Millennium Actress
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Movie Reviews of Millennium Actress
Movie Review: The greatest flashback movie I have ever seen
Summary: 5 Stars
Normally, when a movie relies heavily on the use of flashbacks, it's a recipe for a boring movie, and quite often a confusing one. Not so here. Upon my first viewing of Millennium Actress, it stuck me not simply as anime, or an anime film, but more like something that you would catch a tv channel showing high-art films late at night. All of the elements of film that takes itself seriously are there.In this film there are dramatic camera angles, amazing use of color, a striking film score, incredible dialog and perfect acting. In a normal film you would say that magic was captured by the camera. In this movie it was CRAFTED, because it is not live-action, but animation. Many reviews have talked about the brilliant exploration of the many film genres that this movie recreates (from samurai flicks to war films to sci-fi drama), and I have to say that the way this movei switches seemlessly from reality to flashback, and the way that fantasy and reality fuse together is nothing short of breath-taking. You could say that this movie manages to capture the true nature of memories. As time passes, memories change. And sometimes they run together and seem to happen at the same time. Was it a dream or was it real? That's the mystery, the reason why this movie is so fascinating.
Some have remarked that there was some flaw or other with the animation or soundtrack. All I can say in response is that the animation in this film is a work of art. Maybe you don't like it, but to call it flawed would be a terrible insult. The same thing goes with the soundtrack. Cheesy 80's style music?! I would call it more an awesome experimental soundtrack that highlights moments of drama perfectly.
Upon reflection there is no doubt in my mind. The Cat Returns was my favorite movie of the year, but this was definitely the best.
Movie Review: Absolutely Beautiful Movie! A Must Buy!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this movie based on the reviews; having seen it, I can safely say that this movie is one of the best in my (rather limited) DVD collection. It is one of the most beautiful and touching movies that I've ever seen. I've only seen a few anime movies, but I've never seen an anime director use color, black & white, still pictures, fading, and shadows to tell a story in such a masterful way.The story, at heart, is relatively simple: Chiyoko, the main character, shelters and falls in love with an anti-government activist as a young girl. The activist disappears, leaving her with only a key to "the most important thing in the world." She spends the rest of her life chasing after the activist, becoming an actress in the meantime. In the first half of the movie, the chase is illustrated beautifully through scenes from her past movies, which represent 1000 years of Japan's history (from samurai to the world wars to the space age) and 100 years of Japan's film history. In the second half, the movie moves away from Chiyoko's movies and shows her life as a woman desperately clinging to the hope that she will see her childhood love once again. It is sad, touching, funny, heartwarming, and thought-provoking all at the same time, and the ending is gorgeous.
Obviously, I can't say enough about this movie. Even if you don't like anime, you should watch this movie at least once. I'll bet that you'll buy it after you watch it. It's absolutely timeless, and one that I'll be recommending to all my friends and family.
Movie Review: A Very Touching Love Story
Summary: 5 Stars
Millennium Actress is one of the most touching Animes I have watched in a very long time. As another reviewer had hinted, this anime can be depressing. However, it is depressing in a very good, Saving Private Ryan sort of way. I would not be surprised if some people actually shed a few tears while watching this, I was pretty close to just doing that.When I first saw this DVD at the video rental store I figured it would be like Perfect Blue, the director's previous Anime. It is interesting because on the Special Feature section of the DVD, the creators of Millennium Actress actually said that they wanted to make something like Perfect Blue. However the story to Millennium Actress is completely different. The story is still focused on an actress but instead of suspense, this anime is one gigantic love story which takes you through different periods of Japanese film culture.
One thing which I really enjoyed about this anime is the great creativity which is used to tell the story. It is difficult to explain in words but the main character Chiyako is seen jumping from movies to movies from different eras in order to advance the plot. This way of story telling is certainly the first I have seen in an Anime and is implemented very well.
Overall I strongly recommend this anime to most viewers. Unlike Perfect Blue there are no sex scenes and very little violence in this Anime which would explain the PG rating. However, the subject matter and the complexity of the story in this anime would be much more appreciated by adults.
Movie Review: A Very Touching Love Story
Summary: 5 Stars
Millennium Actress is one of the most touching Animes I have watched in a very long time. As another reviewer had hinted, this anime can be depressing. However, it is depressing in a very good, Saving Private Ryan sort of way. I would not be surprised if some people actually shed a few tears while watching this, I was pretty close to just doing that.When I first saw this DVD at the video rental store I figured it would be like Perfect Blue, the director's previous Anime. It is interesting because on the Special Feature section of the DVD, the creators of Millennium Actress actually said that they wanted to make something like Perfect Blue. However the story to Millennium Actress is completely different. The story is still focused on an actress but instead of suspense, this anime is one gigantic love story which takes you through different periods of Japanese film culture.
One thing which I really enjoyed about this anime is the great creativity which is used to tell the story. It is difficult to explain in words but the main character Chiyako is seen jumping from movies to movies from different eras in order to advance the plot. This way of story telling is certainly the first I have seen in an Anime and is implemented very well.
Overall I strongly recommend this anime to most viewers. Unlike Perfect Blue there are no sex scenes and very little violence in this Anime which would explain the PG rating. However, the subject matter and the complexity of the story in this anime would be much more appreciated by adults.
Movie Review: Satoshi Kon's first animated masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
One of my big resolutions for 2007 is to travel through time more. But when I rented "Millenium Actress", I had no idea that that was what I would be doing. I merely knew that I was renting a film by Satoshi Kon, and that although his first opus, "Perfect Blue", had left me rather cold, I consider his "Tokyo Godfathers" one of the best animated movies I have ever seen.
But travel through time I did. "Millenium Actress" is a biographical film about a fictitious but incredibly attractive Japanese movie star (even at 60!), who gets to be interviewed by a life-long admirer turned journalist. As the audience discovers, her life simply summarizes one century of Japanese cinema (from silents to "Godzilla"), and her movies themselves, a thousand years of Japanese history (hence the title.)
"Millenium Actress" is a film that wraps the viewer into its perfectly imagined little world from the very first image and never lets him go. In fact, I was so immediately entranced by it that I realized I wanted it to end rapidly, afraid as I was that it might fail to fulfil its promise, and utimately lose momentum. But this obvious labour of love (from all parties involved) does manage to sustain to the end that unique combination of sweet and sour nostalgia, hopeless but ever hopeful romanticism, deliberately clicheed melodrama and occasionally overblown humour.
My only regret is renting the film rather than buying it with my eyes closed. I will not make the same mistake when Paprika is released on DVD.