The Cat Returns

Director: Hiroyuki Morita
Year Released: 2002
Rating: 3.5

Immensely charming tale of an awkward, lazy teenage girl who saves a cat's life who turns out to be a prince - as a "reward," the kingdom of cats wants her to marry him! Designed for those eager to tap into their own inner child - along with actual sticky-fingered children, who won't appreciate the tender loving care put into a film this refined - and for those with an interest in this kind of good natured, intelligent and whimsical animated picture; it was not directed by Hayao Miyazaki, but it may as well have been. And when it comes to animation these days, you can't get higher praise than that.