Stanley Kwan’s gay drama, set in 1980s Beijing, feels more impressionistic than a deeply-felt journey with its characters, though the performances are compelling enough to overcome its rather lean narrative.
To’s odd anti-action structural experiment takes too long to build up a self-contained story set in a hospital ward as doctors, cops and criminals try to outwit one another psychologically, that when the action comes, it feels like a stylistic distraction.
This politically stirring and at times truly heartbreaking Golden Horse-winning documentary gives us that intense journalistic, on the ground experience of the 2019 Hong Kong protests from start to end.
Rich characterisations adorn this talky slice-of-life drama from Ann Hui as it tackles love-hate family dynamics and dementia with bittersweet results.
Chan does his stunts and comedy with aplomb, but this sequel is let down by a wafer-thin plot and poor pacing.
Like Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America, this is a film about the nostalgic evocation of time, space, style, and tradition.
Wong’s English-language debut could be his weakest film, though there are moments of soulfulness to savour.
Playing with narrative time liberally—or perhaps too haphazardly—Wong’s largely incoherent if artfully-conceived martial arts film works best as an evocation of old places and old romances.
There’s a lot of filmmaking artistry to appreciate, and so is the sizzling chemistry between Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi in this follow-up to In the Mood for Love (2000).
Arguably Wong Kar Wai’s finest hour, the film is gorgeous yet restrained… like an alluring yet yearnful waltz.
Eternality Tan 