Columbus

Let's be clear: I LOVE this film. Everyone should see it and, hopefully, own a good copy. However, this is not a proper choice for most Region 1/A folk. Contrary to the Title Line that this is a "[Region Free]" disc, It Is Not. At least the copy sent to me was not. Please note the Region B warning a bit lower in the description. That is correct. The combination of claims is misleading. Otherwise, purchase at your own risk.There is an excellent, cheaper Region B Blu-ray version available here from Amazon that is a more appropriate choice for most of North America.You have been warned.For clarification, I will not be returning this purchase. I have an All Regions Blu-ray player.

Exceptionally well-acted by John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson (not to mention supporting roles by Michelle Forbes and Parker Posey), this quiet, yet deceptively evocative film was tragically not released to a wider audience. Devoid of overt sex, violence, or action, it offers stunning imagery of architecture in the architecture mecca of the United States, a captivating and hauntingly gorgeous score by ambient artists Hammock, and superbly organic and authentic dialog. Not for everyone--if you favor rom-coms with happy endings, action, tense drama, or suspense, this film is not for you--but if you enjoy a true cinematic piece of art, this is right up your alley.

This is a very slow-moving storyline, and though it builds a bit, it has a very empty ending (- and this is in my hometown, thus familiar with all settings.) The actors play their roles very well, but truly missing development on storylines, and needed more action... If you don't know Columbus, then this movie is a little lost in lack of the needed development.

Beautifully contemplative film. You might not imagine you’d want to see it, but believe me, if you do (and watch it in an undistracted way as possible), you will be so glad you did. It’s a film in which characters listen to one another with kindness, who share a curiosity about their everyday lives. You’ll see your own world differently.

If you appreciate understated, contemplative, humanistic drama, _Columbus_ (2017) may be the film for you. Yasujiro Ozu is one of my favorite directors, and so when I read that Kogonada’s film had some affinity with the work of the Japanese master, especially with _Tokyo Story_ (1953), I felt I had to watch it.Casey (Haley Lu Richardson) is a college-age young woman living in Columbus, Indiana, a town known for its unconventional, modernist architecture. She works part time at a local library, and thinks she might want to be a librarian. Casey has not left Columbus for college in part because she likes the town, but also because she feels she needs to take care of her mother. One day, during her break, she spots Jin (John Cho), a Korean-American man whose father--an authority on architecture--is at the hospital in grave condition. The film follows Casey and Jin as they develop a unique bond and deal with their personal troubles.The Ozu connection is evident. The balanced interior shots are there, and so are the “pillow shots,” as Roger Ebert called them. Taking care of family, especially of one’s parents, was Ozu’s most prominent theme. _Columbus_, however, is not a mere homage to the Japanese director, nor is it simply an American translation of Ozu’s work. The acting style, for instance, is quite different from that favored by Ozu. As spectators, furthermore, we are not placed directly in front (or sometimes even between) the speakers. The problem with stressing the similarities between _Columbus_ and Ozu’s work is that one may well overlook the differences, and the many ways in which Kogonada’s film constitutes an original vision._Columbus_ is gorgeously photographed. Cinematographer Elisha Christian, who has done great work for action films and video games, is also a master of the static shot. The camera work does justice to the architecture portrayed, and both interior and exterior shots induce a state of contemplation. I was absorbed by many of the shots in _Columbus_. This is a quiet film, a film that takes its time. “There’s no rush,” the filmmakers seem to be saying. In our restless age, some may be put off by this approach. I must say that I lost awareness of time as I watched _Columbus_, and when the film was over, I found myself wanting more. Before watching this film, I saw _Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse_ (2018), during which I looked at the clock every ten minutes, anxious for the movie to be over.If I had to choose one memorable scene, I’d go for the one where Casey is describing one of her favorite buildings to Jin. She sounds like a tourist guide, and so Jin asks her to get out of that mode. What is it, really, that makes her like the building? We see the rest of the scene from the other side of the glass, and so we do not hear what the characters say. A lipreader would be able to follow the dialogue. But that’s not the point.I was surprised to find out that _Columbus_ is Kogonada’s feature-film debut. I am already waiting for his next film. The cinematic language he employs grabs my attention completely, and I feel that I am involved both intellectually and emotionally. At the same time, I find no trace of pretentiousness or sensationalism. There is just artistic equilibrium, pure and simple, which is quite appropriate in a film that incorporates architecture.The DVD includes commentary on selected scenes by John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson, deleted scenes, a trailer, and Kogonada’s short film “Columbus Story,” a brief look at the town’s history.Next on my list, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s _La Vérité_ (1960).Thanks for reading, and enjoy the film!

I found this fim after watching White Lotus and wondering what else actress Haley Lu Richardson has done, as she was the most real person in that series. There is a very slow start to Columbus, where love of architecture is the initial focus and over time we are gradually transported into the light and dark, symmetry and asymmetry and shapes of people's lives. Haley's character Casey is easy to love, but we can see at her young age, time will gently usher Casey away from those who have been close to her. However, like the architecture of yesteryear that the town still embraces, the spirit of Casey is now a part of this beautiful setting.

Neither the Blu-ray nor the DVD played on both of my Blu-Ray players. Seller refused to refund money.Boyce BurdickRichland WA

I haven't seen a film masterpiece as visually stunning and expressive as this since the early days of Bergman, Ozu, Resnais or Antonioni! The images are assembled with the keen eyes of Kogonada to quietly evoke a tender bi-cultural relationship evolving, with quietly powerful performances from Cho and Richardson. And the town in which this all occurs comes to life, celebrating a hidden treasure in this country, which I'd seen years ago. The quiet, keen architectural designs and gardens actually become part of the fabric of this unique, unforgettable experience. A treasure for the eyes, the mind, and the heart.