As I left the SLC following my third viewing of Past Lives, I heard an overwhelming murmur of phrases which included, “It’s so good!” or “The characters are so real,” and “That was so sad!” all of which are valid assessments. However, while I, too, was repeating many of these phrases, I couldn’t help but feel like the movie was deserving of more than an assessment similar to so many others. In its brisk 106-minute runtime, Past Lives excels in the task of taking the audience into the lives of a mere three characters, giving very little in terms of information on who they are or any in-depth character traits, and bringing us to tears, as we wallow in the idea of lost time.

  Boogie Nights is a 1997 comedy/drama film by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film has a star-studded cast consisting of FSU alum Burt Reynolds, John C. Reily (pre Step Brothers,) Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, and a young Mark Wahlberg in one of his first roles. This film was cast perfectly and excels in its character development. Within the first two minutes of the film, you understand the characters completely and get a feel for what is to come. Before getting too far ahead, I’d like to point out the film’s setting and tone.