I didn't think it was that bad. It didn't blow me away, though. there's something fascinating about the IDEA, just not the execution.

I think that the miyazaki movies aren't surreal in the sense I'm looking for, for example I was really expecting more secret of Mana out of princess mononoke, and less meandering introspection with no explanation. The same with Totoro and Spirited Away. I keep feeling like they are stories based on some well know fable that everyone who sees the movie already knows, and thus it is never explained in the movie. But I dont know. I think that like with sentochihiro and totoro, I really enjoyed the middle, but then the endings are both resolved in a manner inbetween personal development and power and relevation/assistance from a third party. It's like the main character just does the same thing that she was doing earlier in the movie, but then there's this other thing that's just there with her now, and dosent really do much.
also, why does the catbuss have a nutsack? I thought that was weird.
I did like Kiki's delivery service.

I agree that this one was a bit lacking, although i don't think it wandered quite as aimlessly as totoro did. I think there was some character development, going from being completely subsurvient at the beginning to being stronger at the end.

The lack of explination for anything in most of Miyazaki's movies is definitly not for everyone, and really turns a lot of people off, so i don't think you're alone there. I sort of like how he never has a concrete moral or explination to the story (with the exception perhaps of something like Pompoko). It sort of makes it more realistic, since really no one knows what the answers are to these questions in real life. But i'm also a sucker for heavy introspection. and for cute creatures -and perdy dragons.

as for the ballsacs, i've started to think that the japanese have a place for ballsac humor that we Americans just don't get.

I liked the little soot creatures in Spirited Away. Which one was catbuss?