Pondering Past Lives and twin flames. Plus: Mary Ann Hobbs on the power of live radio, Road House burn it down, revisiting my first short film about East End caff Pellicci's, let's speak more on Substack, Patricia Highsmith's snails and other peculiarities.
Excited to check out your documentary, Amar! Isn’t it interesting coming to older work we’ve done, seeing the younger choices? Thank you for sharing. Also, E Pellicci looks amazing. I love a café like that; and if I ever find myself in London, which I hope I do, I will visit. I keep a list of places I should visit if I get to certain spots. I do like to roam after all.
And I can’t thank you enough for the shout out to my mini homage to the soundscape of Substack. I find myself wanting to do more and more with sound. Oh only there was the time to get all the projects projecting. ;)
That post made a real impression, as you can see! I need to cook up something fresh now that isn't reading out the feature or adding background music. It starts with the words and mood. Let's see.
E Pellicci is so welcoming to all, wherever they come from. And unique in its atmosphere. No doubt, it would be highlight of your trip. Characters everywhere. They make this short film.
I agree with a lot of your review here. I really loved the subtlety of Past Lives and felt it was about identity and feelings of connection, more than the romantic. However I also agree with you, at points in the reunion, I wanted a little more spark or something to slightly change the pace of the film. Yet, if it had done that I wonder if would have lost the naturalist capture the awkward collision of two lives and two worlds come together after a long time.
I do believe in Twin Flames, but I think they are reserved/possible for a small number of people. I know two people where I am convinced they have met their twin flames. Here’s hoping I’ll find mine someday.
LOVE the look of this short. That review of E Pellici was fab, really transported me to a seat at the table. I look forward to watching!
Past Lives' understatement can also be its flaw to some people. There's too much space to project onto it and some viewers want to watch a story without needing to relate to characters in that way. I pitched up in that space willingly for a couple of hours.
A bold choice from a first-time director. Keen to see what Song does next and how much she leaves to the audience's imagination.
What convinced your friends they had met their twin flames?
It's really refreshingly realistic film-making, I enjoyed it.
It's hard to describe, I think there's something unspoken about their connections that they've described as incredibly familiar whilst also magnetic. There's lust but it's not longing, it's like a strange understanding of each other without any prior knowledge. Their partners said the exact same thing. However, I believe 'Twin Flames' has also been branded by some cults and now may be having a 'moment' for all the wrong reasons.
p.s. tearing through I'm a Fan. Wow. Adoring it. It's addictive, intelligent, bold and brilliant. I'm gonna go back and re-read your review after I finish it :)
Glad you liked it. It's honest and straight up, which is true to the character of that place.
So an innate understanding of one another… That would certainly get the flames flaming.
Sheena is a unique voice. It's going to be tough to follow up this book but she's in no hurry. Also quite open and experimental in terms of the form so I'm confident it will slay in its own way.
Great section on ‘Past Lives’ and the universal nature of longing / grieving missed connections. If you haven’t seen it already, I think this video by Quality Culture captures the criticisms of ‘Past Lives’ and why it may have felt hollow to many viewers including myself:
Hey John! I hadn't seen that. I can appreciate the argument. That "subtext is forced to carry a little too much weight". That insufficient time on screen is spent establishing Nora's connection to Hae Sung and Korea. So it's harder to really believe that she's thinking what if…
We could have seen more inner conflict. Her vulnerability made more visible in this predicament. How the dilemma weighs on her. But how much of this apparent contentment in the present is a mask for what's unresolved? Perhaps she's trying to convince herself it's all good. There is a moment in the audition that triggers her, which Song could have built on.
We get the impression that young Nora is excited about moving to Toronto. That she grows up and moves on fairly quickly after that early culture shock. Hmm. I don't know – Nora wouldn't be the first person to find out she cares a little more about the past than she first thought.
That the trigger is a cyber stalk feels more fun and intriguing to me than far-fetched.
Excited to check out your documentary, Amar! Isn’t it interesting coming to older work we’ve done, seeing the younger choices? Thank you for sharing. Also, E Pellicci looks amazing. I love a café like that; and if I ever find myself in London, which I hope I do, I will visit. I keep a list of places I should visit if I get to certain spots. I do like to roam after all.
And I can’t thank you enough for the shout out to my mini homage to the soundscape of Substack. I find myself wanting to do more and more with sound. Oh only there was the time to get all the projects projecting. ;)
That post made a real impression, as you can see! I need to cook up something fresh now that isn't reading out the feature or adding background music. It starts with the words and mood. Let's see.
E Pellicci is so welcoming to all, wherever they come from. And unique in its atmosphere. No doubt, it would be highlight of your trip. Characters everywhere. They make this short film.
Loved this, Amar!
I agree with a lot of your review here. I really loved the subtlety of Past Lives and felt it was about identity and feelings of connection, more than the romantic. However I also agree with you, at points in the reunion, I wanted a little more spark or something to slightly change the pace of the film. Yet, if it had done that I wonder if would have lost the naturalist capture the awkward collision of two lives and two worlds come together after a long time.
I do believe in Twin Flames, but I think they are reserved/possible for a small number of people. I know two people where I am convinced they have met their twin flames. Here’s hoping I’ll find mine someday.
LOVE the look of this short. That review of E Pellici was fab, really transported me to a seat at the table. I look forward to watching!
Cheers, Michaella. Just letting out/off.
Past Lives' understatement can also be its flaw to some people. There's too much space to project onto it and some viewers want to watch a story without needing to relate to characters in that way. I pitched up in that space willingly for a couple of hours.
A bold choice from a first-time director. Keen to see what Song does next and how much she leaves to the audience's imagination.
What convinced your friends they had met their twin flames?
It's really refreshingly realistic film-making, I enjoyed it.
It's hard to describe, I think there's something unspoken about their connections that they've described as incredibly familiar whilst also magnetic. There's lust but it's not longing, it's like a strange understanding of each other without any prior knowledge. Their partners said the exact same thing. However, I believe 'Twin Flames' has also been branded by some cults and now may be having a 'moment' for all the wrong reasons.
p.s. tearing through I'm a Fan. Wow. Adoring it. It's addictive, intelligent, bold and brilliant. I'm gonna go back and re-read your review after I finish it :)
Glad you liked it. It's honest and straight up, which is true to the character of that place.
So an innate understanding of one another… That would certainly get the flames flaming.
Sheena is a unique voice. It's going to be tough to follow up this book but she's in no hurry. Also quite open and experimental in terms of the form so I'm confident it will slay in its own way.
Great section on ‘Past Lives’ and the universal nature of longing / grieving missed connections. If you haven’t seen it already, I think this video by Quality Culture captures the criticisms of ‘Past Lives’ and why it may have felt hollow to many viewers including myself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foL2cAVptLs
Hey John! I hadn't seen that. I can appreciate the argument. That "subtext is forced to carry a little too much weight". That insufficient time on screen is spent establishing Nora's connection to Hae Sung and Korea. So it's harder to really believe that she's thinking what if…
We could have seen more inner conflict. Her vulnerability made more visible in this predicament. How the dilemma weighs on her. But how much of this apparent contentment in the present is a mask for what's unresolved? Perhaps she's trying to convince herself it's all good. There is a moment in the audition that triggers her, which Song could have built on.
We get the impression that young Nora is excited about moving to Toronto. That she grows up and moves on fairly quickly after that early culture shock. Hmm. I don't know – Nora wouldn't be the first person to find out she cares a little more about the past than she first thought.
That the trigger is a cyber stalk feels more fun and intriguing to me than far-fetched.