Spirited Away was mostly a great film, especially the first hour or so. For me the second half kind of peters out and is almost totally incomprehensible, which was when it lost me emotionally. By the end I just wanted it to be over.
It was a real achievement, I agree, but I still think Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron should have received the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Especially since Miyazaki didn't even bother showing up the the Oscars, even when his film was nominated, praised as the next Snow White and the odds-on favorite to win. Come on!
(Although I did think Daveigh did a great job as Jahiro.
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I read (on this site actually, but before I joined and when it was still Animated Movies) that when Miyazaki's name was read the camera focused on Jeffrey Katzenberg and that he didn't look very happy at all.
Because if Spirit won he would have come on stage himself to accept the Oscar, since he was nominated as producer.I still hope he gets a chance to do that.
But do I remember what he said beforehand was sort of fake: "Oh, it's a thrill just to be nominated." Uh huh.
