Move over Kill Bill: Vol. 1, a new movie has entered my top 4 favorites: Jojo Rabbit. What a movie. I don’t really even know where to begin when talking about it. I’ve been excited but very apprehensive to see it, because a movie about WW2-era Germany with comedic elements seems hard to properly pull off without being insensitive. But, as I should have expected, Taika Waititi doesn’t disappoint.

Jojo Rabbit is a superb mix of childlike naïveté, the horrors of war, well-crafted comedy, and extremely good actors. That’s a mix that doesn’t sound it like would work together, and that’s true. It normally doesn’t. But this time it does. It really takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions through happiness, laughter, sadness, depression, and satisfaction, and all of them are thoroughly mixed but distinct at the same time. Waititi really does know how to manipulate emotions, and having an excellent cast pushes that even further. Every single one of the leads (and I truly mean it) are amazing. Roman Griffin Davis blew me away with his range of emotions, despite LITERALLY BEING ELEVEN YEARS OLD. Really amazing. Scarlett Johansson also plays a cool but secretly distraught mother insanely well. Even Taika Waititi perfectly plays an antagonistic imaginary friend, all the more impressive when you consider that he is literally playing Hitler, one of the most hated men in history. Overall, perfect cast.

I also really appreciate Waititi’s dedication to historical accuracy, portraying WW2-era Germany as the colorful place it truly was. Not only does it give viewers an accurate picture, but it also gives us a very vibrant movie to hold our attention. Well done.

All in all, Jojo Rabbit is truly one of the best films I have ever seen. It’s beautiful, heartbreaking, happy, depressing, and fulfilling all at the same time. I couldn’t hold it in any higher regards. Hats off to you, Waititi.