Movie: Perfect Days
Running Times: 2:03
Nominated for: International Feature
How I watched: AMC A List
When it had me: Hirayama smiles at the sky every morning
When it lost me: I struggled with repetition
What systems does it challenge: Hustle Culture, Societal Expectations
This was a very difficult watch for me. It is beautiful, meditative, amusing, poignant and really doing something kind of remarkable. They said it is a zen masterpiece. But that didn't make it easier for me to sit through at times. I meditate every day. Literally. And I still had trouble sitting still and keeping my mind calm.
Hirayama is this intensely likable character who lives his life with a simple and devoted mindfulness. He enjoys his job, he takes time to smile and almost converse with nature, he cares for people when they need help and he mostly maintains a solitary and routine existence.
Solitary and routine is a lovely lifestyle to contemplate and appreciate and its also not very dynamic on a big screen. This is a "me" problem, I know. I get antsy.
Stuff I liked: dream sequences that were so magical and fleeting, playing with overlaying multiple images of mostly shadow and light, graphic shapes and silhouettes. I enjoyed that after an hour of accompanying him in his simple but satisfying life, I took real offense when he was judged for his lifestyle. It doesn't look like a classic success story (especially from an American perspective) but it is filled with so much beauty and peace. I enjoyed his constant give and take with nature. I can relate. I sometimes interrupt someone talking to me because I have to comment on the sky.
I'm still trying to figure out if there was any conflict in the movie. There were minor moments of challenge, but overall it felt like a story with no struggle...so, like, what? Who has the balls to write that script?
And do you know what I'm feeling especially angry about? I'll tell you! Pretentious review quotes! This movie is supposed to be "perfectly profound" and "a life changing experience." I really shut down in the face of that kind of hyperbole and then I end up holding it against the film, when I really just want reviewers to stop trying to prove how awesome they are for loving a film to extreme and absurd proportions. Calm down, people! Maybe it did change your life but claiming that to everyone only sets the movie up a little too high.
Anyway, this movie is great and I don't know if I know anyone who wants to see it.
Also, public toilets in Japan are insanely cool.
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