Spirited Away (2001)

[千と千尋の神隠し]

Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki

Synopsis:
A girl's parents are transformed into pigs and she is forced to work in a bathhouse for the gods.

Impressions:
Two particularly notable things about this film is that it was the first big project after Miyazaki's stated intent to retire following Princess Mononoke and it's the only Ghibli film to have received an Oscar. (I imagine if more of the films were put under consideration, there'd be more Oscars.) In terms of the tone and overall feel, I find it to be a bit of a cross between Totoro and Princess Mononoke. The fantastical environment of the bathhouse is great with a number of very creatively designed creatures. At its core, though, this is a coming of age story and Chihiro's character development is done quite well. You will, of course, find nothing to be disappointed about when it comes to the visuals or score. Honestly, while I still greatly esteem the movies Miyazaki made after this, had this been his last, he would have closed on perhaps the highest possible note. This is one of the great ones and deserves a special place in your collection.

Rating:
Treasure It