A downright statement: Spirited Away is one of the most moving animated film ever made. And to mention, it's a Japanese animation, from the direction of Hayao Miyazaki, which grabbed the Oscar triumph of Best Animated Film beating out Hollywood animated-biggies like Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron, Treasure Planet, Ice Age and Lilo & Stitch. This is what movie magic is all about and Spirited Away proves us that even a 2D-animated film could be as powerful a movie with substance.I watched Spirited Away 4 years ago, when I was still in 2nd year High School, in which a friend introduced it to me. And after watching the film, I made a vow. A kind of I-swear-I-would-watch-this-movie-again-before-I-die-on-Earth vow, and four years later, I was still stunned by the magic of the film. It ranks as a contender for the all-time Disney classics, and as I grow up, I will surely not forget it and it will remain as a treasure to me forever. The simple story of a girl named Chihiro, a spoiled little clumsy brat, who hated her parents more than ever. They were moving to a new house, and she hated them for it. She hated moving to a new school, hated her parents' indifference, and hated everything she is about to face in their new life in a new house. She's annoyingly hard-headed, and surely demands everything she wants. But their journey towards their new home led them to a detour in a wild forest. They stumbled upon a theme park and they wandered around they found food served upon tables without anyone in sight cooking. Of course, when you're hungry, it's the stomach that's speaking - and so Chihiro's parents ate rather voraciously. Chihiro demanded them to stop and go back to the car but they won't listen. With heated head, she wandered around to see the sight, which was an abandoned park, and noticed it was becoming increasingly late. But when she went back to her parents, she could see nothing but two large swines in the clothes of her parents, sitting just where her parents had just eaten. Chihiro's parents turned into pigs, due to their greed. And what Chihiro was about to face would test her mind, body and soul to find a way to pick a decision: to escape from the place and leave her parents or battle everything to save the two people who had been with her with all her life. This movie is hard to resist. Although it's a 2D animation, it still sparks with magic and it's unmistakably visceral. But the reason why I call this film a moving experience was the movie's message for humanity. It appeals to everyone of us, children and adults, as long as we knew we raised by people whom we call parents. Chihiro, a formerly bad kid, had her faith, courage and love for her parents are being tested, and because of this happening, she was able to learn about determination, what courage really is, what is perseverance, responsibility, honor, and most of all, love. It was in her hands that the fates of her parents lie, and her unwavering determination leads her to do her best in saving her parents' life. A wonderful, beautiful portrayal that all of us are basically good, it's just that we are being blinded by our own greed, and misdeeds. Chihiro is in fact a reflection of all of us humans, fragile souls being turned around by hate yet had our eyes being opened by a life-changing experience that would change our beliefs forever. Even though we are adults, we somehow go back and look at our past and wish we could turn back time and straighten everything we wanted to change, learn more about respect for our parents and love them deeply. Spirited Away gives us a majestic reason to be able to change for good, or for better. Spirited Away had done the remarkable breakthrough that an Alice in the Wonderland had done way back decades ago. It is now being compared even to the legendary Wizard of Oz. Say, who might have never been captured by this soul-stirring, emotionally-moving animation. One of the most enchanting film of the years that had came by and it defines perfection. I even struggled to find imperfection in this film. Even the characters shine so brilliantly. Characters that are so unforgettable like your household-names of Cinderella, Ariel, Hercules, Snow White and Alice. Chihiro or named as Sin becomes an ultimate icon. Even the witch in the film was astoundingly created portraying evil necessarily. And Haku, the witch's apprentice, was a brilliant character too, a soul lost in his own absolution yet had a destiny to be remembered by his own courage and
strength to fight for his own will. Finally, the witch's baby, a large one, was definitely lovable. Anime lovers should rejoice for this, bringing a powerhouse to all-time greats. It is a beautiful experience watching this film, and it's musical score is as fluid as the story itself. It combines magic, folklore, legends, and as what have mentioned, it felt like it was Alice in the Wonderland but just taken so seriously with moral lessons one could take for all his life. It is a masterpiece. It's like Steven Spielberg, with Tim Burton, and Lewis Carroll all spun afresh with childlike wonder. It's impossible not to be spirited away with this movie. Mark my words: 10 years from now, film students would study this film and examine it for all its worth. It is a kind of film that has the resonant power to change what's wrong in this world that we live in.
Rating: A+
