I watched Spirited Away yesterday and I thought it was a brilliant and beautiful film. Although it is fantasy, it is amazing - the characters and the scenery. And the music too, that is just compelling. I am really moved by this film and although it may seem slightly childish, it was great to watch. Furthermore, I also noticed some other things that were interesting too:
* Spirited Away is a lot like Lost In Translation. The unity of two friends in a world they don't fully understand.
* The animation is amazing and reminds me of the animation in The Animatrix's 'Beyond' episode.
* The music (especially the songs Day of the River, The Return and Reprise) sounds like the soundtracks for:
- Godspell - the song Prepare Ye (The Way of the Lord)
- Matilda
- The Polar Express - the songs Suite and Believe
- Nanny McPhee - song played at the final wedding in the snow
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire - the trailer
- other Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films such as Laputa: Castle In The Sky and Nausicaa
I also have been to a few sites that grabbed my interest towards Spirited Away:
Studio Ghibli - Pictures from the film
Infoseek (Japanese) - more pictures that look as if they have been adapted from it
IMDb's pages and also the messageboard that I have posted on (registration required for access)
