2046 Lost Memories (and Lost Time)
Once again, there is nothing much to write about a Wong Kar-Wai movie. The story and its message doesn't need more than three lines, the rest being all about what the visual style and the all-star cast can deliver. Frankly speaking, even if
Chungking Express is one of my favorite movies, the Wong Kar-Wai 2046 circus, as I call it, really pissed me off. It seems that if you are considered as a genius, you can re-edit your movie again and again, call back the actors to reshoot scenes, and cancel your participation in various festivals. I just call this a lack of professionnalism. Then, why not if the movie is great, after all I'm just a viewer. But sadly,
2046 takes two long hours to say nothing, and the visual style didn't really touch me as the previous ones did.
Of course, every single image looks beautiful, the music is well chosen, but I never felt anything for the characters, and the complexity of the story often leads to boredom more than anything else. The actors are good, of course, Zhang Zi-Yi and Faye Wong being the most surprising ones, while Tony Leung doesn't really surprise with another good performance. But the story just doesn't make enough sense, Wong Kar-Wai probably never had a finished script, and tried hard to make a movie with his images. So if you consider this fact, and also the very aggressive marketing campaign, it's too much to make a good movie. The marketing has nothing to do with the movie itself, some may object. They could be right, but the presence of the logo of a famous company in the latest image of the movie is sadly confirming that the once before artistic genius is now evolving into a businessman as well. Good try, but the marketing doesn't really help the movie this time.
Captivating music and film.
There is no discussion possible, this film is really in the style of In the mood for love. Jump in the time, the captivating music, the change of the women. It not always easy to follow the story or to understand all the connections between the scenes and their evolution. I have to say, that I was not able to concentrate myself enough to follow the complete film. But one is sure, I want to see it again as soon as possible.
