Eye Candy #148 - "Millenium Actress"

Millenium Actress: I'm not a giant anime viewer, and I tend to be pretty picky about what I do and do not watch. There's just way too much out there and most of the time I can't be bothered to separate the wheat from the chaff. Just because it's anime doesn't mean it's "good" anime. But I had this film recommended to me by my brother who has seen a great deal more than I have, and I have to say it's not just one of the best anime films I've ever seen, but one of the best films I've ever seen. Period. An open love letter to the Japanese film industry, showcasing different examples of the various genres from historic romance and adventure to space sci-fi, it follows the film career of a retired Japanese actress being interviewed about her life and career. The animation is smooth and less "cartoony" than most, the characters (the actress, the two documentarians who get caught up in her story) are sympathetic and believable, and the romance undercurrent is engrossing and believable. Really, a well-made film all around, you can't ask for much more. Woodchuck sez, "Me likey".