Tokyo! 2009

Behind the lens of Michel Gondry, there’s a deep exploration of love and resilience in his adaptation of Gabrielle Bell’s poignant comic, Cecil and Jordan in New York. The narrative unfolds around Hiroko and Akira, a young couple from the provinces trying to survive in the bustling life of Tokyo, grappling with tight finances and unstable living conditions. Their bond appears rock-solid, a testament to their unwavering support for one another, but Akira, an aspiring filmmaker who wraps gifts at a department store, faces mounting pressure and frustration as he waits for his debut film to catch a break.

As they adapt to the challenges of temporary housing, they find solace in the cramped studio apartment of Hiroko’s friend, Akemi. But the couple’s luck runs out when Akemi’s boyfriend grows tired of their presence, pushing Hiroko to seek out new living arrangements. Unfortunately, her search is met with dishearteningly high rents and undesirable accommodations. Meanwhile, Akira’s film screening garners mixed reviews, and a particularly honest comment from an audience member resonates deeply with Hiroko, who learns that many creative souls often grapple with feelings of being invisible or undervalued.

As Hiroko confronts the stark realities of her life in the bustling city, doubts about her role in the relationship begin to swirl in her mind. One morning, she wakes to a shocking discovery: a small hole in her chest illuminated by sunlight. In horror, she realizes that the hole, now hand-sized, has a wooden pole running through it.

Days go by, and her transformation becomes increasingly alarming. The hole expands, leading to her feet becoming wooden poles, until she finds herself reduced to an inanimate chair, save for her jacket draped on the back. The world around her has become oblivious to her plight, except for one man who attempts to take her home, only for Hiroko to return to her human form and flee, naked, to a nearby bus station.

In an attempt to reclaim her humanity, Hiroko chooses to sit as a chair on the street. A compassionate musician rescues her, inviting her into his home where he shows her kindness. In the quiet of the apartment, she begins composing a farewell letter to Akira, wishing him the best as he chases his dreams in filmmaking.

This heartfelt film intricately weaves themes of identity, transformation, and the delicate threads of human relationships, as Gondry’s direction brings to life a touching narrative about seeking meaning in a world that often feels disorienting.

Meanwhile, in the unflinching vision of Léos Carax, Merde rises from the depths of the Tokyo sewers, portrayed by Denis Lavant. This grotesque figure wreaks havoc on the unsuspecting public, instilling terror with his audacious thefts and heinous acts, triggering an uproar across the city. In the wake of this chaos, French magistrate Maître Voland, played by Jean-François Balmer, arrives to defend Merde in a highly publicized trial that spirals into a spectacle of surreal confusion. Despite being convicted and sentenced to death, Merde manages to evade his executioners, slipping back into the shadows of the sewer.

Contrasting this horror, Bong Joon-ho’s Shaking Tokyo presents a haunting narrative through the eyes of Teruyuki Kagawa, a hikikimori who has isolated himself in his apartment for a decade. His only lifeline to the outside world is a telephone, which connects him to delivery services, leading to a mountain of pizza boxes piling up in his cramped living space. A turning point occurs when a new delivery girl, Yū Aoi, unknowingly enchants him with her warmth. When an earthquake hits and she faints in his presence, his previously stagnant world shifts, igniting a poignant infatuation. Eventually, he learns that she too shares his reclusive tendencies, prompting him to brave the outside world in search of her, only to be met with the tremors of another quake, shedding light on the vulnerability and fleeting nature of human connections.