Tokyo!: Review

Tokyo! Is a 2008 film comprised of 3 short films directed by Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Bong Joon Ho. What initially I thought of as narrative films trying to shape an idea of the city of Tokyo, I slowly realized these directors kind of hit and miss the mark of showing Tokyo and instead of peering deep into the personal struggles of the people of Tokyo and watching in 12 years after release, I would definitely say, the rest of the world has caught up with the fears in the movie.

Casual spoiler notice because I really enjoyed going blind into this film. Trust!

Michel Gondry

Wow oh wow. First, what a concept. It is a completely normal movie but featuring mutated humans. I think the movie kind of forgets that and I did also but thinking back its such a curiosity that shapes the narrative. We get these bookends of the fantastical nature of the world around us but the way it is used, it feels common and ordinary. The extraordinary becomes normal and we allow it to tell the story in a truly interesting way. The way they deconstruct the corporate structure without showing an office or building once is both masterful and smart. We understand the place they are living in is a part of the corporate lifestyle and we can’t avoid it in the rest of the film. Everyone is aiming to improve their own situation, but no one asks why. And then we get the real magic of the film. A person turning into a chair. Chefs kiss. It is such a fantastical move that nothing is better than something. Her journey is in essence to be comfortable with herself, on her own. It’s both such a fantasy for anyone that has a busy schedule to be able to be comfortable with nothing, or maybe that’s just me. Content with nothing, content with work, content with life.

Leos Carax

The Godzilla score over the opening scene is such a smart use of Japanese film history to create a tone and mood. The monster that is both other-worldly but also created from our own problems walk the street around us and it just works so well together. So if the director is French I’m curious to know what parts of mythology he is pulling from for this monster character. First impressions I felt some leprechaun tinges with the green attire and red hair, I could see trolls with the underground settings or maybe some kind of pagan with the dialogue. Each part combining to make a truly weird and unique creature. I think it is a lot of fun in the pacing of the movie that they create the need for so much empty space as people converse and are translated into different languages. Between the monster tongue, French and Japanese, you get these interesting ways that it fits together to keep the movie moving but also convey the complexity at hand. I also had some vibes of Swedish films like those of Roy Anderson mixed with Brian De Palma in a lot of the framing and scene-setting that combined the hyper-realistic city with the drab interiors. Also, are clear umbrellas a thing? North America doesn’t really have that and it’s super interesting to think about.

Bong Joon Ho

Bow down to the film gods for allowing director Bong to make a film that speaks to 2020 in 2008. This also introduced me to the idea of hikikomori and now when my friends ask me to go out I have a reason to say no. I thought I liked director Bong as a social horror director but I think I like him more with this romantic taste. As with the main character’s house, everything is in its place and everything is a part that fits into the world. I think the very last moment might be the most adorable thing I have seen this year so yeah. It’s completely ridiculous, doesn’t make sense but the look in your eye just melts me. I really like the idea that they breakdown over the duration and that is one of a solitary experience. We all spend so much time going through our own struggles and issues we often fail to see the rest of the world doing the same thing and this film really shows that so well. And to wrap this up with a wild theory, the girl is a robot. Actually, that’s not a very wild theory but ask yourself if she is, then who else.

The absurd, the strange and weird really help me see this film as one of my favourites and I can’t wait to revisit it multiple times in the next few years.