Ponyo (2008)
Sort of hard to say no when your kid stands with the Bluray and asks if we should watch this again. Like with Totoro, I continue to be amazed that this style of storytelling is more than capable of grabbing the kids attention. I grew up with the Disney classics of the 90s, which are all amazing in their own right, but Miyazaki has some other elements that western animation usually lacks. At its core, I think these movies are able to depict childlike curiosity and imagination like no other. The wonder of even the simplest things are given room to flourish and the child perspective of events are taken seriously. There is also room for the imperfections of life, such as the scenes where the mother is loosing her temper, but it is not played off as some serious drama. That is also just part of life.
Rating: 4