Welcome to The Best Movies I’ve Never Seen! This is the part of the blog where I work my way through 100 films I’ve never seen that are generally considered to be great. You’re invited to watch along with me if you can find a copy or find it streaming. So grab some popcorn and let’s get started!

In the Mood for Love

2000

Directed by Wong Kar Wai

Quick synopsis… A newspaper editor moves into a building with his wife. As do a secretary and her executive husband. With their spouses away, they spend time together as friends, until they realize their spouses are having an affair and do the same.

• Obviously, this movie is not about a scoreless tennis match, as I predicted last week.
• Based on that synopsis, it reminds me a bit of Random Hearts, a movie starring Harrison Ford that was released the year before this one.
• In that, Ford stars with Kristen Scott Thomas as two strangers whose spouses are killed in the same plan crash.
• If memory serves, as these strangers dig into the reason their spouses were on the same plane, it turns out they were having an affair with one another.
• Eventually, they fall for each other… at least I think that’s how it went.
• I’m pretty sure that’s one I saw in the theater and never saw again.
• I’ve never been a fan of films where the plot revolves around unfaithful marriages.
• As far as I can tell, these two movies have nothing to do with each other.
• And since I don’t understand Chinese, I really need to pay attention so I can catch the subtitles.
• And the subtitles are fast… gotta be a speed reader…
• To be honest, this one isn’t doing a lot for me.
• I’m having a difficult time fully following the plot, and I don’t think it’s just the language barrier.
• Though, like I said, I have a hard time connecting with films that revolve around adultery.
• I should point out, though, from what I can tell, the two main characters never physically act on the feelings they develop for one another.
• But an emotional affair is still an affair… and, in my opinion, can likely be just as damaging as a physical one.
• I am curious, though, as In the Mood for Love serves as the second part in a loose trilogy of films.
• Not sure if I’ll ever follow through on that curiosity and watch either of the other movies, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
• Having now seen In the Mood for Love, it currently ranks at 1,760 out of 2,240 movies on my personal Flickchart list.

Have you ever seen In the Mood for Love? If so, what did you think of it? If you’re interested in seeing it, you can find it on HBO Max as part of the Criterion Collection. Next week’s movie I’ve never seen is Portrait of a Lady on Fire, so be sure to come back for that one.