Millenium Actress (Sennen Joyu)
Time after time

// Synopsis: A movie studio sends a filmmaker to create a commemortive documentary that involves interviewing one of their past leading ladies who has gone into seclusion. As she reminices about her past, she takes the filmmaker and his cameraman on a journey that interwines the reality of her personal history and movie roles.

// Review: The mecha, demon slaying, and high school soap operas typically dominate the anime landscape, so it was refreshing to watch a completely original departure. Japanese anime critics may have felt the same as Millenium Actress won best feature film in 2002.

/ The movie starts off with an older filmmaker setting off to film a documentary for his production house's 70th anniversary. The set piece is a rare interview of Chiyoko Fujiwara who was their biggest star that has since gone into hiding for decades.

/ Chiyoko recounts the beginnings of her career as it was marked by deciding on acting after being randomly discovered in order to chase after a love interest she also randomly met. This man happens to be an artist fighting during a cultural revolution. As she retells her autobiography, the reality of it melds into the stories of different movie roles she played, and the filmmaker and cameraman are brought along for the ride and even integrated into the flashbacks. It's really a unique style of storytelling.

/ Millenium Actress is a tragic tale of waiting and loss that manages to be touching and yet not sappy. I usually don't go for these kinds of anime but the beauty and artistry is undeniable. In the end you feel a sense of completion and sympathize with a part of Chiyoko long suffering sadness.

// Wrap up: This is a conventional tragic love tale told in a very unconventional way. It's steady pacing an original style makes this a very solid watch.

Entertainment rating: 3.5