JULY 29 — “You watched Odyssey twice, right? You should watch Kokuho.”Watching a film about, of all things, the Japanese art of kabuki was not on my to-do list but I was intrigued enough by the recommendation to buy a ticket last night.It was either go last night or sneak into the back of a theatre with my work laptop because July 29 is the last date of its screening in Malaysia.There wasn’t enough time for me to read up on the movie.Even in the last minutes before the movie started at 8.50pm I was sending work emails and assignments so all I had managed to find out was that the two lead actors trained for 18 months in kabuki.Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama are phenomenal in their roles as almost-brothers, always-rivals vying for both a place in the spotlight and the favour of their master.Kokuho’s premise of a yakuza’s son trying to break into the world of kabuki is fantastical but while the script is flawed, the pace meandering, it is a very beautiful film.I found the kabuki set pieces enthralling; such gorgeous costuming, elaborate stages, full-bodied traditional musicians and shot in such a way that you felt yourself also transported into a kabuki theatre.Having just finished the game Guardians of Azuma, where the protagonist is a shrine dancer, I found myself being able to appreciate the dancing in Kokuho as well as the sound of Japanese instruments.I recognised the sound of taiko, Japanese percussion, and the hand movements, the way the dancers moved bearing fans in yukata.Right now I’m playing another Japan-designed game — Persona 5 Royal.At various loading screens it keeps showing me the phrase, “Take your time.” 'Kokuho' is captivating in many ways due to how much visible effort has been put into its creation. — Media Castle/Kokuho film pic The beauty of Kokuho is, when you think about it, created precisely by the creators taking their time.Without the lead actors being convincing kabuki performers, the film would not have worked.Yet we live in an age where we are sold the notion of speeding things up and instant gratification.The best things take time, like dry-aged steaks and intricate dances, yet I go online and my eyes are assaulted constantly by hideous AI-generated flyers or graphics.My friends on Facebook have to deal with my terrorising them whenever they post any AI-generated imagery so I see a lot less of it on my feed, which I think is the point.Three hours is a long time to sit in the cinema and at times I did think Kokuho’s director was a bit overindulgent.It is a particular affliction of Japanese cinema where, for some reason, you will be made to stare at a clump of trees, perhaps a sandy bank or some other random Nature spot until the director decides to advance the plot.I still found that time a good break from the mundanity of the outside world.Whether I’m chasing shadows in Persona 5 Royal, watching elaborately made up actors performing kabuki or trying not to fall asleep reading language textbooks, I understand now that I cannot rush time, nor can I really ever know how much of it I truly possess.We trade time for money, then use it to buy more time but we would be happier when we are not worrying about either.For art is best savoured in both its making and experiencing.In a world obsessed with ChatGPT perhaps we might all be better off learning about kabuki.* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.