2046

Audience Reviews

View More

Hermione S Apr 6, 2019 All stories in 2046 are presented in non-chronical order ï¿ 1/2 1/2" this is an approach that became common for Kar-wai. They are enriched with references to the other films of the director. We can see Mi Mi once again (as in The Days of Being Wild), and Su Li-Zhen is also present here, though it is now another woman from Cambodia. 2046 is a rehearsal of many old motifs and topics, yet it is freshly evocative and powerful. In this film, Kar-wai focuses on the peculiarity of memory showing the puzzles consisting of many love stories presented to elaborate Chow's struggle. He encounters the other people living in the same hotel with him. But in this film he would act almost like a guy played by Leslie Cheung in The Days of Being Wild, not willing to involve in any relationships. Chow is pretty different from the times described by In the Mood for Love, and we see this change through memory and visual fantasies. Every story of 2046 is very quixotic and powerful, even if we don't perceive them as part of one storyline. Together they make an eclectic but brilliant picture. The protagonists are meant to suffer, but the heartbreak it the only one way for them to feel they're actually alive. The loneliness of the characters leaves them in a very sad situation with no changes coming in their lives. The standstill they end up with is symbolically related to the political statement of the film: after Hong Kong's handover to China, it has been stated by the government there will be no significant political and economic changes during the next 50 years. It means the self-regulation lasts till 2047. So the last year without changes would be 2046. The number is something Kar-wai evolves his story around many times: at first, it appears as the room number of Chow from In the Mood for Love. Now Chow lives just next to room 2046, and the protagonist of his book travels to the 2046 year as well. 2046 is another step in a long visual experiment being developed by Doyle and Wong. This is probably the most eclectic example of light and colour usage. Doyle's cinematography in 2046 is particularly focused on usage of red colour which is arguably the most important colour for the Chinese culture. It's very dynamic. Neon lights here are cold and beautiful, and this is a great way to demonstrate the feelings of both Chow and characters he encounters. The warmth is always getting suppressed, just as the other warm colours. There is a lot to say about neon as it is the essential part and obsession of Doyle and Wong Kar-wai. Neon lights symbolize desires, something the protagonists aspire; they also act as symbols for something distant and tantalizing which can be seen by the heroes, though they cannot snatch it. Even though neon is always cold, it remains incendiary and sexy. The shots with neon lighting are repeating as it was frequently happening in Fallen Angels claiming Doyle and Kar-wai's invention of the neon light filming. Another repeating feature of the film we observe is the usage of music. Kar-wai includes many of Spanish music themes again in 2046. See more

Luke S Jun 22, 2018 I am watching all Kar-Wai Wong movies, and he is becoming one of my favorite directors. His style is sublime, sensual and magnetic. Unfortunately this his the first time the story didn't take me in. There are too many elements and someone I didn't the same fascination I had watching "In the mood of love". See more

Anakin W Jan 4, 2018 "In the Mood for Love" showcased a hopeless love story, that which is lost even before its inception. "2046" portrays the hopeless attempts to overcome the repression of emotions by the repression of identity. Chow's idealized love for Su, which he lost, lead him into a state in which he can't stay true to his emotions. So he moves on without looking back only to look back at those who reminds him of his lost love, which ultimately leads to the realization that he needs to let go of the past. Chow's thoughts are further explored in the sci-fi world of his novel "2046". As each of the characters in his life is portrayed as a character in the novel, his real emotions towards them are exposed, as the writing progresses, even to him. Yearning for love is a basic human emotion that has always been a consistent theme in Wong films. Even when doing action/biography films like "The Grandmaster", the film ends up more or less about love. "2046" portrays the chaos of lost souls who are looking for love from all the wrong places and their suffering when they can't let go of the love they found or get hold of. Like every Wong film, "2046" is also at its best when the visual and musical motifs lead the viewers to feel what the characters are going through. full review here http://www.asianfilmvault.com/2017/07/2046-2004-by-wong-kar-wai.html See more

Hermione M Dec 28, 2017 Gorgeous looking, dreamlike romance film from Wong Kar-Wai.

Han L Nov 26, 2017 A bit messier and disjointed compared to the previous two films in this interconnected trilogy, it is still incredibly atmospheric and Wong, yet again, demonstrates his immense talent by drawing you in with his unique style consisting of gorgeous visuals set to an evocative soundtrack and well-written, deep characters with rich story arcs. Performances are great from the cast. It's a piece of art and if you were to compare it with a painting, you might say that close-up, the brush strokes are convoluted and chaotic, but when you take a step back and look at it as a whole, allowing yourself to become absorbed in the feeling the emanates from it, the magic is undeniable. See more

Abraham W Nov 24, 2017 I think what matters more is how you start it. The way it starts decides the taste of the whole story. Ending is not a part of it.

Read all reviews

2046

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING