5 cm al secondo

For me, the difference between cinema and literature is that while the latter is fundamentally about words, the former should tell its story at least as much through visuals and movement as through dialogue. 5 Centimeters Per Second, however, tells its story almost completely through words. You could simply read the script and get the entire story.

For example, the first of the movie's three episodes begins, after a snippet of dialogue, with a series of read letters while you watch their receiver go about his day. The bulk of the episode is a train ride in which his anxiety over train delays is expressed mainly by hearing his thoughts about how anxious he is. Shut your eyes, and you wouldn't miss a bit of story.

You would, admittedly, miss some really stunning animation. This movie is absolutely gorgeous, with stunning backdrops that will take your breath away.

The story itself is moderately interesting, a slice of life contemplation of time and desire and feelings of loss.

But it's very slow. And while the movie has some emotional impact, most of it is contained in a final music video-style piece whose combination of lyrics and images would be almost as effective without the hour of story preceding them.

Most of the people writing reviews here find this movie deeply moving, and I do understand why. The situations are sad, the images are pretty, and a sense of melancholy hangs over the whole thing. But for me, it was too slow, too wordy, and lacked the things that, for me, make film so powerful.

"5 cm per second. The speed at which cherry blossom petals fall." It looks like Makoto Shinkai has directed another little minimalist masterpiece. Bearing a distant resemblance to underground coming-of-age classics such as My Life as a Dog, 5 cm interweaves three short stories seen from the viewpoints of different characters. Each story revolves around a specific time period in the protagonist's life: his last days at primary school, graduating from high school, his early life as an adult.

Through the prism of an early sakura-blossom romance, the film primarily explores the themes of distance and loneliness, though it does so in a gentle way that is akin to recollecting your most beautiful sunrise memory rather than resorting to being dark and gloomy.

The music blends in very well with the movie, enhancing the emotional experiences conveyed, while passing almost unnoticed - as should happen in the best soundtracks. The animation is top notch and the quality of the drawings is just mesmerizing. You may often get the urge to pause the movie just to explore the richness of the tapestry.

If you can find it, it's well worth a watch.

9/10

From the same guy that did Voices of a Distant Star (and with a slightly similar subject), 5 Centimeters per Second has beautiful animation and a melancholic feeling throughout. It speaks of the hopes of youth and the alienation inside one's soul as time passes. I liked all three chapters, although the last was really short and it ended with a sudden and badly chosen ending song.

As a fan of anime films, I highly recommend it, but it is not for everyone. There is no action, no sci fi, no definitive ending; just the thoughts of young people as the go through life. The feeling in the movie is strong and I've rarely seen something so introverted as this. But that is a good thing for me. Give it a try, it lasts only one hour.

This, for me, is quite probably one of the most touching animes that I have ever seen and one of the more heartfelt pieces of cinema that I have ever experienced. Basically, 5cm Per Second is a short movies split up into 3 episodes, the first one being 30 min, the second one 20 min, and the last one 15 min. Each of these three episodes portrays a pair of people and their relationship during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The story that it has is very simple and could be summarized in a few sentences but that is not the point of this series. The real point is the volumes of material that could be written about the emotion, feeling, and beauty that can found in this masterpiece. As you watch this, you will be able to distinctly feel for these characters and you will be able to connect with them as if you actually knew them because of how human and relatable they feel. You will be able to feel exactly the same as they do because in your childhood you will have felt precisely the same at some point and this connection comes through wonderfully. Only adding to this sense of wonder is what might by some of the better pacing in a series to date. Simply the way the characters progress and the way that it seemingly ends as soon as it starts will haunt you for hours or days afterwards. What strongly supports this anime is the excellent animation which stunning and the music, which while not jaw-droppingly amazing, still does not leave anything to be desired.

In short, do yourself a favor, take an hour out of your day to watch this beautiful work of art.

Makoto Shinkai's sophomore effort is an intimately crafted, elegantly narrated & gorgeously animated tale of young love & yearning desires that's far more grounded than his debut feature and paints an exquisite portrait of real world struggles. A touching & nostalgic reminiscent of first love that's affectionate, heartwarming & emotionally stirring in just the right doses.