Perfect Blue
A film rarely wows me and leaves my jaw on the floor. The last time I had this feeling was when I watched Parasite for the first time over a year ago. I feel this way now after watching Perfect Blue.
Perfect Blue is one of best movies I have ever watched. I am dead serious. The film has a runtime of 81 minutes and each millisecond is meaningful and suspenseful. The animation has a hypnotic feel to it and I just can’t believe the movie was made before computer integrated animation was widely used. A benchmark in the anime and animation industry.
Mima is such a relatable protagonist, especially during the social media era. In the opening minutes, she is presented as a pretty pop star, seemingly disconnected with our reality. However, we then see Mima in her apartment, going to the grocery store and living out her everyday life. She is a real person with emotions and feelings. And when she has to perform scenes that make her uncomfortable and do shoots that are particularly disturbing, you have a certain feeling of sadness and anger for her. I never knew an anime character could feel like a real person.
Perfect Blue is indeed Perfect. An enthralling mix of Hitchcockian thrill and Kubrick atmosphere, Perfect Blue is one of the best films ever made and anyone interested in the art form should certainly take the time to watch this masterpiece.
10/10