Princess Mononoke (1997) — Riley Cross Reviews

A cursed prince seeks the cure to a dark affliction while waging a war of nature versus industry.

Listen, I spent six years behind the wrong counter sorting dusty VHS tapes and watching people pretend to care about "Big Picture" box sets. If you’re looking for a genuine “Night In” where the only drama comes from a forest spirit getting shot by a musket, put this on. You want *Princess Mononoke*.

Hayao Miyazaki doesn’t do sanitized kids’ stuff. This movie is dark. It’s morally grey, it features vikings in loin-cloths, and it manages to feel like a gritty history documentary while also being pure fantasy. The visuals are insane—ironically, if you’re watching on Blu-ray, the hand-drawn animation holds up better than most live-action CGI out there today. It’s colorful but grimy.

There’s a specific scene where the Great Forest Spirit takes its head off at night and starts wandering the landscape. It’s strange, terrifying, and leaves you feeling very small. You’ll just stare at the screen knowing that if that thing walked past your window, you’d probably just lie still and hope it didn't decide to turn you into a deer. It’s a moment that actually changed how I watch nature documentaries afterward.

You need a night where you can disconnect from reality because frankly, everything makes more sense in a world where supernatural battles are taking precedence over your Tuesday bills. Pop some snacks that don't require chewing and let yourself get immersed.

Bottom line: This is the perfect film for a Tuesday night when you're too smart for a sitcom but too tired for reality.