Great movie, but not for everyone
Added 6/13/2009
This movie is three independent portraits of eras and different aspects of the human condition. The first is set in 1966 and is a portrait of the search for love. The second takes place in 1911 (despite the product description, this seems like a mansion, not a brothel) and tells the story of the need for freedom from a contract of servitude. The final piece demonstrates the heartbreaks and regrets of youth.
Each portrait is a reasonable attempt to match the style of movies of the period in which it is set. For example the 1911 piece is done as a silent movie.
The movie's greatest weakness is also its greatest strength. All of the scenes have a very pedestrian feeling which takes some time to get used to. However, the same slow approach immerses the viewer in the worlds of the characters in a way which other movies do not do.
Also the movie is short on dialog and the focus of the manners and facial expressions of the characters is central.
This is a great movie, but may seem a little slow for some. The acting is superb, as is the directing, etc. But not everyone will enjoy it. However, I would still give this 5 stars. I will probably watch it again and again.
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Oriental Splendor
Added 2/22/2009
I caught this film by chance on the Independent Film Channel. After watching it several times, I finally ordered the DVD. I found the film stunning, haunting, mesmerizing. The director and actors catch the zeitgeist of each period, the relationship of the sexes, the longing, the beauty of love in a way I have never seen in occidental cinema. The East has an esthetic that is probably inaccessible to us westerners. But it is enchanting to be able to enjoy it now and then.
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More exciting than Goodbye Dragon Inn...
Added 12/31/2008
Three Times is quickly becoming my favorite film, with each viewing I find a new favorite segment. At first it was the third, then the first, now the middle....and those were five viewings ago. In addition to picking a favorite segment, another difficult task is coming up with an overarching theme that connects the three pieces aside from the same two main characters. As a Taiwanese American, I'm partial to Hou's films, but I admit that they are not always easy to understand, or appreciate. Ultimately, it comes down to if the movie strikes a cord with you. For me it did, but I can understand why for some it is only less boring than watching paint dry.
There are so many wonderful moments in the film for me that I can easily fall in love with this film without having to cohere the three different stories. Whether it is the familiar roadsigns that distinguish the drab, nondescript little towns from one another on Chang's quest to find Shu in "A Time for Love," which remind me so much of my own frantic drives on the highway in anticipation of seeing a loved one, or the heartbreaking piano score that picks up its pace as Shu ponders the lamentable fate the little girl is about to enter in "A Time for Freedom," which can be heard on the trailer for the film on youtube by the way, this film immerses and tugs at you surreptitiously and from all directions.
The more I watch the film, the more I struggle to find Hou's message for this film. Is he trying to say that love is eternal, unapologetic and transcends time or that it is cruel, ever-changing and subject to interpretation? This film merits repeated viewing. Give it a chance, and another one, perhaps a third, and decide for yourself. Dare I say it, you don't have to be a fan of Hou's aestheticism and narrative style to enjoy this film.
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unexpected
Added 8/17/2008
I got this film out of curiosity of good, non commercial Chinese cinema, but it was note quite my cup of tea; it moves extremely slowly, so the plot takes ages to be told. The second story is set in early 1900's and the texts are given as in the earliest movies, by writing them in a cardboard, so the movie is mute and only music is heard. My first attempt to watch this movie a Saturday night was unsuccessful as just starting the second story an extreme sleepiness took over. You must be in an extraordinarily artistic mood, or on high grade weed to really mind-climax over this film.
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Three Times - Another Gem From Hou Hsiao-hsien
Added 8/12/2008
Three Times is not a conventional movie, and I can understand how the slow pacing might alienate some viewers. Art is always subject to interpretation. For those who enjoy films that provoke ideas, introspection and philosophical debate, this is one such film.
Shu Qi and Chang Cheng are the lovers in acclaimed filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien's latest work. The film is almost like a non-sci-fi version of The Fountain set instead in three different eras in Taiwan. The actors play three sets of lovers in different historical settings, including 1966, 1911, and 2005. While "The Fountain" had eerie implications of reincarnation and a science fiction element, this film is instead a commentary on the universality of love.
In each of the historical periods, we see a very different kind of courtship where physical interaction is very limited. Yet in the modern era, it is possibly true intimacy that eludes them despite their easy access to physical satisfaction. While I will spare you the plot synopsis, watch carefully and draw your own conclusions.
The acting in this film is very subtle and stylized. The storyline is also developed slowly in each of the scenes. This allows us to really reflect on the historical context of each vignette, but it also makes this an impractical movie for the impatient and those looking for the simple pleasure of a movie instead of homework.
The real emphasis here is on the framing of the actors in idealized scenes. In that sense, the director uses all of his skills to strip away as much of the characters so that what we see most is their romantic interaction. These scenes approach photographs and the effect was intentional.
Conclusion
While I do believe this film is beautiful and well made, this is definitely a niche movie that is not for all audiences. I highly recommend this movie to students of Chinese culture and history as well as lovers of independent film.
If you are looking for a movie to be enjoyed at face value, look elsewhere as this may move too slowly for you. If you are willing to dig a little deeper, there is a lot of thought provoking material here. Give it a try.
Enjoy!
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