When I'm under a lot of pressure, I always want to find a healing movie to watch. The film "Spirited Away," which is full of loneliness, has brought me some comfort with its fragmented life scenes and serene Japanese visuals.
Slow Pace#
This is a film with a very slow pace. The mundane life scenes, the abundance of empty frames, the sufficient 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 entire film is composed of fragmented scenes seemingly unrelated to each other, revolving around Chihiro. It doesn't have an obvious main plot. When I first finished watching it, I didn't even know what this film 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 resonate 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 tranquility and beauty 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 shy away from 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 wanderer Kamaji, the child Kohaku who lacks a mother's care, and the hospitalized Dohi with an eye disease... Every character that appears in the film displays their own sense of loneliness, which resonates 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 the racing game at the arcade five times. 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 if this sense of loneliness is good or bad, because it's really lonely, but it's also liberating.
"We all come from different planets"#
"We are all aliens living in human bodies. We all come from different planets, so it's natural that we can't 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 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're together. You will feel awkward, restricted, and uncomfortable, unable to go the distance. Fortunately, when you look back, you will find someone who shares similar values with you. Being with her doesn't feel constrained, it feels natural and comfortable. We live together in a small house of less than 30 square meters, experiencing "hardship" together, 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