Current release: PERSEPOLIS

Oscar nominated in the Animated Film category this year, this film never had a chance of winning. Mainly that's because Pixar had a film out but equally because it's just a little bit too honest, serious and generally art-house. I know the category has only being going for a few years, but I think it'll be a few more before we see a film like this win it.

PERSEPOLIS tells of a girl from Iran who, due to the political turmoil, is sent away to Europe. The film concerns her growing up in this strange new world and the impact it has on her (and vice versa) compared with the restrictive society in Iran.

The idea of using this kind of medium to report on such issues isn't new and for all its lovely visuals (simple but vibrant, and almost entirely black and white) it just didn't strike a chord with me. It lacked the power similar endeavours such as Art Spiegelman's Maus comic strip and left me wondering who it's supposed to appeal to. Arthouse cinema-goers are only going to make up a limited audience and it's not the sort of thing that is likely to have the crossover appeal of a Miyazaki film or bring in families like Pixar movies do.

Full marks for effort and integrity and an intense view of a particular country at a particularly difficult point in time; but I'm afraid it just didn't do anything for me.