a friend of mine who lives in Japan. Totoro is an absolutely enchanting, sweet natured film about two young girls who move to the country with their dad when their mother becomes sick and must be confined to a rural hospital. There the girls are taken under the protection of Totoro, a giant furry nature spirt and his two little helpers. The film captures the ‘attitude’ of childhood, perhaps better then any film I have ever seen; the active imaginations, the exploring, the sense of fun, and the fear that comes with adult situations beyond your control. I found it warm, enveloping and quite sweet, words I don’t use often. A treasure, I need to show this to my niece and nephews. 5 out of 5. From the two films of his I’ve seen so far, Miyazaki seems to harbor a great deal of affection for soot.