'The Boy And The Heron' A Review

The Boy And The Heron is a Japanese animated fantasy about a boy, Mahito, in 1943 Tokyo who's mother dies in a fire after which his father re-marries his aunt and moves to that side of the families country estate. Once there Mahito gets harassed by the local Grey Heron and finds himself in another world.

There are two versions of the film available, Japanese with subtitles or the English dub, both feature returning Miyazaki(writer/director) casts and both give excellent performances. The animation style is typical for Miyazaki and it is gorgeous as well as refreshing simply not to have the kind of CG 3D same-ness that almost all animated films have aesthetically devolved into.

The story is sweeping and complicated and emotional. Imaginative and odd in Miyazaki's typical style. It feels more more of an appropriate send-off for Miyazaki who originally announced his retirement with 2013's The Wind Rises. This is much more focused, much more rich in its ideas, metaphors, themes, and imagery. In a year with a lot of great movies but a lot of the same kind of great movies this sticks out as a bold, necessary, adventurous piece of cinema from one of the art forms absolute greats.

Unique, challenging, an absolute thrill.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Don't Miss It.