45. My Neighbor Totoro

Hayao Miyazaki, sadly, has gotten short shrift here in the West.  In Japan, he is considered an animation god among animation men -- and with good reason.  His films consistently destroy the box office over there -- we're talking Titanic-sized craters, folks.  Certainly, Spirited Away winning an Oscar helped things a little, but that's trying to work upwards from a deficit after Disney effectively buried the stateside theatrical run of the jaw-droppingly amazing Princess Mononoke. Regardless, outside of genre fans and otaku, many know not of Miyazaki.

This is a bloody shame, because the man makes amazing films. This one, for example, is probably one of the finest animated children's films you can find in this post-Walt world.  Two sisters encounter a forest spirit after moving into a new home to be nearer to their mother, who is in hospital. As they interact with the spirit (and the little mini spirits that it hangs with), they have a bit of an adventure.

It's a cute film. We're talking really cute, and really for kids, although adults would be insane not to dig it as well. How can you not like a giant extremely cuddly forest spirit (the Totoro of the title)? Or a house infested with living sootballs?  Or how can you not be impressed by the Carrollian transportation known as the Catbus? 

But beyond that -- beyond the cuteness that is positively slathered on by the opening credits song -- there's a children's film that is refreshingly different.  For example, the father doesn't brush off his children's encounter with the spirits; he takes them seriously and acts accordingly. There's no angst here -- apart from some apprehension about the mother's health, there's no grit in the gravy -- just a caring father. Pure and simple. The kids, as well, act like kids their age: they're rambunctious, out of control, you couldn't put them down with a hammer.

The movie's incredibly rich and surprisingly moving, but more than anything else it's just damn good.  Only Pixar can match Miyazaki for his layering and for his attention to detail. The Mouse House has sadly lost its way -- but at least we can count on them to release a new DVD edition of this flick next year to replace the full-frame Fox version that's presently out. If you have kids, or even if you don't, for God's sake, see this film. And then pass it on to a friend. Our kids deserve it. (Widgett Walls)