Children Who Chase Lost Voices by Makoto Shinkai (2011)
Makoto Shinkai has often been called the next Hayao Miyazaki, something that — to his credit — he has downplayed. That said, Children Who Chase Lost Voices is the only Shinkai film I’ve watched that actually feels Miyazaki-esque thanks to its fantastical storyline, which is to its detriment. There are some interesting ideas in this film about a young girl who embarks on a perilous journey through the underworld, and as expected from a Shinkai film, it frequently looks gorgeous. Ultimately, however, Children Who Chase Lost Voices feels like an awkwardly assembled mishmash — a little Castle in the Sky here, a little Princess Mononoke there — that never really gels or becomes something greater than the sum of its parts. Shinkai’s ambition is plain to see, but the resulting film just doesn’t work very well.
I may earn an affiliate commission on items you buy through Opus. These commissions will go directly to support the site and my blogging.