TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Mjeteconer Just perfect...

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

banyaaaan-t This film is composed of two love stories. A young police officer walks around the city because he can't accept that his girlfriend has gone. At the same time a lady who sells drags is deceived by carriers and tries to find them out. The police officer sees her and falls in love. One different police officer has just broken up with his girlfriend, who works as a cabin attendant. A sales girl in a food stand, which he always comes to, falls in love with him and tries to have him notice her love. I enjoyed its unique atmosphere and the visual. The sales girl is so crazy but we can't stop cheer up her. The content is right, not so sweet. Good love romance.

steinach2810 If you are generally accustomed to films with some plot, some meaning, some connection with reality or if you expect a certain similarity between the heroes of the film and real people, you should avoid this film. Actually you should not just avoid it. You must get out there and spread the word. Save humanity from wasting 2 hours from their lives when they could actually learn to whistle or watch teletubbies. When you see this film playing somewhere, destroy the machine playing it, evacuate the area, and burn the whole place down. Seriously, burn it down before it spawns offspring.PS: I never thought there would be a reason for me, writing a film review, but I think I am just doing my civic duty here and nothing more.

p-seed-889-188469 I watched this movie as one of a group of 5. Of these, 3 would have gladly turned it off after 30 minutes and 2 thought it was outstanding. Evidently this film, or more precisely, this style of film, is not everyone's cup of tea.The movie is somewhat confusing in that it is actually two movies within one. The first, shorter "movielet" involves a policeman who is pining for his recently deceased relationship with a woman we never see. In parallel with this we see a drug deal gone wrong, in which the central character is an Asian woman perpetually wearing a blonde wig, raincoat and sunglasses. These two stories intersect towards the end as the policeman and the woman meet in a bar. The story, if there is one, ends with policeman at a shabby takeaway, which may or may not be the "Chungking Express".This is where the "tag" takes place, the first "movielet" steps out of the ring, and the new one steps in. If you don't realise this you're in big trouble, for now we have a whole new story without really knowing that the first one has finished or even understanding what it was about. It is a bit of a grunchy and unexpected gear shift to a related but different world. The second and much longer story involves the new employee at the takeaway, a very boyish looking girl called Faye, and a second policeman, someone we only know by his number, "633", who is also recovering from a relationship breakup. Thereafter follows a very sutble and utterly disarming dance between Faye and 633 as they get to know each other. The character of Faye is played by Faye Wong who I had never heard of but on further research find is a living legend in HK, China and Japan. I can find no words that adequately do justice to her performance, she is simply spellbinding. One of the other viewers compared her character to that of Audrey Tattou's Amelie, and this is true to some extent. Both Amelie and Faye are "quirky' characters but whereas Amelie portrays hers through facial gestures, and the intentions of her quirky actions have very specific goals, Faye's quirkiness is completely random - she's quirky for no other reason than that's who she is and it is sheer magic to behold. There are many, many truly touching and drolly amusing moments which may not make you split your sides laughing but keep you smiling gently all the way through. It is a very subtle, real, everyday, slightly off-the-wall humour that leaves you with a luminous feeling of warmth. I mean, how many movies have you seen lately in which the main character has deep and meaningful discussions with his dish cloth? Basically I'm gobsmacked at yet another example of the subtlety and nuance Asian directors can bring to a movie, and their ability to conjure so much from so little. It is really a kind of magic that has been lost, or maybe never existed, in the West.Apparently this movie was a side project made in 23 days, with the script written as they went along. Many would say that this shows. While it is difficult to call any movie that was conceived under these conditions and which was basically a "throwaway" to fill in time a masterpiece, it really is an extraordinary achievement. Does it have a story? Well, sort of but not really. Did it have an "ending". I think so. Do I feel better for having seen it? Oh, yes. Will I watch anything with Faye Wong in it again? You bet! Not for everyone, if you're after explosions, car crashes and a story, sit this one out. As for me I'm giving it 8.

g s WARNING: SMALL SPOILERS MAY BE GIVEN BELOWToday being a lazy Sunday, I finally got around to watching Chungking Express. This film is something which has always been on my lengthy cinema bucket list.I am joyous that I took the the time viewing into this film as it was both uplifting and meditative amongst the chaos.The film's plot revolves around two separate narratives regarding two policemen working within Chungking,both of whom have gone through recent break ups. Their stories are told sequentially and are both running in chagrin until they encounter a new woman.For the first story, we become acquainted with He Qiwu, a man who pines over his most recent relationship with a girl called May. Whilst the May of which his relationship recently ended with has no screen time, there is plenty of monologue spoken from He Qiwu and interaction with other characters regarding her that as an audience we can feel his pain. (I mean, who hasn't been there before?) He Qiwu goes on the rebound and seeks out a girl after much self pity. It is at bar that he encounters a certain femme fatale.The femme fatale is not issued a name in this story segment however it just adds to the sense of mystery she aesthetically displays by the "costume" of which she wears: A Blonde Wig and Glasses. It becomes quickly evident within the first fifteen minutes of the film that she is a dangerous presence as we see her organizes an illegal drug smuggling operation. When He Qiwu and the woman with the blonde wig cross paths, it is not because he is after her. It is because he found himself out at a bar on the prowl and as we as viewers are sure of, the ineluctability of them meeting together is certain. They are not united together as lovers, however there is a slither of hope given to He Qiwu after their encounter and in his current position, a morale booster.In the second story, the unnamed Cop 663 is going through the motions post break up with an air stewardess. We see that the stewardess had decided to visit a snack counter which he frequents and gave a letter to the owner regarding her wishes to break up and keys to the apartment. This is all caught by the exuberant Faye, a worker at the counter. As Cop 663 does not wish to look at the envelope being fully aware of what the letter will detail, Faye falls him for and uses the keys to start rearranging the house while he is at his day-shift unaware. From there, the story builds around the meetings between of both Faye and Cop 663.Throughout both stories there are reoccurring motifs that we take in such as expiry dates, the name of May, a model airplane, California Dreamin' by The Mamas & Papas, a Garfield stuffed toy and more which have been omitted from this review. The symbolism behind these help build the strength of both stories and also slightly relate them. The setting of Chungking is a multicultural place and in being so it is interesting to hear dialog hear dialog in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and Indian throughout the film. It is hard for the setting to not draw you in. However, despite the streets being as flooded with populace as they are, we are left with the contrast of the characters usually being in isolated locations. Taciturn and with a running self monologue.The soundtrack should be a key player in any film watched and in The Chungking Express it is not something which is not to be ignored. Most notably the soundtrack is dominated by California Dreamin' during the second half of the movie. The highlight song for me personally is a delightful Cantonese cover version of the song "Dreams" originally performed by the Cranberries sung by no other than Faye Wong, main actress of the second segment.In regards to the cinematography, it is hard to believe that shots being taken are not being done so under natural lighting. In a scene where the Indians are assembling clothes and toys, we get various cutaway shots and amazing editing. (In particular one shot of shoes filled with cocaine/heroin being put away is shot upside down which for unknown reasons I really love) The editing is quick and fast paced, rarely lingering.Through the use of shaky held hand camera during chase scenes and the busy streets we feel disorientated and just as lost as the characters on screen. I believe this film is an equally a comfort to those in love as to those who are out of love. Don't give up.