On the occasion of Wong Kar Wai’s 64th birthday (July 17), let’s review some of the outstanding Hong Kong films that have made his name beyond all borders.
1. As Tears Go By (1988)
Photo: TMDB
As Tears Go By (Vietnamese title: Vuon Giac Ca Mon) is the first film marking the time when Wong Kar Wai pursued the director’s path after a long time working as a film screenwriter for TVB.
However, As Tears Go By played a huge role in shaping Wong Kar Wai’s filmmaking style, leading to the explosive success of the legendary Days of Being Wild.
2. Days of Being Wild (1990)
Photo: gateway film center
Marking the clear appearance of Wong Kar Wai’s romanticism after his first film, Days of Being Wild (Vietnamese title: A Phi Chinh Truyen) can be seen as a hit that puts `old man` on the list of directors.
Portraying the sad and depressed Hong Kong in the 60s through delicate and evocative scenes, the film does not focus too much on exploiting minor details but focuses on showing the psychological developments of the characters.
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“I used to believe that there was a legless bird that flew forever and only stopped once, that was when it died.
3. Chungking Express (1994)
Photo: themoviedb
Chungking Express (Vietnamese title: Chongqing Sam Lam) can be considered Wong Kar Wai’s lightest film with the material being the epochal upheavals of Hong Kong at that time, with organ music by Michael Galasso.
The film is about two separate character arcs after a breakup.
From two separate stories, Wong Kar Wai skillfully reflects the loneliness of Hong Kong’s young generation in a city full of overwhelming high-rise buildings.
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4. Ashes of Time (1994)
Photo: videobuster
Inspired by the novel Condor Hero, Ashes of Time (Vietnamese title: Dong Ta, Tay Doc) is a different highlight of Wong Kar Wai compared to the two films that defined this director’s style:
Although Ashes of Time suffered a heavy failure in terms of revenue because the film’s content was considered difficult to understand, if you dig deeper, the film still conveys the message of fear of rejection and abandonment like Vuong Gia.
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5. Fallen Angels (1995)
Photo: themoviedb
Continuing the unfinished work of Chungking Express, Fallen Angels (Vietnamese title: Fallen Angels) has gathered all of Wong Kar Wai’s quirky and charming materials.
6. Happy Together (1997)
Photo: themoviedb
Often remembered as Wong Kar Wai’s groundbreaking film when he introduced gay relationships into the film – something that was considered sensitive in the 90s of the last century, Happy Together is not offensive but also depicts
Diving deeper into the film, we see that there are many symbolic elements of Wong Kar Wai.
7. In the Mood for Love (2000)
Photo: themoviedb
In the Mood for Love (Vietnamese title: The Mood for Love) is definitely a movie you should not miss as it is known as the best classic work of Asian cinema, conveying almost the complete
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8. 2046 (2004)
Photo: themoviedb
At the beginning of the 21st century, Hong Kong films gradually entered a period of decline, but 2046 still retained its own quality and achieved a lot of success at the Golden Statue as well as world film awards.
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