Tokyo-Ga

Wim Wenders' Tokyo-Ga (1985) is a documentary about his journey to Tokyo to find out whether the Japan (and Tokyo) portrayed in Yasujiro Ozu's films can still be found. The documentary consists of beautiful imagery Wenders himself shot while going around looking for the interesting bits of Japanese culture in the capital city. There are also interviews with Chishu Ryu (an actor who often worked with Ozu) and Yuuharu Atsuta (a cinematographer who worked with Ozu for 15 years).

The beautiful (and well paced) footage is sometimes narrated by the director himself who provides fascinating insight for anyone interested in the director (or the country itself). The documentary evokes nostalgia similar to Ozu's films - this time it's a bit different because Japan's social and cultural development has gone so much further (in both good and bad ways).

In short: Tokyo-Ga is the best documentary I've ever seen.

Score: 10 out of 10

Tokyo Story

Yasujiro Ozu's Tokyo Story (1953) is almost inevitably on every film critic's list of favourite films. It is one of the most praised Asian films all over the world. Now that I rewatched it, I can guarantee that its impact is even bigger the more you watch it. Tokyo Story is the tragic story of an elderly couple who go to Tokyo to visit their children and grandchildren. The longer they stay the more apparent it becomes that the children dont have time for them and treat them rather coldly.

As usually, Ozu creates a fantastic story about a family in Tokyo Story. He observes the Japanese honestly without any exaggeration and the difference he reveals between generations is astounding. Upon meeting their grandparents for the first time, one boy runs away in terror and the other whines about his desk having been moved to make space for the grandparents. The adults only seem to care about their own business and eventually leave the elderly couple on their own. Ozu doesnt make it melodramatic - instead he approaches the sad subject as minimalistically as it is possible. This subtle richness gives it a heartbreaking mood and that way the actual dramatic moments have a lot stronger impact on the viewer.

Ozu's brilliant form is something I will never stop admiring. His camera is always set just a little above the ground and it almost never moves - and when it does move, it's really effective (there is only one moving shot in Tokyo Story). His framing is so brilliant and he likes to come back to the same compositions a few times during the film and it gives the film more poignancy although it does not reach the levels of Hou's City of Sadness in Ozu's Tokyo Story. He breaks a few rules used in Hollywood - like having actors speak their lines directly at the camera (not for comical purposes) and he also broke the so-called 180degree rule once in a while. His films also feature transition shots ("pillow shots") that signal the change of location by using a few shots of scenery. His cinematic language full of these lovely little details that make the films a lot more fascinating to watch.

Tokyo Story is a brilliant, poignant film that deserves all of its praise. Although it might be hard to watch for some people, I would recommend it to anyone. It is one of the greatest films ever made.

Score: 10 out of 10

Tokyo!

Tokyo! (2008) is a triptych of stories that all take place in Tokyo. Each segment is directed by a different director: Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Jong-ho Bong. I would say what all of these segments have in common (besides the location) is that they all somehow deal with our difficulties to communicate and find our place in the society. But it is a lot easier to focus on these segments separately. The film opens with an animated shot of Tokyo with an announcer speaking in the background, as if we - the viewers - would be boarding onto a flight. In my opinion, watching the film feels like one, even if the stories are wildly exaggerated and they dont necessarily try to portray Tokyo honestly.

The first segment is Michel Gondry's Interior Design. Akira (Ryo Kase), an amateur and experimental filmmaker, and her girlfriend Hiroko (Ayako Fujitani) come to Tokyo to release Akira's film and also to find a place to live in. Before finding their own apartment, they move in to live with Akemi (Ayumi Ito) for a few days. From there on, the story becomes a bit different: the main characters face difficulties and in the end it is about Hiroko and her problems to fit into the society. The story takes on a rather wild symbolical path by the end, which even on its own makes the segment worth watching. The story raises enough questions - and its own peculiar way answers them satisfyingly enough, but it is nothing revolutionary. Gondry's visual take on the story is impressive and very fitting. I went bonkers when I heard that both Fujitani and Ito are both in this movie - even more when I realised they are in the same segment. They both perform very well as expected, delightul performances by both of them - even though Ito's character is hardly deep or even good. On its own, I would probably give this segment a 7 as its rating.

The second segment is Leos Carax' Merde. Merde (Denis Lavant) is the main character (pictured above) of the film who is also known as the "Creature of the Sewers" who wreaks havoc in Tokyo once in a while and then disappears. Eventually the Japanese capture him and what happens then is even more bizarre than the beginning. I guess you could interpret the story to be a tale of how different people can be - and how we react to that difference. Yet the screenplay doesnt seem to pick a side - or even a point of view - on the subject and in the end it is quite disappointing. It explores its obvious message on a childish yet peculiar way which seems to be an insult towards weird people in general. Yet it seems to show how cruelly the society takes care of these weird persons. The result is a mess - to say the least. The biggest offender was the nonsensical ending. Carax' form for the story is a weird combination of gritty and clean cinematography. It certainly packs a punch here and there, and it uses some weird devices - like split screen for an entire scene. That's why it feels a bit gimmicky at times, but in general it works to some degree. This segment deserves only a 3!

The last segment is Joon-ho Bong's Shaking Tokyo. It is the story of a Japanese man (Teruyuki Kagawa) who has lived all alone in his apartment for over 10 years and has avoided eye contact with anyone during that time. The story is set into motion once he does make eye contact with pizza delivery girl (Yû Aoi) - with almost catastrophical results. I have to admit the story evolves into something extremely fascinating and thoughtful. This segment alone makes the film worth a watch - or even worth the purchase of the DVD release. In a way Bong shoves the middle finger at what the Japanese society has turned into yet he seems to care deeply for the characters. The story is - as you can guess - about loneliness and the difficulties in communication. Bong's form is nigh perfect with its great compositions and lovely editing. I dont want to reveal too much about the segment, but the content is awesome as well. This segment certainly deserves a 9 at least.

In overall, the film is certainly nice to watch because the segments are so refreshingly different from each other. Even though I disliked the second segment, I can see how it fits into the film and I will probably buy the DVD someday.

Score: 7 out of 10