Chapters from the Wong Kar-wai catalogue
Cinematic flapper
Anna Nguyen
Issue date: 8/25/08 Section: Life & Style
Friday, May 30th. My sister and I walked past the line of those waiting to enter the auditorium room in which "Sex and the City" would be playing on its opening night. We entered auditorium number six, the chamber that was across the room that would feature Carrie Bradshaw and company on the big screen. ??
My sister and I were the only patrons. We settled comfortably in our seats, waiting for "My Blueberry Nights" to commence. This would be my second time watching Wong Kar-wai's first English film; I had already seen it in Le Melies in Pau.
??Earlier that day, I had driven past the Fiesta Square billboard that listed its current films. While halting at a red light, I looked up at the billboard and saw "My Blueberry Nights" at the very bottom. I called my sister and made arrangements to see it that very night. I wasn't expecting the film to alleviate the disappointment I felt when I first watched it, but I did like the option of watching a film from my favorite auteur at a local cinema. The cinematography was pretty, the music was brilliant and Norah Jones acting debut was quite charming.
??What a normal, boring film from Wong Kar-wai, I remember thinking after Jones' and Jude Law's embrace ended the heartbroken, soul-searching road trip journey. Normal is a word that seems foreign when used to describe Wong's films.??
Aside from "My Blueberry Nights" and the fun summer blockbusters I watched in the cinemas, I must say the films I enjoyed the most were four of Wong's older works, which showcases Wong's strong abilities as a director and as a storyteller. Excluding "In the Mood for Love," I haven't re-watched "Days of Being Wild," "Ashes of Time" and "2046" in recent years. Some years ago, I read an article that suggested the four films are connected to each other, deliberately crafted by Wong. In fact, all of the films have a theme of loss memories and the struggles to move into the future. To affirm this theory while enjoying my Wong Kar-wai film marathon, I watched the films in the manner I thought made the most sense. I attempted to deconstruct why the four films are chapters to one long story. ??
My sister and I were the only patrons. We settled comfortably in our seats, waiting for "My Blueberry Nights" to commence. This would be my second time watching Wong Kar-wai's first English film; I had already seen it in Le Melies in Pau.
??Earlier that day, I had driven past the Fiesta Square billboard that listed its current films. While halting at a red light, I looked up at the billboard and saw "My Blueberry Nights" at the very bottom. I called my sister and made arrangements to see it that very night. I wasn't expecting the film to alleviate the disappointment I felt when I first watched it, but I did like the option of watching a film from my favorite auteur at a local cinema. The cinematography was pretty, the music was brilliant and Norah Jones acting debut was quite charming.
??What a normal, boring film from Wong Kar-wai, I remember thinking after Jones' and Jude Law's embrace ended the heartbroken, soul-searching road trip journey. Normal is a word that seems foreign when used to describe Wong's films.??
Aside from "My Blueberry Nights" and the fun summer blockbusters I watched in the cinemas, I must say the films I enjoyed the most were four of Wong's older works, which showcases Wong's strong abilities as a director and as a storyteller. Excluding "In the Mood for Love," I haven't re-watched "Days of Being Wild," "Ashes of Time" and "2046" in recent years. Some years ago, I read an article that suggested the four films are connected to each other, deliberately crafted by Wong. In fact, all of the films have a theme of loss memories and the struggles to move into the future. To affirm this theory while enjoying my Wong Kar-wai film marathon, I watched the films in the manner I thought made the most sense. I attempted to deconstruct why the four films are chapters to one long story. ??
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