In Italy in the 1930s, sky pirates in biplanes terrorize wealthy cruise ships as they sail the Adriatic Sea. The only pilot brave enough to stop the scourge is the mysterious Porco Rosso, a former World War I flying ace who was somehow turned into a pig during the war. As he prepares to battle the pirate crew's American ace, Porco Rosso enlists the help of spunky girl mechanic Fio Piccolo and his longtime friend Madame Gina.
The take
As impressive as Studio Ghibli’s collection of films are, I am still stubborn to believe that Porco Rosso is its most underrated film. Porco Rosso, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is the story of a World War military aviator-turned-bounty hunter who has mysteriously been transformed into a pig.
Bright with humor, heart, and flight (Miyazaki is largely influenced and inspired by the art of aviation), Porco Rosso manages to also acknowledge and reckon with the horrors of war. It also boasts one of, if not the greatest, line in any Ghibli film: I’d rather be a pig than a fascist.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Once Were Warriors (1994)
A Maori family survives in an alienating Auckland in this raw, tragic drama
8.0
My Old Ass (2024)
A pleasant mix of comedy and coming-of-age that may or may not leave you in tears
8.0
Look Back (2024)
Art connects people through time and space in this short and sweet drama
9.0
Memoir of a Snail (2024)
A crack of hope shines through in this heartbreaking animated film about preservation and perseverance
8.6
200 Meters (2020)
A father stops at nothing to visit his injured son in this raw, thoughtful road drama
7.5
System Crasher (2019)
A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.
9.0
I Lost My Body (2019)
The Oscar-nominated unconventional animation
8.2
Cold War (2018)
A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals
9.2
Bad Boy Bubby (1993)
A controversial, off-putting, yet surprisingly optimistic indie drama
7.3
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002)
Two boys bond with the village seamstress through banned books in this coming-of-age historical drama