My Neighbor Totoro
Composite Score: 85.47
Starring: Noriko Hidaka/Dakota Fanning, Chika Sakamoto/Elle Fanning, Shigesato Itoi/Tim Daly, Sumi Shimamoto/Lea Salonga, Tanie Kitabayashi/Pat Carroll, and Hitoshi Takagi/Frank Welker
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
Genres: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: G
Box Office: $30.69 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
My Neighbor Totoro is Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film about two girls who have moved to the countryside with their father while their mother is sick in the hospital and who befriend the large nature spirit that lives in the woods near their new home. The film contains one of the most iconic characters ever created by the skilled writer/director/animator in the character of Totoro – the giant blend of rabbit and bear(?) who serves as the guardian of the woods near the girls. It is consistently listed as one of the filmmaker’s greatest films, notable for its whimsy, its ability to portray adult themes in ways that even young audiences can process, and for the quality animation and score that tie the whole piece together.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Totoro has no flaws. That being said, it might not be a film for everyone either. Its blend of lighthearted whimsy and the tribulations of reality make it one of the more complex offerings within the genre of “family” films. It’s a conversation starter and not something that you can just put on in the background, no matter how ambient and inviting it might be on the surface. It deals with themes of loss, parenthood, and familial responsibility while also delivering visuals of cute woodland creatures, pastoral bliss, and general childhood fantasy. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill Minions film, and I assume that most people looking to check this film out will already know that coming in, but if you happen to be some random passerby, you can’t say that I didn’t give you a heads-up.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Miyazaki makes two types of film (maybe three because I’m not totally sure how exactly to categorize Lupin III) – pure fantasy set in an alternate reality, usually about the dangers of imperialism and/or industrialism, and the blend of reality and fantasy that focuses on the wonders of childhood/adolescence and the ways that our fantasies often shape the growth that we experience as we get older – and Totoro is certainly a prime example of the latter. The film captures so much of the wonder of being a child in the woods and playing with your sibling(s) and parent(s)/guardian(s) in a world that exists apart from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the same time, it engages with the stark reality of having sick loved ones that may or may not get any better. It’s a fun film that does more than just give its audience a good time or the kids something nice to look at. It offers an opportunity for young and old to come together and partake in a story full of universal truths about respecting nature, caring for your family even when they make life less than ideal, and embracing the little wonders of the world rather than complaining about the ways that things are different/changing. All of this is then compounded by the glory that is Miyazaki’s style – beautifully whimsical animation and characters played against an almost mystical score by Joe Hisaishi (who just became a Golden Globe nominee). It’s the perfect film for families to watch together, for kids to watch on their own, or for adults to watch by themselves.
My Neighbor Totoro checks so many of the boxes for what makes a film good: from its animation and music to its story and themes, Miyazaki gives audiences a gloriously fun film that is sure to touch the hearts of anyone who watches it, making it one of the Greatest Films of All Time. It’s important to be ready for a more engaging film than some of the more recent simple children’s films when you step into it, but if you’re down for that, you can currently stream it on Max whenever you want to put it on.
