Kogonada a man who made his name making video essays for The Criterion Collection helmed one of the best films of 2017. Yes. A guy who made high-level video essays directed a film starring John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson as their characters traverse through a town called Columbus in Ohio.
Columbus is a town that can only be described as a mecca of sorts for architecture. The town is exquisitely designed and appears to be almost out of science fiction. Now before anyone thinks I'm about to spoil this for them, let me just say that this film is about one of the only films that are virtually impossible to spoil. Because this film allows the audience to feel the most in a story that is familiar to them. Not one that makes them think. This is a film that encapsulates the viewing experience of an audience member looking for a slow but beautiful gem of a film that will warm your soul and make the tears roll.
The cinematography is beautiful not in just its end product, but also in its ease of use. The sheer simplicity of its execution is a thing to behold. In my opinion, most young filmmakers go for flashy, difficult shots with erratic or unnatural camera movements that confuse audiences. All to make films look engaging or to try and hypnotise the audience into the world of their film. But Columbus takes a different approach. Revelling in simple cinematography that is so simple even for student filmmakers working out of their own pockets wouldn't find much trouble in replicating the shots in this film. Director of Photography Elisha Christian brings a still, unmoving quality to the camerawork that might bore everyday moviegoers but enrapture the cinephiles.
This film is guided by the characters. Foregoing any form of plot or story direction, Kogonada's debut project shines in its lack of story. It is a slow burn of a slow burn. Its most exciting moments are when the characters converse with one another. In order to appreciate the beauty of Columbus, one needs to understand that this film has at best a supporting story to its visuals. When you sit down to watch it, don't think or ask questions. This isn't that kind of movie. It's also more than just feeling what's on-screen it's also like looking into two people's lives without their permission.
Kogonada up till now can be regarded loosely as a film critic. Gaining fame from his frankly god-level video essays that I, myself hope to one day emulate. There is a very much spoken disdain between filmmakers and film critics. Their views often butt heads on a lot of topics regarding the "convention" of cinema. How refreshing it is to see a critic themselves break the very same "convention" they claim to uphold.
Critics often speak about films with almost an indifference to their tone. Ignorance of the blood, sweat and tears behind the films while breaking down the vision of the director without mercy. Their verdicts influence the vast public as a kind of guide to what's good to watch and what isn't. What impressed me the most about Kogonads's approach to the film was how he not only kept in line with the textbook basics of filmmaking but also broke those rules to further tell his story the way he intended.
Mohnish Rajakumaran is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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