Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Spirited Away

My favorite animated film I have seen this semester, and most likely of all time, would be Spirited Away  written and directed by the great Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli.  Miyazaki is responsible for other such films such as My Neighbor Totoro and Laputa: Castle in the Sky and is largely regarded as one of the best director of animated films in the world. After watching Spirited Away, I have a pretty hard time arguing to the contrary.
First there is the actual animation of the movie. I can say without a doubt in my mind that this is one of the most beautifully animated movies I've ever seen. The colors seem to be just so much more vibrant than any I've ever seen in another animation. The look and feel of the world feels fully fleshed out as if it actually exists. The food, an animated mainstay in Miyazaki's films, physically makes me want to eat every last piece of food shown. The sheer beauty of the one of the most iconic scenes of the film, the train running through the water, makes the viewer truly appreciate animation as not a little brother to physical actors as it is often viewed as but rather transcends the physical world with beauty that is not possible in this world. The character designs of the spirits are incredibly creative and fit perfectly with the surroundings.
This film's visual beauty is perfectly matched with an equal if not more interesting story line. The film follows a young girl in her journey through a magical world in an attempt to save her gluttonous parents. The creatively of the world is really evident in the story as the girl meets countless types of spirits and workers. The story is one of change and becoming a better person to obtain what you love. It really is a heartfelt tale.
The beauty of both the visuals and story are well documented with 36 awards, including an Oscar, and another 19 nominations. Spirited Away will not only go down as one of the best animated films ever but also one of the greatest films period.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4126842624/tt0245429

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