Past Lives - 💥💥💥💥💥

Director: Celine Song

Writer: Celine Song
Release Date: 8th September 2023 

Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥

Synopsis: Follows the lives of two childhood friends, Nora and Hae Sung as they drift in and out of each other's lives, eventually meeting once more in New York City. 

Review: Celine Song's debut is a familiar story of love, friendship and ageing, brought to life by the chemistry of its central characters. However, chemistry alone does not make audiences fall in love with these characters, nor makes the film a near perfect depiction of a complicated relationship. Song's main skill is the ability to stitch scenes together with intricate everyday moments. Much like renowned Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu, Past Lives revels in the fabric of the everyday to imbue its world with heartfelt realism. The composed camera work of cinematographer Shabier Kirchner gives reverence to these images, often holding on to them as we get pockets of silence shared between Nora and Hae Sung. In both instances, Song is the master weaver, stitching these visuals together with the confidence of a filmmaker who knows that the power of cinema often lies in its ability to bring emotion to the ordinary.