Chungking Express (1994)

I had a deadline this week and I decided to see something with a solid potential to recommend, considering that I didn't have time for more than a movie. The most accessible option I got was the current title, a bit older, but with a promising rating on IMDb. On top of that the directing is by Wong Kar Wai, one of the most appreciated names in the Asian cinema. However ...

For me, the movie failed. I don't know, maybe it's because I've seen it in two pieces, at late hours. Ironically, this syncs with the script structure - the movie is a romance made up from two completely distinct stories, placed one after the other, without any connection points besides the location where are set (maybe there is more, either clearly or with a "deep" meaning, but anyhow I missed it). The second reason for which it failed for me is the combination between the director's specific slightly chaotic style and the fact that the genre is the type of romance in which you don't have much of an action thread to follow (= in certain points gets totally incoherent, resulting in reactions of "what the ..." .. but it's possible that again, the hour I've seen it should be blamed for this + the degree of sleepiness). That's the cause for which I don't have many details to give about "the story", which resumes more to a combination of the something like "moments from X's life, moments from Y's life, etc ..." where "momente" can be more or less unusual & out of common (otherwise will definitely fail for more people than just me).

One of the main reasons that initially drawn me to the current title (besides the IMDb rating) was the cinematography by Christopher Doyle. And that's the main reason for which what I've seen wasn't completely disappointing. In my opinion this guy is the best director of photography in activity, although I've not seen much of his recent work. The reason for the lack of titles is that apparently he works more in Asia, and generally speaking in productions that are not very mainstream (probably the most known title is "Hero" with Jet Li from 2002). I don't have words to describe what I've seen in "Chungking Express" (this doesn't want to sound superlative, I've had better - I simply just have no idea how to describe it), but from the cinematography point of view is pure art. Without effects, only by the camera and filters, at the level of 1994's technology, with a Hong Kong budget. Maybe for some it won't be spectacular at all, or maybe even annoying sometimes, I don't know ... but anyhow is something different, and I honestly believe that either taken piece by piece, or as a whole it can be successfully used in a "camera handling" course.

Anyway, that was not enough for me to save the general impression. To conclude I couldn't recommend this movie, except for the reasons above, or if you're in the mood for a "slow romance", your brain is clear of stress and you're favorite tune is "California Dreamin'" (the original The Mamas & The Papas version) - at some point I've started counting how many times is "featured" in the film, but I lost track ...

Rating: 3 out of 5 (mainly for cinematography)