Bombs rain down on the city and in the fire, chaos, and rubble a boy, Mahito, searches for his mom. He hears her voice calling him, but he can't find her. Even when Mahito, his dad, and a new woman move to the countryside, he still hears his mom's voice calling to him from the fire. In dreams and with the encouragement of a mysterious heron, Mahito enters an abandoned and magical tower where he hopes to get clues to his mom's whereabouts. It may be an elaborate trap.
This complex, beautiful, deeply imaginative, and many-layered film continues Miyazaki's amazing and awe-inspiring legacy. He is one of my favorite directors. In nature, wisdom about living, magic, charismatic guides (female as well as male), folklore, cute puffball critters, war/chaos, wackiness including flesh-eating parakeets, portals to other worlds, loss, and love, Miyazaki continues to run with favorite and endearing themes. The film is full of insight into what it means to be human. I was so happy to be part of the first audience to see the film outside of Japan.
There is depth in the story, characters, music, voices (much better in Japanese), and especially the artwork. I'm mesmerized just by the drawings and movement of the clouds. Oh and there are fantastic and intricately drawn ocean waves, moonlight reflected on water, vivid colors, resplendent contrasts of light and dark, elaborate tree branches, night skies with resplendent stars and meteors, grasses realistically swaying in the wind, alluring shadows, and so much more. The Boy and the Heron is worth watching for the artwork alone.
This complex, beautiful, deeply imaginative, and many-layered film continues Miyazaki's amazing and awe-inspiring legacy. He is one of my favorite directors. In nature, wisdom about living, magic, charismatic guides (female as well as male), folklore, cute puffball critters, war/chaos, wackiness including flesh-eating parakeets, portals to other worlds, loss, and love, Miyazaki continues to run with favorite and endearing themes. The film is full of insight into what it means to be human. I was so happy to be part of the first audience to see the film outside of Japan.
There is depth in the story, characters, music, voices (much better in Japanese), and especially the artwork. I'm mesmerized just by the drawings and movement of the clouds. Oh and there are fantastic and intricately drawn ocean waves, moonlight reflected on water, vivid colors, resplendent contrasts of light and dark, elaborate tree branches, night skies with resplendent stars and meteors, grasses realistically swaying in the wind, alluring shadows, and so much more. The Boy and the Heron is worth watching for the artwork alone.