COLUMBUS
When I was a child, I did a “when I grow up” project about my dreams of one day becoming an architect. Unfortunately, that dream fizzled a few years later. But design and construction have always continued to fascinate me. And COLUMBUS (trailer here) feeds that fire in a big way. It’s a beautiful film from South Korean filmmaker Kogonada, exploring the many works of art found across Columbus, Indiana, a small midwestern town admired for its modernist architecture and unique displays from renowned designers.
Jin (John Cho) is a Korean-born man who journeys to Columbus to take care of his sick father. Jin eventually meets our other lead, Casey (Haley Lu Richardson, also the star of PICTURESTART classic, UNPREGNANT), who works at the library in town. The two form a bond based on a shared love of the local architecture, and through that (platonic) relationship, help each other work through some very real and difficult issues.
This film isn’t perfect, but it’s one of the most visually exploratory films I’ve ever seen. Both Richardson’s and Cho’s performances are quiet and intimate, and beautifully emphasized by the soundtrack and camera work. The hard lines and large structures of the modernist movement are so well captured in the mundanity of a small, midwestern town; it feels fantastical that a place like this could exist. So if you’re feeling contemplative and in the mood for being inspired visually, settle in with this film this weekend!
—Jackson Ingraham, Executive Assistant
