Tokyo Godfathers

In his too-short life as a director, Satoshi Kon carved out a singular space in the world of Japanese anime. Primarily sticking to hand-drawn animation while CGI gained popularity, his films often skew towards darker, more adult themes. However, Tokyo Godfathers isn’t a mind-bending nightmare, and there’s a reason we’re showing it at Christmas: like many holiday films, it’s about family.

Three homeless drifters, including an alcoholic and a young girl, are thrown into action when they stumble upon an abandoned baby. Initially finding purpose in the child’s protection–the film manages to inject some sly commentary in the group’s tough environment–they eventually begin a search for the biological parents. With real humour and humanity, this is a delightful and moving tale; as a hidden Christmas treat, you can’t go wrong.

Max King