Fantastic animated movie from Japan that is both extremely entertaining and very thought provoking.
The most obvious thing to say about this film is that it is simply lovely to look at. Anyone who knows even a tiny bit about the making of an animated film, will know that a movie like this is a very complex task to pull off. The rain throughout the movie and the way it is used would cause no end of challenges to even master animators. However when watching this movie the effect seems effortless. The design work of the characters and environment are fantastic and there is not a moment in this film that doesn't visually blow you away.
The story is one that is seemingly simple on paper, but much more complex when put into a film. It's on the surface simplicity makes the movie play as great entertainment. There is a lot to enjoy about this movie on this level. We really care about the characters and they always feel completely real. There is plenty of great humor throughout the movie and the audience I saw this with was laughing very hard at many of the jokes. The romance is just as great as you would except from director/writer Makoto Shinkai (after all this is the man who directed/wrote 5 Centimeters Per Second and Your Name). Our two lead characters truly do make an adorable and believable couple. At the same time the more complex themes will definitely give fans something to discuss after the film is over. There are many choices made over the course of the film that will leave you thinking about why the director made them, yet at the same time make it a better movie. This is especially true of the ending, which I will not give away here. I will say this ending will definitely leave you thinking about it long after the film is over. The fact that Shinkai would even attempt such an ending is very daring and admirable.
Makoto Shinkai has once again with this film proven himself to be one of the best modern day auteurs in animation. All fans of animated movies need to do themselves a favor and see this film.
-Michael J. Ruhland
No comments:
Post a Comment