Sarah Vance

Sarah Vance received an MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California. She has worked in development for Lightstorm Entertainment, The Ladd Company and Baltimore/Spring Creek. Prior to film school, she wrote and produced radio and television commercials. Currently, she is preparing to audition for the Ice Capades.

Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ is incredibly beautiful and detailed animation

[rating=3]Starring: Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis (English language version)
Director(s): Hayao Miyazaki
Writer(s): Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki's 'Spirited Away'
Hayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’

Much as Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa was the Jedi Master of the film school dojo attended by filmmakers Steven Speilberg, George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola in the seventies, Hayao Miyazaki is the Yoda for the modern American animators at Disney and Pixar. John Lasseter, the director of Toy Story introduces Spirited Away on DVD. Lasseter declares his admiration for Miyazaki, a true auteur of animation, who writes, directs and storyboards all of his feature films from start to finish at his own Studio Ghibli outside of Tokyo, Japan. If you loved Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, then you shouldn’t miss Spirited Away, an animated classic, on DVD.

Read moreHayao Miyazaki’s ‘Spirited Away’ is incredibly beautiful and detailed animation

‘Bend It like Beckham’ is worth seeing… and seeing again

[rating=3]Starring: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys-Meyer
Director(s): Gurinder Chadha
Writer(s): Gurinder Chadha, Guljit Bindra, Paul Mayeda Berges

Parminder Nagra and Jonathan Rhys-Meyer in 'Bend It Like Beckham'
Parminder Nagra and Jonathan Rhys-Meyer in ‘Bend It Like Beckham’

Bend It Like Beckham never would’ve been made if it had been pitched to a studio executive at a major Hollywood studio. A story about the obstacles faced by a young Anglo-Indian teen girl who dreams of becoming a professional soccer player would’ve been deemed too specific. Her problems wouldn’t be of interest to anyone outside of her race, class and culture. But Bend It Like Beckham was an international box office phenomenon when it played in theatres, and seeing it again on DVD, reveals why it has such broad audience appeal. In Bend It Like Beckham, audiences of all ages, races and cultures, can see themselves as they attempt to conquer insurmountable obstacles in pursuit of their individual dreams.

Read more‘Bend It like Beckham’ is worth seeing… and seeing again