Spirited Away
by Hayao Miyazaki
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DVD details
Director: Hayao MiyazakiBrand: BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-04-15
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Walt Disney Video
DVD Reviews of Spirited Away
DVD Review: The Power of Animation Creates It's Own World
Summary: 4 Stars
My biased against Disney doesn't help me dislike this movie, as this is an imaginitive piece of animation, shows you that the anime genre can be actually art instead of kiddie fare and a breeding ground for cheesy samuri and ninja-wannabe f@gt@rd$. Sure, Spirited Away has a somewhat slight story, but my god, is this a visually stunning work that throws you into a whole different world, like other (though stories vary-I don't really care for Princess Mononoke) movies by Miyazaki. I initially didn't like this movie very much, as my biased did kind of screw me over, being how much I hate the Disney corporation for (only Pixar is saving the Disney corporation, and they almost ____________ Pixar over) buying Miramax, releasing garbage and sequals, and just being plain gay. The only saving grace of Disney is Pixar and Fantasia (one of my favorite movies ever). But I digress.
Spirited Away focuses on a now lonely and isolated young girl named Chihiro. This girl is going through the immature yet easily to identify feeling of leaving these behind and not wanting to start anew. Annoyed by everything, she isnt'ready to have a new experience at all, always thinking about how it sucks to leave behind friends, her old house, and other staples of childhood. However, when her parents are magically turned into pigs, Chihiro is ready to take a great journey, through the world of spirits, and a transformation of herself.
Alright, while the story is slight, the characters are interesting, even though the humans in the movie are much less impressive than the world and it's characters. Chihiro is just a girl that is growing up, and while her behavior is a bit immature and needs an improvement, it's a very accurate portrayle of a young girl, a young girl who you like and understand considering her age. It makes her transfomration all that more satisfying to see. She isn't a brat either, because brats aren't likeable. The moral is nice as well, as watching Chihiro grow up a little is a nice thing to see. Spirited Away isn't much of a social commentary as, say, Fight Club or A Clockwork Orange, it has some slight slight social commentary infused (such as the pigs).
You may notice that I use the world "slight", quite a bit, and while slight things aren't always a bad thing, it's a bit It's execution works so well, that the story becomes charming when brought into the world of this movie. This place is an imagitnve world where spirits come to rest, and we are in for some creatively wicked spirits. This movie is also trippy, with walking vegetable-like creatures, bouncing heads, talking skulls, and otherworldly atmosphere. It might freak out those who are not used to these kinds of things (I love mind_________), sure, but surely great to look at.
SO really, what's in store when you watch this visual feast? Well first off, Studio Ghibi are masters at animation, as this is richly hued, richly designed, and looks gorgeous. Their are subtle touches everywhere, and it's so smooth you could cut it like butter. Even the food looks delicious when Chihiro's parents look at the Technically speaking, it's great, but the art direction further cements this movie. Heck, the whole setting of the film is otherworldly and masterful to look at. Look at the cover, with it's almost pueblo style architecure, and it's just one thing that stands out as far as architecture goes. This is major eye candy, and watching this, you go there. That's one thing I like about the movies is their ability to let you enter a rabbit hole into different places and Spirited Away does so with ease. It's one of the things that made me start loving movies, after years of shunning them because all I largely knew was the typical hollywood movie. Thanks for nothing, mom!
One thing though, I felt the DVD did not overflow with spectacular bonus features(if DIsney wrote that, I wouldn't be surprised). Like other Disney movies, they have higher prices, and it doesn't surprise me they price it as it is (just look at the way they price single disc Pixar movies. Pitiful). However, Spirited Away is still great, and finding a copy used is a great way to spit in the face of the Disney corporation. Besides, Disney can't stop Miyazaki from making movies, and he would have made this movie even if it wasn't for Disney. And Disney should not stop you from buying this anime title. While it's not the only anime that exists (stupid naive Americans), Spirited Away is a great anime title, a great starter movie for those who think of Dragonball Z and Naruto (I hate Naruto). And it's a movie that the whole family can enjoy as well, while still giving adults plenty to fixate over.
B
DVD Review: Miyazaki - not for anime lovers (only)
Summary: 5 Stars
Spirited Away is not related to the thousands of other anime films out there. Miyazaki is a storyteller first and foremost, weaving dramatic, comedic tales. Spirited Away, and most of the other Studio Ghibli films, are made pretty much - for everyone. If you're between 8 and 100 years old, you'll probably enjoy this film. Depending on your age, you'll see a slightly different film. Spirited away combines traditional Japanese culture, post war culture, 90s culture, magic, spirits... no robots or space creatures in this one and although Miyazaki touches on Steampunk in some of his other films, there's not really any in this film. Everyone I've ever shared this film with, young and old, has absolutely loved it. Miyazaki's use of children (or childlike characters) in the lead roles - and the fact that his films are animated, leads a lot of people to assume that these are films for children, and while they are great for children, they are certainly not kid movies. Highly suggested.DVD Review: highly recommended
Summary: 5 Stars
Spirited Away is a delightful movie about a fantastic world and a lazy little girl who gets her first job in a bathhouse for spirits. Hiyao Miyazaki, praised as the Walt Disney of Japan, has created a wonderful story, rich with magical logic and unforgettable characters, that is sure to please younger and older viewers, and told it through hand-drawn animation abounding with loving detail and living backgrounds.
Chihiro starts the movie as a listless girl lazing in the backseat of her parents' car as they move to the Japanese countryside. A shortcut through the woods brings them to a decaying theme park that mysteriously draws them in and leads them to a market stall laden with platters of delicious food, where her parents gorge themselves and turn into pigs. Chihiro ends up employed at a majestic bathhouse, run by a greedy old witch named Yubaba, where spirits come to refresh themselves. She makes friends with a dragon boy named Haku, a six-armed boiler room operator, and a mess of soot balls (remember these from My Neighbor Totoro) while figuring out a way to save her parents and return home. In the course of this, she discovers that she's a tough, resourceful little girl.
Every plot development in Spirited Away is a surprise, and the characters are more subtly drawn than the characters in a Disney feature. Yubaba's a nasty witch, but first she is the strict boss of the bathhouse. The monster No-Face can be destructive, but is shy and awkward in his crush on Chihiro.. Haku is a good person, contrary to what the employees say, but is mixed up with Yubaba, which complicates things. The Japanese feel of the movie, in the beautiful styles and textures, kimonos, bowing, and disgusted faces characters make when something icky or smelly enters the scene, also contributes to the Spirited Away experience. The soundtrack is a treat too, especially the melancholy music that plays during the dreamlike sequence when Chihiro rides the train off into the horizon formed by the sea and the sky.
Spirited Away is a lot of fun and has real heart. Regardless of whether animated movies are your thing or not, you will enjoy this one.
DVD Review: "The Best I've Seen in a Very Long Time"
Summary: 5 Stars
Hayao Miyazaki works wonders in this spectacular film. It is a little spooky at times, but it is an amazing film out of all I've ever seen. I do not reccommend it for children under seven to eight years old, yet it is wonderful for every other age. I understood it perfectly and believe that the plot is at the perfect place between dramatic and simple. I have seen other Miyazaki films, but this one truly took my breath away and is amazing beyond amazing. If you want a perfect example of a major motion picture, choose this fantastic movie for you and your family. It's Academy Award is truly well-earned and, I believe, that this is easily one of the best films ever produced.DVD Review: Miyazaki's Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Spirited Away is an AMAZING movie, straight from a brilliant imagination. The art is beautiful, the story is captivating, and the characters feel like they are a part of you. Appropriate for any and all ages, kids to adults. If you haven't seen this movie, save yourself the rental fee and just buy it; if you have seen it, then you were probably going to buy it regardless of my review, so either way, BUY IT!!!
Description of Spirited Away
From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema comes the most acclaimed film of 2002. Hayao Miyazaki's latest triumph, filled with astonishing animation and epic adventure, is a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. It's a "wonderfully welcoming work of art that's as funny and entertaining as it is brilliant, beautiful, and deep" (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal). SPIRITED AWAY is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. An unforgettable story brimming with creativity, SPIRITED AWAY will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. "To enter the world of Hayao Miyazaki is to experience a kind of lighthearted enchantment that is unique to the world of animation" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). It's a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again.The highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history (more than $234 million), Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen To Chihiro Kamikakushi) is a dazzling film that reasserts the power of drawn animation to create fantasy worlds. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll's Alice, Chihiro (voice by Daveigh Chase--Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch) plunges into an alternate reality. On the way to their new home, the petulant adolescent and her parents find what they think is a deserted amusement park. Her parents stuff themselves until they turn into pigs, and Chihiro discovers they're trapped in a resort for traditional Japanese gods and spirits. An oddly familiar boy named Haku (Jason Marsden) instructs Chihiro to request a job from Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), the greedy witch who rules the spa. As she works, Chihiro's untapped qualities keep her from being corrupted by the greed that pervades Yubaba's mini-empire. In a series of fantastic adventures, she purges a river god suffering from human pollution, rescues the mysterious No-Face, and befriends Yubaba's kindly twin, Zeniba (Pleshette again). The resolve, bravery, and love Chihiro discovers within herself enable her to aid Haku and save her parents. The result is a moving and magical journey, told with consummate skill by one of the masters of contemporary animation. MPAA Rated: PG ("Some scary moments") --Charles Solomon
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