Tonari no Totoro [My Neighbor Totoro] (1988)

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby. (IMDb)

HOLY TOTORO (all praise to His Great Comfy-ness) CAN THIS BE ANY SWEETER. Like, a family moves into an old creature-infested dwelling and the dad goes “I’ve always wanted to live in a haunted house!” before they all giggle away bogeymen while in the bath. Adorable slice-of-life fare and mystical exploration (the tree-growing was one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever seen) give way to just the right amount of emotional suspense and payoff at the end (destination: Mei). Wonderfully scored.

9/10 (Amazing)