TNMC
This site’s design is only visible in a graphical browser that supports web standards, but its content is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
In the Mood for Love: Criterion Collection
Movie: 9/10
I wasn't sure what to think of this film as I inserted it into my DVD player. Criterion has been sending me a lot of foreign flicks lately (8 1/2, Children of Paradise). I was, however, seriously surprised like I was with 8 1/2. In the Mood for Love is a Chinese film that came out last year and was directed and written by Wong Kar-Wai (Chungking Express I believe is his first big film here in the USA). The story deals with two neighboring families in 1962 Hong Kong. You have the Chan's and the Chow's who happen to move next door to each other on the same day. A bond begins to grow between the families and we notice Mr. Chan and Mrs. Chow start to have an affair. When their spouses find out (Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow), they find solace in each other's company and begin to debate their spouses actions while they fall in love with one another. The story parallels the two relationships, that is what the film is about, a lot of parallels in relationships between people. Spouses and lovers mainly. Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow are the pair the story focuses mainly on, as they rehearse what to say to their spouses and fall deeper in love with one another in a doomed romance. I really enjoyed the film, it's everything that's good in a romantic drama. It has it's bouts of laughter and it's share of sadness. Kar-Wai does a great job of making a somewhat usual story interesting by his use of parallels, dialogues, and musical interludes. These interludes run about one to two minutes long and show the characters acting in slow motion during which a haunting sting theme plays. I loved this technique and the music was beautiful. It really changed up the usual and made things more interesting. The music all around was fantastic. I nearly went and bought the CD last night. It has it's share of Chinese music, Nat King Cole, and even Latin influences (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps). Kar-Wai takes what could have been a normal, cliched film and makes it more interesting with his techniques of storytelling (the dinner scene with the paralleling couples made me do a double take). Everything about this film seems to be magical. The only reason this film doesn't get a 10 is because of the ending. I loved the ending and the message it brought forth, just some instances (I won't mention to dodge spoilers) weren't executed up to the high standard set by the rest of the film. Very good though.
Video: 9/10
Very crisp and clear transfer, anamorphic widescreen. Absolutely wonderful looking. No complaints here.
Audio: 9/10
It's only 5.0, but you can't notice. It sounds great and I absolutely adore the music. Very nice and clear.
Extras: 10/10
It's Criterion so you know it's gonna be loaded. We have a nice assortment of deleted scenes with commentary, an interactive essay on the music (YES!), a short film by the director, a great documentary, interviews with the director, clips from the Toronto International Film Festival Press Conference, an essay about the films settings, trailers and other assorted goodies, and a great booklet. Criterion has been including these fifty page booklets lately (8 1/2, Children of Paradise) that have all kinds of of goodies in them. This one has the short story the film was based on, a director's statement, and an essay by a Chinese film critic. Very nice, stacked with everything under the sun. A commentary would always be nice, but it's not really needed with everything else here. (Criterion, call me! I'll start doing commentaries for some of your films!)
Overall: 10/10
Great movie, transfers, and outstanding extras.
What do you think? Talk about it on the Forums
