When timid high schooler Makoto is ejected from her bike onto the path of an oncoming train, her end seems imminent. Thanks to a mysterious device she encountered earlier, however, she cheats death and learns she has gained the ability to leap through time. What begins as a wish-fulfillment fantasy of avoiding responsibilities soon turns into a weightier exercise in morality, as Makoto is forced to reckon with the results of her actions, which start to take on life-or-death consequences. Hosoda’s first feature film outside the realm of established franchises is a calling card for his inventiveness, showcasing his penchant for varied styles of animation, time travel vortexes and ruminations on the linearity of time. His themes are simultaneously laid bare and complicated by stylistic and narrative details, brilliantly exemplified in Makoto’s friend, Kazuko, an art historian working to restore a precious painting from the degradation of time. 

Age recommendation: 12+