Hayao Miyazaki Retrospective My Neighbor Totoro Review

Hey, this is Greg Berger and you are listening

to the Geekcast Radio Network. Another episode

of The Cinema Geeks as we continue our Heyo Miyazaki

retrospective. Today we will be reviewing My

Neighbor Totoro, the next film in Miyazaki's

filmography. And joining me today, I have a slew

of cinema geek guests. Of course, we have Kevin

Athanasolo. How's it going, man? Not too bad.

Hard candy, Mandy? Hello. No heyo? I was, no.

Oh, you see, I thought I was getting old. Heyo!

And last but of course not least map for Lisa.

How's it going? Okay Least interesting one Things

I don't have anything you have a thing it's called

your hate of Batman versus Superman. Oh and Suicide

Squad In the interest of keeping this movie together,

we will not be reviewing the Suicide Squad. I'm

in Bivoli because I've not seen it, so there

you go. But what I have seen is My Neighbor Totoro,

along with other films in the Miyazaki filmography.

If you've not listened to the episodes, go back

and do that. Yes, but we've started with its

very first film, The Castle of Kelly Ostro, and

now we are at My Neighbor Totoro. It's been...

epic journey so far. We've viewed a lot of different

movies, but I think we're going to get some interesting

conversation here because I feel like My Neighbor

Totoro is a much different film than what we've

gotten to so far. So I guess we can start with

this basic overall impressions of My Neighbor

Totoro. Matt overall, I mean, I know you told

you were a little worried last week when last

time we talked about these movies And you were

concerned with what Amanda and Kevin might think

of this film because it's a little bit different

Maybe the little bit slower that it's not necessarily

as an epic of a film. So I know you do like this

movie So what do you like and enjoy about my

neighbor torture? Besides the fact that it's

just one of the most heartwarming movies that's

out there I think if I had to put one thing on

a pedestal, it's just how like real these animated

characters feel like their faces are incredibly

expressive they have emotions they have wants

desires and they still do normal human things

and it's like that relatability that human element

is what i think i like the most about this movie

yeah i i could definitely definitely see that

so relatability i mean i'm curious did you have

that same heart real heartwarming feeling did

you have that relatability did you enjoy Mining

or Tortureux. I definitely did. I liked the length

a lot better. I was able to stay awake for this

entire film, which is a first in the Shimizaki

Russia segment. I thought it was super cute.

And I think it did have some deeper things going

on, as well as really heartwarming relationships

and interactions with the characters. Interesting

I got to say I was not expecting that that's

man cinema keys coming together. There you go,

Kevin Are you in agreement with them? Are you

again? Do you have that harming feeling? Do you

find it relatable? Despite the fact that may

be a more simple film compared to what came before

I'm going to both agree and disagree I Definitely

find it relatable Relatable and enjoyable. I

would never come up with the term heartwarming

though in describing this film, but maybe that's

just a different take and a different way for

me to relate to the film. Yes, there's cute elements

to it and there's fun elements to it and whatnot,

but I just don't... I don't know if heartwarming

is the right word for me. I... I think you get

a sense of hope from that and that can fill you

up with those warm, gushy feelings. I guess I

view the movie maybe different than you guys.

I'm interested to get to see before I respond

too much. What way you guys are referring to

it as heartwarming and what parts or in what

element did you did you feel the movie achieved

that I guess for me like what what I felt like

most affection towards or Felt was that most

effective was were those relationships with the

characters as Matt mentioned they all felt like

It in a way, this doesn't even feel like an animated

movie at times It feels like more like a family

drama that just happens to be animated. It's

In it's a movie that is certainly directed towards

kids But I think treats them with a level of

respect that you don't necessarily see because

it's dealing with pretty heavy subject matter

and I know Hey, I'm Iizaki. A lot of this is

very model after his life and I feel like you

do Feel that genuineness or you feel certainly

that this is coming from a place of There's a

certain reality to it in a way the way that it's

treating the mother character who's sick and

it doesn't it doesn't necessarily have the kid

gloves or it's not it doesn't try to hold back

and the kids are smarter than I think even the

parents realizing this like that's what I think

I found about it I guess what what I what what's

heartwarming or what I felt like would be the

more positive end is that Even though there are

they're not in the best situation in the world

They still are able to find things to grab grab

on to and like and kind of get to get them through

it in a way where it's not by the end of the

movie not everything's fixed on everything's

perfect, but I think they kind of just recognize

what's important. It's really just making them

as a stronger unit despite the fact that yeah,

maybe their mom is who knows what her future

holds and you know, this is a still new world.

It's somewhat unique to them that they still

are still trying to understand. But within all

that. I think they still kind of are becoming

a tighter family. Well, I don't think we need

to say anything else because Dan said everything

so we can just close the podcast out, right?

I definitely agree that the partwarming factors

come from the bonds and the bond building that

you see here amongst this family unit and the

new people that are coming into their lives and

I think that it shows A lighter side to being

a kid to like everything was so exciting to them

and they were so eager to get involved in everything

and it really showed that despite all this You

know this unfortunate stuff that was happening

with their mom and and you know how scary a move

could be they made it an adventure everything

that they Encountered they made it an adventure

and they got through it together Matt what about

you? What did you you were the one that started

the heartwarming train? So why do you why do

you? continue it here Yeah, I mean I agree with

all all of that this is great um like the interpersonal

connections and stuff Also, like though they

are in this really terrible situation And we

only come in you know we come in part of the

way It's through a bad situation and leave before

it's all resolved which is you know is weird

just generally Like we still see these kids in

this tough situation. They need to be more adult

than maybe kids need to be normally. But they

also like they're still kids and they still have

that innocence. And it's still like a very sweet

movie, even if even if there are dire times just

over the horizon. So you said, Kevin, that you

wouldn't describe it as heartwarming. What would

you describe it as? I still don't buy it as a

heartwarming film. I don't. But as trying to

be heartwarming or trying to be hopeful or trying

to be anything other than real Like I guess that's

maybe I guess the realness is what's heartwarming

about it Well, maybe I have a weird connotation

to heartwarming to me heartwarming is just like,

you know, it's it's all fun and games and it's

you know Disney is heartwarming like oh every

you know it's happily ever after and then oh

don't we feel good about everything to me I maybe

it's just how I view heartwarming as a term but

I think the best part about this movie is how

real it is and how Even in this, I say how real

it is as we're talking about, you know, there's

cat buses and Totoro and all those different

stuff. Wait, those don't exist? I wish they existed

because I almost lost my shit when I saw it.

But I mean, we're in this completely fantastical,

you know, world and environment with all kinds

of crazy stuff happening. But I guess, you know,

depending on how you're viewing it, it's all...

Because this is something that obviously Miyazaki

somewhat experienced or is relating to his own

experiences so I get that and I guess in the

original draft or his original idea that there

would have only been one child or one girl and

it was because he was wanting to kind of display

some more of these relationships and some of

the aspects he didn't think he could do it without

having a second character or a sister in a way.

So for me I kind of view not only the duality

of these two characters but the inclusion of

Totoro as all just kind of a figment of one of

those characters imagination so to speak or a

coping mechanism or whatever you know they needed

to create to get through this this time so for

me those relationships are hard to say that they're

heartwarming because for me they're all within

the same person like they're the same character

for me and it's it's but you still see a development

of it and it goes from one end of the situation

to another end even though there isn't you know

resolution there's still things that happen that

show like a flow and like a growth yeah I know

I get that and I think it very much does have

like this not necessarily coming of age but it's

it's not a coming of age so much as it is the

child who is coming to terms with the fact that

you know reality and real life has these harsh

aspects of it and coming to terms with life and

death and things like that. So to have that and

then also call it heartwarming to me doesn't

really mix. It's more of a coming to terms with

reality but we're watching it through the innocence

of this child and it's done in a real and affecting

way. So I guess I can kind of see maybe some

heartwarming but it just seems weird to say that

to me. Would it be better if I just said touching?

Yes. Is it just the word choice there? I guess

maybe it's just a semantics thing. But yeah,

I mean, because I really enjoy the reality of

this and then how relatable it could be for a

child who's watching this who could possibly

have experienced or is experiencing those same

types of things. If I would have seen this when

I was, you know, 10 or 11, this movie probably

would have, this would probably be one of my

favorite films of all time. just because I could

have completely related to every single thing

that was happening in it. But I think it's very

cool the way that he does this in a way that's

also very fun and adventurous and captivating

for multiple age groups as well. This is a lot

like when Marnie was there, except the pacing

is a thousand times better. And it's done in

so much more of an interesting manner. Because

when Marnie was there, it was also kind of dealing

with some serious subjects, but in a way that

did not entertain me at all. So I really appreciate

how he kind of balanced the realness of what

the subject matter is with the kind of adventure

and fun that he wrapped it up in. Speaking of

kind of negatives, but one of the biggest complaints

I see researching this and looking at it is a

lot of people point to the fact that there is

not... much story here, admittedly. You know,

it's legitimately these kids, they come to town.

There isn't really, you would say, there is a

lacking of an antagonist, really. It's just kind

of, in a way, a slice of life type of movie.

And we're coming off the heels of movies like

Nortero and Casanova, you know, these epic, large

scale adventures that are, you know, huge in

their plot. And there's a lot of complications.

And for you guys, Did the lack of story have

any effect, or was it simply because we have

this movie that is so light compared to what

came before in the sense of narrative, light

in the sense of narrative, not necessarily in

subject matter? Did it work for you on that and

on the end, or did it not matter either way?

I think that it didn't need the epicness here,

and I didn't really need any more from it. There

wasn't any point... this movie that I was like

I needed a little bit more here except for with

a little dust bunny things but Matt's girlfriend

Amy said that you were gonna see them again so

I was okay with with having that little tidbit

of knowledge and I think that the simple nature

here really let you connect to these kids on

their level and it made the cute moments even

more cute because you could pause and and just

drink in the cat bunny cuteness. I think, too,

when you're dealing with what the point of this

film is and what the subject matter that we're

getting to, I think if you artificially infuse

this deeper, this more complex plot or like you

were talking about, an antagonist or something

like that, I think it just becomes fake at that

point because when you are young and when you're

innocent and when you don't really know... That

much about life and death and those types of

things You know, you're not gonna you don't have

you you're not coming up against Antagonist in

your life yet at that point, you know, you're

not you're just there could have been like a

bully at school figure or Something like that.

I just feel like it would have it would have

taken away from the realness of this I like the

fact that it strips that away and you're just

dealing with these innocent kids that are that

are understanding coming to understanding and

exploring these types of Feelings and emotions

and relationships So I didn't mind the whatever

they're talking about with lack of story plot

or antagonist I'm at any thoughts No, I agree

and then to jump on what Kevin said also is I

I'm I'm glad that when the one kid goes to school

we follow the kid that's not at school because

like it's so often that it would just follow

the kid at school and there would be like a bully

or something you know like ah your mom's sick

haha but instead we're like we're just seeing

the more innocent character um and the shenanigans

that go on when you know one kid's at home and

the other kid's not and i love that choice that

was made yeah i agree with that i feel too like

there's There's confusion, I think, with people

when it comes to plot and story. People tend

to equate both of them. And yeah, maybe there's

not a lot of plot here, but I think there is

a story being told. It's just not necessarily

told through a simple series of events. It's

just kind of showing you the progression of these

people and the life they're going through. And

I think that's what makes it unique. And like

I said, it is somewhat refreshing. I do think,

though, that it... It does make it for me not

on the same level those other movies because

I feel like they're able to kind of do more But

I'm also okay with a movie not necessarily going

and trying to solve everything. I think it's

okay if a movie is like, okay this is what I'm

trying to accomplish and our goals may be not

as lofty, but they're just as important and I

think that's what kind of makes it such a such

a unique movie that that In a way like I'm like

I don't see how kids would like this but also

in a way I feel like kids would love it like

I think you know it Because it like I said it

treats kids with a different level of intelligence

than you would with a lot of typical animated

film and I think at times I honestly when when

I film is If it's done, right when a film is

not trying to tackle as much and still is affecting

and entertaining It's almost more impressive

to me. It's like You know if you give someone

the greatest story ever told they can do a shitty

job telling it and it's still gonna be somewhat

good But if you give someone Nothing, and they're

able to make it and then I'm not that this is

nothing But if you you know giving them bare

bones and they're able to entertain you and move

you in a way like this one does I almost think

it's more impressive Yeah, I mean, I think there's

a reason why that torturo is the logo for studio

Dibbly Ghibli Obviously because I guess that

the doll of torturo was like huge and sold tons

of and still sells a bunch today but I think

it just encapsulates the the emotion that these

films were able to Get to you that a lot of other

animated movies aren't yeah, and I think I'm

not there may be some characters that have a

little more going on and obviously even the killer

than this movie have more happening to them than

Totoro does as a character, but it's easily the

most one of the most memorable characters we've

come across for me in this retrospective so far

and how many am i the only one also that has

a song still stuck in your head it's still like

it's still pops up i mean we we watched this

one a while back but uh there's a lot of the

music was good in this and memorable like i said

it has one of the most memorable characters for

me i think it has some some good humorous moments

as well you know underlying this uh this more

serious subject matter i mean there's a there's

a lot of Funny and crazy stuff that's happening,

you know Whether it's just as simple as the whole

umbrella thing in the rain or whether it's the

cat bus or whatever it might be I mean there

there's some and this is an adult, you know as

an adult That's that's I think that's a pretty

deep statement right there I'm wondering if anybody

else had any drawbacks. I mean we talked about

what other people might have as far as antagonist

or lacking, you know, some complexity. Is there

anything that you guys had as a drawback that

knocks it down a notch compared to anything else

that we've seen? Oh man, I'm trying to think

if I had any problems with anything. I think

that the cute factor probably turned my brain

off to anything that I was like, well, that's

not so kosher. I was a little... Like lost in

the relationship of the the sisters. I wanted

to see a little bit more Relationship with like

the dad and the daughters. I feel like he was

kind of absent a lot But I think that allowed

them to really explore stuff with Totoro So,

I don't know. Yeah, I think that was probably

my like I wish we got somewhat of more of an

understanding of the relationship between The

family unit in a way like with between we you

get some with the mom and and But how they function

in a way, maybe that would have been made a little

bit more effective But and like I said, I like

I enjoy it but I think in a way like it I'm not

I don't I'm not wowed by it on the same level

as some of the other movies we got to in Partially

because it's not trying to wow me at that same

level, but I guess it's like Having an amazing

five star Meal and then going and having just

a nice little quaint dinner and it's like it's

good But it's it's it's not necessarily as impressive.

I guess that's the word that comes to my mind

I don't matter if there's anything Any drawbacks

you found to the movie at all? That it's too

sweet and then it's hard to not just sit there

and cry for an hour and a half Do wish we get

a little bit more torture. Oh, I mean I can always

you can always go with a little bit more torture

if this had been like any movies produced by

an American company there would have immediately

been a spin -off of Totoro like the TV series

and you'd have a lot, you know ironic catchphrases

and things like that, I'm sure Actually in the

Miyazaki Museum in Japan or is it the Studio

Ghibli Museum in Japan? There is a short called

may and the kitten bus that I would love to see

but you cannot get in america to my knowledge

Well, you better start booking the trip now,

sir I would love to I one thing I did want to

also mention It feels like a broken record when

you talk about these movies and how great the

animation is But I think the one element that

kind of stuck out to me with this is that and

maybe it's I just didn't notice it with the other

films But how much maizaki? informs character

through motion and like especially with these

two girls who are You know what a few years apart,

but I feel like just watching them kind of do

similar activities but in a vastly different

way and you kind of get an understanding of how

old they are because I know with Castle in the

sky there was the one character where like is

she supposed to be a Teenager like how old is

she supposed to be but I felt with this You with

the girls just do the way they behave in their

actions. You got a better idea of okay these

This is clearly how old their the ages are. This

is, you know, their behavior wise. And I felt

that was impressive how personality is just thrown

shown through motion of character. I mean, little

girls, they are little balls of emotion. And

I think they did a really good job of displaying

that here. Yeah, I think I think so, too. I think,

like I said, I think there was just about every

element of this film was impressive, you know,

from the animation, like we said, to the music,

to the writing, et cetera. I think it was it

was all great. What did you get? As uh any comments

on the uh, the american voice work or anything

like that I I wasn't uh, I didn't find anything

disturbing on that. I didn't find anything, you

know Then knocked my socks off. I think it just

all fit the the story pretty well. I don't even

remember who dakota fanning and la fanning l

fanning excuse me tim daly It made me feel old

because it's like hearing them in this and then

seeing how old they are now Like, oh yeah, they

were, that's, yeah, so. It was actually ranked

a couple of, made some, I mean, tomato, a lot

of lists over time, but our best films of world

cinema, it was 41 on that. Also has a 93 % on

Rotten Tomatoes. So it's got a lot of acclaim

for sure. It's right up there with most of Miyazaki's

filmography so far. I think this might've been

the first time I ever watched it in English.

The very first copy I had was it was actually

not even a region 1 or region 0 whatever region

were in DVD It was actually a Japanese DVD that

happened to have English subtitles and I know

Amy and I watched that one probably a half dozen

times before I ever bought the Disney release

that had the the voiceovers What's kind of interesting

looking at some of the trivia for this you bring

it up is that? In its original theatrical run,

it was actually a double feature with Grave of

the Fireflies, which the dichotomy of those two

movies or the difference of emotion with those

two movies, you talk about like this would seem

super heartwarming compared to Grave of the Fireflies.

It's like, wow, I hope I hope this was shown.

I don't know. I think second. So just to make

you like not feel so depressed leaving the theater.

But man, talk about like a roller coaster of

emotion. also found that Totoro is I Don't know

if I've read some different things, but apparently

that's supposed to be troll in Japanese the word

for troll in Japanese is Very similar to Totoro

and something mispronounced it Or it could be

mistaken for that and he's kind of like, you

know the keeper You know the forest character

type thing. So I guess that would kind of fit

Yeah, and If you look very closely, you'll find

uh, uh torturo actually does do a cameo or possible

cameo on toy story 3 so yeah But yeah, I mean

basically if you haven't seen it go out and see

it. It's great. It's very joyful film So and

you won't fall asleep It is very it was funny

because it was like wow, this is already over.

It's only eighties. I'm like nice. Well, there

you go It feels great after like summer films

of like that are all like three hours. It's nice

Yeah, for sure. How does this rank for you guys?

What kind of score do you feel like? Good question.

Matt, let's start with you. Any final thoughts

and overall score for My Neighbor Totoro? Honestly,

I don't have anything to say. This is one of

my favorite movies of all time. Look forward

to it on our top 100 movies. You're not going

to hear it for probably months. because honestly

uh like i give this movie a 10 out of 10 like

i don't have anything i change wow wow the highest

rating so far very nice uh amanda how about you

um i think that i still have a more love for

another one of the miyazaki films that i've seen

so i'm gonna leave a little wiggle room here

and i'm gonna give this uh an eight Kevin all

right um man I Put me on the spot here. I I want

to leave just a tiny bit of room, too I don't

know if I need as much room as Amanda though.

I will give this one a 9 out of 10 man I'm gonna

feel like an awful human being and I'm gonna

Get I'm gonna give it like I said a 7 out of

10 which sounds awful, but it's still good Don't

hate me. I still think it's a very good movie

But we're seven eight nine and ten. So we've

got the whole spectrum. Yeah, there you go Again,

very positive go see it. It's I do think that

maybe with time I will like Castle in the sky

or Nausicaa better but on just the initial first

viewing I Liked this one better. Yeah, I think

there's more to dissect and more to delve into

with those other two maybe But this one just

on surface value had me. Yeah, I think to me

it's just like I said, it's just a fight the

accomplishments of like What the other films

were able to do to me were just amazing and this

I don't know it's going it's doing what it's

trying to do There's no doubt about that. I think

it accomplishes everything It sets out to do

but I think the other ones other movies just

hit with me more So my son was more of a personal

than I think a critical score But again, I think

they're like it's hard for me to think of anything

negative say about this Yeah, all righty. Well

That actually brings us into an issue report

as next time we will talk about Miyazaki. We're

going to talk about somewhat of a similar film

as we get into Kiki's delivery service. But for

this week, that'll be it. Make sure to comment

on our episode post by going to GeekCastCreator

.com. You can hit us up on Twitter at CinemaGeekCast.

You guys are also on Twitter. Matt, what's your

Twitter name? I am at FridleyScent. Kevin? I'm

at OptimaSolo and you guys can let us know what

was the right one. Frankie, is it supposed to

be a seven, eight, nine, or ten? Exactly. And

Amanda. Hard Candy Mandy, eyes no wise. But that'll

be it for this week. We'll be back next week.

Thanks again for listening and stay tuned for

more Cinema Geeks.