Meu Nome é Chihiro

Like you get into another society without life rules. Feel free to do what you want, just follow your heart. The heart will accompany you to find who you are. Enjoy it on my weekend.

I saw the trailer at January and I was really interested to watch it, but I didn't add into my must see list. Today the advertisement pop out, catching my eyes, I thought it was a series not a movie because I want to know deeper what the meaning massage the director likes to transfer. It leaves some rooms for imaginations. About our life, career, family, relationships and self-esteem...etc. You will understand something after watched it.

If you like movies about real human connections, simple in a good way, with no over dramatic plots and twists, this is for you. Don't expect fast pacing and a lot of crazy action. Expect beautiful shots where you can appreciate the interactions and nature.

It follows the stories of characters with different backgrounds and ages that are interconnected through Chihiro, an ex-sex worker who now tends at a bento shop, has a beautiful smile, and can befriend people (and animals) easily. You see part of their lives, problems and how they're impacted by one another. Deals with themes of nihilism, solitude, broken relationships, death, love and kindness.

If you're a "movie sleeper" don't watch. I on the other hand, liked that it took it's time, felt the joy and sadness of the stories and ended up with a feel good lightness even though the ending was bittersweet for me.

This is a movie about how the former sex-worker Chihiro, now working at a bento shop as a sales person, helps those emotionally in need who come her way from all ages and also how she connects them with each other. Perhaps her approach has something to do with the Geisha culture which seems to be based on things more than sexual attraction. Good acting in general. Little physical action but some emotional ups and downs. The Japanese society is more hierarchical than those in other developed countries and family ties are stronger but they also suffer quite a bit from loneliness and this movie shows how some of them try to deal with it (or unable to) without being pessimistic.

First of all, this movie can only happens in Japan. Chihiro, an ex sex worker with no drug and alcohol addiction, no tattooes and no foul mouth, that retired from her"dark past" just like snapping your fingers and still maintained positive attitude.

Her ex boss was also retired from sex industry to open a tropical fish store, and still maintained a good relationship with her. Basil, her friend from her past job, occasionally came to Chihiro's house to have a few drinks and talked about the past. Chihiro also befriended a stray cat, an old bum, two beautiful high school girls, a nine year old boy and got flirted (politely) by a bunch of factory workers who passed by her workplace every afternoon. Tell me if that's not a perfect world, what would that called?!

Later in the story, we learnt that many characters were struggling with their own problems. Some were heavier than others, but nonetheless it's still problems. How Chihiro coped with her problems and how she affected people around her was the heart of the story, and it was a really heartwarming one.

Heartwarming 8/10.

Don't get the wrong idea about this movie based on the synopsis! This is a fantastic feel-good movie! Super nice and relaxing. Watching it is like therapy. It's full of beautiful sounds and scenery, Chihiro being nice and helping all kinds of people deal with their troubles (and being helped in return), and it is comfy and sometimes funny, without unnecessary drama. I think it's really sad some people can't enjoy relaxing healing movies like this, and call them "boring" and "the worst movie they've ever seen", giving the movie a rating of 1...Clearly it's not meant to be an action movie...Someone also said it has no emotion, which I really can't understand, since this movie is FULL of emotion! Anyway, if you're looking for a nice feel-good movie, definitely watch this one! I absolutely loved it!