Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

Much like Akira in the 1980s, this is the film that sets the standard by which all others of its kind are judged - and usually found wanting.

Full Review | Comment

07/04/08

the mind-blowing story and its reality-bending aesthetic form a sublime continuum, where the medium becomes part of the message...this is animation at its most acute and enthralling.

Full Review | Comment

07/06/07

Too talky and philosophical for kids, and dabbling in lavish imagery that lacks enough narrative coherence to hook adults, this is an animated feature that, well, needed to get a little more animated.

Full Review | Comment

03/31/07

The elegance, attention to detail, the invention and expertise all ensure that the movie’s never less than visually breathtaking.

Full Review | Comment

06/24/06

For Japanimation fans it's a big-screen must-see.

Full Review | Comment

04/01/06

Muddled up with philosophising about the relationship between mind and the material world.

Full Review | Comment

12/06/05

The staggering beauty of Oshii's animation more than makes up for the fact that his plot is completely impenetrable.

Full Review | Comment

09/30/05

One long, tedious rumination on the blurring distinction between man and machines.

Full Review | Comment

05/03/05

If you're already an anime fan, this is required viewing. If not, this isn't going to convert you anytime soon.

Full Review | Comment

03/05/05

Japanese animated film which explores the nature of post-modern existence and consciousness is a mixed bag in terms of both narrative and images.

Full Review | Comment

02/03/05

While one can’t accuse Innocence of being dim, it is certainly long winded and cliché.

Full Review | Comment

12/16/04

Oshii allows the plot to be overwhelmed by a slew of cockamamie musings on the nature of existence that wouldn't float in a late-night dorm room smokeout.

Full Review | Comment

12/06/04

With this beautiful, thought-provoking, adrenaline-fuelled film, Oshii heralds a truly post-human era in which all forms of 'life' deserve our respect.

Full Review | Comment

11/19/04

Pure, wordless cinema, existing in a realm too deliciously mysterious to pull down.

Full Review | Comment

11/11/04

In this anime it's a basset hound that brings the only bits of warmth.

Full Review | Comment

11/05/04

The animation is vivid and surrealistic.

Full Review | Comment

11/01/04

Compared to many anime films, Oshii's anime style is still different, an intoxicating blend of mechanical and organic, like his characters.

Full Review | Comment

10/29/04