Perfect Days - Movie Review
Summary
TLDRThe film 'Perfect Days,' directed by Wim Wenders and nominated for Best International Feature at the Oscars, offers a slice-of-life narrative centered around a Tokyo janitor who finds beauty in everyday moments. The protagonist, Hiyama, portrayed by Koji Yakusho, communicates minimally but conveys depth through his expressions and actions. As his routine is disrupted, viewers are drawn into his contemplation of life's transience and the preciousness of simple joys. This meditative exploration of the mundane is a testament to Wenders' storytelling and Yakusho's acting, leaving audiences with a renewed appreciation for life's fleeting moments.
Takeaways
- π₯ 'Perfect Days' is a film directed by Wim Wenders that has been nominated for Best International Feature at the Oscars.
- π The film's plot revolves around a janitor in Tokyo who cleans public toilets and listens to music on cassette tapes during his commute.
- π΅ The janitor's character, Hiyama, is portrayed by Koji Yakusho, a legendary actor known for his role in the film 'Cure'.
- πΆ Hiyama speaks very little throughout the film, with most of his character being expressed through his actions and facial expressions.
- π³ The movie showcases the beauty of everyday life and the small moments that are often overlooked, such as the play of sunlight through leaves.
- πΈ Hiyama captures these moments with a camera, keeping the photos that best represent what he was trying to capture in a special box.
- π€ The film explores Hiyama's character more deeply when his routine is disrupted, hinting at a past that has led him to appreciate life's fleeting moments.
- π Hiyama's appreciation for simple things like nature, music, and books is portrayed as a way to understand the preciousness of life.
- π¬ The film is described as a 'slice of life' movie that slowly reveals more about the character through personal interactions and daily routine.
- π The reviewer found 'Perfect Days' to be euphoric, leaving them with a newfound appreciation for life and its everyday moments.
- π The reviewer also mentions upcoming video content, including a feature presentation for 'Spirited Away' and a potential spoiler review for 'Dune 2'.
Q & A
What is the film 'Perfect Days' about?
-The film 'Perfect Days' is about a janitor who cleans public toilets in Tokyo, listens to music on cassette tapes while driving to his cleaning stops, and is portrayed through his daily routine and interactions.
What is the significance of the janitor's job in the film?
-The janitor's job serves as the backdrop for the film, allowing the audience to observe his simple life and the beauty he finds in everyday moments, such as waiting outside a bathroom and appreciating nature.
How does the film 'Perfect Days' reflect on the concept of everyday life?
-The film reflects on everyday life by focusing on the janitor's routine, showing how he finds joy and meaning in simple, often overlooked, moments and the importance of appreciating the fleeting nature of life.
What role does music play in the film?
-Music plays a significant role as the janitor listens to it on cassette tapes while driving to his cleaning stops, providing a personal and intimate connection to his character.
Who is the lead character in 'Perfect Days' and who plays him?
-The lead character is Hiyama, a janitor, and he is played by Koji Yakusho, a legendary actor known for his role in the movie 'Cure'.
How does Koji Yakusho's performance contribute to the film?
-Koji Yakusho's performance is pivotal as he conveys a lot of emotion and character depth with minimal dialogue, primarily through facial expressions and body language.
What is the significance of Hiyama's photography hobby in the film?
-Hiyama's photography hobby is significant as it represents his attempt to capture and cherish the beauty of everyday life, reflecting on the impermanence of life and the importance of appreciating the moment.
How does the film handle unexpected disruptions in Hiyama's routine?
-The film uses unexpected disruptions, such as unexpected visitors or a coworker calling off, to reveal more about Hiyama's character and his possible attempts to restart or change his life.
What is the director's approach to showcasing the beauty of everyday life in the film?
-The director, Wim Wenders, showcases the beauty of everyday life by focusing on small, often overlooked moments, and using silence and big screen visuals to emphasize the quiet, intimate moments of appreciation.
What impact does the film aim to have on its audience?
-The film aims to make the audience reflect on the value of everyday moments and the importance of not taking life for granted, leaving them with a sense of happiness and appreciation for life.
What other films or themes does 'Perfect Days' remind the viewer of?
-The film is reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch's 'Paterson' and has a spiritual connection to it, both being slice-of-life movies that reveal character depth through daily routines and interactions.
Outlines
π₯ 'Perfect Days': A Cinematic Journey Through Everyday Life
The first paragraph introduces the film 'Perfect Days' directed by Wim Wenders, which is nominated for Best International Feature at the Oscars. The plot revolves around a janitor in Tokyo who cleans public toilets while listening to music on cassette tapes. The movie is a slice of life that unfolds the character's depth through his daily routine and personal interactions. It's compared to Jim Jarmusch's 'Patterson' and features Koji Yakusho in a minimalist yet powerful performance. The film celebrates the beauty of everyday life, focusing on small, often overlooked moments. The protagonist, Hiyama, is portrayed as a character who appreciates the fleeting nature of life and the preciousness of simple pleasures. The narrative hints at a disrupted routine and personal growth, without revealing spoilers, suggesting a deeper understanding of life's impermanence.
π Reflecting on Life's Simple Pleasures After Watching 'Perfect Days'
The second paragraph discusses the emotional impact of 'Perfect Days' on the viewer, leaving them with a newfound appreciation for life's moments and a desire not to take anything for granted. The speaker also mentions upcoming video content, including a feature presentation for Satoshi Kon's 'Paprika' and a potential spoiler review for 'Dune 2', expressing a personal enthusiasm for the cinema experience. The paragraph concludes with a thank you to the audience for watching and a promise of more videos to come, highlighting the joy of movie-watching as a shared experience.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Perfect Days
π‘Janitor
π‘Slice of Life
π‘Cassette Tapes
π‘Hiyama
π‘Koji Yakusho
π‘Everyday Life
π‘Lens Flare
π‘Disruption
π‘Appreciation
π‘Euphoric
Highlights
The film 'Perfect Days' is directed by Wim Wenders and is nominated for Best International Feature at the Oscars.
The plot revolves around a janitor in Tokyo who cleans public toilets while listening to music on cassette tapes.
The movie is a slice of life that reveals more about the character through personal interactions and daily routine.
It's similar to Jim Jarmusch's 'Paterson' and may appeal to fans of that film.
The lead character, Hiyama, is portrayed by Koji Yakusho, known for his role in 'Cure'.
Hiyama speaks minimally, with most of the story unfolding through his actions and expressions.
The film showcases the beauty of everyday life and the small moments often taken for granted.
Hiyama appreciates the beauty of nature, such as sunlight through leaves, in quiet, intimate moments.
He attempts to capture these moments with a camera, keeping only those photos that truly capture the essence of the scene.
Unexpected disruptions in Hiyama's routine reveal more about his character and his possible desire to restart his life.
The film explores the idea that life is fleeting and the importance of appreciating everyday moments.
Hiyama finds significance in everyday experiences like visiting a cafe, hearing beautiful singing, or reading a good book.
The character's depth is conveyed through minimal dialogue and subtle interactions.
Koji Yakusho delivers a phenomenal performance with limited dialogue, relying on facial expressions and body language.
Despite being a slice of life film, 'Perfect Days' leaves the viewer with a sense of euphoria and appreciation for life's moments.
The reviewer plans to release a feature presentation video for Satoshi Kon's 'Perfect Blue' and a potential spoiler review for 'Dune 2'.
Transcripts
[Music]
perfect days is directed by whim Wenders
and is currently nominated for best
International feature at the Oscars this
film is about a janitor who cleans
public toilets in Tokyo while driving
back and forth to his cleaning stops he
listens to music on cassette tapes and
that's it that's the plot of perfect
days this guy drives around and listens
to music and cleans toilets and we get
to watch that happen for 2 hours if that
sounds like an awful time to you then
just don't watch the movie for everyone
else who enjoys the idea of a slice of
Life movie that slowly reveals more
about a character through personal
interactions and through things that
affect his daily routine this is a movie
you're going to want to see if you liked
Jim jarmo's Patterson then you'll
probably enjoy this movie because this
feels kind of like a spiritual successor
to that film the lead character hirama
is played by Koji yakush show who you
might recognize from the devastatingly
brilliant movie cure that I reviewed for
my last Halloween special he is terrific
here he's a legendary actor already he
doesn't have anything to prove but he
has maybe like eight or nine lines in
this film I don't know the exact number
he doesn't talk a lot there's one scene
where he is kind of forced to and feels
like he has to say some things to
someone but for the most part he nods he
gestures and he goes about his day and
everything is playing out on his face in
beautiful gigantic big screen silence
it's one of the most refreshing things
I've seen at the theater in a very long
time because this movie is in love with
the beauty of everyday life especially
in small moments things that we often
take for granted when hiyama is cleaning
a bathroom and somebody walks in and has
to use it he'll patiently wait outside
for them to do their business and while
he's standing there there he'll look up
at the trees and see the sun coming
through the leaves and the Shadows that
are created as a result dancing around
the ground in beautiful patterns and
he'll smile softly in this very quiet
intimate moment as he appreciates the
beauty of the planet we all share he'll
take out a camera and try to capture
that moment when he develops these
photos he looks at them and sometimes
the lens flare from the Sun makes the
photo look really bad he tears it up he
throws it away anyone that he actually
got that seems to capture what he was
trying to Capt
he'll put in a special box and he's got
tons of those in his closet you learn so
much about this character just watching
him go about his daily routine but it's
when his daily routine becomes disrupted
by unexpected visitors or his coworker
who calls off for the day that's where
you learn a little bit more about him
that he might be trying to restart his
life or at least go in a different
direction from what his life was before
I'm not going to get into any spoilers
even though this isn't really a movie
that you can spoil there are aspects
about his character that maybe you don't
want to know so I'll be very careful as
I talk about this but you understand
that certain things have happened with
his family that are not ideal and you
begin to realize it's entirely possible
that this newer version of hiyama is
looking at these everyday things that we
so often take for granted like the sun
and like nature and he's looking at
these things as if he is coming to
understand the notion that life is
fleeting
and that we will not always be here to
appreciate these things you begin to
understand why something like a small
cafe or hearing a woman sing really
beautifully or looking at a gorgeous
scenic view or reading a really good
book or walking through a bookstore all
of these things are so important to him
now and it's not just that it's a daily
routine for hiroyama it felt to me like
he was really understanding that these
things are precious as much as we don't
don't necessarily care about them at any
given moment there will come a time in a
lot of our lives where we look at those
things that maybe we took for granted
and it's not necessarily the same things
that hiyama did maybe it's other things
in life that we never really paid
attention to and it will become apparent
to us that they're not always going to
be there and we should embrace those
things whether it's a close family
member or something that we've always
wanted to do and never got to or
something that's been right in front of
us for our entire lives and we never
just took a moment to look at that and
it was just so remarkable to me that a
character that barely speaks that mostly
just drives around and cleans toilets
has this much depth to him and I saw
this much in him just from the tiniest
of interactions it's a magnificent feat
of screenwriting and especially acting
this is a towering performance he is so
phenomenal here with so little to work
with and yet he flourishes while I'm not
usually a huge fan of this Slice of Life
genre where you just sort of follow
someone about their daily routine
I found this movie absolutely euphoric I
left the theater feeling happy about
life and not wanting to take any single
moment for granted and I hope that if
you guys do see the movie it can have
that same effect on you guys thank you
so much as always for watching this
weekend I'm going to have a new feature
presentation video for you that's going
to be for Satoshi cones paika I just
recently got to see this in theaters it
was re-released for a few days I love
that movie I think it's so special I
have a lot to say about it and I hope
you guys enjoy that video I'm also going
to try
if I can find the time to do a dune 2
spoiler review I also just selfishly I
want to see it again on a big screen
because I had so much fun watching that
movie and it reminded me like yes this
is why we go to the movies so if I can
find the time this weekend I will
absolutely do that for you guys thank
you so much as always for watching look
forward to more videos very soon and if
you like this you can click right here
and get stuck
[Music]
minized
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