A Letter to Momo

A girl who has lost her father moves with her mother to an old house on an island. She has his unfinished letter with her, and three strange creatures appear in the house. The film draws the creatures as unsettling rather than cute, and that choice pulls the story away from fable; the narrative is really about grief and things left unsaid. The daily detail of island life is shown at length. Hiroyuki Okiura directed. The production ran for years and most of the animation was drawn by hand. Who it's for: those who like slow, emotional Japanese animation. Who it's not for: small children; the film is built on death and mourning and some scenes are frightening.