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MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

I remember once recommending a documentary about climate change to my congregation as a matter of mutual concern (since we are called to be stewards of the planet) only to be blasted by one of the members who had some strong opinions about that film’s point of view. I wished that there could have been a way to discuss environmental issues without setting off a partisan divide.

I needed a filmmaker like Makoto Shinkai to come to my aid. Shinkai is one of the greatest directors of animation working today, He has the ability to interweave a serious subtext about the natural world into imaginative, epic and whimsical feature films. His last two movies (2016’s Your Name and 2019’s Weathering with You) were big international hits and this year’s Suzume may even surpass them in popularity.

We are introduced right away to Suzume, a 17-year-old girl who is being raised by her aunt following the loss of her mother. Riding her bicycle to school, she sees a young man traveling the other direction. Stopping to talk, he asks her if she can give him directions to a door. The man’s name is Souta and his job is to travel the country to close a series of doors that will help keep nature under control. Suzume decides to join him in his adventures since she discovers that she has a gift for seeing visions of potential destruction – and she can assist him in his rescue efforts. But there are a few emerging problems, including a mischievous cat and Souta being changed into a child’s three-legged chair!

The pair travel across Japan to a number of locations that bear the ruins of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. As Suzume grows in her understanding of her unique gifts, she will also learn more about her own past and the power of forgiveness and love. She will also glimpse eternity in the world of the Ever-After.

What is truly remarkable about this film is its ability to honestly depict the fragile nature of current climate change while also presenting hopeful possibilities. Suzume reminds us that we don’t have to agree about the reasons for a problem if we can just decide to work together to do something to keep catastrophes under control.

All of these significant themes are yours to discover for yourself in Suzume, which combines action, comedy, romance, music and fantasy together in a celebration of recovery and hope.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating:

Five halos: An incredibly entertaining film that also gives viewers of all ages much to think about.
Two pitchforks: Scenes of environmental destruction; issues of grief and loss; mild derogatory language.

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