Pure magic

Rating: 10/10 (27 January 2010)

While the Walt Disney Company may have created some masterful animated films, and Pixar appears to be the new king in animation, neither one is really king. No one, and I mean NO ONE, tops Hayao Miyazaki. With his signature sense of magic and wonder, jaw-dropping imagery, and deep and involving storytelling, Hayao Miyazaki is truly a master. And this is easily his best film.
A young girl named Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) is moving with her parents (Lauren Holly and Michael Chiklis) to a new town, and she's not happy about it. Along the way to their new home, they make a wrong turn and end up in a mysterious place. To her horror, Chihiro's parents are turned into pigs, and she becomes trapped in a bathhouse for the gods! Worse, its run by Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), a ruthless caretaker who traps people into servitude by stealing their names. Now, in order to save her parents and make it back to the real world, the whiny and fearful girl has to grow up and survive in this strange new place.
The first thing that one recognizes when they begin to watch a Miyazaki film is that the animation is gorgeous. The imagery in his films (particularly this one) is nothing short of a work of art. This is the Mona Lisa of film animation. I am not exaggerating. Even if you watched the film on mute, you will not be able to take your eyes off of it. Every frame is so lovingly crafted and detailed that it takes many viewings to soak it all in.
The second thing one notices about his films is that they all have a strong sense of magic and wonder. Watching a Miyazaki film is like being taken back into the innocence of childhood dreams. All the fond memories one has of childhood are brought back to the forefront with this film. The mixture of the dreamy music and images is intoxicating. The sense of magic that this film exudes is indescribable, and only Miyazaki has been able to create it.
Finally comes the story, which is the heart of the film. His stories are always strong and engaging, but this one takes the cake. This is a brilliant (and unpredictable) story that will charm and captivate film goers of all ages. Most family films are meant for kids, but have a few one-liners or references aimed at adults. Not here. This story and its themes apply to everyone, regardless of age.
Like most top-quality anime films, "Spirited Away" has been dubbed by English language actors. Under the direction of John Lasseter (of Pixar fame), every theme and idea has been preserved, and the dubbed lines are beautifully written and acted by a talented cast. Daveigh Chase is probably most famous for her portrayal of the evil Samara Morgan from "The Ring," but in that film, she didn't speak. As Chihiro, she demonstrates immense talent. In the beginning, she is whiny, nervous, and pretty obnoxious. But through Chase's vocal work, we are able to see her transformation. Chihiro is helped along by two friends, Haku (Jason Marsden) and Lin (Susan Egan), and both are brilliantly portrayed. Marsden has a unique, hypnotic voice, which he uses to good effect in the role. Haku is an authoritative young boy, but he really cares for Chihiro. Marsden is able to manipulate his signature voice to great effect to portray all facets of the character, and his voice is so seductive that it makes the low-key attraction between Haku and Chihiro come to the forefront. Likewise, Susan Egan is terrific as the sassy, but helpful Lin. Lin is a sassy girl who quickly befriends Chihiro in an older sister sort of way. Egan voices Lin in this exact way, and it works. As Zeniba, Suzanne Pleshette is a nasty piece of work. Zeniba is a vicious creature, and while she may look comical, Pleshette makes her anything but. When the characters say that Zeniba is dangerous, they aren't lying. However, she has a soft side, as she dotes incessantly on her 20 foot tall baby, Boh (Tara Strong).
Yet, the real star is unquestionably Miyazaki. There's more to making a film than writing, directing, and having a great cast. The film is well-paced, and NEVER boring (either visually or story-wise). Like all of his films, "Spirited Away" is thematically complex, dealing with such issues as identity, self-esteem, anxiety, over-coming obstacles, and environmentalism (a Miyazaki trademark). Yet, these are portrayed with such skill that no one will really miss them or misunderstand them (and they are illustrated with the correct amount of subtlety).
As good as this film is (and it's VERY good), it's not perfect. There's really only one complaint that I have, and it's with the ending. Without giving anything away, I will say that it is unexplained. We know what happens, but not how it happens. Most people weren't bothered by this, however, so this may be just the film critic speaking.
Nevertheless, this film is a near-masterpiece, and regardless of the ending (the question left unanswered isn't especially important anyway), it is one of my favorite films, especially on a bad day.