Spirited Away (2001)

Spirited Away

• Studio Ghibli, man. I’m not super well versed with their filmography, other than ‘Ponyo’ and ‘The Boy and the Heron’, but at some point in the future, I’m gonna take a crazy dive into their filmography. Because if everything else is like this, then I’m in for a huge treat. I don’t remember the last time I was so mystified by an animated film, and this is easily among the best I’ve ever seen. Considering it’s now 25 years old (and older than me), I’m surprised it took me so long to get to it. But I fully understand why it won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It’s so beautiful and moving, yet the simplicity is what makes it so staggering, at least in terms of story. There’s not really any huge looming themes or messaging, other than perseverance and love. But that’s all you need. With this film, you just take what it gives you and witness the world through the filmmaker's eyes, and you don’t have to hurt your brain trying to wrap your head around strange concepts or plot points. It’s literally just a film for kids (because of how digestible it is), yet it can be enjoyed by the oldest person. I was so swept up in what was happening, I never once thought about reality or anything outside of the film. The only reason why it doesn’t get 100% Enjoyment Score is because I thought it was a *tad* bit slow in the second act, but it’s still one of my new favorite animated films ever. The color and motion is so serene, and you got completely lost in it. The character/creature designs are wonderful, full of life, and whimsical, all while feeling down to earth and almost…real. The voice cast is phenomenal, and while sometimes it’s hard to enjoy an animated voice performance (because I can’t physically see the actor), I absolutely adored each person in this. I felt attached to all the protagonists, and their performances sold it. Lastly, the score is among one of the best I’ve ever heard, and when I wasn’t lost in the environment, I was lost in the music. The strings are so powerful and emotional, and my heart fluttered several times simply because the orchestra was so profound. So yeah, all that being said, this is one of the greatest animated films I’ve ever seen, and honestly, one of the greatest films I’ve ever seen, PERIOD. I could see myself giving it a perfect 100% on a rewatch. I would recommend it to everyone. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!