Rating: 
Summary: not for the "Sleepless and Seattle crowd"...
Review: ...but if you like an intelligent, artful, thoughtful, and (unthinkable if this were to be re-made by Hollywood) profoundly rewarding cinematic romance, this is the film for you. So what if the attire and sets are a bit 1980ish? Unlike forgettable Hollywood knockoffs, Tony Au's background in costume and set design-- much like Zhang Yimou at his best-- reminds the viewer throughout the film just how powerful color, sound, and imagery can be. The star-crossed lovers theme, echoed over 20 centuries, gives the film a transcendence seldom found in any "romance." Aside from a rather pathetic attempt to mimic a young Leonard Bernstein on the podium, Yun-Fat Chow gives one of the most nuanced performances of his career (and demonstrates that he doesn't have to just pull a trigger and crack wise to convey screen persona). Brigitte Lin is stunning as Yuet-Heung, Chow's centuries-lost lover reincarnated. And Cher Yeung gives what I hope was an award-winning performance at *some* film festival *somewhere* as Chow's girlfriend of 8 years who suddenly finds herself supplanted by a 20 century-long "dream" of love. Her visceral emotional pain is at the core of this film, and her final sequence is perhaps one of the most devastating portrayals captured on celluloid within this genre. "Eight years or two thousand...it's still love": that line itself captures the simplicity as well as the uncompromising profundity of the film. Well worth the price of your purchase, whatever that may be.
Rating:
Summary: not for the "Sleepless and Seattle crowd"...
Review: ...but if you like an intelligent, artful, thoughtful, and (unthinkable if this were to be re-made by Hollywood) profoundly rewarding cinematic romance, this is the film for you. So what if the attire and sets are a bit 1980ish? Unlike forgettable Hollywood knockoffs, Tony Au's background in costume and set design-- much like Zhang Yimou at his best-- reminds the viewer throughout the film just how powerful color, sound, and imagery can be. The star-crossed lovers theme, echoed over 20 centuries, gives the film a transcendence seldom found in any "romance." Aside from a rather pathetic attempt to mimic a young Leonard Bernstein on the podium, Yun-Fat Chow gives one of the most nuanced performances of his career (and demonstrates that he doesn't have to just pull a trigger and crack wise to convey screen persona). Brigitte Lin is stunning as Yuet-Heung, Chow's centuries-lost lover reincarnated. And Cher Yeung gives what I hope was an award-winning performance at *some* film festival *somewhere* as Chow's girlfriend of 8 years who suddenly finds herself supplanted by a 20 century-long "dream" of love. Her visceral emotional pain is at the core of this film, and her final sequence is perhaps one of the most devastating portrayals captured on celluloid within this genre. "Eight years or two thousand...it's still love": that line itself captures the simplicity as well as the uncompromising profundity of the film. Well worth the price of your purchase, whatever that may be.
Rating: 
Summary: MESMERIZING!
Review: A hypnotic film, one of the finest romance mysteries ever filmed. Tony Au's direction is awe-inspiring. His background as an art director is readily apparent in this beautifully conceived and shot film.Chow Yun-Fat and Brigitte Lin have their incredible talents used to the hilt in this romantic mystery about a pair of tragic lovers from 2100 years before now reincarnated in modern Hong Kong. No film has better illustrated the adage that the course of true love never runs smooth. Erotic, lyrical, shamelessly romantic yet never sentimental. A stunning masterpiece which rivals any of the classic French films. 5 of 5 stars for cast, director, cinematographer and writer. Superb.
Rating:
Summary: If I could spend just one night...
Review: Excellent movie plot between a man and a woman who have some unfinished business from the past. They find themselves drawn to each other after not seeing one another for too many years [an understatement, to say the least!]. Nevertheless, the years between them have not been enough to break the bond that they once shared... To say any more than that is to give the rest away. Just buy the DVD [which is what I am basing my review on] or the VHS Tape and enjoy it as the story unfolds before your eyes!
Rating:
Summary: If I could spend just one night...
Review: Excellent movie plot between a man and a woman who have some unfinished business from the past. They find themselves drawn to each other after not seeing one another for too many years [an understatement, to say the least!]. Nevertheless, the years between them have not been enough to break the bond that they once shared... To say any more than that is to give the rest away. Just buy the DVD [which is what I am basing my review on] or the VHS Tape and enjoy it as the story unfolds before your eyes!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful movie! Pick up original for less at...read more
Review: Great movie but talk about price gouging - 50 bucks for a dvd! That's totally ridiculous and without any extra features! I'm going to pass on some valuable info to my fellow Hong Kong movie buffs. Do yourselves a favor and visit www.Goodwillco.com - they are a terrific Canadian distributor of original HK version dvds. "Dream Lovers" is only about $7-$8 USD. Most of their HK titles fall within this price range. "Hero" now at theatres starring Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung is also available for this price. Their service is outstanding. You can pretty much find any title at their website with original Mandarin/Chinese audio and subtitled. Don't buy any American studio dubbed or edited versions. Boycott Disney and their subsidiaries such as Miramax/Dimension films until they show respect for Asian cinema. They are buying HK catalog titles and butchering by editing and English dubbing. Disney is also purchasing HK titles to keep in storage without release. By doing so, Disney can keep the original studios from releasing these titles and have a monopoly on the catalog. Talk about DisNazi tactics! Visit the Web Alliance for the Respectful Treatment of Asian Cinema to sign the petition to Miramax. Over 13,000 signatures have been collected.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical "Western Style" romance
Review: My primary motivation for viewing this film was to enjoy the performances of 2 incredible artists. Chow Yun Fat, known to some for his Rambo-style, shoot-em-up attitude, and Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia, known for her roles in many fantasy-fu flicks. From the opening scene, I was in awe of the cinematography. Beautiful backgrounds and settings are used throughout this whole film, and do a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere representative of the whole story. As much as I love Lin and Chow, I must say that Cher Yeung stole the show. She does a beautiful job of really bringing out the transformation of her character through the movie. Complaints: Chow just didn't act out the flashback scenes to his potential. I felt that he didn't play a character that was from the past during the flashbacks. Also, I felt that the suspense of the whole situation could have been delayed a tad longer, to further the connection between the characters and the audience. Finally, the movie may not suit well with certain viewers. But if you think of the context in which this movie was made, you'll see that it does fit. There are some abstract topics that some may not comprehend or subscribe to i.e. reincarnation, but if you look past that, what you'll find is an incredible love story that is unique. Definitely worth a view, and a purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical "Western Style" romance
Review: My primary motivation for viewing this film was to enjoy the performances of 2 incredible artists. Chow Yun Fat, known to some for his Rambo-style, shoot-em-up attitude, and Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia, known for her roles in many fantasy-fu flicks. From the opening scene, I was in awe of the cinematography. Beautiful backgrounds and settings are used throughout this whole film, and do a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere representative of the whole story. As much as I love Lin and Chow, I must say that Cher Yeung stole the show. She does a beautiful job of really bringing out the transformation of her character through the movie. Complaints: Chow just didn't act out the flashback scenes to his potential. I felt that he didn't play a character that was from the past during the flashbacks. Also, I felt that the suspense of the whole situation could have been delayed a tad longer, to further the connection between the characters and the audience. Finally, the movie may not suit well with certain viewers. But if you think of the context in which this movie was made, you'll see that it does fit. There are some abstract topics that some may not comprehend or subscribe to i.e. reincarnation, but if you look past that, what you'll find is an incredible love story that is unique. Definitely worth a view, and a purchase.
Rating:
Summary: how do you explain it?!
Review: one of the main reasons I wanted to watch this movie was because brigitte lin and chow yun fat were in it together. something that you dont see much of. both of whom are excellent actress and actor. knowing this I expected nothing but the best. and this is what I bought. this movie is about two lovers who lived 2000 years ago during the Qin Dynasty, and 2000 years later find each other again, being drawn to each other, by way of visions from their pasts. this is a tragic love story that justs mesmerizes you to the screen. now i am not much of a love story person, I go for the high action movies. but this one movie, dream lovers, I would recommend to anyone, especially those who like a good love story movie.
Rating:
Summary: Love is harder second time round
Review: The legendary Chow Yuen Fatt is paired with Hong Kong's once beloved all-time actress Ling Ching Hsia. This is a movie that tells us love is love, regardless the time, the time span and the players. Love is hard, the first time and the second time as well. Fatt plays a modern day concert conductor and Hsia, the alluring artifact expert of sort. They both dreamed about each other. They eventually know they were tragic lovers from their past lives. And now reborned as Fatt's character Song Yu wanted it to be, in his previous life wanted, "I prefer flesh and blood". And She, the abodient wife of a Qin dynasty architect sentenced to death, obeyed and died with her beloved husband. Now reborned, starting over in a modern day presents a different problem, equally tragic : there is another player in this love affair, Fatt has a lover. The question put forth is simple : Would you do again, what you did then for love, first time round. Does love comes first, regardless of those around us? When does love becomes all-consuming, selfish and destructive? When do we give our all, when do we show consideration. Can love be just about the two people involved? Culture, tradition, history...it surrounds us, can we divorce ourselves from them . Dream Lovers asks what we should forsake for love, or might be love, or even a dream of what love could be. This is a layered movie, with visually stunning sets, although the artwork seemed a bit conscious and contrived. Fatt is flawless, and Hsia engaging, relentlessly stoic and vulnerable at the same time. Don't miss this one. Learn what one great love can be, learn what you can be up against, if it is yourself you have to measure up to, when it comes to love.
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