All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001) + Ichiko Aoba
dir by Shunji Iwai
A lonely boy who finds purpose through his favourite musician, Lily Chou-Chou. During a time when many films coming out in the early 2000s were conveying the dangers of the internet, All About Lily Chou-Chou is a gem for expressing the newfound beauty of the online. But it's not surface level, it's incredible how it manages to dive deep into what was probably unknown at the time. Coupled with beautifully utilized handheld cinematography, and a soundtrack that's woven into the story, this film chemically changed my way of thinking. Shortly after watching this film for the first time, I was reminded about a musician, Ichiko Aoba, who was recommended to me by my friend Basti. Both this film and Ichiko Aoba grounds me with my perceptions. They play with your senses of what's important. I feel serenity.