Few directors have a debut feature that’s as splashy as Celine Song’s. The director, who now has Materialists in theaters, had a breakout hit at Sundance called Past Lives that took her all the way to the Oscars. Now that Materialists is in theaters and doing quite well, you might want to catch up with Past Lives, which was one of the best movies of 2023.
The film stars Greta Lee and is told in episodes that span more than 20 years. It starts in South Korea, and follows two Korean children who are clearly close friends and may even have a romantic spark as one of them prepares to move to Canada. Then, we follow their story over decades as they come into and out of each other’s lives until they’re both in their mid-30s and they reunite for a day in New York City.
The movie is a heartbreaking rumination not on lost love, but on the reality that every person only gets to live one life. The film was nominated for Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars, and was exactly the guarantor that Song needed to make a movie like Materialists. And, like that movie, this one defies categorization. It’s funny, winning, and sad, and anchored by an incredible performance from Greta Lee.
Past Lives is now available to stream on Netflix, so it’s never been easier to catch up with. If you caught Materialists and are looking for another movie that gives you the same feeling, Past Lives is the perfect place to start.
