Movie 220/1001 ~ Chungking Express

Made in 1994 by Wong Kar Wai, Chungking Express is a film with two storylines, both involving police officers and romance. The first storyline is about a cop who has given himself a month to either get over his previous girlfriend or accept that the relationship has expired and a women who wears a blonde wig and has until the end of the month to fix a drug smuggling operation gone sour. At the end of this sequence the film abruptly begins a new storyline involving another cop who has broken up with his stewardess girlfriend and the woman who works at a cafe who has fallen in love with the man. Many viewers find the abrupt change in storylines confusing and repelling, but I actually kind of liked it. The film repeatedly plays two songs, What a Difference a Day Makes and California Dreamin,' and highlights recurring themes of the movie. I like these songs, so I approved heartily. The film also uses a number of self-indulgent filming techniques step printing slow motion which only movie buffs could recognize. Generally, I liked it and found it to be an enjoyable watch that is well-shot and produced.

***1/2