Only Yesterday (1991) Movie Review
Genre: Animation, Drama, Romance
Director & Writer: Isao Takahata
Plot: A 27-year-old office worker travels to the countryside while reminiscing about her childhood in Tôkyô.
Only Yesterday is directed by Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) and follows a women who travels to the country side to get away for a while. While she is there she begins to recall events from her childhood that have been bothering her for most of her life.
The most noticeable thing in this film is the backgrounds drawn in most of the film. Its one of the best background drawings I probably have ever seen in a animated film. This is a much more slowed pace film and focuses on small events rather than something dramatic. Most of the events consist on realistic moments in her life. There is even a sequence that is a simple work day on a farm. Its definitely the best sequence in the film and really stands out.
Most of the events from her childhood, individually may not seem important. Its more of a personally opinion but I did find the pacing in the film a bit on the slow side.
I also found that focusing so much of her younger age just wasn't as relatable to me. But that could just be a cultural difference or just something that was more important around the time this movie was released.
Only Yesterday is a different kind of Studio Ghibli film, Its much more grounded in reality and focuses more on drama. While I might not be the biggest fan of these kind of animated films, I can recognize a good film when I see one and this is one of their finest and most mature handled films I have seen from them.
Rating:
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