Rating: 
Summary: MOODY ADULTEROUS MELODRAMA
Review: Wong Kar-Wai's dramatic romance "IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE" set in 1960's Hong Kong stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung as married friends who discover their respective spouses are having an affair. This beautifully filmed, sophisticated love story has won a trunk load of awards. The profusive two disc set is up to Criterion's high standards and includes hours of extras and wonderful documentary on the making of the film. For an alternative tale that sets up simlar circumstances but goes in a deliciously dangerous direction, see Chabrol's "CRY OF THE OWL."
Rating:
Summary: In the mood for a nap
Review: I anticipated this movie being captivating, heartbreaking and sentimental especially since I am quite a fan of HK "real-life" dramas like Chungking Express (the movie that inspired Quentin Tarentino's Pulp Fiction). Instead, watching this movie made me feel like I was perhaps missing something all the Cannes and Toronto film award critics saw. The movie never really captured me nor did it make me sympathize with the characters. It was one of those "artsy" movies that leave critics in awe but moviegoers in disbelief...disbelief that we actually spent $$ and time watching this film. It sets out trying to lure you into it's "coolness": insinuating scenes of raindrops badgering broken down concrete buildings, softly vivid colors that defined the 60's, characters walking slowly in tune with slow romantic music, etc. But that's just it, I felt the movie tried so hard to be "artistic" that it never gave us a chance to feel what the characters might be feeling. The music was highly repetitive; trying to soak you in it's intended ambiance but I guarantee you would want to turn down the volume after you hear the movie's theme score for the pointless Xth time. The story was convincing: two neighbors each find out that their corresponding spouses are having an affair with each other. Imagine the feelings of guilt, denial, anger and curiousity you would have finding this out about your husband/wife. Now picture those feelings trying to surface but unable to because of the fabulous clothes you're wearing or the melodramatic music that is controlling your slow, rehearsed movements. That would be this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Room 2046
Review: This dvd is loaded with features i.e. deleted scences and commentary. If you are looking for more background on the movie this is the one to pick up. This also features interviews with WKW, Maggie and Tony.
Rating: 
Summary: Great edition but the French version is better
Review: For those who haven't had the opportunity of comparing the Criterion edition with the 2-disc French edition, they might like to know that the extra contents are a bit different.Ultimately, I believe the French edition wins out in terms of its packaging and the design of the chapters' menu, as well as the high visual resolution. Nevertheless, the graphic designers at Criterion should be commended on their superb design of the booklet & cover. This is top notch design & typography.
Rating:
Summary: Wong Kar-Wai's Masterpiece
Review: If you were to find a fault in Wong's film it would be the pace: slow, methodical, but inspite and because of that pace "In the Mood for Love" is an utterly engrossing tale; a tale of a man who suspects his wife of cheating and a women who suspects her husband of the same. As they secretly share their pains and suspiscions they fall in love, a love which, due to guilt and the society they live in, cannot blossom. "In the Mood for Love" is a period piece, taking place in 1962 Hong Kong, and it captures the period wonderfully with small details like the snippets of Shanghainese speech and Nat King Cole's melodic voice floating in an American-style diner. In this movie Wong Kar-Wai achieved brilliance on every level. Not only does he create a perfect mood with his methodical pace, dark yet beautiful camera work, but he tops it off with excellent performances by Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung and an enthralling soundtrack that ties it all together. I have been a fan of Wong Kar-wai for some time, but in all of his films I felt something was missing. Here he has captured it all. With "In the Mood for Love" Wong leaves the label "a good director" behind and becomes "a great director". The DVD is full of fascinating extras: interviews with the cast, Wong Kar-wai; descriptions of the music used in the film; trailers, posters, images. You can spend hours not even looking at everything but the movie!
Rating: 
Summary: A languid, contemplative love story.
Review: "In the Mood for Love" is a generic title for a very detailed and atmospheric film. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung are neighbors in 1960s Hong Kong who discover that their spouses are having an affair. Initially, Cheung and Leung's characters spend time together to commiserate, but gradually, they fall in love. Determined not to be unworthy adulterers, they continually resist the impulse to be anything more than platonic. Their emotional attachment is undeniable, however, and their love story comes to have greater meaning for them than their respective marriages. *** This is a two-character study. The faces of Cheung's husband or Leung's wife are never seen, and we hardly hear a word out of either of them. Our attention is always drawn to the lead actors and particularly Maggie Cheung who is absolutely gorgeous in long Chinese dresses. (She has at least a dozen or more of them throughout the movie.) *** Throughout the film, the director brings period atmosphere into the film with music by Nat King Cole (singing in Spanish), smokey rooms, rainy streets, big hairdos and thick eyeliner, and skinny ties. It looks, sounds, and feels just right. The editing of the scenes is also done creatively so that not all your questions or expectations are immediately gratified. It forces the audience to contemplate the scenes and their meanings all the more carefully. *** Viewers, however, may lose patience with the slow pace of the film, and the enigmatic reserve which holds the lead characters back despite their very involved relationship.
Rating:
Summary: a smooth one
Review: really exciting love story. But not what you expect, if you hear the name Wong Kar-Wai: no gangstar flick here. The famous Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung playing neighbors, betrayed by their husband eg. wife. Coming up with a touching loveaffair between these two, Wong Kar-Wai shows another time his genius narrative skills. This text refers to the german DVD with mandarin language and german subtitles. Also available subs: English, Spanish, French, Italian...
Rating:
Summary: For fans of Wong Kar Wai only
Review: Tony Leung (as Mr. Chow) has never brooded better, Maggie Cheung (as Mrs. Chan) never more the solitary and quirky female we are so fond of seeing in a Wong Kar Wai film... unfortunately, it's all let down by a plot that's wafer-thin! Amazon.com's in-house reviewer (Jeff Shannon) has basically spelt out the entire story in two sentences. Yes, the cinematography is immaculate but so mannered with its scenes of curling smoke, rain falling on pavement, of significant glances exchanged that it also leaves the central characters sadly unengaging. MOOD and POSE alone does not a great film make. For a truly great film by this director, get "Happy Together".
Rating:
Summary: A dream
Review: Much has been written about the film, so I just wanted to share a thought. A friend of mine, a movie buff, saw it days after it was shown in the US, and emailed me (he knew I had also seen it), "I'm so smitten by Maggie Cheung". I thought over it for a while and wrote back, "I think you are smitten by the idea of being smitten by Maggie Cheung". He agreed.
Rating:
Summary: a masterpiece...
Review: One of the most beautifully crafted and visually stunning movies I have ever seen. It is a delight to behold from start to finish. The extras on this disc add a great deal of background to the making of the film and shed interesting light on the movie-making process. Should have been an Oscar contender, far better than most of the recent Best Foreign Picture winners.
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