bart where are you at??

[mdwyer]

First off, please site examples of "better". Personally, I think Akira is not only an awesome story, but quite possibly the greatest feat of conventional animation ever in history.

I've got to play the 'respectfully disagree' card, too. I can respect that it pulls a lot of weight in the world -- and I'm having a tough time thinking of any 'conventional animation' that matches without dipping into Disney. But I just can't believe it gets that spot on your list.

Keep in mind, however, that a large part of why I won't let myself enjoy Akira is just that I'm a pretentious b**tard.

Well, I have to say I respectfully disagree. IMO, digital animation has its place now, but cannot even hold a candle to conventional, hand drawn and painted animation. I have seen Appleseed, Ex Machina and I recently watched Vexille. All three are entertaining films, but are nothing special to me. I really like Masamune Shirow's first Ghost In The Shell film, but it pretty much stops there for me with his stuff.

Bleh. The original Appleseed is dated. Ex Machina is a John Woo movie, complete with the cliche doves. Vexille was an excuse to re-use the digital models from the digital Appleseed. The first Ghost in the Shell was pretty, but kind of empty.

I love Shirow's manga, but most of the movies are actually not very good. A large part of it, I'm sure, is the Japanese mindset, which is somehow offensive to American movie sensibilities. For example, Final Fantasy -- it is a beautiful movie. But the plot is every bit as corny as that in Silent Running. :-P

Some of my other favortie anime films include:
Ninja Scroll
My Neighbour Totoro
Spirited Away (pretty much anything Miyazaki really)

I have to say I love the Animatrix as well. Some of the best stuff I have ever seen in there. I watch loads of anime, so I would defiinitely be interested in what you think is good...and I am not talking about anime serials, that is a whole other can of worms.

Excellent choices. I agree about the Animatrix. There was some beautiful work on that. I would recommend the Cowboy Bebop movie. Although that gets close to the can of worms, I think it stands on its own well enough.

Going through the rest of my Netflix history...

I just recently enjoyed Paprika, when it was available for instant viewing on Netflix. It is by the same guy who did Milennium Actress, so you know you're in for a mind-bending. The same guy also did "Perfect Blue" a few years back, which I didn't like. "Kite" is also near the top of my list, but I'm uncomfortable actually recommending it to anyone...

"Read or Die" was sort of fun, as was "Gun Smith Cats". Both of those are action that's fun to watch. They're the American Lager of Anime Beers...

You might like "Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade". That's the porter of anime beers. It is dark and bitter.

"Kaena" is actually French, and is mostly an advert for digital modeling of fluid dynamics. Similar to Final Fantasy in that the plot is sort of eh... but it is pretty!

I have heard the "Grave of the Fireflies" will make the most cold-hearted person in the world cry. It is about child suvivors of the atomic bombing of Japan. I haven't been able to bring myself to see it yet.

You can't go wrong with Miyazaki. "Nausicaa" is my favorite with "Spirited Away" not far behind it. Everybody -- even those people who think they don't like Anime -- should see a Miyazaki film.