Movie No. 71 (2018): CHUNGKING EXPRESS

Chungking Express (1994)
Director: Wong Kar Wai
Cast: Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Faye Wong
In Chinese (Cantonese), with English subtitles

Two cops. They have just broken up with their respective girlfriends. Their stories are unrelated. They have nothing in common except they frequent a local lunch counter; of course, they both know the owner. The first cop has a thing for canned pineapples that are nearly expired. The second deals with the heartbreak by talking to inanimate objects that may or may not be connected to his ex-girlfriend. These stories are as simple as they seem. No plot. No twist. No gimmickry. But, what makes the movie memorable is its visual style. It's hard to ignore a style that demands attention. In the first story, the chase scenes are visually stunning - a mix of frozen backgrounds, distorted images, and slow motion. The musical score complements the excitement of the characters. Indeed, it's a hypnotic feast of sight and sound. Cinematography is stunning, particularly the one at the bar with the mysterious blonde. The handheld camera shots enhance the tension some scenes suggest. The story about the second cop is presented in a playful fashion. Here we have a glimpse of contemporary Hong Kong and its ordinary people. The use of a western song played every now and then to set mood is genius. This is a strange kind of movie. It is strange in a good way. I can't pinpoint the genius in it. But, I feel good every time I see the movie. This is (if I remember right) my fourth time to have seen the movie.

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: October 28, 2018