By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Kogonada
Starring: Colin Farrell | Haley Lu Richardson | Jodie Turner-Smith | Justin H. Min | Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja | Sarita Choudhury
Country: united_states
Year: 2022
Running time: 96
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8633464/reference/
Michael says: “After the gorgeous simplicity of Kogonada’s Chlotrudis Awards-nominated previous film, COLUMBUS, I’m not sure what I was expecting with this follow-up, starring a big name star like Colin Farrell. Of course, Farrell was so powerful in THE LOBSTER, so I know he’s capable of being a great actor as well, which he shows again, in this haunting adaptation of a short story that explore what it means to be alive and sentient. It’s a story we’ve seen explored before; several time in the last couple of years. Yang is an artificial person — an older brother for the Jake and Kyra’s adopted Japanese daughter Mika. Someone marketed to give Mika cultural reference given her parents are white and African respectively. When Yang malfunctions, possibly permanently, Jake begins an exploration that will reveal parts of Yang’s life that illuminate heretofore unknown depths. The futuristic world Kogonada creates is uniquely serene and beautiful. A true triumph. 5 cats”
Chris says: “I recently wrote something about falling in love with a film over its opening credits, and I think this one is a contender. A little more accessible but also genre-defying than COLUMBUS without lessening the qualities that made the earlier film unique. Also, I want to feel as passionate about and satiated by something as Colin Farrell’s character is with regards to tea. 5 cats”
Julie says: “Starting with one of the best opening credits ever, the viewer takes part in the judging of a big brother-like universal family dance off, cluing us in that we are not in Kansas anymore. The film is a story about a family grappling with the meaning of life, love, memories, connections, loss and the after-life when their A.I. helper unexpectedly breaks down. Excellent performances along with outstanding cinematography, production and sound design meld perfectly to create a visually stunning and emotionally affecting film. The screenplay by director Kogonada was beautifully adapted from the short story written by Alexander Weinstein ‘Saying Goodbye to Yang’. There are several ways to interpret the ending of this film. A second watch is recommended to appreciate all of the intricate details (some of which may have been missed the first time around).”