Fallen Angels (1995) - Cat 1. Action/War/Western (Foreign)
The darker and cooler twin brother to "Chinkung Express". "Fallen Angels" get a bit overlooked when talking about Wong Kar-wai filmography, but it's second only to "In the mood for love" for me.
Originally filmed as an extension to Chinkung Express, Kar-wai decided to split them because of the running time. The similarities between the both are pretty obvious, stylistically and thematically. Both tell fragmented stories about strange alienated people in Hong Kong. Both make heavy use of wide lenses, saturated colours and different editing techniques that are undeniable Wong Kar-wai's. The biggest difference though is in the mood that both create.
While Chinkung Express has a lighter more ethereal tone, "Fallen Angels" is a darker, more cynical movie; And obviously, which is why I put it in this category, more action-packed. Its nocturnal neon-infused aesthetic leans heavily on the colour green, which helps create this kind of oppressive atmosphere. The soundtrack, which is dark and brooding but unbelievable cool, in synch with the editing, propels the movie forward with a steady but rhythmic pace. There's a Cantonese version of "Karma Coma" that plays repeatedly, which is amazing and kind of embodies the whole movie.
<![CDATA[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/ANIJoDzgBng" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/ANIJoDzgBng</a>]]> The characters in this are as quirky as the ones in Chinkung Express, and the performances are great. But like everything in this movie, they are darker and more dangerous. While the characters in Chinkung Express are yearning for love and company, these characters feel like they are too far gone, even if they crave the same.
