Anyone who has dipped a toe into Hong Kong cinema or international film is probably familiar with visionary directorWong Kar-wai. Bursting onto the scene in 1988 with his directorial debutAs Tears Go By, Wong’s films have been known for their melancholic plots, romantic themes, kinetic imagery, and poignant scores. With frequent collaborators likeTony Leung Chiu-Wai,Leslie Cheung,Maggie Cheung, andCarina Lau, Wong weaved a mesmerizing tapestry of films connected by thematic through lines of love, loss, and longing.
Topping many best director lists, Wong is notorious for his unconventional approach to filmmaking which means long production periods and unfinished scripts, with actors often having to work off of just a couple of pages of script and reshooting takes multiple times. It’s no surprise then that despite being so beloved in the film community that this Hong Kong director has only put out 10 total features. His most recent projectBlossoms, based on theJin Yuchengnovel of the same name that explores Wong’s own hometown of Shanghai from the 1960s to the 2000s. While it is only available to watch in China at the moment,the 30 episode long series is meant to be a third installment in a trilogywithIn The Mood for Loveand2046.
Here are all of those features ranked from the good to the sheer perfection.
10. My Blueberry Nights (2007)
Shocking no one,My Blueberry Nightssits in last place. Wong’s first English-language feature still has all of his hallmarks, but too many things get lost in translation. Unfortunately, it’stoofamiliar, from the star-crossed lovers Elizabeth (Norah Jones) and Jeremy (Jude Law) to the pensive and thoughtful narration,it just doesn’t offer anything new. I hesitate to call anything Wong makes stale, but it is certainly uninspired. The script is rough at times, with some misogynist takes onRachel Weisz’s character and jarring pacing. Still, there is still something charming about the film that puts Law and Jones together as long-distance paramours. The final scene of the lovers reunited might just be emotional enough for me to give it a rewatch.
My Blueberry Nights
After her boyfriend of five years breaks up with her, Elizabeth (Norah Jones) consoles herself by consuming creamy confections at a sympathetic cafe owner’s (Jude Law) eatery. She sets out on a road trip, supporting herself as a waitress along the way. Elizabeth meets a host of interesting characters on her journey, including an alcoholic policeman (David Strathairn), his unfaithful wife (Rachel Weisz), and a gambler (Natalie Portman).
Watch on Tubi
9. Ashes of Time 東邪西毒 (1994)
Based on the Wuxia novelThe Legend of the Condor Heroes,Ashes of Timeis actually quite a sharp divergence from Wong’s style, something he had established four years prior withDays of Being Wildand reinforced in 1994 withChungking Express.Ashesbrings in all of Wong’s familiar faces to participate in this period piece, but where it fell flat for viewers and critics was its nearly incomprehensible plot. Asecond viewing is basically required with this one, especially if you are not familiar with the source material. But, like all of Wong’s films, there’s still a lot to praise. Rather than approaching it from a purely martial arts angle, which is what Wuxia films were known for at the time, Wong took the time to spin a complicated but introspective yarn on legendary heroes who are often merely archetypes.
8. As Tears Go By 旺角卡門 (1998)
It might shock some to see Wong’s directorial debut so low, butWong was just discovering his style inAs Tears Go By, and the film’s crime bend was clearly connected to the boom of crime films by fellow directors likeJohn Woo. WhileAndy Lau,Jacky Cheung, and Maggie Cheung give strong performances, the plot is nothing to write home about. HK gangster film aficionados are better off with flicks likeElectionorInternal Affairs. And, from a contemporary perspective, the fact that the romance between Ngor (Maggie Cheung) and Wah (Lau) is actually a romance between cousins is slightly unsavory – I’m not sure the two are actually related by blood.
Watch on Max
7. The Grandmaster 一代宗師 (2013)
Wong’s most recent feature is only number 7 because so many of his films are veritable classics. For any other director, this film might top the charts. Disguised as a historical martial arts film about real-life kung fu legend Ip Man (known, among other things, fortraining a youngBruce Lee),The Grandmasteris actually a philosophical movie, one about a war-torn country, about Chinese regionalism, about economical upheaval, about vengeance. Wong sneaks this all in while showing us stunning shots of Tony Leung Chiu-Wai andZhang Ziyifighting using various styles of kung fu, with a quiet romantic connection between the two that is far less fiery than their2046counterparts.
The star of this is not Leung’s Ip Man but rather Zhang’s fictional Gong Er, the daughter, and heir to her father’s unique martial arts style. Showcasing a woman at the center of this story, with an intriguing plot about avenging her father’s death during the Second Sino-Japanese War, is exciting for a genre normally dominated by male stories. As one of the first Wong films I properly saw in theaters, this one holds a special place in my heart.
The Grandmaster
The fall of China’s last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war, is the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Legendary kung fu master Ip Man, who will eventually train Bruce Lee, finds his peaceful life interrupted by vengeance.
6. Days of Being Wild 阿飛正傳 (1990)
At some point, in the making of this list,Days of Being Wildwas much higher. But it’s basically impossible to rank these movies after this point (I was clearly already struggling withThe Grandmaster). This is lower on the list simply because, as far as stories go, this is one of the less memorable. We follow Leslie Cheung’s Yuddy, a young man who is struggling to find his identity and his origins, but along the way we meet other characters and lovers that pepper his life but never fully impact it.It is considered the first in Wong’s unofficial trilogy, withIn the Mood for Lovebeing second and2046being third, featuring both Maggie Cheung (as the recurring Su Lizhen) and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (known only as Gambler here). And yes, I did say thatBlossomsis now being called the third in the trilogy, it doesn’t seem like Wong really holds much credence to this idea though if there was ever going to be a trilogy of his films, not includingBlossomsmakes far more sense.Wong’s sophomore film establishes his signature visual style, with it being his firstcollaboration with cinematographerChristopher Doyle.
‘The Goldfinger’ Trailer Reunites Tony Leung and Andy Lau in Financial Drama
The duo also reunites with ‘Internal Affairs’ writer and director Felix Chong.
5. Fallen Angels 墮落天使 (1995)
In a perfect world,Fallen AngelsandChungking Expressshare the same rank, especially since the two films are meant as companion pieces. But,Faye Wong’s performance inChungkingpushes it just that much into spot number 4.ButFallen Angelsdemonstrates all the quirkiness and allure of what makes Wong’s films great. Split into two stories, the first follows an assassin (Leon Lai) and a woman known as his partner-in-crime (a mesmerizingMichelle Reis). The nameless woman is obsessed with the assassin, and when he tries to break off their connection, Wong utilizes one of his best needle drops by utilizingShirley Kwan’s cover of “Forget Him”, a classicTeresa TengCantopop hit, to emphasize the pain of this breakup.
The second story features a perfectly eccentricTakeshi Kaneshiroas a prison escapee, focusing on his unrequited love for a girl named Charlie (Charlie Yeung) and his relationship with his dying father.Fallen Angelsis a cocktail that shouldn’t work. It mixes aspects of absurd whimsy with gritty crime, painful grief with comedic ridiculousness. The characters are interwoven despite the two separate stories, connected only by the colorful neon nights of Hong Kong.
4. Chungking Express 重慶森林 (1994)
The yang toFallen Angels’yin,Chungking Expressis probably best known for its second story featuring Faye Wong and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai. Somewhere during the filming of this movie, Leung began to perfect his charismatic winsome smile, his deep longing stare, and that specific joie de vivre that he became so well known for in his films with Wong. Completed in only 6 weeks, a sprint compared to Wong’s other productions,Chungking Expressis probably Wong’s lightest film.
In the first story, Kaneshiro returns but this time as Ah Wu, a cop who has recently been dumped. He bumps into a woman in a blonde wig (Brigitte Lin) who he shares a connection with. In the second story, Leung appears as Cop 663, another recently dumped man, and meets Faye (Wong), a snack bar worker. Faye develops a crush on the cop, sneaking into his apartment to clean and redecorate. The film employs another great needle drop of “California Dreamin” and isthe rare Wong film that seems to end on an optimistic note.
3. Happy Together 春光乍洩 (1997)
After much deliberation,Happy Togetheris number 3. While it originally held the number 2 spot, my personal connection to2046won over any unbiased defenses. As one of Wong’s most chaotically romantic films,Happy Togetherfollows the highs and lows of the relationship between Ho Po-Wing (Leslie Cheung) and Lai Yu-Fai (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai). Often praised for its portrayal of a gay romance,there is more to love when it comes to this film than just representation. Set in Argentina,Happy Togetheris not only a story about toxic love but about loneliness and alienation with themes of cultural identity baked in.
Ho and Lai are simultaneously drawn to each other and definitively bad for each other. A heartbreaking story of a struggling romance,the film is undoubtedly one of Wong’s best films. It is made all the more tragic that although the film helped to firmly establish Cheung’s queer identity, it intensified negative commentary surrounding his sexuality. That discourse was likely an exacerbating factor of his depression which ultimately lead to his death by suicide in 2003.
2. 2046 (2004)
Again, for me,2046andIn the Mood for Lovehold the same standing in my heart, though the latter wins out for the top spot for obvious reasons and because of how it changed upon rewatch.2046came to me at a very pivotal point in my life. At the tender age of 14, when I was probably not supposed to watch this movie, my mom showed it to me, and it cemented a life-long obsession with Wong’s films (and tragic love stories).
Following Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) after his time duringIn the Mood for Love,2046is another story about love lost. Chow, as a journalist and a writer, offers a unique perspective on the people around him when he moves into apartment 2047 and observes the lives of people in the neighboring room 2046.Combining elements of sci-fi and a frame narrative,2046is one of the most exciting narrative structures, rivaled only by the puzzlingAshes of Time. Leung is sheer perfection in this and manages to have chemistry with not only Maggie Cheung, but also Zhang Ziyi andGong Li.
This also happens to be the movie where a youngKe Huy Quanbegan working with Wongafter he left Hollywood. Quan served as an assistant director on the film.
Set in a technologically advanced city, a man pens a futuristic novel about a place where people travel to recapture lost memories. His fictional work intersects with his personal search for unrequited love, blurring the lines between reality and fiction as he struggles to find closure from his romantic past.
Rent on Amazon Prime
1. In the Mood for Love 花樣年華 (2000)
Of course,In the Mood for Lovetakes the top spot. Not only because it is so often calledone of the greatest films of all time, but because it is actuallya rather unconventional Wong film that manages the restraint and subtlety that we don’t often see in his other films. There are no gangsters or assassins, no androids or legendary warriors, just a man and a woman both struggling with their respective cheating spouses and unexpectedly falling in love with each other. My first introduction to the film was not long after2046, and the film, from a teenager’s perspective, did not have a strong impact.
It did not become one of my favorites until revisiting it as an adult when I could fully comprehend the longing between Chow and Su. That feeling of amissed connection or an almost-romancebrings heartache but is also tantalizing. It’s a story where,the longer you sit with it, the sadder you becomewhen you’re reminded of what could have been. (This same feeling would find its place with the recent moviePast LivesbyCeline Song). Endless words have been devoted to the poetic storytelling, the dynamic cinematography, Maggie Cheung’s cheongsams, and the masterful use ofShigeru Umebayashi’s “Yumeji’s Theme.” Interpretations on the characters of the film vary from person to person, but it’s fair to say that in Wong’s filmography,In the Mood for Lovemore than deserves its top spot.
In the Mood For Love
Two neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.
