Fallen Angels
1995 Directed by Wong Kar-Wai
Synopsis
A disillusioned killer embarks on his last hit but first he has to overcome his affections for his cool, detached partner. Thinking it's dangerous and improper to become involved with a colleague he sets out to find a surrogate for his affections. Against the sordid and surreal urban nightscape (set in contemporary Hong Kong), he crosses path with a strange drifter looking for her mysterious ex-boyfriend and an amusing mute trying to get the world's attention in his own unconventional ways.
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Let it be known to all! Early this morning, I watched my very first Wong Kar Wai film. It’s been a long time in the making, but I woke up in a daze and immediately went to Netflix to find a film to pull me out my early morning stupor. After searching and searching with no good results, I happened across Fallen Angels. It was beckoning me in, and I took the bait. What I experienced next was one of the most expressionistic and unique cinematic experiences I have ever had. And at the time of writing this, I’m still having a hard time putting into words why I liked this film so much.
Fallen Angels tells a couple of…
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The first time I saw this, I gave it 2/5 stars. Now it is my favorite of all of Wong Kar-Wai's films! Its about misfits - people living on the fringes of society, searching for connections to other people and mostly coming up short. There is basically no plot, even less so than its predecessor Chungking Express. It's just a bunch of people doing things that are silly, heartbreaking, difficult to watch, morally reprehensible… but always human. The visuals in this film are absolutely amazing, even more so than some of his other successful films. Fallen Angels may not be the best that Wong Kar-Wai put forth during his career (I think that honor goes to In the Mood for Love), but it is certainly my personal favorite. Highly recommended!
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Not a review. Just impressions, because we started watching it way too late, I was tired, and even dozed through a couple of minutes. Be it resolved that we are never ever to begin a first viewing of a Wong Kar-wai film after 8pm. Ever.
Other than In the Mood for Love and 2046, I've never fallen in love with any Wong kar-wai film on first viewing. So I didn't expect to fall in love with this one either. But I certainly didn't expect to dislike it as much as I did.
Love the music, love some of the performances, and of course the cinematography is exquisite. But I felt that too many scenes were shouting: "Look at me? Aren't…
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nope nope nope nope. I can't. Damn you, Wong Kar-Wai.
Alright, I'm going to try and compose myself, as after ever viewing of a WKW film, I seemingly forget the English language. Let's begin as always, from the beginning.
This is the 5th Wong Kar-Wai film I have been exposed to. From that history, it is safe to say that the central theme to his films is emotion. Not only that which is portrayed in his films, but the emotion you get after watching one of them. As always, WKW brings us into his own world, and in this world the central theme of love, heartbreak and a general sense of connection plays through just as it does in any…
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As with Wong's previous films, Fallen Angels tells us a vibrant expressionist story of lonely souls aching for connection, each character only a moment's stop in another's journey through life.
While the characters and story are brilliant, it's execution is the icing on an already tasty cake. Hong Kong jumps out and hits you square in the face, as neon and street lights engulf each frame. The free-moving, explorative camera work makes the cinematography almost voyeurish - and makes the story feel all the more personal. Christopher Doyle, like in so many other great WKW films since their debut together on Days of Being Wild, really delivers the technical goods on this and has the film drag you in with an energetic sweep.
The more of his films that I see, the closer WKW shifts to becoming my favourite director.
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A Wong Kar-Wai film is always (with the possible exception of Blueberry Nights) a pleasant experience and Fallen Angels is no different. The story of these lonely people always seems to be so emotionally truthful and personal that is impossible to ignore. In Fallen Angels his visual narrative is the most important part of the film. An analogy with In the Mood for Love may be important to truly understand this film; whilst Kar-Wai's amazing masterpiece is about a certain inertia of the moment of seduction, Fallen Angels is more likely about how the fugacity of the post-modern society and it's consequent hardship of relationships. Kar-Wai's utilization of the memory as a place of blessing and curse is specially beautiful…
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EVEN GUDER
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Going into Fallen Angels I knew I was going to get a visual feast and I was not disappointed in the slightest, this is an unbelievably beautiful movie and is just as good visually, if not better, than other Kar-Wai films I have seen. Sadly, outside of the visuals I wasn't too intrigued or drawn into the narrative like I was with other efforts like Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love.
Following multiple different characters across two separate story lines that only cross paths for a few moments, the biggest issue I had with Fallen Angels is that I didn't relate to or feel attached to any of the characters like I did with the two aforementioned Kar-Wai…
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The Good: Scene-stealing performance by Takeshi Kaneshiro as a crazy, mute, escaped convict who lives with his dad and makes money by breaking into other people's shops after hours catering to night owls; Dude's freaking hilarious (I especially love his scenes with that poor guy who keeps running into him). Crazy camera work by master cinematographer Christopher Doyle. Fucking gorgeous. Super cool and eccentric (in a good way). Michelle Reis, holy hot damn...
The Bad: Nothing major.
The Bottom Line: An electric, offbeat, stylish feast for the senses, Fallen Angels makes the perfect double bill along with Wong's equally impressive Chungking Express.
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I heard so many great things about Wong Kar-Wai,
so I finally managed to see one of his movies yesterday.The beginning was really strong with great cinematography.
But at the end the movie was a bit slow and long-winded.Looking forward to see more movies by Wong kar-Wai.
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As with a lot of Wong Kar Wai, this film is childish and styled beyond belief, plus overly reliant on narration, but still has some really human moments.
This film follows a bunch of misfits through nights in Hong Kong. The direction is kinetic, although very indebted to french new wave (a genre I generally dislike on principle). However, despite my preferences, this is the most entertaining film I have yet seen from Wong Kar Wai. It somehow finds a way to work, and has some genuinely spellbinding scenes.
A worthy effort, enough to get a thumbs up. The most likeable Wong Kar Wai film I have seen so far (even if the mute guy was a bit annoying).
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Excellent in its first 40 mins especially in its use of colour and trip hop violence but it soon wears thin and becomes a repetitious chore to sit through.
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Let it be known to all! Early this morning, I watched my very first Wong Kar Wai film. It’s been a long time in the making, but I woke up in a daze and immediately went to Netflix to find a film to pull me out my early morning stupor. After searching and searching with no good results, I happened across Fallen Angels. It was beckoning me in, and I took the bait. What I experienced next was one of the most expressionistic and unique cinematic experiences I have ever had. And at the time of writing this, I’m still having a hard time putting into words why I liked this film so much.
Fallen Angels tells a couple of…
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Even though it followed the same formula of Chungking Express, it didn't seem as interesting or as good as Chungking Express in general.
The cinematography looked nice, and the acting was good enough, but it felt like it was missing something in comparison. The two stories were done well, but when He Zhiwu found his first love it seemed to stall.
The Chinese nightlife looks especially fantastic. That and the videotape scenes are two of the things that set Fallen Angels apart from Chungking Express.
Just about everything used in Chungking Express is used in Fallen Angels, but it didn't seem to be used as well.
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Not a lot of story, but the french new wave style reborn is beyond gorgeous.