a masterpiece - 2046 (2004) Discussion

[–] nightvisiongoggles 16 years ago

i disagree to a magnitude such as that of an earthquake!

this isnt even on par with "atonement"... which i might add i didnt "love" that 1 either... i like both films tho

however i av seen 2046 atleast four times, and i have carefully thought of it as others do - its mere pieces of romance etc or love or sensuality its not thoroughly complete.. theres no astonishing vibe between the characters..

however this is a nicely made film and i do like aspects about it of course

i'm jus saying.. a romance/love story masterpiece i dont think has ever been created yet. and i dont need to hear about casablanca or any of that. i mean purely romance... i'm telling u there isnt 1 if so name it prove me wrong. lol an dont go look on the top 250 that doesnt tell me or u anythin cep that theres no Real romance movies that r of course, on it...

unless my memory is messed up

an plz no nastiness from any1... i'm not a basher i'm a responsible critic

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] dragmio 15 years ago

I agree that there is no "astonishing vibe between the characters". But I also think there isn't supposed to be. "In the Mood for Love" is the one with the vibe, and about that vibe. 2046 is about losing it and not being able to find it again.

As for another "romance" films, I find Kirsten Scott-Thomas and Ralph Fiennes in "The English Patient" very convincing. So convincing that moments of high pathos in the film become totally engrossing, not odious.

I wish David Lynch would make a romance/love story. The audition scene in his "Mullholand Drive" is one of the greatest film scenes of all time and the best "kissing scene" ever, hands down. That man could make skinheads pull their hair out over a love story if he wanted, and if they had hair. :)

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[–] vbelyshev 13 years ago

i don't know if its about not finding the vibe, i think its about not willing to find the vibe. i think the whole thing is that leung's character simply does not want to let go of his ideal, who was played by cheung in in the mood for love. in this film cheung is not even a person, like she was in mood, rather she is an object, an ideal. the whole film is about the unwillingness to let go, for whatever reason

Time is Luck. Luck ran out.

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[–] jnagarya-1 9 years ago

Wong Kar-Wai's theme is always _alienation_, which manifests in various ways in his films.

In "In the Mood for Love," Tony and Maggie _avoided/refused_ to connect (by keeping their relationship platonic). In "2046," he cannot/refuses to connect; and Bai Ling cannot connect, or connects in one-way fashion, to the wrong person.

It's the same for all his characters. Everyone is isolated; or "in love" with a wrong person, or an "android" who "fakes" it.

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[–] eyeffect 15 years ago

let the right one in.

there you go - a masterpiece about love. each detail, everything related to the context and circumstance on ltroi is played around and reduced to irrelevant in order to reinforce what's under the spotlight, the movie's subject, pure unconditional love.

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[–] jnagarya-1 9 years ago

You could respect the reader by using actual words, instead of conforming to juvenile "cleverness". That would be being responsible.

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[–] psidiver-1 16 years ago

Well I adore Asian women, and kar Wai always brings out the best is his female actors.
Even if they're killers I gotta love em.
The lead actress in Chung King Express is my fantasy lover. Few modern directors represent women so beautifully.

Hell no, the story is nothing special, though unique.......but visually, it's a feast for the senses....in every frame........ and in that sense, it's a masterpiece, lovingly crafted....

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[–] sagilet 15 years ago

I agree... it reminded me of blade runner since the beggining... and the android woman, wow... she is a doll!!!
Loved the women characters... yes, a feast for the senses... lovingly crafted...

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[–] jnagarya-1 9 years ago

"female actors".

"Actresses" will do.

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[–] movie_nazi 8 years ago

"female actors".

"Actresses" will do.

Actually calling them "actresses" is antiquated and out of vogue. Since the feminist movement they prefer to simply be referred to as actors.

My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings

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[–] amudad 16 years ago

well
it's my favorite movie ever (so far), so i agree with you

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[–] metrojeans 16 years ago

I agree with the OP. I wrote a similar comparison on Amazon.com when it first came out on DVD. Bladerunner when it came out left viewers and critics cold as well. It still does. 2046 is a lot like Bladerunner or some of David Lynch or Stanley Kubricks film's (Barry Lyndon). The movie works through our senses, our subconscious, mood. Its an incredibly unique experience for those who just "get it". Its unexplainable and ephemeral as explaining why you like a piece of music. Though I doubt it will be as openly influential or as praised as Bladerunner I think the movie will endure and find its audience just like Bladerunner has over the years.

2046 BTW isn't just a romance though it has romantic elements. For me 2046 is more about longing, regret, loss, memory, and obsession. Similar to Bladerunner. And like Bladerunner, the movie is a visual and auditory mood piece and for many it simply won't be their cup of tea.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] grumpy736-1 12 years ago

I agree with masterpiece even though I found it dull, I could not look away. I guess both leads were stereotypes of playboy and hired love dolls (android or stereotypes?) Still what story there is compels attention, especially the two Chinese dolls, Gong Li and ? It's mysterious as sex and with great dialog even if superficial. Masterpiece.

I miss Big Band music and talented singers. Leonard Cohen is my idol. Civility, harmony, unity!

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[–] jnagarya-1 9 years ago

"For me 2046 is more about longing, regret, loss, memory, and obsession."

All of which are elements of romance.

It is exclusively, "only," a romance.

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[–] StarrySkyWaltz 15 years ago

I agree OP. I wanted to watch something different a few years ago and found this gem. It is very underrated and I agree, groundbreaking. I loved Blade Runner too.

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[–] jnagarya-1 15 years ago

The discussions of the "confusing" and "complicated" nature of this film put me off watching it (I got it several months ago). Finally, though, I steeled myself and sat through most of it last night, and the remainder of it tonight.

Not only was it not as "confusing" and "complicated" as others made it out to be -- which doesn't mean it is self-revelatory, or that it is easily fathomed (if it is to be fathomed), but I liked it more than other films getting greater praise in the three immediate respects: visually, acting, and soundtrack. This is the third film I've seen with Tony Leung Chiu Wai, and I enjoy his quiet depth and "gravitas" (see his terrific performance in "Lust Caution" for another instance).

But -- most of the reviews I've read singled out Zhang Ziyi for special praise for her performance: I agree she is exceptionally good. Amazingly so -- transparently vulnerable, sensitive, struggling to preserve her fragile dignity, her wounded self-respect. And Chow was a fool, an idiot, a dunderhead, and out of his mind for rejecting her.

Yo! -- Chow! I'LL take her!

And regardless the view of some Chinese, I think she's not only pretty, and very pretty, but also beautiful. And in this she gives one of her very best performances; to match it one must see such as "The Road Home," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Memoirs of a Geisha". And her performance in this, in 2003-4, puts the latter, from 2004-5, into perspective, and enhances one's appreciation of that performance.

And that is from a single viewing of the film, over two evenings. It will be far from the only viewing this film deserves and will get.

And thank you, lovely Ziyi, for breaking my heart (again)! Now come heal it, please!

(Or, as consolation, send Faye Wong.)

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[–] ThisIsRadioClash 14 years ago

I agree completely with OP.

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[–] Torian06 14 years ago

Yes, maybe. I hope it will be.
I've seen it only tonight on youtube, and right now, I think it has excellent visual esthetics and wonderful performances from the actors especially Tony Leung. He has really changed from the fresh faced, awesomely charming Mr. Chow from In the Mood for Love, who fell love with a married woman who refuses to live with him and now in this movie, wasting his life womanizing, trying to search the one who'd give him the same feeling he had with the first Su Li-shen. He looked really jaded and worn-out in some parts of this movie.

That sci-fi bit in the movie threw me off-track at first, and got confused what the metaphor of the train going to 2046 represented. But I guess that's just the life journey each one of us takes at our appointed time, there are guides who warns us against illusions to avoid pain ; and the trip ending at some vague point. Just like how Chow's illusion that he can find again the feeling he once had for Su Li-shen, realizing in the end how he himself hadn't escape his past and his final scene in it leaving me wondering what the future is in store for him.

Truth inexorably,inscrutably seeks and reveals Itself into the Light.

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[–] JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies 14 years ago

Like In the Mood for Love visually--for the production design and cinematography, I'd give this a 10/10. However, it's no masterpiece in my view otherwise. It gets a 7/10 from me overall . . . which is better than my 5/10 for In the Mood for Love. Both scores are after second viewings. The score for this one went up a couple points on my second viewing though, unlike In the Mood for Love. I also watched Days of Being Wild the first time before rewatching those two. I also gave it a 7/10.

http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies

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