Filmmaker reacts to Chungking Express (1994) for the FIRST TIME! 

DC's Peacemaker tomorrow (for reals)! Finished Stranger Things & Peacemaker on the patreon! Click here for early access: www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Have a great day everyone!

Fallen Angels is another must-watch from Wong Kar-wai. Such a rich filmography, him. Fallen Angels has always been my personal favorite of his films in terms of cinematography.

It makes me sad to think the film industry in Hong Kong will never produce artistic masterpieces of this high caliber ever again...

Chungking Express is the film that first gained Wong Kar Wai international recognition, thanks to Quentin Tarantino who used his name to get the movie widespread distribution. It is Wong's collaboration with the gifted Australian cinematographer Christopher Doyle that give his films such a distinct visual style. They used a process called step-printing, where you shave a couple of frames off per second within the shot the give the image a staggered kinetic dynamic. a dynamic they used in Wong's next film Fallen Angels, which was supposed to be Chungking Expresess' third act. Great job on the channel--I enjoy your videos very much

Please watch Fallen Angels, the follow up film to this one. It's got a darker tone, but the music and camera work is again incredible. It's in my all time top 10 list.

Chungking Express is based on a building in Hong Kong with the same name “Chungking Mansion”. Your comments on the merge of different cultures are very on point because the building is famous for housing people from all over the world. For instance in the building you will find restaurants with African, Indian and many more different cuisines. The building is also a cultural phenomenon studied academically, the place was described as a reflection of “third-world globalisation” as you will find many from “third-world” countries staying in the building, doing legitimate (and illegitimate) transactions and opening up businesses. (Note: just recalling what I learned from taking Hong Kong history related courses in university lol)

I remember Quentin Tarantino saying when he saw this he just cried for hours after the credits rolled - not b/c he found the movie sad, but just b/c he loved it so much

Fallen Angels is essentially the thematic sequal to this film, and a must watch. I think I might even prefer it slightly more.

I said it before and I will say it again: only you can react to Wong Kar-Wai properly! This is definitely my favorite from him, so beautiful, dreamy and chaotic all at the same time! Now that you saw In The Mood For Love and Chungking Express, the next on the line has to be Happy Together. These three are Kar-Wai’s holy trinity in my opinion! Thank you veeery much for this ❤️

Thank you for continuing to project filmmakers like WKW into the mainstream, honestly in today's world of cinema consumption you're doing a public service. And you genuinely love it too which is of course paramount. PS James please get on Letterboxd!!

FINALLY ive been voting for this on the polls since forever!! such a beautiful movie

omg! So surprised and happy to see this lovely movie on the channel

I wish there was someone coming in and cleaning up while I was gone. Our university library had this film and I remember watching it many times. There was something...enchanting...about it.

My favorite movie of all time! Recently i had the opportunity to watch this in a theather and i was such a emotional ride! Great to see you watching this masterpiece and getting to know the amazing work of Wong Kar-Wai here with us ☺️

YES!! One of my favorite movies ever! Once in a while i've always used to look up to see if anyone had reacted to it, glad you did.

Faye Wong, the girl in the 2nd story, is my favorite singer of all time. She sang Eyes on Me from Final Fantasy 8!

Wow! Can't believe you reacted to this! One of my favorite movies by one of our greatest directors! His kung fu movie The Master is gorgeous too.

Late comment, but the shot of Tony Leung gently removing the napkin from the envelope so it could dry on the hot dog rack might be one of the most intimate gestures I've ever seen captured on film. It makes me swoon!

love this film! thank you for reacting !!

This movie is one of my favorites!

Chungking from the title refers to Chungking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It is a large apartment building with mixed use residential and retail establishments.

A must watch director to watch is Edward Yang. He was an absolute master at his craft and is not talked about enough. I would recommend to either watch Yi Yi or A Brighter Summer Day, both masterpieces :)

That intro scene always gives me chills. That track in the background and the whole vibe of it all is forever burned into my mind.

The small theater I work at has massive old movie posters in European size for decor, most of them are French but we have one for Chungking Express and it’s always everyone’s favorite poster (myself included)!

I watch and rewatch this regularly. In part, cos I used to hang around that part of Tsim Sha Tsui when I first started working in Hong Kong (eating too many Chef's Salads!), but also cos it seems to bring together so many of my other favourite film styles. The colour itself reminds me of the 80s cinéma du look movement (Beneix, Carax) as well as some Wim Wenders work. And of course, "Little Tony" Leung is kinda royalty, acting-wise.

Finally I’ve been waiting for you to watch this ever since you reacted mood of love please continue wkw categorie like fallen angels Days of being wild and 2046 it’s Peak‼️

Great movie, love WKW's films, he filmed Happy Together here in Buenos Aires, a sad but lovely film and also a document of the last days of a city that soon after lost its mysterious charm in favour of this distilled render of a city that most mayors (in most countries) insist in try to convince us "it's for the best". Must watch it, it has a Call me by your name vibe, except that it was made many years before.

oh wow. first run lola run then this? it's like i'm back in freshman year film school. this was the VHS that always got passed along by film students in my uni.

I love the message that people should watch more films that are not from the US. I see so many American reviewers and reactors that watch almost exclusively American films, and I'm so sorry, cuz they are missing out on so much diversity and beauty. Even people who consider themselves film experts, often end up gravitating towards American cinema. I think even Kursten Ranquist was surprised he watched 80% US made films in last year. I guess cuz of marketing and availability, but it's really worth the effort to seek other films out. As someone living in Europe, I'm so thankful to have government funded cinemas that can afford to show mostly independent or just smaller films from around the globe.

I love the way Wong Kar-Wai intertwines stories and follows his characters through their environments. I think he was my first exposure to real art-house cinema. Another beautiful exploration of characters in HK by Wong Kar-Wai - Fallen Angels (1995)

Yes, finally! Also seeing a lot love for Fallen Angels - not my favourite but it's worth it for the ending alone.

Watched Chungking express for the first time couple months ago, fell in love with the movie

Faye Wong she is such a good singer.

You've done In the mood for love and Chungking Express,my guy now we need Fallen Angels ! :)

About time man! Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most fascinating and visually moody filmmakers in Asian Cinema. Definitely check out his body of work, especially Happy Together (one of the most real and heartbreaking love stories to grace cinema, with two prolific Asian stars belting out performance highs in it being Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung).

Great to see your experience with HK films!

i love this movie , the style, the repetitive music , the quirky honest characters. i can still remember it was a sunny afternoon and i watched it after i came home from school in the 90s. its crazy that i still know it was a sunny day. (still liking Fallen Angels a bit more)

the perfect bday present :) u gotta watch the sequel: Fallen Angels. i love it even more!

Please do more Wong Kar Wai reactions. Fallen Angels is one of my favorite films from him and I'd love to see your reaction and overall thoughts on it.

I haven't seen this film yet, just clips of this and other WKW movies, so I'm going to wait to watch your reaction. When I get around to upgrading to Blu Ray (hopefully soon), I have the Criterion Collection "World of Wong Kar Wai" box set (Blu Ray only), which will probably be the first thing I dig into (either that, or Criterion's Bruce Lee box set). Another beautifully filmed Asian movie, also released by Criterion, is "Flowers of Shanghai." Everything about it is absolutely gorgeous. I cannot recommend it enough.

Some folks probably said this. The main characters in "Story Two" make cameos in "Story One" - Faye is coming out of a store with the Garfield with the smuggler lighting a cigarette out front, Tony is on an upper level looking down somewhere. Faye also sung the Cranberry song - also Hero, not our version unless the credits or something but she recorded a song for it (pretty good one .. search faye wong hero). Again if you want to hear them both really sing - the soundtrack for Chinese Odyssey 2002 they both sing - I have used a ringtone of the la-la-la version of one of the songs for years (you are welcome to it - sounds fantastic) - she was training him to sing a duet - so they just did la-la-la instead of the words, so that he could figure out the timing and tone - BUT it was recorded and the director heard it and incorporated it a lot into the movie.

Wow, I never expected anyone with any significant number of subscribers to react to this movie. It's one of my favorite movies. Tampopo is another one I'd love to see you check out.

Love this film, it needs more attention

hahahahha yeah 663 is played by the same actor as the leading male in In the Mood for Love. Tony Leung is in nearly every film especially major masterpieces of Wong Kar Wai. They worked on 7 films together. You can't go wrong with Tony Leung, such a great actor in our time.

YES! My second favourite movie. Glad to see someone actually reacting to it!

I looked up Chungking one time. It was the name of a residential block - Chungking Mansions (ironic??), if memory serves. A packed residential block with people living on top of each other in very little space. It was eventually torn down, again if memory serves

For love stories, I often like those that don't end so well. So, In the Mood for Love fits with that. The director was motivated by a favourite film of his, a 1940s British film: Brief Encounter. But his films have echoes of each other. Stylistically consistent with neon, slow mo's, those claustrophobic frames in frames. But forbidden love, or lost love, or love postponed can be seen between this and In the Mood. For an old Love movie, another favourite of mine oft overlooked as it's from the 40s, I think, is Waterloo Bridge. Scarlet O Hara actor Vivien Leigh was the female lead, and later said it was her favourite film role

the slow-mo scenes used a step printing technique and i read somewhere they shot on agfa XT320. there are lot of cool video essays about chungking express, they talked about the technique, the story, the acting. you should check out Fallen Angels (1995) next!

This and Fallen Angels are my top two films (after 50 years of watching films).

I really like the end shot of the blonde woman dropping her wigs and showed her long black straight hair

I would love to see you react to some of the older absolute classic films. Maybe work your way through AFI's 100 years, 100 movie list.

this ois nostalgia for me, reminding me of the freedom of post living with parents and getting yto know moves alone: Reservoir Dogs, Three Colours Blue, Before Sunrise, Clerks, outside of the blockbuster types, and Ch Express was my intro to Won Kar Wei, and still my favourite. Great photography, unusual story of loneliness in a heaving city of millions, and I think I fell in lust with Faye Wong. Tony Leung became one of my favourite actors. As well as a regular with Won Kar Wei (check out In the Mood for Love and only a small part in another great on some similar themes: Ashes of Time), but also starred in Hard Boiled and Infernal Affairs, playing the Leo di Caprio role in the US remake, The Departed. Both more action flavoured, bust he doesn;t miss a beat, understated style with real range

Only in movies like Chungking Express can a person break into an apartment, not get called creepy, and gets asked out for a date by the person living there lol

I feel like the reactions to WKW movies can be counted by fingers of one hand. Props to you for making reactions to this and In the mood for love! Kar-Wai is one of the greates movie makers of our time, its sad to see that not many people intrested in him or in asian cinema in general. Wish you did others too, Ashes of time in particular (my favorite from WKW).

Here we go!! I've seen this film three times and it keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to see your reaction! Love the foreign and artzy and criterion film reactions!!!

Not sure if you anyone in the comment section mention it yet. You briefly mentioned "Lost In Translation," in your reaction. Wong Kai Wai influenced Sofia Coppola and Barry Jenkins in winning their Oscars.

fun fact: it was filmed in 25 days

Chungking Express is about the ever changing environment of Hong Kong. If you pay attention, you notice the diversity and bustling of the city in the background. You also notice the main characters of both stories crossing paths and also how they speed up the background while the main characters are still moving regularly.

One love for Wong Jar Wai. There’s a special place in my heart for this director. Chris Doyle also, omg what a god…

Faye Wong pretty much only appeared in movies with Tony Leung. The directors said he paired a very experience actor with Faye but that Tony ended up tossing out his initial intention and decide to basically react off her instead. She has a fantastic role with him in 2046 - which is more disjointed structure, and I tell people "remember it is kind of like a soap opera in jumping around". They also did a very good comedy with surprisingly profound storyline, "Chinese Odyssey 2002" (I would say the 20 minute shorter version is best, released by Kino) which was produced by Wong Kar Wai and is a spoof of his films. It also has the woman from Shaolin Soccer in it - Wei (Vicky) Zhao; and the mother from Days of Being Wild, and neighbour from In the Mood is the Emperor).

Millennium Mambo is also worth a gander

Days of Being Wild - In the Mood for Love - 2046 are 60s' trilogy. Chung-king Express and Fallen Angels are 90s' city love stories. Wkw also has Wuxia genre - Ashes of Time and last film he's done 10 yrs ago, Grandmaster. Among these, there is Happy Together, a queer love story shot in Buenos Aries, achingly beautiful. I think this 90s' pictures are the most joyful ones. They were shot in the least days, unlike the other masterpieces from Wong.

Only 3.5k ish views is a shame. I hope this does not stop you from reacting to foreign films. I‘d really like to recommend „Enter the void“ by Gaspar Noë and „For flies on grey velvet“ by Dario Argento.

Magic in this film.

Too many comments to go through, but I'll assume someone else - or many others - have also raised his masterful film, 2046. You *have* to watch *2046* as well to see a complex, beautifully-shot film - with a killer soundtrack - that is also a critical darling, and is seen by some as a kind-of sequel to this film, in some ways, at least tonally.

The only thing you missed out on is getting to watch it with the wacky Tarantino introduction, which is avails on the RU-vids.

one of my favourite movies, incredibly shot! glad you've watched it james

The is a version of New Order's Bizarre Love Triangle that uses shots from this movie as the video. Specifically the shop girl and the cop. It is incredibly well edited to the music. For a long while I thought it was an official video for the song until I saw this movie. When I saw the movie my jaw dropped to the floor. I had been bamboozled for years! It's also my second favorite New Order song. Some freaky talented editing fiend put it together on their own. In a way that video is even more impressive now that I know. If you're in the mood (wink), check it out.

Please check out more of WKW films like "Happy Together" "Fallen Angels" and "Days of Being Wild" You will not regret it! No one moves a camera like Christopher Doyle.

Remember being amazed with the cinematography of the movies (Hero 2002 and in the mood for love), This is the same cinematographer! ( Christopher Doyle), he shot most of wong kar wai's films and he was never into films and doesn't even watch them to this day!, yet makes these masterpieces. Checkout (fallen angels 1995) next for this duo, with even more majestic cinematography and crazier frames and shots!.

Hey James, did you ever watch 2021 Dune?

Glad you got to this movie! Seeing it in theaters was quite the experience for me.

Kudos on doing very diverse (and not always obvious) movies. I really hope someday you do Videodrome!

By the way, this is the same cameraman who shoot hero with Jet Li. He is one of a kind

i never recommend Wong Kar-wai to any other movie reactor. only you james, only you. i knew you’d pick up the right things. this is my favorite movie of all time. some notes: tony leung was indeed in “in the mood for love”. he’s one of the best actors ever. he’s also the villain in shang chi wong kar wai has a great filmography, one of the best. you already watched “in the mood…”. try looking up next “fallen angels” and “happy together” wong kar wai’s favorite cinematographer is john doyle. who also photographed “in the mood…” and zhang yimou’s “hero” side note: wong kar wai creates his scripts while he shoots the film. he makes it up as he goes. and yes, lots of shot scenes ends up on the cutting room floor 😄 another recommendation: the korean film, “burning”. or another korean film “train to busan”

I love Chungking Express. I always have a hard time deciding which is my favorite Wong Kar-Wai film. This, In the Mood for Love, or Fallen Angels. When he and cinematographer Christopher Doyle got together, they made magic.

Man i love this movie so much. Wan kar wai is an artist. Pretty much every one of his movies are visually breathtaking

Dude, you'll love John Woo's The Killer

fallen angels has the most unique & stylized camera work i’ve ever seen plz watch it

Forget in the mood for love, I'm in the mood for fries.

One of my favorite movies of all time. Saw it for second time last year in a theater, I never realized how funny the film could be without selling out the characters or sacrificing coherence. It's a nice, lively world that the film creates

Great Movie!! I remember watching this in film studies in college, Back in the day. :) It's one of Taratino's favs Too!

One of my favourites! Also check out Happy Together.

Ashes Of Time Redux (2008) is the best Wuxia movie by Wong Kar-Wai.

Love WKW. Fallen Angels is my fav tho. Foreign films are lit bro. Let’s get some Jodorowsky on the go. Maybe some Von Trier or Gaspar Noe. Or some Fellini

"Happy Together" is one of my all time favorite gay films. Which is incredible coming from a straight Director/Writer.

You should react to "Dark Skies" by Scott Stewart. Pretty competent alien horror movie.

James are you going to react to a few other Wong Kar Wai films: Ashes Of Time Fallen Angels 2046

One of Tarantino's favourite movies. He even did a breakdown of it, you can find it on youtube

Yo let’s gooooo, we got the Wong Kar-Wai unit. One of the most unique directors I’ve ever had the pleasure of studying and mannnnn am I happy you’re checking out his stuff

Please watch 2046, its probably my favourite wkw film.

Please watch Wong Kar Wai films Ashes off Time, Fallen Angels and 2040

Also to note: I would say that Tony Leung (actor in second half) and Wong Kar Wai (director) arguably have one of the greatest actors/director work, comparable to Scorsese/De Niro, Scorsese/Di Caprio, and PTA/Day-Lewis, off the top of my head

I definitely recommend watching Fallen Angels as it's basically the "part 2" to Chungking Express!

Yay more Wong Kar-wai!!! I love this movie, especially the second story! Tony Leung is so great 😍. I love Wong Kar-wai’s style! Edit: He has an excellent eye for color. You should check out My Blueberry Nights. It’s not his best, but it’s still really enjoyable. I believe it’s his only English language film. Edit 2: The guy in the first story is in House of Flying Daggers, which is a must-watch if you’ve never seen it.

Fallen Angels please

Yo should watch Angel-A if you haven’t it’s a a French film

"If memories could be canned, would they have expiration dates? If so, I hope they last for centuries." -My High School Yearbook quote. Yes, I was that pretentious, sensitive kid you thought was annoying af.

This film is dope. Looking forward to your reaction.

FALLEN ANGELS PLZZZ❤️