THE WIND RISES (KAZE TACHINU) World Cinema

The latest animated wonder from Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of the legendary Studio Ghibli, is the master’s first directorial effort in five years, and quite sadly, may very well be his last. Eschewing his typically fictional characters ensconced in a fantasy world, the skilled animator instead brings to life the story of Jiro Horikoshi, visionary designer of one of history’s most beautiful airplanes – the prototype for the Zero WWII fighter – in a fictionalized story based on very real figures who lived and loved in troubled times. Adapted from Miyazaki’s own serialized manga, which was itself inspired by Tatsuo Hori’s 1937 story of the same name, this epic tale of love, invention and hope spans decades, sweeping through great moments of 20th century Japan. Having announced his retirement, Miyazaki infuses his usual beautifully rendered flourishes into his work, but this time hearkens to a grounded, evolved and sophisticated nostalgia that makes THE WIND RISES unlike any film he’s ever made.