Spirited Away

The first time I watched Spirited Away, I didn't understand what was going on at all. All of my friends have praised this film as one of their favorites, so I was willing to give it another go. The second time around, I still didn't know what was going on and I felt frustrated. Why was it that I couldn't wrap my head around this story? I was not in suspended disbelief. I couldn't relate to any of the characters and I didn't understand why I should even care in the first place.

After the second time I watched the movie, I looked up a plot summary and character analysis online, and that seemed to help clear the confusion. The story had many sub-layers and social context that I missed. It made me appreciate it more to know that so much thought went into it. I still did not enjoy my experience, but I think I can at least appreciate the movie for what it is.