#30: Chungking Express (1994)

As it turns out, this week’s pick is not a hardboiled modern noir set on a train, as Ashley expected. Instead Dave’s pick, Wong Kar-wai’s CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994), features the stories of two lovelorn policemen as they try to move on from their past relationships. Equal parts sweet and quirky with a good mix of interesting camera work, a pretty killer soundtrack, and thirty cans of pineapple, CHUNGKING EXPRESS is miles away from Ashley’s expectations, and has her wanting to see more of Wong’s films. Dave is particularly taken with pixieish heroine Faye from the second story who recalls new wave and neo-realist heroines Patricia (Jean Seberg) and Cabiria (Giulietta Masina). Both Dave and Ashley found this film to be a delight, and there is even a femme fatale for those of you that need a little noir with your whimsy.

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#29: Parenthood (1989)

This week Ashley’s pick is Ron Howard’s 1989 ensemble comedy/drama PARENTHOOD. Supported by some fine performances by the likes of Dianne Wiest, Steve Martin, and even Keanu Reeves, this film does a pretty good job of representing the ups and downs of parenthood from the viewpoint of a large, multigenerational family. Ashley is pleasantly surprised that this childhood favorite seems to stand the test of time with a few notable exceptions. And Dave is ultimately charmed despite some initial misgivings about content and a Randy Newman song with lyrics that are perhaps a tad precious.

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#28: Notorious (1946) – Hitchcock

A US government agent (Cary Grant), the daughter of a convicted spy (Ingrid Bergman), and a scheming Nazi in Brazil (Claude Rains). Add a whole lot of repressed emotions and you have the makings of this love-triangle thriller, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1946 masterpiece NOTORIOUS. Ingrid Bergman is luminous as Alicia, a patriot who risks everything for love and country. Cary Grant as Dev is…..kind of a dick, though a charming one. This is a top ten film for Dave, one of those seminal films that reveals the storytelling power of cinema. Can Ashley get past her unease watching a man throw away happiness with both hands to appreciate this Hitchcock classic? As Dev puts it, “A man doesn’t tell a woman what to do. She tells herself.”

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