Tokyo!

 Every weekend, my father and I make a tradition of scouring the local library's "At the Ritz" movie section for a new foreign film. We like to consider ourselves, "connoisseurs of subtitles" and "accent aficionados." In reality, we're just hungry for something more thought-provoking and satisfying than the average bang bang American action film.

Foreign films, as a rule, are pretty hit or miss. They can be too long, to dull, or too complex to follow in a language not your own. However, finding a film, any film really, that moves you or keeps you engaged all the way through is what the search is all about. Tokyo!  was all of those finds; artistic, engaging, thought provoking, and highly symbolic. The entire film was a triptych of three shorts, each about 35 minutes.

  Directed by Michel Gondry, the first story is about a jaded young woman in Japan, without a real job (and therefore, identity in Japanese culture) who finds herself feeling useless next to her up and coming film director boyfriend. The French director has also directed popular films like Boy Meets Girl and Mauvias Sang, as well as many other shorts. This was my favorite out of the three overall, because of the great attention to subtlety and dialogue. despite the language barrier and subtitles, the couples romance is blossoming, however strained under their finances and social status.  In the crammed space of a friends apartment, the main character (Hiroko)  overhears her friend talking about Hiroko's lack of a job and usefulness. Hiroko has been dealing with her internal feeling like a burden for a long time, and it finally manifests in the dramatic ending of the short.
In the second short, a Caucasian man, the Sewer Creature, emerges from underground and terrorizes the city. A look-alike lawyer is the only man known to speak his language, and the city awaits to see the Creature taken to justice. in this short, the unique cinematography and powerful symbolism bring distinction to the piece. the Creature, haggard, with one blind eye and a long red beard, eats only flowers, and paper money.  he lives in Japanese sewers alongside cast-off war time materials and graffiti. When he's finally captured after a rampage, he and the (human) lawyer exchange dialogue in their own language. the content of the conversation is never revealed, leaving the viewer with a sense of mystery.In the final scenes of the Creature's trial and execution, the split screen view of all the people in the courtroom keeps the otherwise drab courtroom scene exciting.
 Finally, we encounter a man who has not stepped outside his own home in ten years. He falls in love with his enigmatic pizza delivery girl, and is faced with a feat of bravery to pursue her; directed by Joon Bong-Ho. In the home of the Hikikomori (our main character, and introvert of ten years)  scenes show the man's house, a delicate combination of sterility ( his organisation and systematic stacking) and intimacy (overgrown plants, vintage furniture and flowered mugs). this unusual love story was personal, endearing, and i certainly fell in love with the Hikikomori.  Bong-Ho is also known for his involvement in other indie films such Mother and The Host.

Tokyo! broke my heart and stitched it back up again. I laughed, cried, and marveled at the beautiful stories and characters.  The ephemeral overtones seamlessly disguised the harsh and sometimes political feelings rooted into the plot lines. I would recommend Tokyo! to anyone with an appreciation for imagination, cinematography, or symbolism.

Nam June Paik

Nam June Paik was a visionary artist out of Korea. He was one of the first artists to transform video into an accessible medium for artists around the world. His influence was global- with hundreds of exhibits from South Korea to Germany to NYC, Nam June Paik was world renowned for his genius.
Paik pushed the limits of art through his creative use of mediums. He included televisions, magnets, demolished pianos, and miles of neon tube lights. Paik also created video loops, long and short, in crazy colors subliminally sending you his messages. Some of his most famous recognizable works were on display in the National Gallery in Washington DC of spring 2013, which I was fortunate enough to see before the pieces were moved to a permanent home (unknown, but most likely in Los Angeles).

If you're a lover of modern art, wall to wall neon, deconstructed televisions or otherworldly exhibits, Nam June Paik is definitely worth the trek to one of his many exhibits. Unfortunately, the artist passed away in 2006, but the art he created years ago is still groundbreaking and modern in today's society.
These are a select few of my favorites from the national Gallery in DC when I went. Enjoy!

More of his art can be found here, on his website.
Links to other reviews of his work are here and here.
Let me know what you think! Comments are always appreciated.