A Tree of Palme
The featureTree of Palme(2001) was reportedly a pet project of writer-director Takashi Nakamura, who has worked with both Katsuhiro Otomo and Hayao Miyazaki. The plot borrows liberally fromPinocchio,Robot Carnival,Akiraet al. Palme, a puppet created by a scientist to aid his wife, has hung mutely from a tree since her death. But he reawakens when he receives the mysterious Egg of Touto from a woman, who tells him to take it to Tama. En route, Palme meets a band of street urchins and Popo, a mistreated girl. As they search for the way to Tama, the story loses what little coherence it ever offered. Characters appear, disappear, and change sides for no reason, and at 136 minutes, the film is a half-hour too long.Tree of Palmeoffers some striking visuals, but it’s the cinematic equivalent of a trackless swamp. (Unrated, suitable for ages 12 and older: violence, grotesque imagery)--Charles Solomon