vilakins | Film: Tekkonkinkreet (and cocktails)

Yesterday we went to see Tekkonkinkreet, a Japanese animation, and no, I have no idea why it's called that or what it means.

We had cocktails first in the Wintergarden under the magnificent Civic.

For a while this was a small cinema, but it was restored to its former glory as a cocktail lounge a few years ago. They're running happy hour (5-6pm) during the Film Festival so we had cocktails before the film.

Me having a cocktail in the Wintergarden: whisky, amaretto, and ginger beer; yum! Not a good pic and cropped out of a bigger one, but you can see my current hair: chin-length in front but still layered short at the back.

Film Review

Tekkonkinkreet was about two orphaned street kids, Black and White, living in the old part of a Japanese city. At first I thought they were brothers but I was wrong; in any case Black protects White who is 11 but acts like a 5-year old, unable to dress himself, tie his shoelaces, or count higher than ten. They seem to have the power of flight and are known as the Cats, and they are often accompanied by black and white crows, or a black and white cats. White is a sweet, perceptive, engaging kid with a strange sort of prescience, and when he's taken into protective custody by the police (who do it out of kindness), we find that he is important to Black in other, strange ways. As he tells the young policeman looking after him, "I don't have all my screws, but Black doesn't have all his screws in his heart either. I have all the screws he needs." This turns out to be true: the darkness needs the light.

Not everything is black and white though: Black is kind and loves White; White can be destructive in an innocent way; and though at first not seemingly sympathetic, as we get to know them, the two Yakuza, Rat and Kimura, show a human and lovable, and tragic side. At first I thought the main theme was darkness and light, but I think it's the redemptive power of love, truth, and hope.

Greg thought it was weird, but I liked the film a lot and would rec it to anyone who enjoys animation. It's always interesting, has very likeable characters, a fascinating background in the old city, flying killer robots and their evil master, Snake; what's not to like? The images are slightly different from the usual anime style: more realistic faces with wide-set, small, slanted eyes, boxy bodies with legs tapering to small feet. The city is stunningly beautiful, a exotic mix of Japanese and, inexplicably, Indian, with elephants being a recurring and unexplained theme.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

According to the press notes for the release: "The title is a play on the Japanese words for 'concrete,' 'iron,' and 'muscle,' and it suggests the warring images of steel and concrete cities amassing against the powers of imagination."

Ah. ... That still makes no sense.

I thought the fate of the old city being replaced by the new was a major theme, but it only seemed to be touched on. I think love was the main factor: Black and White for each other as family, the young policeman for the child White, the old Yakuza for the old town and for his young protegee, and the young Yakuza for his mentor, who dies telling him that love matters most of all. A very interesting film which made me think a lot more than the Earthsea one did. :-)

Not a good pic

I don't know: it made me smile back at you.

*raises his, er, cup of tea* cheers!

And thanks for the film review: I'll have to look out for it...

[smiles at you smiling] :-D

You'll enjoy the film if you like animé; not everyone does. I just got back from another excellent one but the review can wait till tomorrow; it's bedtime for Vilakins.

..... wish I could get my hair like that. It's shiny! xD

That drink looks nice too, vilakins by name.... xD xD xD

cheers!

Now I have a straightener, my hair's very shiny!

Pity the drink wasn't green, but mint isn't my favourite flavour in drinks. :-)

That's a lovely pic of you. So pretty! The cocktail bar looks fab.

The pic's not very sharp which is probably to the good. I believe they used to use vaseline on the lenses for closeups of female stars in old films. ;-)

The Wintergarden looks the way it did back in the 20s to 40s, full of palms and slightly Eastern opulence. Pity the light was so dim; the ceiling is, like all those in the Civic, elaborately carved. I've just noticed: that's Greg's hand in the first picture.

The Civic is fantastic. I fell in love with it when I was a kid, esp for its golden lions (actually panthers, I only found out last year) to either side of the stage. Now it's only open for film festivals and special shows.

Thanks for the film review! I'll have to look for this one.

I think you'd like it. If you clock on the link to it, you'll get some idea of the animation style and the city the boys live in.

Film: Tekkonkinkreet (and cocktails)

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Nice picture

Re: Nice picture

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