The latest Shinkai work is just as good as all others.
It’s another coming-of-age adventure with a splash of romance and drama, his signature fantastic visuals, and paired with the otherworldly music of his regular companion, RADWIMPS.
His sincerity and love for modern life, composed of the juxtaposition of past and present, city and nature, youth and tradition, of ordinary folk in extraordinary situations, makes you forget all worries and nuisances of life for a couple hours. And once it was over, I at least felt a lot lighter and happier.
It’s a messy film, with some cliches. And it doesn’t replace Your Name as my personal favourite. But, in my opinion, nothing can top your first Shinkai film anyways. And if you haven’t had the pleasure of watching one on the big screen, then Suzume will be a great start to your Shinkai journey.
In short, go watch it and feel something that modern Hollywood seems too “cool” and cynical to give you. I’ll be listening to the soundtrack while crying.
Watched it today and enjoyed it---really glad I went in blind. Even though the scenes which were supposed to be super emotional mostly fell flat for me, I really loved the overall vibe of the movie and the warmth of the characters Suzume met along her journey. Also was fun to actually recognize some of the oldies that popped up, including this one from the karaoke scene. And of course, Shinkai never disappoints in the visual department.