Reviews

"He asked me if I was alright. It had been a long time since anyone had asked me that."

I believe this is the first time I've watched a movie where the characters primarily spoke Irish. I can't really comment on their diction or accents since I don't speak Irish or have expertise in it, but I found it very pleasant to listen to. I've always liked the Irish accent and the language itself.

The plot followed a familiar premise, so it's easy for the viewer to predict its direction. This wasn't due to a lack of skill from the cast, who maintained high tension in their interactions, or from the passionate direction in terms of framing and choreography. Rather, it's because we've seen many movies in this genre, making it harder to be surprised by the plot twists.

Regarding the kitchen scene, you might think of its choreography as a writing mistake.

''Why didn't that character use the baby as leverage to make the other character come out of the bathroom?'' you might ask.

Well, that character had heard the call and knew the baby wouldn't be harmed. They were the ones in danger. Sure, the bad guy could have pretended to hurt the baby, but the situation would have stalled and broken the scene's momentum since the character locked in the bathroom knew the other character had been ordered not to hurt the baby. Plus, everything happened quickly, and as soon as the bad guy turned his back again... well, you know what happened. Remember that this is a movie, not real life, so sometimes, to keep things going, you have to believe what they're showing/telling you.

That being said, I very much enjoyed the finale. ❤

*** ''Some men aren't fit to be fathers.''

• You didn't turn out too bad.

"They kept saying: 'Time heals all wounds.' But that's a lie: time is the wound. Takes you further and further from that place where you were happy."

Power couple, if you ask me. 😂✨

Doesn't it also thrill you being both bi & traumatized? I feel like this will be my new favorite movie for a while.

And how I appreciated all the little references to silent films, you have no idea. I wish I knew Lisa in person (semicit. From the movie).

The pace is so smooth that it ends before you notice it, which is a shame, imo. I wanted it to last waaay longer and never end ("that's what she said"). This movie would translate so well into a TV show, like, why is no one mentioning it? 🤧

The witty, spontaneous, genuine and educated writing is the best thing about "Lisa Frankenstein (2024)". It felt authentic with this movie's genre and goal. From the characters, to the scenes and every little detail about it. The cast was clearly stimulated by the atmosphere on set and the directing; you can tell from the way everyone handled their character.

Was the plot twist predictable? Well, yes, but that just comes with the territory. You seriously want to make me believe you watched this movie expecting it to be some mind-blowing masterpiece? If that's the case, then that's on you. Sorry, I promise I say it without malice. You know, I'm actually an IP, Intuitive Person (another semicit. From the movie) 😂💔

The general '80s aesthetic and vibes from vintage movies and real-life from those years, mixed with today's pop references, are probably the second-best thing about this movie. They nailed it, it doesn't look choppy or sloppy. Together with the costumes, textures, makeup and hairstyles and everything else that contributes to the visual aspect of a movie.

I found the cinematography to be inspired at times, especially when it mattered the most, while "by the book" most of the time. It had some nice and interesting shots, though, and the quality of the editing was consistent. It can come across as amateuristic in a couple of instances, but I strongly believe that it was done on purpose and I would invite you to consider the same thought. Remember the genres at hand. You get that feeling, right? That the rough camera work was intentional. I believe it worked masterfully to serve a certain look of reminiscence to the audience. 🙌🏻😊

The soundtrack enveloped every scene perfectly.

The truth is, this movie works just fine the way it is, with its ending and everything, but I also genuinely hope that they'll make more installments. 🤞🏻

P. S. This is one of Cole Sprouse's best looks. He totally looks like someone from the 1800s.

To be fair, the casting for every character was spot-on.

P. P. S. (that's also kind of a spoiler) As I see it, the viewer is supposed to think that Lisa (Kathryn Newton), off-screen, taught The Creature (Cole Sprouse) how to drive, somewhat decently enough, or that he watched her drive and copied her moves when he needed to drive a car by himself. If you do not agree with this interpretation, then I can understand that you would think of that aspect of the movie as a plot hole; considering there were other continuity mistakes as well, especially towards the end.

"There is a word in Korean.

In-Yun.

It means "providence". Or "fate". But it's specifically about relationships between people. I think it comes from Buddhism. And reincarnation. It's an "In-Yun" if two strangers even walk by each other in the street, and their clothes accidentally brush. Because it means there must have been something between them in their past lives. If two people get married, they say it's because there have been eight thousand layers of In-Yun. Over eight thousand lifetimes."

Oscars 2024 Watchlist 7/22

You know it's a Korean movie when there's the childhood-friends plot device. 😂

The dialogue, atmosphere, color grading, locations and writing also feel pretty truthful to your regular K-movie. It seems that Celine Song drew a lot of inspiration from her Korean heritage and Korean Cinema history and cultural influences. So, that's already a plus for me. This director is promising, and I can't wait to watch more of her work in the future. However, I believe that this movie was a little bit overhyped by the public (partially due to the same factors that led "Parasite (2019)" to be overhyped, just like any other non-American production, especially if Asian). To enjoy this movie to the fullest, though, you should know a bit about Korean history and culture, otherwise, some of the dialogue and references might confuse you or make you think that they hold no meaning, or even make you consider them "silly" or "cringe".

This year, it will be difficult to choose a favorite "original screenplay", me thinks...

Anyway, I'm surprised it didn't at least get nominated for "Best Cinematography" for its nostalgic reminiscing feeling and "Best Director" or "Best Film Editing".

Their first video call and everything that happened during the bar scene are my favorite moments.

For the people who didn't like this movie: it's probably because you aren't that used to Korean storytelling, its pace. This movie is pretty standard for a Korean/South Asian movie, I would say. Maybe this just wasn't your cup of tea, I'm sorry. 💔

The acting isn't the one you'd find in a typical K-drama, but it suits the movie's plot and setting.

You can clearly tell that the Korean spoken by the actress Greta Lee, who plays adult-Nora, isn't the greatest-as well as her strong English accent that comes out when she speaks in Korean-but that totally makes sense for her character, since she and her family moved to Canada when she was still a kid (we see that adult-Nora struggles with written Korean too). I hope that irl no one made fun of the actress or tried to shame her for this... 💔 ***

"It doesn't make sense... I'm not sure if I can say something like this."

• What do you want to say?

*long pause* "I missed you."

• Me too.

***

The adult actors (Grata Lee for adult-Nora and Teo Yoo for adult-Hae Sung) have great chemistry together. It's probably the best thing about "Past Lives (2023)". The yearning, melancholy, and affection in Hae Sung's eyes, especially after they finally met in person... my heart broke.

Even if we haven't seen much of them, the two young actors who play the young versions of Na Young (Seung Ah Moon) and Hae Sung (Seung Min Yim) were good too!

SPOILER:

"I didn't know that liking your husband would hurt this much."

Truth be told, people, I so freaking hoped for the throuple to happen till the last second, I swear; even if what Arthur and Hae Sung told each other was just a joke to lighten up the mood and get rid of the awkwardness and that that discussion between Nora and Arthur came from a place of insecurity. I genuinely think that if all three of them had chosen to talk about the whole situation together, they could have come up with a solution that would have made everyone involved happy. 😬 In my mind it would have worked, so now it's canon to me, idc, lol. I don't even need a sequel. The sequel is already in my mind. 🙌🏻😂

That being said, wishful thinking aside, the ending needed to be the one we saw here. It made sense, considering their situation.