Okay, now this helps explain the river spirit/kami in Spirited Away.

The kami traditionally possessed two souls, one gentle (nigi-mitama) and the other aggressive (ara-mitama). This human but powerful form of kami was also divided into amatsu-kami ("the heavenly deities") and kunitsu-kami ("the gods of the earthly realm"). A deity would behave differently according to which soul was in control at a given time. In many ways, this was representative of nature's sudden changes and would explain why there were kami for every meteorological event: snowfall, rain, typhoons, floods, lightning and volcanoes

City-wise for me it'd be all about Amélie's Montmarte and Postilano from Under the Tuscan Sun. (A co-worker of mine went to the latter during her summer abroad in Italy for art school—apparently it's as beautiful as in the movie.)

I've always loved Pleasantville post-colorization and Mackinac Island from Somewhere in Time.

And any of Richard Curtis' depictions of London.

Here's something I wrote about Totoro recently: [link]

Hit the nail on the head, Corwood. Even the zen for adults part.

I love the beginning of Princess Mononoke, and I understand, sympathize with, and support the film's message. But I don't watch the movie often because I don't want to subject myself to the ugly later in the movie. I think, though that message is still heavy-handed and overwrought, it was handled with a bit more grace in Nausicaa.

The scope and the harsh bedrock beauty of the Brokeback Mountain landscape appeals to me. I can't think of an urban or suburban movie setting that seems attractive, offhand.

I always thought I'd run away and live in Woody Allen's NY.(I'm not sure if not making it is sad or if I dodged a bullet.) "Tales of The City" SF. Feel privileged that I don't start ranking on the setting of "Raising Arizona," again. But we're never in movies unless as Tattooine or Iraq so that sort of makes me sad. Besides proving that every Easterner I meet really is shocked to find me literate and shod.

I just saw the BEST movie-- Slumdog Millionaire.

I won't say anything about it except... go. Go right away.

Kiki's city and Tales of the City are two that appeal to me greatly. I also think I'd take my chances in Ankh-Morpork.

Scrappy, I've read some great reviews of Slumdog Millionaire.

We watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull last night. Ugh. Cartoonish and awful. Just awful. What an unfortunate way to end the series.

There's some good interation with Indy and the kid, but much of the action is sheer cartoon and clumsy-feeling at that.