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Screen Tangent
Funny podcast about film and Tv, we are giving you our opinion that you have not asked for. ALSO! don't be expecting a weekly podcast because we are totally unprofessional. Follow us on Instagram: @screen_tangent & Tiktok: @screentangent
Screen Tangent
Past Lives 2023
In this week's episode, Edem and Bobby discuss one of last year's most talked-about films, "Past Lives."
This poignant and elegantly crafted modern romance explores the intricate tapestry of human connection, destiny, and the myriad choices that define our lives. The story unfolds around Nora and Hae Sung, childhood friends from South Korea whose lives take divergent paths when Nora's family emigrates to the United States. Reunited in New York after two decades, they spend a week together that might just redefine the course of their lives.
But did Screen tangent like the movie?
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I want to talk to you about. Is it Past the Lives, as you like to call it, Past Lives?
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Did you like the film?
Speaker 2:What can I say about? What I can say about Past the Lives is that everybody's going on and on about how deep, reflective and thoughtful film it is and, yes, the characters are very sort of.
Speaker 2:You know, I did like the whole korea part and moving and the life and seeing her backstory, because korea now has become quite popular no, I mean, I just enjoy your barbecue or what, or just with a thing, or what I think it's just an enjoyable thing to watch because it's it sort of mirrors, uh, the kind of stories that a lot of people sort of from my sort of uh group would have had that we either were born here to immigrant parents or they had immigrated here at very young ages and you don't often kind of see that. And then her whole life in uh, japan for a little while and her dad taking care and the weird things with the dad and her work, all that kind of stuff was quite interesting.
Speaker 1:But when was she in?
Speaker 2:japan, but didn't her dad take. Her dad lived in japan first, wasn't it? And then her grandma took her to america what are we talking about? Is that they don't have him past their lives.
Speaker 1:I'm totally, I have no idea what you're talking about. Did I that they don't have them past their lives? I'm totally. I have no idea what you're talking about. Did I watch the same film? Didn't they leave Korea to go to America?
Speaker 2:They left South Korea.
Speaker 1:Yeah, to go to America, Because that's all I know. The Japan part, unless you have decided to watch a different version of it Wait, what film am I talking about? I don't know what you're talking about. This is a love story between two people.
Speaker 2:What film am I talking about, I don't know. With the Japan and the grandma kidnaps the daughter and takes her to America.
Speaker 1:I don't know what you're talking about, mate.
Speaker 2:Is this not the same film she takes? The grandma takes her to America and the dad is left behind. And what happened to him?
Speaker 1:nope, this is the two classmates.
Speaker 2:They're young let's talk about this next week. I need to re-remember this because I am literally mixing two films together. I think have literally mixing two films together.
Speaker 1:I think you are mixing two films together. This is the one when she's she marries a jewish american man yeah and she's. While she's a teenage, they she reconnects with her old school friend and they have their. They have unfinished business over time.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I'm talking about? I listened to a podcast about this girl and this woman and she that's. This is what happened to her.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay. Yeah, you didn't watch past the lives. Yeah, you do watch past the lives.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I did watch past the lives. Yeah, you do watch past the lives. Yeah, no, I did watch past the lives. Actually I did. I did so. I do remember past the lives. Now, actually, I do remember it was she. She, she and the little boy live kind of next door to each other. They're both like, they both are very high uh achievers at school and but whenever he beats her, she cries or something, even though he doesn't, she gets picked. I don't know. There was some sort of like that. Then they moved, don't they? To canada as a family, and then they moved to new york finally, or she leaves.
Speaker 2:She moves to new york, because I think she's a writer or something yeah, I do remember past the lives okay so actually what I will say about past lives is I don't think I really enjoyed it that much as a film. I enjoyed some of it, like the moving around and the past and all that, but the actual kind of main crux of the story with the sort of her past boyfriend that never really was with her current boyfriend that kind of was. That whole thing of those two lives into kind of like I don know coming together.
Speaker 1:Um, at this point, re and her it's almost to do with her heritage as well like yeah, that's what I thought is that in your is the union thing, when they were trying to um explain that of people that you met in your past, that you reconnect with now, and then you know and she, when she was seducing her current husband and stuff, what I do get from the film that I was a bit like that husband. He took that quite well because I would be like what do you mean? You're going to meet your boy, your, your boyfriend when you were 12, has come to see you in new york. Does he know you're married? Yeah, I'd be like what's he doing here then? What does he come to?
Speaker 2:well, she's. She's explained it before, isn't it that that they were since kids? Yeah, but she should have told him no as long.
Speaker 1:Stop the conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but the thing is they've been friends since childhood.
Speaker 1:Oh, but they reconnected and then you know they had that bond or love between each other of what could have or what could have been, and I was just like okay, it's a nice story, but normal people would have gone over this ages ago. At 12 years old you would not remember this person.
Speaker 2:But that's a connection to her previous life, to her. You know the life that they left behind and also they had. They had that connection. Even now when they met, they still had that connection, as much as she might like her a very underdeveloped boyfriend who we don't really understand why she likes him because they don't really show that or show us why they're such a good, but they were together all the time.
Speaker 1:I was like what is this? Don't they have friends?
Speaker 2:yeah, that's like what's going on here.
Speaker 1:It's cost of living, it's realistic, so what they can't have their tiny apartment no, but they don't have any friends, and he was. Then he started to be like oh look, you know, I didn't understand why you liked me in the first place but you also have to remember that this is a real situation, because the writer, actually this actually happened.
Speaker 2:She was sat there with her uh, past life boyfriend with her current, you know, white, boyfriend in somewhere translating between between the two.
Speaker 1:She was actually doing that. Yeah, but it's not your past life boyfriend. You were 12.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. But then they reconnected.
Speaker 1:I mean they were, they were literally talking every single day, every single day and if the time thing there I'll be like, yeah, okay, but loneliness must have. The guy said it as well. You know, you like there was no other guy before. So as soon as she met this guy at the writers retreat, that was it for her, she was done, they got married and all those sort of things. And then she said the problem about the green card and everything like that. So I feel like, okay, maybe she was felt, maybe did she feel like she was missing out on something or something like that. I just didn't quite connect to the story. I was like, really, and him coming, all that, and it's like, all right, he didn't have money to come and visit her and he had to get a um, but why couldn't a v? I meant to say a visa so he could have got a visa to go and visit her in new york, if you know what I mean, it's not koreans can't go to, they can travel outside and yeah, it costs money.
Speaker 2:But if this is, yeah, but this it wasn't, it was the it's also, I guess, the distance, because his life is over there, he's not planning to move to america. At the time during their relationship, when it was kind of like they were talking every day, he was trying to learn Mandarin because he was going to move to China. So at that point she was just like and you know what? You know, we need to stop talking.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's true. And the thing is, when she said we need to stop talking, it seemed as though she wanted him to say no, no, no let's carry on.
Speaker 2:You're not going anywhere. Maybe she does, but she is still making.
Speaker 1:What she's saying is still right that they should stop talking and as soon as she stopped talking she went to that writers retreat and found her husband. Oh well, he kind of makes this there because he said you know if there was some other guy that went there and you had the same sort of um, when arthur has his little what's it called crying moment, of that you know I did.
Speaker 2:He feels like he's the person. He's like. This is like some sort of really long drawn out, amazing love story and I'm just like, in the way I've married you and sort of spoiled it and you just wanted me for a green card, didn't you?
Speaker 1:so I was like what is?
Speaker 2:going on.
Speaker 1:That was a really good scene yeah, it was a good scene, but I'm like what's going on here really? What is this film about? Two days she goes to hang out with this guy, then in the evening she meets him to bring the husband. I don't see that ever and he's.
Speaker 2:Do you know what made me find I?
Speaker 1:don't care what my wife says to me.
Speaker 2:Listen it might not be happening for you, but this literally did really happen for the writer.
Speaker 1:That's what I said, I said this guy just because you're a very controlling no, I said this guy, arthur's a very strong man because really, whatever that was was a madness to be sitting there while your heart, your wife, who has, who has awoken feelings for this guy that's past, because for this guy no man. She is awoken feelings. It's a 12 year old.
Speaker 2:It's past feelings come on, she's married to you. I mean whatever. I feel like you would probably be more secure than you think. I mean no, it's a decent in real life.
Speaker 1:You're not gonna watch a film it's a great idea for a film, but reality it doesn't make sense to me, especially when he had to hug her at the end, when she was crying, when he left.
Speaker 2:I was like yo. But what are you crying about? Especially when he had to?
Speaker 1:hug her at the end when she was crying. When he left I was like yo, but what?
Speaker 2:are you crying about what?
Speaker 1:are you crying about? That would have been a fight. I'd be like what are you?
Speaker 2:crying about? I don't know what she is crying for. Is she crying for the life she didn't have? Is she crying for the past? Is she crying what is she crying for? Is she crying that she?
Speaker 1:didn't get to be with him. I'm like go chase the car.
Speaker 2:So many questions I mean what?
Speaker 1:I take it out of my hand, go and chase the car and sort that out, because it looked like they wanted to kiss at the end or hug or whatever it is. I was like what are you two doing here?
Speaker 2:come on, do you think they were gonna have a smoochie?
Speaker 1:yeah I thought they were gonna have a smooch. I was like it was one of those things of that they were logging for. Even him too.
Speaker 2:How rude was he to come well, he asked, he was welcome america he was welcome, he was asked and welcomed and also he knew that she was married. Yeah, but he knew.
Speaker 1:And there was a part that he says oh, does your husband know I'm coming? Oh, that part I would have been like what do you mean? Does my husband know you're coming?
Speaker 2:you know that well, that's a good question to ask.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's awkward if he doesn't he didn't care about the awkwardness at all. He could have been carried on sending her emails, because she even was like, oh, what's it called? This guy is coming to america and she's like I don't. And she goes, oh, she doesn't know why she's going to meet him. Then when she gets home, she's like, yeah, he came to see me. And then they have that awkward moment of stuff like that. I said like what do you mean? You don't know what. He's come to see you. The two of you were in love on Skype, talking to each other, that dedication, you had a connection, you were not just friends, you were in love with each other. And then you decided to break up. And then you didn't really want to break up. He didn't know how to understand it. And then reality stepped in, of that, yeah, all right, you're different time zones, yada, yada. But he never got over it. He never got over it, even with his girlfriend. He couldn't move on.
Speaker 2:But that's just what life's like. Life is mess. It's not like a film from 12 life is messy. It's not like a film From 12.
Speaker 1:Life is messy From being 12. Me too, it was 12.
Speaker 2:I will say that we have talked more animatedly about this than we have anything else, so that proves that it's actually quite an interesting premise and film. And also you have to remember that if it was a normal hollywood film, if it was any other film, it wouldn't be about her staying with her husband. It would be about this, you know, star crossed lovers that finally get to be together and the husband steps out of the way and goes no, you guys deserve it all your life. I'm going to leave, be happy and goes and it all. It would be a film about a choice. Which man do I choose?
Speaker 1:I I'm killing them both.
Speaker 2:Whereas this is not. This is not either of those stereotypes. This is this. It was actually, you know, but do you know what? The thing that I found very difficult about the film for my enjoyment sake, was, you know, the final kind of scene, when they're like in the before the final scene, when they're in the restaurant together, yeah, like in the before the final scene. When they're in the restaurant together, yeah, and the husband's just sitting there. Uh, I could not concentrate on that scene at all at all. The only thing I could not stop thinking about is and feeling very, very, very awkward so you know what I mean like I, if I was in that situation and that he's just there sitting there on the side, and why aren't they including him the whole time. I have no idea what they talked about. I have no idea what they talked about the whole time that was going on in my head it's awkward.
Speaker 2:It's awkward. Why don't you include him? Oh my god, he doesn't know what you're talking about. He probably thinks you're talking about him the whole time, so I have no idea what happened in that scene. I'd have to re-watch that scene if that was, I'd have to re-watch that scene.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, if that was me, I'd be like why am I here? You know what you two do whatever you want.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you're not a supportive person like that. No, mate, what?
Speaker 1:am I supporting there sitting there like some idiot while he's talking.
Speaker 2:The thing is he's much, much, much more secure than you are.
Speaker 1:I don't care. He was proper insecure. He shouldn't have been there. No, he was proper insecure. I would have been at home and be like you know what, when you're done, we'll have a conversation about this because when they get home, you're gonna be there with your hammer out I'll be like, look, you go and talk to your ex-boyfriend, it's fine, we're married and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 1:But then when I swear he saw him and he was like whoa, this guy's handsome. I saw that look, he gave me what would you like? And he said pasta. That made me laugh because I was like, did bobby write this pasta lives? Did bobby write this film? And then he was talking.
Speaker 1:He says basically, and his English was just enough to get by and everything, and I was like he came to New York, he didn't even do any of the sightseeing things. They did the touristic thing on the ferry and the man got a little bit jealous about it. He said like we've never done that and I said, well, that's your own fault there. Why haven't you gone on the ferry? Jealous about it. He said like we've never done that and I said, well, that's your own fault there. Why haven't you gone on the ferry to go see the Statue of Liberty? You live there. And he knew his wife, but he still got a little bit jealous about it and I said that's understandable, I get it. But I was just like, well, no, not my kind of movie, to be honest.
Speaker 2:That's like that. Everybody can can in some way or another relate, because I think everybody thinks about it. You know their past. If there was somebody could you go back and could you talk to them still and see what it would be like now.
Speaker 1:You know I know, all right, I'll pass flame and everything like that, and then sometimes it's just better that they just be a memory for you, because you know that grass might not always be greener.
Speaker 2:You'd be like, ah, damn but then there's also the fact that you know, it's happened almost two or three. This is like the third occasion, isn't it, where this person keeps propping up again yeah.
Speaker 1:But he decided to pop up again. Even his friends were like are you still, are you going to america to see this one? They said this girl. And he says don't pretend like you don't know what we're talking about. But he felt some sort of sentiment towards this and he just couldn't. He had to finally meet her, which was possibly a bit too late, because he said if it was an american film, they would have connected again and run off together. And, hello sunshine, my old friend, here I am again. They would have been together and, oh my God, let's go and live our best lives together. But no, it was just had to be of lost love.
Speaker 2:A story of, I guess, what modern technology has sort of done, because without Skype and things they wouldn't have been able to have that sort of connection. Still, do you have any final words before?
Speaker 1:That's it, I'm done.
Speaker 2:You're done.
Speaker 1:I'm done with Pastor Lives. Pastor Lives, yeah, past.
Speaker 2:Lives. Yeah, wow, wow.
Speaker 1:You tried to make it something else.
Speaker 2:I don't think I did. I think Past Lives. I think the other thing actually sounds more interesting than Past Lives.
Speaker 1:I think it was. I think it sounds more interesting than Past Lives. It does, it does. It was. I think it sounds more interesting. It does, it does.