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Spirited Away Actor: Miyu Irino Director: Hayao Miyazaki Number of Items: 2 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Animated, Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Running Time: 132 minutes Studio: Walt Disney Home Video Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2003-04-15 Buy from Amazon |
 "this is a cool movie :-)"i first heard of this film on film 2001 johnathan ross said U MUST SEE THIS MOVIE and ever since i've been going down my local video store and saying 'im gonna rent that when i get the money' but i never did ... untill a couple of weeks ago i decided i will ... and i wasnt disapointed i thought it was a awesome film and now i bought it ... i loved it every anime fan should have this movie in their collection :-) "A must see!"I had my doubts before my brother bought this movie and then shot it into the DVD player, but after seeing it, I was speechless. The movie itself is just amazing in the fact that no one has done it before. The tale is also inchanting, as it moves from one part to another. Anyone can watch this and be amazed with the visuals, the music, and the plot. Pick it up and see if you enjoy it, I recommend it! The only downside I could find is if you totally hate anime, then this is not for you. "Incredible"This was the first Miyazaki movie I have ever watched, and I happened upon the movie accidentally...I've just finished watching it, and WOW I am so so impressed!!! This was the most original animation movie I have ever seen! Now I am excited to go and find more of Miyazaki's stuff. The characters were so unique, and such a well developed, diverse range of personalities. The colorful scenery, original setting (a Japanese spirit bath house), and beautiful story was one to by loved by all ages. You have to see this! "Another Masterpiece from Miyazaki"Personally, I prefer Princess Mononoke because of the complexity of its story. Nevertheless, the beauty and wonder of Spirited Away can not be denied. The plot of a girl making her way without her parents has been done before, but Miyazaki proves the tale can still be fresh. Chihiro/Sen is a wonderful character: a petulant and occasionally bratty child who becomes brave and learns to rely on herself in a dangerous and strange world. I also appreciated her sweet romance with Haku, a young man who helps her and soon turns out to be much more than he seems. But not only Haku, Chihiro ends up facing many strange and wonderful creatures in the witch's bathouse. A lake God polluted beyond recognition, a many-armed man who works the heaters, an enormous baby who is turned into a mouse ... All of these characters and this world is created lovingly by Miyazaki. The animation, which remains mostly hand-drawn, is a wonder to behold. The characters move so fluidly and realistically, and the designs of some of the gods is unlike any seen before. After watching this film, the viewer feels like they have journeyed through an entirely new world. It's amazing. The movie also features a beautiful score that's both magical and haunting. I loved it. DVD features for the movie are also top-notch. My favorite was the "Making of" which gave a look at the animation process in Japan and a glimpse of Miyazaki in action. The interviews with the American voice actors were also interesting, but on the whole I prefer subtitles. This is a wonderful movie that I recommend to all. Even non-anime fans. "A great story for young girls and their parents!"After seeing Princess Mononoke on DVD, I became an instant fan of Miyazaki's films and style of animation. I saw this movie when it was released to theaters here in the US, having seen the ads for it and knowing it was going to be good. It wasn't good, it was great! So many fables in the U.S. have been told to death that to see this movie was a literal breath of fresh air. It is such a wonderful new take on the old story of the hero being required to grow up and mature in order to "get out" of whatever situation he/she has been thrust into. Chihiro/Sen is someone that any young girl can relate to. While she starts off seeming bratty, it's not because she's really a brat. Her family has moved, something that's all too familiar to many young children, and what young girl wouldn't be angry at her parents after being yanked away from her friends without so much as a "how do you feel about this"? She just wants to stay where she's comfortable and safe. From the outset, Chihiro is required to act in ways that would be difficult for anyone, never mind a young girl! How well would you react to the sight of a "boiler keeper" who looks like a cross between a man and a spider, with little puffs of soot scurrying about as his helpers? And in the same night, find yourself having to face down a foul-tempered witch to ensure you don't suffer the same fate as your parents? Every girl (and boy) has to learn to "grow up" -- to come to grips with the fact that the world can sometimes be a harsh place, and that you still have to live in it and do the best that you can; to learn to stand up for yourself with no one there to help you; to be responsible for what you (or those with you) do; to come to understand that other people besides yourself matter. Chihiro learns all of these things and more, and changes from a timid, somewhat self-absorbed person into one who has a deep inner strength and faith in herself and who cares deeply about the people she has come to know. This is a story that sends a powerful message, one that will stay with the people who watch it. I have a four year-old daughter, and I can't wait to show this DVD to her when she's a little older. Her younger sister will see it, too, when she's old enough. I'm betting that this will become one of their favorite movies, and that they'll want to watch it over and over again. |
