Told in the span of 24 years, the film follows the lives of two childhood friends from Seoul, South Korea who would lose contact with each other for 12 years only to finally reunite 12 years later to explore the state of their individual lives. It is a film that doesn’t have much of a plot as it’s more about possibilities and the lives they were living as well as what could’ve been. Celine Song’s screenplay opens with an off-screen couple watching the two main characters and another man in a conversation as the couple wonder who these people are as it then cuts to 24 years earlier in Seoul. The film’s main narrative begins with these two 12-year old kids in Na Young (Seung Ah Moon) and Hae Sung (Seung Min Yim) who are schoolmates who have feelings for one another yet the former is about to leave Seoul with her family as they’re to emigrate to Toronto to start a new life.
The two wouldn’t contact each other again as Na Young changed her name to Nora (Greta Lee) as she is trying to become a playwright while the adult Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) is currently serving the country’s mandatory military service as they both discover they’re on Facebook. The two would talk to each other through video and such yet plans to see each other would fall apart due to the demands of Nora’s career while Hae Sung is still trying to find work as he would travel to China for a Mandarin language exchange. It would be another 12 years where they would finally meet in New York City yet both of them would reveal completely different lives with Nora having already been married to another writer in Arthur Zaturansky (John Magaro) while Hae Sung was in a relationship that is on hold.
Song’s direction is largely straightforward in its overall presentation as it is shot on 35mm as it added a sense of grain and realism to the film as they’re shot largely on locations such as Seoul, New York City, and Montauk in the upstate area of New York. While there are wide shots of some of the locations including scenes shot on a phone during a video conversation between Nora and Hae Sung. Much of Song’s direction is intimate with its usage of medium and few close-ups as it plays into the closeness that the young Hae Sung and Na Young had where there is this great shot of the two walking towards different parts of the street for their farewell. There are also some distinctive compositions that Song creates such as a scene of the young Hae Sung and Na Young playing in a park as their mothers watch from afar suggesting about a future for the two. By the time the film shifts twelve years later where Hae Sung is seen as an adult in a wide shot doing his mandatory military service and then cuts to Nora who is living her life in New York City trying to create something through writing. Song would mix both English and Korean throughout the film as Nora would speak Korean when she talks to Hae Sung through Facebook or when he goes to New York City.
Song also plays into this sense of isolation that looms throughout the film with the wide and medium shots she creates including these intimate moments where Nora and Hae Sung are communicating through Facebook video during the film’s second act with the third act being the two reuniting in New York City. Song definitely plays into the sense of awkwardness that would occur between Nora and Hae Sung with Arthur being a third wheel as he laments over the fact that Hae Sung could be Nora’s true love as it is told in a comical manner. The meeting between the two men is just as awkward due to the fact that Arthur only knows a little bit of Korean and Hae Sung speaks very little English but Song finds a way for the men to find some common ground as well as these revelations of what could’ve been for Hae Sung and Nora but also if that could happen in another life. Overall, Song crafts a rapturous and touching film about two childhood friends who deal with their longing for one another as well as what could’ve been.
Cinematographer Shabier Kirchner does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of 35mm film stock as it has elements of grain to play into much of the film’s naturalistic look with some stylish lighting for a few interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Keith Fraase does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward as it doesn’t aim for anything stylish other than a few jump-cuts in order to play into the drama. Production designer Grace Yun, with set decorator Joanne Ling and art director Alan Lampert, does brilliant work with the look of the apartments that Nora and Hae Sung would live separately in the film’s second act as well as the home that Nora would live in with Arthur. Costume designer Katina Danabassis does nice work with the costumes as it is largely low-key and casual with the exception of the clothes that the young Hae Sung and Na Young wears.
Hair/makeup artist Heejin “Emily” Baek, along with makeup artists Ivy Emert and Tayler Winer plus hair stylist Antoinette Wade, does fantastic work with the hairstyle that Hae Sung would wear in much of his young adult life as well as a more refined look he would have in the film’s third act. Visual effects supervisors Michael Huber and Alex Lemke do terrific work with the visual effects as it is largely set dressing including a scene at a hotel room in China. Sound editor Jacob Ribicoff does superb work with the sound as it mainly focuses on natural sound in how a room sounds as well as a bar and such. The film’s music by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen is wonderful for its somber and low-key score filled with piano-based music with some folk elements that add to the sense of longing while music supervisors Meghan Currier creates a soundtrack that features an original song from Sharon Van Etten as well as music from Leonard Cohen, Kim Kwang Seok, Paul Eakins, Them with Van Morrison, and John Cale.
The casting by Ellen Chenoweth and Susanne Scheel is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Min Young Ahn as Hae Sung’s mother, Ji Hye Yoon and Choi Won-young as Nora’s parents, Yeon Woo Seo as Na Young’s younger sister, the trio of Noo Ri Song, Si Ah Jin, and Yoon Seo Choi as Hae Sung’s friends in Seoul, Jojo T. Gibbs as a fellow writer that Nora works with in the film’s second act, Seung Min Yim as the young Hae Sung, and Seung Ah Moon as the young Nora in Na Young. John Magaro is brilliant as Arthur as Nora’s husband who met her at a retreat as he fell in love with her while he would later lament about the presence of Hae Sung even though he doesn’t want to cause any trouble.
Teo Yoo is amazing as Hae Sung as a Korean man who longs for Nora/Na Young as he deals with growing up in his native South Korea as well as wonder if he would ever reunite with her and later does where he goes to New York City to lament over what might’ve been if he had gone to New York City 12 years earlier. Finally, there’s Greta Lee in an incredible performance as Nora Moon/Na Young as a woman who emigrated from South Korea to Canada and later a life in New York City as a writer where she thinks about Hae Sung only to get married where she also ponders about her feelings for him upon their reunion as it is a radiant and somber performance from Lee.
Past Lives is a phenomenal film from Celine Song that features a trio of great performances from Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro. Along with its gorgeous visuals, a mesmerizing music soundtrack, and its story of longing and fate. It is a film that plays into destiny and fates as well as the decisions in life that would impact two childhood friends in the span of 24 years. In the end, Past Lives is a sensational film from Celine Song.
© thevoid99 2024
The film follows the week and the life of a sculptor living in Portland, Oregon where she works for her mother at the Oregon College of Arts and Craft while is set to have her first major art exhibition while dealing her neighbor who is a competing artist as well as issues with her family and tending to a wounded pigeon that her cat attacked. It is a film that follows a woman who is struggling to work on her sculptors and manage other things in her life yet her apartment doesn’t have hot water as her neighbor isn’t fixing it in favor of her own work with her own exhibition. The film’s screenplay by Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond largely explores the life that Lizzy (Michelle Williams) has as her father Bill (Judd Hirsch) is a retired artist while she works at the college with her mother Jean (Maryann Plunkett) who is trying to do her work but also have this major exhibition that could be the break she needs as an artist.
Yet, her neighbor Jo (Hong Chau) hasn’t been able to fix Lizzy’s water heater as she is often distracted with other things relating to her own exhibit as well as having to care for a pigeon that Jo found which had been attacked by Lizzy’s cat. It all plays into the many things that are keeping Lizzy from completing her work for the exhibition as well as some family issues as it includes her reclusive brother Sean (John Magaro) who had been estranged from the family. Lizzy is also dealing with the fact that there’s other artists who have been doing exhibits that has been very successful as there is a pressure for her to get some attention as well as get some validity as an artist.
Reichardt’s direction definitely has some style as it is shot on location in Portland as well as places at the Oregon College of Arts and Craft in Portland, Oregon as it is a character in the film. Reichardt would maintain a simplistic presentation as she emphasizes on some long shots and a few static shots in either some medium or wide shots in certain rooms. Yet, the film opens with a shot that lingers for a few minutes as it moves around various sculptures that Lizzy has created. Much of the sculptures that Lizzy creates is mainly created by artist Cynthia Lahti as it has a unique style as a lot of the art work such as the work that Jo has created showcases a vibrant world that emphasizes on craftsmanship through all sorts of means in the world of art. Even as the college that Lizzy and her mother work at is filled with things that are unique where Reichardt maintains a looseness to the world and the many things that occur to ensure someone is always being creative or how sculptures are refined in a kiln. The attention to detail that Reichardt shows in what Lizzy would do to create her sculptures with its close-ups on her hands is a key aspect of the film.
Also serving as the film’s editor, Reichardt would allow shots to linger while deviating into stylish fast cuts in order to play into the drama that includes Lizzy’s family life as she is upset that her father would often surround himself with drifters. Reichardt’s careful framing and sense of looseness in her direction does give the film a tone that feels free where there are moments where nothing is staged. Notably in the film’s climax at Lizzy’s exhibition is where a lot of the characters come in to support her including this pigeon that she has grown fond of while is also trying to resolve issues with Jo. Overall, Reichardt creates a compelling and wondrous film about an artist trying to get her break while dealing with the chaos in both her professional and personal life.
Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its naturalistic yet low-key approach to the photography as well as giving it a grainy look of sorts for some of its interior scenes as it is a highlight of the film. Production designer Anthony Gasparo, with set decorator Amy Beth Silver and art director Lisa Ward, does amazing work with not just the homes of the characters but also some of the art exhibitions as a lot of it were created by local artists. Costume designer April Napier does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual and low-key to play into the personality of these characters with some of whom are wearing hippie-inspired clothing.
Visual effects supervisor Chris Connolly does terrific with the film’s minimal visual effects as it is largely based on the pigeon in a few key scenes with a lot of emphasized on animatronics rather than computer effects. Sound editor Daniel Timmons does superb work with the sound to play into the natural elements of the locations as well as how sound is presented from afar or up close. The film’s music by Ethan Rose is wonderful as it is largely a low-key electronic/ambient score with some woodwinds that includes flute performances by Andre Benjamin aka Andre 3000 while music supervisor Dawn Sutter Madell creates a soundtrack that is largely low-key and played on radios with a lot of being indie music.
The casting by Simon Max Hill is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Amanda Plummer and Matt Malloy as a couple of drifters who are crashing at Bill’s home, Lauren Lakis as a colleague in Terri, Denzel Rodriguez as a young administrator in William, James LeGros as an older administrator in Ira, Heather Lawless as an artist in Marlene who just had her own successful exhibit, and Theo Taplitz as a young neighbor of Sean who watches over Sean. Judd Hirsch is fantastic as Lizzy’s father Bill as a former artist who still creates pots yet prefers to enjoy retirement and hang out with drifters which worries Lizzy. John Magaro is superb as Lizzy’s brother Sean as a former artist who has turned into a recluse as he becomes paranoid as it relates to his own mental illness and such as he hasn’t talked to his parents in months.
Andre Benjamin is excellent as Eric as an artist/teacher who watches over the kilns as he is a colleague of both Jo and Lizzy as he does what he can to help the latter while is more interested in the former. Maryann Plunkett is brilliant as Lizzy’s mother Jean as a top administrator at the college who is hoping to keep Lizzy busy while knowing that she has an exhibit to present that she wants to attend with the whole family. Hong Chau is amazing as Jo as this artist who is also Lizzy’s next door neighbor/landlord who is already on the verge of a breakthrough with her own exhibition yet is often distracted to help out Lizzy as it causes some tension and such. Finally, there’s Michelle Williams in a phenomenal performance as Lizzy as this artist who is set to have breakthrough moment as an artist yet is coping with dealing with things in her family life as well as work and other distractions where Williams captures a lot of the struggles and anguish an artist has while also coping with her own family issues as Williams brings a lot of restraint as well as realism to the character as it’s one of her finest performances to date.
Showing Up is an incredible film by Kelly Reichardt that features a great leading performance from Michelle Williams. Along with its supporting cast, realistic visuals, and its study of artists struggling to get a break. It is a film that follows a week in the life of an artist who is trying to get her moment but also deal with the many struggles that artists go through in trying to balance their lives with their art and the people around them. In the end, Showing Up is a sensational film from Kelly Reichardt.
Kelly Reichardt Films: River of Grass - Old Joy - Wendy & Lucy - Meek's Cutoff - Night Moves (2013 film) - Certain Women - First Cow - The Auteurs #72: Kelly Reichardt
© thevoid99 2023
Set in 1820 in the Oregon territory, the film revolves around a baker who meets a Chinese immigrant as they become friends as they hope to become rich upon encountering a cow that belongs to a rich landowner from Britain. It is a film with a simple premise as it plays into two men trying to create better lives in a land that was in the early stages of being explored while a rich landowner arrives with a cow that he wants to have as he awaits for another cow to create a cattle farm. The film’s screenplay by Jonathan Raymond and Kelly Reichardt does follow a straightforward narrative though it opens with a small scene set nearly 200 years later where a young woman (Alia Shawkat) is walking her dog as she finds a shallow grave as it leads to the story of these two men in the cook/baker Otis “Cookie” Figowitz (John Magaro) and King-Lu (Orion Lee) who befriend each other as they’re both outsiders in this expedition through the Oregon territory. The latter was hiding from the Russians after he killed one of them while the former is treated poorly by fur trappers as the two choose to work together and then meet this cow whom they would milk at night and make food to sell.
Reichardt’s direction is definitely ravishing in the simple compositions that she creates as she shoots the film on location in Oregon while presenting it in a 4:3 full-screen ratio format as it gives the film an intimate look. While there are some wide shots that Reichardt creates to get a look into the locations including the film’s opening sequence with the young woman walking her dog. Much of the film has Reichardt emphasizing on close-ups and medium shot to play into the intimacy while creating shots that do last long to get a sense of the location and what the characters are dealing with in their environment or in a certain situation. It adds to the dramatic suspense in some of the situations that include scenes of Cookie milking the cow while King-Lu is on a tree being a watchdog trying to see if anyone is going to show up. There is this suspense that emerges yet there is also peaceful in the way Cookie talks to this cow.
Also serving as the film’s editor where Reichardt aims for something straightforward in the editing, it adds to the way the film is paced where it is slow but only because time was slower then as it relates to how Cookie creates biscuit or how one walks to town from a house. It also play into this growing discomfort later in the film when the Chief Factor (Toby Jones) takes notice of Cookie and King-Lu’s small business as it leads to this meeting where the two are invited to his home as there is this tension emerging. Notably as it play into what Cookie and King-Lu are figuring out what to do next as they have these small ambitions to make a better life for themselves but there is that danger of being caught. Especially in what leads to that first scene of the woman with her dog finding this shallow grave as its ending is more about these two men contemplating their next move but also lost dreams they have for a new world for themselves. Overall, Reichardt crafts a mesmerizing and engaging film about a loner cook and a Chinese immigrant trying to start a new life with the help of a rich man’s cow in the early days of the Oregon territory.
Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural lighting and low-key colors to help maintain a realistic look and tone for the film as well as providing vibrant yet dark colors for some of the daytime exterior scenes. Production designer Anthony Gasparro, with set decorator Vanessa Knoll and art director Lisa Ward, does amazing work with the look of King-Lu’s shack as well as a local pub and the home of the Chief Factor. Costume designer April Napier does fantastic work with the costumes as it play into the period of the time with animal fur for some of the hunters as well as a refined suit that the Chief Factor wears.
Visual effects supervisor Chris Connolly does terrific work with some of the film’s minimal effects as it is mainly set-dressing for a few bits of the film. Sound designer Leslie Shatz does brilliant work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as maintaining a sparse tone for some of the quieter moments of the film. The film’s music by William Tyler is excellent for its low-key folk based score with its usage of string music including guitars and violins to maintain the film’s somber tone.
The casting by Gayle Keller is superb as it feature some notable small roles from indie musician Stephen Malkamus as a fiddler, Dylan Smith as a fur hunter who berates Cookie early in the film, Gary Farmer as a native guest of the Chief Factor in Totillicum, Lily Gladstone as the Chief Factor’s native wife, Scott Shepherd as a military captain working with the Chief Factor, Ewen Bremner as one of the Chief Factor’s security officers in Lloyd, Alia Shawkat as a woman with a dog who finds the shallow grave in the film’s lone 21st Century scene, and Rene Auberjonois in one of his final film performances as a trader with a raven as he takes a liking to what Cookie and King-Lu have created.
Toby Jones is excellent as the Chief Factor as a British landowner who brings a cow to the Oregon territory as he hopes to make money on the land as he is amazed by what Cookie and King-Lu have created unaware of the source of its creation. Finally, there’s the duo of John Magaro and Orion Lee in great performances in their respective roles as Otis “Cookie” Figowitz and King-Lu as two different men who are outsiders that choose to do things their way to make a new life for themselves with Magaro as a cook who knows what to though he’s a loner while Lee maintains a calm approach to King-Lu as a man that knows how to sell things but also with ideas as Magaro and Lee have an amazing rapport together in just being two men who become friends all because they didn’t want to play by anyone’s rules.
First Cow is a phenomenal film from Kelly Reichardt featuring incredible leading performances from John Magaro and Orion Lee. Along with its understated look and tone, a simple yet engaging story, rich sound design, and a somber music score by William Tyler. The film isn’t just this fascinating story of friendship and small ambition but also a story of two men trying to do things their way during a time where everyone had a role to play on a land that is being discovered. In the end, First Cow is a sensational film from Kelly Reichardt.
Kelly Reichardt Films: River of Grass - Old Joy - Wendy & Lucy - Meek's Cutoff - Night Moves (2013 film) - Certain Women - Showing Up - The Auteurs #72: Kelly Reichardt
© thevoid99 2021
