The 2022-2023 Film Journal Entry #24: "Suzume"

2022-2023 Film Journal Entry #24

by Xavier E. Palacios

"Suzume"

4.5 out of 5

Directed by Makoto Shinkai

Rated "PG"

One day in Kyushu, Japan, high schooler Suzume Iwato (voiced by Nanoka Hara) encounters a mysterious stranger, Sōta Munakata (voiced by Hokuto Matsumura), who is looking for the nearest abandoned area. Following his trail, Suzume comes across a door that opens up in another world inaccessible to mortals; awakens a statue that becomes a talking, mischievous god in cat form, Daijin (voiced by Anne Yamane); and helps close the door before an ancient being, a "worm", exists the portal and collapses onto her town, causing an earthquake. Sōta explains that he is a Closer: noble folk of an ancient order who travel Japan helping the two keystones, which Daijin was, keep the worm from venturing from beneath the earth and cause terrible natural disasters. When Daijin casts a curse on Sōta and forces his spirit to embody Suzume's broken, toddler chair, the pair embark west on a remarkable quest across the country to return Daijin to his place and prevent the worm's total freedom. However, as Suzume's adventure continues, Sōta's fate becomes slowly sealed, and the young woman must face related traumas she long buried to save those she loves.

Since I saw director Makoto Shinkai's Weathering with You two films journals ago, I have looked forward to his next film. I made clear my somewhat convoluted relationship with this director's body of work in that public entry, so I shall not repeat myself here. Suffice it to say, I genuinely disliked his films and reputation, plus people's overrated, self-indulgent response to his immature films. My views changed when I saw his last two films, Your Name and Weathering with You.

I was highly impressed with how he used his teen melodramatic stylings both in storytelling and animation to defy my criticisms and expectations to tell stories that have real ideas to share, are entertaining, and stuck with me. With this context, Shinkai became one of the most interesting directors whose work I follow. So, I have been anticipating his latest film, Suzume, for quite some time. I have been excited to see how he would, and if he could, continue to evolve.

Oh, boy, oh, boy, I am sure glad to say that, with Suzume, Makoto Shinkai has not only grown up as a filmmaker and storyteller but also given me one of the better and most satisfying films I have seen all cinematic year! Indeed, this flick feels like the 2023 Disney animated film that studio can no longer make, but that tired point is a tired conversation for another day. I had an absolutely great time with this picture in a way I have not felt from an anime film in what feels like a long while. I cannot believe I am fortune enough to say that I now respect Shinkai, a filmmaker whose filmography I did not respect or like, as a fine anime director. Golly, what a wonderful surprise!

I tried a new movie theater in my new area. This AMC theater was a little ways away but had jaw-droppingly cheap tickets, as if I found myself back in the late nineties or early 2000s again. The buttery popcorn was a little too oily. There were great drink options at the soda fountains. The staff was nice. There was a delightfully creepy right wing of the joint, where the last house was shrouded in darkness and designated as theater thirteen. Above the concession line there was a dark and starry night display with twinkling lights!

The whole place was lovely and humble, and every theatergoer was excited to be there. Sadly, the houses are really just dollar-theater structures, so the seats were a little raggedy and there was little stadium structuring. But I wound up getting closer to the projection booth window more than I ever have in my life, which was special. A nice, friendly audience, too. But, jeez Louise, are the pre-shows and trailers today awful, just awful, and way to gosh dang long. Oh, if only I had my own movie theater. I would make real magic for an audience before a movie started.

Anyhow, there is so much to love about Suzume. The tale begins quickly, without any dumb exposition dump or pretentious pacing. The film runs just a little over two hours, and I enjoyed every second of the piece! With such a long runtime, a ton gets to happen in this film and there is no subservience to any predictable formula. The piece is filled with likeable characters, memorable events, and a story that ultimately becomes about a teenage girl finally closing the door on the childhood traumas that are holding her back. The flick is also a great road trip adventure across Japan, filled with magical imagery, tense moments, an overwhelmingly adorable talking cat, real and modern landscapes, and as many laughs as there are tender moments.

Perhaps most impressive of all is how Shinkai's filmmaking has matured so much yet the piece is certainly his own; right down to the "food porn" shots. So much of his style's extravagances and immaturity are toned down, done away with, or repurposed to be more deeply affecting. There is no adolescent inner monologuing about the nature of existence. Instead, actions and true-to-life conversations drive the narrative. Melodrama is still present but feels much more relatable and important beyond simple aesthetic vibes. The backgrounds do not feel oversaturated by CGI rendering nor framed like a poor man's Studio Ghibli flick. Shinkai's animation and layouts have now gracefully aged into tangible and less showy textures: beautiful on the big screen. His character designs have improved. Though not stellar, these characters look and feel like real, interesting people. Overall, Suzume has a real sense that I am no longer watching a filmmaker and animator trying to be great but one who has finally found himself entirely.

Thus, Suzume has a magical sense of storytelling. Suzume and Sōta's journey is grounded but the stuff of childhood daydreaming. The film's fantasy is basic but effective. The road trip's logistics do not damper but enhance the adventure. The opening song of the Japanese dub of Kiki's Delivery Service plays in a car and gives a whole new meaning to the tune from that all-time classic. There is a nerve-wracking sequence where thousands will be killed if hard choices are not made. Suzume's aunt, Tamaki, comes into the story proper in the third act yet is distinctly well-written. I laughed the loudest in the house to several empathetic jokes. Good stuff.

But I have not shared the best part of this film! Sōta becomes a frigging toddler's chair with three legs and stays that way most of this film! For no real reason other than, I suppose, Shinkai thought an anamorphic chair would be fun to see! Consequently, amongst all of Suzume's visual splendor, the picture has a bonus, Beauty and the Beast-style nugget of animation gold that I just lost my mind over! The animation and sound design for Sōta as a chair is undeniably awesome: just one of the dozens and dozens of details, great and small, I loved about this flick.

As I said in my introduction for my last film journal entry, Empire of the Sun, I sadly do not have time right now to break down Suzume's thematic meaning as much as the picture deserves, since I left the theater feeling like a real happy camper. I honestly have not felt this cheery after an anime film what feels like forever. Ironically, I have felt that today's anime flicks are poor Shinkai clones because of the now legendary success of Your Name, yet Shinkai proves the telling of any story is the key to magic. Especially when the man clearly wants to tell a story that helps people resolve their traumas from living in a contemporary world where, as The Eagles once sang, anything can change in a New York minute.

Yet I can offer this final note. I love one of Suzume's grand takeaways presented in the film's last few minutes, featuring words I need to hear right now. The darkest moments in our lives do not last forever. People grow up and change, and they do not stay in such catastrophe forever. No, the pain will always be there, like a door that cannot ever be torn down. Yet if trauma comes to us through the door being open, negatively affecting our lives, then there is hope that the door can be closed. Life will not stay agonizing forever after trauma takes so much from us. One day, the door will close.

Gosh, for those who have not seen Suzume, come to the film because the piece is the latest anime feature released on the big screen, which is worth every dollar to experience. But stay with Suzume because the picture is one of the reasons cinema, animation, and anime in particular can be one of the precious gifts in our lifetimes.