JCPhoenix
09-09-2002, 09:31 PM
Stunningly layered and one of a kind - definitely shows Miyazaki's imprint on it.
Top people at Disney have said he is their idol. Anime fans all over the world have declared him the greatest anime director in the world. Roger Ebert declared his 1997 movie a masterpiece, and had it in his top ten movies of the year. And his latest film, Spirited Away is the biggest grossing film of all time in Japan.
If you have ever seen any of legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki's work, you'll know what all the fuss is about. Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service are just a few of the works he is known so well for, and he of course, came to the full attention of the critics on this side of the Pacific Ocean with the release of the critically acclaimed epic Princess Mononoke.
But with his newfound fame in the West, he has returned to his roots with a film that is more akin to Laputa: Castle in the Sky or My Neighbor Totoro than with Princess Mononoke, although some elements from his later works are still very noticeable in Spirited Away. It is much more a children's film than Princess Mononoke was, but it is intelligent enough that the elderly, teenagers, and everyone in between will enjoy it as much as children will.
Visually, it is stunning. The beautiful animation, and the different odd creatures that come and go throughout the entire movie are enough already to keep a viewer's full and undivided attention. There are some beautifully enchanting shots throughout the entire movie as well that are incredibly detailed. Miyazaki movies are legendary for their creative abilities, and Spirited Away easily the equal of any of the other films in his resume.
I can tell that much of the storyline is lost in the transition from the Japanese to English language, and from the Japanese culture to the Canadian/American culture. Some of the movie I didn't get, as the movie is about Japanese gods and such. But I grasped enough of it to get the essential story, and several other layers to it, and it is, of course, much better than Disney in terms of ideas. Disney movies sometimes hit and they sometimes miss, but oft times, they are cliched and repetitive. Each individual Miyazaki movie is always in a world of its own, entirely different from the rest, but yet vaguely similar as Miyazaki leaves his imprint on each film. And they always have such unique stories that can start off rather simple, but get more complicated as they move along.
Of course, what would be a Miyazaki movie without Joe Hisaishi's music? No worries to those who aren't familiar with Hayao Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi - they don't have singing mermaids, teacups, or fairy godmothers. Hisaishi is actually more of a film composer in the more general sense - he composes scores. Scores which are fantasticly delightful and always have several great and recognizable songs in them. While Spirited Away may not be as bold and epic or childishly delightful as some of his other scores in the past have been, it is just as lovely with his signature piano themes, and just as memorable. Of course, I may be biased as Hisaishi is one of my favorite film composers of all time (up there with Danny Elfman), but honestly...you'll rarely see any other animated work with as great music as comes out from the movies he composes for.
All in all, Spirited Away is deserving of being called a Miyazaki movie. Beautiful animation, an interesting storyline, and a stunning score make this the movie to see so far this year.
Top people at Disney have said he is their idol. Anime fans all over the world have declared him the greatest anime director in the world. Roger Ebert declared his 1997 movie a masterpiece, and had it in his top ten movies of the year. And his latest film, Spirited Away is the biggest grossing film of all time in Japan.
If you have ever seen any of legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki's work, you'll know what all the fuss is about. Laputa: Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service are just a few of the works he is known so well for, and he of course, came to the full attention of the critics on this side of the Pacific Ocean with the release of the critically acclaimed epic Princess Mononoke.
But with his newfound fame in the West, he has returned to his roots with a film that is more akin to Laputa: Castle in the Sky or My Neighbor Totoro than with Princess Mononoke, although some elements from his later works are still very noticeable in Spirited Away. It is much more a children's film than Princess Mononoke was, but it is intelligent enough that the elderly, teenagers, and everyone in between will enjoy it as much as children will.
Visually, it is stunning. The beautiful animation, and the different odd creatures that come and go throughout the entire movie are enough already to keep a viewer's full and undivided attention. There are some beautifully enchanting shots throughout the entire movie as well that are incredibly detailed. Miyazaki movies are legendary for their creative abilities, and Spirited Away easily the equal of any of the other films in his resume.
I can tell that much of the storyline is lost in the transition from the Japanese to English language, and from the Japanese culture to the Canadian/American culture. Some of the movie I didn't get, as the movie is about Japanese gods and such. But I grasped enough of it to get the essential story, and several other layers to it, and it is, of course, much better than Disney in terms of ideas. Disney movies sometimes hit and they sometimes miss, but oft times, they are cliched and repetitive. Each individual Miyazaki movie is always in a world of its own, entirely different from the rest, but yet vaguely similar as Miyazaki leaves his imprint on each film. And they always have such unique stories that can start off rather simple, but get more complicated as they move along.
Of course, what would be a Miyazaki movie without Joe Hisaishi's music? No worries to those who aren't familiar with Hayao Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi - they don't have singing mermaids, teacups, or fairy godmothers. Hisaishi is actually more of a film composer in the more general sense - he composes scores. Scores which are fantasticly delightful and always have several great and recognizable songs in them. While Spirited Away may not be as bold and epic or childishly delightful as some of his other scores in the past have been, it is just as lovely with his signature piano themes, and just as memorable. Of course, I may be biased as Hisaishi is one of my favorite film composers of all time (up there with Danny Elfman), but honestly...you'll rarely see any other animated work with as great music as comes out from the movies he composes for.
All in all, Spirited Away is deserving of being called a Miyazaki movie. Beautiful animation, an interesting storyline, and a stunning score make this the movie to see so far this year.