Spirited Away
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Movie Reviews of Spirited Away
Movie Review: The Best Movie of 2002
Summary: 5 Stars
In 2000 I was introduced to the world of Hayao Miyazaki when "Princess Mononoke" made its debut on DVD. That movie was so incredible I chose it as the best film of 1999. (I missed it in theaters when it was playing during its Christmas run). After that, I watched every Miyazaki movie available on video. I never thought he could possibly make a better film than PRINCESS MONONOKE, but he has done it with SPIRITED AWAY, It's the best movie of 2002.Why did I choose this movie as the best film for that year? Why not? Remember in 1992 Disney's "Beauty & The Beast" was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, the only time that has ever happened. And since then, Disney has learned what the Japanese have known for decades: Animation isn't just kiddie entertainment. It is a serious art form. It can make your imagination soar, and show you things that are impossible for any live action movie. Both of those things are done with every Hayao Miyazaki movie, but SPIRITED AWAY, like PRINCESS MONONOKE does something else. It has a combination of a powerful story, characters that I really care about, and all these astonishing eye-popping visual scenes that caused me to completely forget I'm watching the movie. I truly felt like I was IN the movie. That's my annual requirement for the best film of the year.
Those visual images I cannot describe without spoiling the movie for you. I also cannot give you any background of the story. I began watching this film without any real knowledge of the story except for this. A little girl finds herself in a world like "The Wizard of Oz", and "Alice in Wonderland". Period. That's all I knew, and that's all I will tell you about it.
I have seen and own six of Hayao Miyazaki's movies. THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO(1980) is a hilarious action comedy that also introduced me to the world of Monkey Punch's Lupin the 3rd. CASTLE IN THE SKY (1986) was just released and is also a visual wonder. (It is clearly an influence on the animators of Disney's "Atlantis") MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO 1988) is one of the all time greatest children's movies available and one of the best films I ever saw. (As a video clerk it is one film I'm constantly recommending for parents with very young children.) KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE (1989) is an entertaining and terrific family film. And PRINCESS MONONOKE (1997) I've already talked about. The best film of 1999 (when it came out in America) Now SPIRITED AWAY (2002). No wonder Hayao Miyazaki is an animation god at the Disney studio. He has claimed he made this movie for 10 year old children. That may be the youngest age limit for the audience, (It's PG rating is appropriate, because some scenes may scare the littlest ones.) but the audience is far bigger than that.
SPIRITED AWAY didn't do anywhere near the business it did in Japan: The biggest hit of all time in that country. And I bet it was one of the biggest hits in countries all over the world before and after its American release. It would never have come here had it not been for Pixar's John Lasseter. And I hope that he will continue to bring other Miyazaki films to the US that were never brought here, including NAUSICAA IN THE VALLEY OF THE WINDS (1984), (a movie that is considered to be one of his greatest films, but was practically destroyed in a severely edited version in 1985), and PORCO ROSSO(1992) Both of those films and any future Miyazaki movies should be brought to American films. We haven't seen anywhere near enough of this animation master's work.
Disney has done a wonderful job in bringing this movie to DVD. Like PRINCESS MONONOKE, it is a film that demonstrates the sharpness and attention to detail that DVD can bring you. And the sound is actually better in SPIRITED AWAY than the other film. PRINCESS MONONOKE had a rather muffled English version. It was good, but the Japanese version sounded more dynamic. The English version of SPIRITED AWAY is so good in sound quality that the Japanese version is only slightly better. Thus, I found I could enjoy both versions equally. Only small changes were made to the dialogue, and none to the images.
If this review has made you interested in seeing SPIRITED AWAY, that's great. And believe me, don't refuse to see it just because you hate animated films. If you are someone who hates this genre you're probably watching the wrong animation. Check out SPIRITED AWAY, then see all the other Miyazaki movies I've mentioned.
(note) A splendid book about Hayao Miyazaki is available by Helen McCarthy: HAYAO MIYAZAKI, THE MASTER OF JAPANESE ANIMATION.
Movie Review: Beautiful...
Summary: 5 Stars
The latest of Miyazaki's works ported over to the U.S. via Disney's funding is probably one of the best animated films to hit American shores to date, even going so far as to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture of 2002, and it certainly deserves it.Set at first in modern-day Japan, the movie begins with a ten-year old girl named Chihiro moving to a new house with her parents. After a wrong turn, her father decides to make a shortcut through the woods, which leads the three to what appears to be an abandoned amusement park, where her parents find food sitting out and begin to stuff themselves like pigs. Chihiro refuses to eat and goes exploring, and as nightfall approaches, it becomes clear that this is not an abandoned amusement park, but a place thriving with activity. When she tries to find her parents to escape, she discovers that they have transformed into pigs after gorging themselves on the food of the spirits.
To survive in this new world, Chihiro is befriended by a boy named Haku, who helps her hide from the spirits until she can reach the bath house, where she must get a job from Yu-baba or be turned into an animal like her parents.
"Sprited Away" takes a different path than the conventional Disney film that so many are used to in animated films. For one, there aren't any musical numbers, which is almost always a plus (the only animated films I can think of where the the musical numbers set well were "Beauty and the Beast," which had but two that worked while the rest interrupted the plot, and "Lilo & Stitch," where the songs and story seamed together flawlessly.) The animation is also very different, consisting of Japanese animation (anime) to create characters and settings that flow very smoothly.
There's more to the difference than simple audio and visual flavor, though. Chihiro is not the standard hero. She's a whiny, immature brat (as Yu-baba puts well) and won't stop complaining at first. It isn't until she's pressed with incredible odds and responsibilites (some of which force her to break down) that she can begin to grow up and face the strange world around her.
That strangeness is yet another difference. The world that Miyazaki has created here is nothing short of odd, tossing in plenty of spirits and gods of Japanese folklore, and even poking fun at some of them, such as the Radish Spirit.
Yu-baba isn't a clean "villain" either. In fact, she's more of an antagonist than a true villain, as she really is protecting her property and her ability to earn profit, while Chihiro is an invader, even if she is innocent, and threatens the spirits' way of life. Some may call this evil, but they would do the same thing when put in a position of defending what they hold dear, as petty as it may seem.
There are themes and subtle symbolisms riding in "Spirited Away" as well. Much of it involves the effect of humans on the enviroment, as clearly evidenced when Chihiro's parents are eating the food that belongs to the spirits, or the endearing scene with the Stink Spirit. There are also things that I have yet to decipher, such as the separation between adults and children, but I really don't know. The shadow people of the train harks some sort of symbolism, but I don't know it yet (if anyone has any theories, contact me.)
Everything about the plot and characters will take in children, adolescents, and adults. The visuals are stunning and look wonderful, only catching off when we some of the CG takes place when the train passes a house later in the movie. And then, there's the music, an absolutely wonderful score by Joe Hisaishi, who's composed scores for other Miyazaki films. "Reprise," when matched with its scene, is enough to bring tears.
The DVD isn't all that great, but it has a nice animation on the menu. There are a couple features, as well as some Disney trailers. The second disc has a few extras, but much is in Japanese. The trailers for "Spirited Away" will seem like poor advertising for those used to American-made trailers.
The DVD features aren't important though. I wasn't even expecting a 2nd disc when picking this up, so it was really just a nice bonus. The real gem is the movie, in all it's wonder and glory, and it begs multiple viewing (which you'd do anyway, right? Why buy it otherwise?) If any movie deserves credit and attention, it's this one. All in all, "Spirited Away," simply put, is beautiful...
-Escushion
Movie Review: Animation Embraced as High Art
Summary: 5 Stars
What a glorious, glorious labour of love. After watching it, I felt like hugging myself. Calling this film an 'animation' and thus lumping it together with the childish fantasies turned out by lesser talents doesn't do it justice, for this work of art deserves comparison to the best in any genre.This is a film that has complex imperfect heroes, no villains, trials more internal than external, a world more vibrant than our own, a spirituality so deep as to reach the metaphysical, and yet will delight a girl of ten as much as a lifelong moviegoer of ninety. It is also surreal in tone, lyrical in composition, invokes tension and suspense without malevolence, and the filmmaker achieves all of this in an animated cartoon. `Spirited Away' is a work of sheer genius.
This film has pity and compassion, love and redemption, hidden strength and discovered courage, turbulence harnessed to an inner harmony; but it never strikes a false note nor succumbs to maudlin sentiment. Through gentle humour and understated dignity, it shows so much respect for the intelligence of its audience that I wanted to kiss the director's hand.
Calling this film a fairy tale just won't do. Unlike western animation, its magic is deep down, at the very roots of its make-believe world, so deep that it is worked into the very fabric of the story. There is no faerie flying around sprinkling pixie dust, no bubbling cauldrons, no evil-incarnate stepmother and no goodness-personified prince charming; nothing so obvious or so crass. Instead, the world of spirits into which our little heroine lands is as natural as breathing. In this world, humans are the intruders, and as gross material entities, it is we who bring disorder and upset to their realm.
It is not easy describing what makes this film so special, because the reasons range from the very small to the very large. At the small end, the film's eye for detail is simply marvellous. Even the act of a little girl putting on her shoes is given such character that we pause to admire the filmmakers' respect for children. At the large end, this film shares with us a journey of spiritual awakening. Our little heroine grows over the course of the film from a self-pitying self-absorbed little mouse into a loving openhearted daring soul.
But a word of caution: this is not standard cartoon fare. It assumes an intelligent audience and therefore dispenses with a paint-by-numbers plotline. Indeed, it isn't even about plot but about character, places, feelings, moods, and most of all, themes. For example, a recurring theme is that of purging. Various characters throw up throughout the film and this may disturb the fainthearted. But, if one is familiar with oriental thought, expelling poison to cleanse oneself is a common cultural theme and does not provoke the same disgust that it does in occidental cultures. Indeed, after our little heroine replenishes the river spirit, his gift to her is the medicine of purging. Later in the story, she saves a number of her friends by putting it to good use.
Obviously, this is a film that must be approached with some thought. Unlike most western animations, one cannot view it while idling in neutral. It has much that is beautiful and transcendent, but it also has terror and pain, and it demands our most careful consideration. Those unwilling to invest the required effort will get nothing out of it and had best stick with Bambi. Yet, for all its demands, this is a film that remains accessible even to children. Younger viewers may even have an advantage over their parents because they will approach it with open minds unconstrained by western styles and conventions. For them, the film's symbolism may not be apparent, but the filmmakers have applied such symbolism so gracefully that it will still be felt if not noticed, and this will be all that matters.
This film rewards open minds. To fully appreciate it, one must cast away ones preconceptions about animation. Western practice and tradition has sadly fenced animation into a marginal niche by considering it children's fare that is incapable of higher artistic expression. 'Spirited Away' is Hayao Miyazaki's exuberant response. It deserves the same consideration and accolades that we habitually heap on 'real' films and is frankly so far above the excrement endlessly churned out by Hollywood that it inhabits a different plane. This film deserved the Oscar in 2001, not for 'Best Animated Film', but for 'Best Picture'. It really is that good.
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: My favorite Miyazaki, humane and magical and fun-fun-fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
You certainly don't have to be Japanese to enjoy this marvel of animated film-making. (Although thanks to the reviewer who gave explanations for some of the details. I really appreciate knowing what those candy things are that so delight the soot ball creatures.)
As with all the Miyazaki films I've seen--and much loved--you start with some time in the protagonist's normal, non-magical world (whether a long time or short, depending on the film.) Here, we are in a car with Chigiro and her parents, as they are on their way to a new home. Chigiro is whiny and unhappy about the move, but her parents tell her she should look at it as an adventure, as all new places are adventures.
Oh, how prophetic.
They pass a plot of grassy land by the side of the road cluttered with tiny shrines to a host of spirits. Another bit of foreshadowing. The parents are skeptical as they explain to Chigiro what they are.
Then they park the car at a dead-end in the road, and enter a tunnel which takes them to an unusual, seemingly deserted place. Chigiro's papa says it's an abandoned amusement park. They explore this place that has echoes of Easter Island, with these partly toppled, partly buried huge stone faces. Then they find colorful streets crammed with restaurants, all empty. All but one. While no people are in sight, the restaurant brims with tempting delicacies (though, er, fishheads aren't my thing). Chigiro's parents begin to feast. She does not. She wanders...
And the adventure officially BEGINS!
This is no abandoned, mundane amusement park. This is the land of spirits, and a central point of action turns out to be a bathhouse where non-human creatures of all manner (some dreadful, some mysterious, some hilarious, all interesting) come to clean up and relax and feast.
Chigiro receives the help of some of these non-humans, and is challenged and threatened by others, but there is no obvious villain, for, as in other Miyazaki works, characters are complex, with both good and not-so-good in their characters, whether it's self-indulgence or abuse of power or greed or gluttony or grudge-holding or whatever. And even good or well-meaning deeds can go all wrong. But, as with other Miyazaki works, compassion and bravery and hard work and sacrifice go a long, long way. And helping hands come when need is greatest. And a sort of benevolent providence watches over the world. This is what gives such magic to this work--as it does Princess Mononoke or My Neighbor Totoro, etc. Fine characterization, extraordinary visions of the magical, magnificent artistry, and a gentle heart that runs throughout.
And there is always the too-too-too adorable or cute for words critter. In Totoro, it was the beasts themselves (especially chibi) and the cute soot critters. In Mononoke it was the tree spirits that made me laugh and laugh. Here, it's, yes, the cute little soot things again, but also the hilarious tiny bird with the mosquito-buzzing wings and the chubby, bouncy mouse with attitude. And even the radish monster was a hoot.
I love the manifestations of gentleness and generosity and goodness in Miyazaki's works. Here, Chigiro helps a Faceless Spirit whose loneliness is a palpable things. The ride in the train at night is evocative and blends a sort of sadness and hope and resolve. The music chosen for this exceptional sequence is perfect--a haunting piano piece. The scene with the Stink monster who is not what he seems is at first remarkably amusing, then remarkably surprising--and yes, again, magical.
This is not a film you want to miss. It has strong family values (as does My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle), and hopefulness.
It's just a total, utter treat for the eyes and ears and spirit of children and adults alike. But I especially recommend it for adults who've forgotten what it was like to be young and see wonders all around.