Princess Mononoke (1997)
This is perhaps Miyazaki's greatest film. While Spirited Away may be his most artistically & creatively impressive film, and the one most successful at creating a modern day foundational fairytale - it lacks the complex commentary of Princess Mononoke. While "How to Live" aka The Boy & The Heron is his most personal film and the most technically impressive to date, with some of the most powerful emptional resonance - it is not as <i>important </i>as Princess Mononoke.
Princess Mononoke is Miyazaki's commentary on war, peace, politics, nature, femininity, naturalism, & Ellul's Technique. It is an epic ot grand scale with deep ideas & a lot to say. It may lack the charm of Spirited Away and the personal resonance of The Boy & the Heron, but it is the most important thing Miyazaki has ever produced.
Related long-form writing: Animation Notes: Princess Mononoke, Over the Garden Wall and Zootopia 2.
Originally published on Letterboxd. Browse all film reviews.