Wong Kar-wai is a famous Chinese director that is mostly known for his incredibly stylish films. Rather than focusing on traditional storytelling, his films feature long, sensual shots and moody atmospheres. Using an international soundtrack, beautiful costumes and art direction, Kar-wai creates a world that not traditionally associated with China. His characters are tortured and glamorous. They are depicted living average lives while trying to come to terms with their inner conflicts.
For the party, I was thinking that everyone dress in Chinese-style 1960s glamour. Women will wear a variation of form-fitting dresses (cheongsam) with swept up hairdos. Men will wear smart suits and act like playboys. Everyone will have fake or real cigarettes as props. The noshes will be egg rolls, wanton soup served in shot glasses, and an assortment of finger foods. The drinks will be a variation of martinis for the women and scotch for the men. The decor will be red Chinese lanterns that emit low light, white candles, a Mahjong table, and white flowers. When the movie isn’t playing, the music will definitely be the soundtrack for In the Mood for Love. Since the movies are on the dark side, it’s best to keep it playing in the background to create a tragically romantic and sensual mood.
Days of Being Wild
In this moody film, we follow self-centered playboy York and the dysfunctional relationships that he has with two women. His selfish ways causes the both woman to enter emotional tailspins. We discover that the origin of York’s apathy toward women and relationships is a subconscious reaction to being abandoned by his mother. The film is a dark character study on the nature of human suffering.
In the Mood for Love
This film is a beautiful slice of life in a Hong Kong apartment community, revolving around the lives of a man and woman who discover that their spouses are cheating with each other. A sensual romance develops between the wronged spouses, yet their love remains unrequited. The movie paints a languid picture of tension and longing with long somber strokes.
2046
We follow the main character from In the Mood for Love, Chow Mo-wan, as he mourns the loss of his love, Su Li-Zhen. He begins a self-destructive path of womanizing. The story weaves through the lives of an ensemble cast. The film also has a sci-fi twist, with a story set in the year 2046. The main theme of this multilayered film is dealing with the memory of lost loves.
Tags: 2046, Days of Being Wild, In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar-wai Movie Night
