funnystrange.com

May 14 movie: Millenium Actress. The description on the DVD sleeve (animated film about a retired actress recalling her career) made me think I wouldn't like this movie. Boy, was I wrong! The plot device of the eldery actress reliving her past is a nifty way to pay tribute to a variety of Japanese film genres. And her personal story, weaving in and out of the movies, is genuinely moving. I really enjoyed this film, although I felt like I would have appreciated it even more if I were more familiar with the post-war Japanese film industry. I bet it had lots of references that were over my head (we did catch a few).