It's always good to find great surprises in films that are out of the Hollywood system. Just an independent movie with a simple story but with a well-crafted concept.
Kogonada is the Korean-American director famous for his video film essays on Vimeo. His first feature film "Columbus" is one of those rare moments when you find a director who is capable of creating an articulated movie on the first big break.
A famous Korean architect visiting Columbus, Indiana get sick and end up in a coma, his son Jim (John Cho) a Korean literature translator end up traveling there help his ill father. This movie is also the story of Casey (Haley Lu Richardson) a girl who works in at the library in Columbus, she also takes care of her mother suffering from drug addiction. But Casey aspiration is to leave this city and becomes an architect.
One day during cigarette break Casey meets Jim, they connect thru the city architecture. It's important to mention that Columbus, Indiana is a mecca for designers and architects, but also the perfect place to connect these to two characters with troubled relationships with their parents, but with an obsession and passion for the elegance, the perfection and the balance of every component in a single building.
Casey and Jim's connection help them to overcome the obstacles of feeling lost for not pursuing what they really love.
Columbus is one of those rare first films, that wow you, because of the detailed oriented direction, cinematography, original score, and performances.