In today's world flooded by so many bad or mediocre Hong Kong comedies, it's good to know that I can pull out my DVD copy of "Chungking Express." "Chungking Express" is a film that, at least in my case, leaves me with a good feeling after every viewing. I've seen the film many times, from an old VHS copy to my current DVD version. I can't say that for too many films.

Having reached a roadblock while working on "Ashes of Time," Wong took a hiatus from "Ashes…" to make "Chungking Express." He slapped it together quickly, and the spontaneity shows. The trademark Wong Kar Wai elements are there as well, from love and isolation to relationships and alienation. The pairing of Brigitte Lin and Takeshi Kaneshiro, followed by Faye Wong and Tony Leung, is delicious. It took me a couple of viewings before I started to notice how intertwined the two stories are, and how the lives of Lin and Kaneshiro overlap that of Wong and Leung.

I wholeheartedly recommend "Chungking Express" for its quirky storytelling that is embodied by each and every member of the cast. I can see how some may find Faye Wong to be annoying, but I found Faye Wong to be the surprise performance of the film. Valerie Chow looked quite stunning as Tony's stewardess/girlfriend, while Brigitte's blond-wigged role has been parodied so many times in Hong Kong cinema that it has become very iconic. While the performances were uniformly well done, the music enhanced much of what Wong did to fill the screen, from Dennis Brown to the Mommas and the Pappas to Faye's own unique take on the Cranberries. "Chungking Express" is Wong Kar Wai's film for the ages. It has a timelessness that you can't put your finger on, but it's there nonetheless. As much as I have enjoyed other Wong Kar Wai movies, I always seem to come back to "Chungking Express." It's an uplifting film like no other.