Three Times (最好的時光) (2005)

Three Times is a triptych, three separate stories on the related topic of love featuring the same two actors at three periods of Taiwanese history: A Time for Love (1966), A Time for Freedom (1911), and A Time for Youth (2005). The line between beautiful and boring is blurry. A Time for Love is literal perfection, 5 stars. A Time for Freedom is also very good, 4 stars. But the last third, A Time for Youth, is nearly unwatchable and really dragged it down for me. I'm afraid there's something I'm missing. I just did not understand the last one. There are not many words said. Not much needs to be said. Love is communicated in looks and The Platters over billiards (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes is such a cinematic song, used in 45 Years too).And if you think there was little dialogue in the first third, just wait till the second third, entirely silent, but with notably more dialogue in intertitles. And the accompanying piano music is extraordinary. I can't find sheet music online though. I get echoes of Wong Kar Wai's trilogy of love stories told through Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung--maybe because they're Chinese but I like to think it's the evocative visual poetry of Mark Lee Ping-bing. Hou Hsiao Hsien's camera placement is so careful. It moves very little because he's already found the perfect spot. He is undoubtedly slow and that's not bad...but slow does not even begin to describe A Time for Youth. He does period pieces better than contemporary ones.

The Assassin (2015)

This might have the least action of any martial arts film ever. The fight scenes are few, and quite short. I think you need to know what you're walking into, because if you're expecting an adrenaline-filled violent movie (it is bloodless), you're not going to get it here--but that doesn't detract from the artistry of Hou Hsiao-Hsien. The film opens with three black-and-white vignettes, beautifully paced, introducing us to Yinniang. It only gets slower from there. It's a slow burn. You are given time to appreciate the scenery, the absolutely stunning camerawork by Mark Lee Ping-Bin. Every frame is so carefully crafted. There are often frames within frames, obstructed views. The action often takes place in the background, with a veil over the foreground. The camera is very still, it lingers for longer than it has to. But each shot is composed to leave room in the background for ongoing movement in the scene. I admit I did not follow the story. I got it all in the first half, but then it started to lose me. But frankly, it doesn't really matter. You get the major plot points, but it's not about plot, and it's not about action. So what is it about? It's about conveying mood and beauty through visuals, and in that it succeeds. 

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

This Chinese classic is one of the best martial arts films I have ever seen.  The choreography is complex, fast-paced and mesmerizing. Action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping is returning to direct the sequel.  It is very impressive that these actors do their own fighting sequences.  Attached to invisible strings, the actors fly through the air in fantastical chase sequences.  Consider this film an introduction for the western world to the Chinese wuxia genre, which follows the adventures of heroic martial artists in ancient China. And a good one at that, mostly free from the cheesiness that westerners might perceive from Asian films. As an introduction to China, the film does an unusual tour of the vast country, from the well-known regal courtyards of Beijing to the lesser-known barren deserts of China's western region, to the majestic temples of the mountains straight from a painting.

The story is not particularly unique, but it is engaging and under Ang Lee's direction, the story is told beautifully.  Lee creates a grand fantastical world full of wonder, supported by very likable characters in Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh.  Tan Dun takes traditional Chinese sound and gives it searing melodies and a driving force in Yo-Yo Ma's beautiful cello solos.  Altogether, Lee strikes a perfect balance between action, emotion, beauty and substance.