Spirited Away directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Miyazaki, Hayao (Director). Spirited Away.
Studio Ghibli. 2003.
Screenplay: Hayao Miyazaki.
Run time: 125 minutes.
Rating: PG.

Watcher’s Annotation
Chihiro's parents have become pigs after eating food meant of the spirits, but with the help of Haku she will be able to restore them and escape back into her own world.

Plot Summary
10-year-old Chihiro is moving from her home. During the drive to their new house, her parents get lost. The find the ruins of an old amusement part. The smell of food draws her parents. They find a market place full of stalls with no people present. Her parents sit down and begin to eat everything. Chihiro does not join them and becomes increasingly alarmed when they begin to transform into pigs. To save her parents Haku, a boy she meets, tells her she will have to go to the bathhouse and ask Kamaji for work. Kamaji sends Chihiro to Yubaba (the witch) who runs the bathhouse. Yubaba agrees to hire Chihiro to save her parents, but only if she gives Yubaba her name. Chihiro becomes Sen. The Bathhouse and the marketplace where her parents ate all belong to the spirits. At first Chihiro is frightened but she is soon befriended by Lin. Haku, who is really a water spirit, helps Chirhiro save her parents, and in doing so has his own name restored. Chihiro saves her parents and they return to the mortal world.

Critical Evaluation
Miyakai is famous for his beautifully animated films, and this is one of his best. He takes Japanese myths and legends, and brings them to the screen. The color styling for this film is vibrant, and the scenes in the bathhouse are realistic. His protagonist, Chihiro is spunky and single-minded in her determination to save her parents from becoming bacon. Along the way she also helps Yubaba’s baby son grow up a little. The voice talents are also very good. Miyazaki has chosen actors with many credits to their names. Suzanne Pleshette’s gravelly voice is perfect for the dual roll of twin witch sisters. His choice of Daveigh Chase is inspired. She has just the right amount of stubbornness and appeal to create a character that the audience will care about. This film won the Academy Award for Best Animated film in 2003, and to date it is the highest grossing non-American film in history. I would recommend this film to any young person who loves anime, or graphic novels because it has the same vibe and unique storyline.

Genre
Animation, fantasy, adventure

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Some scary images for younger children.

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245429/externalreviews
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
I like the film and it is included on the ALA 2009 Best Films for Young Adults.

The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson

Jackson, Peter (Director). The Return of the King.
New Line Cinema. 2003.
Screenplay by: Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Peter Jackson.
Run time: 251 minutes (extended edition).
Rating: PG-13

Watcher’s Annotation
The final battle looms in front of Aragon and Frodo. Aragorn tries to protect Minas Tirith, while Frodo prepares to send the one ring into the fire of Mordor.

Plot Summary
As the last film of the series opens, Frodo, Sam and Gollum have nearly reached Mordor in their quest to destroy the one ring created by Sauron. In a parallel story Aragorn and his crew, along with Gandalf have successfully defeated the enemy in Rohan. The armies of Rohan are called to aid Gondor. As friend and foe meet for a final clash in Minas Tirith, Frodo and Sam continue on their journey in Mordor. As the great battle ensues Aragorn rallies the forces to draw attention away from the Hobbits in Mordor. Frodo can’t destroy the ring, but in hand-to-hand combat with Gollum, the ring falls into the volcano. Both Gollum and the ring destroyed, the Hobbits find safety on a craggy outcropping as the volcano erupts around them. Gandalf and the eagles find the Hobbits and save them. Aragorn is crown King of the West, and the Hobbits return home from the war. Later, Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf and Galadriel travel to the west to the Elven homeland.

Critical Evaluation
This is the final film in the trilogy created by Peter Jackson. The films adapted from the classic novels of JRR Tolkien are all very good, but the final film The Return of the King is the culminating experience. The world Jackson created from  Tolkien’s work is amazing. Critics have stated that important portions of the books are absent in the film version. It has always been the nature of film to adapt as necessary to fit the time constraints presented. In addition, Jackson has tracked the film to flow smoothly in a consistent manner. This is especially evident in the second and third films where the story lines diverge in two separate directions. Jackson handles the divergence masterfully. The acting for the final movie is good, especially that of Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn). Mortensen makes the role his own. In the first films he does not wish to assume his rightful place as king.  In the last film he has resigned himself to the role. This film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2003. I do not know if the Academy considered the entire series when they voted, but they truly chose a masterpiece.

Genre
Fantasy

Curriculum ties
The novel is a classic. It might be used in English classes.

Challenge Issues
Violence

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/externalreviews.
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
One of my favorite films of all time, and it is an Academy Award winner.