Author Topic: Animation/Spirited Away  (Read 3869 times)

spoko

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Animation/Spirited Away
« on: October 05, 2006, 04:42:57 PM »
Spirited Away is the only Miyazaki I've seen, after seeing and hearing all kinds of incredibly positive reviews. Honestly, I just didn't find it that impressive. Everyone talks about getting caught up in it, etc., and I really didn't have that experience. Through the first act, especially, there's pretty much no character who isn't either annoying or despicable. I had a hard time caring whether she ever got her parents back, for instance, since they were pretty much a pair of assholes and she was a simpy twit. I could totally see why they got transformed into pigs. It seemed fitting, and I saw no valid reason to reverse it.

I did manage to get back into the story as it went on, but I never got swept in the way many people have described.

I voted for Spirited Away simply because I'd like to hear what Adam and Sam think. But honestly, I might rather give another of Miyazaki's movies a shot. I guess if Spirited Away wins, I might try another one on my own.

suspie

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Pretty much agree
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2006, 04:35:22 PM »
I got into Spirited Away at first, but felt it dragged on for too long. I've spoken to several people who agree with me and feel Howl's Moving Castle is a superior film. I've voted for it in the poll, but it doesn't seem to be destined to win.

Katebo

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Animation/Spirited Away
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2006, 04:58:31 PM »
I thought Howl's Moving Castle was good, but brought up too many issues it never dealt with- it felt like it was subtextually discussing a lot of issues, (nature v. industrialization, for one) that it never resolved. Because of this, and its incredibly quick ending, I liked Spirited Away more. I think I'll have to check back up on that one though, cause when I saw it, I didn't really pay attention to films beyond "it was fun".

Wowser

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Re: Pretty much agree
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2006, 05:55:51 PM »
Quote from: "suspie"
I got into Spirited Away at first, but felt it dragged on for too long. I've spoken to several people who agree with me and feel Howl's Moving Castle is a superior film. I've voted for it in the poll, but it doesn't seem to be destined to win.


Yeah, I absolutely adored the first hour or so of Spirited Away, then the plot mechanics and everything dragged the film out too much, and it began to feel like it would never end. "Is this the end now?" Oh no, this dragdon bit has to finish. "Is this the end?". Oh no, they have to get back to that old woman's house...

MrPerdition

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Spirited Away is Miyazaki's Goodfellas
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2006, 01:57:26 AM »
I mean this heading by it being the best convergence of technique and story by the director. Its his best told story. I didn't feel at all that there was a feeling that the film needed to end in certain places. I thought the fact that she wanted to free her parents and return home was pretty clear at the beginning and only after those points had resolutions would the film end. I guess the dubbed version was vague about that. Howl's Moving Castle, while a good movie, didn't have the magic that everyother one of his movies that he wrote & directed.  He filled the shoes of another director that dropped out. The films ending though is rushed to the point of being humorous. Its not a representative film of what Miyazaki is about as a storyteller.  Porco Rosso & My Neighbor Totoro are Miyazaki's best films.
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karlwinslow

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Animation/Spirited Away
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2006, 07:04:08 AM »
I saw My Neighbor Totoro a long time ago and thought it was fantastic.  I was just a wee little kid, but I thought it was the greatest thing ever put down on film.

I just rewatched it after hearing about the animation marathon and I think it is still one of the greatest animated moives I've seen.  If we're talkin striaght up animation (not computer imaging) then my top 2 films would have to be My Neighbor Totoro and The Emperor's New Groove.

Totoro is a heart warming terrific film while New Groove is flat out hilarious.

crumpet

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Animation/Spirited Away
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2006, 07:45:57 AM »
My favourite out of the Miyazaki films I've seen is Princess Mononoke.  I loved both Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, but just saw Princess Mononoke a few weeks ago, and really connected with it -- I think the subject matter just spoke to me more than it did in the others.

spoko

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Animation/Spirited Away
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2006, 08:01:45 AM »
OK, I'm definitely giving Miyazaki another chance. I really like to find non-Disney cartoons for the kids to watch, so.

I'm going to start with Totoro. Depending on what we think of that one, I might do Mononoke next.

karlwinslow

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Animation/Spirited Away
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2006, 01:35:09 PM »
Quote from: "spoko"
OK, I'm definitely giving Miyazaki another chance. I really like to find non-Disney cartoons for the kids to watch, so.

I'm going to start with Totoro. Depending on what we think of that one, I might do Mononoke next.


In reference to Totoro:

I think your kids will really enjoy it.  I saw it when I was 5 or 6 and loved it.  It's only 86 min long, so when we rented it (which we did often) my brother and I would watch it 2 or 3 times.

spoko

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Animation/Spirited Away
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2006, 01:47:14 PM »
Glad to hear it. I'm also hoping I'll like it, of course. Looks like it should avoid the things I didn't like about Spirited Away, so I really might enjoy it.