Tokyo Godfathers

 Tokyo Godfathers



Introduction

A tale that is as ridiculously hilarious as it is heartwarming, Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers hits all the right beats and manages to make this rather absurd story realistically moving.


Intricately Written Characters

I have seen tons of feel-good films, and Tokyo Godfathers has to be among the top of the bunch. Satoshi Kon so effortlessly brings us into the world of our three homeless protagonists, and makes us uncontrollably care for them, more and more as the film progresses. The characters are so well-written and their distinct characteristics, backstories and beliefs make for very interesting conversations between them, as well as incredibly satisfying character arcs. Throughout the film, Kon manages to deal with sensitive subject matter in a respectful way, and that is thanks to how our characters are written and how they interact with each other.


Our protagonists - Gin, Miyuki, and Hana

Kon's Twisting, Turning Plot

Ever heard of a Christmas miracle? Well, this film is basically Christmas miracles : the movie. Coincidence after coincidence after coincidence happens in this one, and although it may seem absurd and unbelievable in a lesser filmmaker's hands, Satoshi Kon manages to make the plot twist and turn without losing the audience with his sharp, witty visual and spoken comedy. He also makes sure that we are not disinterested with the strong character drama that he slowly develops throughout the film. I also have a huge respect for films that can pull off comedy and drama well, and make it such that the two are intertwined. Tokyo Godfathers does exactly that.


Technical Excellence

This is only my second Satoshi Kon film, but I can tell that great animation is a must-have in his films, because Tokyo Godfathers is beautiful. The advertisement board-dominated Tokyo skyline, the light snowfall, the characters' expressive faces. Everything about this film down to the tiny details are animated so gorgeously and is just a treat to watch. The voice acting is also top tier, with our youngest character Miyuki's voice actor Aya Okamoto standing out to me the most. And of course, who can overlook Kon's superb direction?


Miyuki, wonderfully voice acted by Aya Okamoto

Conclusion

All in all, Tokyo Godfathers is just a damned good film that is sure to warm your heart to save you from the chilly winter days leading up to Christmas. It works so well as a Christmas film as well with the beautiful animation injecting the Christmas spirit into your veins. I'm absolutely positive that this is my favourite Christmas flick now.







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Se7en is a masterpiece

Image
Why David Fincher's Se7en Is A Masterpiece SPOILER WARNING FOR SE7EN (1995) Introduction David Fincher's Se7en  follows two cops as they desperately try to track down a serial killer. Se7en is one of my favourite thrillers for sure even though I was spoiled for the ending. In this post, I explore what makes Se7en an undoubted masterpiece. Protagonists The cop duo, Mills and Somerset, come off as an unlikely team. From the start, there is friction between them. But that's what makes this partnership so interesting. Through the conflict, we get to see these characters change and grow as they try to hunt John Doe down. The wholesome dinner scene also makes us really feel for the characters, and fleshes them out. It helps to create a much more emotional and dramatic impact when the characters are in danger, for example, when Mills was almost killed by Doe. Our protagonists Somerset (Left) and Mills (Right) Antagonist The star of the show, John Doe. Even though he doesn't
Read more

Aftersun - Charlotte Wells' Beautifully Tragic Elegy

Image
Aftersun - Charlotte Wells' Beautifully Tragic Elegy Introduction When I got home after watching this film, I went into my parents' room and saw my dad sleeping. I stared at him for a while afterwards. You may think it's weird, but you'll probably do the same if you had just seen Aftersun. The amount of stress that he tolerated for 19 years trying to provide for me is something that I'll never fully understand, not in the near future at least. The physical and mental burdens of adulthood and parenthood are things that I don't relate to yet, but perhaps I had gotten at least a sliver of an idea from Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut. Charlotte Wells' Aftersun introduces us to the father-daughter pair Calum and Sophie so perfectly brought to life by Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, and follow their holiday in Turkey through the eyes, and mind, of Sophie. Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio in Aftersun Post-viewing Thoughts This film took me some time to appreciate. T
Read more

Coda

Image
Coda Introduction Coda is Siân Heder’s brilliant film about Ruby, a Child Of Deaf Adults (CODA), and her family, as she struggles to balance her responsibilities helping out the family and pursuing her dream of singing. Coda may seem like your traditional coming-of-age film and possesses the same beats and elements that we have all seen before, but it has a unique twist to it. In the hands of the wrong filmmaker, the themes and subject matter discussed in the film could have been handled disrespectfully and even inappropriately. However, in the hands of Siân Heder and the insanely talented ensemble cast, Coda beautifully enlightens the audience about the deaf community and allows us to gain a deeper knowledge about the community. Coda manages to capture the beauty of family and music, the struggles and perseverance of youth, all the while maintaining faithful to its roots of being a film about the deaf community - their struggles, hardships, and their beauty and uniqueness.  An Explora
Read more