Weathering with You: Review
(this review is SPOILER FREE!!!)
I was lucky enough to see Weathering With You the other day, and just wanted to quickly document my thoughts on it! (/thoughts on Makoto Shinkai’s work as a whole)
So right off the bat, if you liked Your Name, I’m fairly certain you’d enjoy this movie too. It’s definitely different and its own thing, but in my opinion it still has the same beauty and magic that Makoto Shinkai does best.
I’ve become a big Makoto Shinkai fan recently, watching some of his other films like 5 Centimeters Per Second and Garden of Words, but the fact that most people haven’t heard of those films while Your Name was a worldwide phenomenon is pretty telling of Shinkai’s growth and also skill as a director.
(gif from 5 Centimeters per Second)
Makoto Shinkai’s work has always been undeniably beautiful. I mean, look at it. If you enjoy animation or enjoy drawing or just enjoy looking at pretty stuff, I’d recommend pretty much anything he’s ever done.
If you actually care about plot and compelling narratives however, I think I’d only be recommending Your Name and Weathering with You. His other films, in my opinion, seem to prioritize style over substance and while they are beautiful, I didn’t get much out of the story.
(gif from Garden of Words)
However if we’re putting Shinkai’s work was on a scale, Weathering with You is definitely nearer to the Your Name side than any of the others. It takes inspiration from Japanese folklore, has really compelling, cool, and likable characters, and a unique semi-fantastical plot line.
This review quickly turned into a Makoto Shinkai commentary so I’m just gonna wrap it up here. Weathering with You is a beautiful spectacle, and I’d highly recommend seeing it in theaters if you’re lucky enough, but if not, waiting until you can see it online.
Thanks for reading!
-threecheersforinking
