The greatest movie ever!

Fantastic!

Boring

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

A girl who grief in her father's loss shifts with her mother to tokyo where three goblin or the sky gods have been sent to fulfill their task. It is a slow movie.

I absolutely adored this movie! It took me a bit by surprise, much like the goblins took Momo by surprise, but they grew on me as much as they did her. I laughed out loud at times, and was also very moved at the end. I really appreciated the positive outlook on death, and how the film played through the various stages of grief. Definitely worth a watch. I highly recommend for children who might be coping with a loss, or adults for that matter! It was a roller-coaster of emotion, but still left me feeling happy despite some of the more dramatic events. The goblins definitely stole the show, and though they were creepy at first, they ended up being my absolute favorites by the end.

When this film begins, it looks like another high quality film from Studio Ghibli (Miyazaki's studio) but it isn't, it's from Bandai-- the folks who make many anime series television programs. I didn't realize that they also did full-length films--but after seeing the quality of this movie, I sure would like to see more from these folks.The film is about a girl named Momo (Japanese for 'Peach'). She and her mother move out to the country from Tokyo after Momo's father's death. Momo hates living there and wants to be back in Tokyo. She also has trouble getting to know the local kids, as she is rather shy. However, over time, three unexpected friends help her out during this time of need--three goblins who are scary looking but who are really quite nice. The problem is that she alone sees them- -and at first she's scared half to death and you cannot blame her! Eventually, however, the four make peace and the rest of the plot is just something you'll need to see for yourself.So is it any good? Well, as I mentioned above the quality of the production is very nice--really nice animation, lovely music and some cute characters. The story is also lovely--a bit less strange than some of the Miyazaki films (such as "Spirited Away") and it has a very strong Shinto message involving the dead father trying to contact his daughter from the great beyond. Some religious folks might object to this message, but it is very sweet and very Japanese--so what do you expect from a cartoon from Japan?! Well worth seeing...and one that actually might be good to see with a box of Kleenex nearby.By the way, the DVD I watched was the American version. Often, things are changed or mistranslated in the process and I assume there are some difference between the original and this version. I don't think they would have called these creatures goblins in Japan- -perhaps spirits or demons. Regardless, I just want you to know that my review is based on the Americanized version. Usually, I prefer to see subtitled and original products, not ones redone for local consumption but I oddly had problems getting the DVD to play the Japanese version (which was on the same disc but just wouldn't work on my DVD player).

After the death of her father 11-year-old Momo and her mother move to a remote island to live with her grandparents. Her mom isn't much at home because she has to commute to work every day and the two generally are quite estranged since the father's passing. Furthermore Momo has a hard time making friends in the new environment until one day she hears strange noises in the attic which turn out to come from three peculiar creatures that only the girl can see. They seem pretty mischievous but are they looking to hurt or to help the girl? 'A Letter to Momo' is a delightful anime that admittedly is quite a bit like the great 'My Neighbor Totoro', but it feels nothing like an uninspired rehash, in fact I liked this one even a bit better. As far as "substance" goes this is pretty slight but the story here is secondary to the gorgeous animation that feels very alive, every moment is lovingly animated with brilliant attention to detail to movement and the smallest of gestures. It has a captivating, consistent summertime atmosphere to which the rich sound work contributes almost as much as the animation.This very much starts out as a slice of life drama until the monsters come into play at which point the film becomes really funny. But even though the antics of the creatures are hilarious and those guys are pretty crazy the character of the girl is well-fleshed out and she remains wonderfully real. The third act is mostly a very dramatic tearjerker. If this sounds like the film is all over the place or the tone is inconsistent, it is not. All the elements work together smoothly and it's a well-rounded experience. It is excellently paced but it does take its time and at two hours it might run a bit long. If you are a fan of slice of life anime with supernatural/magical elements this definitely comes highly recommended. Also suitable for your small ones.