My Neighbor Totoro
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Movie Reviews of My Neighbor Totoro
Movie Review: Everyone needs a Totoro!
Summary: 5 Stars
It is the oddest thing how big a fan of Hayao Miyazaki's animated films I have become this year. I remember catching a few of them as a child and loving them, "Valley of the Wind" being one, but the timelessness of the stories and the mature, relatable themes woven throughout what might seem like only a child's cartoon were obviously lost on me at the time.
Next to Sprirted Away and Princess Mononoke, I think My Neighbor Totoro has to be one of my favorite's. Kids will gobble up the frantic, fantastical feel of the film and the fact that they deal with a parental figure having cancer (although it's never spoken of by name, I read that Miyazaki wrote this while dealing with his own mother's bout) is truly inspiring and brave.
What's even more amazing is it's basically plot-free and lacking any actual true villan or conflict, yet due to the remarkable voice performances, the attention to detail in the family dynamics and the animation (not to mention the "What the #$F! was he smoking?" creatures) the movie moves quickly along and manages to keep you involved and leave you smiling.
At least it did for me. I was in a lousy mood and this cured it pretty fast.
Anyway, if you have kids or are still a kid at heart I'd check it out if I were you.
Miyazaki is a true artist in every sense of the word.
Movie Review: Dub What?
Summary: 5 Stars
I see a lot of people complaining about the dub of this film, but quite honestly I couldn't tell you anything about that? Why, well because I can't see anything topping the original Japanese voices.
First of all, we have Shigesato Itoi. If you know that name, then you are my best friend, because you probably recognize him as the genius behind Mother, Mother 2 (EarthBound), and Mother 3, the absolutely legendary RPG's. He was the voice of the girls' father, and quite honestly I can't see anyone doing a better job. He alone makes the original version superior in my opinion.
While I realize that Miyazaki wishes that people might watch his movies in their own language so that they might spend their time looking at the art work rather than the subtitles, but honestly, I still prefer the Japanese.
Now wile I do prefer subs, I'm not entirely biased, for example, I think that Spirited Away and Monoke Hime have very very well done dubs, but I still believe that subs are generally the way to go.
So in the end, it's a fantastic movie, with a fantastic Japanese language track. If you really want a good English dub, then I would recommend you trust the other reviews, but if you want to see the movie the way it was written, the way it was intended, the better way, I would have to recommend sticking with this one.
Movie Review: Round Trip From Fantasy To Reality
Summary: 5 Stars
Hayao Miyazaki's 1988 film surely broadened the fans of his animation style from avid anime fans to wide range of ordinary audience. Also it is well-made marriage of his adventure-oriented animation and real-life oriented vivid one probably influenced by his long-time friend Isao Takahata.
The drama setting seems to be during 50s when the landscape like Totoro's home was pretty unhurt. Satsuki and Mei(both meaning the fifth month of the year) moved from the city to suburban Kanto Area somewhere near Tokorozawa where Seibu Stadium(home to Seibu Lions a newbie Major league player Daisuke Matsuzaka formerly belonged) is located. Until the mid stage the drama turns bitter twist. Their mother's illness seems really bad. Little Mei tries to meet her mother in the hospital mountains away but gets lost. Then Totoro finds amazing way to search for Satsuki's stranded sister. Totoro must have come from legendary ghost but don't bother. Totoro is too cute to be a goblin.
Miyazaki's work has well-made balance to avoid the drama turning so unreal. And the place used for the drama is almost intact and totoro fans now try hard in their National Trust Movement to preserve the home of Tororo.
Verdict: Probably the nice introduction to Miyazaki/Ghibli works.
Rating: 98 out of 100
Recommended for: Wide range of movie goers.
Movie Review: Perfect movie, great disc
Summary: 5 Stars
Please ignore the review above that says this DVD is bad - this review refers to an earlier editon of the DVD, not the grand-spanking new Disney version.
Disney has started to do unbelievably good dubs of Miyazaki's DVDs, and this one is one of the best. The two little girls on this disc are voiced by Dakota Fanning and her little sister Elle Fanning, and both of them do a bang-up job. When Elle cries, you will cry. Their father is also well cast, as Tim Daly, voice of Superman on Justice League. Usually with anime, I listen to the Japanese tracks, but with these new dubs, even Miyazaki agrees that the voices are sometimes better.
The quality of the video is also outstanding. Disney has given the same treatment to Miyazaki's movies that it gave to its own classics like Aladdin and Lion King. Bold colors, perfect compression, and crystal sound.
And it goes without saying that this movie has a great story. It is touted as one of the most beloved family movies of all time, and this has to be true. I am not a fan of every Miyazaki movie... I thought Kiki was a little dull, and Spirited Away was a little too weird... but this movie is precious from start to finish. It is a profoundly Japanese story that nonetheless transcends barriers of nationality, language, and history, and is enjoyable for all ages.
Movie Review: English dub is subjective....
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow, there sure are a lot of people complaining about the new Disney dub on "My Neighbor Totoro"! Having seen both English dubbed versions, my feeling is the complete opposite. I much prefer Disney's dub to the old Fox dub. The reason for this is that it seemed that Fox (or whoever dubbed it for them) wasn't as concerned with authenticity. The most glaring thing was the voice of Mei in the Fox dub. It was done by the woman who voices Angelica Pickles in the Rugrats cartoon. Now, I really don't like adults doing "kid" voices, and every time I heard Mei speak, I couldn't get the image of Angelica out of my head! At least with the Disney dub, they got two real girls to voice the characters, and I thought Elle Fanning did a great job on Mei. Ok, maybe a bit too "screechy", but still fairly believable as a four year old. The only things about the Disney dub that I didn't like were the song changes, and the fact that they dubbed over Totoro and Catbus (why bother with non-talking creatures?). However, I am still going to say that I prefer the Disney dub to the Fox dub.
So, for those of you out there who are trying to get an idea on whether to buy the new DVD or not, just use your own judgment, and don't pay so much attention to the complaints about the dub. It's still a wonderful film.