MovieChat Forums > Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2003) Discussion > Being influenced by outside reviews

Being influenced by outside reviews

posted 11 years ago by eroticnights
7 replies | jump to latest

I didn't see this film until about a year ago. I've heard about it, how great it was, how much money this film made. Long story short, I've heard about it's legacy long before ever seeing the film. So I went into this expecting to see a film nothing short of phenomenal. What I saw was a mediocre anime at best.

I can't help but wonder if all the hype I heard ruined my experience. The same thing happen with the Dark Knight, all the talk about Heath Ledger. I go and watch the film expecting nothing short of acting worthy of Brando, by the end I'm thinking that Nicholson's Joker was light years beyond Ledger.

I see that many other people didn't like Spirited Away, as I didn't either. I'm just wondering if anyone else's view of the film is being distorted by the hype around it. (Being let down by not living up to it's hype)

Now that I think about it, maybe no one should know anything about a film before seeing it. That way we can all have an untainted view of what ever film we're watching. Once I realized that my half of my opinion of Spirited Away was simply being let down by the hype around it. I wonder how many other films are being tainted by a bias mind.

I wonder if a person who has never heard of Star Wars (and it's legacy) was to watch the film, if they would like it.

[–] cjbrett22 11 years ago

Hmmm... I first saw this film a few days ago (christmas day) simply because it was on TV. I knew it was rated highly on IMDB and it was very popular but that was the extent of my knowledge around it.

I absolutely loved it, and found it to be one of the most beautiful films I'd ever seen.

[–] andsoitgoes_42 11 years ago

I saw it right after it initially released on DVD thanks to a staff member at an electronics store.

By 2002, I was in my mid 20s and had yet to see an anime I actually liked, so I was very skeptical. But I had a crush on the girl, so I bought it sight unseen.

I absolutely loved it, and it was an excellent introduction to HM's films. Totoro was the first film I introduced my children to, and Ponyo was one of the first films I took them to see in theaters.

I'm still not a fan of most anime, but there are some brilliant films that rise above their genre, and this certainly is one.

The one thing you've said that doesn't make sense, at least from an objective standpoint, is saying this is a mediocre film. You didn't enjoy it, your opinion is yours, but from a technical standpoint the film is far from mediocre. It has a very complex and intricate plot, filled with many different characters. Almost every character serves a significant purpose in the story, a rarity in films these days.

Also, Japanese films, especially those set in Japenese folklore, can seem downright silly and very strage. Even those outside of Japan who love the films so often miss a huge majority of subtlety in what they've said, how they've said it and so on. Spirited away is much more accessible , but is still very "odd" in some ways.

All those factors would certainly taint someone's opinion of a film.

I don't know how old you are, but it might not be a bad idea to shelve the movie and try it again in a few years. I am constantly amazed at how different I feel about films I did/didn't like from when I was younger.

Heck, even a few years can make a dramatic difference.

Other times... Well, sometimes you just greatly dislike a film. Regardless of how positively or negatively the world considers a film. Me, I'll never dislike Hudson hawk, no matter how terrible it is. I'll also never like Superbad or Diving Bell and the butterfly.

So maybe wait until 2016, try it again and see.

[–] scrubby_the_ninja 11 years ago

I've had the same problems with many movies and series because of commercials or who the director was such as corpse bride big fish and Charlie and the chocolate factory (yes all are Tim Burton films) but just because they disappointed me I never said they were mediocre when it was an inaccurate statement on my part but if you truly believe spirited away was a mediocre Anime please grace me with the knowledge of an Anime that surpasses the visual effects story line and wonder of every piece of work miyazaki has had a part in because I have yet to find one that has all aspects covered

[–] eroticnights 11 years ago

Paprika

The Running Man (Yoshiaki Kawajiri)

Æon Flux (the original, with no voices)

[–] drakkar 11 years ago

I think it can go both ways, at least it has for me. Actually I'm more worried about skipping films I actually would enjoy, due to bad reviews.

As for Spirited away; I watched part of it on TV accidently, without having a clue in advance about what I saw. Anyway, I was glued to the set for the remaining of the film.

In Cod we trust.

[–] EverydayMick 10 years ago

This was the first Miyazaki movie that I had seen. A buddy had rented it in college, and I confused it with Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and decided to give it a pass. I can't remember why I eventually watched Spirited Away, but when I did, I was blown away by how good it was. This movie made me a confirmed Miyazaki fan.

To say that it's an average anime movie is dismissive of the genre as a whole. Another friend was into anime in university, and I watched a few with him, and I liked them, but not enough to be drawn into the artform itself. After watching Spirited Away, though, I've watched other Miyazaki films, and I've yet to be disappointed.

I think if you go in thinking this is going to be Evangelion or Ranma 1 1/2, you're going to be disappointed. Miyazaki is operating in a different milieu. It's the difference between The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck and Preacher. Both are excellent comics, but they're completely separate genres.

[–] skoobydoo6789 10 years ago

That's understandable. I felt the same way after watching Frozen.

If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now.-Loki (Marvel's Avengers)