PERFECT DAYS (2024) a Cinematic Ode to the Ordinary | in-depth film review
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the modern film landscape, where films are often designed to be aggressive and fast-paced. It highlights 'Perfect Days,' a film by director Vim vendors, as a unique and potentially overlooked gem that explores the concept of finding contentment in an ordinary life. The film follows the protagonist, Hama, a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, who finds joy and integrity in his mundane routine. The script praises the film's use of visual language, music, and literary references to convey its message of appreciating the world around us and nurturing a rich inner life. It suggests that 'Perfect Days' offers a profound meditation on the everyday, which may be underappreciated by audiences accustomed to more conventional cinematic experiences.
Takeaways
- 🎬 The script discusses the current state of modern films, suggesting they are often designed to be aggressive and attention-grabbing, which can make slower, more contemplative films like 'Perfect Days' less appealing to the average viewer.
- 🌟 'Perfect Days' directed by Aoyama, is highlighted as a special film that may go unnoticed by most due to its slower pace and lack of dramatic action, yet it offers a profound exploration of life and contentment.
- 🧐 The film challenges the viewer to consider how one can find joy and integrity in a chaotic world through the life of its protagonist, Hama, who is a diligent toilet cleaner in Tokyo.
- 🛠 The protagonist, Hama, is portrayed as someone who finds contentment in his ordinary life, doing his job with dedication and taking pride in his work, which is a central theme of the film.
- 🌳 The film emphasizes the importance of observing and appreciating the world around you, no matter how mundane it may seem, as a way to find contentment.
- 🎨 It advocates for a rich interior life, filled with art, music, and literature, as a means to achieve a deeper sense of happiness and fulfillment.
- 📚 The use of visual language, soundtrack, and literary references in 'Perfect Days' is noted for its ability to support the film's thesis on contentment and joy, elevating it to a philosophical level.
- 📷 Photography plays a significant role in the film, symbolizing the act of careful observation and appreciation of the beauty in everyday moments.
- 🌈 The film uses color symbolism, such as the purple light in Hama's apartment, to convey deeper meanings about the richness of his inner life despite his ordinary surroundings.
- 🎵 Music and books are integral to the film, chosen deliberately to match the mood and add depth to the narrative, encouraging the audience to pay attention to these details.
- 💭 The film may not appeal to everyone, as it requires patience and thoughtful observation from the viewer to fully appreciate its message and artistic qualities.
Q & A
What is the central theme of the film 'Perfect Days' directed by Vim vendors?
-The central theme of 'Perfect Days' is exploring how one can live a life with integrity and contentment in a chaotic world, focusing on the ordinary life of a toilet cleaner named Hama.
Why might 'Perfect Days' be overlooked by most film goers?
-'Perfect Days' might be overlooked because it requires a certain amount of patience, thought, and quiet observation from the audience, which modern audiences may not be inclined to give.
What does the film suggest as the key to finding contentment in an ordinary life?
-The film suggests that the key to finding contentment in an ordinary life lies in the observation and appreciation of the world around you and having a rich interior life.
How does the film 'Perfect Days' use visual language to support its thesis on contentment and joy?
-The film uses its visual language, including careful observation, the act of photography, and the appreciation of beauty in ordinary moments, to support its thesis on contentment and joy.
What role does the character Hama play in the film 'Perfect Days'?
-Hama, played by Ki Yokoso, is a middle-aged man who cleans toilets in Tokyo. His character represents the exploration of finding contentment in an ordinary and unglamorous job.
What is the significance of the Japanese word 'Komorebi' in the film?
-The word 'Komorebi' signifies sunlight leaking through trees and is used in the film to symbolize the transient beauty and the act of cherishing ordinary moments.
How does the film 'Perfect Days' depict the character Hama's daily routine?
-The film depicts Hama's daily routine with a surprising amount of duty and intention, showing him performing his menial job with diligence, pride, and attention to detail.
What is the role of music and books in 'Perfect Days'?
-Music and books play an integral part in 'Perfect Days', contributing to the mood and adding depth to the film's texture, with each choice having a deliberate match to the scenes.
What message does the film 'Perfect Days' convey through its visual and narrative structure?
-The film conveys a message of thoughtful observation and the importance of an interior life rich with art, suggesting that joy and honor can be found in the everyday when given time and thought.
How does the film 'Perfect Days' handle the portrayal of Hama's interactions with people?
-Hama's interactions with people are not extensive, but each interaction carries weight and sincerity, emphasizing the value of genuine human connections even in an ordinary life.
What is the potential criticism that the film 'Perfect Days' might face from regular film goers?
-Regular film goers might criticize 'Perfect Days' as being too slow and boring, or as being too obvious in its message, especially those who are not accustomed to quiet, contemplative films.
Outlines
🎬 The Art of Finding Contentment in Ordinary Life
The first paragraph discusses the modern film industry's tendency to create fast-paced, attention-grabbing movies that can overshadow slower, more contemplative films like 'Perfect Days'. Directed by Aoyama, 'Perfect Days' is a special film that may go unnoticed by the mainstream audience due to its quiet and patient storytelling. The film follows the life of Hama, a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, who finds contentment and integrity in his mundane life. The audience is challenged to observe and appreciate the world around them and to cultivate a rich inner life. The film's visual language, soundtrack, and literary references are used to explore themes of contentment and joy, elevating it to a philosophical level. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of observation, appreciation, and the value of a simple life.
🌟 The Importance of a Rich Inner Life and Artistic Expression
The second paragraph delves into the film's message of leading a life filled with a rich inner life and the significance of artistic expression. It describes how 'Perfect Days' uses visual cues, such as the purple fluorescent light in Hama's apartment, to symbolize passion, love, and dignity, suggesting a vibrant inner life despite an ordinary exterior. The film integrates music and literature to enrich its narrative, with carefully selected songs and literary references that add depth to the story. The paragraph also addresses potential criticisms of the film, such as its slow pace and overt messaging, while defending these elements as necessary for some viewers to grasp the film's deeper meaning. The film is likened to Hama's character, which may seem mundane but is, in fact, a diligent and profound representation of finding joy in everyday life when given the time and consideration.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Assault
💡Toxic Relationship
💡Contentment
💡Ordinary Life
💡Integrity
💡Observation
💡Interior Life
💡Photography
💡Literary References
💡Contemplative
💡Profound
Highlights
Modern films are often designed to aggressively captivate audiences, which can overshadow more subtle films.
Films that do not immediately 'attack' the viewer may struggle to retain a modern audience's attention.
Perfect Days, directed by Mika Yamato, is a film that stands out for its gentle approach to storytelling.
Perfect Days may go unnoticed by most filmgoers due to its slow pace and lack of dramatic action.
The film suggests that those who struggle with the pace of Perfect Days might be the ones who need it the most.
Perfect Days explores the idea of living a life with integrity and contentment in a chaotic world.
The film's message is only recognized if the viewer is willing to give it time and consideration.
The protagonist, Hama, played by Ki Yokosuka, is a middle-aged man who cleans toilets in Tokyo.
Hama's life is depicted as ordinary and mundane, yet he finds contentment in his work.
The film questions how one can find contentment in an ordinary life and suggests it lies in observation and appreciation.
Perfect Days uses visual language, soundtrack, and literary references to support its thesis on contentment and joy.
Photography plays a significant role in the film, emphasizing the importance of careful observation.
The film uses the Japanese word 'komorebi' to symbolize the transient beauty of ordinary moments.
Perfect Days calls for a rich interior life, suggesting that art and personal reflection can bring fulfillment.
The film's use of music and books adds depth and texture to its exploration of a meaningful life.
Some viewers may find Perfect Days too slow or obvious, missing its subtle and profound message.
The film's essence is in its diligent and intricate portrayal of finding joy and honor in everyday life.
Transcripts
modern films are made to assault you
like a toxic relationship if a film
doesn't grab you by the throat with its
action or settings dialogue or chemistry
is going to struggle to keep a modern
audience not to say films like these are
not good or enjoyable or have no place
in the Cinematic landscape but it might
mean that people are not so inclined to
films that do not attack you pin you
down gargle and spit Intrigue into your
open mouth straight from the jump where
the film's heart and depth are found
only with a certain amount of patience
thought and quiet observation that's why
a film like perfect days directed by
auor filmmaker Vim vendors is so special
and also why it's likely to go unnoticed
by most film goers to their detriment I
think in fact a person who complains
about the slow pcee of perfect days or
is tempted to go on their phone to check
their notifications their mind buzzing a
thousand thoughts and feing their next
dopamine hit might be exactly the person
the film was made for as a gentle
suggestion of an alternative way of
seeing the world perfect days is almost
perfect particularly in how it explores
how one can live a life with integrity
and contentment in a chaotic world but
its message will only be recognized if
that member in the audience is willing
to give it the time and consideration to
do so give me the same and I'll tell you
why perfect days follows Hama played by
Ki Yokoso a middle-aged man who cleans
toilets in the bustling City ward or
Shibuya Tokyo and if you take the film
at face value that is pretty much it no
Wild event changes his life forever no
beautiful women come into his life and
give it a new sense of meaning it
follows him day by day as he does his
unglamorous menial job with a surprising
amount of Duty and intention he wakes up
puts away his futon every morning
brushes his teeth Snips his mustache he
spritzes his Bon's eyes with diligence
and pride and changes into his overalls
he takes everything lined on the mantal
piece downstairs his wallet his phone
grabs his coffee drives to work listens
to cassette tapes slowly accumulated
over a great stretch of time a tangle of
keys to the public restroom storage
cupboards are one after another hooked
onto his waist belt in well rehearsed
order he cleans toilets with
concentration and study effort on his
lunch break he takes photos of trees no
doubt about it haar's life is ordinary
praic mundane as a toilet cleaner he
goes unnoticed by Shia and if not
unnoticed as inferior strange or somehow
unclean he finds a child lost in a
cubicle for instance takes him by the
hand and Comforts him after they find
his mother she offers him no thanks and
instead UNS subtly wipes her child's
Palms with wet wipes the idea is that he
should feel like his position is
degrading he should not be content with
his life but he is how how can you find
contentment in a completely ordinary
life that question is the core
exploration of the film and the answer
it suggests lays in Two Chief things one
the observation and appreciation of the
world around you no matter how ordinary
and two a rich interior life what makes
the film so special though is the level
of insight it has in using its visual
language soundtrack and literary
references to support its thesis on
contentment and joy crafting the film
with such meditation and attention
elevates it into a realm that crosses
High art with philosophy despite the
ordinariness of both the setting and the
plot as an accomplished photographer
there's no surise that vendors places
such focus on photography and more
essentially the act of careful
observation kayama takes time to
appreciate the beauty of the things
around him to appreciate the pleasure of
the moment looking up into the sky and
seeing the layered depth of branches in
the local park or the play of colors on
the shiny metal EES of the public
restroom the rushing reflection of the
busy pedestrians who do not stop moving
this act of deliberate observation and
consideration is expressed inay's
interaction with people his dialogue is
not extensive so each interaction each
word each moment of connection carries a
weight of sincerity and earnestness the
Japanese word K to mean sunlight leaking
through trees is mentioned in the film
and has significance to the film's
identity where the light that flits
through the leaves of the trees is
entirely ordinary and yet beautiful and
transient there's a sense of both
cherishment and grief inherent in the
appreciation of since the particular
Shadows that form perhaps a symbol of
things like the past people and life
itself exist only for a moment and then
are gone and from there exist solely in
our memories or the memories of those
around us the film uses its form to
underpin its appeal for thoughtful
observation days pass and instead of
there being an explicit established text
on screen saying the next day or
something the days are split with
hirayama's dreams black and white images
of the previous day once this visual
sentence is established it becomes
obvious to the audience they too take
part in drawing purposeful attention to
the images in front of them viewing them
and reviewing them with new found
meaning the second branch of the film's
thesis is the call for a rich interior
life vegetated with various forms of art
the Bonsai payama grows are bathed in a
purple fluorescent light a color that
means passion love royalty dignity among
other things when we are given an
exterior shot of haram's apartment
though the building itself is dingy and
not luxurious at all the bright purple
light shines outside his window from
within as if to say in no uncertain
terms that there is a lot more going on
inside harayama than it seems from the
out similarly music and books are an
integral part of the film The Music
harar listens to is chosen deliberately
matching the mood and the time House of
the Rising Sun by The Animals plays as
he drives to work at dawn sunny
afternoon by The Kinks when the moon
mood is leisurely and warm at the heart
of Wild Palms by William Faulkner a book
hi is seen reading before bed is the
rejection of a typical life with typical
wants even if it goes against convention
the audience is encouraged to take
notice of these literary and musical
references as they succeed to add
further body to the film's texture I'm
not sure I'm not sure how popular this
film will get Beyond people who are
already interested in quiet
contemplative films a fraction of
regular film goers I fear the jery will
say it's too slow and boring the
pretentious will say that the message is
too obvious they probably will use as an
example tekashi hi's colleague and his
slightly on the- nose teased for
harayama to not spend so much effort in
cleaning the toilet encouraging him to
take it easy since it gets dirty again
anyway and if not that then the book
sellers comment about Aya cord the
author of a book harayama was buying
appreciating that she uses the same
words we do but there is something
special of course this being a comment
on the nature of the film as well as
unsettle as these moments are I don't
begrudge their addition to the film
especially for those jery Watchers who
need a clear hint at what the point of
the film might be the film's essence is
like kar's character r large at the face
of it both are mundane and hardly
noticed but like kayama working
conscientiously even when employed at an
unglamorous job encouraged only by an
internal sense of pride of work and a
contentment achieved outside of it
external factors the film is a diligent
piece of Cinema complex and intricate
when given the time and thought needed
to gain an appreciation of what it's
trying to do and what it's trying to be
that is a rumination on how to find joy
and honor in the everyday when you do
this the film transforms what would be
considered ordinary into what can only
be called
profound
[Music]
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