DVD Talk Forum - Third Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon: April 2nd (Freer Gallery

Third Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon
Saturday, April 2, 2005, 11 am, 1:30 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm, Meyer Auditorium
In celebration of this year's Cherry Blossom Festival, the Freer presents a day-long festival of four Japanese Anime films, all in 35mm. In addition to the films, Gilles Poitras, author of Anime Essentials and The Anime Companion, will be on hand to introduce the films and sign books, artist and animator Steve Bennett will conduct a drawing workshop in our Imaginasia Classroom at 2:00 PM, and the DC Anime Club will put on a costume show.

Tickets for all films will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10:30 AM.

This event is made possible by the Japan Information and Culture Center of the Embassy of Japan, and Otakorp, Inc.

Tokyo Godfathers
Saturday, April 2, 2005, 11:00 am, Meyer Auditorium
From Satoshi Kon, director of Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, comes another charming and visually arresting fable. In it, three homeless people - an alcoholic, a middle-aged transvestite, and a teenage runaway - discover an abandoned baby on Christmas and set off on a journey of wonder through Kon's surreally rendered Tokyo in search of its family. (2003, 91 min., Japanese w/ English subtitles, PG-13). This film is part of the Third Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Saturday, April 2, 2005, 1:30 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Familiarity with anime visionary Mamoru Oshii's original Ghost in the Shell is not required to appreciate its equally dazzling sequel. Prepare to have your mind blown either way. Oshii's vision of a future in which the line between humans and machines has been almost entirely erased fuses traditional 2-dimensional animation with 3D computer graphics to create an indescribably rich visual experience that simply must be experienced on the big screen. (2004, 99 min., Japanese w/ English subtitles, PG-13) This film is part of the Third Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon.

A Tree of Palme
Saturday, April 2, 2005, 4:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Takashi Nakamura directed this futuristic version of the classic Pinocchio story. Set on a desert planet, it tells the story of Palme, a wooden robot created by an elderly doctor to care for his ailing wife. When she dies, Palme ceases to function until a mysterious woman appears asking for his help, sending him on his at times hilarious, at times haunting journey to become a real boy. (2001, 136 min., Japanese w/ English subtitles, TV-14) More information
This film is part of the Third Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon.

Appleseed
Saturday, April 2, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
This sci-fi spectacle from Shinji Aramaki takes place in a future city where humans are connected to a race of scientifically enhanced “bioroids” by a godlike computer system. When the bioroids need help to survive, a butt-kicking female cop has to go in search of a computer program called Apple Seed to extend their life spans. Based on a manga by Masamune Shirow, who also inspired the Ghost in the Shell movies, Aramaki's vision of the future is equal parts fast-paced action and mind bending philosophy. (2004, 103 min., rated R) More information
This film is part of the Third Annual Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon.

I plan on checking out Appleseed