My Neighbors The Yamadas (1999)
Directed by Isao Takahata
Run Time: 1h 44m
Cast: Hayato Isobata, Masako Araki, Naomi Uno, Touru Masuoka
Earlier this year, Netflix released a multitude of Studio Ghibli films for their global audiences. Almost every major Studio Ghibli film is now available on the website for Global Audiences. If you’re in the US, you’ll have to subscribe to HBOMax, another streaming service.
The movie is a compilation of the Yamada family’s everyday life. Whether it’s forgetting their youngest daughter at the department store or fighting over the television, the movie is an entertaining look at this fictional Japanese family.
Relatable to The Core
Unlike most Miyazaki movies, The Yamadas is just a slice of life movie. Viewers are able to get a grasp of how each family members acts in the nearly two hour run time.
What makes the movie so good is that you could relate to the struggles of a mother not knowing what to cook for the next meal, the father struggling to connect with his child, and so much more. Everyone has had these encounters with their family members for sure.
Simple yet Beautiful
You might overlook the simplicity of the artwork, but there is one scene that stands out in the closing credits. The animation at the end really shows you how beautiful Studio Ghibli’s work is.
As a viewer, I got so hooked on the relatable story that I forgot about how beautiful the movie is. The artists found a way to make the simple-looking animation look so effortless. It’s just so beautiful that way,
The movie is no Spirited Away in any form but it stands out cause it’s such a simple movie. You take the story for what it is and embrace it.
Closing Thoughts
The Yamadas deliver a wonderful slice of life film that just got dragging at certain moments. That doesn’t stop the movie from being enjoyable though.
Final Score:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Credits: Netflix Asia
Steven Maxwell Tan is the co-founder of The Geeky Juans and co-host of its weekly podcast. He’s a fan of the Moomin franchise, the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, comics and puroresu. You can find more of his geeky thoughts on Twitter: @steviesaidyup.
