Saturday, March 31, 2007

Super Size This

Went to see the film, "Tokyo Loop" at Minamikaikan this week. It was billed as a collection of short films done to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of animation. Like most short film collections, it was a mixed bag. I'd been expecting a lot more, being a tribute, but it seemed more like the hip in-jokes of a group of colleagues. Half the films were brilliant, wry criticism of the dehumanizing effects of megalopolis living. The rest were of the annoyingly pretentious, "Look how weird I am!" school of film making. Personally, I like realism, and prefer my reality, well, more real.
But the highlight of the day for me was the Minamikaikan itself. I'd last been here 11 years ago, to see Hal Hartley's "Amateur." God, I miss art house cinemas. In these dire days of the multiplex, it's refreshing to hear the nostalgic "Rriiiiip!" as the soles of your shoes peel off a floor sticky with rancid butter.


On the turntable: "All Virgos are Mad"
On the turntable: Chris Stewart , "Driving over Lemons"

No comments: