Spirited Away (2001) — Riley Cross Reviews

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Look, I worked the counter at Blockbuster for six years, and I have seen every kind of bad Tuesday customer under the sun. I’ve handed you the case for *The Room* more times than I can count and I’ve explained to people why *Superman IV* was a mistake. But sometimes, you don't want to go out and deal with the electric bill or actual human drama. You want to escape. You want *Spirited Away*.

I remember when this dropped in 2001. Customers would ask me, "Is it a Disney movie?" and I’d shrug and tell them it was a bathhouse for gods. Some people just didn't get the "oomph" of the initial concept. This isn't just mind-bending; it makes the digital cgi stuff on Netflix look like a 1990s PowerPoint presentation. It’s lush, it’s deep, and it actually grounds you even when the movie is floating through the ether. It’s the kind of film that makes you feel like you’re underwater just by looking at it.

For StungEvents, I’d recommend this specifically for a night in when you want to curl up like a Twilight DVD rental and just drink in the art. No distractions. No phone buzzing about your birthday dinner plans. Just you, a comfy blanket, and a girl who has lost her name. It’s wholesome chaos wrapped in gold.

I won't spoil the baby scream or the dragged mud ball, I’ll leave the surprises for you. But you have to see the train sequence where they float down the river under the stars. It is hypnotic. It makes the electric bill seem like the stress of a bygone era.

Bottom line: You sit on the couch, turn off the lights, and this movie treats you to one of the most detailed, colorful worlds ever put on film.