Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the movie presents no sex, violence, or harsh language use. Scenes involving a parent in the hospital are treated sensitively. Parents may wish to caution their children against imitating the girls' habit of wandering alone in the forest at night. Older teens may be interested in this film due to an appreciation for Miyazaki's subsequent work.
Parents who watch this movie with their kids may want to use this opportunity to discuss the concept of having a seriously ill parent or relative. Families who have recently moved far away from home may identify with Mei (Elle Fanning) and Satsuki (Dakota Fanning)'s situation.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marjorie Kase
After breaking box office records in Japan, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO took the U.S. family film market by storm. Japanese Animator Hayao Mizayaki is most well known for his more recent work Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2003), and Howl's Moving Castle (2005). However, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was the film that got him noticed in the US.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is the story of two sisters, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei who move to the country with their father to be closer to their mother, who is recovering in a nearby hospital from an unnamed illness. While exploring the forest near their house, the two girls discover creatures, which according to the wise old woman next door, only the young can see. There are soot sprites, furry protective bunny-like Totoros, and a magic bus in the shape of a cat. The girls are enchanted by these mystical creatures and the magical forest they inhabit.
It's no surprise that MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO has been rated one of the top family movies of all time. It defies the rules of traditional feature-length cartoons by revealing the story at a very slow and deliberate pace, thereby allowing the audience to absorb all of the delightful details Miyazaki has injected into his work. The movie features no villains, no scary monsters, nor cranky adults. Instead, Animator Miyazaki presents a father who is both physically and mentally present in the lives of his children and sisters who act like real siblings. Satsuki and Mei fight, make mischief, and more often than not get along. Without syrupy sweet sentimentality, we're privy to a family that genuinely loves one another.
Families interested in MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO might also want to check out Miyazaki's other popular films available in the U.S. such as Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away.
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