A gentle, nostalgic look at Japan in 1963, told from the perspective of Umi, a schoolgirl who lives with her grandmother in a houseful of eccentric boarders. Umi, though melancholic, develops a crush on a classmate, whose family history is connected to hers in ways that complicate the romance. These young people are finding their way in a country that is both looking forward to hosting the Olympics and living in the shadow of war. 2011, Japan, 91 minutes, hand-drawn animation, rated PG
“Though it was written and “planned” by Hayao Miyazaki, perhaps the greatest living fantasist in world cinema (and directed by his son Goro), this movie, based on a manga by Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsuro Sayama, is a lovely example of the strong realist tendency in Japanese animation. Its visual magic lies in painterly compositions of foliage, clouds, architecture and water, and its emotional impact comes from the way everyday life is washed in the colors of memory.” – A. O. Scott, The New York Times
“From Up on Poppy Hill is frankly stunning, as beautiful a hand-drawn animated feature as you are likely to see. It’s a time-machine dream of a not-so-distant past, a sweet and honestly sentimental story that also represents a collaboration between the greatest of Japanese animators and his up-and-coming son.” – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
“From Up on Poppy Hill is a delicately beautiful hand-drawn animated movie directed by Goro Miyazaki and written by his father, Hayao, perhaps the world’s greatest movie imagineer.” “A must see.” – Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
