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Millennium Actress (2001)
A movie studio is being torn down. TV interviewer Genya Tachibana has tracked down its most famous star, Chiyoko Fujiwara, who has been a recluse since she left acting some 30 years ago. Tachibana delivers a key to her, and it causes her to reflect on her career; as she’s telling the story, Tachibana and his long-suffering cameraman are drawn in. The key was given to her as a teenager by a painter and revolutionary that she helped to escape the police. She becomes an actress because it will make it possible to track him down, and she spends the next several decades acting out that search in various genres and eras.
A mind boggling visual fest by Paprika (2006) sensation Satoshi Kon. This was excellent in a classy and dramatic way. He stays true to the human drama and then plunges viewers into the ridiculous what ifs, and meddling of the funny crew.
Fantasy and reality mixed up. A documentarian and his cameraman are taken back in time, through the eyes of an extraordinary actress who truly believed in “the one”. Hope, we have nothing but that… holding on to a dream may sometimes be bad or good. Perseverance over letting go.
For a 2001 release, the animation was quite good and well produced. The voice acting really brings out the soul of characters. The story reminded me of a Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) type of struggle/experience. Stand by your heart, stand by your man.
Overall a great dramatic fanatsy film for anime-lovers and… lovers! Not a machismo film, something with delicacy and a touch of humor.
I will never give up…
