Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)'s comments

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sammysin

This, along with Howl have the best character design imaginable.

I also love the theme tune that runs throughout both movies. The one for Spirited Away is very beautiful and sad.

It's a film that demands to be seen over and over, there is so much to take in the first time, you will be amazed by how much more you get the second time round.

Masterful stuff.

11 years 4 months ago

Siskoid

Incredibly imaginative, it's a very Japanese film and may seem more unfathomable than interesting to Western audiences. The animation alone is worth the price of admission.

6 years 5 months ago

Filmsthemostbeautifulart

After Nausicaä of the valley of the wind, Castle in the sky, Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki returns with Spirited Away and he just doesn't disappoint. Miyazaki put's all his heart and effort in making the film and he does it so well that we forget the foolishness of the plot (In this case the story is about a girl who gets lost in a s
pirit world and her parents are turned to pigs...) Wait, I don't want a kiddish movie like that! Yeah OK you don't want to. But then what makes Spirited away especially brilliant?

Miyazaki was on a holiday with his friends when he noticed one of his friend's daughter who caught his attention. That girl had an I-don't-care kind of expression and Miyazaki decided to make a film for these kind of people who just don't care about anything interesting that happens in their lives. The opening scene itself proves this when we see Chihiro, our heroine, sitting in the back-seat of a car whilst moving to a new place. But she just doesn't care about her new home, her new school and her new life... Miyazaki also made Chihiro look dull, in short not very pretty or beautiful. So the magic actually begins here: The audience too has that kind of the same emotions like Chihiro does (that's the case every time you go to a film). And then suddenly the film becomes kinetic, full of energy. Chihiro is filled with fear as she becomes trapped in the world of spirits and her parents gone (not dead). And then what follows is a rich story full of interesting characters, an amazing score from Joe Hisaishi, incredible animation that no one can deny and lastly numerous thrilling moments that made my heart pound really fast.

The characters especially have been given a royal and complex treatment, making the film quite unpredictable. Ubaba, the owner of a bath-house for spirits who employs Chihiro, is the antagonist and her face itself tells us that easily. Haku is the one who helps Chihiro survive in the spirit world. The Boiler Man is another character who becomes a good friend of Chihiro and in another way helps her too. Then there's the most trickiest character, No Face or Kaonashi, who is a spirit. All these characters are the driving forces. They play their part perfectly and if this was a live-action film, I wouldn't have been surprised if the actors playing these characters were Oscar nominated. Though the film did win an Oscar for Best Animated film in 2002, the only anime to have done so...

So don't wait long and watch Miyazaki's magical masterpiece. It's so wonderful that we human beings can create so beautiful things using the same old techniques. Miyazaki is one of these artists (Even Joe Hisaishi, the composer) and they never stop making such stuff! Hat's off to the entire team of Studio Ghibli!

5/5

11 years 8 months ago

Paul

Zeniba: Once you do something, you never forget. Even if you can't remember.

14 years 3 months ago

AndrewB

quote:
A new home and a new school? It is a bit scary.

I think I can handle it.

6 years 2 months ago

aniforprez

stuff of legends. hayao miyasaki lets no moment go to wast eas he crafts a beautiful tale of the lost and found and the heart that guides you through the difficult and weird times of your life. can't recommend this enough

10/10

10 years 12 months ago

fonz

The first Ghibli film I ever saw was Grave of the Fireflies and it remains the saddest fucking film I have ever seen. I never expected that an animated film of all things could elicit such a powerful emotional reaction from me that it affected me deeply until the very next day when I saw my first Miyazaki film, My Neighbor Totoro. The experience of seeing Totoro in a theater with little kids who knew all the songs was one that will stay with me for a long time. The viewings also convinced to watch all of the Studio Ghibli films on the silver screen; there is something about the shared experience that made me realize that I would not appreciate these as much watching them at home. I respect the shit out of Ghbili for the ability to make meaningful and beautiful films full of depth that transcend age and gender demographics.

8 years 2 months ago

MoonStorm98

I first watched it when I was eight (so when it came out), and loved it! It is really well done...beautiful, beautiful movie.

12 years 8 months ago

FrankHowley

Much like Pixar, Miyazaki has the ability to create animated gems that leave me enchanted and giddy like a child. Spirited Away is a beautiful movie, I was totally immersed in its magical world and blown away by its style and creativity.

14 years 2 months ago

Andrewski

There’s a lot to say about this movie, but I have a few small thoughts: 1. My kids loved it. They laugh so much at these Miyazaki movies! 2. The world is so large. It’s just a bathhouse but there’s just so much depth and breadth to the imagination. 3. Chihiro and other Miyazaki characters are always finding their way, either back home or to a new home.

4 years ago

dippygirl78

Alice in Wonderland Japanese style

5 years 2 months ago

Windill

Such a masterpiece! Just amazing. Unforgettable.

8 years 3 months ago

nastik

I watched it when I was a little kid and it pretty much scared me. But it was a really brilliant movie, now I've realized it :)

11 years 10 months ago

moviebuff_11

I much preferred Howl's Moving Castle. Spirited Away begins nicely and the narrative moves smoothly. However, it slowly descends into a crazy fantasy (not that I wasn't expecting that) which is at times extremely difficult to get into. Howl's Moving Castle felt more accessible. I recommend you watch both but in my opinion, the later film felt more grounded

11 years 11 months ago

Rigters

quote:
nothing special

Nothing special? Oh my god.

The movie reaches an incredible imagination, only Hayao Miyazaki would think that.

12 years 1 month ago