Past Lives

They say that the best kisses, the best loves, the best love stories are those that never happened, those that are idealized and remain in fantasy. Past Lives is that.

It is a beautiful film, very well directed, very mature. The dialogues are fantastic, the resolution, as it should be. The theme is the path, perhaps the theme of the time jumps and the fact that so much happens between one and the other will take you a little off. Beyond that, it is impressive that it is Celine Song's first work. As for the performances, I am far in favor of the character of the husband, very mature and deconstructed, with perhaps the best dialogues and development of the film. The last two scenes, both in the restaurant and the farewell, are by far a delight. Highly recommended.

I loved the film, it stayed with me for days.

People who watch it will either find it to be super boring or will keep thinking about it for days.

The cinematography, the dialogues, performance and Score are just beautiful. The silent moments between them are beautiful too.

I do not recommend this to everyone, but if you love movies like Before Sunrise trilogy or the Irish movie Once or Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind. You will love this one too.

But, for me having watched the 2018 Indian film 96 many times I could not stop comparing these two movies. , I mean the subway scene with them holding the pole just staring at one n another.

The What ifs. Both the movies are so similar concept wise.

Past Lives is a beautifully understated and emotionally resonant film about the power of love, loss, and second chances. The film follows Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), two childhood friends who are reunited 20 years after they were separated by Nora's family's emigration from South Korea. The film explores the complex emotions that arise when these two old friends reconnect, as they grapple with the choices they've made in their lives and the possibility of what might have been.

Song's direction is assured and sensitive, and she elicits outstanding performances from her two leads. Lee and Yoo are both incredibly charismatic and believable as Nora and Hae Sung, and their chemistry is undeniable.

The film's cinematography is gorgeous, with Shabier Kirchner's lens capturing the beauty of both Seoul and New York City. The film's score is also superb, with a haunting and evocative soundtrack that perfectly complements the film's emotional tone.

Past Lives is a beautifully made and deeply moving film that will stay with you long after you've seen it. It's a film about love, loss, and the power of second chances, and it's sure to resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the pain of separation or the joy of reunion.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Some of the things that I particularly liked about the film include:

The film's understated and realistic depiction of love and relationships.

The film's sensitive and nuanced portrayal of the Asian American experience.

The film's beautiful cinematography and evocative score.

The film's two lead performances, which are both incredibly charismatic and believable.

Overall, I thought Past Lives was a beautiful and moving film that is sure to stay with me long after I've seen it. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a thoughtful and emotionally resonant film to watch.

Difficult to write too much about this film who offers a nice , large fist of emotions. The story itself is simple and offers minimum surprises. The 1940 decade romance air is honest, clear and, sure, in special sense, comfortable.

It is the story of two friends, from childhood, their lives across decades, their encounter and their choices. Nothing new, at first sight, but the acting is one of precious virtues in this case, like the admirable construction of story , reminding a honey drop.

In short, I have this certitude, it is one of films for who you are grateful to director and chance to see it. And this is the mattering thing, in fact.

And first-time director Celine Song has created one of these. It's a masterpiece of deeply genuine human emotion. And that masterpiece is Past Lives.

Song's dialogue is understated to the point of risking not creating a connection with the characters. It would not have worked with sub-par actors. But the risk payed off big time-all of these actors are wonderful, allowing their body language and line delivery fill in the gaps with their characters' true psychology.

A simple plot becomes a richly complex story of lost love, sought closure, and found purpose; and it's all due to Celine Song having the proper understanding of when to allow silence to speak.

Yet despite the frequent bouts of silence, not a moment feels wasted. Every shot and sentence is meticulously edited to give us exactly what we need to feel each moment with its full emotional power.

This very well may be the best film of 2023. It's the work of a master storyteller, and it's only her first film.