Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi)

Animated
Released 2001
Voices Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, Michael Chiklis, Susan Egan, Lauren Holly, John Ratzenberger, David Ogden Stiers 
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Spirited Away takes influences from “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Wizard of Oz” and uses them to fashion a highly original story about a 10 year-old girl, Chihiro (voiced by Daveigh Chase), who, along with her parents, ventures through a tunnel that leads to the world of spirits. After a witch, Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), turns Mom and Dad into pigs, Chihiro must find a niche in the spirit world, where humans are not well thought-of, and figure out a way to convince Yubaba to change her parents back into humans and send them all home. With help from Haku (Jason Marsden), Yubaba’s boy apprentice, and Lin (Susan Egan), a “big sister” type, Chihiro gets a job at Yubaba’s bathhouse for sprits, and there her quest to aid her family begins. But, as complications arise, she finds additional tasks to perform and other allies willing to help her.

Summary by James Berardinelli

This movie is phenomenal. It's endlessly inventive and exciting, and it's a lot of fun. The plot is wonderful as it unfolds, but it's not very substantive. Unlike "Princess Mononoke," there aren't any grand issues explored. There's a wonderful segment involving a polluted river spirit that draws from Miyazaki's personal experience, but that's as close as "Spirited Away" comes to making a statement. It's just one endless feast of visual delights, and that's more than enough. --Bill Alward, April 18, 2003