Suzume

Suzume (2022)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Suzume's life is a rather unique story that deviates from the normal. She's not a closer like Souta, but an odd experience from her childhood leaves her able to see the doors and the worms coming through them where most others don't see them. This sets her on a rather fantastical adventure with Souta to try to save Japan and maybe find some answers about her own confusing and lost childhood. Souta is a lot harder to read given his form through most of the film, but it's still rather endearing the way these two learn about each other and come to care for the other and this unique mission of theirs. There are some very real moments, especially when it comes to dealing with their families and their perceptions of the world around them. Fortunately, it seems they both have some pretty good people pulling for them in the background, especially when you start adding talking cats and what most would consider unreasonable road trip demands into the mix.

Weathering With You

Weathering With You (2019)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Hodaka is a runaway that doesn't seem to have much luck or much of an idea of how things work (really, who holds onto a gun of all things and thinks it's a lucky charm?!). Hina hasn't had much luck either as she's supporting her and her younger brother on her own, but she somehow seems to make things work. All of this is besides Hina miraculously becoming a real live "sunshine girl." Too bad there are consequences to this power that the kids have no clue about as they decide to try and capitalize on Hina's unique gifts to improve their own living situations. It's still unclear exactly why things were so bad that Hodaka decided to run away; his answers in the film seem superficial and vague. Despite this, these children learn some hard lessons and find their own family along the way.