Lust, Caution (Widescreen, NC-17- Rated Edition)

Lust, Caution (Widescreen, NC-17- Rated Edition) | Bold & Beautiful

DVDs:

Lust, Caution (Wid...

	Lust, Caution (Widescreen, NC-17- Rated Edition) Focus Features, 2008 average customer review:based on 112 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Another Fine Ang Lee Film

Based on Eileen Chang's short story by the same name, the brilliant Ang Lee's latest film is set in China during the Japanese occupation in the early days of World War II and stars the veteran actor Tony Leung as Mr. Yee and Tang Wei, in her first acting role, as Wong Chia Chi. Mr. Lee says in footage that accompanies the DVD version of this movie that he interviewed thousands of women before casting Ms. Wei for the part. She, however, is a delight to watch and has all the style and grace of a seasoned actress and more than holds her own with Leung.

This film got a lot of misdirected press for its explicit, often violent sex scenes between Wei and Leung, calling to mind similar attention given to movies such as "Last Tango in Paris" for its groundbreaking sex as well. It has a seldom-given rating these days of NC-17 because of the nudity and sex bordering on S-M.

Wei plays a young student who is a member of a resistance group intent on infilterating the home of Mr. Yee, a ruthless government intelligence agent. Wei's (Wong Chia Chi) mission is to seduce and then kill Yee. What begins as often violent sex turns into love as Chi is torn between her feelings for Yee and her duty to the movement.

The suspense in this exquisitely filmed movie builds into an unforgettable climax as Mr. Lee proves once again that he is one of the greatest of contemporary directors, equally at home in an English language film as one filmed in Chinese.

"Lust, Caution" is one you will want to see again and again.

for more information click here

Bold & Beautiful

This is an amazingly beautiful and thoughtful film. It's cinematography conveys the emotions of the script in exceptional ways. It is not afraid to be bold and controversial. It takes you back into the period of time of discreet opulance and formality. It should not be missed by any one who is an art lover. It is a classic film of this genre.

The brilliant Ann Lee

After many years of academics searching for the auteur principle of film making it is so invigorating to have such a non auteurist film director. Each of his films is a unique jewel of cinema. Lust, Caution joins this illustrious, well chiselled precision work from this director. His recreation of Shanghai, his casting, pacing and overall style makes this another Lee near master piece. The two leads create a relationship that only at the conclusion of the film provides a coda befitting the author's intention. Beautifully orchestrated, culminating in a surprising tragic dimension. Add to Lee's previous films and to Won Kai Wai's films. This yet again elevates Asian cinema.

for more information click here

Crashing Boundaries, Blurred Lines

Have you ever loved someone you wanted to kill? I mean have you ever been deeply, irresistably attracted to someone you wish someone else would kill? Lust, Caution looks at attraction, loyalty, truth, betrayal, sex, pain in a sideways way in the context of Japanese occupied China during the late 1930s/early '40s.

I can't say enough about Tony Leung's Mr. Yee. He's a pathologically bad and extremely interesting character, a man who is expedient in the worst sense of the word, deserving of the death he senses stalking him, who is twisted and smart and trusts practically no one, and yet is afraid of the dark. Wei Tang's Wong/"Mrs. Mak" is a character Yee comes to trust. And hurt. And love, maybe. Tang is so beautiful, and it's hard to believe that this was her first film. Her face - especially her mouth - is fascinating to watch. The other characters were very good (especially Joan Chen as Mrs. Yee), but this is principally the story of two people and the very messy and blurred relationship they had. Ang Lee loves crashing boundaries, and does so in this beautifully crafted film. This film, like Ang's Brokeback Mountain, also has a strong sexual component. The sex, however, is less about eroticism then about the peculiar and dynamic relationship between Yee and Wong. What do we give up for what we get? Is it worth it? Who's in charge? When and how far do we trust? How do we use the power we have over another person, physically, emotionally and psychologically?

A few times I felt that the story was being drawn out just a little too long and that the getting to the end didn't require quite so much pain, but overall I very much enjoyed this film.

for more information click here

Good, not great. But good.

In Chinese with English sub-titles, I found this film to be a little slow moving, but very rewarding in other ways. It's an interesting story of a period in Chinese history that most westerners know very little about. The costuming and cinematography are great, and there are several apparently very controversial "love scenes" that I found to be rather tame, but that have also been banned in other parts of the world, so go figure. The lead actress, Wei Tang, is drop dead gorgeous. I would definetly recommend it with the caveat of not setting your expectations terrible high. It's good entertainment. Better than average, but not great.

for more information click here