The Bottom Line
I think that both kids and their parents will enjoy watching this movie. "Spirited Away" is a masterpiece of animation and an unusual one.
Pros
- Visually stunning, lyrically beautiful animation
- Enchanting, imaginative story
- Evokes a sense of wonder and make-believe
Cons
- Some kids may find movie too slow-moving
- Unusual storytelling style may confuse some
- Dramatic line somewhat oblique (could be a pro)
Description
- Two-disc DVD set containing Japanese animated fantasy "Spirited Away"
- Movie won Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film
- Film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki ("Princess Mononoke," "Kiki’s Delivery Service")
- Both English-language and Japanese-language sound tracks provided on DVD
- DVD set contains bonus materials, including Nippon TV special "The Making of 'Spirited Away'"
- Excellent picture quality
- Excellent sound quality
Guide Review - "Spirited Away" DVD Review
When they stumble into a resort for mythical spirits, the parents of a 10-year-old girl named Chihiro (voice of Daveigh Chase) are turned into pigs. In her struggle to rescue her mom and dad, the plucky Chihiro takes a job in the resort’s bathhouse, which is run by the witch Yubaba (voice of Suzanne Pleshette). As Chihiro deals with strange and wonderful creatures, she is helped by a boy named Haku (voice of Jason Marsden), who transforms into a dragon. For me, this movie's visually stunning, lyrically beautiful animation and enchanting, imaginative story evoke a sense of wonder and make-believe. I think that both kids and their parents will enjoy watching it. "Spirited Away" is a masterpiece of animation and an unusual one.
