Ok so you all know i was not a big fan of Chung King Express. But I do i do love Faye Wong to no end. So my question is will I likely not enjoy 2046 since I didn't like Chung King Express?
Also should i watch In The Mood For Love first if I'm going to attempt to understand 2046?
Also should i watch In The Mood For Love first if I'm going to attempt to understand 2046?
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SF Bay Area
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Thu, March 24, 2005 - 5:01 PM"2046" is only sort of a sequel to "In the Mood." It references "Mood" visually, thematically, and musically, and those references you will miss if you haven't seen "In the Mood" first. You can still watch it without having seen "Mood," and you really won't miss much.
But -- I didn't much like "2046." I felt that it was thematically lost at sea, needed editing, was generally pointless and meandering, didn't ever give full shrift to its sci-fi metaphor, and was a perfect example of a great director who got completely lost making a project that was more than he could handle. I mean, it took him five years of shooting and reshooting, since he is notorious for working sans script. And this grand indecision shows.
On the plus side, there are some beautiful shots, beautiful people (Zhang Ziyi has never looked hotter), and it occasionally recaptures some of the wistful melancholy of "Mood."
But "Mood" is his masterpiece, IMHO. If you don't like that one, you'll just never like or appreciate his work at all, since "Mood" encapsulates everything great about Kar-Wai. Knowing you, Chris, I think that you should watch "Mood" and simply skip "2046." Since you didn't like "Chungking," you'll hate "2046." -
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Thu, March 24, 2005 - 9:23 PMBut for the love of Faye I must see all of her films! heheh but that sounds like a plan, I'll check out In the Mood first.
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Thu, March 20, 2008 - 11:52 PMAllen, you were correct. Tonight we watched 2046, and although Zhang Zi Yi, Faye Wong both did a great job and I love them to death, this movie was still a fragmented loss. The art direction was superb however, especially in the futuristic parts which were great but far and few between. Overall I'd say everything was well done, except the story.
My wife summed it up for me when she likened the movie to looking at art in a museum, in particular the pretentious crappy kind with no real rhyme or reason. She though In the Mood was at least a much better story.
I will try to get myself to watch Fallen Angels but I have to say I really don't care for Kar's story style in the least, not to mention I don't really find movies about romantic relationships to be very interesting. I wonder what Kar's love life is like, hopefully more coherent and interesting than his movies are. -
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Fri, March 21, 2008 - 12:25 AMCoherent is not a word that comes to mind when i think of Wang Kar Wai's work. He leaves an incredible amount open to interpretation. He rarely spells things out nor does he tell the observer what to think or how to react. On first watching of In The Mood for Love (which i agree is his finest work, so far), one does not really know if the 2 main characters ever really got together. The extras on the DVD make it quite clear and of course 2046 makes it incredibly obvious.
2046 is a visual and aural delight. Story-wise, yeah, very problematic. My impression was he was trying to make 2 films; a sequel to In the Mood for Love and a science fiction film based on characters and themes from Days of Being Wild and In the Mood for Love. And after several years, he still never figured out how to deal with these very difficult ideas and wrapped them up in ways that were not convincing. One must wonder about all the unused footage. Maggie Cheung spent over a year filming and only appears in a few seconds of the film! On a different note, his use and play with time is incredible in this film! The way he weaves in and out of the 2 worlds and the different time frames is really quite unique. And again, it is truly a visual and aural delight and thus i have watched it numerous times. And why Takuya Kimura??? And Zhang Yi Yi is a major stepdown from having Maggie Cheung as the lead actrees.
I think Chungking Express is another masterpiece, especially when you consider he "knocked this film off" in less than a month from idea to finished product. Fallen Angles is essentially part 3 of these 2 mini movies within Chungking Express, his darkest film but also quite brilliant.
Where is a good DVD copy of his kung fu epic, "Ashes of Time"???
To put it lightly, i am a huge fan of Wang Kar Wai's work. This is not suburban entertainment...
My my vegetarian personal chef and catering business is called, "in the mood for food" :)
phil -
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Fri, March 21, 2008 - 9:19 AMI think i'd be more interested in eating your food than seeing another Kar movie, I'm sure your food has more structure and meaning heheh -
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Sat, March 22, 2008 - 4:38 PMEven though you do not like my favorite film maker, you might enjoy my food :)
I think you are missing something if you do not see the structure(s) and mutiple meanings in most of his work. Of course, everyone has different taste and can easily understand someone does not like something that does not move me.
Anyways, if you want to try my food, i have an underground restaurant that happens once or twice a month in the east bay. Along with the food is a concert by world class musicains. Of course there happens to be a poster for "In The Mood for Love" in one of the locations this happens in.
If you would like to be on the mailing list to hear about it, send me your email
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Mon, March 28, 2005 - 12:11 PMIf you're not sure if you like Wong Kar-Wai, I refer you to "Fallen Angels" -- easily his most satisfying film. It has all of his classic trademark elements: shakey "Christopher Doyle has DTs" camera-work, lush colors, urban alienation, failed love, great music, some really funny physical comedy, plus an extra helping of senseless violence that helps gel the whole thing together.
2046 isn't a great movie. The actors and actresses are great, but it feels like Kar-Wai chickened out. He aspired to make one kind of movie, but by the time he was done shooting, discovered he has just made "In the Mood for Love" again. Too bad. -
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Mon, March 28, 2005 - 12:26 PMthis just in:
'Kung Fu Hustle' Earns Top Honor at 24th Hong Kong Film Awards, but '2046' Gets Top Acting Awards
abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory -
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Mon, March 28, 2005 - 1:26 PMi read the article, now if only they would translate the awards and show them here. fuck the oscars, that's almost always crap but this sounded decent.
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Mon, March 28, 2005 - 2:06 PM
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Re: 2046 ?'s
Mon, March 28, 2005 - 12:27 PM"Fallen Angels" is my other favorite Kar-Wai film. Sweet, sweet alienation...
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