Okay. Let's start out with the truth. After seeing The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, I was ready to swear off any of the director's current or future works. But by then, we already had Summer Wars from the library, so tonight we settled down and decided to give the guy one more chance.
Right choice.
I am not going to completely compare Summer Wars to the incredibly talented Miyazaki. Two different directors, two different approaches. In Summer Wars' case, there's more of a gritty, real-life feel, then the rhythmic, barely-grazing flow of, say, Spirited Away or Castle in the Sky. In Summer Wars, there are lies, family intrigue and heartbreak and a death that even shook us to the core, even though we were kind of expecting it. (That isn't a spoiler, is it?) There are nosebleeds and moments where your nerves are so frayed, you aren't sure if everything is ever going to be alright again.
But it pulls through.
The storyline is a brilliant mix of sci-fi with contemporary, real-world scenarios. I mean, who doesn't depend on technology these days? When you look at the evil computer system threatening to destroy the world within the movie, you know that a day like that for us might not be too far off. Scary, but the director sure made me aware of what could happen.
I particularly liked the theme of family, of being able to pull together when times are hard and you're not sure if you'll be here the next minute; and of believing in yourself, and being able to depend on yourself and realize you are more than you think you are.
I'm sorry this isn't the most coherent review. I'm still basking in after-movie awesomeness and suffering from a sugar crash at the same time. Just know, that this is totally worth your time, and if you find your nose bleeding at some time in the film? It all ends okay. I promise you.
