Perfect Blue
25 year anniversary of Satoshi Kon's debut film... One of the most inventive and groundbreaking Directors in animation of all time. With only having Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, and Paranoia Agent under his belt, he still pushed every limit possible to allow audiences to believe Animation is not a genre of cinema, but an art form.
There's something about the way this movie not only avoids holding your hand, but slaps it out of the way. In no way does Kon reveal where the plot is going or if Mima will ever find out what's wrong with her. The movie is inherently vague and left up to interpretation. After several viewings this year, there's still more and more to unpack and to realize. Kon uses all 81 minutes of run time to tell one of the best psychological thrillers with imaginative and fluid animation. It still holds up extremely well with its references to the internet and the irreparable damages it can cause. It is grotesque, twisted, and outlandish... a masterpiece.
Advise giving trigger warnings to those who haven't seen prior