i absolutely loved the first shot in the film and loved all the subway and desert shots. i enjoyed most performances, david straithairn, jude law (who is still charming) and chan marshall (who looked gorgeous!), but i thought natalie portman was the real bright spot of the film (though her hair was terrifyingly distracting). norah jones on the other hand was incredibly awkward, i would have perferred a smiling, but mute carboard cutout to her strange acting. also, while i enjoy cat power's music i didn't think it- or any of the music used for that matter fit well. overall, it is a good movie, but i defnitely wouldn't recommend this as a starting point for those interested in wong kar-wai films; to weigh this against his previous works would be folly.

i love classic crime thrillers- the use of music, the car chase and of course steve mcqueen (a nod to toschi).

i didn't like the english dubbing at all, definitely stick to the original japanese track, but this is a really fun watch and at times quite hilarious (especially the son: "what can i say, they like dessert!")