🎬 #120 Lost Souls In Film.
We have two very different lost souls this week, protagonists who are searching for a connection, something from their past, something they desperately need. One whizzes through the streets of Paris, the other hangs around the beaches of Florida, hoping to stumble on what they’re seeking.
Happy choosing, happy viewing
Bry
FILM ONE: PERSONAL SHOPPER
2016 Dir Olivier Assayas
1 hr 45 mins
Olivier Assayas’ Personal Shopper takes a more introspective approach than this week’s second film, when it comes to the search for something, some meaning. Blending genres, the film displays a genuinely enticing take on grief, create a haunting narrative that shifts and morphs into something you don’t expect from the outset.
The film stars Kristen Stewart as Maureen, a personal shopper in Paris who also serves as a medium, searching for a sign from her deceased twin brother. It's a ghost story that doubles as a meditation on grief, identity, and the unseen connections that bind us. Some of the imagery deployed genuinely gets under your skin. It’s subtle but feels genuine to the world he’s created here, which is a reflection of our own.
Personal Shopper is languid, eerie—melancholic and deeply emotional. The film’s atmosphere lingers long after the credits roll, making you question what lies beyond the edges of our perception, glimmering in the darkness. Stewart’s performance is mesmerising, anchoring the supernatural elements with raw, human vulnerability.
TL;DR: Assayas’ film is a haunting, emotional journey blending the supernatural with a poignant exploration of grief and identity, and a devoted search for meaning.
*Available to buy on Apple, Amazon, Google and YouTube in the US, and for small rental fee in the UK.
Fact: Olivier Assayas won the Best Director Award at Cannes.
FILM TWO: THE BEACH BUM
2019 Dir Harmony Korine
1hr 35 mins
Harmony Korine’s The Beach Bum initially feels like an eccentric comedy, but it soon reveals deeper layers, as the titular character searches to find his artistic voice again. To be fair, I enjoyed it purely as something to be experienced rather than follow if that makes sense. But the film does follow Moondog, a rebellious poet drifting through a haze of debauchery and sun-drenched hedonism in the Florida Keys. It’s a wild ride of chaos and freedom, wrapped in Korine’s vibrant, surreal aesthetic. This is more of the aesthetic Korine used to such effectiveness in Spring Breakers. Underneath the surface, it's a poignant exploration of a man rejecting what society seems to tell us all to do, and trying to find his own brand of poetry in life’s chaos.
The Beach Bum is a visual feast—bold, colourful, and unrestrained. It's a film that feels both carefree and deeply philosophical. Watching it, I couldn’t help but think about the blurred lines between freedom and self-destruction. Moondog’s journey is as absurd as it is profound, leaving a lasting impression or just a bit of fun, however you want to take it. It’s like if Rust, McConaughey’s character from True Detective, took a wrong turn and ended up in Florida, became a whole lot happier, but just as philosophical - in a tinted Miami way.
TL;DR: Korine’s film is a wild, colourful dive into the life of a rebellious poet, balancing comedy with a deeper, philosophical undertone.
*Available for a small rental fee on Apple, Amazon, Google and YouTube in the US and the UK.
Fact: Gary Oldman turned down the lead role which was then offered to Matthew McConaughey.
Good stuff! I think Personal Shopper is where Kristin Stewart really clicked for me for the first time. Need to rewatch that one!