PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

negatively-positive-girl As most Satoshi Kon films, it is confusing and a bit tedious at the start. But at the very end, it concludes beautifully, where everything falls in place. An elderly woman recalls her life, mixing facts with the stories of her films, accompanied by a fan in an interview, where reminiscing of the past makes them feel young again.

sol- As they interview a reclusive former actress, a television reporter and cameraman are literally transported through her memories in this highly unusual animated drama from Japan. It takes a while to grow accustomed to the unusual narrative approach -- and it is still sometimes hard to follow even one understands what is going on -- but there is a lot like in how the whole movie feels like a stream of consciousness brought to life, with the actresses flipping through memories from the start, middle and twilight years of her career before suddenly vanishing from public life. It is also curious to learn of her reasons for going into show business, which turn out to be more than just fame and fortune, with her career flourishing in ways she could have never anticipated and ultimately could not control. The film was apparently inspired by the life of Setsuko Hara (star of 'Late Spring' and several other Ozu films) who withdrew from acting in her early forties to never appear on film again, but the protagonist here could also be related to Greta Garbo and indeed anyone who has ever chosen to leave life in the public eye behind. It is a fascinating journey too, but one does need to pay sharp attention to follow the time shifts.

Andres Salama In this interesting, very attractively drawn anime from Japan, a TV journalist gets to interview Chiyoko Fujiwara, a once famous actress who mysteriously became a recluse after retiring from acting some 30 years ago. As she is interviewed about her movies, she turns into the characters she played, in different eras and in different genres, and fantasy becomes confused with reality.The movie's conceit is interesting. How it is carried out, not so much. At times, the story becomes a bit too confusing. A more straight- lined screenplay would have helped.Note: Though she doesn't look terribly like her, Chiyoko Fujiwara is obviously inspired on Setsuko Hara (born in 1920), the beautiful actress who starred in many of the best films of Yasujiro Ozu (she was the understanding daughter in law in Tokyo Story), and also in some films of Akira Kurosawa and Mikio Naruse. Hara not only retired from cinema, but also has rejected any interviews for 50 years, living an apparently recluse life in Kamakura, the Tokyo suburb where many Ozu's films are set (and where Ozu himself is buried). In the movie, Fujiwara seclusion is due to an early romantic disappointment. As far as I know, no one knows the reason of Hara's disappearance from public life.Interestingly, director Satoshi Kon was born in 1963, the same year Setsuko Hara retired from cinema (and also the same year Yasujiro Ozu died). Kon unfortunately died of cancer in 2010; Setsuko Hara incredibly, is alive as of 2015.

PetalsAndThorns Brilliant ! Beautiful ! Heartbreaking and hilarious.A uniquely told story, with a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat, laughing, crying, and everything in between.The artistic geniuses of Madhouse animation have done it again, bringing us an exquisitely animated feast for the eyes. There are so many "wow" moments in this film, with great attention to realistic details, textures, and shadows. Millennium Actress is truly a visual masterpiece. This is a MUST SEE film for fans of anime, and anyone who likes a slightly surreal, mysterious, amusing, yet heart-tugging story.The only thing this film left me wanting was : more.