Face facts, Japan is the home of animation.

Rating: 10/10 (27 January 2007)

We live in a world of animated movies. Most of them are rubbish, some are good - but none of them are entirely original. Each animated film probably uses the same idea that's been churned out about a thousand times before. Thank God for Spirited Away, then. Japan have always been good with animation - though Japanese animation frequently uses the comic-book style rather than big budget CGI effects, at least the Japanese can cook up some original, interesting plots with real culture and originality. Spirited Away is one of those films. It offers far more beauty and genuine though than bilge like Hoodwinked or the upcoming "Simpsons Movie" (which, I have a horrid suspicion, is going to be cr*p). It stays off the humour and cares more about adventure and magic. Personally, you can give me no humour and a great plot rather than loads of humour and a weak plot any day. We know from the start that Chihiro's going to have a lot of change in her life - having only just moved from her old school into a new, more obscure location. And from the moment we follow Chihiro's dad's car down that muddy road, we know that this film is going to be one very long adventure all the way. And it is. There's true magic to be found here - forget realism, fantasy is where great things lie. This is especially unique to Japanese culture and there is nothing in this film that has been churned out by anyone before. The wide array of interesting fantasy characters (No-Face is particularly noteworthy) and great colourful settings (the workhouse where Chihiro spends most of her adventure is a character all in itself) ensure that this is a film that will touch, amaze, take away the breath of, stun, interest and generally please anyone who sees it. Stop the flow of dirge and give us more animated films like this, Disney. 10/10