Listen, I get why most of you rate this lower than Spirited Away or Totoro or Princess Mononoke.
But having just watched this for this first time with my two young daughters, I’m not sure there’s a single movie I’d rather they grow up watching. Getting older isn’t easy, or a straight line, but if you surround yourself with kind and supportive people, always try to do good, and persist through the ups and downs, you’ll find your magic.
Jan. 2022 update:
Watched while the entire family recovered from a stomach bug. We needed a comfortable film.
There is something lightweight about this movie. It feels almost like a TV pilot — like Miyazaki hadn’t pushed the story to its limits the way he could have. Then again, its airiness is part of the charm. Kiki’s just a kid figuring out life for an hour and a half!
I continue to adore how nice this movie is, and how its message is genuinely uplifting without being pandering. I love watching it with my daughters and hoping they take something away from it. My affection for it outstrips maybe every Ghibli except Totoro, although I wouldn’t claim that it’s their second-best.
Is It Good?
Exceptionally Good (7/8)
Note: This capsule review was originally published elsewhere. If I watch this movie again, I might expand this to a full-length review.
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