Over the long weekend, we watched Mirai, winner of the Japanese Academy Prize for Animation in 2018.
Of his films that I’ve seen, this was his tightest story and I really enjoyed it. I am fond of slice of life family stories, but I felt that he did not do a good job wrapping up the end to Wolf Children so acclaim is not guaranteed. However I can happily say he stuck the landing on this one.
It also helped that the family included an architect, so the house in the film is pretty cool (albeit questionable IRL). As easter eggs, it was also fun to see the Ikea products in the house, presumably to signify a modern sense of style on a middle class budget.
And of course, it helped to have two kids spread apart almost exactly the same difference as the protagonists on screen. It was fun to watch the kids, but also of exchanges between the mom and dad.
This is a family film and the kids will dig it, but it is parents who will really grok what just happened.