Loneliness
Over mid-winter break I watched the movie Call Me Chihiro, and it was truly a captivating piece of work. The film itself was beautiful from the music to the colorful imagery and filming done in Japan. The story captures the life of Chihiro, a past sex worker who works at a bento restaurant and interacts with and influences various parts of her small community by the sea. When I initially looked at the description of the movie, it sounded incredibly boring, but I think that some of the best movies have simple storylines such as this one. Although the movie is about a young woman who works at a roadside bento shop, it delves much deeper into the aspects of human life, most specifically loneliness and our desperation and desire to hold intimate relationships with one another. Whether with our family, friends, or significant other, we seek connection to the world around us. A quote from the movie that nearly had me crying was when a man told Chihiro that "...we were all aliens in human bodies. We all come from different planets. So really, its no wonder we can't understand each other." I can't even describe how saddening this scene was for me. It emphasized exactly why we feel so lonely - because we feel that we are so different from anyone else, and end up sucking ourselves into a dark and lonely black hole. This is how the movie starts, giving us an insight into the lives of those in Chihiro’s community. In Makoto, we see a rebellious elementary school kid whose behavior stems from an environment of negligence and a lack of a secure parental figure. Kuniko suffers from the high expectations of her parents who feel that relationships and hobbies are second to academics. A homeless man wanders alley to alley, facing the harsh cruelty of others and the unknown fate that lies before him. All of these lives have something in common, a feeling of intense loneliness that comes from a lack of people who understand what it feels like to live their life.
Chihiro, I believe represents the small change we need to experience connection. This is why the movie's ending depicts a more realistic view of life and how we grow. I couldn't help but make a connection between this movie and Little Miss Sunshine. In Little Miss Sunshine, the family grows closer together but still faces the other troubles and daily struggles of their life: financial debt, failed dreams, and a fear of the future. While Kuniko worked up the courage to stand up, she still faces the burden of her parent's harsh expectations and lifestyle. Young Makoto shares a loving and nostalgic meal with his mother but remains in a broken relationship with her. Any memories of the homeless man are long gone from the death of someone rarely acknowledged. On the surface, there isn't anything different in any of these characters' lives. But it isn't the same either. Kuniko's parents witness their daughter stand up for something she loves, perhaps something more important than any grade she could get in the world. Makota's mother understands that the love of a child for their mother never fades, but she must work hard to express her love before he grows up. The homeless man, filled with memories of awful people and cold moments of slumber, meets a peaceful death after meeting Chihiro.
I think the quote was right, however, it is also completely wrong. We do belong on different planets. We are all different people with different lives. We experience and feel things differently than anyone else and that easily separates us. However, once in a while, a stranger visits our planet, they stay for a while, and they start to experience life with us. They stay by our side and influence the brightest and darkest parts of our world. I think this is what the movie means to say. No one can truly and fully relate to someone else. We can try for months, years, or even our entire lives searching to find someone like ourselves, but it will never happen. However, the very essence of being a human means to crave love, attention, and a shoulder to lean on. Like Chihiro, all we need is one small thing or person to start a chain of experiences and the ability to connect. People make our small lives feel, even if only a bit, a little less lonely.
Chihiro, I believe represents the small change we need to experience connection. This is why the movie's ending depicts a more realistic view of life and how we grow. I couldn't help but make a connection between this movie and Little Miss Sunshine. In Little Miss Sunshine, the family grows closer together but still faces the other troubles and daily struggles of their life: financial debt, failed dreams, and a fear of the future. While Kuniko worked up the courage to stand up, she still faces the burden of her parent's harsh expectations and lifestyle. Young Makoto shares a loving and nostalgic meal with his mother but remains in a broken relationship with her. Any memories of the homeless man are long gone from the death of someone rarely acknowledged. On the surface, there isn't anything different in any of these characters' lives. But it isn't the same either. Kuniko's parents witness their daughter stand up for something she loves, perhaps something more important than any grade she could get in the world. Makota's mother understands that the love of a child for their mother never fades, but she must work hard to express her love before he grows up. The homeless man, filled with memories of awful people and cold moments of slumber, meets a peaceful death after meeting Chihiro.
I think the quote was right, however, it is also completely wrong. We do belong on different planets. We are all different people with different lives. We experience and feel things differently than anyone else and that easily separates us. However, once in a while, a stranger visits our planet, they stay for a while, and they start to experience life with us. They stay by our side and influence the brightest and darkest parts of our world. I think this is what the movie means to say. No one can truly and fully relate to someone else. We can try for months, years, or even our entire lives searching to find someone like ourselves, but it will never happen. However, the very essence of being a human means to crave love, attention, and a shoulder to lean on. Like Chihiro, all we need is one small thing or person to start a chain of experiences and the ability to connect. People make our small lives feel, even if only a bit, a little less lonely.
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