Yes indeed, this coming Tuesday will be the best day of the semester. It is the very day that I get to watch Wong Kar-Wai's beloved "In the Mood for Love" (2000). Not very often does one get to watch a film of such stature during a school day. Moreover, to watch it IN school for a class is just... balistically crazy - and thats why I'm so excited. We've watched a lot of good films in that class - Pixote, Fog of War, Rashamon - but this one hits the homerun. With such poetic and aesthetic beauty, one can't help but be emotionally moved by the professors classy decision. Indeed, Blair Davis is my hero, and nothing less. So, without further adieu, here is the skinny...Wong Kar-Wai returns with his most accessible work yet. Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai)
and his wife move into their apartment on the same day that Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung) and her husband move into the apartment next door. At first their relationship consists of passing pleasantries and mundane mahjong games with the neighbors but soon a sneaking suspicion bubbles its way to the surface. The increasing absence of their respective spouses arrives at the same time that Chow sees his wife carrying the same handbag as Mrs. Chan. Mrs. Chan, in turn, notices that her husband sports a tie similar to that worn by Chow. The two begin a clandestine friendship, and soon discover their desire turning from revenge to genuine passion.This sounds like a typical relationship weepie, but remember that we’re dealing with Wong Kar-Wai. His movies are about love,
but are not necessarily love stories. The exquisite detail in which we witness the growing passion and passing frustrations of the would-be adulterers gives Wong ample chances to use weave his signature cinematic magic. Everything from the music, to the glorious cinematography (by Christopher Doyle and Lee Ping-Ban), to the sublime performances echoes the longing and inner emotion felt by the two protagonists. This is 
a film lover’s treat where every sidelong glance has a meaning and every wisp of cigarette smoke is given its own unique curl - in slow motion no less.Wong Kar-Wai has managed to make his most accomplished film by nixing his usual bag of tricks. Less voiceover, no time-shifting, and even less moving camera. He lets the actors and the situations tell the story, and the result is wonderfully moving in its quiet restraint.
