Regret is a theme in this year’s Best Picture nominees. Oppenheimer might as well have been titled “Atomic Regret.” Barbie, the highest grossing movie of the year, suggests the inevitability of feminine regret in modern world. Killers of the Flower Moon
Past Lives was mu favorite film of last year and while watching with my current gf could not help but think of an ex-gf who I thought was the one. But after reading this I have a new perspective on the film. Thank you for that.
And that last sentence, man that got me. bravo and amen.
Thanks for the best review of this movie I've read. My reaction to the film was that the characters all acted like complex, mature adults, which I hadn't seen in film or irl in a long time.
Thanks for the review, made me put Past Lives on my Watchlist. I love thoughtful movies that make you reflect on life and the choices we make.
Based on your review you might also like the “Before” Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight). These movies are a moving portrayal of the power of time and love. The characters age at the same rate as their respective actors (18 years between first and third movie), which adds to the realism of the trilogy. Especially the second one (“Before Sunset”) plays with the theme of regret and the “past lives” people left behind and the alluring idea of a second chance. These three movies are so simple as they only portray two characters talking yet I'd say they include some of the most honest and realistic dialogues I've even seen in cinema.
Concerning your thoughts on technology, I can highly relate. The internet has put regret and nostalgia on a whole new level. Seeing your old friends on social media can trigger thoughts like “Why am I not doing this?”, “Should I get back in touch?”. These thought experiments can prevent you from living faithfully in the moment. However, I'd say that it's not all bad if you use it right - which is more easily said than done. My experience has been that there have been beautiful moments where I once reconnected with old friends in-person after 5 or even 10 years, most of these dates arranged on messenger apps like WhatsApp. The moment you first see each other – excited, a bit nervous, expectant – before you then go on to talk about everything and everybody is priceless. But you have to handle these encounters wisely, acknowledging your limited time and mental energy to maintain friendships. My point is just that faithfulness can - but doesn't need to - include maintaining precious friendships (not past romantic relationships) which have been challenged by geographical distance and life's busyness. The internet can help you express love and interest to old friends who might need it. But there's a danger in overdoing it, which results in an unhealthy inability to let go and move on. That's why I really like this line in your article: “Perhaps the Internet’s power to resurrect the past, to keep our unlived lives in front of us rather than letting them sail off and our eyes to fall in front of us—perhaps this power does not free us, but does the opposite."
Though to me this movie was a bit to "art housey" to get traction - certainly another good Korean film entry for us Westerns to get a peak... I couldn't finish this one - may go back and try again.
IMO none of the movies this year are Oscar Big, though they're big movies - Nolan, Gerwig and Scorsese - all three very lumpy in quality. Sometimes Oscar choices are like the Nobel Lit choices - not what would be expected....
Have the Oscars evolved to be the Golden Globes writ large - the choice results of a very small group and extremely sophisticated marketing campaigns?
Also I'm not sure if we Christian filmwatchers make too big an effort to read into and parse out real spiritual truth from Hwood movies - every film is the product of a very small, tight creative community and if there is a general connect with the great "masses," it would almost be incidental?
Esp. in Hwood where making the buck is the determinant - non-US films, esp. European not so much...
Past Lives was mu favorite film of last year and while watching with my current gf could not help but think of an ex-gf who I thought was the one. But after reading this I have a new perspective on the film. Thank you for that.
And that last sentence, man that got me. bravo and amen.
Thank God for a loving Heavenly Father!
Thanks for the best review of this movie I've read. My reaction to the film was that the characters all acted like complex, mature adults, which I hadn't seen in film or irl in a long time.
Good catch with noticing 'regret' as a theme. Didn't notice that. I wonder what we'll say was the 'theme of 2024' at the end of the year...
Praise God that, with all our regrets and mistakes, we are safe in Christ and can rest knowing that He truly is working out all things for good! :D
Thanks for the review, made me put Past Lives on my Watchlist. I love thoughtful movies that make you reflect on life and the choices we make.
Based on your review you might also like the “Before” Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight). These movies are a moving portrayal of the power of time and love. The characters age at the same rate as their respective actors (18 years between first and third movie), which adds to the realism of the trilogy. Especially the second one (“Before Sunset”) plays with the theme of regret and the “past lives” people left behind and the alluring idea of a second chance. These three movies are so simple as they only portray two characters talking yet I'd say they include some of the most honest and realistic dialogues I've even seen in cinema.
Concerning your thoughts on technology, I can highly relate. The internet has put regret and nostalgia on a whole new level. Seeing your old friends on social media can trigger thoughts like “Why am I not doing this?”, “Should I get back in touch?”. These thought experiments can prevent you from living faithfully in the moment. However, I'd say that it's not all bad if you use it right - which is more easily said than done. My experience has been that there have been beautiful moments where I once reconnected with old friends in-person after 5 or even 10 years, most of these dates arranged on messenger apps like WhatsApp. The moment you first see each other – excited, a bit nervous, expectant – before you then go on to talk about everything and everybody is priceless. But you have to handle these encounters wisely, acknowledging your limited time and mental energy to maintain friendships. My point is just that faithfulness can - but doesn't need to - include maintaining precious friendships (not past romantic relationships) which have been challenged by geographical distance and life's busyness. The internet can help you express love and interest to old friends who might need it. But there's a danger in overdoing it, which results in an unhealthy inability to let go and move on. That's why I really like this line in your article: “Perhaps the Internet’s power to resurrect the past, to keep our unlived lives in front of us rather than letting them sail off and our eyes to fall in front of us—perhaps this power does not free us, but does the opposite."
Good and interesting thoughts as usual! Thanks!
Though to me this movie was a bit to "art housey" to get traction - certainly another good Korean film entry for us Westerns to get a peak... I couldn't finish this one - may go back and try again.
IMO none of the movies this year are Oscar Big, though they're big movies - Nolan, Gerwig and Scorsese - all three very lumpy in quality. Sometimes Oscar choices are like the Nobel Lit choices - not what would be expected....
Have the Oscars evolved to be the Golden Globes writ large - the choice results of a very small group and extremely sophisticated marketing campaigns?
Also I'm not sure if we Christian filmwatchers make too big an effort to read into and parse out real spiritual truth from Hwood movies - every film is the product of a very small, tight creative community and if there is a general connect with the great "masses," it would almost be incidental?
Esp. in Hwood where making the buck is the determinant - non-US films, esp. European not so much...