Hayao Miyazaki (and Dr. Nygma 1048) present... My Neighbor Flinn

In 2009, the Kusakabe family reunites when a university teacher of Archeology, Lawrence, and his two daughters, Izzy and Suzy move into an old house in rural Virginia to be closer to the hospital where their mother, Linda, is recovering from a long-term illness. When they arrive they meet a shy boy, Ferb, and an elderly lady, Gramma Winnie. The daughters find that the house is inhabited by tiny animated dust creatures called soot sprites— small house spirits seen when moving from light to dark places. When the girls become comfortable in their new house and have a great time with their father, the soot sprites later leave the house to drift away on the wind.

While she is playing outside one day, Suzy sees two orange, rabbit-like ears in the grass. She follows the ears under the house where she discovers two small magical creatures, who lead her through a briar patch and into the hollow of a large redwood tree. She meets and befriends a larger version of the same kind of spirit, which identifies itself by a yawn that she interprets as "Flinn" Her father later tells her that this is the "keeper of the forest".

One day while Izzy is at school, Gramma Winnie comes with Suzy, stating that Suzy has been crying all day and wants to be with Izzy. Everyone welcomes Suzy into the class, Gramma Winnie leaves and everything is normal. After school, it starts to downpour, and when the girls start walking home soaking wet, Ferb gives the girls his umbrella and runs off. That night, it continues to rain as the girls are waiting for their father's bus and grow worried when he does not arrive on the bus they expect him on. As they wait, Suzy eventually falls asleep on Izzy's back and Flinn appears beside them, allowing Izzy to see him for the first time. He only has a leaf on his head for protection against the rain, so Satsuki offers him the umbrella she had taken along for Lawrence. Flinn is delighted at both the shelter and the clanging noise the falling raindrops make. In return, he gives her a bundle of nuts, a hammer, and seeds. A bus-shaped giant platypus halts at the stop, and Flinn boards it, taking the umbrella. Shortly after, Lawrence's bus arrives.

The girls plant the seeds. A few days later, they awaken at midnight to find Flinn and his two miniature colleagues, Bal and Irv engaged in a ceremonial dance around the planted nuts and seeds. The girls join in, which caused the seeds to sprout and then grow into an enormous tree. Flinn takes Bal, Irv, and the girls for a ride on a magical flying top. In the morning, the tree has vanished along with Flinn, Bal, and Irv, but the seeds have indeed sprouted.

The girls find out from Dr. Heinz and Dr. Gram that a planned visit by Linda has to be postponed because of a setback in her treatment. Izzy is very upset, having reached the age where she fully understands death, while Suzy doesn't. Frightened, she yells at Suzy, then runs off, leaving Ferb to talk to Suzy about the matter. Suzy, believing that her mother can be cured by healthy food, sets off on a nice stroll to the hospital with a bag of baby carrots and nuts, despite Ferb's disagreement knowing nightfall is just around the corner.

Suzy's disappearance makes Izzy even more frustrated, believing that she upset Suzy and caused her to run away, but learns the truth from Ferb (who has secretly developed a crush on her). They notify Gramma Winnie and the neighbors of the disappearance who all pitch in to search for Suzy. Eventually, Izzyy returns in desperation to the redwood tree and pleads for Flinn's help. Delighted to be of assistance, he whistles and the Platybus appears. The Platybus, immediately carries her to where a confused Suzy sits who had walked in the opposite direction instead of the direction that lead to the hospital (unbeknownst to Suzy). Having rescued her, the Platybus then dashes over the countryside with the girls still inside, to see Linda in the hospital. The girls sit on a tree outside of the hospital, overhearing a conversation between their parents and discovering that she has been kept in hospital by a minor cold and is otherwise doing well, which makes both girls laugh because it was a lot less worse than they thought. Lawrence looks out the window and then turns back. Linda asked him if anything was wrong, and Lawrence says he thought he saw the girls laughing. Linda says that maybe he did. The girls secretly leave the nuts in a heart shape on the windowsill. The carrots, the girls found out, were eaten by Flinn. The parents find the nuts, furthering their suspicion that the girls were there. The girls, seeing that there parents are happy, depart for home on the Platybus. Lawrence and Linda laughing in the hospital room, and the camera slowly zooms out, and film ends with the Platybus on a hill above the hospital making a chattering noise.

Cast

Isabella as Satsuki

Suzy as Mei

Lawrence as the father

Linda as the mother

Phineas as Totoro

Ferb as Kanta (the shy boy)

Perry as the Catbus

Winnifred as Granny

Minor roles are Baljeet and Irving as Totoro's colleagues and Doofenshmirtz and Monogram as the mom's doctors.

Note: I used the last name of the family from My Neighbor Totoro to avoid any complications.