Storytelling At Its Finest

                      Last Thursday night was the first time I had seen "Spirited Away". 

 Yes, tragic, I know.  I had wanted to see it for quite some time, but never got around to it.  And boy, was I missing out! 

As soon as the first scene with Kamaji the boiler man came on, I was hooked, and remained so the rest of the way.  The character of Kamaji is brilliant, creepy, mysterious, and intriguing.  I love how he resembles a spider in the design of his six arms and two legs, his dark glasses, and best of all, his bushy mustache.  I was fascinated with the set-up and animation of this scene.  The sootball workers were a delight to watch, and for a bunch of simple, tiny, wordless creatures, they carried a huge personality.  They, along with so many other characters (and particularly the lead character, Chihiro), are so relatable and that's what makes this film so much fun to watch.  

This film is unlike any other in that it pays very close attention to the timing and pacing of each scene.  When Chihiro is stumbling about in this bizarre world, the viewer immediately identifies with her because the timing is perfect.  Whereas most animated movies of today seem to move about quickly from one thing to the next, this one takes its time, and really answers the question of "What would one really do, or how would one really act, in this situation?"  One scene that comes to my mind is where Chihiro is cautiously making her way down a ridiculously long flight of narrow stairs.  The animators did a brilliant job of focusing in on Chihiro's every movement, so that it felt you were right there with her.  The animators know this world so well, and they keep you in wonder as you slowly become acquainted with the world.  

I think a problem with some of today's animated movies is that they don't spend enough time shaping their world because they themselves simply aren't acquainted with it very well.  They just "follow the rules" as it were and create movies that follow very familiar story lines  because, well, because that's the way they think it's supposed to be done.  Well, not so.  The unpredictable films that keep you guessing are always the best ones.  In this movie, the characters are so well realized, that they drive the story, instead of the story driving them.