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Ok, itâs about a Tokyo toilet cleaner. And he barely speaks. But bear with me.
Itâs a film that is luminous with beauty from a director nearing the end of his life (Wim Wenders is in his eighties.) And it says so much about what is important in life, and what isnât âŚ
Relinquishing complication, I think, is the key. Plus the quietness of simplicity. And the ability to cleave to a simple life - if you possibly can. And having the courage to be singular; to not care what others think of you (the ultimate freedom.)
Lessons, lessons, all the life lessons. I still think about the gift of this film, months after I was immersed in it.
I left the cinema ⌠cleansed.
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What a lovely little shadowbox of a film.
The plot concerns a quiet man, Hirayama, who works as a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo's Shibuya ward. And his highly structured, routinized way of living both on the job as well as his leisure time pursuits (his passion for music, played mostly on vintage cassettes in his van throughout the movie; nature photography done the old-fashioned analog way; and reading the works of authors such as Faulkner and Aya Koda). There are some scenes that are highly reminiscent of the way that Sofia Coppola depicted Tokyo in "Lost in Translation" - dreamy, impressionistic, focused on images of beauty and human emotion vs. script that "moves the plot along."Â
Tokyo is one of my favorite places in the world and it's reminding me I need to get back there soon.Â
PS: Uncle Lou Reed would have been very proud of this film had he lived to see it.Â
PPS: Boy is Koji Yakusho amazing in the lead role. No wonder he won best actor at Cannes last year for this performance.
Apr 11, 2024
I just saw Win Wenders' "Perfect Days" at the cinema. I know it's already on Mubi and I know it's already been in cinemas in the Northern Hemisphere. But it premiered in SĂŁo Paulo this week.
I'm not a Win Wenders girl. Sure, he's a tremendous auteur, one of the greats. I was super impacted by the atmosphere of "Der Himmel Ăźber Berlin" (which was beautifully titled "Asas do Desejo", in Brazil) and by Nastassja Kinski's pink angora jumper in "Paris Texas," but never became a follower.
And yet: "Perfect Days" is a perfect film, one that only a dedicated filmmaker in complete control of his craft, surrounded by ideal condition, could make.
The synopsis: "Hirayama lives a life of blissful contentment, spending his days balancing his job as a caretaker of Tokyoâs public toilets with his passion for music, literature, and photography. His structured routine is slowly interrupted by unexpected encounters that force him to reconnect with his past."
There's nothing I like more than going to the movies and then going out to eat afterwards, talking about the film on the way, during the meal, and on the way home. The success of the endeavour depends, of course, on the film. There are movies, even some that are very entertaining and enjoyable to watch, that quickly run out of steam. The subject changes, you don't think about what you saw any more, life moves on.
And then there are movies like this one, where a seemingly banal story (the routine of a toilet cleaner in Tokyo) gives way to dreamlike sequences, to display of characters you want to know more about, to being unexpectedly moved to tears, rooting for a beautiful ending for our gentle protagonist (the spectacular Koji Yahusko). And it also talks about photographs, music, books, architecture. It's rare that so much is said in so little time in a film. I left the cinema feeling like I gained two hours of life. Made me want to be a better person, really, it is just beautiful.
10/10. Please, don't miss it.
Mubi: https://mubi.com/en/br/films/perfect-days
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/film/perfect-days-2023/
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgWYojq-z8
ps: anyone who has ever used a public toilet in SĂŁo Paulo will be envious of the public toilets in Tokyo.
Feb 18, 2024
âź this one is for my current weebs, weebs in remission, and former weebsâźď¸
in all seriousness, perfect days by wim wenders might be one of my favorite films i've seen all year. a very poignant and rewarding watch that whisks us into the daily life of hirayama, a japanese toilet cleaner; we get to see his routines, his restraint, his loneliness, his triumph, his killer music taste.
the painstaking detail wenders gives to the setting feels like a love letter to tokyo. the city feels alive, the public toilets are really nice, i loved the record store scene's ambiance.
definitely check out if you get the chance!
Mar 23, 2024
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Frankie cat. Rescue cat.
I have become her pet, and am not sure how. But she owns me, not vice versa.
I am masseuse, feeder, groomer, general dogsbody, servant. And all this from an avowed dog person who has spent a lifetime scoffing at the mere thought of cats and their weird cat appendages known as owners.
And now I am one of them.
Am suddenly, meltingly, doing anything to get that thrum of demand as she sits on my chest pinning me, helplessly, to the bed. The couch. The anything.
Frankie cat, what have you done to me?
Feb 18, 2025
4d ago
That dazzling, show-offy, alpha thrust of the outer shells, yeah yeah. Seen it all before. But the lighting underneath ⌠in the undercroft where the cars drive through ⌠where the lone concertgoer slumps, dreams, sleeps, waits âŚ
Now that is astonishing. Concrete made light. Intersected by the lone human - so alone - amid the busy, buzzy throng of us.
Can you see him?
So many astonishments.
Feb 17, 2025