”Past Lives,” a sophisticated, thoughtful film nominated for multiple Oscars, is playing in select theaters and available for purchase on streaming platforms.
Photo Credit - Amazon
Overall, by the numbers 33% of American adults believe in reincarnation, while just 29% believe in Astrology. Four in ten people believe in psychics, and that spiritual energy can be found in physical objects.
With all of those stated facts above, that leaves another mysterious, clouded age-old question before us…do you believe in the possibility of past lives? Or better yet, how about destiny deciding our future lives?
Past Lives, a nominee for both Best Picture Oscar this year and Screenplay, and rightfully so, is a captivating valentine following Nora and deeply connected childhood friend Hae Sung, who started to grow inseparable at a very young age. That is until the two flames are pulled apart when Nora’s family decides to emigrate to a more fruitful land.
Filmed partly in Seoul, South Korea, and later in the east village of Manhattan, don’t get confused this latest sparkle is NOT a romantic comedy of sorts. It is more of a dramatic character study about the ties that connect us and also pull us apart.
I had the pleasure of catching this lovely film on a plane to Central America last week, and I have to be upfront, when it ended I was pretty broken up, and embarrassingly so. I was chatting to the person in the seat next to me and my voice kept fracturing as I tried not to let the beautifully woven story break me apart in public.
Winner of best Feature at the Gotham awards, this little film directed by Celine Song will truly get you questioning your past life, your present life, and more than likely even your future life that has yet to develop. That is the power of true film-making as seen in this movie.
What happens 20 years later when the childhood couple reconnects? Has too much time passed for the young lovebirds to reignite their eternal flame? Well, I am not about to spoil it for you. All I will say is that the approach taken in this film is very realistic, and not just another trademark Hallmark channel ending. Past Lives got me thinking long and hard about my past lovers who got away, intimate relationships, and even long-lost connections with old friends.
This film is for the more sophisticated viewer, so if “Super Troopers” or “Old School” is among your favorite film, you may just want to sit this one out. Simply one of the best pictures of the past year! Please God, let me live a future life where there are less Marvel style films being pumped out, and more thoughtful, adult films like this one are being produced. Amen.
”Past Lives,” starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro
Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “8” paws out of 10.
