New AFS Series More Than Simply Restores Wong Kar-wai's Work

The (almost) complete films of the Hong Kong filmmaker

"...Wong Kar-wai is inarguably one of the most influential directors..."

Dec. 11, 2020 Screens Feature by Jenny Nulf

The Grandmaster

Visual master Wong Kar-Wai tells the story of the legendary martial-arts practitioner and teacher Ip Man.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Zhang Ziyi, Jin..."

Aug. 30, 2013 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Chungking Express

Lovelorn street cops in Hong Kong find romance amid explosions of color and rushes of impressionistic motion.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Bridget Lin Chin-Hsia, Takeshi..."

April 26, 1996 Movie Review by Joey O'Bryan

Happy Together

In this classic Wong film, his alienated and love-obsessed characters take the form of a pair of gay lovers who have moved from Hong Kong to Buenos Aires to start their fractious relationship anew.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu Wai and..."

Dec. 5, 1997 Movie Review by Russell Smith

Fallen Angels

Shot as a companion piece to Chungking Express, this film captures Wong Kar-Wai's fascination with young urban pilgrims and their nocturnal wanderings and cinematographer Christopher Doyle's narcotizing wizardry with light and color.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Michelle Reis, Leon Lai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Karen..."

April 10, 1998 Movie Review by Russell Smith

Three ... Extremes

This lush and horrific anthology film from three of the finest craftsmen working today – Fruit Chan, Chan-wook Park, and Takashi Miike – is an instantly memorable and squirm-inducing assemblage.

"...from frame one thanks to some stunning cinematography from Wong Kar-Wai regular Christopher Doyle, an intellectually chewy script by..."

Oct. 28, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Ashes of Time

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Leslie Cheung, Bridget Lin, Tony Leung Kar..."

June 9, 1995 Movie Review by Joey O'Bryan

Days of Being Wild

One of Wong's first international hits, this stylish film is an atmospheric drama about a playboy who's stringing along two women while also learning that the prostitute who raised him is not his biological mother.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Carina..."

Sept. 15, 1995 Movie Review by Joey O'Bryan

2046

At once tremendously dense and gossamer-thin, this period romance/sci-fi hybrid from Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-Wai is a riot of sight and sound that has an irresistible, elemental pull.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Tony Leung, Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Faye..."

Sept. 9, 2005 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Ashes of Time Redux

Dreamlike, confounding, yet possessed of a stunningly complex sensual and narrative poetry, Wong Kar-Wai's Chinese film is absolutely gorgeous.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Tony..."

Nov. 7, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

My Blueberry Nights

Filmmaker Wong Kar-wai's English-language debut stars the singer Norah Jones in her acting debut, but instead of exuding newness this sensuous film has an also-ran feel.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-wai. Starring: Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel..."

April 25, 2008 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

In the Mood for Love

Because the two lovers at the heart of this lush period piece never verbalize or consummate their feelings, “mood” is the right word to characterize this stunningly evocative Chinese love story.

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Lai Chin, Rebecca..."

March 9, 2001 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

As Tears Go by

"...Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai. Starring: Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Jackie Cheung Hok-Yui and..."

July 19, 1996 Movie Review by Joey O'Bryan

Happy Together

Is there any contemporary American director who can so effortlessly invoke the essence of tragic love and endless loss as easily as Hong Kong's Wong Kar-Wai?

"...love and endless loss as easily as Hong Kong's Wong Kar-Wai? In terms of sheer, unfettered emotions, maybe the..."

April 10, 2009 Screens Feature by Marc Savlov

Counterprogramming Cupid

Stick it to Valentine's Day with these free ways to say eff off to love

"...(see Special Screenings). It came out in 2001, but Wong Kar-Wai's romancer is set in 1962 Hong Kong, in..."

Feb. 11, 2011 Screens Feature by Kimberley Jones

Extreme Temperature Swings

AFS Essential Cinema kicks off Asia: Hot and Cool series

"...hint of Blade Runner and a touch of noir, Wong Kar-wai's 2046 more or less follows 1991's Days of..."

Dec. 28, 2012 Screens Feature by Margaret Moser

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Marvel's master of kung fu makes a convoluted cosmic splash

"...Yeoh, Florian Munteanu, Tim Roth, Ben Kingsley and Benedict Wong...."

Sept. 3, 2021 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

Something Wild

AFS Essential Cinema: Hong Kong New Wave Cinema

"...films from one of those second generation HK filmmakers, Wong Kar-wai. Days of Being Wild was Wong's second film,..."

Sept. 2, 2011 Screens Feature by Kimberley Jones

Time and Tide

"...Directed by: Tsui Hark. Starring: Jr, Couto Remotigue, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Cathy Tsui, Candy Lo, Wu Bai and Nicholas..."

July 6, 2001 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

All Wrapped Up

Holiday Film Previews

"...D: Wong Kar-wai; with Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Chang..."

Nov. 28, 1997 Screens Feature by Marjorie Baumgarten

Ip Man: Kung Fu Master

The Wing Chun master reshaped for modern Chinese political intentions

"...Directed by: Liming Li. Starring: Dennis To, Michael Wong, Wanliruo Xin and Dongfeng Yue...."

Dec. 11, 2020 Movie Review by Matthew Monagle

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Michelle Yeoh gets multiversal in this incredible comedy

"...a clumsy way. You don’t go, “Well, that’s the Wong Kar-wai universe,” or, “Hey, that’s a Sammo Hung vibe.”..."

March 25, 2022 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

I Carry You With Me

Biographical romance picks apart loving someone from loving a memory of them

"...relationship. Their initial meeting is something out of a Wong Kar-wai film: eyes meeting each other across the colorfully..."

July 16, 2021 Movie Review by Jenny Nulf

Ismael's Ghosts

French drama follows the artist split between two women.

"...writing roles for Robert De Niro (er, Leonardo DiCaprio); Wong Kar-Wai and Tony Leung. Often, these actors serve as..."

April 13, 2018 Movie Review by Josh Kupecki

Ip Man 3

Donnie Yen returns as the grandmaster who taught Bruce Lee his moves

"...Neither as aesthetically sumptuous as director Wong Kar-Wai’s 2013 The Grandmaster nor quite as martially masterful..."

Jan. 22, 2016 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Miss Lovely

Indian drama explores Mumbai's seedy, C-grade film industry in the late Eighties.

"...cinematography, by K.U. Mohanan, recalls the great collaborations between Wong Kar-wai and Christopher Doyle. The handheld camera is constantly..."

June 27, 2014 Movie Review by Josh Kupecki

Marc Savlov's Top 10 List

"...Jen and Sylvia Soska (American Mary), Spike Jonze (Her), Wong Kar-Wai (The Grandmaster)..."

Jan. 3, 2014 Screens Feature by Marc Savlov

Rio

In this animated film from the makers of Ice Age, a domesticated macaw finally learns to fly.

"...deploys a hypervibrant, surrealistic color palette that would do Wong Kar-Wai and Christopher Doyle proud, Rio is gaudy, ocular..."

April 22, 2011 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

A Decade Under the Influence

The 'Chronicle' movie critics take a look back at what the Aughts wrought

"...would have penned a reminder on my hand – "Wong Kar Wai! Michael Winterbottom! Pedro Almodóvar!" – only to..."

Dec. 25, 2009 Screens Feature by Kimberley Jones

Bangkok Dangerous

The Pang brothers' remake of their own film is all cock and no bang.

"...if Chow Yun-Fat's obscure object of desire had been Wong Kar-Wai and not Sally Yeh. Much of the problem..."

Sept. 12, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

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