In the Mood for Love (2000)

[Drunk Monk]

I saw this years ago when it came out and was lost by it. This was the rage at Cannes and is still considered one of the greatest HK films ever, but it didn't work for me. Keep in mind, this came out the same time as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, which was more my speed. 

But watching it again, I get it now. It's a passionately gorgous film. Better to think of it as Hong Kong doing a French art film, so the existentialism doesn't overhwhelm. It's ponderously slow, achingly and gratuitously longing. If you're waiting for story, it's more about what isn't said. But if you just sit with each shot, the cinematographic vision is extraordinary. The color schemes are awash with green light, deep rosewood reds, and the deliciously dilapidated walls. The framing keeps you feeling like your spying on something intimate and secret. And you are.

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung are at the top of their game, exuding that refined sexiness with so much class. Maggie is stunning in so many outlandish 60s fabrics, cut into slinky cheongsam, and no one rocks a cheongsam like Maggie in her 30s. Tony masters the slow burn, and works a cigarette like only old school movie stars can, debonair in his tailored suits and odd ties, yet broodingly lovelorn, Their chemistry is reserved with a volcanic undertone. 

The soundtrack is almost comically repeatative. Nat King Cole's Quizas and an instrumental piece create a tempo as the overwhelming unrequited love story plays out. Most of the film is like snapshots - passing interactions that culminate into even more existentialism. 

I need to rewatch Days of Being Wild ( http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=7145 ) which is part one of this Wong Kar-Wai trilogy (it's thematic, not linear) and 2046, which is part three and I'm not sure if I've ever seen. 

I dismissed this film when I first saw it but now, 22 years later, I love it. Sometimes it takes me a while to get it. 

Only recommended for D00Mers who love art film.

[cranefly]

I'm in the same boat on 2046.  I've planned to watch it so many times, but did I ever?  I don't know.

Damon Knight said about books that sometimes you're just not ready for one.  If it's not working for you, just lay it aside and come back to it later in life.  Eventually it will click.

We're talking great novels, not garbage.  Hopefully garbage will never appeal to you.

I guess the same applies to movies.

None of which explains why I watch so much garbage.

[Drunk Monk]

I can't find 2046 on any of my screeners, only for rent on Amazon Prime...

[cranefly]

I can't find 2046 on any of my screeners, only for rent on Amazon Prime...

You're right.


I sometimes use reelgood.com.  It let's you tell it what streams you have, then looks for movies only on them.  Or you can just look for movies anywhere.  Lots of options, and it has its own rating scale, but gives IMDB ones as well, and a consolidated Wishlist, and notify me when such-such a movie comes available.  Very ambitious, and it seems to have the funding to stay up to date (you can buy or rent movies through them).  Still, I don't know how good it is.  But you might want to check it out.  One interesting thing it lacks is something Greg wanted a couple of weeks ago.  Essentially, tell me what movies are on a particular stream (which I have just for a week or so) that are not on these other streams that I have long-term.  Reelgood certainly has that info.  It's just a matter of writing a database query that externalizes that info to the outside world.

[Drunk Monk]

Interesting. Maybe I'll check that reelgood out.

Maybe we should do one of those watch together deals if one of us decides to invest in 2046 rental. It's not expensive. It's just that we pay a lot in streaming fees every month (and I can even write some of it off, like Netflix) so I find it annoying to have to pay more...