Every once in a while, a new movie blasts on the scene that harnesses the hearts of its viewers and toys with their emotions like the strings of a violin. This time, it’s A24’s 2023 romantic dramaPast Lives.After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, expectations for the Korean romantic drama soared to incredible heights. After even watching the trailer, it was hard not to be emotionally compelled by the marketing of this film.
Past Livestackles two topics that were done as well as any film before it: (1) the inability to fully let go of one’s first love and (2) the complications of intercultural relationships. To start the film, audiences follow two young Korean children, Nora (played by Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Yoo Teo), through their wholesome and competitive childhood relationship. Suddenly, Nora and her family move out of their home country to the Big Apple, New York City, so Nora’s father can continue pursuing his career as a writer (eventually, Nora follows suit as an aspiring writer herself). This leaves Hae Sung hung dry, alone, and unsure of what to do after his little crush abandoned him.
Over the course of their lives, viewers see Nora adapt to a typical American lifestyle. She learns English, continues her writing aspirations, and marries a Jewish-American man. Hae Sung joins the mandatory Korean military force, works an ordinary, mundane job, and dates fellow Korean women here and there with difficulties of commitment. When their paths cross after over a decade of not talking or seeing each other, their once harmless love for each other comes to fruition, but will they be able to drop their current lifestyles for each other? Gabe LaPamobella of MovieWeb dives deeper intoPast Liveswith his review here.
Past Lives is now back in the spotlight as it earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. This means many audiences will discover the movie in the lead-up to the Oscar telecast, or it is a chance for fans to revisit the movie again. Yet after that, one might have the urge to follow it up with something similar. There are many romantic dramas out there for everyone to enjoy. However, very few capture the essence of complicated love and intercultural relationships like Past Lives. Here is a list of the ten movies that fans should watch if they lovedA24’sPast Lives:
Update August 26, 2025: In honor of the Academy Award nominations forPast Lives, this article has been updated with even more information regarding films to watch and where you can stream each title.
Past Lives
In the Mood for Love (2000)
Kicking off the list is Chinese director Wong Kar-Wai’s 200 romantic dreamscapeIn the Mood for Love. This film follows two neighbors, Chow Mo-Wan (played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and Su Li-zhen (played by Maggie Cheung), who form a Platonic bond after both suspect their marital lovers to be having affairs. Wong Kar-Wai’s unique dreamlike sequences, nonlinear film styles, and stylistic visuals have marked him as one of the greatest filmmakers in the world, as well asIn the Mood for Loveas one of the greatest romance dramas in the world.
Related:Why In the Mood For Love is One of the Best Romantic Movies Ever Made
A Tear-jerking Triumph
What makes this film parallel to what Celine Song did withPast Livesis how the two filmmakers created the feeling of love through the energies that separate the two, rather than the physical touch of the two partners. On top of that, both hold their own unique form of tragedy, so be sure to keep a box of tissues nearby.In the Mood for Lovepremiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or, with Tony Leung Chiu-wai becoming the first Hong Kong performer to take home the award for Best Actor.Stream onMax
Lost in Translation (2003)
Lost in Translation
A Dreamy Cinematic Classic
His counterpart, Charlotte, is a young newlywed who is unsure about a lifetime commitment with her ostentatious photographer husband. Together, in a foreign land, Bob and Charlotte’s energies intertwine, and a spontaneous, platonic relationship forms as they learn how to navigate through the hectic, dreamy Tokyo metropolis.Lost in Translationwas a massive critical and commercial success, and moviegoers were completely captivated by Murray and Johnsson’s phenomenal chemistry; Coppola rightfully won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for her brilliant work in the picture.Rent/Buy onPrime Video
Brooklyn (2015)
Brooklynis perhaps the closest parallel image toPast Liveson this list. The 2015-releasedfilm stars Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, and Emory Cohen. Set in 1950s Ireland and New York, Ronan plays an Irish immigrant named Ellis who moved her life to New York City. After leaving behind her homeland, she quickly falls into a romantic partnership with New York local Tony (Emory Cohen).
Thought-Provoking Parallel Performances
Much like Greta Lee’s character Nora inPast Lives, Ellis seeks prosperity in a new place while simultaneously missing her old home and losing touch with her native roots. Another similarity between the two characters is that they have lovers in both places. One of them resembles a life of growth and change, while the other resembles the comfort of what has always been. Ellis battles with the conflicting lives of her present and her past. When they can’t coexist, she must choose one over the other.Rent/Buy onApple TV+
Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
Blue is the Warmest Color
Blue is the Warmest Coloris a 2013 French coming-of-age romantic drama directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. It is based on the novel of the same name, written by Julie Maroh. The film follows a raw and honest take on a deep sexual and emotional connection between two women: a young French woman, Adele (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and a slightly older art student named Emma (Léa Seydoux).Blue is the Warmest Colorexplores the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of love.
A Powerful & Moving Love Story
Struggling with the exploration of her identity, the camera remains fixated on Adele’s face for many sequences of the film. Moviegoers see her sob, smile, twitch, smack her lips, etc. A truly masterful performance that helps the audience travel inside the character’s head through facial expressions. Viewers are able to see Adele grow as a single entity as well as lover over the course of one of thegreatest romance storiesin recent cinematic history.
However, this film does come recommended with a caveat. Following the release of the film, multiple reports came out about the working conditions of the film and various allegations of abuse from director Abdellatif Kechiche. Stars Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux would later speak about the working conditions and said they would never work with Kechiche again. Then, in 2018,Kechiche was accused of sexual assaultby an unidentified actress, whose name was withheld from official reports. This certainly does color the perception of what, at the time, many saw as a very raw and emotional movie.Buy/Rent onPrime Video
The Before Trilogy (1995 - 2013)
The Before Trilogy(Before Sunrise,Before Sunset,andBefore Midnight)is a series of films written and directed by Richard Linklater and starring Julie Delpyand Ethan Hawke. Much likePast Lives, these three films tell the story of two lovers whose feelings for each other span over multiple decades. Despite not seeing each other for years at a time, having relationships outside each other, and passionately pursuing their respective careers, the universe somehow continuously pulls Jesse and Celine together. Fate, some might call it.
A Transcending Love Affair
In each installment, audiences dive deeper into the character’s personal connection. Even though the highs outweigh the lows, it becomes apparent that, although there may be forces pulling them together, a long-term, permanent relationship may do more harm to their love than good. If it offers a deeper look at how a relationship develops while also playing out over the course of a trilogy, it makes it an epic of intimate proportions.Buy/Rent the trilogy onPrime Video
A Silent Voice (2016)
Winner ofBest Animation Filmat the 40th Japanese Academy Awards, the 2016 Shochiku-distributed filmA Silent Voiceis a groundbreaking feat in animation, as well as abeautiful love storythat shows the tolls of bullying can have on people, specifically young men as they grow older and wiser. Shouya Ishida (Miyu Irino) begins to bully the new deaf girl in his school, Shouko Nishimiya (Saori Hayami).
The Complexity of a Relationship
Typically, in these types of movies, the leader of the bullies has a posse surrounding him, supporting his disgusting behavior. InA Silent Voice, however, his class turns on him due to his lack of compassion. After they graduate elementary school, the two students go their separate ways. Years later, tormented by his haunting past actions, Shouya feels the need to make amends with the young, deaf girl. It may not be a typical romance story, but romantic feelings are hinted at throughout, and again viewers see how a relationship can grow over time, even after two people previously have gone their separate ways.Rent/Buy onApple TV+
Chungking Express (1994)
The only director to be on this list twice, Wong Kar-Wai’s cinematic beautyChungking Expressdeserves a spot on this list. Split into two parts,Chungking Expresstells the story of two different police officers who feel a strong gravitation towards a woman they cross paths with. Specifically, the second part of the film mirrors the intent ofPast Livesmore accurately, so it’s best to focus on just the one. Viewers follow Cop 663 (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) as he falls in love with a beautiful, free-spirited waitress named Faye (Faye Wong) at the place he enjoys his evening coffee.
Kar-Wai’s Stellar Soundtrack
Wong Kar-Waiplays with unique frame-rate effectsin this part of the film, giving off the illusion that the world around the characters is moving by quickly, while the characters' lives remain rather still.A great soundtrackis headlined byThe Mamas and the Papasvibrant songCalifornia Dreamin'.The song, played continuously, is triggered by Faye’s desire to move to Los Angeles and start a new life, throwing a wrench in whatever relationship her and Cop 663 may have had.Stream onMax
The Big Sick (2017)
The Big Sick
Directed by Michael Showalter,The Big Sick, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan, follows the true story of how Kumail met and fell in love with his wife Emily Gordon. Kumail is a Pakistan-born comedian who comes from a super traditionalist family, in terms of the expectations and rituals of their culture. When he meets Emily, their two families' cultures collide, further complicating things when Kumail tells his parents that he is moving to New York City to pursue standup. The two lovebirds break up due to conflicting life positions. Shortly after, Emily ends up in a coma, and Kumail now reconnects with that love, helping take care of her with her parents.
Related:Best Movies by Asian-American Directors You Can Stream Right Now
An Epic Double-Feature
From here, the film continues to showcase the same three themes that work forPast Lives: a complicated relationship, the pursuit of a dream, and the slow drift away from familial traditions one may be accustomed to.The Big Sick, is beautiful, funny, has a lot of heart, and would make for a perfect double-feature paired withPast Lives. The endearing romantic dramedy was listed as one of the top ten films of the year by the American Film Institute and garnered numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nod for Best Original Screenplay just likePast Livesrecently did.Stream onPrime Video
Hello, Love, Goodbye (2019)
One of the standout aspects ofPast Livesis the complexities of relationships spanning across multiple cultures and countries.Hello, Love, Goodbyealso stands as a prestigious feat in this specific theme. Set in Hong Kong, moviegoers follow two Filipino lovers, Joy (Kathryn Bernardo) and Ethan (Alden Richards), who meet while working abroad as OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). There is a lot at play here to compare ittoPast Lives.
Major Culture Clash
For example, the film shows the clash between the aspirations of a new, bigger life and the traditional values of one’s native heritage (Filipino, in this case). It shows the struggles of cultural adaptation, learning how to change a person’s lifestyle in a foreign place to pursue their dreams or to make money to provide for their family.Hello, Love, Goodbyeis lighthearted and extremely enjoyable with two stellar performances from two of the Philippines' finest young actors.Buy/Rent onApple TV+
Burning (2018)
Lee Chang-dong’s 2018 slow-burning mysteryBurningis a film based on a short story written by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. It follows a puzzling love triangle between deliveryman Jon-su (Yoo Ah-in), his longtime neighbor whom he hasn’t seen in a while, Hae-mi (Jun Jong-seo), and the mysterious man Hae-mi brings back from a trip to Africa, Ben (Steven Yuen). After Hae-mi and Jon-su start to build a relationship, Hae-mi decides to take a lengthy trip to Africa. In the meantime, Jon-su watches over her cat. When she returns, conflicting his delight to see her again is his disdain and confusion towards the man she brought back with her: Ben.
An Unbreakable Connection
The three of them form a weird relationship as a trio. Clearly, Ben and Hae-mi have some sort of relationship, while Jon-su struggles with the ability to confront the couple about his feelings about the situation. Eventually, Jon-su and Ben form their own unique bond, centered around Ben’s enigmatic hobby of burning greenhouses around town. LikePast Lives,Burningdives deep into what happens when a love at its height gets cut short by someone leaving abroad and what happens when they return to each other.Stream onPeacock
