2046
✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
Hong Kong, China, France · 2004
Rated R · 2h 8m
Director Wong Kar-wai
Starring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Gong Li, Faye Wong, Takuya Kimura
Genre Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Add to Watchlist
Please login to add films to your watchlist.
Chow is a science fiction writer still reeling from the loss of a past lover. Drawing inspiration from his passionate affairs with four different women, he conceives of the plot for his next novel about an express train to the year 2046, where its passengers can recapture their lost memories — at a cost.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The fascinating visuals and performances by Leung and the assortment of actresses like Gong, Zhang Ziyi and Maggie Cheung ensure that the film is still worth watching.
In this gorgeously melancholic fresco of love affairs, Tony Leung Chiu Wai plays a womanizing pulp-fiction writer in '60s Hong Kong.
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
Filmed to perfection by the great Christopher Doyle and others.
The overall effect simply underlines the central weakness of the pic: that the neo-kitschy futuristic scenes don't add much to the real-life '60s relationships.
Just as memorable and emotionally intense as any of Wong's films. It's a mood as much as a movie.
The Hollywood Reporter by Kirk Honeycutt
Even the art house crowd will find the film off-putting not only because of its vagueness but because of its thoroughly unlikable characters.
Entertainment Weekly by Lisa Schwarzbaum
There are many places a visitor may go astray in 2046 -- places where the filmmaker appears to be a bit at loose ends too. Still, Wong's invitation -- ''Let's get lost'' -- is irresistible.
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
Mood is everything, trumped up by a score so rich with pop songs, bossa nova drama, and symphonic mournfulness it's almost a movie on its own. 2046 may be a Chinese box of style geysers and earnest meta-irony, but that should not suggest there aren't bleeding humans at the center of it.
Even if a Chinese movie doesn't sound like your idea of summer fun, give 2046 a chance. Its pearly artistry and gorgeous faces should put you quickly, deeply, in the mood for love.
The result is a film chilly and externalized in all the ways that Mood was bottled up and woozily dreamlike.
Users who liked this film also liked
Three Colors: Red
(Trois couleurs : Rouge)
Valentine is outraged that an ex-judge in her neighborhood taps phone calls, but their debates lead to a strange bond.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France, Poland • 1994
- Director Krzysztof Kieślowski
- Cast Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Frédérique Feder, Samuel Le Bihan, Marion Stalens
- Genre Drama, Mystery, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Antoine and Colette
(Antoine et Colette)
Will Colette ultimately fall for Antoine's romanticism?
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1962
- Director François Truffaut
- Cast Jean-Pierre Léaud, Marie-France Pisier, Rosy Varte, François Darbon, Patrick Auffay, Jean-François Adam
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel
In the Mood for Love
(花樣年華)
Longing and loneliness collide in this understated romance.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong, China • 2000
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung, Rebecca Pan, Kelly Lai Chen, Siu Ping-Lam, Mama Hung
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube
Crash
Love in the dying moments of the twentieth century.
- ✭ ✭
- Canada, United Kingdom • 1996
- Director David Cronenberg
- Cast James Spader, Deborah Kara Unger, Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas, Rosanna Arquette, Peter MacNeill
- Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on No streaming locations found.
3-Iron
(빈집)
A young man rides around Seoul entering empty apartments, eating residents' food, and completing housework before he leaves.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea, Japan • 2004
- Director Kim Ki-duk
- Cast Lee Seung-yeon, Jae Hee, Kwon Hyuk-ho, Choi Jeong-ho, Lee Mi-suk, Lee Ju-seok
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance
- Available on DIRECTV, Microsoft Store, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Vudu, Tubi TV, YouTube, Apple TV
Y Tu Mamá También
(Y tu mamá también)
Two teenage boys and an older woman embark on a road trip and learn about life — and each other.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Mexico • 2001
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho, Verónica Langer, María Aura
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, DIRECTV, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
My Blueberry Nights
Waitressing across the country after a nasty breakup, Elizabeth crosses paths with a series of lost souls.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, France, United States • 2007
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz, Natalie Portman, Cat Power
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Freevee, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Kanopy, Tubi TV, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
(복수는 나의 것)
Blood must be shed after a kidnapping goes wrong.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2002
- Director Park Chan-wook
- Cast Song Kang-ho, Shin Ha-kyun, Bae Doo-na, Im Ji-eun, Han Bo-bae, Lee Dae-yeon
- Genre Action, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Metrograph, Vudu, Kino Now, Alamo on Demand, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player
Raise the Red Lantern
(大红灯笼高高挂)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, Hong Kong • 1991
- Director Zhang Yimou
- Cast Gong Li, Ma Jing-Wu, He Saifei, Cao Cuifen, Kong Lin, Jin Shu-Yuan
- Genre Drama
- Available on Plex, Plex Player
Farewell My Concubine
(霸王别姬)
When one member of an acting duo gets married their explosive breakup and tragic fall begin to take root.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, Hong Kong • 1993
- Director Chen Kaige
- Cast Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li, Jiang Wenli, Ge You, Lu Qi
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Chungking Express
(重慶森林)
Two tales of love and loss told in sequence.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong • 1994
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Valerie Chow, Piggy Chan
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube
Fallen Angels
(墮落天使)
In this bifurcated crime narrative, a disillusioned hitman attempts to escape from his violent lifestyle against the wishes of his partner.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong • 1995
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Yeung, Karen Mok, Chan Man-Lei
- Genre Drama, Action, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Video
Red Cliff
(赤壁)
The warring kingdoms will decide the future.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- China, Hong Kong, Japan • 2008
- Director John Woo
- Cast Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Wei, Hu Jun
- Genre Action, Adventure, Drama, War
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hoopla, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Redbox, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Plex, Plex Player
Days of Being Wild
(阿飛正傳)
A young heartbreaker struggles with commitment while searching for his biological mother's identity.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong • 1990
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Andy Lau, Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Carina Lau
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max
Happy Together
(春光乍洩)
A couple take a trip to Argentina in search of a new beginning, but instead find themselves drifting ever further apart.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong, Japan, Korea • 1997
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Leslie Cheung, Chang Chen, Gregory Dayton, Yee-Gan Chan
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Rakuten Viki, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Video
As Tears Go By
(旺角卡門)
Falling for his cousin, a mobster is compelled to start a new life, but that means leaving his partner in crime for good.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong • 1988
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung, Alex Man, Ronald Wong Ban, Wong Aau
- Genre Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max
Ashes of Time
(東邪西毒)
The story of Ouyang Feng and how he became the notorious Western Venom
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong, Taiwan • 1994
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Brigitte Lin, Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Carina Lau
- Genre Action, Drama
- Available on DIRECTV
The Grandmaster
(一代宗師)
Once upon a time in kung fu...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Hong Kong, China • 2013
- Director Wong Kar-wai
- Cast Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Song Hye-kyo, Zhao Benshan, Xiao Shenyang
- Genre Action, Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, AMC on Demand, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free
Cities of Last Things
(幸福城市)
A story about the life and death of a bitter Taiwanese cop — told backward.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Taiwan, China, France • 2018
- Director Wi Ding Ho
- Cast Lee Hong Chi, Jack Kao, Louise Grinberg, Ding Ning, Huang Lu, Linda Liu
- Genre Crime, Drama, Science Fiction
- Available on Netflix basic with Ads, Netflix