Rating: PG
Movie Release Date: July 27, 2001 (Japan) / September 20, 2002 (USA)
DVD Release Date: April 15, 2003
Plot 411: A little girl must work at a bath house for spirits to save herself and her parents.
Review: Chihiro (Daveigh Chase/Rumi Hiiragi) and her parents take a shortcut that leads them to an abandoned theme park. However, little do they know that when they pass through a tunnel, they leave the human world for the spirit world. In this world, there are all kinds of spirit creatures that walk the earth. They are all so distinct and unique. When her parents are turned into pigs, Chihiro must work for Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette/Mari Natsuki), the owner of a bath house, to free them. Along the way, she meets people who become her friends and help her on her journey - Haku (Jason Marsden/Miyu Irino), Kamaji (David Ogden Stiers/Bunta Sugawara) and Rin (Susan Egan/Yumi Tamai). This movie is a gem by Hayao Miyazaki that brings together several themes. The most obvious is Chihiro's coming-of-age story and is depicted with the loss of her identity when she becomes employed by Yubaba. By stripping her identity, Yubaba seeks to control her in a similar way that contemporary values influence young people. She must avoid these temptations and foster more traditional values on her journey to adulthood. There are also environmental themes throughout the movie that highlight pollution and the loss of nature due to urban development. What I thought was interesting were the nuances that Miyazaki added to simple scenes. They helped to really appeal to children as most of them would be thought trival to adults.
Movie Release Date: July 27, 2001 (Japan) / September 20, 2002 (USA)
DVD Release Date: April 15, 2003
Plot 411: A little girl must work at a bath house for spirits to save herself and her parents.
Review: Chihiro (Daveigh Chase/Rumi Hiiragi) and her parents take a shortcut that leads them to an abandoned theme park. However, little do they know that when they pass through a tunnel, they leave the human world for the spirit world. In this world, there are all kinds of spirit creatures that walk the earth. They are all so distinct and unique. When her parents are turned into pigs, Chihiro must work for Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette/Mari Natsuki), the owner of a bath house, to free them. Along the way, she meets people who become her friends and help her on her journey - Haku (Jason Marsden/Miyu Irino), Kamaji (David Ogden Stiers/Bunta Sugawara) and Rin (Susan Egan/Yumi Tamai). This movie is a gem by Hayao Miyazaki that brings together several themes. The most obvious is Chihiro's coming-of-age story and is depicted with the loss of her identity when she becomes employed by Yubaba. By stripping her identity, Yubaba seeks to control her in a similar way that contemporary values influence young people. She must avoid these temptations and foster more traditional values on her journey to adulthood. There are also environmental themes throughout the movie that highlight pollution and the loss of nature due to urban development. What I thought was interesting were the nuances that Miyazaki added to simple scenes. They helped to really appeal to children as most of them would be thought trival to adults.
Watch It: For an animated film with applicable themes for children and adults.
Skip It: If you're into the Pixar style of animation.
