Top 100 Movies

Spirited Away was released in 2001 and is a Japanese animated fantast film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and was animated by Studio Ghibli. It tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a ten-year-old girl who, whilst moving to the new neighbourhood, enters the world of Kami. Kami are spirits within the Japanese Shinto folklore. Shortly after entering this work, her parents are turned into pigs by the witch Yubaba resulting in Chihiro taking a job and working in Yubaba's bathhouse until she can find a way to free herself and her parents so that they can return to the human world.

This movie has won many awards and titles so it is very much deserving of the spot on the 100 movies list. Some of it's accolades include;

- Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (75th Academy Awards)

- Co-recipient of the Golden Bear (2002 Berlin International Film Festival)

- Top 10 on the British Film Institute's list of "Top 50 films for children up to the age of 14"

- 4th-best film of the 21st century (BBC)

- "Best film... of the 21st century so far (New York Times)

With all of these backing it, its no wonder that the movie is so highly regarding and truly has become a cult classic. Before venturing into this challenge I had, of course, already seen the movie but was most definitely looking forward to rewatching it and fully researching all of the folklore behind it.

The movie starts with our protaginist, Chihiro, and her parents en route to their new home. Her father proceeds to attempt to take a shorcut and finds himseld in front of a tunnel which seemingly leads to an abandoned villahe. Her father and Mother insist of explorig and having a look around even though CHihiro is totally against it. Her parents wander and find a plethora of buffet-style restautents and proceed to help themselves to the food insisting that once the owners return they would then pay them for the food they had eaten.

Chihiro wanders off and finds a bathhouse and meets a boy named Haku, who warns her that she must leave and take her parents with her. However, Chihiro discovers, a little late, that her parents have now been transformed into pigs and that she is unable to cross the river that has now flooded. As a result, she is thrust into the world of the Kami and has to try and find a way to free herself, get her parents transformed back into humans and get them all safely back to their world and on their way to their new home.

The movie explores many themes and has even been compared to Lewis Carrol's: Alice's adventures in wonderland due to the fantastical world that it takes place in, as well as there being motifs, such as food, which metamorphic qualities. There are a lot of reasonings that would serve to indicate that the movie also has a running theme of the effect of greed and Western consumerism on traditional Japanese culture. A few examples of this are;

- The car which the family arrive in is an audi.

-Chihiro's father reassures her that he has 'cash and credit cards' moments before metamorphosing into a literal pig.

-Yubaba (the assumed antagonist) is styled in a western dress and is surrounded by European decor and furnishings, as opposed to her employees who have minimalist Japanese style furnishings.

This movie is a must-see for everyone, whether you're looking at it critically or just wanting to enjoy a good movie with your family. It has a huge nostalgic feel to it and evokes warmth and happiness within those who watch it.

Have you seen Spirited Away?

If so what are your opinions and thoughts of the critically acclaimed movie?

If not, I urge you to add it to your list and watch it.