Spirited Away
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Movie Reviews of Spirited Away
Movie Review: "What happened to my spell? Only love can break it"
Summary: 5 Stars
There are many outstanding aspects about this film that contribute to place it among the best anime productions I have seen in my life. It all starts with the animation, since the attention to detail in Miyazaki's work is seldom experienced. I could not help gasping when in one of the scenes I saw the perfect reflection of Chihiro on the window of a train in which she was traveling. These are the kind of details that give the production a realism that is really hard to find. The second crucial element is the story itself, which is proof of a prodigious imagination, and which without a doubt can be experienced several times without generating boredom in the spectator. Finally, and maybe this is the most striking aspect of all, this is a movie that can be appreciated by audiences of all ages, because there is something to take away for everyone. I can only imagine how interesting it will be for my daughter to watch this film as a kid, teenager and adult, since there are things to discover at each level of maturity.
Chihiro, the main protagonist of the story, is a ten-year-old girl who is moving with her parents to a new city. She is the typical kid nearing adolescence, and therefore, is unhappy with the world, her parents in particular, and shows no interest in anything. When looking for their new house, a wrong turn leads them to a mysterious place that looks like an abandoned theme park, but when night falls quicker than expected, Chihiro finds herself all alone in a world full of spirits. There are no words to describe the astounding magical world in which she is immersed, and the transformation the character undergoes is as mesmerizing as it is revealing.
When a few years ago I watched Princess Mononoke I thought I had experienced Miyazaki at the top of his game, but this film gives it a run for its money. Bottom line is that both works should be required watching for every fan of the genre. People that are looking for an introduction to anime can find no better place to start than with "Spirited Away". The only drawback is that it will create a tough benchmark for future experiences to match.
In terms of the Extras, the disc that has the film, also has a piece on the Art of Spirited Away, where Miyazaki shares some of the "secrets" behind his inspiration and peers and coworkers talk about the wonderful qualities of this magnificent director. In most cases I would say that the praise was scripted and disregard it as such, but in this case it really rings true, and it is entertaining and insightful to watch. This segment also includes commentary on the challenges faced with the translation, and on the steps that were put in place to conserve the original intent of the film. This is extremely important, especially in the anime / manga genre, where sadly, lousy translations that mangle the product are not uncommon.
The Extras in the additional disc were not really worth watching, and I felt like they were there just as a way to make this a two-disc edition. Nevertheless, the rest of the product is so outstanding that I could not bring myself to lower my rating.
Movie Review: You literally cannot go wrong with this one!
Summary: 5 Stars
Normally I wouldn't have bothered writing this review; after all, Spirited Away has close to 700 5-star reviews on Amazon already, so who would ever bother to read mine, even if they dug it out from beneath all the others? But having just rewatched this movie for the bazillionth time--I've honestly lost count by now--I found myself motivated to sit down and write a review that may never be read, simply because I love the movie so much. (If you're reading this, thanks!)
Let me start by pointing out that I'm a huge fan of all of Hayao Miyazaki's works, but Spirited Away is easily the best of them all (at least until his next movie, which is scheduled to be released in Japan in the summer of 2008). Let me also point out that you don't have to be a fan of anime to enjoy this film. To be sure, the plot does draw very heavily on the Shinto faith and its associated stories and legends; but even those who have never heard of Shinto can watch and enjoy Spirited Away. The reason is simple: In spite of its religious trappings, the movie is at its core a story of love, sacrifice, and growing up. In the beginning, Chihiro is whiny, depressed at having to move to a new home, and generally incapable of seeing anything beyond the tip of her nose; she complains a lot, doesn't do much of what she's told, and generally seems determined to make the worst of everything. Of course, she's learned her lesson by the time the credits roll, but the movie never feels the need to hammer that lesson home for the viewer; like the best of storytellers, Miyazaki-san is a master at delivering the medicine with just the right amount of sugar. The universe itself, as fantastic and whimsical as it is, is so beautifully presented that even the unbelievable seems completely plausible; CGI is used in a few instances, but only in small amounts, and even then the computer graphics blend with the traditional animation almost seamlessly.
Which brings me to the movie's other major selling point. Spirited Away is truly a sight to behold, full of colors and movement that would have made Walt Disney lock himself in his bedroom and never speak to anyone again; light and shadow and colors are used with impeccable skill, and when combined with the work of what has to be the most talented foley team in history and music by the unparallelled Joe Hisaishi, the result is a movie that you can quite literally lose yourself in.
It's hard for me to say which voice track I recommend more; on one hand, the original Japanese with subtitles is a little bit closer to Miyazaki-san's original intent, but on the other hand, the voice acting on the English track is so spot-on that, if such a thing as "perfection" could be said to exist, it would be fair to just go ahead and call it perfect. (The English vocal track also fills in some of the gaps for American viewers who aren't familiar with the customs and trappings of Shinto.) Since the movie was released in the US by the Walt Disney Company, the vocal cast is star-studded, a rarity for an anime release; John Ratzenberger's brief poetic interlude near the middle of the movie (improvised on the fly in the recording studio) is particularly noteworthy, and hilarious to boot, as is David Ogden Stiers' performance as Kamaji. Of course, the Japanese voice acting is beautiful too, so you really can't go wrong either way.
In the end, there's very little that could be said against Spirited Away. There is violence and bloodshed, to be sure, but it's of such a fantastical quality that I honestly don't see most viewers over six years old having a problem with it. Plus, the main character, for all of her initial flaws, turns out in the end to be incredibly bright and resourceful; this is a hallmark of the works of Hayao Miyazaki, an avowed femininst who believes that women and girls are every bit as capable as any male. Since I happen to agree with him, I can't recommend this movie highly enough. To anyone who's sick of the sort of cookie-cutter garbage that's marketed as good family viewing nowadays, Spirited Away will provide all the relief you'll ever need.
Movie Review: This may be Japanime, but it's got wide appeal
Summary: 5 Stars
Once in awhile a movie comes along that instantly draws you so deeply into another world that you just don't want it to end. Where every shot, every frame, is a surprise. Where you marvel at how someone could come up with such a complete universe where you never want to leave...
My friend watched "Spirited Away" and then she called me and said in a reverent tone, "you really have to watch this. I'm going to save the netflix DVD until you can see it." I don't care for japanime, so two weeks went by before I finally got around to watching it. But from the moment the film started, the house could have burned down around me and I would not have stopped this movie.
The story is about a ten year-old girl named Chihiro, who is traveling through the countryside with her parents on the way to their new home. Taking a shortcut, they get lost in the forest and ends up at a hillside tunnel. The parents decide to go exploring, but end up in a strange, deserted village. Chihiro is separated from her parents and left alone to discover that the world in which she now finds herself trapped is the spirit world. "Spirited Away" is about her journey home. Along the way, she meets a panapoly of fantastical creatures, must work as a slave in a bath house and battle the unknown evils of the spirit world - all the while struggling to retain the memory of her former life, her parents and her name, which she needs if she is ever to escape.
I can't recommend this film highly enough. There is more inventive genius wrapped up in this film that I can't wait to watch it again, knowing there will be plenty of new discoveries awaiting me. Even if you aren't a fan of Japanime, this film is sure to please.
Movie Review: Surprising
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this for my 12 year old niece who is a big anime fan. I must say that when I watched it with her I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed it. The storyline was impressive, imaginative and entertaining. It may have even convinced me to venture into more of Miyazaki's tales.Movie Review: Spirited Away
Summary: 5 Stars
Spirited Away blends many themes together nicely in a tale bound to captivate. It conveys nicely the idea that humans are not far away from a spirit world or an animal world since spirits can transform into human figures and humans can talk to animals (such as spiders). And radishes can be Honorable. The story conveys notions of love, compassion, evil, good, human frailty, loneliness, meanness, etc. etc. all the while treating us to terrific illustrations. What a gift! Miyazaki truly is a master.