78. As Tears Go By (Cantonese)
Director : Wong Karwai
Cast : Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jackie Cheung
Wong Karwai once said in an interview : "I am obsessed with time, because I used to be always late". This obsession of his is clearly visible in his debut venture, As Tears Go By, which revolves around a small time gangster named Wah. Wong Karwai has brilliantly cheated and jumped time and space in the film, decieving the viewer into believing that it was just a normal match cut untill after some time, the thought hits you. He narrates the story in an episodic manner rather than following the usual way of storytelling, focusing only on the incidents that matter. Even though the cuts seem a bit bizzare and jerky, this way of editing was the main element that helped him achieve his vision.
Wong Karwai has brilliantly associated colors to the scenes as the mood of the film changes, for example, the classic way of showing danger - red lighting! Wong Karwai plays with these colors and lighting(especially blue & red) throughout the film, elevating the overall experience of film viewing. Since the film narrates the story in an episodic manner, the film pretty much presents you only with the elements you get to see, rather than opening up the frame through dialogues or sound design or even additional information about the characters.
Overall, As Tears Go By is an excellent debut from one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of today.
8.5/10