Millennium Actress

4 reviews - 18.5 total score (Explanation of the rating system)
avg. score: (4.6)

Director - Satoshi Kon

4. h8er13

Beautiful. The artwork, voice acting, direction, and music.  I was first exposed to Kon Satoshi's work with 2004's Paranoia Agent, which so far, is a great series.  Even though I heard about Kon's work, Millennium Actress, much earlier, I decided not to watch it because the premise did not sound interesting enough.  Chiyoko, a young girl growing up in the early to mid 1900's, is given the opportunity to be an actress.  She eventually seriously considers the prospect of being an actress after an encounter with a mysterious man.  The rest of the story entails her trying to find this man.

Anyway, as I stated, everything is beautiful in this movie.  I love the artwork as every character is distinguishable, like his current work, Paranoia Agent, and comparable to many Studio Ghibli productions.  The voice acting is top notch and so is the directing in general.  The technical aspects are great, but this movie is also about having a dream and following it and having faith.  That was one of the corniest lines I have ever stated, but nonetheless, Millennium Actress is a truly great film.

3. FoXdie

I had my doubts about watching this movie. How could an anime about a Japanese actress be told in an interesting way without becoming boring or overambitious. But upon reading a couple of good reviews I gave it a try. Boy was I wrong!

The story is really complex but basically it's about an actress named Chihikko who is chasing after a young boy who she met briefly in her youth. The only thing she has of him is a small key. She doesn't know his name. In fact the only clues she has are some small details she remembers from conversations with him. And so her life and everything she does (in reality or in the movies) continues to follow the theme of her chasing this unknown love.

This sounds kind of dramatic, and to some extent it is. It's not an action flick (although there are some moments of action). The main action lies in the brilliance of story telling. Reality and fiction are interwoven almost perfectly. I'm almost obliged to say this is one of the best realistic storybased anime I've ever seen. And ranks up there with Jin-Roh, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away for pure genius.

Most anime-movies rely on fancy visuals/CG, to break out of the mainstream. That's not to say the visuals here aren't spectacular. They are, in a traditional kind of way. No CG here folks. But it's the story and the way it's told that makes it shine.

A special mention needs to go out to the soundtrack, which is a fresh, original mix of traditional movie-music and electronica. It really does add alot of atmosphere.

So to everyone. Go see this movie. It's a moving, beautiful, relaxing ride down Chihikko's memory lane.

2. Ruvald

"I'll find out if Satoshi Kon is a genius or if Perfect Blue was a fluke."

Those were my thoughts as I purchased Millennium Actress. Thankfully, the former was right. Millennium Actress is a gorgeous and inspired film. It tells the story of an actress' life through witty and inventive references to japanese and international cinema. The gore and suspense
of Perfect Blue have been replaced by a gentler and sweeter film. However the blurred line between reality and fiction, a hallmark of Kon's former film, is reprised in this piece. The cinematography is impeccable, it is obvious the people behind this movie put a lot of efforts in researching every historical era involved. The music is excellent and really helps immerse the viewer in the film's universe. The characters are well fleshed-out, and their humanity and depth shine through. I must warn however that those who have to rationalize and understand every frame as it comes through may rapidly lose interest, as the best way to enjoy this film is to sit back and enjoy the ride, trusting most of it will become clear at the end (which it does). In the end, Millennium Actress is a movie that deserves as important a place in anime history as Kon's previous masterpiece, although its softer tone may not appeal to the same demographics.

1. Irina

Anyone who has seen Perfect Blue will recognize Satoshi Kon's style in this movie. Once again fact and fiction are seamlessly blended to created a fleeting and surreal atmosphere. Also both movies have actresses as leads and boast a cast of interesting and very real characters. This however is where the similarities end.

Millennium Actress isn't a Perfect Blue sequel. It doesn't have Perfect Blue's edginess and disturbing undertones; rather it's a generally calm and love story with tear jerking scenes and quiet reflections on the meanings of life and love.

This can be good but it can also be rather boring. If you are not the type to enjoy deeply emotional dramas there is not that much this movie can offer you. The animation is fair but not extraordinary, there is very little action, the soundtrack is efficient but not great and the surreal flashbacks can be just as confusing as they are interesting.

In the end, if you want to see another Perfect Blue, this is not the movie for you. On the other hand, if you want to take a look at an unusual retelling of the classic doomed love scenario complete with rich backgrounds and intelligent delivery, Millennium Actress is definitely worth your time.

As a side note, I feel I should mention one interesting fact about Millennium Actress; all the scenes we see Chiyoko acting in are taken from actual movies. Unfortunately, these consist mostly of Japanese historical dramas which are little known by most westerners. I did however recognize a scene form the 1986 comedy Tampopo.