Columbus is one of the most visually stunning films in recent years, and not just because it stars certified hotties John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson. It’s a lovely, reflective drama about the son of a renowned architecture who finds himself stranded in Columbus, Indiana, where he strikes up a friendship (and maybe more) with a local library worker who dreams of being an architect. Columbus was the feature-length directorial debut from Kogonada, who also wrote and edited the film. His follow-up, After Yang, has a bigger budget and a higher concept (robots are involved), but it looks just as good.
The official plot synopsis from A24 reads, “When his young daughter’s beloved companion — an android named Yang — malfunctions, Jake searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife and daughter across a distance he didn’t know was there.” Jake is played by Colin Farrell, while his wife Kyra is portrayed by Jodie Turner-Smith.
Our own Mike Ryan caught After Yang during Sundance, and praised it for being “poignant and forlorn, but also always interesting. That’s not always an easy thing to do. In the end, I can’t stop thinking about this movie.” You can watch the trailer above (and be reminded of this Simpsons clip).
After Yang opens in theaters and on Showtime on March 4.