My Neighbor Totoro 1988

     Satsuki and her younger sister Mei move into a house in the country with their father.  They have moved to be closer to their wife/mother because she is a nearby hospital.  The girls begin to have magical adventures in the forest by the house.  There are magical creatures called totoros and the girls become their friends.

     The totoros are not mythological Japanese forest creatures but they were invented by Miyazaki for this film.  Everything going on in the forest is just something that happens and it’s never a threat or dangerous except when Mei runs away.  Their father doesn't doubt the stories the girls tell him about the totoros.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

86 min, Animation directed by Hayao Miyazaki with the voices of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Lea Solonga, Pat Carroll, Lisa Michelson.

Note:  Imdb 8.3 out of 10, 93% critic 94% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*.

Special Note:  This film has been voted the 5^th best family film behind Toy Story 2 and ahead of Shrek.  The Anime Encyclopedia also cites it as the best Japanese animated film.  Computers are not used but the scenes are drawn one frame at a time.