a masterpiece of moving image art. Satoshi Kon once again shows me how anime has the unique ability to tell stories that bend past, present, future in order to come closer to a true expression of the nature of memory and life as it is lived and remembered — our own and those of others that dwell within us. This movie tells me once again the uncanny way cinema and the performing arts approaches spirituality, in these art forms’ ability…

I was tearing up at various points throughout the film, but the underwater old people’s home just killed me. That’s when it sort of clicked to me what Miyazaki’s film is about, what the magic is about. The beauty of the film is potent enough on the surface, but when you realize that fantasy and imagination is a way to make up for pain and loss in real life, something gives way and so many feelings come out. It’s great…