Local cinema’s closed down because of Covid-19? Not to worry. We still have the internet and our devices.
With more time on our hands than usual and far fewer ways to spend it, a couple of hours watching a quality film isn’t such a bad outlet.
That in mind, here are some flicks that are excellent company for any occasion.
In the Mood for Love
My favorite Wong Kar-wai work (though Chunking Express is a close second), In the Mood for Love seems to be widely unknown to the casual Western viewer.
It’s a Hong Kong romantic drama film that is a landmark of Asian cinema. The late Roger Ebert reviews it here — but only read what he has to say after you’ve watched it from start to finish.
There’ll be no plot reveal here. No spoilers. The basic premise is this:
A man becomes next-door neighbors with a woman, and they kindle something like feelings for each other.
What’s been noticed favorably by many is how the two main characters interact without the proof of their passions being clichéd and smutty.
With that, the cinematography’s beauty is of another visual world. The performances by Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, together with the soundtrack featuring the likes of Nat King Cole, tie everything together to make a masterpiece.
This very well could be your gateway drug to Asian cinema.
Moonrise Kingdom
The options for a Wes Anderson gem complicate this choice. The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs were two big draws in my decision process. But in the end, Moonrise Kingdom won me over.
It’s a film in the bildungsroman (coming-of-age) vein about an orphan boy who’s part of a scouting troupe but has a love interest elsewhere.
It’s Wes Anderson, so it’s quirky and humorous. But there are serious themes present, such as child sexuality and the limitations of society and your surroundings. Some label it as a work of magic realism.
The colorful palette and smart dialogue foster a space of entertainment that is at once relatable and fictive (the setting is a fictional island in New England). And while it is primarily if not totally about prepubescents, the star-studded cast of Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Edward Norton and Bruce Willis yields enough for it to not be just about “young people”. It’s about how these young people rub up against the older people.
If you’re into stylized art, look no further. Wes Anderson is your guy.
Hiroshima mon amour
A drop-dead gorgeous French film focusing on the effects of the Hiroshima bombing in 1945.
It belongs to the New Wave, or the Left Bank group of directors who saw filmmaking as consonant with other art forms like literature. That’s probably why novelist Marguerite Duras penned the screenplay (and would go on to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards).
What’s unique about Hiroshima mon amour is the use of flashbacks and voiceover narration, both of which weave a nonlinear storyline.
The characters are referred to as “Lui” (Him) and “Elle” (Her). They’re in Japan, Him as a local, Her as a foreign actress. They meet and embark on a short, poetic relationship, all the while handling the constraints of their lives as individuals, and, together, the passage of time against the backdrop of war.
If you’re a history buff or simply enjoy top-notch cinema, this one’s for you.
