etc.

This film positively bursts with energy. It’s about ten-year old Chihiro whose family’s move to a new town has left her depressed and petulant and a little bit whiny. On the way to their new home, Chihiro’s father takes a wrong turn and Chihiro ends up separated from her parents (who have, incidently, been turned into hogs) in a mystical world where spirits come to rest and recharge. Sort of like a spa for alternative life forms. Everything is alive in this film, every minute creature has a distinctly discernable personality, from the worker spiders to the vile gops of goo that pass for spirit life. Chihiro is forced to endure cruel labour and has to pass a few tests before she can have her parents back and return to their world. Her journey is at once brutal, harrowing and funny, and by the end of the film you’ll likely want to start watching it all over again. A good movie! Finally!