Andrea

“You dream in a language I can’t understand.” Oh, yeah. This movie is it. I initially watched the first half of the movie only based on the raging reviews it got from literally everyone, not expecting myself to fall in love with the movie. But was I so wrong. Past Lives (2023) is so gut-wrenchingly beautiful. Every character here is so fleshed out and real, that my tears have already run dry by the end of this movie. So much of the script here is still stuck in my mind until now. I regret watching this now, this movie deserves all the love and praise it deserves. This is made for me, for the girls who are equally obsessed with Before Sunrise (1995) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Maybe, in another life?

God, I truly wish I could love this, especially with all the buzz surrounding this movie. Watching this right after the Oscar praises also does not help. I went into this without any knowledge whatsoever, and that's exactly what the movie wants to make you feel like—in a daze, confused. Just straight up "what the fuck"-ing throughout the movie. However, amidst the narrative confusion, Emma Stone's performance emerged as a shining beacon of brilliance. Her portrayal showcased a character that underwent a compelling and well-crafted evolution, demonstrating her versatility in various dimensions. The supporting cast, coupled with visually stunning aesthetics, became the saving grace of this cinematic endeavor. But other than that, I truly couldn't care less for the storyline. Well, maybe this movie is just not made for me.

Just like everything that I had expected. I expected this movie would be a fun ride all around, especially with how Greta Gerwig has been carrying the weight of her previous movies with grace and delight. I'm just surprised at this point that Mattel allowed her to strip down everything we already knew about Barbie and just present it in a thought-provoking matter, and basically would provoke men with fragile masculinities all the same lol. One thing from me that just prevents this from getting a five-star despite the movie's success in making me shed a lot of tears, is how sometimes the jokes are more of a hit-and-miss (especially that Zack Synder joke, that one threw me off so much). There's so much that I wanted, and it was delivered. Only a little too late. But in the end, I still enjoyed it nonetheless! I personally enjoyed The Godfather joke a little too much HAHA.