Perfect Blue

Mima, a prototypically cute pop idol throws her clean image away when she transforms herself in to an actress who shows more than a bit of leg. This leaves many of her fans unhappy. Apparently one is so sad that he or she turns to murder as Mima finds people around being brutally murdered. A taunt thriller that does what thrillers are supposed to do... keep you guessing until the end.

Rating: * * +

Fear(s) of the Dark

Short greyscale animation vignettes that try to bring your fears of the darkness to a bone chilling pinnacle. Except for a couple that are creepy in a Roald Dhal kind of way, they all fail miserably to put the viewer in any sort of discomfort.

Rating: * +

Waltz with Bashir

A pack of feral dogs tear across an anonymous street striking terror in the hearts of the pedestrians. If at all your mind was wandering this scene will snap it  back in place. From there on you venture in to the mind of Ari Folman in his quest to bring back his buried memories of the Lebanon War. A unique use of animation in an almost documentary like fashion to portray the scars a war leaves behind on the human psyche.

Rating: * * +

Blood: The Last Vampire

It's the 60s and there are chiropterans abound in Japan. And then there is Saya Otonashi, a young girl who can stop them. That about sums up the plot of this brilliantly executed atmospheric anime. If only it was longer...

Rating: * * +

Kung Fu Panda

Think its the first animated movie that I have watched on the big screen. Was impressed with the all conquering panda - funny and Jack Black does a good job.

Rating: * * *

Millenium Actress

The shutters of the Ginei studio have come crashing down. Their greatest star was Chiyoko Fujiwara who sustained them for over 70 years. To pay homage and show gratitude they decide to make a film on her life. The part documentary part interview sends you crashing into the starlet's life and soon you are immersed in the her story which melds into the movies she acted in. Or maybe it is the other way around...

Rating: * * +

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Young Makoto is a regular high school girl with the usual share of teenage problems. But all that changes when she finds that she can leap through time. But being the ditz that she is, her time traveling capabilities are only put to use for silly things like avoiding conversations, doing school work and fixing people's romantic problems. An anime that won't bore you but neither will it enthrall you.

Rating: * *

Tekkon Kinkreet

Street urchins Kuro and Shiro rule the diapilated world of Treasure town from its roof tops. The happy life of the kids is soon under dark clouds when the yakuza show up to turn the town into a theme park. And things only get worse when thunder in the form of alien assasins show up.

Based on the manga by Taiyo Matsumoto, the film does get dark and violent as it proceeds but none of it is wanton as the anime reveals its many layers. Nothing is as simple as it is made out to be...

Rating: * * +

Ninja Scroll

Jubei a ninja and master swordsman is tricked in to working for the Shogun, by a wizened old monk. They are joined by the beutiful Kagero, poison taster of a clan loyal to the Tokugawa. Soon they are plagued by bizarre ninja demons on all sides. A trippy imaginative anime that might shock but never bore you with its regular fare of blood, gore and titties.

Rating: * * +

Paprika

The DC-mini is a machine that can record dreams. The people who made it hoped it would treat arcane psychiatric diseases. But when the technology is stolen and dreams start to invade reality, their hopes prove otherwise. And now only Parika stands in the way. An anime thriller like no other that will make you think you are dreaming, every step of the way.

Rating: * * *

Renaissance

The year is 2054 and every body speaks English in Paris. Everything is recorded and no one is ever alone. But not even the ever present camera can show where Ilona Tasuiev, a young promising scientist, has disappeared. Her employers, Avalon, a giant conglomerate that peddles eternal beauty wants her found no matter the cost. Karas, a cynical and jaded captain among Paris's finest finds himself in hot seat. The only clues he has are a trail of dead bodies.

A beautifully etched anime where the artist has done some brilliant work in pure black and white. Thankfully the film was not just eye candy but had excellent voice overs by Daniel Craig and Ian Holm and a cunning plot.

Rating: * * *

GITS:SAC: Solid State Society

Another superb installment of the Ghost in the Shell anime series, based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, shows us Section 9 with all our old friends sans the Major. Togusa heads the field ops and a slightly ailing Aramaki now walks around with a cane. A rather subdued and depressed Batou continues to strut around obsessing over the development of the Tachikomas.

The group is confounded by thirteen suicides of terrorists without any rhyme or reasons. The only connection they have is the mention of a wizard hacker called the Puppeteer. Batou soon discovers the Major floating in the periphery of the investigation and the ride is on...

In spite of being the weakest installment in the series it still held true to the high standards set by its predecessors. If the review is making no sense to you it is best you start at the beginning and then you will know that before Trinity there was Motoko Kusanagi.

Rating: * * +

Steamboy

I was looking forward to this anime from the maker of Akira with much anticipation. But Katsuhiro Otomo disappoints. The flick highlights the ever ensuing fight against using science for destruction. It is very rich in detail and portrays some wonderful animation but does not have the deep philosophical and mystical storyline that Akira had.

Rating: * *