Chungking Express (1994)
Not a film, but a fleeting memory.
Presentation:
While waiting for production to finish on his feature film, Wong Kar Wai and DP Christopher Doyle create a film out of nowhere. This is evident by the fact the film was shot in Doyle's own apartment. Wong Kar Wai has become increasingly popular due to his use of wide angle lenses and low shutter angle scenes. It's really quite nostalgic how much emotion this technique captures, everything feels blurry like a memory. It's also fascinating how similar Tarantino films are to this one, which are both episodic in nature, a bit random with pop cultural meaningless chatter. Tarantino polishes this style, but it's fascinating to see where it came from.
Conclusion:
This film is incomplete as there's no real story arc. If there is any structure, it's quite bare despite being it's own unique style now. It's a memory with a caption, but without any resolution it ends up feeling like 2 hours slipping by, which I guess could be the point this film. It's nearly poignant and all it'll take to convince you of its greatness is anybody's confirmation.
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Recommendations
Mood piece for romantics of Taipei cinema.