Spirited Away
4/4
Starring (voices): Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers
Rated PG for Some Scary Moments
I love this movie. I love it with all my heart. "Spirited Away," written and directed by master storyteller Hayao Miyazaki, is a true masterpiece. Not only is it the finest animated film ever made, it is one of the best films ever made period. It deserves a place alongside "The Godfather," "Schindler's List," and "Casablanca." Visually dazzling, emotionally complex and splendidly told, this is truly a movie for all to enjoy.
Chihiro (Chase) is a whiny brat who is upset that she's having to move to the middle of nowhere with her parents (voiced by Lauren Holly and Michael Chiklis). On the way there, they get sidetracked and end up in an abandoned theme park...or so they think. Chihiro's parents begin to chow down on delicious food (that they'll pay for later), but they end up turning into pigs. Now Chihiro is trapped in the world of the gods and forced to work in a bathhouse run by the vicious Yubaba (Pleshette). Her allies are few, and she has to remember who she is if she ever wants to return to her world.
The first thing one notices about a Miyazaki film is the vivid and colorful images. All of his films are wildly imaginative, but none moreso than "Spirited Away." This is a truly beautiful film that would be worth watching on mute. Miyazaki fills the screen with wonderful and bizarre creatures that capture the eye as well as the mind. From the three bouncing heads in Yubaba's office to the mysterious Noh-Face that lurks in the background, there is never a dull moment for the eyes. In fact, this whole world, particularly the bathhouse, begs "Explore Me!"
The second thing one notices is the complexity of the story. Disney movies, even the best ones, are constrained by formulas. That doesn't happen here. There's no telling where this story is going to go. Miyazaki carefully lets it unfold as Chihiro sees it. We don't know any more about this strange place than she does. The story also follows a different formula than American films. The themes of identity and transformation are, as told by the Japanese filmmaker, different than what we're used to. Yet at its heart, this is really a coming of age story.
The voice acting is fantastic. Daveigh Chase is terrific as Chihiro. This is a girl we can all get behind and root for. Chase, who famously played Samara in "The Ring," has a tendency to get shrill when she screams, but those moments are few. Jason Marsden, a popular Disney voice actor, is positively perfect as Haku, the mysterious boy who may or may not be helping Chihiro. His voice is soothing and seductive, and Miyazaki draws him in such a way that he is both threatening and romantic. Susan Egan, also a good voice actress, is terrific as Lin, Chirio's feisty friend. The late great Suzanne Pleshette (in her final film appearance) is suitably menacing as the boss who controls her workers by stealing their names. At the very least, no one can claim that Yubaba isn't an original villain. And yet, Pleshette gives the character some humanity, mainly in the form of her doting on her giant baby (Tara Strong, another popular voice actress).
While Kirk Wise may have directed the English speaking voice actors (and added a few lines), this is all Miyazaki. It has all his trademarks; vivid images, characters that touch the heart and a strong storytelling ability. But more important is the feel of the film. Miyazaki is the master of tone; all of his films have a sense of magical whimsy that only he can create. The wonderful musical score, by Joe Hisaishi (who always scores Miyazaki's films), is beautiful and evocative without being overly manipulative.
"Spirited Away" is the highest grossing film in Japan, passing "Titanic." Watching it, it's not hard to see why. This is truly a breathtaking film.
Starring (voices): Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers
Rated PG for Some Scary Moments
I love this movie. I love it with all my heart. "Spirited Away," written and directed by master storyteller Hayao Miyazaki, is a true masterpiece. Not only is it the finest animated film ever made, it is one of the best films ever made period. It deserves a place alongside "The Godfather," "Schindler's List," and "Casablanca." Visually dazzling, emotionally complex and splendidly told, this is truly a movie for all to enjoy.
Chihiro (Chase) is a whiny brat who is upset that she's having to move to the middle of nowhere with her parents (voiced by Lauren Holly and Michael Chiklis). On the way there, they get sidetracked and end up in an abandoned theme park...or so they think. Chihiro's parents begin to chow down on delicious food (that they'll pay for later), but they end up turning into pigs. Now Chihiro is trapped in the world of the gods and forced to work in a bathhouse run by the vicious Yubaba (Pleshette). Her allies are few, and she has to remember who she is if she ever wants to return to her world.
The first thing one notices about a Miyazaki film is the vivid and colorful images. All of his films are wildly imaginative, but none moreso than "Spirited Away." This is a truly beautiful film that would be worth watching on mute. Miyazaki fills the screen with wonderful and bizarre creatures that capture the eye as well as the mind. From the three bouncing heads in Yubaba's office to the mysterious Noh-Face that lurks in the background, there is never a dull moment for the eyes. In fact, this whole world, particularly the bathhouse, begs "Explore Me!"
The second thing one notices is the complexity of the story. Disney movies, even the best ones, are constrained by formulas. That doesn't happen here. There's no telling where this story is going to go. Miyazaki carefully lets it unfold as Chihiro sees it. We don't know any more about this strange place than she does. The story also follows a different formula than American films. The themes of identity and transformation are, as told by the Japanese filmmaker, different than what we're used to. Yet at its heart, this is really a coming of age story.
The voice acting is fantastic. Daveigh Chase is terrific as Chihiro. This is a girl we can all get behind and root for. Chase, who famously played Samara in "The Ring," has a tendency to get shrill when she screams, but those moments are few. Jason Marsden, a popular Disney voice actor, is positively perfect as Haku, the mysterious boy who may or may not be helping Chihiro. His voice is soothing and seductive, and Miyazaki draws him in such a way that he is both threatening and romantic. Susan Egan, also a good voice actress, is terrific as Lin, Chirio's feisty friend. The late great Suzanne Pleshette (in her final film appearance) is suitably menacing as the boss who controls her workers by stealing their names. At the very least, no one can claim that Yubaba isn't an original villain. And yet, Pleshette gives the character some humanity, mainly in the form of her doting on her giant baby (Tara Strong, another popular voice actress).
While Kirk Wise may have directed the English speaking voice actors (and added a few lines), this is all Miyazaki. It has all his trademarks; vivid images, characters that touch the heart and a strong storytelling ability. But more important is the feel of the film. Miyazaki is the master of tone; all of his films have a sense of magical whimsy that only he can create. The wonderful musical score, by Joe Hisaishi (who always scores Miyazaki's films), is beautiful and evocative without being overly manipulative.
"Spirited Away" is the highest grossing film in Japan, passing "Titanic." Watching it, it's not hard to see why. This is truly a breathtaking film.
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