One Film A Day: Past Lives

DAY 9 - 8/11/2023

Recently, I've been on the hunt for more Columbus-like films, and while my search has indeed yielded some results none more so than the film Past Lives (2023) directed by Celine Song.

The film follows Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, who are wrested apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Twenty years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny.

The film is relatable in the sense that it portrays a "love triangle" and I use that term loosely because the film is more than that overused cliche of a trope. The film has a more reserved and subtle approach and the relationship between those unspoken feelings of romance and the sands of time when you grow as a person and life changes you but those feelings still remain.

Past Lives (2023) does a great job with its wide-shot cinematography and its subtle camera movements weren't entirely the Ozu-style that Columbus (2017) had but quite an Americanised version of Ozu's trademark cinematography.

All-in-all the film was emotional, but it didn't quite hit the same heights as Columbus (2017) for me aside from the comparisons, the film as a stand-alone, is a wonderful film and one worth watching. One of 2023's gems.

My Rating: 8/10