Some thoughts about 2046

Which I wrote right after watching it, but forgot to post. These are just some impressions. After this, I shall start writing my term paper. Which is due tomorrow. At 5. Yay me, I should be so lucky.

2046 Finally!!!

[cheesyjoke]So we didn’t need to wait till 2046 to watch 2046[/cheesyjoke] :D

I finally got to watch 2046! Won some free tickets from First magazine for the get this – preview movie! Hahaha. This means I get to watch it before the rest of you common folks do! Haha! Okay just let me be happy for a while k.

I am still intrigued by the movie. And honestly, I still cannot fully understand it. There were too many parallels. Too much deeper meaning. And watching it, I am inclined to draw links to In the Mood for Love. I wonder if it would have been better to have watched this movie as a clean slate, without the implications of In the Mood for Love being infused in it.

Visuals wise, I think WKW has outdone himself. Cinematography was fantastic. I felt that every single shot was beautiful. You probably can take a frame out of the reel and it will look so artistic, it can be used as an ad. The richness of the colours in 2046 are gorgeous.

I love how every shot is beautiful. I love how every look, every close up has a meaning. I also love how each sentence uttered by the actors/actress are loaded.

I love the Oriental Hotel rooftop scenes. Especially the one of Faye.

I love the shot of Bai Ling (Zhang Ziyi) leaning slightly on the door weeping her heart out. (Somehow she looks a little like Shu Qi in that scene.) Zhang’s great, by the way. She makes me want to wear gowns and impossibly high heels.

I like how Carina Lau looked in the bedroom scene, when she was an android, and she was making love. Her face showed that she was just somewhere else but here.

I like how the characters are always alone in a shot, even when they are talking to some one. Especially the one where Mowan (Tony) was talking to Su LiZhen (Gong Li) at the roadside stall. Speaking of which, I absolutely loved the ‘pick a card’ opening scene with Mowan and Lizhen. The card was not shown to us, until an instant later. And the shot of Gong Li crying. That was just beautiful.

The scene with Lizhen (Maggie) in Mowan’s room was absolutely gorgeous. It makes me want to wear a qipao, smoke a cigarette and lounge around on the bed, in a chair. Is Maggie gorgeous or what? And her and Mowan in the cab; that shot was black and white. It was gorgeous.

Oh yes. How can I forget. Takuya Kimura was great as the android. One of my favourite scenes in the film was when he confronted Faye about their relationship. Then he asks her ‘Do you like me?’ It was just so honest and vulnerable. I thought he’s a better actor than I gave him credit for! Also, that ‘Sayonara’ really really broke my heart. I was going to cry.

And of course, Tony. I don’t know. I can’t pick a single shot that really stands out, cause all of them are so good! Why didn’t he get an award at Cannes? He really excelled in this film.

Maybe if I were to choose 1 scene, I’d say the closing shot of him, in a cab. His head leaning on the window. No Lizhen, no Bai Ling. Just him alone and the bleakness of it all. Perfect. I love this man.

I only have 2 grouses. I was so looking forward to Chang Chen! Where was he?

Also, how much did LG pay for product placement?! It was really irritating, I thought, to see the LG logo in an otherwise very languid movie. The LG logo just drags me back to earth. I thought it was really inappropriate.

One last thing – Why did WKW break the 180 degree rule? I really really want to know why. I saw Eric Khoo at the preview too, and I wanted to go ask him. Haha.