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Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space Japan

'Riding solo into the cosmos from Cat Earth en route to investigating evil galactic powerhouse Catty & Co.; encountering the Dark God of Death; learning of an epic calamity in which 200,000 kitties met a fiery demise or examining a Hieronymous Bosch-like canvas depicting cats being disemboweled, are all in a day's work for the title critter. This amusing account of an adorable yet profanity-prone feline who travels through time and space is fueled by irony and incongruity. Although set mostly in the future, it veers from 3500 BC ('Before Cats') to Verona, Italy, in 1436.

'The hypnotic and varied score is keyed to the intergalactic visuals' abrupt shifts in tone and is the cat's meow. Drawn in shades of grey with dramatic interludes of color, the 'Toon's look is Hello Kitty meets Speed Racer meets Blade Runner by way of Betty Boop, an off-kilter blend of rudimentary style and surreal content with claws.' -Variety

'Move over Hello Kitty'and you too Emily Strange. There's a new cutie-pie gunning for global pop phenomenon status! And I didn't even mention the bitchy leather queens, the rotting undead professor or the giant robot Colonel Sanders with the cleaver in his head.' -Montreal Mirror

D/S t.o.L P Seiichi Tsukada, Kazuko Mio, t.o.L WS Kinétique L Japanese w/English TD 35mm/Col, B&W/2002/92mins

t.o.L's (Trees of Life) films: Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space (MIFF 2004).