8/10
My second watch.
A bit of a passive experience compared to my other WKW favorites but it very much has that beautiful yearning energy that he mastered. I love this movie; it makes me so so sad.
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Happy Together 1997
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Ashes of Time 1994
6/10
Watched the Redux.
Between a 6 and a 7. Visually gorgeous and pretty enjoyable throughout. The yearning that defines Wong's work is definitely present here. Not a lot that really stood out as moving or exciting to make me love it but I did like it.Added to:
Ranking: 2021, First Time Watches
Ranking: Coronavirus Quarantine -
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Days of Being Wild 1990
8/10
"I promise myself, 'I won't go back. I'll hate myself if I go back again.' I don't want to hate myself."Resonated with my current state of mind in so many little unexpected ways. Not sure I could've picked a more perfect day to watch this.
Added to:
My List: Top 1000 Greatest Films of All Time
Ranking: 2021, First Time Watches
Top 100 1990s Films
Top 100 Asian Films
Ranking: Coronavirus Quarantine -
As Tears Go By 1988
5/10
Closer to a 6 because the camerawork, editing, and colors are pretty excellent, and the story is interesting enough, but this just felt so amateur and cartoonish throughout, too much so to feel affected by any aspect of it or really take it seriously. Not bad by any means, I had an decent time with it, but I can't quite say I liked it. Also, Maggie Cheung supremacy (what can I say, she's the best).Added to:
Ranking: 2021, First Time Watches
Ranking: Coronavirus Quarantine -
That Obscure Object of Desire 1977
7/10
Watched for Buñuel's birthday.
Pretty interesting. It's quite enjoyable to just watch these characters torment one another. There's a certain aspect of the casting (kinda wanna be vague) that confused me some (I had a theory that that's what was happening, questioned myself, then realized I was right) but definitely lends itself to the film's nonliteral implications and informs the theme of desire. The motif of terrorism was an interesting addition as well - curious to read other people's… -
My Blueberry Nights 2007
4/10
Between a 4 and a 5. Didn't necessarily dislike it but it felt pretty empty. Elements of Wong's style still work here, but the artificiality of this kind of Hollywood dialogue and acting is in such sharp contrast to that. The bits at Jude Law's café kind of work for me, at least in concept, but everything in the middle is pretty uninteresting. There's a frankness to Wong's Hong Kong work that just comes off as trite, overwritten, or… -
The Passion of Joan of Arc 1928
8/10
My second watch.
Between a 7 and an 8. Obviously the performances, framing, and camerawork are top-shelf, and the editing makes it very engaging. Also wonderful, wonderful music. Not sure how much I get out of it other than enjoyment (not very emotional for me but I get it, ya know?) but yeah it's great (duh). -
Shane 1953
6/10
Not that interesting for me but enjoyable enough. The landscapes here are quite beautiful. Performances are solid though Jean Arthur feels wasted considering she's probably the best actor in the film. The music is nice; the fist fights are silly. I'm a big fan of those couple minutes right at the end - it's a pretty thematically intriguing and tonally melancholic note to end on.Added to:
Ranking: 2021, First Time Watches
Top 25 Western Films
Ranking: Coronavirus Quarantine -
Days of Heaven 1978
8/10
My second watch."He'd figured some people need more than they got, other people got more than they need. Just a matter of getting us all together."
Soft and dreamy and mesmeric. How is this movie so damn pretty?
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Stalker 1979
My fifth watch.
Watched for the podcast.
Finally got around to see this on my Criterion DVD; shit's gorgeous.
I feel like I discover so much about what Tarkovsky is trying to say here every time I see it (or I at least better understand how he goes about saying it). As philosophically complex, consistently interesting, and atmospherically engrossing as it gets. I probably think about this movie every day. -
M*A*S*H 1970
4/10
The satire and critiques of the strict intolerance of militarism work pretty well, but so much time is spent making light of blatant misogyny, sexual assault, etc., behavior that is obviously also a problematic aspect of the military. Of fucking course this is on the AFI top 100.
Altman's direction here was pretty good though so that's cool - happy birthday to him.Added to:
Ranking: 2021, First Time Watches
Ranking: Coronavirus Quarantine