Past Lives (2023)
A romance transcending destiny, built upon unstable foundation.
Presentation:
I wasn't a big fan that this was shot on film with kodak2383 as the main leads are Asian and 2383 doesn't complement yellower skin tones in my opinion. The film utilizes long focal lengths to maximize intimacy and you really are immersed in dialogue. The beginning has some clever framing and really symbolic shots, but the remainder was not particularly exceptional.
Story:
This is a film that is critically acclaimed, so why did i not feel anything? For me, i didn't really connect with the characters. Part of this reason i think is that the female lead is not particularly charasmatic or likable. She played hard to get when she was younger and never really showed any meaningful interest or commitment, so i was never convinced of this star crossed lover. The destiny aspect is quite romantic, but for me the film was dead on takeoff. The final scene was quite captivating as one of the longest cuts. In that moment, you really have no clue what will happen.
Conclusion:
This film was meant for romantics, but i couldn't invest in the characters. I was shocked to see how well received this film is so maybe I am to blame, though I don’t think i am dead inside? I think Like Crazy is a better version of this film
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Recommendations
An unexpectedly auteur romcom.