User reviews

Tokyo!: Looking for a unique and memorable cinematic experience? Look no further. This triptych of 1h50 goes by so fast! The final scene comes somewhat too quick but leaves you with a lot talk about. Here's my ratings for the three shorts: Michel Gondry's Interior Design: charming interesting simple story with a punch line that will make you fall off your chair! 7/10 Leo Carax's Merde: Leo brought back his craziest character from the movie Holy Motors and this short had some dragging parts but was still better than the whole movie HM. 6/10 Finally, Bong Joon Ho's Shaking Tokyo is the best of the three. A peculiar but very captivating story about isolation and agoraphobia. 8/10

"Tokyo!" is a three-way with Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, and Joon-ho Bong, re-inventing Japans great city as modern fairy tales. Three fantasies of alienation, form into the most unique, original, and entertaining film of the year so far.

Gondry is up first with an adaption from a comic book by Gabrielle Bell "Cecil & Jordan in NewYork"(surprised was I, cus its one of my favorite stories by her, I did a presentation on it and everything) here retitled as "Interior Design". The two collaborated on the screen play, and it shows in a return to form, from his last good natured but slightly flat, "Be Kind Rewind". The story is of a couple who move to Tokyo, to screen an experimental film. The director is the boyfriend, and his girlfriend is his editor, transport, and support, though he claims she lacks ambition. They are looking for an apartment, and staying with a friend in a one room apartment. The boyfriend finds a job, the girlfriend looks for an apartment, job, and place to fit in becoming more marginalized all the time, until she begins to transform into...someone useful. Shades of "The Bedsitting Room" can be found here, but Gondry's trademark visual style is in full effect, featuring some amazing special effects, and fun set designs. It asks, Is it more important to be defined by what one loves, or what one does?

Caravax's segment, called "Merde" is about a creature, like an overgrown Leprechaun, who crawls up from the sewer and begins accosting random people on the streets, eating flowers and money, licking and shoving anything and anyone who crosses his path, all to the theme of the original Godzilla. Needless to say he becomes an overnight celebrity(in Japan Sada Abe became a celebrity after murdering and removing the genitals of her lover, she played herself in plays about her life after she got out of prison, and this was before WW1. Nowadays the people photograph their monsters with camera phones). The creatures rampages turn violent, in one thrilling and especially horrific scene, and he is arrested and put on trial. The reason this is the weakest of the three, is because the creature speaks a gibberish language, and during an interrogation scene, we have about five minutes of gibberish talk, not translated til the following scene, its not really funny or dramatic, just kinda tiresome and awkward like a Monty Python skit dragged out too long. Its easy to point to terrorism and racism as the grand theme here, "he's linked to Al Queda and the Aum Cult", etc, but misanthropy in general works just as well, and is in keeping with the alienation that courses through all of the stories. Denis Lavent's performance is the best in the film, he manages to make the most inhuman character real, somewhere between Gollum and a homeless paranoid schizophrenic.

It's similar to an early Gondry short film actually, where Michel takes a s*%t in a public restroom and David Cross in a turd suit follows him around claiming to be his son and shouting racial slurs at passerby's, til he eventually outgrows his s%&t cocoon and emerges from it in full Nazi uniform to Gondry's dismay.

On the note of rampaging monsters, the final film is from Joon-ho bong, director of "The Host", called "Shaking Tokyo" about a hermit or hikikomori as they are a called in the land of the rising sun. A man has not left his house in ten years, having only human contact in weekly visits from a pizza man, whom he never looks in the face, has his delicate life jostled when an earthquake renders an attractive pizza-girl unconscious, and he is forced into direct contact. Eventually he resolves to leave his house to find her again, only to discover, or for us to discover the world is not as we remember it. Its an painfully funny but true idea (like Mike Judge's Idiocracy), that in the future, the final frontier of a technological society will become actual face to face interactions between human beings. Any of these stories would feel at home in an issue of Mome or a Haruki Marukami book of short stories, they are vibrant, whimsical, modern fantasy, that are almost so universal in their simplicity they could be told anywhere. The movie could take place in any city really, with some tweaking, but the stories do resonate specially with Tokyo. Its the best thing I've seen in a theater this year, I was smiling continuously throughout. Its 2 hours, but it goes by like lightning. Some of the stories may seem slight at first, so entertaining, it cant but be meaningless. But this ain't the case, each director brings something unique to the table, like another under-seen triptych of recent, the Atlanta made horror film "The Signal", "Tokyo!'s" directors feel like a band, jamming together more than separate artists trying to upstage each other, like in something like "Paris Je'Taime". Funny, charming, dynamic, strange, sincere, absurd, movie making. A place of robots, amphibious mutants, monstrous trolls, magical transformations, and to quote Merde "eyes which look like a woman's sex". Two Frenchmen and a Korean, re-invent Japan the city which upgrades itself more than any other, and we are all the better for it. What a strange bright future we live in.

"Tokyo!" is a collection of 3 short films each set in Tokyo, each made by a respected director who is not Japanese.

"Interior Design" is the first entry by French director Michel Gondry (known for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" as well as all the cool Bjork videos from the 90s). This is actually an adaptation of a 4-page comic strip called "Cecil and Jordan in New York" by Gabrielle Bell. It begins with a somewhat mundane story of a young, penniless couple trying to scrape by in Tokyo, but it soon progresses into surreal, dreamlike, Michel Gondry territory. Spots of cute, satirical humor (poking fun at the pretentious artsy director boyfriend) as well as the under-appreciated girlfriend--an always welcome appearance of one of my favorite Japanese actresses, Ayako Fujitani (Steven Seagal's daughter, loved her in "Ritual")--make this a deliciously charming, mindbending treat to watch.

"Merde" (French for "sh!t") is a deeply satirical story of a repulsive criminal who lives in the Tokyo sewers, his violent activities, and society's bizarre reactions to him. Since the only real characters are the sewer monster and his kindred lawyer, there's not really anyone to get attached to. For that reason, this segment may seem unfulfilling to a lot of viewers (after all, who wants to watch a movie about a bunch of people you don't really like). But, more than any sort of human character study, this segment is rooted in deep social satire. That's where it gets its power. Directed by another French director, Leos Carax ("The Lovers on the Bridge"), this is an acidic film from start to finish. Sort of like a "Hunchback of Notre Dame" story but without any sympathy for the hunchback, this is a good film to watch when you're particularly disgusted with humankind.

"Shaking Tokyo" by Korean director Joon-ho Bong ("The Host") is a masterpiece of social disconnection. Set almost entirely in the meticulously tidy apartment of a "hikikomori"--a man with extreme agoraphobia who hasn't left his apartment in 10 years, it's surprisingly engaging despite its deliberately slow-moving presentation. The man is very likable in a nerdy way, and we instantly connect with him as someone who realizes that there's something wrong with the urban rat race, and so he withdraws into the most minimal sort of existence. But then by chance he encounters a strange visitor whose brief appearance causes him to, once again, question his chosen existence. A spectacular, mind-boggling finale rounds out this great piece leaving you with much to ponder. I also found the camera work to be the most pleasing here... You may notice cool tricks like the opening scene being shot entirely in 1 take, even though it guides us through several rooms and conveys the passing of time as if days are going by. Very nifty stuff here.

To me, "Shaking Tokyo" alone is worth the price of admission. But each of the 3 has its charm. If you're a fan of offbeat, surrealistic, artsy-but-not-annoying cinema, check these out for sure.

Greetings again from the darkness. Three odd shorts merged together because of their Tokyo locations. Normally I am not a fan of the segmented, multi-director approach. The best that come to mind are Paris je'Taime and New York Stories. Tokyo is not at that level.

The always interesting Michel Gondry (yes, he's French) has the best segment. Interior Design provides two story lines ... the fine line between generosity (helping a friend) and taking advantage of that friend; and the loneliness of losing one's self in a relationship. Gondry works wonders in a short time and I absolutely loved the chair as a metaphor.

The second segment comes from another Frenchman, Leos Carax. By far the weakest and least accessible, Merde is about our facing the fear of an unknown terror. We are startled in the beginning as we are introduced to Merde, but the story falls apart after he is incarcerated.

Korean Joon-ho Bong (The Host) presents Shaking Tokyo in the third segment. Dealing with a totally reclusive and obsessive character who, after 10 years, makes his first contact with another person and is captivated. There is some comedy here but also commentary on the need to connect.

Overall, some interesting shorts, but don't expect any tie to the three stories ... other than the fascinating title city.

I saw this at FantasticFest 2008. This collection of strange tales is interesting.

"Interior Design" I love Gondry's style, & his entry was enjoyable as expected - a girl feels she's lost her purpose in life, & changes accordingly. Great effect of her gradual transformation.

"Shaking Tokyo" Well done film - after 10 years indoors, a recluse man decides to go outside for the love of a recluse woman. Mostly narrated with thoughts of the man who has been cooped up too long. An interesting character piece, well acted and shot.

"Merde" This film starts off strong with an incredible opening sequence of continuous action for about 1/4 of a mile in the city, but when the character gets caught the story becomes a tiresome trial that no one understands, because there is lengthy "dialogue" in a fake language with no subtitles. could have benefited from being 10 minutes shorter.

"Tokyo!" is a film about 3 different stories that take place in Tokyo and each story is made by different directors.

Michel Gondry's "Interior Design" was surreal but also something some people can relate with. It's about a girl who has no ambitions in life and doesn't stand for herself and always gets the help from others. It's not that she doesn't want to be useful, she just has a difficult time with time trying to find her purpose in the world. But a drastic change takes place in her life. It felt it added a nice touch to Japanese life style and culture although some may disagree.

Leos Carax's "Merde" was disappointing and the story was boring and it felt the director wasn't even trying. The plot could have taken place else where cause it really has nothing to do with Tokyo or even has the atmosphere to it.

Bong Joon-Ho's "Shaking Tokyo" was the best out of the 3, it seems like for films like this they always show the best for last. It's about Teruyuki Kagawa who is a hikikomori who never steps foot outside, but that changes when he meets a pretty pizza delivery girl but in the process he accidentally inspires her to be a hikikomori herself, so from than on it's about a hikikomori falling for another hikikomori. I liked the style of this part of the film, it explored some of the characteristic in japan and the director seems to have done his research. I also fell for the actress who played pizza delivery girl Aoi Yu, maybe it's cause of her innocent and pretty looks although it's my first time seeing her in a film.

I give the film a 6.8/10 and if the second part of the film was good it would have been higher.

6.8/10

I can honestly say I've never seen a film quite like Tokyo!. It's extraordinary in its scope and themes of love, identity, and purpose. Three different filmmakers: Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine...), Leos Carax, and Joon Ho Bong direct this triptych containing three different stories centered in the city of Tokyo!. All three stories do a great job conveying what it feels like to be a small fish in a big pond. The first film, Interior Design, is about a couple moving to Tokyo and trying to fit in. The second, and my favorite, is called Merde, and to explain it does not do it enough justice. You just have to watch it. The final story, Shaking Tokyo!, is a strange love story, but it works well with the city itself. The film is so unique, it must be viewed by everyone! Go see it!

The closing film for this year's Singapore French Film Festival, it couldn't be more than apt as I prepare for my own trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, and what more than to sit through a collection of three short stories set in the capital city, as told by Frenchmen Michel Gondry, Leos Carax and Korean Bong Joon-ho, with their respective titled shorts Interior Design, Merde and Shaking Tokyo.

While I had enjoyed Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind tremendously, Singapore failed to screen Science of Sleep theatrically, but Be Kind Rewind had better luck. Amongst the three shorts presented, his is the one that I would rate the best, having to tell a deceptively simple tale about people, and some really keen observation that I'd bet most of us would fall into or had experience some point or another.

His Interior Design is two fold, telling of a couple who relocated to Tokyo, and on the kind grace of their friend, managed to put up in her home for, well, until they get an apartment of their own. I'm sure many of us would identify with either being someone who's not "automatic", in exploiting the goodwill of others to a max, though sometimes it's not by choice but by circumstance when Fate decides to deal an unfair hand. Or if you happen to be the Good Samaritan believing that helping your friends out would boost your karma, but unfortunately you feel discomforted by the fact that things have well gone overboard, not to mention with an unnecessary extension to the disruption of your personal life too. It's a fine balance to tread especially when you realise that there are still some OB markers even amongst the best of friends that one shouldn't cross.

The other aspect of Gondry's quirky story dealing with a literal metaphor. I felt this was a somewhat funny aspect, though it did bring to mind that everyone strives to be useful in their lives, either to their loved ones, or to society in general. And sometimes, this calling when found could bring some sense of immense fulfillment and happiness, nevermind if in the eyes of others, it could be a simple function that you're out to satisfy. It's pretty amazing how all these rolled succinctly into an approximately 40 minute feature that's well shot and acted.

Now Leos Carax's installment Merde is a mixed bag, and my least liked amongst the three. It had the potential of being truly a great story dealing with man's fear for the unknown and the bizarre, especially when the story cuts quite similar to recent incidents along the streets of Tokyo with random stabbings. Here, Merde is a man who crawls out from the sewers without explanation, with a long beard and pupil-less eyes, walking with a gait and is just about extremely obnoxious to everyone he comes across, before disappearing without a trace into the sewers again.

It was fun while it lasted, where everyone had their own interpretation of this widely talked about figure, until the later half where it all went downhill from there, suffering from the overindulgence of scene after scene of mindless interrogation in what I deem as made up language (or Polish?) sans subtitles, so you'll have to take it at face value, whatever was revealed through Japanese interpretors. While it does have a set conclusion, the in-between was one trying test of patience that I dislike, as it was unnecessary.

Bong Joon-ho's the odd one out amongst the French filmmakers, but he holds his own with his story dealing with a reclusive hermit who boxes himself up at home, never to interact with any other humans, except when ordering pizza, and even then, avoids eye contact. He lives his life in an orderly fashion, and is a modern day junk collector who turns his trash into nicely stacked decorations within his household. Naturally things change when the status quo got challenged with a female pizza delivery-woman, and an earthquake which sends everything, including the girl, tumbling down.

It's a fun little love story, and a non-conventional one given the problems facing each character. In wanting to seek out his new found love, who never visited again, the hermit has got to challenge his fear of the big outside. The last memorable scene involving such a phobia, was with Holly Hunter's character in Copycat. Here, we play on the same fears, and I thought it worked in the plot really well, nevermind the almost farcical way the two would-be lovers connect. If only love were to be so easy as with a click of a button, for instant success. Not everything gets explained though, so you're likely to have to come up with your own conclusion with Bong's contribution.

I guess only Gondry's version allowed us to glimpse a slice of Tokyo in its streets and buildings built in such a way that a narrow gap exists, which of course could also provide fuel for ideas which was slightly elaborated in the movie. I thought it could have made an interesting story on its own, and perhaps, just perhaps, I'll explore it on my own and give it a go when I depart for the city later this week. Can't wait for that, and I guess just for Gondry's work alone, and Bong's strangely entertaining and visually beautiful short, I'll call this in as Recommended.

I just saw Toyko! this week and loved it. The three film a very different yet weave together well with themes on communication, or lack there of. It is astounding how in one of the most populated cities in the world people can be so alone. Michel Gondry's "Interior Design" is both tragically realistic and sweetly surreal. The tale of the two young lovers who find their relationship unraveling after their move to Tokyo! is very touching. Ayako Fujitani's portrayal of a young woman struggle to find her purpose in the world is genuine and relatable. Not to mention is has some great visual effects in the ending. Leos Carax's "Merde" is entertaining and at times funny and sometimes tragic and disgusting. Bong Joon-Ho's "Shaking Tokyo," the story of a recluse who finally comes out of his home in search of a girl with buttons, is creative and funny and endearing. Basically, you should watch it because it's great.

Well not quite - I mean I've never been to Tokyo, I am not even sure I will ever go there. But what I am sure of: it will be different than what I saw in the movie. Unless .. I go there to visit a movie set. But enough of this crazy talk ... let the crazy images do the talking.

And the crazy stories of course. Three different directors take on Toyko ... and what it means. I reckon to them? And maybe to others - there is something more than intriguing to the "short stories" we get served here. And it all works nicely - well if you don't mind the insanity of it all. Visuals included - there are things depicted here, that I would have a hard time explaining.

Good thing: the stories are way different from each other and you have a lot to discover ... dive in, if you are open minded and can suspend your disbelief.

I love this omnibus movie, a weird but very aesthetic combine with satire and comedic thing. This is not for mainstream viewer.

Ps: bong joon ho story is my favourite.

Tokyo!, a 3 short film rolled into one title, was an intriguing cinematic experience! It had been on my watchlist for several years but I never felt compelled to see it because of its lame title, until recently when I found out that Bong Joon Ho directed one of the entries. I mean, who am I to say no to Uncle? Hehe.

The first story, Interior Design, was an insightful view of the living conditions that young Japanese face on the modern mega city. It makes sense given their population density but Tokyo had always been perfect for me that I just shrugged off these possibilities. Ironically, Hiroko's crisis is comforting since I am at this stage of my life where I just go with the flow without a solid ambition for the future. She has dreams but it's too uncool for the world. Up here! Being able to identify with that struggle eased a little bit of tension in my COVID-challenged disposition. Most importantly, I have been reminded that usefulness is a relative concept that people innately have.

Merde, the second story, on the other hand, was a bit of a let down. I think the reviews are consensus that this is the weakest among the three. It just didn't connect with me. Even so, I still enjoyed its weirdness that sparked a discussion on my head. Was Merde a reflection of our greediness? Or our wildest desires?

Lastly, Shaking Tokyo was in all ways therapeutic. I'm so glad to be introduced to Hikikomori which is vaguely similar to what the whole world is practicing right now although we are forced to go in isolation with the ongoing pandemic. I love the attention to detail of this story and the playful camera works. Every day is the same as the next but there will always come a time that it will not be. I can't wait for that moment to arrive!!!!

At the outset I have to say that Leos Carax made 2 of my 10 favorite films (LES AMANTS DU PONT-NEUF and POLA X) so he's the primary reason I went to see TOKYO! I always try to avoid reading reviews before I see any film, but somewhere along the line (it has taken forever for TOKYO! to get an American release) I somehow managed to learn the bare bones plot line of Carax's MERDE contribution to TOKYO! beforehand. I wish I hadn't, as it definitely detracted from my overall enjoyment of the piece, but Carax's film sense -- which to me is one of the purest, most thrilling and most soaring in all of cinema -- still kept me enthralled. I found myself smiling throughout most of MERDE -- not just because of its humorous aspects, but with sheer joy at Carax's (as usual) often breathtaking visuals and the satisfaction felt in letting myself go along with a real artist's vision no matter where it takes me. On first viewing I'd say that MERDE could benefit from some slight pruning, and I wish the budget had been higher to enable Carax to go all out in MERDE's principal set piece (anyone who has seen MERDE will know the part I'm talking about). Lest you think, as some reviewers here have said, that MERDE is slight and one-note, rest assured there is plenty to chew on in the way of interpreting what MERDE has to say about the world today. And, needless to say, it is my favorite segment of TOKYO!

Michel Gondry's INTERIOR DESIGN comes in second. I have never seen any of Gondry's other films, and I'm glad that I didn't know anything about INTERIOR DESIGN before I saw it. The film veers sharply into a strange and melancholy place at one point and the less you know about it the better off you will be. And I pray you will be spared the presence of a "hip" audience member like we had to endure tonight at the film's NYC premiere at the Alliance Francaise who laughed uproariously at the segment's sharp left turn and nearly succeeded in ruining it for us.

Joon-ho-Bong's SHAKING TOKYO ends the film and is the weakest segment by far. This supposedly tender tale is overblown and overstated in just about every way and I couldn't wait for it to end. When the hero (quite literally) pushes the heroine's buttons, I wanted to gag at the heavy-handed symbolism which all but destroys whatever legitimate point about alienation that the segment seems to be trying to make.

I couldn't wait for it to end. Especially the second episode which was disgusting. I appreciate aesthetics, but there would have had to be some value in this depraved story. I didn't make it to the third episode although I will try to come back to finish the movie someday after I've recovered somewhat from the disgust and offense of the second episode.

The first episode was OK, although it dragged. Not too bad of a twist at the end as the character found value to her hopeless life. Although, it could've gotten to its finish sooner. It feels that this film could have been slightly better had it been shot in a shorter time. My apologies to those who found entertainment and value in this endeavor.

"Shaking Tokyo" A man lives in an unusually organized house in Tokyo, and he is a'hikikomori', a person who has not left his house for 10 years. However, his daily life begins to change from the time he meets the eyes of a girl who has come to deliver pizza.

This film makes me see a unique indifference and individualism to others that can only be found in Tokyo. There is a scene where the man remembers walking through a crowd while sweating when he was a salaryman. It can be seen from this scene that the main character man used to work in society.

I think that working in Tokyo, where there are so many people, sometimes makes people lose sight of the significance of their existence. As a result, he may have become a hikikomori.

As the title suggests, shaking is a frequent occurrence in the film. At first, I thought it was just an earthquake that happens often in Japan. However, I think that it might represent the movement of the mind when emotions are strongly moved.

This is a film that should be seen by those who want to take a new objective look at the city of Tokyo. If you are one of those people, I recommend it to you.

The "Shaking Tokyo" segment of this film is a suspense film. One man has been secluded in his house without interacting with other people and never stepping out of his house. He orders pizza delivery every Saturday and never makes eye contact with the delivery man. However, when a mysterious woman visits his house to deliver a pizza, something shocking happens and his life changes dramatically.

The subtle changes in emotions are vividly expressed through the facial expressions, tone of voice, and exaggerated movements. The unique eeriness, darkness, and unfriendliness of hikikomori are conveyed even in scenes without dialogue, and the development of the story is heart-wrenching. In particular, the scenes of the earthquake are filmed from various directions, giving the impression of realism, tension, and urgency. The two types of shaking, the vibration of the characters ´minds and the shaking caused by an earthquake that actually occurs, stimulate viewers imagination in each scene. The fact that everyone is stuck in their homes and no one is outside gives me the creeps. There is a sense of fear that hikikomori is gradually increasing in a chain of influences from others, and that the vitality of the city is lost.

This is not a perfect film but it is well made. There are three stories.

It is an anthology. If your not familiar with the term just think of it as three short films that all have something in common.

The common theme here is the setting: Tokyo. As the title would suggest.

Each film is written and directed by a different person and because of that the stories don't always flow perfectly one to the next.

But each story is good and very captivating on its own.