I don't know where to start when it comes to Past Lives, except to say that it's easily one of the best movies of the year. It among one of the best love stories I've seen on screen in my life. I'm glad a saw it, and I would generally recommend it.
It's a simple plot. This is something that some Hollywood writers need to understand. Your movie doesn't get better by getting bogged down in the plot. It's more important to get the story right. Usually, the best movies understand that the plot is the bone -- what people take home with them is the meat.
The story begins with Hae Sung and Nora, two young friends in South Korea who have become close. Nora's parents are artist who chose to move to the USA, leaving Hae Sung with his more traditionalist family.
I won't get much into the plot; but, the film (also shot on film) follows their two lives for twenty-four years before they finally get to see each other in the same place again. They have a remote friendship for some time in the middle; but, if you want a clear, artistic reminder of how Skype isn't a substitute for seeing somebody in person -- this is a good film to see.
The thing that struck me to the core about this film is that all of the characters were mature, and behaved properly to each other as best they could. These are adults acting in a way that adults should act, and making decisions that adults should make. It you understand how psychologically torturous the situation is between the main characters without anybody having to throw a slap, or throw a lamp, or shout, or insult anyone.
The actors and the writing were both so good that you could process every big thing that's going on in the character's mind by a simple look or gesture -- or having it summed up in a simple line of dialog that most writers would need a page to explain less eloquently.
One of the most painful moments in the movie was actually a small chuckle. A man feels like he's in danger of losing the love of his life, and he just couldn't help but chuckle a bit at his own pain and his own insecurities that he's trying to process.
If you're not sold yet, let me also add that this movie was simple elegantly made.
Celine Song both wrote and directed the film (which, again, was shot on film), and her direction was spot-on. There was no "coverage." The movie was made almost entirely of unbroken shots and inserts. Every shot is there for a specific reason.
Every cut is there for a specific reason -- and that reason was never to "pick up the pace" or hide a fuck up.
This is a beautiful film from the inside out.