Matisse van Rossum’s review published on Letterboxd:
I made the mistake of watching Chungking Express in the lounge of my dorm instead of just in my room because I wanted to watch it on a big screen. Unfortunately, I was beset by people who weren't really interested in watching the movie, but were just rather looking for an excuse to be social. So I definitely missed a lot of the nuance of this film and even some of the dialogue, but regardless, I was incredibly moved by what I saw.
This film does a magnificent job of weaving multiple stories together, connected only by a food stand in Hong Kong. It's a touching, if a little bizarre tale of love and loss and how we, as human beings are connected to each other. It juxtaposes the effects of love and how sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The characters are quirky and animated, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, and the cast does an exemplary job of performing these various roles.
However, what most blew me away about Chungking Express was the cinematography. I was absolutely floored by some shots, especially ones where the foreground was shot in fast motion, while the middle and background were in slow motion, or vice versa. This film feels like a dream in a lot of respects, jumping perfectly between haziness and clarity. It's absolutely beautiful.
But I swear, if I ever hear that song again (if you've seen this film, you know the one) I don't know what I'll do. The problem is, Chungking Express is so incredibly good that I want to see it again, and not just once, so I know I'll have to hear it again. Oh well. This film is absolutely worth it.