SIFF 2012 #4, Only Yesterday
Tonight's SIFF offering was part of the archival program, an old Studio Ghibli release never officially released in this country, called Only Yesterday.
It's a very poignant story, with no real supernatural elements in it. If "Legends of Valhalla" recalled "Shrek" and "The Great Bear" had elements of "Princess Mononoke", this... really doesn't recall any animated film I can think of. Or any film, but that's probably because it's very much a girl's story (that's not a slam on the film, but me). It involves a young office worker's trip to the countryside to farm on her vacation, but most of the film involves her recollections of her Tokyo girlhood at 11 some time in the 1960s.
This was directed by Isao Takahata, director of perhaps the most depressing film ever made, "Grave of the Fireflies" but this strikes a completely different note. Its views of man and nature reminded me of both Kurosawa and Miyazaki (who was the producer). And in my emotional state, the unabashedly romantic ending, yes, had me crying. And I'm sure I wasn't the only one (I can't tell you how or why without spoiling the ending).
Seattle People, this movie will be playing again later in June at SIFF at a Studio Ghibli fest. I recommend you go see it; just don't look for me quite yet.
It's a very poignant story, with no real supernatural elements in it. If "Legends of Valhalla" recalled "Shrek" and "The Great Bear" had elements of "Princess Mononoke", this... really doesn't recall any animated film I can think of. Or any film, but that's probably because it's very much a girl's story (that's not a slam on the film, but me). It involves a young office worker's trip to the countryside to farm on her vacation, but most of the film involves her recollections of her Tokyo girlhood at 11 some time in the 1960s.
This was directed by Isao Takahata, director of perhaps the most depressing film ever made, "Grave of the Fireflies" but this strikes a completely different note. Its views of man and nature reminded me of both Kurosawa and Miyazaki (who was the producer). And in my emotional state, the unabashedly romantic ending, yes, had me crying. And I'm sure I wasn't the only one (I can't tell you how or why without spoiling the ending).
Seattle People, this movie will be playing again later in June at SIFF at a Studio Ghibli fest. I recommend you go see it; just don't look for me quite yet.