28. SPIRITED AWAY. (2003)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Miyazaki is a genius, of course, and this stands as my favourite Ghibli film, not just of the decade, but of all time. It’s also the film that served to bring his genius to a wider audience, following its Oscar win in the Animated Feature category in 2002, the only foreign language film to receive the award so far.
SPIRITED AWAY, like the best Miyazaki films, is about childhood, and the process of becoming a person in your own right, independent of your parents, or indeed adults of any type.
Our heroine is in the process of moving house when she and her family find a deserted restaurant filled with food. Her parents tuck in, but Chihiro refuses. At night, she discovers the truth, and must find a way to reverse the enchantment.
It’s a magical film, scary, funny and thrilling. The animation is gorgeous, as creative and inventive as anything from Pixar. Along with Aardman and Pixar, Studio Ghibli is at the forefront of modern animation. SPIRITED AWAY might be the best film that Ghibli made this decade, but their entire catalogue is worth checking out.
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