In The Mood For Love (2000)

This is a movie that grew on me over time, not even with subsequent viewings but just, I guess, increasing maturity. I did enjoy it in the theatre, particularly Tony Leung who is brilliant in this sort of mournful romantic role, but I feel like I get it more now. The claustrophobic framing specifically really irked me at the time, I couldn't say why, and it took me a while to come to appreciate how it was important to the whole.

Weirdly, I first saw this in a double bill with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in second run - I don't know, I guess it was subtitle night. I think that (I had already seen Crouching Tiger quite a few times), particularly going in to this one pretty much blind apart from knowing the stars, is part of why it took me a while to fully connect with it. I'm glad I finally did, though, it is as you say simply wonderful.

I'll honestly vouch for this being the most romantic movie I've ever seen.

This is one of my favorite films. First time, it was okay. Then I watched it 327 more times, and bought the soundtrack.

This guy, however, is my favorite contrarian reviewer and he seems to be saying that if we knew anything about Chinese/Hong Kong politics in the 60s we'd think it was an insipid romance, which seems to miss the point entirely. But I guess looking at it in a political framework is justified if you remember the news footage at the beginning of the Angor Wat sequence, and references to Leung's job.

(you have to scroll down past Crouching Tiger bashing)
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/ma...mood-m20.shtml

There is a film critic named Armond White who wrote bitterly about the Squid and the Whale in much the same way, and although I disagree with both guys, it's nice to hear criticism of (the audience and distribution system of, really) two universally praised movies.

Sometimes, I will be watching a movie and it'll just hit me... "this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It will probably be one of my favorites of all time, and I will try to show it to everyone I meet."

It happened while watching The Fountain, it happened while watching The Assassination of Jesse James, and it happened about halfway through this movie, which I just sort of tossed in randomly one night when I couldn't sleep. Completely fucking blindsided me.

I was actually just writing a review of this film last night Patrick. It kinda worries me that we operate on the same wavelength.

It is probably one of the few modern asian films I'd be comfortable calling a classic. There is just something about it aesthetically and thematically which is so rich and so iconic that I honestly think in 50 years time it'll be up there with Throne of Blood and Sanshu Dayu as great examples of Asian Cinema.

What I love about the film more that anything else is that it kind of isn't a romantic film. It is about two wounded people finding solace in each other through shared experience, they're drawn together by the affair of the partners and seek to try and make the other into a fascimile of their missing spouse. The scene at the diner, with Li-Zhen telling Chow how to eat is just heartbreaking because you know that deep down she truly loves her husband.

The thing I always remember about In The Mood For Love is the incredible trailer which just sort of became its own minature movie. You can find it here

I also recently discovered I owned the score for this film, I've been playing it this morning and it's just a fantastic collection of music.

This film casts such a spell over me I actually find it difficult to watch that often because I'll end up thinking about it for days (and catch myself walking in slow motion, humming some of the beautiful music).

The performances top it all off. You can actually FEEL Tony Leung ache for Maggie Chung.

I love the political overtones...and how these two characters failed romance connects with the country as a whole. It's strange...and in any other movie, I'd say it probably wouldn't fit. But that one bit of newsreel footage is like a splash of cold water on your face, reminding you of what kind of world these people live in, and how their own relationship mirrors that of their culture. Beautiful movie.

Yeah, it's pretty good.

Well that kill the thread, were you attempting to comment on the medicority of our discussion Dre? Or were you just being your usual dickish self.

Getting back to the film one of the things I love is that Chan and Chow are never shown together until the restaurant scene, it is only when they stop working in parallel to one another and make the connections that both their faces can be seen in the same shot (there meetings before either have one of them turned away from the camera or have the camera focus on one of them).

Uh, it was my number one pick of the 2000 on draft, I thought it was apparent I'm a huge WKW fan.

It's really, really, really, hard to tell with you sometimes. It feels like every post is a set up for you to tell us how awesome dancing is.

I assume Patrick watched it because it was my #1 pick. Dunno though.

I'd assume so to, I know he had a crisis of confidence when he couldn't find all of your 'Top 10 films you should have seen by now'

Really? I guess Penitentiary III isn't that easy to find.

queued

Don't mind me, carry on with healthy film discussion. I'll be back later.

I think Knock Off broke his brain, he refused to except the Tsui Hark into his life.

You have no fucking idea.

That's why I kept my VHS of it. Cause it's a masterpiece.

Knock Off, would love to have that discussion. The camera goes into the shoe. Why? Who cares. Rob Schnieder whips JCVD's ass with an eel. The world goes insane in that film, and that's why I love it.

More importantly, Rob Schneider whips JCVD's ass with an eel during a competitive rickshaw race.

JCVD: Why you doing?
Rob Schnieder: I don't know, I just...
Schnieder thinks about it, decides to whip his ass again
Schnieder: MOVE IT, YOU'VE GOT TO WANT IT
JCVD whinnies

Best exchange is at the end when Schneider is bemoaning the fact that their company has exploding pants.

JCVD: Maybe some people want that!

I'd like to think that was an improv he thought of on the day.

Last line of the film:

"No action movie is complete... without sweat."

I felt the same way watching this yesterday. And that particular feeling is a very rare occurrence for me. 

 

I'm going through WKW's filmography in chronological order. This is the first one that feels like he truly stepped away from what became his typical style in his first four romance flicks. To me, In the Mood for Love altered it. Happy Together, which I really appreciated, was a slight change of pace too, but it felt like he was in the middle of morphing. He flat out evolved with this masterpiece. Can't wait to see 2046. 

 

And going through these flicks, I've found a new love for Tony Leung as well. Dude's a badass - in every way - action, romance, and he can pull the comedy chops out too. He's become my favorite Chinese actor. Maggie Cheung has been seen in a new light as well, I had only known her from the Supercop series. And now, her heartbreaking performance as Mrs. Chan makes me embarrassed for that previous neglect. And not to mention she's so gorgeous here, with the array of cheongsam on display - Wow.

 

Definitely one I will revisit again and again.

 

I should see Knock Off now.