Initially I had no plans to fly to London until I heard that a friend from Spain was going.
At first I thought it was a bit crazy to do that but all my friends are horrible enablers who told me to go
(I love them for that)
in 2016 I went to Amsterdam to see the European premiere of "we are X", so I guess flying to London continued the trend to me being a crazy fangirl.
Odeon is a cinema chain in the UK, and the Odeon close to Covent Garden sure looks like an old classic movie theater but it is very dated.
When I discovered the more modern luxury versions of the Odeon cinemas close to Leicester Square it felt a bit as if "Under the Sky" had been banned to a backyard cinema,
They didn't even have a poster up outside until 2 hours before the screening but the movie was sold out anyway.
I asked if I could have the poster after the screening...but they said no. :'(
They made up for it by playing X Japan songs in the lobby.
What can I say about the movie?
It is part concert movie, part a movie for fans about fans, part a movie about going on after hard times and the healing power of music.
There isn't really anything new, nothing which differs from what Yoshiki already said. At least when you have been a fan for some time.
There was a bigger segment about a widower who talked about his wife and how Yoshiki's music helped her in the final stages of her sickness before she passed away.
The videos people submitted for the Endless Rain project were used for for "Under the Sky" and that was a big goosebump moment. But I was very glad that I wasn't featured as one of the singers. But it was surely very nice for some fans.
The credits ended with "to be continued"
Would I watch it again? Of course!
If you are a fan you don't want to miss it,. (if you don't like Yoshiki then probably not)
There was a Q&A after the movie and the interviewer was really well prepared. Something you don't always see. I forgot his name (I am bad with names) but he said that he has been doing music documentaries.
After the Q&A Yoshiki spent some time with his fans, signing stuff, selfies, etc.
I gave him a little gift and thanked him for coming to Europe to show the movie and spending time with his fans.
He looked at me and said "We met before!".....FLOORED. My IQ plummeted to non-measurable levels at that moment and all I managed was to say a location.
All in all a wonderful day in London and meeting quite a few of my fellow X Japan fans. (my body wasn't too happy about two really early flight and pulling an all-nighter ...but it was totally worth it and I would do it all over again)
