German director Wim Wenders’ deceptively simple, meditative, Tokyo-set Perfect Days demonstrates a masterful use of what the medium of cinema can offer. By pairing minimalist storytelling with modern settings, ambient sound with a nostalgic soundtrack, and moving images with unobtrusive dialogue and action, Wenders constructs a portrait of one man’s seemingly ordinary life that manages to both scratch away at what it means to be human and ask quintessential questions about what constitutes a life well-lived.
Perfect Days is considered a top-runner among this year’s nominees to the International Feature Film Oscar, where it is representing Japan. It competed in Cannes last May and earned star Kôji Yakusho, present in virtually every scene, a deserved Best Actor award.
Read the full review at AWFJ.org
Image courtesy of Neon
