Wanna get cozy with a movie?

The Lord of the Rings has a very special place in my heart. My best friend from grade school introduced them to me in the 2nd grade. I had just wrapped up the latest Harry Potter book when he lent me a trade paperback version of the Lord of the Rings, containing all three books. Shortly after, The Fellowship of the Ring hit the theaters, and it was the most magnificent movie I've ever seen. To this day, I still believe that the effects stand up, and that it looks great, especially for its age. Following Frodo and the fellowship across Middle Earth is a cozy place that I find myself enjoying again and again, especially now that my oldest is a fan too!

This is actually one of the Miyazaki films that I didn't see until I was an adult. Our kids are huge Ghibli fans, and it wasn't until I sat down and watched Arrietty with them that I saw first hand how magical this film is. The music is whimsical, the setting is fantastical, and the movie is chock full of that bittersweet feeling that it seems Mr. Miyazaki does so well. This is one of the movies that I put on quite often when it's time for bed. It isn't loud, the music is soothing, and overall, I find myself enchanted.

This movie moved me in a way that I haven't felt in ages. We went to see this in theaters with some friends, and I binged the entire first season of the anime to prepare for the movie. I started Season 1 with very low expectations; I'd tried it before and found it...gross. However, the Reze Arc movie broke my heart in a way that I didn't know could happen from a film. Seeing Denji finally find someone who reciprocates his feelings, just to have that person ripped away from him, is just...devastating. Reze is a complicated character, and one that I don't fully understand yet, as I'm still reading the manga. But seeing her development throughout the movie, and since reading the arc in the manga, is a perfect example of character growth cut short. It's akin to Elhokar in The Stormlight Archives. That expectation of what comes next, just to have your hopes dashed so abruptly, hurts. This movie was beautiful, and I think about it all the time.

This movie moved me in a way that I haven't felt in ages. We went to see this in theaters with some friends, and I binged the entire first season of the anime to prepare for the movie. I started Season 1 with very low expectations; I'd tried it before and found it...gross. However, the Reze Arc movie broke my heart in a way that I didn't know could happen from a film. Seeing Denji finally find someone who reciprocates his feelings, just to have that person ripped away from him, is just...devastating. Reze is a complicated character, and one that I don't fully understand yet, as I'm still reading the manga. But seeing her development throughout the movie, and since reading the arc in the manga, is a perfect example of character growth cut short. It's akin to Elhokar in The Stormlight Archives. That expectation of what comes next, just to have your hopes dashed so abruptly, hurts. This movie was beautiful, and I think about it all the time.