006 4 This movie is very sad . I went to see it with some friends , thinking that it would be very upbeat . The movie is very beautiful in that it crafts the story around her movies . The entire film is about how her films have changed her life . Near the end of the movie , it gets very sad , and someone in the theatre was crying . It was amazing to see how much unconditional love she had for someone she didn't know . The ending was very amazing too , and it just makes you think about the movie even more . I recommend it for people that want their day ruined .
015 4 If you are able to surrender yourself to the whimsy and pathos of this superbly crafted film , you will be deeply touched and greatly rewarded . It has the complexity of Perfect Blue and the depth of Grave of the Fireflies . Wonderful anime .
073 4 The central plot device of the actress endlessly pursuing her lost love is simplistic . It would be useful to have some sort of primer or key to the many historical and filmic references in this movie . Never mind , the animation and color and character design are magnificent .
071 4 It is a confusing tale and really you need to be intelligent to watch this rmyou won't understand it . Also you will need to watch it multiple times to understand it so you also have to be a patient person . If you follow these steps then wow what a great superb film you will experience . Also if you are into love stories then you NEED to get this movie cause in my honest opinion this is the most lovly love story I have ever witnessed . It is sad and I cried for the poor actress . Anyway if you have patients then you have intelligence . Watch this movie please it is one phonemonal experience ! ! !
029 4 I hate reviews . There's something for everybody , and everybody likes something different . I won't put any details here . If you like something that makes you think , touches your heart , and is very artistic , watch this movie . If you insist on only watching movies that give you all the answers , have cookie-cutter endings , and have cut-and-dried plotlines driven by special effects and half-nude women , don't watch it . It's that simple . Personally , I thought it was beautiful . A good movie to me is one that makes me look for my own answers deep within . What does the key mean to you ?
069 4 If you like anime at all , go see it . If you don't like anime , see it anyway . If you like Titanic , Forest Gump , or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , also see it .
080 4 This is one of the best anime movie , period . The editing and story telling style is extremely sophisticated . Better than 99.5% of movies produced in Hollywood these days . It is a shame Dreamworks did not put out a soundtrack CD . I had to paid $35 and order one from a Japanese Bookstore here in LA . If you are still wondering what is all the fuss about Anime , this should be the movie that convince you animation is just as capable , if not better in telling an engaging story .
089 4 By reading and watching I think I got what was going on , but I suspect alot of the movie is lost on those of us who don't understand japanese . Its a complex plot with several twist and we are given the very condensed version of it . If dreamworks wants to bring Anime to the mainstream they should get a clue from Disney .
like Pilgrim , famous and aging actress Chiyoko Fujiwara has become unstuck in time . Her migrations in time occur during an interview with a representative from her former studio , who turns out to have been in love with her for many years . During their interview , Chiyoko and her two interviewers travel magically to and fro during the course of her childhood and film career , in many instances reenacting famous scenes in her career . Throughout it all , she remains obsessed with a key that she has promised to return to a mysterious painter and political revolutionary ( despite Japan's political conservativism during many parts of its history in the 20th century , the heroes in this film are all rebels or friends of rebels ) .
The film ends with a theme not dissimilar to one of the Theses Actually or Possibly Attributable to Lessing in Kierkegaard's CONCLUDING UNSCIENTIFIC POSTSCRIPT , where Lessing / Kierkegaard , being offered either the Truth which God hold in his right hand or the search for the Truth which he holds in his left , chooses the left hand . Chiyoko is never able to return the key to her beloved , but at the end of her life she learns that the lifelong attempt and struggle to do so was the most important thing in life . In this way , her mysterious stranger becomes symbolic for all that is most important . The problem is that the narrative that would express this becomes too frequently erratic or incoherent . Furthermore , because of the narrative problems in the film , I found my interest level sagging towards the end of the film .
Nonetheless , this remains an absolutely first rate film , and one of the most fascinating examples of adult animation I have seen , though by adult I don't mean in any way obscene . I'm not certain that a small child would find this film very interesting , but neither would a parent find anything in it inappropriate for a child .
005 4 MILLENIUM ACTRESS is an extremely ambitious , brilliantly executed animated film by the extremely talented Satashi Kon , who previously directed the marvelous PERFECT BLUE . There are many , many exquisite moments , where Kon is clearly pulling out all the stops to try to take animation to a completely new level , with a cascade of marvelous images and attempts to animate effects that have never or rarely been attempted before . From a sheer technical perspective , this film is really hard to top . Unfortunately , I personally found the story lagging behind the animation . Nonetheless , this film is certain to delight any fan of anime .
As much as I loved the animation , and even loved many individual scenes , the film as a whole just didn't quite come together . The story's pretext reminded me a bit of the puzzle facing Billy Pilgrim in SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE : like Pilgrim , famous and aging actress Chiyoko Fujiwara has become unstuck in time . Her migrations in time occur during an interview with a representative from her former studio , who turns out to have been in love with her for many years . During their interview , Chiyoko and her two interviewers travel magically to and fro during the course of her childhood and film career , in many instances reenacting famous scenes in her career . Throughout it all , she remains obsessed with a key that she has promised to return to a mysterious painter and political revolutionary ( despite Japan's political conservativism during many parts of its history in the 20th century , the heroes in this film are all rebels or friends of rebels ) .
The film ends with a theme not dissimilar to one of the Theses Actually or Possibly Attributable to Lessing in Kierkegaard's CONCLUDING UNSCIENTIFIC POSTSCRIPT , where Lessing / Kierkegaard , being offered either the Truth which God hold in his right hand or the search for the Truth which he holds in his left , chooses the left hand . Chiyoko is never able to return the key to her beloved , but at the end of her life she learns that the lifelong attempt and struggle to do so was the most important thing in life . In this way , her mysterious stranger becomes symbolic for all that is most important . The problem is that the narrative that would express this becomes too frequently erratic or incoherent . Furthermore , because of the narrative problems in the film , I found my interest level sagging towards the end of the film .
Nonetheless , this remains an absolutely first rate film , and one of the most fascinating examples of adult animation I have seen , though by adult I don't mean in any way obscene . I'm not certain that a small child would find this film very interesting , but neither would a parent find anything in it inappropriate for a child .
084 4 PLEASE LISEN , this new movie by Satochi Kon ( director of Perfect Blue and Tokio Godfathers ) bring to us this amazing adventure of reality and fantasy .
Here is my comments :
* The best of Satochi Kon until now .
* Great animation and graphics ( award winning ) ! ! !
* The storyline is twisted as Perfect Blue but not THAT twisted .
* Is hard to understand the story at the beginning but then the story turns more comprehensible .
* There is one action scene but it was SOOOOOO COOL ! ! ! ! ! ! !
* The scenes of samurai drama were the most AWESOME and MEMORABLE scenes I ever seen in anime since Samurai X ( the first two OVA episodes , NOT the TV series ) .
* Belive me ! ! Millenniun Actress is everything that Perfect Blue should be in the first place . I dind't like Perfect Blue because it was soo boring , TWISTED storyline ( it gave me the biggest hedache I ever felt ) and the story was not to good .
P.S : Just buy this movie and don't even rent it . The whole movie was great but just buy it for the Samurai scenes ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
ADIOS ! ! !
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
Read this review if you're trying to decide whether to get this movie without having someone tell you so much about it that it ruins all the surprises .
I just watched this with my very intelligent - - and rather conservative - - spouse , a very smart engineer friend from India who doesn't think much of anime , and an intellectual Russian friend who's pretty knowledgeable about movies .
The engineer fell asleep - - thought it was a crashing bore and a complete waste of time . My wife found it annoying , due to a tendency in Japanese films for what people of northern European descent would consider overacting / overemotionalism . The Russian Jewish film buff and I found it both fascinating and touching .
So - - which response would you have ? I'll try to help .
1 . The film's structure is complex , and is constructed rather the way a classical symphony is constructed . It's a narrative , but one that loops back in on itself , revisiting leitmotifs throughout , and ending in a way that , say , a Mahler or Brahms fan would find very satisfying . However , someone who wants straight ahead storytelling , with a clear sense of what is actually happening at any given moment , may get lost here and there . I didn't , but I'm a serious film buff . Few filmmaking tricks surprise me any more . This did .
If you liked Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Being John Malkovich or Carlos Saura's Carmen those might be clues to you liking . However , my wife like two of these a lot and didn't like Millenium Actress .
The real clincher would be if you've seen a bunch of Japanese movies made in the 1950s , 60s and early 70s - - because , paralleling the story of the central characters is a loving homage to both Japan's history and to that golden era of Japanese films , whose tropes and styles appear in this , somewhat Zelig style .
My wife thought it jumped around in Japanese history , but it's more accurate to say that it jumped around the different genres of Japanese filmmaking in the postwar era - - the samurai films ( divided into a bunch of subcategories ) , realistic modern films , and sci fi , from domestic dramas to war films .
A lot of the time what's happening onscreen seems to shimmer magically between the characters ' own stories and the stories of the films they're talking / thinking about .
2 . Another aspect is that the central personal theme is unrequited love , which is the romanticism of a young teenager - - so if you find Romeo and Juliet and all those films young teenage girls swoon at nothing but annoying , that might be a counter-indicator for this film .
It's important to add that this film's PG rating might mislead you into thinking kids could see it . But it's only subtitled - - not dubbed - - and I think its complex musical structuring and the need for you to know something about Japanese history and film history would cut out many young teens who might love wonderful Japanese animes like Spirited Away .
3 . By knowing something about Japanese history I mean it helps a lot to recognize from people's makeup and costumes whether you're seeing , say , Heian era or Tokugawa era or Meiji era costume drama . Maybe that's not absolutely required , but I think that's part of why my Indian engineer friend thought it was a stupid jumble of stuff .
So here's the trick : emotionally , at its core this film is no more complex than Bolt , the delightful American animated 3D feature my wife and I saw and loved last year . But cinematically this film is up there with some really sophisticated films . So if you just look at the character and quests of the central characters you might dismiss this as a kids ' film only .
From my point of view I figure we were all kids once , so I'm OK with seeing something from that simpler perspective as long as there are other things to keep my mind engaged . This did so fully , and I'm very glad I saw it .
But if you haven't seen Rashomon , Seven Samurai , Sansho the Bailiff , and a bunch of other Japanese Golden Era classics - - the kind that get put out under the Criterion imprint - - maybe you should see those first . You'll appreciate this more if you do .
I only had one real gripe about the film , but I'm probably wrong about this . In a scene on the Moon , the heroine moves around as if she's moving in Earth gravity , instead of that skippy hoppy thing real astronauts on the Moon do . OTOH in Japanese live-action sci-fi films I'm sure they moved just the way the heroine did . That's why my gripe is probably wrong , since it's not about landing on the moon - - it's about movies about landing on the moon .
My Russian Jewish friend doesn't know but a tiny fraction of what I know about Japanese history and cinema , yet she enjoyed it . Therefore the caution I just expressed about needing to know Japanese history and cinema may not be necessary . Maybe what's in the film is enough to guide you . I am sure that the more you know about Japanese history and cinema the more you'll enjoy this , though .
I'm fine with Euro-restrained cinema too . See my review of Let the Right One In for an example . But though I'm no fan of unrequited love , and some of my favorite actresses are Helen Mirren and Judy Densch , neither of whom ever act like Chiyoko in this film , I still enjoyed this thoroughly .
BTW the main character reminded me slightly of Ingrid Bergman - - think Casablanca . That , too , is about unrequited love in ways strongly reminiscent of this film , though visually there's very little connections . From Japanese films of the 50s this made me think of Machiko Kyo , though she could express an earthiness we never see in Chiyoko . Besides Bergman I also thought of Greer Garson and Shirley Jones and other good girl heroines of our own cinematic golden age ( even when they played prostitutes ! ) .
One other note - - the streets and vehicles and clothing styles of every era shown are all accurate and detailed . The filmmaker did his homework .
Lastly , I've seen another animated film by Satoshi Kon , Tokyo Godfathers , which you might want to see first . It's set squarely in contemporary Tokyo , is emotionally rich and complex , but told in a pretty straightforward narrative form . I really liked this film as interesting cinema but also as powerfully engaging emotionally - - somewhat more than Millenium Actress , though I was moved by the latter .
See my Amazon page if you want to look at other no-spoiler reviews , including Avatar .
001 4 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 .
002 4 Millennium Actress does what every good animation should do . It takes a good look at the medium , and puts forth a story that utilizes the unique strengths of animation , making a film that could not be live-action . This is a master at work .
Both intellectual and emotional , the story is profound and touching , deep with sorrow and hope and unspoken , unrequited love that lasts throughout the years of a lifetime . The two main stories are Chioyoko , desperately seeking the love of her childhood across the years , a man who gave her a key to the most important thing and Genya , the journalist interviewing Chioyoko about her life , and who also has carried a secret , powerful love for most of his lifetime .
Drifting across Chioyoko's lifetime as an actress , the story fades in and out of her movies , blending seamlessly fantasy and reality , past , present and future . The technique is amazing , as is the journey through Japan's history as Chioyoko makes various period films , becoming schoolgirl , peasant , Geisha , prostitute , Samurai princess and astronaut . Always she is seeking the man she knew as a child , and every role is a quest .
A brilliant film , on par with any great animation such as Grave of the Fireflies or Spirited Away .
004 4 Millennium Actress ( Satoshi Kon , 2001 )
I've been trying to figure out what to say about Millennium Actress for over a week now . I still haven't come up with much . It's a good movie , though a confusing one at times . Full of the depth of character one expects from the top Japanese directors of animation , well-plotted if a bit threadbare in places . In other words , good , but could've been better .
The story centers on Chiyoko Fujiwara , a retired actress tracked down by a reporter , Genya Tachibana , and Genya's cameraman Eiko soon after the studio where she rose to fame was torn down . Genya and Chiyoko talk , both reliving the most famous scenes in her movies and putting together the tale of the things that happened in between , as Chiyoko pursued her first love , an anonymous man who had given her a key when she was younger .
The first fifteen or twenty minutes , pay very very close attention - - and even then , you may miss a time shift or two . Once you get used to the way things go back and forth in time , though , the movie gets much easier to follow , and you can spend your time getting to know the characters . Things just keep going after that , with the plot really taking a backseat to the character-building ; this makes the end of the movie work perfectly . It's quite an enjoyable little movie , really , and worth watching . * * * ½
007 4 I just watched it . It is at once funny , sad , and very melodramatic and heartbreaking at same . It is also a very complex story which may require several viewings to understand what was going on . The main character , the then actress Chiyoko Fujiwara related how she , as a young teenager , was given a key by a mysterious painter . For the most of her life she journeyed through Japan's history using various period films she had acted in ( such as being a schoolgirl , peasant , Geisha , and so on ) to illustrate her desperate search for the painter in order to return the key back to him . Line between reality and fantasy became blurred and there are lots of twists down the path . It was just amazing . I love the style , wonderful animation and how the story unfolds , but like I said , it IS rather complex . . . already I've watched it twice just to figure out the true meaning of the key and Chiyoko's remark at the very end of the film . highly recommand it to any serious anime fans , as well and everyone else who might enjoy it .
008 4 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 .
009 4 What helps set Millennium Actress apart from other anime series and movies is the depth of story and visual presentation . Drawing from techniques easily created in live-actor movies ( different angles , hand-held camera effects , etc . ) it adds a welcomed variety to the viewer . I thought it was amazing that such things could be executed in an animated version !
The story has amazing depth and really dives into the life of the actress . It reveals how the central theme of her successful movie series sadly echoed her fruitless quest for him in her real life .
If you collect , I highly recommend this . Otherwise , count this as a must-rent .
010 4 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 .
011 4 I have loved and enjoyed anime for many years . Rarely does an anime film come along that breaks all the rules and shows you what true craftsmanship and creativity are . This is one of those rare gems .
I had no expectations when I bought this other than it won a big award in Japan . The blending of history and drama was flawless , the characters equally so . It is a story within a story within a story . The animation is superb . I would not at all be surprised if this is being pushed into a live action movie it is that good .
Another example that Disney does not own the market on animated films . I cant wait to buy Perfect Blue .
012 4 Satoshi Kon's Millenium Actress demands attention from its viewers - time and space are plucked apart and rewoven over and over to capture the spirit of Chiyoko Fujiwara , once a famous actress but now retired , living in isolation for the past thirty years .
At last she grants an interview to a documentary filmmaker , Genya Tachibana , who has been devoted to her since his youth as a gofer in her studio . He returns to her a precious token : a key , given to her in her youth by a mysterious , hunted stranger she has devoted her heart and life to ever since , even though she can't find him .
The key opens her memories , and she , Tachibana , his cameraman , and us start on a journey that weaves between historical eras , places , and the border between reality and the fantasy world of her film career . Tachibana even finds himself becoming a character in the movie of her memory .
Kon uses muted color and even black-and-white throughout as story elements . I found myself as devoted to her as Tachibana was . A great movie .
014 4 Millennium Actress is a hard movie to describe when it comes to its beauty and thoughtful plot and storyline . Throughout the movie I was seemingly impressed with the different ways they animated the film . From bright and lively animation to still shots that looked very life-like . The music was also enchanting and seemed to make the movie that much better . The story can seem quite complex at times and it may take a little while to sink in , but you'll most likely want to watch it again , so that shouldn't be a problem . I thought that the character designs were very well done and the designers did a great job of showing Chiyoko as she becomes older and goes through adolescence and later , an old ( but elegant ) lady in her 70 ' s . The director even describes Chiyoko as being very ' pure ' . At least compared to one of her actress counterparts . The story keeps you on the edge of your seat and is full of excitement , humor and an everlasting love . The story is so beautiful and although it may make you cry , it leaves a good feeling that will last all day . I can't say enough good things about it ! An instant classic .
016 4 This is certainly one for the ages ! I only started viewing
Anime within the last two years , and was I ever pleased that
my brother recommended this one . The artwork is fantastic ,
the storyline bitter-sweet ( keep a couple Kleenex handy , just
in case ) , and the ending appropriate . . . I don't understand why
some seem to not get it ? ! ? What I don't understand is why no
English dubbing ( at least not on the DVD I watched ) . This is
the only thing I found to be annoyingly distracting . . . but not
enough so to give Millennium Actress less than 5 stars ! ! !
017 4 This is a very touching movie and an elaborate journey through time . We don't really get to see Chiyoko's inner character that much , but we still end up liking her . The ending is sad , but fits perfectly with the rest of the story . The only problem is that anime newbies might have a problem with the complicated story . But one good thing about anime is that some of it makes you really think . This is one of those anime . I usually rate Hayao Miyazaki's movies high on my favorites list , but this is up there too with the rest of them . Highly recommended !
018 4 With distinct style and masterful execution , Satoshi Kon invites you to ride along for the chase that embraces both depth and simplicity through its imaginative and emotional adventure .
I wholeheartedly recommend all of his work : Perfect Blue , Millennium Actress , Tokyo Godfathers , Paranoia Agent .
019 4 On the day that one of Jaopan's oldest movie studios is being torn down , filmmaker Genya Tachibana and his cameraman decide to film a documentary on the studio's most celebrated actress , the reclusive Chiyoko Fujiwara . They track her down and begin the interview . What follows is not just the story of Chiyoko's desire to become an actress against the wishes of her family and her search for a mysterious stranger who gave her a key , but also an unusual history of Japanese cinema from pre-WWII and historical films to Godzilla and space adventures . Chiyoko's quest to find the stranger and to discover what the key means drives every single film she's in so that her movies mirror her own life .
Through deft storytelling and beautiful animation , director Satoshi Kon takes his viewers on a unique trip through Japanese cinema . In any other film about films , this might be boring , but as Chiyoko tells her story and we see the flashbacks , Tachibana and his cameraman are also taken back , sometimes taking part in the events of Chiyoko's past . This insertion of the present into the past makes for a unique film that is both funny and touching . A great movie that everyone can enjoy !
020 4 This is something I haven't seen in a long time : a basically different kind of narrative .
Chiyoko was an actress , many years ago . Now , after she's been in retirement for decades , a former co-worker ( Genya ) interviews her about her life , her career , and the one mysterious strand that connects all the pieces together .
The story is told in scenes from her earlier life , mostly in fragments of the movies Chiyoko has made . Occasional cuts back to the present interview keep the story anchored , but the cinematic flashbacks really carry the narrative .
The unique aspect was that Genya and his camera-man find themselves transported into each flashback . When a scene from a remembered movie shows fire , they feel the heat . When another scene shows an attack by archers , the camera-man's sleeve is pinned to the wall . At first , the two are ghostlike observers , unable to interact with the scene . Gradually , however , Genya is pulled into the action ; he now takes part in the movie-memory .
Saying more would be saying too much . There are many surprises in this movie , and I want you to enjoy them the way I did .
This anime meets very high technical standards , but competent animation is easy to find . The story and the style of the story-telling really carry this movie . There are layers to unravel , making this much more complex and nuanced than most animation . This almost never happens to me : as soon as the movie ended , I wanted to see it again .
My partner and I rented this movie . Just a few minutes in , we realized we should have bought it .
021 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
If this film had been done with live actors live action you'd be seeing it awarded on Oscar night . It's that good . The editing is superb . Likewise the animation . As for the confusing flashbacks , my daughters ( 8 9 ) watched this and after explaining that the old actress is telling her life story by using the films she starred in as parts of her actual life , they had no problem following the story . I didn't find the story to be depressing although it is bittersweet . The characters are so strongly drawn that halfway through I found myself forgetting they weren't real people ! Strong , gentle story , superb visuals , pacing editing make up one of the best anime movies ever ! In fact , forget anime , this belongs in the top 100 films period .
022 4 If this film had been done with live actors live action you'd be seeing it awarded on Oscar night . It's that good . The editing is superb . Likewise the animation . As for the confusing flashbacks , my daughters ( 8 9 ) watched this and after explaining that the old actress is telling her life story by using the films she starred in as parts of her actual life , they had no problem following the story . I didn't find the story to be depressing although it is bittersweet . The characters are so strongly drawn that halfway through I found myself forgetting they weren't real people ! Strong , gentle story , superb visuals , pacing editing make up one of the best anime movies ever ! In fact , forget anime , this belongs in the top 100 films period .
023 4 Ok i'm very big fan of anime . . . and i'm quite the picky one . . .
This story is about a famous actress that chase her love through the wall of time . . . they made a promess back when she was a little girl that they'll meet each other again . . . Holding the mysterious key which suppose the be the greatest of all treasure . . . Chiyoko grow up to be a famous actress so she can draw her love's one attention . . . . a wish that would never actually come true . . . but then again . . .
hehehehehe i don't want to reveal all the twist to this story . . . but basically . . . this is by far the best anime i've seen since ' Grave of the fireflies ' .
Beautiful soundtrack as well . . .
Trust me . . . . this one is more than worth it : )
024 4 Saturday , March 05 , 2005 / 4 of 5 / Love and Loss Anime Style
Having just seen Perfect Blue which was a departure from form for the genre , I approached Millennium Actress somewhat warily . Like the prior film , this beautiful anime steps away from the historical mecha , monster , sci-fi anime breeding ground and tells a story simply with stylized visuals . The story involves a dedicated fan of a famous Japanese actress who seeks her out when she's in her 70 ' s . She recounts the events of her life in documentary form and we are whisked along with her through her movies and her personal experiences . This includes her lifelong quest for her first and true love . It takes a different mindset to step through this film vs other anime , but I found it a peaceful well done story .
025 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
Few anime or even live action films make me respond like this one did . The story is warm yet tragic , the scenes flow into each other , switching between the reality of the studio and the reality of real life like water flows through a forest . Sometimes funny , sometimes painful , always drawing you deeper in , this anime is truly a masterpeice . Sublime , yet raw in emotions and amazing in how much it pulls out of the watcher .
The plot is one actress's search for her first love . A mixture of the past and the present , fantasy and fate , art and magic .
Few anime , or films , make me cry near the end . The anime - Grave Of The Fireflies - and the Chinese film - Not One Less - are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head that have generated such emotions . Powerful . Wonderful . Tragic , yet not truly sad in the end .
A must for any fan of anime , the magic of Japanese films or just a fan of a good story .
026 4 Few anime or even live action films make me respond like this one did . The story is warm yet tragic , the scenes flow into each other , switching between the reality of the studio and the reality of real life like water flows through a forest . Sometimes funny , sometimes painful , always drawing you deeper in , this anime is truly a masterpeice . Sublime , yet raw in emotions and amazing in how much it pulls out of the watcher .
The plot is one actress's search for her first love . A mixture of the past and the present , fantasy and fate , art and magic .
Few anime , or films , make me cry near the end . The anime - Grave Of The Fireflies - and the Chinese film - Not One Less - are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head that have generated such emotions . Powerful . Wonderful . Tragic , yet not truly sad in the end .
A must for any fan of anime , the magic of Japanese films or just a fan of a good story .
027 4 Now THIS is a hard movie to put into words . I can easily apply words like excellent , beautiful , mind-blowing , multi-layered and stunning , but that merely conveys my personal rabid enthusiasm for Millennium Actress . The first ten minutes or so are easy enough to describe - a pair of filmakers set out to profile and interview a famous Japanese actress who's lived as a recluse for many years , having disappeared from public life at the height of her career . From there the territory it heads into is among the most open-to-interpretation , the most moving , and ( in my opinion ) the most metaphysical plot ambiguities and mesmerizations ever captured on film . Ten people could watch this and come up with ten different takes on the movie , ranging from the mundane ( as in worldly and rational , NOT dull ) to the whimsical to the terrifyingly dark or to the dreamlike , or any combination thereof . I and the ones I saw this with came up with similar interpretations , but that could be due to our similar ways of thinking . Someone with a different worldview or imagination or set of beliefs might come up with a vastly different , but no less valid , way of interpreting it . There are no ' wrongs ' in interpreting a movie and what each individual gets out of it . I still cling to hopes of someday publishing some of the stories floating around in my head , and if I'm fortunate enough to do so , some readers may get quite different takes on it than what I had in mind , and that's not wrong , it's just different .
One thing I can say about Millennium Actress is that it has some of the most realistic animation I've ever seen . Not realistic in the same sense as Final Fantasy : The Spirits Within of the firs segment in Animatrix where it looks nearly live-action ( brilliantly so ) , but realistic in terms of body language , facial expressions , personal mannerisms , and so on . And the subtitling job is dead-on flawless ; if you're a viewer who usually avoids subtitled films , this could be a great introduction .
In 2001 , Millennium Actress split Japan's prestigious Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festifal Animation Grand Prize with the already-legendary Spirited Away . The 2 movies are very different , but Millennium Actress is 1000% worthy of tying Spirited as its full equal . I can think of no higher praise to give this film .
028 4 Millennium Actress is the third animated film I've seen by Satoshi Kon , director of Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers . This falls somewhere between the other two .
Like Perfect Blue , Millennium Actress explores the faceted nature of reality , in this case the fractured memory of an aging actress recalling her film career , interwoven with her lifelong obsession - the search for a political agitator she fell in love with as a young girl . It's often difficult to tell if scenes are excerpts from the actress ' films , her memory , or dreams . Transitions between scenes are abrupt and very creative , adding to the dislocated quality that Satoshi Kon has mastered . He succeeds in creating a visual analogue for memory , with its elisions and unexpected leaps through time .
As in Tokyo Godfathers , the animation is lush and detailed . Satoshi Kon uses the main character's film career as a means to cut through large swaths of Japanese history , from feudal castles to bombed-out cities in World War II . The characters , costumes , buildings , and landscape are beautifully rendered , and the film is a visual feast from beginning to end .
But Millennium Actress lacks the emotional heart of Tokyo Godfathers . Though the film's subject is overwrought passion , even the director seems a little uncomfortable with the ridiculous side of this unrequited love . He frames the love story by introducing an interviewer and cameraman who follow her through her memories , providing occasional comic relief ; in my opinion the device is silly , although the interviewer's real love for the actress adds some emotional depth . Ultimately , as a story , the film is about lifelong self-indulgence and unwillingness to live in the present . It is the visual structure of the film that elevates it , not the tale it tells .
030 4 Last night a friend of mine gave me the movie Millennium Actress , which we watched . It's an anime movie from last year by Kon Satoshi , the writer / director of Perfect Blue , which is famous apparently , but which I've never seen . In contrast , Millennium Actress is not that famous in Japan , nor did it make even a whisper when it was released in a whopping six theatres across the United States . I guess unless it's a Miyazaki film released under the Disney name , anime still isn't going to get any notice in America , unsurprisingly .
Anyhow , I'm not a big anime fan , so I had never heard of this movie , and wasn't all that excited about it from the title . Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised . If you don't know , the story is about a documentary being made about an actress who , as a child in War-era Japan , ran into an anti-government man in the street . He gives her a key to the most important thing in the world and she promises to meet him the next day to tell him what she thinks it's to , but by then he's disappeared . However , she insists on keeping her promise . Therefore , when the opportunity to go to Manchuria , where the man said he was going , arises in the form of an acting job , she takes it .
Anyhow , the story is okay , but not great , up to this point . It starts getting interesting when the movie shifts from talking directly about her life to shifting into scenes from her movies . The time period and costumes and everything changes suddenly and so forth . It gets progressively more common as the movie continues , the documentary crew becoming a part of it , jumping from Heian era Japan to the Ronin-filled warring states period to World War II . It's got a lot of references to famous Japanese period films in it ( If you miss the reference to Kurosawa , you're just out of it ! ) , which is one of the things that I really liked about it , since I'm a Japanese film buff of sorts . The music was neat , also , and meshed with the film quite well , the film becoming very stylish at moments when the music gets good so as to avoid drowning it out with story .
The story itself does not change that much , but instead of focusing on that , you get caught up in the various scenes jumping around throughout Japanese history , and the search for the man who gave her the key is a good excuse for it . The story , overall , is very melodramatic ( typical of Japanese drama ) , but not trite , so I think it was good . However , like many overly stylish films , the story isn't as important as the look , sound and feel of the film , so having an excessively detailed or complex story wouldn't have worked as well anyways .
I enjoyed the movie a great deal , which is surprising because it was so overly dramatic at times and was in a medium I already take with a grain of salt ( anime ) . However , these features that I would usually dislike were made into very positive parts of it thanks to the style of the film , and increased my enjoyment of it . I recommend it to anyone , not just anime fans .
031 4 Words can't do justice to this masterpiece . It just reminds me of why I love anime in the first place . From its first scene , you know you are watching a Satoshi Kon film . His attention to details , the striking reality of the sets that reminds you of Mima's room , the deep and live characters that are rare in anime , along with his way of making you guess which is fantasy and which is real in every scene are all here . That doesn't mean that this movie is just another Perfect blue . On the contrary , it's really amazing that the production team wanted to make something like Perfect Blue but the result turned out to be totally different except for the multi-interpretation of story or stereogram as the producer calls it . Not only that , Satoshi Kon adds new visual style to his direction in which he uses rendered colors and moving backgrounds to describe the past .
what about the story ? ! . It's wonderful . It's emotional . It's DEEP . And I mean really DEEP . The director wanted to make a stereogram and he really succeeded in that . Every one will find a different meaning from the story . I won't talk much about the story so that I don't spoil it for any body . This is an absolute gem for anime fans and casual moviegoers alike . And for those who are familiar with Japanese history and particularly Japanese films like Kurosawa's , you will appreciate it even more .
032 4 An intricate puzzle , this film reminded me of artsy films that win Emmy awards ( that also bore me to death ) .
I found the first thirty minutes confusing and slow . I had a hard time distinguishing life-flashbacks and older movie sequences . The woodgrains in the background added subtle overtones into the emotional mixtures , but I noticed them because the story totally dragged .
According to the extras , Kon's intended the movie as a story stereogram . A stereogram is an object that resembles different objects depending on your mindset and interpretation . My opinion is the director went too far , adding non-linear elements to a point where the story itself became unclear .
If you are a sophisticated cinema lover , you'll enjoy this movie immensely . If you wanted to watch an entertaining anime after a mentally taxing day at work , look elsewhere . The mystery never wrenched me because it could also be a bedtime story . The suspense never scared me because it could also be romance . The adventure never thrilled me because it was always a flashback . My problem with the stereogrammatic approach was the opacity took away purity .
Overall I felt unmoved at the end . Reminded me of completing a crossword in the newspaper - - slight satisfaction for comprehending a self-appointed puzzle . I could appreciate the methaphors , animation sequences , and visuals , but not the story .
033 4 It was after being exposed to such films as ' Princess Mononoke ' and ' Spirited Away ' that I went to a local retailer for what I hoped would be more of the same . This was several years ago , but then , as now , the selection of Anime feature films that are not lifted directly from a television series are few and far between , which is unfortunate , since this genre offers a unique method of storytelling which could be awkward and unappealing , if not impossible , in a live action effort . Unfortunate too are the chances that any full length independent feature , at least what is offered to Western viewers , will tread on similar ground as those that have come before .
Thankfully , then , we have such films as ' Millenium Actress ' and a few others which do not slip neatly into the commonly perceived boundries of this genre , and , to me , hold their own against any other type of film . At heart a dual story of unrequited and unrealized love , I felt it rose above even that catagorization to touch on some deeper , more subtle themes , and in a manner reminiscent of classical literature coupled with complex technique and plain old fashioned movie fun .
The fabled Genei Studios ( a stand in for Toho Studios ) is in the process of being torn down . A documentarian , Genya , and his cameraman , Kyoji , track down the face of Genei Studios , the legendary actress Chiyoko Fujiwara , who has lived in seclusion several years after making her last film . Now in her 70 ' s , the still elegant Chiyoko has granted Genya an interview in return for a memento he has brought her from her studio days .
As Chiyoko tells the story of her life for the documentary , a curious blend of fact and fantasy and memory begins . At first , it has all the trappings of a normal flashback , except to the surprise of Genya and his cameraman , the power of the memory is so strong that it incorporates them into the story as well , and , initially at least , they are passive observers to events 60 years old . Here they watch as Chiyoko , a pre-adolescent girl during the years before WWII , meets and then assists and then falls in love with an anti-government agitator - a painter , wounded , and on the run from the authorities . Although she tries to help , the police close in and the painter is forced to flee .
At this point , Chiyoko's memory merges into film history - excerpts from her earliest film role , as explained by Genya to his cameraman while they watch , parallel her life's events . Obsessed with her painter , Chiyoko begins her career as an actress simply as a way to chase after him , first to Manchuria , and then skipping across the country , always a step behind . Interspersed with her history are scenes from films ( always with Genya and Kyoji tagging along ) , which also feature a heroine in search of her love . Genya takes a more and more active role in her memories and in the film excerpts , and slowly it becomes apparent that Genya has been chasing Chiyoko almost as long as she had been chasing her painter .
Some viewers may find ' Millenium Actress ' confusing at first - I did . Like most anime films , there is not a lot of explanation prior to engulfing the audience in its own quirky universe . Real world events blend into personal history which in turns fades into popular film that is then hijacked by the kind-hearted Genya as he tries to help his actress in any way that he can . He and his cameraman ricochet ( often comically so ) from Kurosawa type samurai films to Godzilla to dynastic period films as they follow Chiyoko as she in turn trails after her painter to the very limits of imagination . What catapults this film out of the strictly romantic and into another far subtler realm of human obsession are the last words of the film , spoken as Chiyoko begins her final journey .
This effort was in part a Dreamworks production , though what degree of infuence they may have had is difficult to know . The film has a thorough authentic feel to it , and in the extra ' making-of ' segment , it's apparent that all the principal players were Japanese . Some may not appreciate the lack of an English sound track , but I do not feel that this detracted from the movie at all .
Aside from the storyline , the animation in this effort far exceeds the director's previous film ' Perfect Blue ' ( In my opinion , everything about ' Millenium Actress ' exceeds ' Perfect Blue ' ) . The only drawback that I noticed was the music , which I felt was to cloying , and that it interfered more than helped .
Very enjoyable , though , and highly recommended to fans of all film .
034 4 When a documentary filmmaker gains an interview with a reclusive actress , he is treated to a great love story . As a young girl , Chiyoko Fujiwara fell in love with a dissident artist during the time of fascist military rule in the 30s . She spent the rest of her life searching for him . As she tells this story to the interviewer and his cameraman , it is interspersed with scenes from her films in which she is always seeking reunion with an absent lover . To add yet another layer , the interviewer himself has always harbored a secret passion for the actress and appears as her protector in many of these scenes .
This fascinating movie produces an effect that is difficult to put into words . The inclusion of so many film scenes in lieu of flashbacks elevates Chiyoko's story above the particular circumstances of a single human life , giving it the iconic power inherent in great films , so that it seems that she suffers and loves on behalf of us all . And isn't that , in a sense , what movies and the actors who appear in them mean to those who really love them ? The extraordinary animation does full justice to this ambitious conceit .
036 4 Wow , a powerfully moving drama with such an interesting art to it . This is hard to describe , but it follows a man who was a great admirer of a famous actress who has since left the stage . He is granted an interview and relives her famous movies , placing himself into them a the story unfolds
037 4 This is another great masterpice from Satoshi Kon , he has made 4 movies and one complete animated series , and there all great , he has a very unique touch for expresing his ideas , he likes to create diferent realities , play with symbols , and always give a message , and not something useless or typical , but somethin more pure , more related to daily life . . . he has a way of showing how human we can all be , showing we all have a sweet side , as dark one . . .
In this movie he shows the life on an actress through her movies , showing what moved her to become an actress and lead her from one movie to another ; he shows that there is more than simple motives for what we do , and that somethimes we dont realize how deep impact our desicions have in our lives , and how life goes on so quick , becomes a great adventure , and finally comes to a conclusion , and maybe , only in the end we get to understand most of our steps along the way .
I think its an animation masterpiece , and anyone that likes anime should see it , you wont regret it . and for anyone who is starting to know about anime , you cant go wrong with this movie .
ENJOY ! ! i hope this has been helpful .
038 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
I almost didn't watch this movie at first - it was a little slow getting started and I had other things to do . I'm glad I waited though . It's more than a love story , it's a story of finding meaning in life . There was a nice balance of the humorous and sentimental . I've given this as a gift before and I really recommend it to others .
039 4 I almost didn't watch this movie at first - it was a little slow getting started and I had other things to do . I'm glad I waited though . It's more than a love story , it's a story of finding meaning in life . There was a nice balance of the humorous and sentimental . I've given this as a gift before and I really recommend it to others .
040 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
I was somewhat nervous about buying Millennium Actress without first seeing it . This was because I found Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue a bit edgy . I was pleasantly surprised to find Millennium Actress a delightful film . It is entertaining , engaging and not at all disturbing . While the ending is not a classically happy one it does not leave you feeling sad or dissatisfied . A good buy for anyone who enjoys quality anime .
041 4 I was somewhat nervous about buying Millennium Actress without first seeing it . This was because I found Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue a bit edgy . I was pleasantly surprised to find Millennium Actress a delightful film . It is entertaining , engaging and not at all disturbing . While the ending is not a classically happy one it does not leave you feeling sad or dissatisfied . A good buy for anyone who enjoys quality anime .
042 4 Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film that I've seen , and I have to say I was deeply impressed . If you , like me are picky about the Anime you watch I highly recommend this film .
We meet Chioyoko Fujiwara ( the actress ) as an elderly woman and travel bakwards into her past as she gives an extreemly rare enterview to enamored journalist Genya Tachibana , who has also come to return to Chioyoko a most precious object .
The viewer is submersed in Chioyoko's memories . we witness the chance meeting in her girlhood that would drive her future . We watch as she is Discovered and begins her career Hoping that as she travels from location to location she will be reunited with the mysterious stranger who has touched her heart , and return to him the treassured key that he left in her keeping .
For Chioyoko acting is a means to an end , but the longing in her soul is relflected by the films she chooses . A career filled with haunting romantic dramas mix with her memories of unrequited love . It becomes clear that Chioyoko can no longer distinguish between the two . The ending is sad but touching and made all the more heart renching beause of the knowledge that Tachibana has carried for decades .
I ve heard this film called depressing . it's very sad that's true but as the credits rolled I found myself uplifed by the sheer beauty of this film .
043 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
If you are an anime fan , you will enjoy this movie , but may find it unremarkable . If you have never seen anime , or you have not found anime that you liked , this would be an excellent point of entry into the finer side .
Creative and often downright stunning in its imagery , the movie opts to take a meta-meta-meta-drama approach . Okay , I just put in an arbitrary number of metas but the point is that the plots of different movies are constantly being woven and blended into the flashback sequence that covers the main story . You'll realize that , yes , it's partly surreal , but at the same time it is not too difficult to pick up on what really happened .
What it all comes down to is that it's hard to say why , but this is one of those profoundly Japanese animated films that really plays to the strengths of the medium while avoiding all the pitfalls that can turn off Westerners .
044 4 If you are an anime fan , you will enjoy this movie , but may find it unremarkable . If you have never seen anime , or you have not found anime that you liked , this would be an excellent point of entry into the finer side .
Creative and often downright stunning in its imagery , the movie opts to take a meta-meta-meta-drama approach . Okay , I just put in an arbitrary number of metas but the point is that the plots of different movies are constantly being woven and blended into the flashback sequence that covers the main story . You'll realize that , yes , it's partly surreal , but at the same time it is not too difficult to pick up on what really happened .
What it all comes down to is that it's hard to say why , but this is one of those profoundly Japanese animated films that really plays to the strengths of the medium while avoiding all the pitfalls that can turn off Westerners .
045 4 This is a very strange movie , as you've probably figured out by now . So far it's the only Satoshi Kon movie I've seen , but I have my eye on Tokyo Godfathers .
This movie is about an old former actress who relates her life story to an interviewer who , unbeknownst to her , she met earlier . The whole story , and basically her whole life , revolves around her relentless search for a political refugee she met before he ran away . It also spotlights some movies she starred in , and it's nearly impossible to tell what's real and what's not ; often , what we're supposed to assume are true events in her life segue directly into what we're supposed to a assume is a movie . Several elements in her life seem to be equally part of both worlds . ( For anyone not really familiar with anime , this movie is a lot like Big Fish in that fantasy and reality are not vaguely defined , and the timeline doubles back on itself . )
This certainly isn't the happiest movie around . My favorite anime movie is Castle in the Sky , so as you can see I'm drawn to happy endings . This doesn't have one of those . But don't let that stop you from getting it - - once you've gotten past the confusion and ambiguosity , as well as the sadness , this movie is definitely worth your time .
046 4 I bought this movie on a whim and will never regret it . It has an amazing , deep , wonderful storyline . The quality of the art is not amazing but it is very good . But I easily let that slide for the storyline . Also the soundtrack is great , the music fits perfectly .
I have watched this film a fews times now since I got it and I still tear up during the ending . It is just an amazing movie .
047 4 Just beautiful . It's about a fictional actress named Chiyoko who has gone into seclusion for 30 years and a journalist who seeks her out for an interview to make a documnetary about her life . As the 70 - year old Chiyoko relates the story of her career , she ties it to the films she's made . When she was a young girl in Japan just before the war , she ran into a man , a human rights activist / painter , whom she helped hide for a while . He had a mysterious key with him , which he said would open the most important thing that there is . The film relates her search for this man , who then disappears from her life , and how it impacted her movie-making career .
Stories within stories , a mix of fantasy and reality . . . there's a bit of ambiguity between what is real , what is the movie , and what is her story . It's an inventive way to tell a pretty simple story about one girl's relentless pursuit of a man she fell in love with at first sight .
At times I felt exhilirated , like I was coasting down the highway listening to music . . . on my way to meet someone .
048 4 this was a very good movie - better than I'd anticipated , having no experience with the director and writer .
It's a very cool tale of a retired reclusive actress and her films and her life and her experiences with a mysterious artist she meets as a teenager prior to the US involvement in WWii .
As she tells her story to the interviewer ( who turns out . . . well , don't want to give to much away ) he and his camera man get involved in the action in scenes of her movies and scenes of her life , which become interspersed and blend into each other ( life and movie , movie and live ) . It's very cool and very unique , especially with the cameraman's reaction to everything .
I haveta say I liked this alot and while I rented it I'm adding this to my wish list so at some point I'll be picking up a copy , and I'd recommend the same to you .
049 4 This sweeping anime epic follows an aging actress as she tells the story of her life to two documentary filmmakers . This films storyline is not linear so any synopsis would not due it justice . Needless to say if you are a fan of Anime . . Not just the fanboy or mecha anime but gorgeous animation with mature themes and stories . You will be blown away by this film . Even if anime is not your cup of tea , the sophistaced story will awaken you to the fact that animation is not just for kids anymore . Easily one of the best films I have seen this past year .
050 4 Art pure and simple , this is first class story telling with very good animation and soundtrack . The way the animation is used adds another layer of visual pleasure to this simple but very sentiment filled tale . A satisfying movie for adults , it's a delicate , sensitive film with heart and beauty . Just don't cry over the popcorn , gurannteed to get very soggy .
051 4 One of the best films I've seen in ages . This film blends reality and fiction ( the movie rolls played by the title character ) , in such a way that one might do when recounting ones life . I do not want to spoil the plot , but the last scene is so incredibly human , I think everyone who sees this will relate to what the actress says while flying towards the infinite .
052 4 The story of the great Japanese actress Chiyoko is a very moving and interesting one . She is a kind of everyman - all things to all people and a real hero , too .
The story is told in a rather interesting and unusual way - like a documentary , with the journalists actually ending up in Chiyoko's films , which trace both her own life and the story of Japanese over several hundred years .
Millennium Actress is a film so rich in layers and images it is almost too much to take in in one viewing . The beauty of the DVD is that one can watch it chapter by chapter over an extended period .
I like to watch this film in Japanese with English subtitles , but the version released in Australia has an excellent English voice option .
This is an animation , but it is really a sophisticated and adult film - I can't imagine many young children will enjoy this film .
Needless to say , some bright and enthusiastic young dude in Hollywood will probably try to make a version of this film with live actors . I hope not .
053 4 The term anime immediately invokes feelings of disgust in a good number of American filmviewers , usually due to it's immediate association with the great bulk of mindless sci-fi and fantasy drivel that makes it to the States ( see : Pokemon , Sailor Moon , etc . ) and the fact that most people simply think cartoons are for kids . For the most part , they're right - - I'm certainly not going to sit here and laud the mature , artistic merits of Hand Maid May , for example - - but rightfully acclaimed director Satoshi Kon is the exception that proves the rule . Perfect Blue , his first film to make it across the Pacific , set new standards for both animation and screenwriting with it's elaborate , psychedelic , and very adult spiral into schizophrenia . Now , Millennium Actress continues his motif of the mind as a gateway to fantastic , non-linear timelines . It begins when Genya Tachibana , the director of a documentary commemorating a famous movie studio , seeks out Chiyoko Fujiwara , a legendary actress who disappeared from the studio some 30 years previous . With his reluctant , ascerbic cameraman in tow , Genya gains the now-elderly Chiyoko's confidence by presenting her with a literal key to her past . As their interview progresses , the trio travels through Chiyoko's life story , where her movie roles and experiences weave an impossible thousand-year tale of love and commitment - - for Chiyoko and Genya alike . Sometimes Millennium Actress swings the viewer from heart-wrenching drama to hilarious comic relief ( and back ) fast enough to leave psychic whiplash ; at other times , Chiyoko's particular blend of memoirs and memories cloud the path to her resolution in a haze of geriatric senility - - but this beautifully animated film always keeps just enough grounded in reality to develop a compelling , coherrent , compassionate story . Millenium Actress is a tribute to the possibilties that Japanimation holds as a cultural artform , and is a terrific sophomore offering from Satoshi Kon . Highly recommended !
054 4 Wow ! ! ! I've seen tons and tons of anime in my life , but this one takes the cake ! I heard of this DVD and borrowed it from a friend ( 4 months later I still have it ( hehehe ) ) .
The story is about a crew of two documenters who want to interview , for the first time , a veteran actress who has performed in hundreds of movies . One of the men is in love with her and the other , the camera man , just wants to get the job done . As she tells her story , the two men encounter her life by living through them , in an astral-projection way .
Full of slapstick comedy , action , mystery and , of course , love . All leading up to an unforgettable ending . The music , storyline , and characters were unbelievable , along with the voice actors . By the end of this movie , I cried . Okay , I admit it ! I cried , yes , cried for an anime movie ! It's that great !
Go see this movie . Buy it , don't rent it . I have watched it 37 times ! ( Yes I kept count ! ) I bet you all will want to watch this movie over and over . * Tear *
055 4 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 .
057 4 The story of the film is done in the style of a play within a play . Genya Tachibana is working on a documentary about a famous actress named Chiyoko Fujiwara . Chiyoko is an elderly actress who has withdrawn from public life . As Genya talks with Chiyoko , we see the story of her life from her teenage years to being a middle aged superstar . The flashbacks that appear are interspersed with segments from Chiyoko's films . While Chiyoko's life takes place surrounding World War II , the characters in her films span from the Sengoku period to a futuristic space age .
One of the big elements of the story has to do with a dissident artist that Chiyoko helped to escape from the military . She became attracted to him , but he had to flee . However , he left behind a key to his suitcase , and Chiyoko wants to find him . She initially became an actress in order to have the opportunities to travel and to try to find him . Over the course of the story , we learn that Genya was actually part of Chiyoko's past , although she doesn't realize it right at first .
The execution of the story is very well-done , although there are a lot of layers to the storytelling . You really have to watch it more than once in order to pick up on details that you may have missed the first time you watch it . While there's nothing visually that would be unacceptable to younger viewers , I think the execution of the storytelling of the film would be rather confusing to them . I would personally recommend this film to anime viewers who are fifteen or sixteen years of age and older .
There are two special features on the DVD . The first is a forty minute documentary about the making of Millennium Actress . The documentary is in Japanese with English subtitles . The narration is done by the voice actor for Genya . Over the course of the documentary , interviews are included from Satoshi Kon , several members of the production team , and all three voice actresses for Chiyoko . The other extra is a trailer for Millennium Actress that is slightly over a minute long . This trailer is in English to promote Dreamworks ' release of the film .
Millennium Actress is a very well-done anime film , and it has become a classic . I would personally recommend this DVD for anyone who considers themselves as a fan of Satoshi Kon's work or as a fan of anime in general .
I wrote this review after watching a copy of this DVD that my husband purchased for me as a gift .
058 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
Satoshi Kon is synonynmous with great anime , compelling storylines and well-drawn characters . Millennium Actress is no exception in following the life story of a famous actress over time and her secret-heart's desire . I won't spoil it for you , but if you enjoy great artwork and good storytelling , this one is for you .
059 4 Satoshi Kon is synonynmous with great anime , compelling storylines and well-drawn characters . Millennium Actress is no exception in following the life story of a famous actress over time and her secret-heart's desire . I won't spoil it for you , but if you enjoy great artwork and good storytelling , this one is for you .
060 4 Narratively and emotionally complex , Millennium Actress is nevertheless wonderfully accessible - a supreme example of how an artist can harness the qualities made available through film and animation and make something beautiful and meaningful out them .
The story is simple and at the same time ambitious . A documentary filmmaker interviews the legendary Japanese actress Chiyoko Fujiwara . Now a 70 year old lady , Chiyoko's career has nevertheless spanned a millennium from period drama to science-fiction drama - but it's a single incident from her childhood that serves as a common thread through all her films and is also the key ( literally as well as figuratively ) inspiration that makes those performances so great .
The animation then is fully put to the service of the story , Chiyoko's real-life and the documentary filmmakers all coming together into the landscape of her filmmaking career , the animation fluidly blending between them all , serving to add subtle emotional resonances - and sometimes not quite so subtle it must be admitted , but perfectly in tune nonetheless with the dramatic nature of the subject . In this way , Millennium Actress becomes a tribute not only to Japanese cinema , but to the nature of cinema as a whole , to the necessity of drama and the creation of fiction to make lives all the more vivid and meaningful . Magnificent .
061 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
Bought this item along with Tokyo Godfathers as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend . Shes a huge fan of the director . Couldnt be happier . Got this DVD on time ( during the holiday season no less ) and she flipped out .
062 4 Bought this item along with Tokyo Godfathers as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend . Shes a huge fan of the director . Couldnt be happier . Got this DVD on time ( during the holiday season no less ) and she flipped out .
063 4 As one of the previous reviewers noted , some people will find this movie great , while others wil find it , eh . I lean towards the eh side . While watching it , I was kind of bored , but when the movie ended , I thought , Hey , that was a pretty good movie .
Millennium Actress is the type of movie that you have to sit through the whole movie to appreciate . The way the story is told takes a little getting used to , but it is a very innovative way of telling a story . A movie studio is being torn down , and a movie producer , Tachibana , has been granted an interview with the studio's greatest star , Chiyoko , who has been in seclusion for the past 30 years . As she tells her story , you get a history of Japan via the actress ' roles in jidaigeki ( historical period movies ) . Her movie roles and personal life are intertwined as she searches for the love of her life . Millennium Actress does what Japanese cinema , historically , does so well : the story of the tragic romance .
Objectively , the story-telling itself is admirable . We learn about the characters incrementally , and tag along with her on her journey just like the way Tachibana does when as he interviews her . At the end , everything comes together .
Subjectively , how well you like the movie will just depend on how you react towards the characters . Some will be enthralled as the movie goes forward . Some , like me , will appreciate the story and characters more after watching it than while watching it . And some will really not bond with the characters and situation at all .
064 4 This review is from :
Millennium Actress ( DVD )
Read this review if you're trying to decide whether to get this movie without having someone tell you so much about it that it ruins all the surprises .
I just watched this with my very intelligent - - and rather conservative - - spouse , a very smart engineer friend from India who doesn't think much of anime , and an intellectual Russian friend who's pretty knowledgeable about movies .
The engineer fell asleep - - thought it was a crashing bore and a complete waste of time . My wife found it annoying , due to a tendency in Japanese films for what people of northern European descent would consider overacting / overemotionalism . The Russian Jewish film buff and I found it both fascinating and touching .
So - - which response would you have ? I'll try to help .
1 . The film's structure is complex , and is constructed rather the way a classical symphony is constructed . It's a narrative , but one that loops back in on itself , revisiting leitmotifs throughout , and ending in a way that , say , a Mahler or Brahms fan would find very satisfying . However , someone who wants straight ahead storytelling , with a clear sense of what is actually happening at any given moment , may get lost here and there . I didn't , but I'm a serious film buff . Few filmmaking tricks surprise me any more . This did .
If you liked Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Being John Malkovich or Carlos Saura's Carmen those might be clues to you liking . However , my wife like two of these a lot and didn't like Millenium Actress .
The real clincher would be if you've seen a bunch of Japanese movies made in the 1950s , 60s and early 70s - - because , paralleling the story of the central characters is a loving homage to both Japan's history and to that golden era of Japanese films , whose tropes and styles appear in this , somewhat Zelig style .
My wife thought it jumped around in Japanese history , but it's more accurate to say that it jumped around the different genres of Japanese filmmaking in the postwar era - - the samurai films ( divided into a bunch of subcategories ) , realistic modern films , and sci fi , from domestic dramas to war films .
A lot of the time what's happening onscreen seems to shimmer magically between the characters ' own stories and the stories of the films they're talking / thinking about .
2 . Another aspect is that the central personal theme is unrequited love , which is the romanticism of a young teenager - - so if you find Romeo and Juliet and all those films young teenage girls swoon at nothing but annoying , that might be a counter-indicator for this film .
It's important to add that this film's PG rating might mislead you into thinking kids could see it . But it's only subtitled - - not dubbed - - and I think its complex musical structuring and the need for you to know something about Japanese history and film history would cut out many young teens who might love wonderful Japanese animes like Spirited Away .
3 . By knowing something about Japanese history I mean it helps a lot to recognize from people's makeup and costumes whether you're seeing , say , Heian era or Tokugawa era or Meiji era costume drama . Maybe that's not absolutely required , but I think that's part of why my Indian engineer friend thought it was a stupid jumble of stuff .
So here's the trick : emotionally , at its core this film is no more complex than Bolt , the delightful American animated 3D feature my wife and I saw and loved last year . But cinematically this film is up there with some really sophisticated films . So if you just look at the character and quests of the central characters you might dismiss this as a kids ' film only .
From my point of view I figure we were all kids once , so I'm OK with seeing something from that simpler perspective as long as there are other things to keep my mind engaged . This did so fully , and I'm very glad I saw it .
But if you haven't seen Rashomon , Seven Samurai , Sansho the Bailiff , and a bunch of other Japanese Golden Era classics - - the kind that get put out under the Criterion imprint - - maybe you should see those first . You'll appreciate this more if you do .
I only had one real gripe about the film , but I'm probably wrong about this . In a scene on the Moon , the heroine moves around as if she's moving in Earth gravity , instead of that skippy hoppy thing real astronauts on the Moon do . OTOH in Japanese live-action sci-fi films I'm sure they moved just the way the heroine did . That's why my gripe is probably wrong , since it's not about landing on the moon - - it's about movies about landing on the moon .
My Russian Jewish friend doesn't know but a tiny fraction of what I know about Japanese history and cinema , yet she enjoyed it . Therefore the caution I just expressed about needing to know Japanese history and cinema may not be necessary . Maybe what's in the film is enough to guide you . I am sure that the more you know about Japanese history and cinema the more you'll enjoy this , though .
I'm fine with Euro-restrained cinema too . See my review of Let the Right One In for an example . But though I'm no fan of unrequited love , and some of my favorite actresses are Helen Mirren and Judy Densch , neither of whom ever act like Chiyoko in this film , I still enjoyed this thoroughly .
BTW the main character reminded me slightly of Ingrid Bergman - - think Casablanca . That , too , is about unrequited love in ways strongly reminiscent of this film , though visually there's very little connections . From Japanese films of the 50s this made me think of Machiko Kyo , though she could express an earthiness we never see in Chiyoko . Besides Bergman I also thought of Greer Garson and Shirley Jones and other good girl heroines of our own cinematic golden age ( even when they played prostitutes ! ) .
One other note - - the streets and vehicles and clothing styles of every era shown are all accurate and detailed . The filmmaker did his homework .
Lastly , I've seen another animated film by Satoshi Kon , Tokyo Godfathers , which you might want to see first . It's set squarely in contemporary Tokyo , is emotionally rich and complex , but told in a pretty straightforward narrative form . I really liked this film as interesting cinema but also as powerfully engaging emotionally - - somewhat more than Millenium Actress , though I was moved by the latter .
See my Amazon page if you want to look at other no-spoiler reviews , including Avatar .
065 4 Read this review if you're trying to decide whether to get this movie without having someone tell you so much about it that it ruins all the surprises .
I just watched this with my very intelligent - - and rather conservative - - spouse , a very smart engineer friend from India who doesn't think much of anime , and an intellectual Russian friend who's pretty knowledgeable about movies .
The engineer fell asleep - - thought it was a crashing bore and a complete waste of time . My wife found it annoying , due to a tendency in Japanese films for what people of northern European descent would consider overacting / overemotionalism . The Russian Jewish film buff and I found it both fascinating and touching .
So - - which response would you have ? I'll try to help .
1 . The film's structure is complex , and is constructed rather the way a classical symphony is constructed . It's a narrative , but one that loops back in on itself , revisiting leitmotifs throughout , and ending in a way that , say , a Mahler or Brahms fan would find very satisfying . However , someone who wants straight ahead storytelling , with a clear sense of what is actually happening at any given moment , may get lost here and there . I didn't , but I'm a serious film buff . Few filmmaking tricks surprise me any more . This did .
If you liked Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Being John Malkovich or Carlos Saura's Carmen those might be clues to you liking . However , my wife like two of these a lot and didn't like Millenium Actress .
The real clincher would be if you've seen a bunch of Japanese movies made in the 1950s , 60s and early 70s - - because , paralleling the story of the central characters is a loving homage to both Japan's history and to that golden era of Japanese films , whose tropes and styles appear in this , somewhat Zelig style .
My wife thought it jumped around in Japanese history , but it's more accurate to say that it jumped around the different genres of Japanese filmmaking in the postwar era - - the samurai films ( divided into a bunch of subcategories ) , realistic modern films , and sci fi , from domestic dramas to war films .
A lot of the time what's happening onscreen seems to shimmer magically between the characters ' own stories and the stories of the films they're talking / thinking about .
2 . Another aspect is that the central personal theme is unrequited love , which is the romanticism of a young teenager - - so if you find Romeo and Juliet and all those films young teenage girls swoon at nothing but annoying , that might be a counter-indicator for this film .
It's important to add that this film's PG rating might mislead you into thinking kids could see it . But it's only subtitled - - not dubbed - - and I think its complex musical structuring and the need for you to know something about Japanese history and film history would cut out many young teens who might love wonderful Japanese animes like Spirited Away .
3 . By knowing something about Japanese history I mean it helps a lot to recognize from people's makeup and costumes whether you're seeing , say , Heian era or Tokugawa era or Meiji era costume drama . Maybe that's not absolutely required , but I think that's part of why my Indian engineer friend thought it was a stupid jumble of stuff .
So here's the trick : emotionally , at its core this film is no more complex than Bolt , the delightful American animated 3D feature my wife and I saw and loved last year . But cinematically this film is up there with some really sophisticated films . So if you just look at the character and quests of the central characters you might dismiss this as a kids ' film only .
From my point of view I figure we were all kids once , so I'm OK with seeing something from that simpler perspective as long as there are other things to keep my mind engaged . This did so fully , and I'm very glad I saw it .
But if you haven't seen Rashomon , Seven Samurai , Sansho the Bailiff , and a bunch of other Japanese Golden Era classics - - the kind that get put out under the Criterion imprint - - maybe you should see those first . You'll appreciate this more if you do .
I only had one real gripe about the film , but I'm probably wrong about this . In a scene on the Moon , the heroine moves around as if she's moving in Earth gravity , instead of that skippy hoppy thing real astronauts on the Moon do . OTOH in Japanese live-action sci-fi films I'm sure they moved just the way the heroine did . That's why my gripe is probably wrong , since it's not about landing on the moon - - it's about movies about landing on the moon .
My Russian Jewish friend doesn't know but a tiny fraction of what I know about Japanese history and cinema , yet she enjoyed it . Therefore the caution I just expressed about needing to know Japanese history and cinema may not be necessary . Maybe what's in the film is enough to guide you . I am sure that the more you know about Japanese history and cinema the more you'll enjoy this , though .
I'm fine with Euro-restrained cinema too . See my review of Let the Right One In for an example . But though I'm no fan of unrequited love , and some of my favorite actresses are Helen Mirren and Judy Densch , neither of whom ever act like Chiyoko in this film , I still enjoyed this thoroughly .
BTW the main character reminded me slightly of Ingrid Bergman - - think Casablanca . That , too , is about unrequited love in ways strongly reminiscent of this film , though visually there's very little connections . From Japanese films of the 50s this made me think of Machiko Kyo , though she could express an earthiness we never see in Chiyoko . Besides Bergman I also thought of Greer Garson and Shirley Jones and other good girl heroines of our own cinematic golden age ( even when they played prostitutes ! ) .
One other note - - the streets and vehicles and clothing styles of every era shown are all accurate and detailed . The filmmaker did his homework .
Lastly , I've seen another animated film by Satoshi Kon , Tokyo Godfathers , which you might want to see first . It's set squarely in contemporary Tokyo , is emotionally rich and complex , but told in a pretty straightforward narrative form . I really liked this film as interesting cinema but also as powerfully engaging emotionally - - somewhat more than Millenium Actress , though I was moved by the latter .
See my Amazon page if you want to look at other no-spoiler reviews , including Avatar .
066 4 From director Satoshi Kon is this bittersweet look at the life of a Japanese actress , as her history and past roles blend together into a compelling story . Kon is mostly known for doing psychological titles like Perfect Blue , Paranoia Agent , and Paprika . However , despite bending the laws of reality as much in his other works , this one reaches out on a sentimental level .
Starting off in modern day , Genya is a director making a documentary on the demolishing of a famous Japanese movie studio , and interviews the belle of the movie set , Chiyoko Fujiwara , who is now a reclusive elderly lady . She recalls when she was a young girl and scouted by an up-and-coming movie director to be his latest star . Before her mother consents to her taking up a movie career , Chiyoko befriends a handsome artist who is on the run from the government for being an activist . He gives her a key and promises to see her again sometime . Chiyoko then sets out to be an actress mainly in the hope to find him somewhere while travelling Japan from set to set . While she conveys the details of her search during the interview , it begins to incorporate parts she played in various movies . She goes from being a samurai princess , a ninja , a geisha , and more , all the while only running into the artist once while he's still on the run , and is finally confronted by an officer who has been Zenigataing him this whole time . She later learns from him that the artist was captured and tortured to death . Chiyoko then goes on a long running sequence ( one of film's several ones ) which leads to her remembering her last role as an astronaut who continues to pursue her true love even into the stars . In reality though , she passes away of old age , but reaches a final sense of conclusion when Genya returns her key to her that had been missing for decades .
Satoshi Kon delivers a finely animated production with this , while catering to the rich history of Japanese cinema . It might get a little confusing when they're going from parts of Chiyoko's life to her in one of her movies , plus having Genya and his camerman becoming integrated into them too . Aside from the somewhat dramatic overtones in it , there is also some exceptional comedy . Sony Pictures released this on DVD in the U.S . with only a Japanese track on it , probably due to the fact that the film caters alot more to otaku and those familiar with Japanese culture than your average American , however it's still an appealing film and worth checking out .
067 4 A loving homage to Japan's Golden Age of Cinema and rendered in gorgeous animation , this is a must for any Satoshi Kon fan . The story blurs the line between Chiyoko's real life and her film work .
068 4 i've heard of this movie and seen it on and off for several years , but the clips i'd seen and the description turned me off so i didn't watch it , though i'd heard good things about it . after seeing it however , i don't know why i waited so long ! the movie is about two guys who want to interview a famous actress for the documentary they're doing on her life , and the movies she was in are used to tell the story of her love for a man she doesn't really know . this sounded extremely boring to me , and the pacing of the movie isn't fast and exciting , but more of a slower building up to the climax , so if one were to fast forward through to see segments of various scenes . . . well it just looked boring . but , the movie is actually really good .
first of all , the art is amazing . a lot of attention paid to detail and it's a pleasure to watch purely from an artistic perspective .
so the story is about two guys who interview a famous actress about her life , and she tells this story through movies she's been in . basically when she was young she met a wounded rebel in the streets and hides him from the police for a night . when she goes to see him in the morning he's gone but he left a picture of her that he drew saying something like ' until next time ' . so she sort of falls for this man and then obsesses over him for the rest of her life . she gets an offer to be an actress and accepts because the job she was offered took her to where the guys escaped to . so we find out that her success as an actress stems from her desire to find this guy . and this sounds superficial and weak as a motivation to do something with your life , kind of playing off the stereotype that a woman needs a man to complete herself , which is why i like this movie so much . when a typical north amercian thinks of japanese culture , or for some people asian culture in general , they think of the stereotypes of weak - willed , submissive women because of how the media portrays them and such , but this movie subtly twists that stereotype on its head . the girl spends her entire life chasing after this guy and many parts in the movie you wonder why she doesn't just give up on the guy and live her life for herself . at the end of the movie though . . . i guess spoiler alert but if i'd known this sooner i'd have watched it sooner . . . she tells the interviewer that it didn't matter to her if she ever actually caught up with the guy , in fact if she did catch him she would probably get bored of him because it was the chasing that she lived for . and this is like anything in life , if you chase a man o a job or even an ideology of some kind , the journey is the important thing , meaning that she is living for herself . and that made the movie for me . it twisted the stereotype of japanese women western people have . so i liked it .
070 4 As far as the old lady gets a long-forgotten sentimental trinket returned by someone who wants to interview her film genre goes , Millenium Actress sure beats hell out of Titanic .
072 4 It seems others have already said whats to say .
This film is mind bogglingly beautiful in every way . The animation and music are certainly gorgeous , but the storytelling is also so incredibly beautiful I almost cry thinking about what a wonder this film is to behold .
074 4 If Perfect Blue had better animaton , it would look like this . Millennium Actress is a beautifully crafted film . Told in a very original perspective , in the eyes of a former actress but followed by two film makers .
My only beef with this DVD is , well the DVD . The features listed on the back of the cover mention a commentary by director / writer Satoshi Kon . There is no commentary on this disc like there was on the Region 2 release . There is however a nice documentary on the film in the extras along with the U.S . trailer . The main problem with the disc comes in on the language set up . Picking either a subtitle or a audio takes you right back to the top menu which is a pain because you have to go back again if you want something else . It's just not a good menu .
But anyway , if you are prejudice against Japanese Animation , slap yourself and see this film . Anyone who has the least bit of interest in film will love this .
075 4 This has to be one of the best anime movies I have ever seen . A great love story full of all the suspense and action you could want . This movie could depress some viewers , I myself was ( and still am ) brought to tears every time I watch it . The plot gets a little confusing at times , but Millenium Actress is in my opinion a must-see for any anime fan .
076 4 I came across Millenium Actress by accident . I was looking for any anime to enrich my studies as a animation major ar CSUN . I was delighted by the graphics and the story , a wonderful exploration of history and images . Also I had purchased others anime because of the effect Millenium Actress . Anime is a great art form . I watched in my powerbook G4 and I intent to take the other anime in my trip to Brazil . It is a great relaxing , enjoyable surreal world . I will treasure this one with others in my new anime collection . Thanks for listening ! ! !
077 4 The juxtaposition of the actress ' movies , history and so forth was engaging . The interviewer's imposition in these flashbacks was entertaining and touching . The animation is top notch . While I would have liked an english dubbing , the voice acting is excellent .
078 4 I am somewhat new to Anime , and I have been very lucky with the ones that I have seen so far . Bubble-gum girls . sci-fi ninja-action flix really don't have very much appeal to me . And although the hentai films are quite amusing they really serve a different function than what I usually look for in a movie . Thus I was very pleased at how amazing this film was . Millenium Actress feels like a normal movie that just happens to be animated . I won't go into all the details of the plot , but I will just comment that the plot was excellent , very adult but not adult , the characters were good , and of course the visual elements were astounding . This movie doesn't have the Disney-esque feel that movies like Steamboy ( which I didn't care for ) , in fact it felt more like watching an Oscar worthy picture . If you don't like ninjas , busty girls , vampires or robots and are still curious to check out anime , Millenium Actress is a fine place to see the amazing potential of this artform . So far it's right up there with Spirited Away in my book .
079 4 I'm not quite sure how people could cling to Tokyo Godfathers more than Millennium Actress - I can only guess because of the heartfelt Christmas themes found within Godfathers . This film however is one of the best films ever made . . . surely the best anime movie .
The visuals are stunning , the story's presentation is freaky at times ( which is exactly what the director - the same from Perfect Blue - is a master at ) , yet doesn't carry the same scary feel to it as does Perfect Blue . One of the greatest things about this film is that it is extremely realistic . The story is just absolutely amazing , and the ending will probably have you crying .
It isn't so often that an original film as powerful as this comes out . As some know who have read my review of Tokyo Godfathers , I disliked that film simply because it failed to be as original as it presented itself . . . this movie / is / truly original . A masterpiece which any movie fanatic should run out and see .
I'm not sure whether or not this film did well particularly with anime fans or with film fanatics ( or both ) , but the due to originality , creativity , and powerful story I'm going to have to give this the highest rating possible .
081 4 Some confusion between life and her life on film
seems involved in the telling of her story .
Some kinds of beauty endure even age .
The Japanese actress of the 40 ' s becomes
the little old lady being interviewed .
The key seems to be the key to her heart ,
but becomes the key to her memories .
Is her undying love a blessing or a curse ?
We find her chasing , always chasing that man
she can never reach .
082 4 Millennium Actress is an outstanding form of art which using video as a means of being expressed . The story plot is captivating , the symbolism is great , and the visuals are outstanding . The historical relevancy adds to the story as it goes through 20th Century Japanese imperialism which leads to the modern era .
The one slightly annoying factor is is the two video cameramen who make their inputs into the storyline . The reasons for them there was ok just a little unrealistic .
083 4 This movie is a fantastic adventure that is not the in the norm of other anime . Millennium actress is just an interesting story shown an interesting way . I would not be surprised if an American director steals this movie and make it a live action film .
085 4 millennium actress is one gem of a movie , not just in animated category but in any category . it has a very strong plot and the most unusual storytelling i've ever seen .
i wish someone other than dreamworks had the publishing right to this film . though the picture quality and other aspects of this disc is just fine yet a decent english track would have been highly appreciated specially by those who dont have the patience to go through the subtitles , missing out on all those great visuals .
the people at dreamworks seem to be a little too busy just cashing in on these films without actually putting any effort from their own side .
and they just dont seem to be learning anything from their mistakes either . another great film ghost in the shell : innocence , released last year on dvd by dreamworks , got the same ( or shall i say even worse ? ? ) treatment by them .
still recommended .
086 4 a well made anime film , from perfect blue's director satoshi kon , great visuals with great direction .
unfortunately , the story coudln't catch up with that .
the story is not bad , but you lose interest at the end .
about a retired actress and her number one , forty something documentary director , fan , who wants to make and interview with her for his film.he also has a gift for her , a key , when given to her , satoshi kon takes us through the actress's memories , her personal life and films , accompanied by the director and his camera man , funny at moments , and romantic , but to me , the story is too much , for a teenage crush .
great job on the costumes , depicting the different eras of the actress's story , japan pre WWII , during the war , the fifties , the historical films , with great use of colors .
for satoshi kon's fans , and people who love a complex romantic story .
the film won the grand prize for animation , in japan agency of cultural affairs media arts festival 2001 , along with spirited away .
p.s . a funny note.the actress's left cheek mole , is on her right cheek , on the dvd disc .
087 4 I buy these anime movies to share with my 12 year old daughter . I was quite surprised that this film Millenium Actress , with such a compelling story , did not have an English dub ! My daughter won't watch films with subtitles , it bothers her eyes . All the Miyazaki anime films have nice English dubs . Dreamworks really disappointed me by not giving us an English language dub for this movie . Because of that I can only give it 3 out of 5 stars , but if it had a nice English dub I could have given it a perfect score .
088 4 When I got it home I expected great things . Yes the romance was touching in some ways but as another reader said , it was hard to follow . I think it was more than just the subtitles . You may have to be Japanesse to really understand this one .
092 4 A director is trying to work on a documentary about famous actress , Chiyoko . Chiyoko has gotten old and has withdrawn from the public life , but Tachibana slowly draws her out .
