A film which achieves magic

Rating: 10/10 (1 August 2012)

"Spirited Away" is not a mere title, but an act in itself, for watching it, you become spirited away yourself. This film is truly magical, and although it's cliché, and although it's been said, undeservedly, of many films before, I feel there is no other way to describe Miyazaki's magnum opus. To watch "Spirited Away" is to give reason and to breath life to watching movies; it transcends all of which a film is capable.
It guides you through the story of Chihiro, a ten year girl moving to a new home, while her parents are sidetracked and she is swept into a bathhouse for the spirits. This bathhouse is the main location for much of the film, and a living entity all in itself. Never have I had the pleasure of meeting, however briefly, the staggering number of characters than in this film, from a six- armed boiler man to an unspoken radish spirit. Chihiro's story is given credence by its humanity and empathy, and achieves magic. It's a film you have to see to understand how wonderful it truly is, for describing does little at all. Watch it, rewatch it, and pay attention to the corners of the screen, it's well worth the effort.