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Reviews
Ah fei jing juen (1990)
Typical Wong Kar-Wai, but certainly not his best film
Many people here seem to be of the opinion that this film is not very typical of Wong's work. I would like to disagree. To me, this film is a very typical Wong film. That is, if you are expecting the absolutely perfect colours, pictures and frames of 'In the Mood for Love', you will be disappointed. This film, like many of his other films, has a more rough quality to it.
All you who have seen 'In the Mood' and liked it should really see this film, as I don't think you can understand 'In the Mood' without having seen this one. I was not particularly overwhelmed by 'In the Mood', but now that I have seen this film, I at least understand the later film better. So maybe also those who did not like 'In the Mood' should see this one, as it might change their perception of that film.
To me Wong Kar-Wai's best film is still Chungking Express. And this film, although kind of in line with that film, does not reach up to that standard. I am glad I saw this film, as it explains other parts of Wong's work to me, but were it not for the sake of understanding that bigger picture, I don't think I would recommend it.
C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
Coming out/coming of age painful but funny
Coming-out-coming-of-age stories though I often feel a need to see such films usually give rise to mixed feelings in me, as they not only reinforce me, but also bring back a whole set of memories that I mostly would prefer not to have. However, C.R.A.Z.Y. mixes those more painful aspects of growing up with such wonderful and funny details that you never really get to the crying point. This is not to say that it's all haa-haa-hee-hee, quite on the contrary the film does show many of those moments that have scarred too many of us for life, but it somehow manages to avoid making the pain feel omnipresent, although it is, in a way, just that.
It's a good and funny film by any standards, but if you want to see a film where growing up being different from everybody else doesn't mean there is nothing good in your life, this is one film you should not miss.