Columbus (2017)

Slow isn't the right word to describe it. It's deliberate. First-time director Kogonada has such a firm control. His style resembles Yasujiro Ozu. His very still camera and low angles is almost unsettling. Every single shot is beautiful. There are frames within frames, a brilliant use of doorways and mirrors. The acting is impassioned yet quiet. The dialogue is intelligent yet natural, subtle yet brilliant. It is important that the director is Asian, as the subtlety is handled carefully in a way that an American probably could not fathom. The themes are very thoughtful and poignant--what is the role of architecture, how do we process grief, and what do we owe ourselves? The chemistry between John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson is gorgeous. 

John Cho is finally given an role worthy of his ability. He's actually a great actor. He gives Asians a good look.  Kogonada defies stereotypes, and in fact reverses them. The Korean Jin encourages Casey to follow her dreams, a uniquely American value. While American Casey fulfills her familial duty to look after her mother, a more Confucian value that Jin struggles with. Now, I'm not entirely sure what happens in the movie. Even with all the dialogue, there is lots left unsaid. It leaves some ambiguity in which we're left to interpret the silences. At the end of the film, Casey goes off to school. But Jin stays put. Jin's story line doesn't really advance over the course of the movie, and yet his character has developed immensely. I don't quite know what to make of that but I don't think that's written so easily.