In the Mood for Love (DVD, 2002, Criterion Collection; Widescreen)

Kar Wai is brilliant, his movies are pure emotion, pure beauty. At first you're not quite sure how to take his movies... if you are an action movie buff as I am, you all of a sudden are in the middle of this surreal, hauntingly beautiful film and trying to follow a plot line. Advice... don't try to follow the plot line... this movie is way above and beyond a mere plotline. I recommend watching Days of Being Wild, then In The Mood for Love, and then 2046 (in that order). They all have a similiar thread and characters. They are the kind of movies to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

You have to watch this Film twice plus the follow up loose sequel '2046' to capture Tony Leung's true talent as an Actor - where "Less is More", there is so much emotion captured in his quiet eyes, none of the typical American actor's use of physical cliches to generate the inner self. Plus, when you dig deep into his other films - "Your Place or Mine ?" "Happy Together", Chunking Express, with diverse roles as a Heart Surgeon, Airport Cop, Gay Lover, Image Consultant, Detective - these two films really are the best he's ever done over a 15 year period. Go to Netflix and watch all his stuff as I have - I'm looking forward to his latest spy thriller directed by Ang Wang. A period drama, he plays a bad guy, a departure from his usual conflicted nice guy. A superstar award winning Actor in Hong Kong, he should have better Independent Film Credentials - perhaps Ang Lee can break him out.