SATOSHI KON

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

Japan, 2006.  Madhouse, Sony Pictures Entertainment.  Screenplay by Seishi Minakami, Satoshi Kon, based on the novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui.  Cinematography by Michiya Katou.  Produced by Jungo Maruta, Masao Takiyama.  Music by Susumu Hirasawa.  Production Design by Nobutaka Ike.  Film Editing by Takeshi Seyama. 

A company that specializes in experimental science nearly destroys the sanity of the world when its dream-analysing machinery is leaked into the outside world and begins to mess with people’s minds. One woman who works for the company is head of a small team of people assigned to get the technology back, hastened in her task by the fact that a renegade employee is developing the software to the point that people’s dreams are beginning to invade real life. This gorgeously animated Japanese film is often very confusing but never less than captivating. The images are stunning enough to convince you of depth even when the story is making absolutely no sense. It is hampered by a lack of compelling characters, but it’s still a very fun adventure that employs no limits of creativity in presenting the surrealism that the players experience throughout.

Venice Film Festival: In Competition