Tokyo Waka: A City Poem
| Release Date: August 28, 2013 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
76
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews
Positive:
7
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlAug 27, 2013
Despite the poetry its subtitle promises, the fascinating crows-in-the-skyline doc Tokyo Waka is more informative than lyric, which is not at all a complaint. Read full review
80
VarietyRonnie ScheibSep 5, 2013
“Waka” refers to an ancient form of poetry still widely popular today, and helmers Haptas and Samuelson, through their serene lensing and fluid editing, propose a visual thread linking the past to the present “as the crow flies.” Read full review
80
The New York TimesA.O. ScottAug 28, 2013
The film is a short, nimble consideration of the collision between the wildness of nature and the orderly bustle of modern urban life. It is also an essay on ornithology, Japanese culture and the challenges of pest control. Read full review
80
The DissolveNoel MurrayAug 26, 2013
Quietly, persuasively, Tokyo Waka asks whether cultures decline by pouring resources into propping up entities that can no longer support themselves. Read full review
75
New York PostFarran Smith NehmeAug 30, 2013
In short, the crows are pests, but the movie shows them great affection, as do the humans who discuss the ways they must accommodate the crows. After a while it is impossible not to admire the birds’ intelligence and resilience, and see that perhaps it’s the other way around: The crows are the ones putting up with us. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaAug 24, 2013
Its discursiveness does have the intriguing effect of leaving behind a myriad of impressions about its subjects rather than settling on pat interpretations. Read full review
65
NPRMark JenkinsSep 3, 2013
A waka is a traditional Japanese style of poetry, and this documentary does take a lyrical approach. Although barely an hour long, Tokyo Waka leaves room for offhand observations and humorous asides. Read full review
60
Time OutAndrew SchenkerAug 27, 2013
While the frequent recourse to talking heads burdens the documentary with a choppy cadence, directors John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson manage to offer moments of great humor. Read full review
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