Tokyo!

International filmmakers Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, and Bong Joon-ho each contribute a story to this disjointed cinematic compilation about Japan's capital.Michel Gondry's "Interior Design" follows a young Japanese couple arriving in Tokyo to pursue their careers. Akira is an experimental filmmaker whose rudderless girlfriend Hiroko is transformed by the soul-crushing effects of the city. Gondry's contribution is by far the weakest of the three short films. Leos Carax's "Merde" is a politically incorrect satire about a freakish subterranean war-mongering creature (played by Denis Lavant) who is brought to an elusive amount of justice under the guidance of an alter-ego French defense attorney (played by Jean-Francois Balmer). Bong Joon-ho brings the series to a romantic climax with "Shaking Tokyo," about a recluse who falls in love with an oddly tattooed pizza delivery girl that shares his appreciation for isolation. More of a curiosity than a cohesive sampling of cinematic visions, "Tokyo!" fails to impress.
(Liberation Entertainment) Not Rated. 112 mins. (C-) (Two Stars)