Eilidh MacKinnon

Watched "Past Lives" on the plane. It was wonderful! It was heartbreaking from start, and even though it almost tore me up in the middle, it gave me positive strength in the end! If I had seen this movie last year, it would have been in my top 10! "PAST LIVES", translated as "in-yun" in Korean and "past lives" in the subtitles. What is the Japanese word for "destiny" or "fate" as it relates to reincarnation, I guess. It seems to be a different nuance from fate. At any rate, the director, Celine Song, is very good at cutting frames and directing the camera! I look forward to seeing her future work: the scene in the park where the two meet for the first time in 24 years, the side-by-side scene in the bar where the three of them gather, which is also introduced at the beginning of the film, and the final one-shot scene on the sidewalk. The camera, rather than dialogue, frames the emotions and sentiments. This is what cinema is all about. The loss of the past, the sincere look into the future without denying it. This film is not only a story about first love, but also about people who go "out" and is a beautiful film that spins a more fundamental story of several people's lives and a world that transcends countries and languages. It is a masterpiece. It’s coming to theaters in Japan in April.