Millennium Actress (2001)

A remarkably textured journey (both visually and emotionally) into the rich and varied past of an aging former actress, Satoshi Kon's follow-up to Perfect Blue successfully retains that film's sense of fantastic reality while eschewing its more suspenseful elements in favor of a more reflective approach. It's interesting to see anime being used for drama rather than for science fiction or fantasy, and this is where Kon truly sets himself apart from most filmmakers working today. By using animation for dramatic purposes, Kon's creativity in terms of story structure is virtually boundless. While this might an intimidating factor for some directors, Kon has an uncanny knack of making it work in his favor by truly getting to know his characters. By using dramatic means to drive the more fantastic elements of the story and by rooting the characters in a familiar reality, Kon allows viewers to relate to those characters while gradually getting absorbed into the tale of lost love and remarkable adventure. Though the film, at times, borders on melodramatic, Kon and crew have enough sense to pull back from time to time and let the story tell itself when necessary. If at first the film doesn't seem as visually dynamic as viewers might expect, the gradual progression from simple to complex images, as well as the creative use of textures to express emotion, slowly envelopes the viewer until the film's heartfelt and visually elegant climax. With Millennium Actress, Kon has not only proven that Perfect Blue was no fluke, but has truly set himself apart from the pack by being a remarkably creative visual storyteller and a true innovator in the realm of mature and dramatic anime. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide