Columbus

In Limbo

written by

cadaverin

Columbus is a special film for me. It represents that headspace where time feels like it comes to a stop, without realising it never can. You exist in this state of limbo, not knowing where you are going or what to do about it. I’ve been in this state of mind for a long time now. I have ideas of where to go; I think I know how to get there, and yet here I am, stuck in limbo. When watching Columbus, you are transported to a space in between things. Between objects, between one step and another, between decisions and people. You can get trapped in this space, or you can witness something special happen in it. This is where symbiosis happens, where strangers can become friends. The trees and structures stand stoically beside the characters, allowing for creation to happen in this “negative” space. The environment of Columbus is like a museum. A bond is formed between Casey and Jin as they walk through this museum. They form their connection through the shapes and patterns in the space around them. The environment they share is a significant part of their rapport. If those same characters were placed in a different environment, maybe they would never say a word to each other. The passing of Casey’s cigarette over the fence to Jin may never have occurred, and they would have had very little in common if the space between them didn’t provide the right ingredients for connection. Both Casey and Jin have decisions to make. Although this purgatory space allows for connection, it also stops them from moving. They are stuck here. Casey is stuck in her looping speech and the rooms she goes in and out of at home. Jin is stuck in his father’s rooms, his father’s environment. Between these rooms are the corridors that connect them, another reminder of limbo. The shots of long corridors at home, in an office, along a winding path in the park, or between the bookshelves at the library seem to trap the characters in a comfortable state. This film feels like a constant embrace. The soft, earthy colours, the low-key dialogue, and ambient music leave you feeling refreshed. But like the characters, I come to this film/place for comfort, and I’m reminded that I too am stuck with them. Nothing has changed since the first time I watched it, however many years ago. I can only hope that I can get out of the same repetitive corridors and doorways in my own life and find new rooms and spaces to explore.