Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most well-known names in the world of modern cinema. As a director, screenwriter, and producer, his expertise in various fields of filmmaking has provided him the perfect blend of experience to master the skill of intertwining multiple stories into a complex knot of cinematography. This unique trait is one of the qualities that has earned him an extensive fan base of devoted cinema enthusiasts and movie lovers. Following is a carefully curated list of the top ten movies directed, written, or produced by this prodigy.
1. In The Mood For Love
A romantic drama based in Hong Kong, In The Mood For Love, is a story that revolves around the complex relationships between two couples where a man and a woman find out their spouses are in an affair with each other. They go on to develop a relationship of their own. The movie has been voted as the second greatest film of the 21st century by a survey done by BBC. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie went on to get nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or as well.
2. Chungking Express
Another comedy based in Hong Kong is a movie with an elaborate plot that deals with two stories revolving around break-ups, heartbreaks, and the feelings of loss and the process of moving on from them. Each of the stories is a journey of a lovesick policeman through heartbreak. The movie’s cinematography and play with colors in the background add to the dynamic it delivers to its audience. The brilliant acting and dialogue delivery further makes it a masterpiece.
3. The Grandmaster
A martial arts movie based on the life of Wing Chun Grandmaster Ip Man, this film opened at the Berlin International Film Festival. After its premiere, it was nominated for the best cinematography and costume design at the 86th Academy Awards. The film garnered colossal acclaim and popularity for its historical and philosophical perspective apart from its brilliant portrayal of the journey of Grandmaster Wing Chun.
4. Days Of Being Wild
With some of the best actors and actresses in Hong Kong in its cast, Days Of Being Wild is the story of the struggle of a disillusioned man who is spoiled by his wealthy foster mother and seduces women to later leave them on their own. The plot follows his journey to find his birth mother and his eventual development into a better person. Being Wong Kar-Wai’s sophomore project, this movie does show growth in the style of cinematography along with the play around its storyline.
5. 2046
An international co-production between Hong Kong, France, Italy, China, and Germany, 2046 is an informal sequel to In The Mood For Love and Days of Being Wild, with its genre revolving around romance and science-fiction. The story centers around a new world where Earth is surrounded by a single rail network. A train carries all lonely people to a room called 2046. The movie might be quite melancholic, but its stunning visuals make up for all the sadness of its narrative.
6. Happy Together
Ranked 3rd in the Best LGBT Films of All Time by the British Film Institute poll, Happy Together revolves around a gay couple from Hong Kong who leave the country for Argentina and fall out while trying to find their way to Iguazu Falls. The Film deals with themes of nationality, cultural identity, and the queer community. The film traces the journey of its leads beautifully as they struggle with these aspects of their individuality.
7. Fallen Angels
Fallen Angels is a noir crime movie based in Hong Kong. Wong Kar-Wai, the mastermind of intertwined plotlines and narratives, again mixes two storylines in this movie. A hitman trying to leave the criminal world and getting in the middle of a love triangle between a prostitute and his agent. And a mute convict on the run from the police. With brilliant cinematography by Christopher Doyle, this film is a cinematic masterpiece.
8. Ashes Of The Time Redux
Inspired by Jin Yong’s novel, The Legend Of The Condor Heroes, and based on the wuxia culture, Ashes Of Time mixes modernist ideas of dystopia with an older culture, which makes it one of the most underrated movies by Wong Kar-Wai. In ancient China, the story revolves around a man who acts as the middleman to various swordsmen in the country. He controls a network of assassins while living the life of a vagabond. With its beautiful scenes and setting, the movie is a well-choreographed example of the wuxia genre.
9. As Tears Go By
Wong Kar-Wai’s directorial debut, As Tears Go By, is an action-crime film starring Jacky Cheung. The story is inspired by Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets. It revolves around the lives of a mid-level gangster and debt collector, Wah and his subordinate, Fly. Being one of the most profitable films by the director, As Tears Go By, with its tremendous style, portrayed Wong Kar-Wai as a master in making.
10. My Blueberry Nights
A more recent project by Wong Kar-Wai, My Blueberry Nights is a movie based in America revolving around the journey of a lonely young woman who takes a road trip through America to resolve her feelings of heartbreak and desolation. Being the director’s first film in English, the movie is overall modest and more ordinary than the rest of his projects.
