![]() ![]() Their quiet pieces of body language enhance the realism of Past Lives and lend insight into whom these fictional people are. Rather than speaking in dialogue that makes motivations crystal-clear for the audience, characters like Nora, Hae Sung, and Arthur engage in subtle instances of physicality meant only for each other. This particular instance of subdued physicality embodies how Past Lives uses the tiniest pieces of physical human behavior to convey rich internal worlds. Slight head movements capture a blossoming romance. Both Arthur and Nora engage in a series of slight head turns and leans that indicate that Nora’s word choice there wasn’t accidental. Here, the subtle physicality of Past Lives beautifully bubbles to the surface. At the end of this conversation, Nora references the Korean concept of “in-yeon” to Arthur as "something Koreans say when they're trying to seduce someone." After this, there's silence, with Song's camera lingering on the two in the darkness illuminated only by a string of overhead lights. ![]() The two end up bonding while chatting with a group of writers at night, with the two eventually talking on their own long into the night. They’re both staying at the same writer’s retreat, with Arthur arriving as a blurry figure in the background as Nora is snoozing. In Past Lives, the first meeting of Nora and her future husband Arthur is quite incidental. Celine Song’s work in Past Lives follows in the footsteps of these filmmakers while also blazing a new identity that solely belongs to her. The likes of Richard Linklater, Wong Kar-Wai, and Barry Jenkins have proven to be masters of this approach, in the process subverting the idea of what romantic-drama movies can look like. An alternative, more subdued way to capture romance on the big screen is with more observational, atmospheric movies that let a connection between two souls gradually simmer on the big screen. Plus, needless to say, many modern romantic dramas that aim for bombastic portrayals of heartache, like Life Itself, lack all the virtues and visual chops of masterpieces like Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. However, such portrayals of romantic yearning are not the only ways to explore those emotions on the big screen. It’s a masterclass in how pronounced visuals and performances can command rich levels of pathos. ![]() Even title cards like, "Couldn't she get drowned?" are given such maximalist life informed by the vibrant urges of the on-screen characters. Murnau's 1927 masterpiece Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is one of the greatest movies ever made, romantic drama or otherwise, and it throws subtlety to the wind with its bombastic visuals. On the contrary, some of the greatest romantic dramas in history have been deeply externalized portrayals of human beings attracted to one another. “The diverse range of stories that come from the A24 pipeline make this partnership so impactful for our audience.Grand cinematic reflections of love are not innately a bad or shallow thing. “Continuing our relationship with A24 to bring award-winning movies alongside recent fan-favorites to subscribers adds incredible value to the HBO and Max value proposition,” said Royce Battleman, EVP of content acquisitions for Warner Bros. The expanded selection of A24 films coming to HBO and Max includes Oscar-winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Uncut Gems,” “The Whale” and “Past Lives.” In addition, the two companies extended their licensing deal for A24’s library of movies on HBO and Max - which will encompass more than 100 titles over the term of the agreement. Other movies included in the pay-1 output agreement include “Dicks: The Musical,” from comedian Larry Charles “The Zone of Interest” the 2023 rerelease of “Stop Making Sense,” Jonathan Demme’s famous Talking Heads concert film “Love Lies Bleeding” from director Rose Glass and “Civil War,” the upcoming action film written and directed by Alex Garland.
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