The Worst Film Ever

Nice effects though.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

From the director of Grave of the Fireflies & Only Yesterday, My Neighbours the Yamadas is Studio Ghibli's first fully digital film and although the approach it takes to bring its tale to life is noticeably different from the studio's previous works, the attention to its story & characters exhibits the same level of commitment as before.The story of My Neighbours the Yamadas follows the life & misadventures of the Yamadas family in contemporary Japan and is told in a series of vignettes. Each segment deals with different themes, explores its characters & their relationships with others, and through these brief snippets, the film contemplates on both the delights & hardships of life itself.Written & directed by Isao Takahata, the film adopts the narrative style of a comic strip and follows a non-linear route. Each episode focuses on a particular family member & covers their relationship dynamics with others, all expressed in a believable & relatable manner. But the core ingredient that keeps everything glued together is their love for one another, despite the numerous flaws.The look & feel of the film is considerably different from Studio Ghibli's traditional anime style. The use of colours & character sketches are kept to its minimum, edges of the canvas are left blank for the most part, and lighting is pitch-perfect. Editing allows the tale to unfolds at an unhurried pace but one unintended result of it is that the story feels much longer than its 104 minutes runtime.On an overall scale, My Neighbours the Yamadas is an exquisitely humoured, delightfully engaging & thoroughly amusing cinema that utilises its storytelling medium quite efficiently. Finely directed, deftly scripted & wonderfully animated, this social commentary on life, family, marriage & kids from Takahata is yet another winning material in the legendary animation studio's canon. Do not miss it.

My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) follows the simple yet comical lives and adventures of the family of five; the characters are quite adorable and some of the vignettes are just so funny. This beautiful pastel colored film full of family gag is never shy to depict the antics of the characters and the daily crisis of family lives. The condition of the family may look difficult but it is not completely dysfunctional as they lived happily together. The first thing that comes to my mind is that this film has an impressive artwork. Its visual style is not just different from most of the Studio Ghibli productions but most of the animated features produced around the world which makes it really unique. It's really amazing to watch how short and simple comic strips can turn into a feature film by a series of vignettes. However, this film lacks a vital storyline that could connect all of the vignettes. As a whole, it may feel lengthy if it has moved to the ones that doesn't make you laugh or keeps you interested. Nonetheless, it is a recommended watch if you loved comedies, family- themed or slice of life films. Although most of the scenes are usually amusing, they also come with important underlying messages for you to discover.PS. What would happen if Nonoko meets Shinnosuke, say, kindergarten transfer? ;)

MY NEIGHBOURS THE YAMADAS is a completely atypical movie for Studio Ghibli and probably their most unusual movie to date. The hand-drawn animation seems crude compared to the more elaborate outings directed by Miyazaki, but the simpleness of cartoon characters does grow on you as the film goes on.Essentially, this is a series of comic vignettes showing the various misadventures of an ordinary family living in Japan. Although there are a few fantasy sequences as the characters imagine themselves floating through the air or going on wild adventures, for the most part it's humdrum and realistic. The humour comes from the ditzy characters and the things they get up to, particularly the crazy old grandmother.Those looking for plots about saving the world or battles between heroes and villains are likely to be disappointed by the ordinariness of this one, the matter-of-fact way the film develops and the distinct lack of any kind of storyline. However, I found it quietly charming in its own unique way, and it's certainly a distinctive movie, so there are things to recommend it - if you know what to expect beforehand and prepare your mindset accordingly to take a step back and just enjoy the minutiae of everyday life.

I enjoy many types of animation but after watching this DVD last night I was stunned. The minimalist artwork set the impressionistic spring mood. The music was upbeat and light matching the "baby blues and pinks" colouring.I've never seen anything like this before. Not only does it encourage the would-be Animator to try similar things but the hidden themes behind each little cartoon clip was touching and honest.The introduction was a grabber for me with the beautiful analogy of this Japanese family going through life like a voyage on rough seas.I watched it with the American voices, they matched the drawings so well, giving them warmth and realism to the Yamada family's personalities that is impossible to convey via the drawings alone.I loved My Neighbours the Yamadas and wish Hisaishi Ishii and the Director would continue creating more brilliant work.