Qian Xi Man Bo (2001)

Remains amazing.

One of my first Asian dramas. Long takes and silent characters, images that speak instead of characters rambling endlessly about their problems.

The film has lost very little of its charm over all these years. This is also because there are so few films that manage to portray the club/techno scene with respect. Great soundtrack with believable (!) club tracks and a somewhat softer but no less impressive soundtrack.

Remains one of my favorite Hou films; it has no weak points and manages to stay with you the entire time. It's a shame that I don't seem to be able to get my hands on the director's cut easily.

4.5* and an extensive review

Translated from Dutch · View original

After the fantastic Café Lumière, I was recommended to see Millennium Mambo, a film that was even better. In the end, that wasn't the one for me, but it is certainly a nice film.

Just like in Kôhî Jikô, this is primarily an atmospheric portrait of a girl in a specific world. There is little plot, but all the more atmosphere, and above all, it is a sketch of someone's life. And I simply enjoy watching those kinds of films. However, I could identify with Vicky less, and the whole thing is also a bit less relatable – life in the nightlife scene full of techno and hanging out with the wrong crowd is really less my cup of tea. The acting is excellent, though, especially by Qi, who achieves so much with her natural facial expressions. And she is also just drop-dead gorgeous.

This film probably looks better than Kôhî Jikô. Beautiful colors, great camera angles, and some nice music at times. However, I did miss a bit of flow sometimes, and I felt like I was missing some momentum in the plot. Maybe that’s due to the short version I have? But as a whole, it is quite a solid portrait of a girl in a big city with some problems in her private life. By the way, I do wonder how you can put up with that jealous loser for so long? With his bleached-blonde hair.

Definitely a director I want to see more of, and one that helps me get more interested in watching Asian cinema (something I do have as a goal for the near future). 3.5*.

Translated from Dutch · View original

Millennium Mambo begins with a breathtaking opening scene, and then it goes quiet for me for a moment. Fortunately, however, it does pick up on the atmosphere, and we get to see a beautiful film. I had those doubts before with other films by Hou Hsiao-hsien, so it is clearly his style that doesn't quite suit me. But if I focus a bit on the beautiful moments (and there are plenty of them), Millennium Mambo is a beautiful, warm film. Starring Shu Qi, who carries the film perfectly. A fun side note is that this is the 2nd 'Millennium' film from 2001 this week, alongside (for me, the better) Millennium Actress.

Translated from Dutch · View original