LGM Film Club, Part 545: Ryuichi Sakamoto Opus

In 2023, the Japanese film composer and pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto died of cancer. Knowing he had a death sentence, he agreed to have his son the director Neo Sora, film him playing his most famous pieces. This was released in 2024. The film is just Sakamoto and his piano. The critics largely loved it. But my friends, it’s really boring. Now, if you are a huge Sakamoto film, you might well like this. But there’s literally nothing happening except for him playing. At one point, he notes he is pushing himself as he takes a break. That’s the film’s action scene. You might say that I am a heathen and a troglodyte. Maybe I am. But I wouldn’t want to watch a film that was nothing but Norman Blake playing his guitar slowly or Floyd Cramer slowly playing his piano for 100 minutes. The only argument for the film is that classical music is more advanced and aesthetically interesting than country music and there’s just no objective argument you can make there. It’s just a boring film.