I was watching The Place Promised In Our Early Days, directed by Makoto Shinkai, who has recently become one of my favourite creators in the world. I've come to expect of every film he makes an ending that promises nothing--but this one is takes hopes to heights beyond any of the others, then lets them fall a thousand miles to shatter like glass.
Makoto Shinkai seems to enjoy exploring the subject of the battle between realism and idealism in the aspirations of one throughout the timeline of his/her life. I can't conclude on this for sure, since I've only watched two others, but all have been centred around this same notion of the dreams born of innocence, and their slow vanishing as time scours at the soul and removes all things without any basis in reality. Naturally, this makes for plots that are either very inspiring, or very depressing. This film, in which every event is a clash between the two at their most extreme, manages to be both.
Were you hoping for a full review? Sorry. I can't phrase it. All that can be done is for you to watch it yourself.
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