The Follow

This episode of the series is the most 'filmish' of all. What I mean is that the action concentrates not around the driving itself, but about the plot, the idea - and driving is only entwined with the action, but doesn't guide it.

The driving during all the episode resembles a dance - they two are moving tenderly, closely, yet intently. Storytelling is non-linear, but this dance runs through all the episode. At the same time the details, which are highlighted now and then, make all the plot somehow intimate. And the music matches the mood appallingly.

If other episodes could be associated with a comedy, a thriller or an action movie, this one is sure to be a melodrama: it's very romantic.

Well, you'd better see it - I doubt you'll regret you did.

Hong Kong acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai ("In the Mood for Love", "Happy Together", "Fallen Angels", "Chungking Express") directed this short film about for German car manufacturer BMW (bmwfilms.com). Clive Owen plays a detective on an assignment to follow an actress. Instead of hard-selling the BMWs which we might expect Wong portrays the psyche of the detective in the form of monologue.

This short film is breathtakingly gorgeous (especially the first minute or so). Wong chose to mute the sound of the car and superimpose Silvio Rodriguez's Unicornio, which I think is beautifully done.

WKW has done it again. Definitely check it out if you like to look at beautiful things.

Visually this is a beautiful short. It has some amazing cinematography by Harris Savides who also made moody movies like "The Game", "Finding Forrester" and "Birth". The fine directing is from Kar Wai Wong, who makes this short a little piece of art.

The story is also what helps to make this movie beautiful. Although its short it still manages to create depth and stir up the right emotions. This is the second and so far last "The Hire" short written by expert Andrew Kevin Walker. If you only like and expecting a cool car chase than you're better of watching another "The Hire" short and you can just better skip this one.

The good mood music is from Joel Goodman and Jeff Rona.

Famous stars in this are Mickey Rourke and Forest Whitaker in an uncredited but big role.

The third "The Hire" movie is just simply beautiful!

9/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

I just watched the first four in the series of "BMW Films", and this is by far the best. I was more familiar with the other three directors (the great Ang Lee, the very good Guy Ritchie, and the stunningly adequate John Frankenheimer), but after seeing "The Follow" (and reading someone compare Kar-Wai's "In the Mood for Love" with Soderbergh's "The Limey") I feel a strong need to search out more of this director's work.

"The Follow" avoids the "five minutes worth of car chase" formula employed by the other BMW films, instead reaching for a more haunting, psychological examination of obsession and the loss of love. Clive Owens is given more to work with here than in any of the other films, and he comes through like a champ, delivering a lyrical, understated narration that the film would fall apart without. Mickey Rourke is solid, but his role goes by so fast that he doesn't get a chance to do much. Forest Whitaker is better, though for some reason uncredited. If you get a chance to watch this movie, by all means do it. Among the top five short films I've seen. Now I need to go see if I can find a copy of "Chungking Express" to rent.

This short with the possible exception of Inarritu's Powder Keg is the best from the BMW series. This one is a typical film you might expect from Wong Kar Wai (very dark and film noirish). It should not be missed by any of his fans.