9. Spirited Away (2001)
Studio GhibliSpirited Away is the western release of - Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
, released in 2001. Written and directed by anime living legend and all round commander of the genre Hayao Miyazaki and produced by the world famous Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away was always going to be an extremely successful film - even if the films initial release didn't hit as many high street cinemas as your regular summer blockbuster. Using the medium of anime rather than live action (as all Studio Ghibli titles are animated) allowed Spirited Away to explore colour in a way very rarely seen outside of Japan, and even more rarely seen in a mainstream release. Huge vistas and panoramas of delicately penned artwork define the backgrounds of this film, and the use of colour is intense and astounding in terms of scale. Spirited Away is one of Studio Ghibli's best films, and one you should seek out if you haven't already seen it.