the first thing you notice about "Weathering with You" is how beautiful it is; From the very first moment of this stunningly beautiful, emotionally diluted metropolitan epic, the clouds are more than just a force of nature
Makoto Shinkai's tale of young love looks amazing, with photorealistic scenery and splashes of light and colour; [but] the plot is let down by loose threads and the lack of a clear vision
grandiose technical flourishes emphasise the film's emotional peaks with a perfect mixture of CG and digital rendering, boasting sweeping vistas in tandem with Hodoka's bleeding-heart narration
another great thing about Shinkai's filmmaking is that he puts the relationships between his characters at the forefront, with the fantasy elements often in the background. This helps to make his storytelling more nuanced and compelling
"Weathering With You" doubles down on a lot of what made its predecessor such a hit with audiences; [but] like Disney's remake of "The Lion King", the film's hyperrealism tends to impress rather than inspire wonder
by James Marsh [South China Morning Post ]
