Maybe it’s because I watched this three hours after a funeral, but this made a ton of sense to me and resonated with me a lot.

I do wonder if there’s some kind of informational gap between the sub and dub (I watched the sub), because I’ve read a number of comments/reviews after the leaving the theater that claim certain aspects were confusing and disjointed. And in a number of cases (not all, but many), I feel like the movie actually did tell you what was going on, either in the literal dialogue or the visual subtext. There is definitely room for interpretation and the insertion of your own life though.

Ultimately this is a meditation on grief and moving on. People are not “boring” or “emotionless” when they’re grieving. Grief turns you into a shell, a husk, and you have to fight your way out. Sometimes while wrapped up in grief, you don’t want to do the right things, but you do them anyways because you know you have to. You might not do it with a smile on your face or a bounce in your step, but you do it nonetheless, because the ones you grieve for would want nothing less from you.

I thought this was a lovely Miyazaki film. Bold and colorful characters and set pieces, set in an entirely new world filled with mysterious magic and rambunctious creatures galore. It's a good watch for sure and I recommend it.

I'm having a hard time deciding where to put this in my hierarchy of Ghibli films, and that's for several reasons, but the main one I'll write about here is the world-building. On one hand, I thought the world-building was done exceptionally well, there's so many interesting things they present for you to think about. But on the other hand, not much of what makes the world interesting is explored or explained. It's nice to have such a dense world, and maybe I've been spoiled by movies lately in knowing exactly what's going on, but it did make me feel a bit conflicted in that regard.

I would love to do a second watch of the movie to try and catch more of its subtleties as well and try to break down a little more of Miyazaki's rhetoric, which is also something I found to be a little difficult to extract while viewing, but I'm not hating the idea of watching again! Everyone who worked on this movie have poured their heart and soul into it, and it really shines through. Definitely one of my top movies from this year.

Reviewing Hayao Miyazaki or any Studio Ghibli film is probably the hardest thing for me. There is no film or art that touches me more than anyone else - it is part of my life.

That said, The Boy and the Heron is a dubious film. Since, the first hour of the film is wonderful - a gigantic drama that is second only to Tomb of the Fireflies. However, when it goes to fantasy it loses focus and becomes boring. The magical universe doesn't come close to Spirited Away - the lack of diversity in the protagonists and the lack of danger compromises the story.

For the rest, only praise - the technical part of the film is sensational. The sound and score by Joe Hisashi are exceptional and the scenery is fantastic. The quality of Studio Ghibli is still maintained.

What changes?

The story is the most cosmogonic of all. There has always been a very strong Western side to Miyazaki's works and this film is one of them. Conversation with God is quite different from Mononoke.

In a way, it's a farewell to Miyazaki. The author knows this and that his health is not a guarantee of continuity. What catches my attention is the sentimental choice that is completely different from the previous one.

Maybe it's sacrilegious to say, but I didn't love this latest from the marvellously imaginative mind of Hayao Miyazaki. It follows the adventures of "Mahito" who arrives at the home of his factory-owning father amidst WWII. We appreciate quickly that his mother has died and that he is to have a new, expectant, mother in "Natsuko". When she mysteriously disappears and "Mahito" finds his presence "requested" by an enigmatic and beautiful grey heron, he strays into an old abandoned tower on his family estate and is soon embroiled in a world inhabited by people who are alive and, well, not! It seems the heron is not quite what it seemed, either, as he must explore rooms within rooms and endless doors that open into new scenarios. Pursued by giant pelicans, how can "Mahito" find his stepmother and return safely to their home? Luckily, along the way, he encounters the benevolently spiritual "Kiriko" as he finds himself the subject of some clever manipulation between the outwardly benign "Grand Uncle" who draws the power of life from a giant sacred stone he wishes to leave in the custody of our young explorer and the ambitious "Pelican King". You simply cannot fail to admire the vivid imagination of Miyazaki - the ideas and apparent randomness of the threads that gradually come together is hard enough to follow sometimes even when you have seen the denouement, and that's what makes these intricately drawn and characterised stories usually more intriguing and enjoying. Somehow, though, this was just a little too unstructured and meandering for my little brain. I've seen it twice now and maybe I just didn't engage with "Mahito" in the way I did with "Howl", "Totoro" or 'Chihiro" or, indeed, with the story. It's still a glorious watch on a big screen and is certainly well worth watching. Just not sure it is in his top five, though!

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THE BOY AND THE HERON is a visually captivating film that struggles to balance all of its storylines and themes. Technically, no faults. The visuals are nothing short of breathtaking, with each shot meticulously detailed and rich in storytelling. The animation is a true work of art, drawing viewers into a world of wonder and magic. The sound design and score complement the visuals beautifully, enhancing the overall viewing experience. And finally, the film retains the typical Ghibli humor that fans have come to love, sprinkling lighthearted moments throughout the narrative.

However, Hayao Miyazaki succumbs to his ambition. The filmmaker tries to incorporate too many ideas, resulting in a somewhat confusing, messy narrative, particularly in the transitions between different characters, locations, and story arcs. THE BOY AND THE HERON stumbles in its attempt to juggle multiple ideas, but overall, it still manages to deliver a delightful, enchanting experience for fans of the studio's work.

Rating: B-