Tekkonkinkreet 4K 2006

This is a moralistic fairy tale set in the modern day. The orphaned brothers Black and White run the streets of Treasure Town, stealing and running like cats do best. The Yakuza show up and cause concern. They leave Little Black to sort out the situation. It's unbelievable how good this film is. The nuanced, interesting characters serve as a vehicle for an overarching moral diatribe on cities, the people in them, and how we all interact with each other. White represents purity. He's naive but has a general sense of good, which is coupled with his seemingly stunted educational and emotional growth. His older brother, Black, on the other hand, is smart, streetwise, and good in a fight. He has lost the innocence that White still possesses. We are able to interpret events that occur during the film through both of their eyes. The film's art is interesting, childish in a way, but designed for the sake of experimentation and to remind us that the story is seen and narrated by children. The filmmakers used a full palette of colors and symbolism to extend the story to viewers, and they succeeded masterfully. All in all, this film broke my heart in a million beautiful ways. I loved it, and not since Grave of the Fireflies has a film affected me so profoundly. I know I will never forget it. When it comes out on DVD, rent it. Or, if you're lucky enough, go to the theater and see it before it disappears.