Spirited Away

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
$29.99
This movie was like a breath of fresh air. Very memorable story, and a very interesting characters. I wish there was a sequel. This was my first Miyazaki film, and my most favorite of them all. I highly recommend it. I however would recommend reading the book, for it has more detail, which the movie does not cover, leaving many loopholes.

Spirited Away [Region 2]
$28.53
My biased against Disney doesn't help me dislike this movie, as this is an imaginitive piece of animation, shows you that the anime genre can be actually art instead of kiddie fare and a breeding ground for cheesy samuri and ninja-wannabe f@gt@rd$. 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

Princess Mononoke
$22.99
To appreciate how exceptional 'Princess Mononoke' is, just try to imagine Disney doing something like this. Imagine how overbearing and preachy its message would be, or how sickly cute and perfect they would make San, or how the owner of the ironworks would be a ruthless, ugly, rich old guy. In contrast, `Mononoke' is a thought-provoking film that refuses to settle for easy answers, and contains very complex and well-drawn characters.

One thing to note is that this is quite adult-oriented compared to some Miyazaki films such as `Kiki' or `Totoro'. Although there's nothing gratuitous, there is a surprising amount of violence, and some mature themes. That apart, this film explores typical Miyazaki themes; including environmentalism, alternate history, Japanese mythology, and feminism. And like all Miyazaki films, `Mononoke' is superbly drawn and animated, incorporating some fairly subtle CG effects for the first time. In the original Japanese, the voice acting is universally excellent. (Although people have problems with some performances in the English dub, I can't comment as I always watch anime in its original language).

For the characterisation, the movie aggressively turns history on its head by having strong, capable women in powerful positions (even if Ashitaka is cast as the traditional `hero'). Lady Eboshi especially is a fascinating character, as she is a genuine antagonist. Her position puts her in direct conflict with Ashitaka and San not because she is evil, but simply because her needs clash with theirs. San herself is extremely aggressive for a heroine, and the various forest animals are even more ruthless and determined. The film constantly blurs the line between protagonist and antagonist; Eboshi destroys the forest but provides work and shelter for social outcasts, San and Moro defend the forest creatures but resort to violence to do so. There is no `right' and `wrong' in this movie, just competing agendas. Such depth and thoughtfulness is welcome, and is one reason why I consider Japanese animation to be above its American counterpart.

If I had to make one criticism of this film, it's that there might be one too many competing agendas. We have Ashitaka and his quest, San, Eboshi and the ironworks, Moro and the wolves, the boars, the monkeys, the forest gods, Jigo, and the Emperor's mercenaries. There is an awful lot happening in this movie, and the various alliances and battles do require some concentration to follow. This alone means `Mononoke' is more suited to an adolescent/adult audience than for children. The pacing and storytelling is perfect, though, meaning the movie is not really difficult to fully appreciate or understand, provided you put in a little effort.

In my opinion, `Princess Mononoke' is Miyazaki's best film, and that's saying something. Outstanding animation, well-drawn characters, intricate plot, and some thought-provoking themes, all presented in a more mature and complex style. An amazing piece of work, and one of the best anime ever made.

Five stars all the way.

Spirited Away
$29.99
My biased against Disney doesn't help me dislike this movie, as this is an imaginitive piece of animation, shows you that the anime genre can be actually art instead of kiddie fare and a breeding ground for cheesy samuri and ninja-wannabe f@gt@rd$. 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