The best way to describe this movie is to say the entire film feels like the scene in Spirited Away where Chihiro is on the train going to Yubaba's sister's house. It feels nostalgic, contemplative, and yearning for a time when the world appeared to be easier (ie through the eyes of a young boy).
But, like all of Miyazaki's works, the film is filled with gorgeous animation and incredibly fantastical set pieces. It's a rare end of career film that feels like a filmmaker at the height of their powers. Don't go in expecting Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle or Ponyo - it's very different from all of those films even though it shares a lot of the same themes. Just know you're putting your trust in one of the best living filmmakers whose fire for telling stories is far from dimming.
But, like all of Miyazaki's works, the film is filled with gorgeous animation and incredibly fantastical set pieces. It's a rare end of career film that feels like a filmmaker at the height of their powers. Don't go in expecting Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle or Ponyo - it's very different from all of those films even though it shares a lot of the same themes. Just know you're putting your trust in one of the best living filmmakers whose fire for telling stories is far from dimming.