Tokyo Godfathers
Satoshi Kon's third feature (followingPerfect BlueandMillennium Actress) confirms his status as one of the most  interesting directors working in anime.Tokyo Godfatherscenters on three  homeless people: Hana, a flamboyant ex-drag entertainer; Gin, an alcoholic former  bicycle racer; and Miyuki, a sullen teenage runaway. Their tenuous existence  becomes more chaotic when they set out to find the parents of an abandoned baby on  Christmas Eve. They scream insults as they confront the lies they've told  each other--and themselves--about the past. Yet they remain curiously endearing  and even noble. All three care passionately about the abandoned infant, and  they love each other, although they're loath to admit it. Kon skillfully uses  color to suggest the bitter winter cold and the characters' alienation.Tokyo  Godfathersshows that battling the inner demons that led these three  characters to skid row can be a more daunting challenge than fighting aliens and  cyborgs. (Rated PG-13: profanity, violence, tobacco and alcohol use)--Charles Solomon