I just watched this:

Story about three friends in middle school, and later their lives after the disappearance of one of them - taking place in an alternate universe where the Soviet Union, after helping with the European front of WWII, turned its attention at stopping Japan, and the country is split between the United States and the USSR after the war. In the seventies, a gargantuan tower is build on the USSR's side, which is assumed to be instrumental to quantum physical research of parallel worlds. It turns out, that on the US's side is the girl whose dreams power the tower.

One of the friends wants to keep his promise to the girl, and fly over the top of the tower with her, which he made right before her disappearance.

Another is caught in the quantum research - as well as partaking in a aerial guerilla warfare when the coming war between the US and the USSR starts, right next to the tower.

This is a pretty touching movie, I recommend it.

I got it a few weeks ago, I haven't gotten around to watching it yet.
I've heard a lot of good things about it tho, can't wait to sit down and check it out n_n

Been meaning to get hold of a few films of late as virtually my entire DVD collection seems to be made up of random series so this one has been on the list for a while now - I'm thinking of picking up the Shinkai Collection in the next couple of weeks now the exams are finished. Contains this and Voices of a Distant Star both of which I've heard a lot of good comments about - so definitely some good watching to look forward to.

i saw another movie at the store that this guy did and it looked really good. Now I want to see this one and voices of a distant star also.

You are late to the party by about two years. I had my shoutoff thread right here some time ago.

Welcome to the fold, though. Great movie, and making this thread about it shows you do not such, unlike 94% of the Narutoheads around here that ignore fantastic, if unconvential anime.

I tip my hat, good sir.

Edit: True fact, my wife's cousin played this movie's theme song on the violin at our wedding. It was pretty dope. No one knew the song but they were all like "Wow so pretty!" Heh.

well thats very cool, havent heard the theme song yet but i will check it out now.

Don't spend much time looking. It's not a Pressing Matter.

I heard so much good stuff about this movie. *-* and I'm always watching the trailer in hopes of figuring out what's really going on too lols. (Den, you really made that part a lot easier on me. D: ) I really want to try it out and see how it's like. I'm always one up for trying out a new japanese animated movie, especially if it's by a new director that I've yet to give a try.

Well I finally got round to watching this film and it is without question worth every bit of praise it has received. I wasn't entirely sure what I was expecting from this film but anything I could have thought of paled in comparison to reality of it. The story line is excellent and really draws you in, making you care about the characters, I loved the artwork/design throughout the entire film and the music is fantastic and really adds that little something more that turns an excellent film into a classic. Seriously if you've not watched this film yet then you really should go out and get it now.

After watching it i'm now even more gutted that ADV allowed Shinkai's latest film '5 centimeters per second' to be dropped after such a short release, unfortunately it didn't released over here in the UK and because of the rarity of the US version already the cheapest copy i've been able to find is $75, here's hoping FUNi will continue their good work and save this title as well.