Tokyo (Blu-Ray)

A couple months ago I saw TOKYO! at a film festival in San Francisco. One of the reasons I went to the screening was because of Michel Gondry, who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind. His piece was actually one of three short films that are in Tokyo! Each story takes place in the great city, but offers something different. The first, by Gondry, is about a young couple who are going in different directions. The second, by Carax, is about a sewer dweller who terrorizes the streets of Tokyo. And the thrid, by Joon-Ho, is about a OCD man who leaves his house for the first time in 10 years after falling for the pizza delivery girl.

I'm excited Tokyo! is coming to Blu ray because it now has a chance to reach a wider audience. I think this particular film will benefit from a High Defintion transfer because of the different locations and colors used throughout the film. My personal favorite story of the three was Gondry's, but one of the great things about this film is that everyone has an opinion as to which one was the better story. Tokyo! is a visually appealing film that is worth checking out.

Tokyo! is an omnibus feature that brings together three of today's most vibrant directors for three enthralling stories that encompass one city. Each non-Japanese director brings his own style to the screen to present a foreigner's view of the largest city on earth, and in doing so provide us with a cinematic treat.

INTERIOR DESIGN - Michel Gondry's (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) piece follows a young couple as they try to set themselves up in Tokyo. The young man's ambition is clear - become a film director. His girlfriend however is far more indecisive and cannot escape the feeling that she's losing control of her life. Directionless, both are beginning to go under in this vast city, until the young woman becomes the object of a bizarre transformation.

MERDE - Leos Carax (Lovers on the Bridge) spins the tale of a mysterious creature that spreads panic in the streets of Tokyo. Through this monster's provocative and destructive behavior, he arouses both passion and repulsion...until the moment he is captured.

SHAKING TOKYO - Bong Joon Ho (The Host) gives us the story of a hikikomori, an agoraphobic man that has been shut up in his apartment for 10 years. When a pizza delivery girl faints in his home during an earthquake, the unthinkable happens - he falls in love. Shortly after, he learns the girl has also become a hikikomori and now to find her he must dare to cross the threshold between his apartment and the rest of the world.

This visually stunning film addresses the timeless question of whether we shape cities, or if cities shape us.

I saw it at the Miami Film Festival and absolutely loved it, I can't wait till it comes out on DVD.

I sat down to "Tokyo!" with uncertain expectations. I suppose, in many ways, I had anticipated these vignettes by three different international directors would be an homage or love letter to the city in the vein of "Paris, Je T'aime." Well, I've been wrong before and I'll certainly be wrong again! This trio of short films by the esteemed talents of Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, and Joon-ho Bong re-imagine the city as a dark subterranean fantasy world. Strange, to say the least, I think it's fair to proclaim that "Tokyo!" stands as a unique expression of cinematic imagination. Whether, in the long run, you'll love or hate these films is probably the big question as they are certainly designed to inspire strong feelings. But, one thing is clear, you've never seen anything quite like this collection of oddities.

Gondry, whose eccentricities worked best in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," starts things off with "Interior Design." "Design" follows a young couple who move to Tokyo to seek their fortune. As the guy starts to succeed and adapt, his girlfriend assumes a more peripheral role. Her feelings of inadequacies and uselessness ultimately manifest with a physical transformation that is brilliantly devised and slyly hysterical. It, as a whole, is my favorite segment! But Carax's "Merde" easily contains some of the trio's most inspired moments. A creature from the sewers emerges daily to terrorize the citizens on the streets. Looking more like a deranged leprechaun than an actual monster, his strange--but largely benign--attacks escalate to bloody brutality when he happens upon a cache of weapons. I absolutely loved these early scenes. When captured, his subsequent legal battle captivates a national audience. I'm not entirely sure if I understood the point of Carax's contribution, however, but it is an intriguing entertainment. And last "The Host" creator, Joon-ho Bong, developed "Shaking Tokyo." This cerebral piece concerns a recluse who finally gathers the courage to venture into the world after being entranced by a strange pizza delivery girl. A commentary on isolation, this was perhaps the least satisfying vignette for me.

"Tokyo!" is a must-see film for anyone who loves adventurous cinema. From a purely conceptual standpoint, I adored the ideas in these mini-films. I don't know, particularly, if the three combine to form any universal themes--but they are outrageously different. Perplexing and odd, I will remember "Tokyo!" and am sure to recommend it to select friends. But it's definitely not for everyone! So beware. Loopy, insane, baffling, but fun--I'd rate this as 3 1/2 stars generally with an upward round for the bizarre factor. KGHarris, 1/11.

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