Review of The Wind Rises

Overall, the highest degree of “good” I can think of. I let this movie sit with me for a while, to see how memorable it actually was. There isn't much to say about it for me. The split between aspirations, and love, and the hardships to balance it out, while a tragedy is building up on both sides. As a romance movie, it's actually pretty great. The maturity with which the themes of an impossible love are dealt with. We aspire to create, even if such creation contradicts our wishes to not destroy. In the midst of the army, scientific discoveries, engineering, a man simply wishes to love,to create, to follow his passions. It is pretty good, and it juggles the themes well, but then, that's about it. One side of the movie doesn't interest me that much, since sure there's “stakes” if he fails, but I was way more invested in him having his love story. We do need that side of the story, so the other one is a lot greater, but they still want both to be important.

The juggling with the themes worked, where the story ones simply didn't. It leaves me a bit in between. I really liked the characters, I loved the relationship, and the sad, but melancholic nature of the ending worked so well for me. Once you finish your life's work, all left is to love, to experience, and the eventual passing of life.

It all culminates in the great encounters that leave us wanting more, from which we'll get more of, eventually, once we go through the grassy patch, where the wind rises high, and the love remains alive.

7/10. The ending was the absolute best part.