Release Date:
03/03/2009
The Skinny: "Your arthouse movie is in my samurai flick!" "No, your samurai flick is in my arthouse movie!" Guys, guys
can't it be both? Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai (My Blueberry Nights, Chungking Express) made this bizarre existential swordsman movie in 1994, which involves lonely warriors, mistaken identity, and wine that erases your memory.
The Good: Sure, "existential samurai movie" isn't often on the top of your list, but this new DVD is a perfect excuse for stepping off the beaten path and seeing something unique. We won't lie, the movie doesn't always make perfect sense, but assuming you have a decent home theater hook-up, it looks incredible. Wong Kar-Wai is definitely more navel-gazing than head-chopping, but he has a flair for impressive visuals.
The Bad: The whole "redux" thing probably doesn't mean much to you because odds are you weren't aware of this film to begin with and, again, if you're looking for a straightforward story you can follow all the way through, this is not your movie. But we recommend at least giving it a shot.
Best Extra: There's not a lot on the disc, but the Q&A with the director is a good introduction to a guy who is not (to say the least) your typical Hong Kong movie maker.
Buy, Rent, or Ignore: Rent it. How many art films have swords?
The Good: Sure, "existential samurai movie" isn't often on the top of your list, but this new DVD is a perfect excuse for stepping off the beaten path and seeing something unique. We won't lie, the movie doesn't always make perfect sense, but assuming you have a decent home theater hook-up, it looks incredible. Wong Kar-Wai is definitely more navel-gazing than head-chopping, but he has a flair for impressive visuals.
The Bad: The whole "redux" thing probably doesn't mean much to you because odds are you weren't aware of this film to begin with and, again, if you're looking for a straightforward story you can follow all the way through, this is not your movie. But we recommend at least giving it a shot.
Best Extra: There's not a lot on the disc, but the Q&A with the director is a good introduction to a guy who is not (to say the least) your typical Hong Kong movie maker.
Buy, Rent, or Ignore: Rent it. How many art films have swords?