No face, no service.

Rating: 7/10 (11 March 2020)

'Spirited Away (2001)' is a constant visual treat, its surrealist and often disturbing imagery taking dominance over its whimsical and rule-free narrative. Most of the picture is beguilingly beautiful, charming in an odd yet distinct way. It moves at a good pace and is always enjoyable, presenting a number of interesting set-pieces after it has established its fantastical story. Indeed, this is where most of its time is spent; its overarching plot isn't as important as you might expect it to be. It has a number of inconsistencies, particularly when it comes to a specific character, and it kind of loses its way in the third act, taking a rather strange detour before wrapping up extremely quickly. Still, the flick is entertaining even at its worst. It's almost always stunning to look at, too. It just has this almost unidentifiable charm to it. Its narrative isn't exactly complex, but it's a lot of fun. 7/10