Les enfants loups, Ame & Yuki

Probably the best anime I have seen recently. From the director of 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' gives us this wonderful fantasy-drama. This movie is kinda resembling Miyazaki's 'My Neighbour Totoro', only the place it takes place and a bit with the characters. Other than that it is an awesome movie with a totally fresh concept as per my knowledge.

All the three main characters, a mother and her two kids were lovable. Aoi Miyazaki never stops impressing me where she appears here as a mother. Her roles from various movies are always coming with a surprise who peaking high and higher, she really rocks. The two kids' characters as well very adorable. Like the two sisters in 'My Neighbour Totoro' these two made the movie look great. Actually it was a tale about a mother who raises two wolf children. As a single parent, her hard work and dedication to the kids to grow up having a normal and happy childhood she must sacrifice her life.

When her husband dies, Hana must take care of the kids where she lacks the knowledge of their kind to give support. She finds difficulties in city to raise them so she decides to move to a rural where she can cut the communications with the other humans. Growing her own vegetables in the backyard, facing the different seasons and going through all the ups and down in life she almost achieves her ambition.

It did not look like an anime movie, it looked almost a real one with many cool and colourful frames. The story commenced with a nice love story with a little heartbreak. Then the most enjoyable parts begin with lots of laughs until the approach of the end where it brings lots of emotions before concluding with a powerful howl. It had very nice background score in all the crucial portion of the tale. In other word to say, the movie was just like what I expected and more than that. I felt the movie was short and was not ready to accept the end. You know, it is better being short and sweet than with unnecessary drag in a tale. This is a movie that everyone will love, especially kids and families. Like I said if you are a die hard 'My Neighbour Totoro' movie fan then you must not miss it. So highly recommended by me.

Wolf Children, or Ōkami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki (Wolf Children: Ame and Yuki) as its called in Japan, is hands down one of the best movies I have ever seen. Not even counting its ranking among the anime category, Wolf Children takes place in my own personal hall of fame movies. In this movie, director Mamoru Hosoda completely blows away all expectations with a film that will really touch you. Wolf Children is a story of trials, perseverance, and the love of a family. For parents, you have nothing to worry about, the full extent of violence being very little. However, it is best to watch with your children, as there are a few amazingly sad moments. Wolf Children can be seen alone, or in a group with equally satisfying results. If there is one negative point I could make on this movie, it would be the first 5-10 minutes being slow, but after the first 5 minutes or so, you become completely entranced and will wish it were longer. If you come to love this movie as I do, watch "Summer Wars" by the same director, another movie both adults and children can love.

As part of Madman Entertainment's Reel Anime Festival that now come very two years since 2008. Its aim is to showcase some of the freshest and new Anime films that have been recently released in Japan to the rest for Australian and New Zealand for a limited time only. I managed to catch two films during its run; Berserk: Egg of the King and Wolf Children. I can only hope I see the other two From Poppy on a Hill and Children Who Chase Lost Voices when they come out on DVD.

Here's my review of Wolf Children: Mamoru Hosada could be one anime Director who could rival the international reputation of his former employers; Studio Ghibli.

"Wolf Children" is his third feature after the successes of "The Girl Who Leaped Through Time" and "Summer Wars".

The Stoy follows Hana; a young University Student who falls in love with a strange young man. It soon turns out he's a mysterious Half-Wolf-Half-Man descendant. Things start to take a more drastic turn when He dies leaving Hana alone to raise her two Children they bore.

The rest of the film follows the children as they grow up and how Hana manages to raise them and deal with their gift, habits, situations and morals.

The central action takes place in their new country home surrounded by wilderness and their interactions with the town folks and wild life.

Like Hosada's previous works, this film has fantastic and unique character designs; that aim more to realism and art-house scene than traditional anime designs.

The story is very heartwarming and cute as time goes on, there are some dark parts that become very heart wrenching. There's some very distinctive Ghibli influence in this piece of work, But I'm glad Hosada takes to his own territory.

To some viewers it maybe a little too long running at almost at 2 hours. But overall its a superb anime film even if your familiar with Hosada's other films or not Wolf Children is great and must be seen, I highly recommended it for a heartwarming journey of endurance, love, coming of age and prosperity.

This movie was incredibly well done. In my opinion, aside from the supernatural aspects of the characters themselves, this is a very real and down to earth story about a mother trying to raise two children who are different and the struggles she has to go through alone. I find the characters in this movie to be incredibly realistic and relatable. The music is great and it does not overtake any scene, but rather it adds to the mood of the scene it is required to enhance. As someone who, along with my sister was brought up practically alone by my mother, I feel that this movie also reminded me of her day to day struggle as well in terms of raising two energetic children without any outside help whatsoever. The animation is very crisp and beautiful as well. If you haven't seen this movie yet, go see it, and if you have any reservations (just as I did) you should go see it anyway. This movie was one of a kind.

Even though this is a fantasy movie, it is notable for how real it feels. The fantasy elements inform the plot, but it is the very real human emotions and connections that fuel the movie. This feels more like a thinly veiled version of real life than something fanciful.

The movie is constantly moving, but in a quiet way. It touches your heart, not with big moments, but with small ones. It is a movie about love of all kinds, and while it is admittedly an idealized version of love, a story of the sort of unselfish, uncomplicated love that only exists consistently in movies, it is truly lovely.

It is also often quite funny, well paced, and thoroughly entertaining.

Having seen Mamoru Hosada's previous films Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, I see him as the successor to Hadeo Miyazaki, who (alas) cannot live forever. Hosada is a very different filmmaker, but he has the same ability to make fantasy real and human, and to make me happy.

Watch this movie.