2046

I saw Wang Kar-Wai's film 2046
this weekend. It's just being released in the states, but it's been out since at least last year. It's swept all kinds of film festivals and done very well.

I liked it, so I'll say the negative things first. Kimura Takuya is in it. He's a boy band god here, (as well as being pimped out to be in adverts like any unselfrespecting japanese talent would) and it's hard to take him seriously. He's had so many different styles even in the relatively short time that I've been here. The self he plays in the past, then, is refreshing to my conservative eyes; his hair is greased down in that early 20th century way. Then it's all back to 27th century psycho-post modern in his future self. Imagine trying to take Josh Hartnett or Justin Timberlake serious in an acting role and you might have a good comparison.

Zhang Ziyi, the one who was in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, as well as Hero and Lovers, etc. makes an appearance. She is Kimura Takuya's equivalent on the mainland, and maybe just because she's not associated with the awful japanese mass media, I like her. I'd like to not think so and that it is a smidgen more than that (even it is just because she's beautiful). I don't think her petite cuteness can really handle the role of an experinced hostess, but perhaps that's exactly what the director was looking for.

Wang Kar-Wai's movies are always gorgeous. You experience them, wrap yourself in his cinemetographic world. I do always find myself tapping my foot, though, as 2+ hours of wandering surrealism is a bit too much even for myself.

I can't say that the premise of 2046 was all that engaging. The disconnect (even after it is somewhat explained) between the future world and the present world wasn't all that exciting; it probably would have been shorter and perhaps better, editied out. but I always enjoy the opportunity to be experience Wang Kar-Wai.