In The Mood For Love Wong Kar-wai -

And the cheongsam . Maggie Cheung wears over twenty different dresses. Each one is a kind of armor. When her husband leaves her, she wears red. When she cries alone, she wears blue. When she almost touches Mr. Chow’s hand, the pattern is a floral explosion of desire. The dress holds her body in a vise—just as propriety holds her heart.

It is the question every first-time viewer screams at the screen. They are both victims. They are beautiful. They have chemistry so electric it hums in the static of a 1960s radio. in the mood for love wong kar-wai

★★★★★ Where to stream: Criterion Channel, Max, and rental platforms. Best paired with: A bowl of room-temperature noodles. A feeling you can’t shake. And the cheongsam