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Summary: inapropiate apropiation
Review: chung king express is the work of a filmmaker who has a bold grasp on himself and his characters. Wong Kar-waiw has in all possible ways superceded Q Tarentino's own abilities and range as a filmmaker. it is disturbing to me that the packaging for this dvd makes it feel as if chung king express was mr. tarentinos film. this film is worth owning and watching from time to time, precisely because it is not a Tarentino movie.
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Summary: A nice change from Hollywood films
Review: Before I saw this film, the only movies I had seen from Hong Kong were Kung Fu movies. I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the pace and humour of this film. Martial arts films are often either too serious or have a straight-faced humour running through them. This on the other hand was lighter in tone and even made me laugh out loud a few times. This tells us a lot about Hong King life and it is interesting to see how anglicised the (then) colony was.I was baffled by people's comments that there were two cops in this film, I thought there was only one until I read the cast list, and it does seem surprising that Wong cast two similar looking men in two identical costumes. That's something that often trips up Hollywood directors, casting two lead men who confirm to a romantic ideal of what handsome leading men look like - i.e. slim, black hair, tanned skin, no facial hair and definitely no spectacles! There is no such problem with the three leading ladies, who look so different, it's clear who's who, although I must confess I was expecting the woman in the blond wig to have turned out to be one of the other characters by the end of the movie! Confusion aside, this is great fun, and contains a skilfully chosen soundtrack, particularly the reggae track (which sounds like Maxi Priest, but there's no credits) and California Dreamin'. It's not a bad idea to use recurrent themes through movies, rather than to jam snippets of tracks in for the conventional soundtrack album, and this is just one of many ways in which Chunking Express is a welcome change from the norm.
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Summary: NOT A MARTIAL ARTS/ACTION MOVIE
Review: Great date film.... Urban isolation, bad break ups, and quirky humor characterizes this film, with some great perfomances by Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and "the Madonna of Mandarin," pop star, Faye Wong. Bridgette Lin also has one of her best roles ever, although she's incognito in a blond whig and sunglasses. Told in the two seperate halves that comprise the film, Kaneshiro and Leung both play H.K. cops who have been dumped by their girlfriends, with both coping in different ways. Kaneshiro persistant in his hopes his ex will change her mind, Leung forlorn and down. Almost universally, most people prefer Leungs half of the movie. Leung is so down about his girlfriend's rejection of him, that he's totally unaware that the woman (F. Wong) working at the fast food stand where he eats has fallen for him and is sneaking into and redecorating his appartment. On a more personal note, Valerie Chow, my favorite H.K. Cinema uber-babe and the only one who could possibly eclipse Rosamund Kwan, has a minor role as Leung's airline stewardess ex-girlfriend (I never understood why she was never more prominant in H.K. Cinema-she could make it just on looks alone-she also appears in Tsui Harks The Blade). Very intelligent, thought out, and entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Blowing Chungks
Review: Actually, the first half isn't truly deeply terrible - but by the end I never wanted to sit through another Wong Kar-wai film. (Someday maybe I'll give him another chance, if the bad taste left by this one ever fades enough.) Actors I normally like a lot are totally wasted here. And I'll DEFINITELY never be able to hear that Mommas and the Poppas song again without wanting to smash something. Most offensive is the repellent notion that we are supposed to find stalking-behavior irresistibly cute and romantic. I may even have a higher tolerance for movies in which the rape victim falls in love with the attacker. At least in those cases one knows that the filmmakers aren't trying to charm your littlle socksies off. Comparisons to Godard are less than skin-deep. Godard never worked overtime attempting to make an audience to fall in love with a slight, yet suffocatingly overlong soiled-tissue of a movie. Godard KNEW when he was trying your patience. A "date movie" in the very worst sense. If you find yourself in a budding relationship with someone who adores this movie, my advice is to break it off fast before you become a statistic of some sort. If this were a knowing study of the adolescent masochism that sometimes passes for a "romantic" temperament in adults it might be worth something. Unfortunately, this movie believes it's own B.S. and becomes hateful for it. Pathetic. Tiresome. Irritating in the extreme.
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Summary: Only In Dreams
Review: Isn't it wonderful that one of the true masterpieces of the 90's was shot off the cuff during the editing of another film? Wong Kar-Wai's greatest achievement to date, this film has more energy than any Hollywood action film. It features what is perhaps the most moving shot in all of cinema...all it is is Faye Wong looking at Tony Leung while he drinks a cup of coffee. It lasts all of a few seconds, but it says more about love, desire, and longing than an hour of dialogue could have expressed. WARNING: If you *really* hate the Mama's and the Popa's song "California Dreaming", watch at your own risk. The song is tied to the structure of the film more than any other I could think of.
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Summary: Off-beat and exhilerating
Review: I saw this film on cable, twice in one day, and liked it more the second time. CK Express is about the desire of men and women to connect with each other and the loneliness that everyone goes through in the process. Faye Wang, who plays the counter girl at the food shop, is very funny and gives a genuinely affecting performance. Please don't be discouraged in the beginning by the less than conventional "plot" or other quirkiness in the film. It will reward those who stay with it. Like a few other reviewers' comments, the film makes me yearn to revisit HK, the place where I was born but have not been to for too long. I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for something other than the by-the-numbers Hollywood productions.
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Summary: a less-depressing "Fallen Angels"?
Review: "Chungking Express" is actually two seemingly unconnected story arcs: the first half of the movie is devoted to the stories of a police detective who has recently been dumped by his girlfriend, and a heroin dealer who has been betrayed by her partners. The second story arc and second half of the movie deals with a police officer who has also recently left a relationship, and the coltish and sprite-like young woman working at a food stall for whom he forms an affection [portrayed by pop singer Faye Wong, whose delightful cover of the Cranberries' "Dreams" is used in the film]. As in "Ashes of Time" and "Fallen Angels", the main themes holding these two stories together are the interconnectedness and isolation of humanity, and the Chance that brings us together and moves us apart. These seemingly simple stories are raised above the average by humor, philosophical whimsy, and emotional depth, and by Wong Kar-Wai's distinctively stylish direction.
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Summary: A beautiful and poignant story.
Review: CKE is a beautiful tear-jerker which I can't get out of my thoughts. The film is a diamond, with very fine acting by all, but Faye Wong's performance was nothing less than stellar! I understand that CKE was her acting debut and that she won an award for best actress for her work in that unforgetable film. She more than deserved it! My only problem is to find a remedy for the crush I've developed for her. She is just too adorable! I challenge any self-respecting male to see this movie without losing his heart to this excruciatingly seductive coquette!
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Summary: Hong Kong Here I Come!
Review: Having spent my first 14 years in HK, this film makes me homesick after being away for 35 years, and yearn to be home again. I am deeply touched by the second story of this film. Faye Wang's acting was fabulous. Who could belive she's a rock singer on her first try at films? This film grows on me every time I see it. It helps knowing Chinese, however, because some of the translations are a bit shaking. This film is one you keep for your video library.
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Summary: I loved this movie
Review: Brigitte Lin is great in this film, and Faye Wong added a great deal of beauty to it. There just aren't enough movies like this one. The second time I watched it was just as good as the first -- it is just so full of life. The film was quite seductive also, with bit of danger, but not enough to take away from the rest of the movie.
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