Ow this movie hurts, and I love that? I actually did not expect for this to leave such a lasting impact on my soul but I am kind of glad that it did and I absolutely need to watch some more films from this directors filmography because I've been putting them off for far far too long at this point. This movie was actually given to me for a sort of secret Santa film thing in this group I am apart of and to whoever it was that recommended this to me I thank you and I will never be the same mentally after watching this thing. The funniest thing about the way this movie affected me is that during the watch itself I can't even say I was loving it nearly as much as I have have to in the hours afterwards just reminiscing about the movie itself, it wasn't a fun watch and I wouldn't even say it clicked with me in the moment but the more I dwell on it the more amazing it becomes and it has permanently shifted something in my brain that I did not expect, and I wholeheartedly need to give this one a rewatch because I can already tel it's going to be so much better on a second or third viewing.
This is just such an excellent showcase of unrequited love and the way different people react to the relationships they can find themselves in.. how feelings can develop on a dime and just as much never go away despite how much they are disregarded. It's both hauntingly depressing with how it handles emotions but also unbelievably beautiful and romantic at the exact same time, I cannot understand or really put into words why this is or how it was ever even made but it all just weaves together in such a fascinating way that I couldn't help but love and hate every single second of it. Wong Kar-Wai is an utter genius and I cannot believe this is the first time I'm experiencing a film of his because I've been meaning to watch "Fallen Angels" for ages now but have consistently put it off, however I am going to be watching that as soon as possible after seeing this because if it's anywhere near as good I can already tell I'm going to love it.
The romance or lack there of that is present in this movie is without a doubt carried by the amazing writing done by Wong Kar-Wai himself, and of course the phenomenal performances from our two leading stars. My personal favorite being Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the central male leading character and who is easily one of the most engaging characters I've ever watched in a romance move, and it is obviously helped massively by the very talented performance from the man himself which in my opinion really carried every single scene he was in and I absolutely loved it. The other notable person that's very integral to the story being Maggie Cheung as the central female lead here, and she brings an insane amount of talent and emotion to her role here that if I'm being honest I was not expecting in the slightest but wholeheartedly loved every second of, and despite not particularly liking her character due to said emotions she plays them immensely well and at the very least it's so incredibly easy for me to understand her perspective.
Plus I don't wanna talk about this movie without talking about it's gorgeous direction and it's superb music which is genuinely some of the best I've ever heard in any motion picture in my lifetime. I really did love the acting from the two leads here but I honestly do not think their performance would've been nearly as excellent if it wasn't for the direction by Wong Kar-Wai which is without a doubt supremely stunning and often left me speechless throughout its entirety. Some of the most minimalistic yet inherently brilliant shots are present in this film and for some reason they had me floored, they all feel immediately personal and immersive while also giving the impression that we as the viewer really are just getting a glimpse into these peoples lives without being able to influence or alter them in any way, leading to one of the most intimate and grounded experiences I've had watching a movie but also one of the most deeply sad ones feeling as if I didn't get the entire interpersonal experience that the characters might have had with each other and those around them. Plus I need to mention the exquisite score that is present in the major scenes of this thing because it is truly something of beauty in my eyes, as it both sounded incredible but also really elevated every scene that it accompanies, making this one of the best soundtracks I have ever have the pleasure of hearing for a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed how much it uplifted its surrounding parts.
All in all I greatly enjoyed my time with this but also definitely didn't enjoy my time with this at all. It's a very real and personal story that affected me in a way I can absolutely say I was not expecting it to and changed my brain chemistry I would say permanently, and that's amazing. I'm not going to lie and say that it entirely clicked with me during my initial viewing experience as it kind of didn't honestly, but after it ended it all connected to me like a wave and the time I have spent since watching it pondering on it has really helped my understanding and appreciation of it quite a great deal. "In the mood for love" is a movie that isn't always fun or happy, it's a movie that if filled to the brim with romance but almost all of it hurts in ways I couldn't have seen coming... it's a truly beautiful experience that I am glad I finally got the chance to endure and I will think about it for a very long time after this. I didn't love watching this, but I love the movie itself for how well it's made, told, and just how much it made me feel. I think it's very obvious that I recommend watching it for yourself if you have the chance because it is so much more than worth the time spent on it, which is barely even 90 minutes, and I have a feeling this a story that will resonate with a large majority of people. It's great but it hurts and I loved it, and I really really need to watch more of this man's filmography after this because goddamn. Peak?
This is just such an excellent showcase of unrequited love and the way different people react to the relationships they can find themselves in.. how feelings can develop on a dime and just as much never go away despite how much they are disregarded. It's both hauntingly depressing with how it handles emotions but also unbelievably beautiful and romantic at the exact same time, I cannot understand or really put into words why this is or how it was ever even made but it all just weaves together in such a fascinating way that I couldn't help but love and hate every single second of it. Wong Kar-Wai is an utter genius and I cannot believe this is the first time I'm experiencing a film of his because I've been meaning to watch "Fallen Angels" for ages now but have consistently put it off, however I am going to be watching that as soon as possible after seeing this because if it's anywhere near as good I can already tell I'm going to love it.
The romance or lack there of that is present in this movie is without a doubt carried by the amazing writing done by Wong Kar-Wai himself, and of course the phenomenal performances from our two leading stars. My personal favorite being Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the central male leading character and who is easily one of the most engaging characters I've ever watched in a romance move, and it is obviously helped massively by the very talented performance from the man himself which in my opinion really carried every single scene he was in and I absolutely loved it. The other notable person that's very integral to the story being Maggie Cheung as the central female lead here, and she brings an insane amount of talent and emotion to her role here that if I'm being honest I was not expecting in the slightest but wholeheartedly loved every second of, and despite not particularly liking her character due to said emotions she plays them immensely well and at the very least it's so incredibly easy for me to understand her perspective.
Plus I don't wanna talk about this movie without talking about it's gorgeous direction and it's superb music which is genuinely some of the best I've ever heard in any motion picture in my lifetime. I really did love the acting from the two leads here but I honestly do not think their performance would've been nearly as excellent if it wasn't for the direction by Wong Kar-Wai which is without a doubt supremely stunning and often left me speechless throughout its entirety. Some of the most minimalistic yet inherently brilliant shots are present in this film and for some reason they had me floored, they all feel immediately personal and immersive while also giving the impression that we as the viewer really are just getting a glimpse into these peoples lives without being able to influence or alter them in any way, leading to one of the most intimate and grounded experiences I've had watching a movie but also one of the most deeply sad ones feeling as if I didn't get the entire interpersonal experience that the characters might have had with each other and those around them. Plus I need to mention the exquisite score that is present in the major scenes of this thing because it is truly something of beauty in my eyes, as it both sounded incredible but also really elevated every scene that it accompanies, making this one of the best soundtracks I have ever have the pleasure of hearing for a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed how much it uplifted its surrounding parts.
All in all I greatly enjoyed my time with this but also definitely didn't enjoy my time with this at all. It's a very real and personal story that affected me in a way I can absolutely say I was not expecting it to and changed my brain chemistry I would say permanently, and that's amazing. I'm not going to lie and say that it entirely clicked with me during my initial viewing experience as it kind of didn't honestly, but after it ended it all connected to me like a wave and the time I have spent since watching it pondering on it has really helped my understanding and appreciation of it quite a great deal. "In the mood for love" is a movie that isn't always fun or happy, it's a movie that if filled to the brim with romance but almost all of it hurts in ways I couldn't have seen coming... it's a truly beautiful experience that I am glad I finally got the chance to endure and I will think about it for a very long time after this. I didn't love watching this, but I love the movie itself for how well it's made, told, and just how much it made me feel. I think it's very obvious that I recommend watching it for yourself if you have the chance because it is so much more than worth the time spent on it, which is barely even 90 minutes, and I have a feeling this a story that will resonate with a large majority of people. It's great but it hurts and I loved it, and I really really need to watch more of this man's filmography after this because goddamn. Peak?
