Adapted from her own 2000 comic, Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis is a wonderful animated coming-of-age film set against the fraught backdrop of the Iranian Revolution of the late 1970s. What really makes this largely autobiographical effort shine is its accessibility: despite a premise which might not initially seem too relatable to many Western viewers, with its themes of family and desire, it's tough not to get drawn in. The spritely animated style combines with a wealth of self-aware humour to ensure that the pic, despite its active engagement with the unfortunate political realities of the time, never de-evolves into misery porn. Even for children, there's a great message here about independence and individuality, and even if tykes might not quite understand all the social intricacies of the era, it'll give them a nice change of pace from Disney fare.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
