Persepolis (2007)

I have never seen an animated film with this much imagination. I heard someone talking about movie criticism once and they said that when you look at a movie, you have to think about why they chose that medium, why it HAD to be in that medium rather than any other. In this case, it most definitely had to be an animated film. The stark black and white colors continue to be a reminder of the starkness of Marjane's life. The creativity of the fade-outs, the sudden uses of silhouettes, the image of Marjane's new love driving her home in a flying car... All brilliantly thought out and visually stunning. Although the story is dark and frightening, the visuals remain imaginative even in their most terrifying moments. The story itself is less interesting than the visuals, but is made interesting through its presentation. Did this win Oscars? If not, it should have. 4 stars.