Columbus this movie can be simply said as a definition of art, architecture, and modernism. When people experience architecture not as a building but more than that. This artwork with its calm, transparent, and peaceful plot which explains all the details in the various design elements and structure which is shown in the picture, Columbus is a lovely debut feature movie which is done by a Korean-American movie critic and filmmaker who is known in name Kogonada.
In a manner akin to Marfa, Texas being a haven for artists, Columbus emerges as a paradise for aficionados of modernist architecture, boasting a remarkable array of buildings crafted by renowned architects such as Eero Saarinen, Richard Meier, I. M. Pei, and Kevin Roche. This movie is a simple but passionate movie that one can only enjoy if they are keenly interested in calmness, design, and a vision of balance in life.
Within The Story of Columbus
The story here showcases John Cho as a character showing Jin, the son of a well-known ailing Koran Architect who ends up medivieistated when his father has a heart attack and falls into a coma in Columbus.
There he meets one girl named Cassey – who is a young lively girl who is passionate about architecture and works in the town’s public library which is the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, which is designed by I.M. Pei. Her passion is something that shows the value of architecture and its symbolism in real life. How buildings are not only structures but also an element that evicts emotions. She is portrayed as a very reserved person with no friends to hang out with and deals with all the family matters by herself, as If she has experienced all sorts of bitterness that she could handle at her age.
She is a person who sees Columbus as a city that talks through its architecture How different is it to live there and experience all kinds of language each structure portrays? But although this movie shows the laziness of the characters and how they spend their days, how even though passion plays a major role in it, the unseen energy is eliminated in the plot.
The movie nestled in the heart of the American Midwest, Columbus, Indiana stands out as a pilgrimage site for enthusiasts and scholars of architecture, drawn by its exceptional cluster of modernist masterpieces, among them Eero Saarinen’s Irwin Union Bank and Myron Goldsmith’s Republic newspaper building.”
The movie runs through a plot where Casandra accidentally meets Jin who is the son of the renowned architect which she admires a lot. Also, the secret husband of Elenor from whom she got an opportunity for an internship in a prestigious firm, But is still confused about whether she should accept it and move to another place or if it is better to stay in Columbus beside her mom, even though her mom Is giving her a hard time in her daily life. All she wanted was for her mom to behave like a normal mother and do a lot of things together. But she is nowhere in the picture.
This is where Jin and Cassandra find themselves a space to communicate through their similarities towards their vision towards life and all the misconceptions that he had to give a thought once more after meeting Cassandra. Jin is seen as a helpless son who does not acknowledge his love for his father and hides within himself as if he doesn’t care. But both these people find it interesting while connecting life and architecture into places. Both harbour apprehensions about potential tragedies, yet they recognize that such moments can catalyse significant and necessary transformations in their lives.
As the plot moves further they get communication on several buildings that have different pasts to recall. Each has their perspective towards the buildings and how they learn from each other about architecture, values of life, emotions, and art. This movie is a blend of how we foresee our perspective to connect cities, structures, and landscapes within a single cell.
After a period of deep reflection and numerous insightful conversations with Jin about her goals, architectural passion, and strategies for surpassing others in her field, she finally reached a decisive moment. Armed with a clear vision of her aspirations, she resolved to seize the opportunity and take the next stride toward her career.
Unseen architecture within the picture
Each frame shows the peaceful lush green spaces, each material its exposure, and nudity expressed with different notions are talking to each other. This movie can be expressed as a celebration of architectural frames. How the sound of water, the chirping of birds, the wind, and the echo in each space resonates is revealing new nodes of character to the frame. From one to another, we are embracing the transparency and asymmetrical balance that has been shown to the audience.
From the house where jin lives, we can see the vibrant colours in the furniture, walls, curtains, and wall panelling, Where colonial architecture stands wholesome showing its grandeur and how it stands superior to others. From the two characters – Architecture transcends being a mere backdrop or a foundational element for their friendship. Concepts of visibility and accessibility take precedence. It’s within the expansive glass panels and the modest height of certain structures that Casey stumbles upon a pivotal revelation about her mother.
But at the same time, we move to various other situations where brutality, nudity, and transparency where the primary colour of modernism – red, blue, and yellow has a vital role in play. How it seems to dominate in the whole frame.Modernism can be seen in all the buildings – the use of brick, cement, and glass metal frames to make various tremendous arts that are newhere similar also differing in their functionality, location, and identity it portrays.This movie was also one of the best movies of 2017 – it shows art, life, and architecture.
For more Photos – visit this site: https://film-grab.com/2020/04/28/columbus/#
Citations:
Websites referred for data and information
- https://medium.com/@melidamesseko/columbus-2017-a-movie-review-f15b923fc3ef#:~:text=The%20movie%20finds%20its%20heart,roots%20of%20American%20modern%20minimalism.
- https://www.rogerebert.com/far-flung-correspondents/on-life-and-architecture-revisiting-columbus
- https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/05/columbus-review-kogonada-john-cho
- http://outtakemag.co.uk/reviews/2018/10/02/columbus-review-painfully-pretentious-ode-to-architecture/
- https://www.chicagotribune.com/2017/09/07/columbus-review-the-architecture-of-attraction/
- https://columbus.in.us/architecture-story/#:~:text=Columbus%20featured%20on%20USModernist%20Radio&text=%E2%80%9CLike%20Marfa%2C%20Texas%20is%20for,Pei%2C%20and%20Kevin%20Roche.%E2%80%9D
- https://columbus.in.us/miller-house-media/
- https://columbus.in.us/landscape-architects/
- https://columbus.in.us/the-columbus-architects/
- https://columbus.in.us/docs/columbus-movie-location-guide.pdf
