Millennium Mambo
*“Hao-hao was just like a snowman. He would vanish as soon as the sun came up.”
*
I really need to invest in a Criterion subscription. It took me an hour of scavenging on the internet to find this movie with working subtitles and quality above 360p lol.
Despite that, this was quite possibly the best film I could’ve watched for Valentine’s Day. Millennium Mambo is the perfect mix of exhilaration and melancholy. It takes the vibrant nightlife of Taipei and mixes it with the depressing atmosphere of Vicky and her boyfriend, Hao-hao. Narrated by Vicky herself, the film follows a non-linear story told in retrospect. Eventually, Vicky ends up leaving the toxic relationship she had with Hao in exchange for a genuine relationship with Jack. It’s really easy to dislike Hao-hao. He’s manipulative, narcissistic, and somewhat abusive. He often lashes out at Vicky, even going as far as to get physical with her. The scenes between the couple feel grounded. Fleshed out. As if we as the viewer are taking a deeply personal look down upon the life of Vicky. On the topic of the scenery of Millennium Mambo, what I like most about this film are the long, often drawn out scenes between Hao and Vicky. It shows how their relationship is slowly deteriorating by the second and I absolutely loved that aspect. It reminds me of In the Mood for Love in some way. Director Hou Hsiao-Hsien can definitely direct a picture. I’m looking forward to watching his other projects.
Overall, Millennium Mambo is the perfect film if you need a refreshing and unique take on the Romance genre. I think this film really was great and even better than Ritual was.