When I'm under a lot of pressure, I always want to find a healing movie to watch. The film "Spirited Away," which is filled with a sense of loneliness, has brought me some comfort recently with its fragmented life scenes and tranquil Japanese visuals.
Slow Pace#
This is a film with a very slow pace. The mundane life scenes, the abundance of empty frames, the pauses, and the soothing music make me feel the stagnation of time in my fast-paced daily life. If you watch "Spirited Away" with the expectation of watching a popcorn movie, you will inevitably be disappointed. The whole film is composed of fragmented scenes seemingly unrelated to each other, without a clear main plot. When I first finished watching it, I didn't even know what this movie was trying to tell me. I just felt a sense of relief, as if a wrinkled heart was being gently smoothed by a tender hand.
Healing Visuals#
Even if you ignore the plot and simply appreciate each frame in the film, it can still strike a chord with me as a lover of Japanese photography. The abundance of empty space, the spacious scenery, the deep blue sea, and the healing smiles of the characters overflow with the tranquility and beauty of life directly from the screen.
Reconciliation with oneself#
The entire plot revolves around Chihiro, who works at a convenience store. However, "Chihiro" is the stage name she used when she worked in the adult entertainment industry. She does not hide the fact that her previous job was as an "escort," nor does she mind others mentioning it in front of her. The fact that she continues to use the name "Chihiro" in her life shows her honesty with herself. Facing her own past, being honest with herself, and achieving what is called "keeping it real" allows her to unload her psychological burden and reconcile with herself.
Sense of Loneliness#
Chihiro, who always walks alone, Jyunko, a high school student living in a repressive family environment, the silent homeless man, the little child, Kousuke, who lacks a mother's care, and Duohui, who is hospitalized with an eye disease... Every character that appears in the film displays their own sense of loneliness, resonating with me as I watch the movie alone at home on weekends. Surprisingly, despite her own loneliness, Chihiro is able to bring comfort to others, weakening their sense of loneliness with her healing smile.
I often experience this sense of loneliness in my own life. In high school, I could wander alone in the shopping mall near the school on weekends, spending 10 yuan to play five rounds of racing games at the arcade. In college, I could take a half-hour subway ride alone to the nearest movie theater to watch a movie. During the summer vacation, I could travel to Guilin and Yangshuo alone, ordering food by myself, taking a bamboo raft by myself, and climbing mountains by myself... I don't know whether this sense of loneliness is good or bad, as it can be really lonely, but it can also be liberating.
"We all come from different planets"#
"We are all aliens living in human bodies. We all come from different planets, so it is natural that we cannot understand each other."
Jyunko, a high school student in the film, comes from a wealthy family. Her mother has a chef's certificate and can make perfectly balanced meals. However, Jyunko cannot taste the flavor of the food at home because she and her parents are not from the same planet. "Eating with certain people makes the food taste worse."
Even parents, loved ones, and friends may not come from the same planet as us. You may like a girl, start a relationship, but if you don't come from the same planet, you won't have common topics when you are together, and you will feel awkward, restricted, and uncomfortable, unable to go the distance. Fortunately, I found someone when I turned back. She and I share similar values, and being with her doesn't feel restrictive. It feels natural and comfortable. We live together in a small house of less than 30 square meters, experiencing "hardship" together and lazily spending weekends. The world is big, and in a lifetime, we can always meet a few people who come from the same planet as us.
Even now, I don't know if I fully understand this film, but it doesn't matter. After all, I have already received this healing.
Thank you, "Spirited Away" was originally published on Jack's Space