Review: "Tekkon Kinkreet" (2006)

Tekkon Kinkreet” is a fast-paced and poignant animated film that features stunning visuals, interesting characters and an emotionally resonant story of brotherly love.

Loosely translated as “concrete jungle”, “Tekkon Kinkreet” opens with the image of a black crow soaring out of the clouds and swooping down over Treasure Town, a decaying and crime-ridden underbelly of a major Japanese metropolis. The symbolism of the black crow as an augury of death and destruction is appropriate given that “Tekkon Kinkreet” is essentially a tale of transformation – of a city and its people.

Part fantasy, part action-adventure, “Tekkon Kinkreet” centers on the story of Black and White, two orphaned boys with unusual superpowers, who live on the streets of Treasure Town and band together to battle various mobster factions that threaten their beloved home by razing the city center to build a modern amusement park. Black is a tough, pessimistic, anger-filled teenager whose first instinct is to fight. By contrast, White is an innocent child with a sunny disposition who’s always dreaming of a better world filled with blue skies, sandy beaches and dives in the ocean with dolphins. Like yin and yang, together they balance each other; apart, they each fall prey to the extremes of their light and dark natures. Despite names that imply a one-note characterization, both Black and White are interesting characters that draw us in with their vulnerability and so we grow to care about what happens to them.

In addition to the narrative of the young boys, director Michael Arias also skillfully weaves an interesting secondary story about the rivalry between old-school, change-resisting yakuza who value comraderie and their traditional code of honor versus the cynical, modern bad guys who care only about power and money.

Although the film would have benefited from tighter editing - some of the action sequences are repetitive – “Tekkon Kinkreet” is a visually fantastic and thought-provoking anime for adults that explores themes of brotherhood and the impact of urban modernization.

Review: "Big Man Japan" (2007)

“Big Man Japan” is a weirdly entertaining but erratic film that blends a parody of monster movies with a bizarre spin on the superhero epic. It’s an oddball take on “Hancock” that focuses a satirical eye on Japanese nationalism and the world of media and reality TV.

Employing a faux documentary style of filmmaking, director Hitoshi Matsumoto (who also plays the lead character) chronicles the surreal adventures of Daisato, a lonely middle-aged man, gifted with the power to transform into a giant when shocked with electricity, as he goes about his job as chief monster fighter for the Department of Monster Prevention. While his father and grandfather were hailed as national heroes and mobbed by fans, monster fighting isn’t quite as popular it once was and TV ratings are down. Daisato is now a pariah within the community – people complain about the noise and property destruction he causes, his wife and child have left him and neighbors throw rocks through his windows and write obscene graffiti on his door. In order to supplement his income, Daisato takes on a talent agent whose job is to sell advertising space on his chest.

Despite the interesting premise, the film is often dull, focusing too much time on the mundane activities of its hero. Nevertheless, there are some poignant scenes, filled with touching details that reveal Daisato’s inherent sensitivity – his gentleness with a stray cat and his thoughtfulness in picking out just the right birthday present for his daughter - while capturing his sense of isolation.

The film picks up momentum during the computer-animated monster fight sequences, which have a purposely fake look as if filmed on miniature sets similar to the Godzilla movies. Broadcast on national TV, we watch Daisato battle a host of increasingly bizarre creatures such as a Stink monster and another with a long eyeball growing from its genital area that it tosses around like a bowling ball. Kudos to the creature designers!

“Big Man Japan” is likely one of the strangest films ever made. It’s over the top and over long but worth a viewing for its sheer quirkiness.

Review: "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" (2007)

“It takes 1,000 years of good prayers for a father and daughter to get along”. Thus begins “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers”: a touching portrait of a Chinese father and daughter trying to bridge the vast gap of geography, language and culture that divides them.

Based on a story by Li Yi Yun about an elderly man who travels from Beijing to Washington state to visit his recently divorced daughter he’s not seen in many years, “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers” is a wistful meditation on loneliness, connecting with strangers and the communication gap between parent and child. Henry O gives a subtle and heartfelt performance as Mr. Shi, a traditional Chinese father who is worried about his Americanized daughter and questions her decidedly non-traditional lifestyle choices. In turn, the daughter Yilan (Faye Yu) is defensive and resents her father’s meddling into her private life. Over the course of his short visit, they gradually open up and reveal some hidden secrets that enable them to begin to heal their relationship. Director Wayne Wang complements the father-daughter drama with a modest yet moving minor story between Mr. Shi and Madam, an Iranian immigrant he encounters in a local park, as they form a close bond talking about their children.

Overall, this is a quiet film - filled with moments of tenderness, humor and sadness - that illustrates some universal truths about human connection and how encounters between strangers can be more intimate than those amongst family.

Review: "Hard Boiled" (1992)

“Hard Boiled” is a gritty, powerful Hong Kong crime thriller in the vein of “Dirty Harry” that combines exciting, visceral action with characters that you care about.

Featuring strong performances by Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung Chiu Wai, “Hard Boiled” tells the story of Tequila (Chow), a tough-as-nails detective who loses his partner in a teahouse shootout with gun smugglers. Seeking revenge against the ruthless gangster kingpin responsible for his partner’s death, he teams up with Tony (Leung), a disillusioned undercover cop who has infiltrated the gangster’s lair, to bring down the smugglers and stop them from killing.

While the story is solid, the main reason to watch this flick is for the action sequences. Across three unique locations (teahouse, warehouse and hospital) , director John Woo manages to orchestrate a stylish and energetic ballet of gunfights, explosions and bare knuckle brawling that is truly eye-popping. Both Mr. Chow and Mr. Leung are believable as action heroes and very capable actors, imbuing their characters with compassion and bringing emotional resonance to the dramatic scenes.

It is to Mr. Woo’s credit that he allows some breathing room amidst all the fighting and chaos in order to flesh out the dramatic arc of the characters and inject a bit of humor. We can relate to Tequila and Tony -- both are inherently good guys trying to do the right thing against a morally corrupt villain who kills innocent people without remorse – and come to appreciate the bond of friendship that develops between them. Overall, this is a fine blending of action and drama.

Review: "Avalon" (2001)

In the vein of “The Matrix”, “Avalon” explores the world of virtual reality and computer gaming. As directed by Mamoru Oshii, “Avalon” offers an artistic and meditative take on the subject, showing us how addictive the computer game becomes that it distorts our vision of what’s real and what’s imaginary.

Set in a drab world seemingly devoid of human connection, “Avalon” focuses on the story of Ash, a young and introspective woman who is one of the top players in a virtual reality war game that is played for points and money. It’s a game with risks as players’ spirits can become trapped in the game while their bodies remain comatose in the real world. We follow Ash, who seems to blossom only when she’s playing the warrior, in her grail-like quest to win each battle and progress to the next level.

Although the narrative is a bit muddled and the characters don’t really spark much emotional connection, “Avalon” is worth a viewing for its impressive visual effects, dark surreal imagery and production design. Even though it’s a live-action film, the look and feel is very close to anime. The war game sequences are visually impressive even if the action itself isn’t so riveting. The use of a sepia tone color palette is effective in blurring the distinction between the real world and the imaginary game world.

Overall, “Avalon” may not be a good fit for those seeking intense action but it offers some philosophical food for thought about a person’s internal quest for meaning and identity that is constantly changing.

Review: "Ponyo" (2008)

From the breathtaking opening images of a fantastical ocean world of undulating jellyfish, sea anemones and candy-colored sea creatures, “Ponyo” transports us into a realm of hypnotic beauty and magic where anything is possible. Inspired loosely by “The Little Mermaid”, the story is about the friendship between a young boy (Sosuke) and a goldfish princess (Ponyo) who longs to be human. As with his earlier work “My Neighbor Totoro”, director Hayao Miyazaki brings a warm and whimsical feeling to a “goldfish out of water” tale, capturing perfectly the behavior and mannerisms of exuberant young children growing up and learning to take responsibility in an adult world.

While the narrative of “Ponyo” is more meandering and less defined than in previous Miyazaki films, the main highlights are the charming characters and stunning visuals. Ponyo, like Mei in “My Neighbor Totoro”, is an adventurous and stubborn girl who revels in all the delights of the human world while Sosuke exudes a wiseness beyond his years and a quiet, grounding calmness of spirit. Even the adult characters are well-realized: I especially liked Sosuke’s mother Lisa - a spunky gal with a bit of an impulsive streak as evidenced by her Speed Racer driving style, and Ponyo’s father Fujimoto - a curmudgeonly wizard who wants only to protect her from the evil humans who have damaged the ocean with their wasteful ways.

The ocean itself is a character in the story and Miyazaki’s imagination and animation skills bring to life a magical world of enchantment and mystery that is unlike any other. From a visual standpoint, the sheer creativity and attention to detail is awe-inspiring. Each of the sea creatures is unique and artfully detailed. The colors are gorgeous and complement the environments – bright and vivid for the ocean, soft and warm in the land of humans.

Overall, “Ponyo” is a lovely and touching film and its themes of friendship, female empowerment and respect for the natural world will resonate with both children and adults.

Review: "The Curse of the Golden Flower" (2006)

“The Curse of the Golden Flower” melds Shakespearean-style tragedy with elegant martial arts, beautiful actors and extravagant sets and costumes. The result is Dynasty, Chinese-style, which is not at all a bad thing.

Set during the late Tang Dynasty, the movie focuses on the decaying marriage of a cruel Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) and his moody and secretive wife (Gong Li) and the power struggle between them as each plots the other’s complete destruction. The family dysfunction also extends to their three sons who are pitted against each other and their parents in a Confucian battle of filial piety and brotherly rivalry that can only end in blood.

Even though the story is reminiscent of a TV soap opera replete with passionate affairs, betrayals and revenge, it’s elevated by the strong performances of both Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li. Mr. Chow delivers a performance of controlled and fierce intensity and is complemented by the inspiring Ms. Gong who fully embodies a woman struggling under the weight of oppression.

The production design is impressive, featuring a bright palette of reds and yellows. Its flamboyant excess serves to underscore the oppressiveness of the Empress’ plight as she struggles to free herself from the gilded cage. And the contrast between the external beauty of the palace and the inner darkness of the characters is startling.

Martial arts enthusiasts may be somewhat disappointed as the action sequences are not as viscerally thrilling as in Mr. Zhang’s “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers”. The final battle scene featuring a wave of gold and black clothed soldiers trampling through endless fields of bright yellow chrysanthemum flowers is breathtaking.

Most of Mr. Zhang’s films have featured subtle critiques of traditional Confucian customs and “The Curse of the Golden Flower” continues this tradition. By focusing his lens on the imperial family and the Confucian code that it symbolizes, Mr. Zhang crafts a tragic tale of a woman driven to the brink of madness by the absolute power wielded by a man.