My Neighbor Totoro

 

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Plot: Moving into a new house is never easy, but for Satsuke and Mei, (played by Dakota and Elle Fanning) they are making the best of their surroundings. As they wait for their mother to recover from an illness and come home from the hospital, they, along with their father, move out to the countryside into an older house. Throughout the film, they befriend playful spirits who led them on adventures in the nearby forest and most notably meet Totoro, who is a massive cuddly creature that possesses all sorts of different powers. 

Characters: Satsuke's character takes on a maternal role when it comes to her little sister, Mei, and tries to help her find a sense of normalcy in the absence of their mother. Despite the challenges, Satsuke overcomes them and develops a sense of resilience, responsibility and independence. 

Mei's character can be seen through her imagination, as she begins to explore new things and finds solace in the surrounding forest by her house. With the help of her sister, she realizes the weight of the situation that her mother is in and knows she has to be strong.  

Cinematography: Hayao Miyazaki is able to create a welcoming, magical world in My Neighbor Totoro which allows people of all ages to step in the movie and experience the naturalistic composition that Hayao Miyazaki creates. The cinematography of My Neighbor Totoro evokes feelings of nostalgia, serenity, and timelessness specifically in terms of childhood. It balances realism with whimsical elements, providing an in-depth and atmospheric perspective. 

Score: The soundtrack in this film is perfectly matched to the tone of the film, as it is emotional, playful, and curious. Natural soundscapes are also used throughout the film, which includes ambient sounds of rustling leaves, cicadas, birds, rain, wind through grass, footsteps, and the gentle creaking of an old house. These sounds help to evoke the sense of realness in the movie, as not only do they set the scene but create a rhythm through moments where no music is included. 

Underlying themes: Underlying themes in this film are the importance of family, coping with uncertainty, and the unseen magic of daily life. Throughout the movie, the audience is able to understand how important the relationships are between Satsuke, Mei, and their father is. This ties into the theme of coping with uncertainty, as Satsuke, Mei, and their father have to get used to the mother being in the hospital and understanding that she is not healthy enough to come home yet. Mei must also face adversity in a sequence throughout the film, it is a major emotional turning point for her and makes her process fear in a time where it truly matters. The underlying theme of the unseen magic of daily life comes through Satsuke and Mei finding wonder in ordinary life, and caring for the world that they live in. Making the transition to live in a town and in a house in which is very new and unfamiliar can be a struggle, but Satsuke and Mei were able to take advantage of their situation and create an environment they love to be in. 

Final thoughts: My final thoughts for this movie is that it made me feel very sentimental about my childhood and growing up with my siblings. As kids, letting your imagination run wild and create things from scratch was one of the most magical things. We were able to take what we had, whether it was a ball or sticks, and be occupied almost all day. Hayao Miyazaki's movies are so iconic, stretching from Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, The Boy and The Heron, and of course, My Neighbor Totoro. His movies have reached people from all ages across the world, and impacted animation worldwide inspiring rising filmmakers and animators. There wasn't a moment in the film where I was not enjoying it, as I was strongly invested in the storyline, and overall found the film to be comforting. I recommend it to anyone who has not seen it!