j-m-d-b

When artists strip their tools down to a minimum, their true artistry comes out.

I found this film to be very soothing but also emotionally charged. The way Sakamoto said his goodbyes to the world using just a piano is so sensitive, I doubt such a journey has even been captured as strongly as this.

The film is very laid-back, the pieces are slow and melodic. The sound recording is great. Not only is the piano recorded fantastically allowing its harmonies to sing, at times there is a significant component of ambient sound mixed in so you can hear Ryuichi breathing as he plays.

I found myself in a movie theater not watching a film, but rather just listening to it with my eyes closed. The entire audience was mesmerized. The man's presence was felt through the medium.

While I understood the gimmick at the end, I thought it was a bit unnecessary and heavy-handed. That's a very minor point of criticism though. Recommended viewing.