A graceful achievement

Rating: 10/10 (30 March 2010)

I have to say that as far as movies for kids go, this took me by surprise. I enjoyed every minute of it, from the oddball characters of the hot spa, to the really weird characters that were the guests. A story of a little girl thrust into a world of the unknown, because of her parents eating food made only for the spirit world. When they turned to pigs, she had to save them by becoming a temporary spirit working in the lavish spa. Working under a witch named Yubaba, a kind of mean streaked yet fair witch who oversees her employees. In giving her a job, Sen then tries to make the best of it working with the other help and to make sure the guests are looked after and cared for. It is quite hard at first but then becomes more attentive. In the midst of this, she also has a friend who is also a dragon, but can be humanoid when he sees fit to do so. Sen's duty ultimately leads her outwards to the spirit lands where she meets Yubaba's twin sister to return a seal which the dragon stole under the tutelage of Yubaba herself. All in all, this was a beautiful movie for scale, characters, the idea that being spoilt has its downfalls. And Sen really learn-ed the hard way. She got to do an honest days work, make lots of friends, and become a kind of grand daughter to Yubaba's twin sister. Her journey was breath taking, a marvel in film making.