#Wong Kar-wait | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

divine-donna · 1 year

Text

in the mood for love

pairing: aemond targaryen x gender neutral! reader

word count: 3,866 words

ao3 link: 💘💘💘

summary: you learn that your husband has been having an affair with the wife of your neighbor. so the two of you find comfort within each other.

for vibes: yumeji’s theme from in the mood for love

warning(s): affairs, infidelity, cheating, drinking, smoking (cigarettes)

notes: this takes place in a modern au (somewhat). aemond has a prosthetic eye. based on wong kar-wai’s film, in the mood for love (2000) which stars the beautiful maggie cheung and handsome tony leung. anyways happy valentine’s day!

“Be careful! Be careful! That was my mother’s!” You exclaim, watching the movers carry the couch up the stairs. A small sigh of relief leaves you when they manage to get through the door. You follow after them, entering the place. A new place, a change of scenery. It would be good for you and your husband. You were starting to get a bit stir crazy back in your old home as a house spouse. You left your career for him, gave up a lot for him. It’s upsetting that he was on a business trip, but it wasn’t like you couldn’t handle yourself. You were perfectly capable.

You leave the apartment for a second, almost running into a man. “Oh. I’m so sorry. Excuse me.” You say, but you don’t move upon seeing other people carrying boxes up.

“My apologies. I’m moving in today.” He says.

You take in his appearance: silver hair, light eyes, lips that curl delicately, a gorgeous nose. You also notice how one of his eyes is entirely blue. “You are? What a coincidence. Me too.” You smile.

“Well, me and my wife. If she was here. But she is on a girls’ trip.” The handsome man leans against the wall, watching the people take his boxes inside.

“I guess since you are moving into this apartment, then we are neighbors.” You fiddle with your fingers. “I’m (Y/N).”

“Aemond. Aemond Targaryen.”

You set your pen down and remove your glasses from your face. Your eyes were beginning to be strained and it was an indicator that you should stop working on the letter in front of you. A state of purpose was so…annoying. You were thinking about going back to school to get a PhD. But you forgot how frustrating it was to write a statement of purpose. Setting your glasses down, you grab your things and leave the apartment. There were a lot of local food spots where you were, so you had trouble picking one. But eventually, you settled on what looked like a decent Mediterranean spot. Walking in, you take a look at the menu and order your food to go. As you are waiting, however, the door opens and the bell rings. “It is quite late to eat.”

You turn your head. “I was…busy. Time flew by. It happens when we move.” You smile.

“You are not wrong. I even forgot to eat lunch. And dinner.” Aemond looks at his watch. “Though I guess this can count as my dinner.”

“It is quite late.” You brighten up when the hostess returns with your food and hands you the bag. “Thank you so much.”

“Are you not staying here to eat?”

“I…I prefer the home, is all.” You brush past him and he watches you leave the restaurant.

You turn your head. “I was…busy. Time flew by. It happens when we move.” You smile.

“You are not wrong. I even forgot to eat lunch. And dinner.” Aemond looks at his watch. “Though I guess this can count as my dinner.”

“It is quite late.” You brighten up when the hostess returns with your food and hands you the bag. “Thank you so much.”

“Are you not staying here to eat?”

“I…I prefer the home, is all.” You brush past him and he watches you leave the restaurant.

The phone rings and you pick it up. “Hello?” You ask. You were expecting an interview today, but your heart fell slightly upon hearing the familiar voice of your husband.

“Darling?”

“Dear husband.” You say.

“You sound disappointed.”

“I was expecting something else today, is all. It must be serious since you’re calling me, instead of texting me.” You spin around in your chair, adjusting your glasses. “Although, let me guess: your boss extended your business trip. So you will be away for a few days?”

“How did you know?”

“It’s routine, at this point.” You hang up, setting your phone down. A disappointed sigh leaves your lips and you get out of your chair, heading immediately to the fridge. You pulled out a glass of non-alcoholic wine. You didn’t really like drinking but the sensation was somewhat fulfilled with non-alcoholic drinks. You also open your cabinet to grab a wine glass and open a drawer at your desk to take out a pack of herbal cigarettes and your lighter. No nicotine and flavored. This one was your favorite. You open the wine and pour yourself a glass before opening the window and sitting on a stool by it. Your fingers work to open the box and place a cigarette in your mouth, before flicking with the lighter and lighting said cigarette. You had already moved your ashtray to the window sill, considering how many times you have smoked in the past few days. Your husband promised to come home earlier. Alas, you knew better than to trust him. You take a long drag before letting it out slowly. “He’s such an asshole.”

In the apartment next to you, the man gets a call. “Hello?” He asks as he messes with the cuffs of his button down. He perks up upon hearing the voice of his wife.

“Why so formal Mondy?”

“I told you not to call me that.” Aemond frowns. “Anyways, do you need something? Did someone get hurt?”

“No one got hurt. Aside from Tesha. She got too drunk last night and is severely hungover.”

“Makes sure she eats something bland and hydrates.”

“I know, I know.”

“Is that all? I have to get to work.”

“I’m calling to let you know that the girls want to extend the trip. So we will be here a few more days.”

“Oh.” He says. “Well, have—” He’s interrupted by his wife ending the call. “Fun.”

You walk out of the convenience store, carrying a brown bag. You finished your non-alcoholic wine and wanted something alcoholic, so you bought yourself a bottle of red. When you approach the door to your complex, you see a man smoking outside. “Rough day?”

He looks at you, his blue eye glinting under the lamplight. “You could say that.” He tosses the butt of his cigarette into a nearby trash can.

“Have you eaten?”

“I have. I did not forget. Have you eaten?”

“I have. I also did not forget.” You observe his body language and notice how tense he was. You pull the bottle out of the bag slightly to show him. “Bought a new bottle. Want to open it with me?”

Aemond smiles. “It would be nice, yes.”

He follows you up to your apartment and you pull out your keys to unlock your door. You slide your shoes off and set them aside. He follows suit and watches as you take the bottle out of the brown bag and set it on your counter. You open your cabinet, pulling out two wine glasses, and a bottle opener. It was not your first time opening a corked bottle of wine but it did take a bit of strength on your part. That pop though was very satisfying. You pour the wine and walk over to your window sill, setting the glasses down on the ledge, opening said window, and dragging another stool over. Your neighbor joins you and you pull out a box of your herbals from your desk drawer. You sit down and open the box, pointing it towards him. “They’re better for you.” You say.

Aemond takes over and you feel his fingers brush against your own. It sends a small jolt throughout your body. A good kind of jolt. “Herbal?” He asks.

“Yes. This flavor is honey.” You pull one out.

He takes his lighter out of his pocket and lights his cigarette before presenting the flame to you. You light your own and take a long drag. The two of you let out smoke and bump the cigarette against the edge of the ashtray. You pick up your glass and take a sip. “How is it?”

“Sweet. Although I prefer a Sangria.”

“Sangrias are good.” He picks up his glass and gently swirls the liquid around. He lets the scent of the wine waft to him. He takes note of the small decorations around the apartment and how clean it was. “Were you expecting someone?”

“My husband.” You take another drag of your herbal. “He said his boss was extending his business trip. Nothing new.”

“Guess we are in the same boat.” He takes a long sip of the wine.

“Your wife?”

“Her girls’ trip is being extended. I want her to get out of the house anyways. She’s been spending a lot of time at her office recently, doing overtime, being stressed. Although, most nights, I am already asleep when she comes home. And she is asleep when I wake up. I try not to disturb her.”

“You are a good husband.”

“One can hope and try.”

The two of you sit in silence as you smoke your cigarettes and drink your glasses of sweet wine. You take in his presence and take note of how put together he looked. Or how much he was trying. His shirt was a little bit wrinkled and the top buttons were unbuttoned. His tie was loose and his cuffs were unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. You noticed a small stain on his pants despite the fact that his pants were dark. You both sit there for what feels like hours, having gone through many cigarettes and glasses of wine. Eventually, he puts out his last cigarette, drinks the last bit of his wine, and stands up. You know what he was going to do. So you follow him to your door where he puts his shoes back on and you open the door. “Do you want me to take care of that?” You ask.

“Take care of what?” Aemond tilts his head to the side.

“That stain on your pants.”

“Oh. This!” He smiles. “It’s nothing. I can take care of it. But it is very sweet of you.”

“Okay.” You watch him take a step out of your apartment. He looks at you with a gentle gaze and it makes your heart pound against your chest. You haven’t seen that kind of gaze in a long time. Your husband never really looked at you in that way.

“Let’s…do this again sometime.” He says.

“Let’s.” You close the door and lock it before turning around to lean your back against it. Your hand went up to grip at the fabric of your clothes, above your heart, as it pounded away at your ribcage.

Outside of your apartment, Aemond stood there for a good minute or so, looking at the door and the metal numbers. He could not stop thinking about the peace he felt when he was with you. He shakes his head before pulling his keys out.

“A pearl necklace?”

“Yes. A pearl necklace.”

“...I will ask my husband. Maybe he bought it. But thank you.”

“Of course.” You hang up and let out a sigh. You turn your tablet on and enter the passcode, before finding the banking app and entering your information. You just wanted to see what it would say on your statement. The necklace wasn’t too expensive but you didn’t really like pearls. They were not your favorite thing to wear. You found the charge and the name before typing it in your computer. You came across different variations of the design, but for the most part, they had a similar pendant attached to it. Not overly expensive but it would still be considered a nice gift. Your mind was poking you, poking you with the fact that this could mean a lot of things. But there was an obvious one. You didn’t want to think about that. Thankfully, a knock at your door distracts you. You stand from your desk and open the door.

“Have you eaten?” Aemond asks.

“No, I have not. It seems I have forgotten.”

He holds up a bag. “I bought you food.”

“How did you know I forgot to eat?”

“Instinct. Can I come in?”

“Of course.” You step aside to let him in and he removes his shoes. “Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. I thought it may be less lonely if we ate together.”

“You would be correct. Shall we drink?”

“I will take water instead.”

You pour two glasses of water as he sets the food on the island and begins unpacking the food. He pushes a container towards you. “Got you your usual.”

“How did you know?”

“I noticed your receipts.”

“You are certainly observant.” You sit next to him as he gives you some plastic cutlery and napkins.

The two of you begin to eat, enjoying each other’s presence. It was hard to admit, but your husband not being with you made the apartment feel empty. You were getting lonely. So the presence of your neighbor made things feel a little bit more cozy. And perhaps he was feeling the same way because he kept returning to you, spending time with you. The both of you spent a lot of time smoking at the windowsill while drinking (wine, water, general alcohol. Whatever struck the fancy of the two of you). You contemplated life with him and talked about your days. He was very encouraging of your academic pursuit and took interest in your life and routine. You felt bad for talking so much while he listened but he always reassured you with a smile.

“Have you talked to your husband today?” Aemond asks.

“No. Instead, I got a call from the bank about my card about a charge for a pearl necklace.” You picked at your food. “Have you talked to your wife today?”

“I have, actually. She texted me to show me a necklace her friend got her.” He pulls out his phone. You notice that it’s a much older model. He shows you a picture and your heart sinks slightly upon seeing the necklace. He notices the change in your face. “Something on your mind?”

“That necklace…It’s a Valyrian Pearl Necklace with an engraved, porcelain pendant.”

“It is.”

“The charge on my card was for that.”

Aemond frowns upon hearing that. He notices the look on your face and it is as if he feels what is in your heart. “Where is your husband? For his business trip?” He asks after a moment of silence.

“He is in Milan. And your wife? For her girls’ trip?”

“...Milan.”

You look into his eyes and he looks into yours. The both of you say nothing as the reality dawns upon the both of you.

The two of you walk down the street and he opens the door for you, letting you in first. You ask for a seat for two people and sit down across from each other. It was a nice Italian restaurant and you take a look at the menu. The two of you sit and contemplate for a bit before ordering. Aemond orders two glasses of white wine for the two of you. You don’t talk much, just sit in each other’s presence. His hand twitches, tempted to touch yours. But if he did, other people may get different ideas. The food comes and the two of you begin eating. You look at his plate. “My husband does not eat much pasta. He watches his carbs.” You take a sip of your wine.

He looks at your plate. “My wife hates chicken. She thinks it makes her bloated. Her food is also less spicy.”

You look up at him and your lips curl into a small smile. He smiles in return and the two of you continue eating.

You pick at your food, staring at it with a longing look. “Do you have a mistress?” You ask. You don’t bother to look up and face the man sitting across from you. He doesn’t answer. “Do you have a mistress?”

Aemond swallows his food before speaking. “Yes.” You hit him in the arm lightly and he looks surprised. “What was that for?”

“My husband would not admit it so easily.” You scoff, taking a bite of your food. You let out a sigh. “I would think most husbands would not admit it so easily.”

“Maybe he feels guilty.”

“He does not feel guilty.” You sigh. “I would hope your wife feels guilty.”

“Maybe she does, maybe she doesn’t.” He takes a sip of his drink. He sets the container of food down and moves closer to you. You don’t know how to react, but you don’t mind. The two of you have grown considerably closer since you sat in your kitchen, thinking about how it was your spouses having an affair with each other. Certainly a strange turn of events. How many people would expect something like this to happen? When you turn to look at him, he is close. You like how close he is. You like your neighbor. He was a good husband. He was attentive, kind, helpful, encouraging. Everything your husband was not. He leans closer slightly and you pull yourself back.

“We cannot become them.” You whisper.

He purses his lips then nods. “We will not be them.”

You never really liked the rain. Or at least being outside. You liked being holed up in a car or in your home while it rained. Rain was nice as long as you were dry. But you were caught outside, having taken refuge under an awning to prevent yourself from being soaked to the bone. It rained down upon you hard, as if the skies were weeping for your predicament. You were cold, wrapping your arms around your body in an attempt to preserve your body heat. It seemed you would be stranded here for a bit. You were hoping you could wait out the storm, wait out the rain. But it didn’t let up, only rain harder. You turn your head upon hearing footsteps and see your savior emerge under the yellow lamp light. He holds an umbrella and he’s looking forward, looking away from you. But he turns his head and your body shivers, his gaze meeting yours. He walks over towards you, keeping the umbrella above him even under the awning. The umbrella even covers you. “Have you eaten?” Aemond asks.

“No. I forgot.” You say. “I was on my way to get myself something to eat actually.”

“What is stopping you?”

“I don’t like the rain.”

“It is when the sky weeps.” He scans your state. “Did you not bring an umbrella or a coat?”

“I do not look at the weather.”

“You can walk with me.”

His suggestion has you nearly melting. You could feel your heart quicken with anticipation. You shake your head. “People will see.”

“What will they see? A man protecting his neighbor from the rain so they can eat?”

“People talk.”

He lets out a sigh, looking around. It seems it is just the two of you together on this rainy night. He looks back at you. “You can take my umbrella then.”

“Then you will get wet.”

“That is fine with me.”

You look at his outfit. He seemed warm, comfortable. “Okay.”

Aemond gives you his umbrella. His fingers brush against yours and it sends that familiar feeling of electricity through your veins. You shiver but he doesn’t seem to notice. With the umbrella protecting you against the rain, you walk with your neighbor back to your apartment. When you get inside, you close said umbrella and give it back to him. His hair is wet, coat not as much, as is the awkward nature of rain. “Do you want a drink?” You ask.

“Something to warm the body.”

“Cabernet Sauvignon?”

“Cabernet Sauvignon.”

You unlock the door and let him in. He has been in this apartment many times and knows what to do. He removes his shoes and hangs up his coat while you put the wet umbrella in a plastic bag and set it aside. Once your shoes are off, you walk to the kitchen and pull out two glasses and the unopened wine bottle. You don’t really drink alcoholic wine, only when he is with you. And because the two of you spend time together, whether it’s just soaking in each other’s presence, talking briefly to each other, or rehearsing how you will confront your spouses, you drink wine. You’ve started buying it just for Aemond, for when he comes over. You unscrew the bottle, letting the wine breath for the first time, and pour it in the glasses. You observe him as he sits while you pour and watch as he plays with the golden band on his finger. He turns it, rubs it, and he contemplates something before pulling it off and setting it down on the counter.

“Why take it off?” You slide him his glass and set the bottle down.

“It is too heavy to carry.” He picks up the glass and sips the wine.

You look at your own ring and move your fingers. It does feel heavy. Not physically, but when you look at it, your hand is weighed down by the burdens of the ring. It’s almost too heavy for you. You struggled to lift up your ring finger. “You are right.” You take your ring off and set it next to his.

You fiddle with your fingers, looking up at him. The two of you were on your couch, your head on his lap. His eyes are on the television, watching the film. A romantic comedy. Your husband wouldn’t pick a romantic comedy. But he did. He asked you what you liked and you answered with A romantic comedy. He told you I like them too. He seems to notice your gaze, looking down at you. You smile and he smiles back. Looking at his face closer, you see his scar and the discoloration around his eye. You take note of his face, a face you immediately noticed the day the both of you moved in. “Your scar.”

“Normally, I cover it up.” Aemond answers.

“Not today?”

“I had to rush out of the apartment.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“My wife does not think so. She was the one who found a concealer and foundation that matched.”

“Then your wife does not know anything.”

He leans forward a bit towards you, hair brushing against your skin. It makes you shiver and his closeness makes your body hot. You lean towards him and your lips touch his gently. His kiss is gentle, soft, and his hand cups your face. You melt into his touch.

You take a long drag out of your cigarette, eyes glancing at the stack of papers next to you. The big bold letters stare back at you and the words dissolution of marriage stick out. Your husband’s name is on the paper. And your own name? The one asking to seek the dissolution. You contemplate to yourself in the silence, wondering if this was worth it. How much would you make? You haven’t been gone from the job market for that long. But two years was a long time. You take another drag just as a knock rings throughout the apartment. You leave your desk, placing the cigarette between your lips as you open the door. Aemond stands in front of you, scar visible and his blue eye glowing against the yellow light of the hallway. He speaks.

“Have you eaten?”

#happy valentine's day #house of the dragon #hotd #hotd fanfic #hotd fic #aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen x reader #x reader #gender neutral reader #male reader #female reader #slow burn #bittersweet #based on a movie

217 notes · View notes

taehyungfirst · 4 months

Note

who do you want taehyung to collab with both musically and in acting

I LOVE THIS QUESTION STOP

In acting, he needs to get on the screen with Kim Goeun, she’s so good 😭 Song Hyekyo, with WOOSHIK MANNNN THEY NEED TO ACT TOGETHER IDC then with Gong Yoo (dilf joint powers). Lee Dohyun. Hoyeon. Then he needs to be casted by Xavier Dolan (that said he wanted to work with him) and Wong Kar-wai (he would’ve loved working with Leslie Cheung ): ) Can I say Sohee too? I love Sohee. Anne Hathaway (I like women and I like Taehyung I’d love to see them together in one frame sorry)

Musically I hope he gets to work with all the people he wanted to work with in these years, ngl I’m still waiting for the Tae x Lady Gaga meal, then I’d love Kali Uchis… Mitski… Hozier… Jungkook… Dean… Lana…

#i have a list man i need to shut up #im gonna ask u the same question i’m very curious #ask #taehyung #jkftkth

11 notes · View notes

lpvncnt · 6 months

Text

* ◟ : 〔 TAMINO , CIS-MALE + HE / HIM 〕 PHILIP GOFFIN-VINCENT , some say you’re a TWENTY-SEVEN YEAR OLD lost soul among the neon lights. known for being both DOGGED and DEPRAVED, one can’t help but think of STRUGGLIN' by TRICKY, MARTINA TOPLEY-BIRD when you walk by. are you still a CLEANER, ACTIVE ASSASSIN at THE BORDERLINE HOTEL, RED EYE even with your reputation as THE GARGOYLE? i think we’ll be seeing more of you and STUPID SHOW-PONY HIGH ROLLER, PATIENT LIKE THE HYENA WAITS, GET IN YOUR CAR AND RUN ME OVER INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR OTHERS TO DO IT FOR YOU, YOU LAZY FOOL, although we can’t help but think of JONATHAN CRANE (DC COMICS) + ERIC DRAVEN (THE CROW) + JASON DEAN (HEATHERS) + ANTON CHIGURH (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) whenever we see you down these rainy streets.

FILE: LIP VINCENT

STATUS: ACTIVE. HEIGHT: 6'2". SEXUALITY: PANSEXUAL, AROMANTIC. DATE OF BIRTH: 12/25/1995 HOMETOWN: MALMEDY, BELGIUM. RESIDING: BROOKLYN, NY. ROOMMATE WITH [TBD WANTED CONNECTION].

Instead of the usual biography, I felt like the following poem captured the energy of the past a bit better than I could ever express:

INSOMNIAC

THE night is only a sort of carbon paper,

Blueblack, with the much-poked periods of stars

Letting in the light, peephole after peephole --

A bonewhite light, like death, behind all things.

Under the eyes of the stars and the moon's rictus

He suffers his desert pillow, sleeplessness

Stretching its fine, irritating sand in all directions.

Over and over the old, granular movie

Exposes embarrassments--the mizzling days

Of childhood and adolescence, sticky with dreams,

Parental faces on tall stalks, alternately stern and tearful,

A garden of buggy rose that made him cry.

His forehead is bumpy as a sack of rocks.

Memories jostle each other for face-room like obsolete film stars.

He is immune to pills: red, purple, blue --

How they lit the tedium of the protracted evening!

Those sugary planets whose influence won for him

A life baptized in no-life for a while,

And the sweet, drugged waking of a forgetful baby.

Now the pills are worn-out and silly, like classical gods.

Their poppy-sleepy colors do him no good.

His head is a little interior of grey mirrors.

Each gesture flees immediately down an alley

Of diminishing perspectives, and its significance

Drains like water out the hole at the far end.

He lives without privacy in a lidless room,

The bald slots of his eyes stiffened wide-open

On the incessant heat-lightning flicker of situations.

Nightlong, in the granite yard, invisible cats

Have been howling like women, or damaged instruments.

Already he can feel daylight, his white disease,

Creeping up with her hatful of trivial repetitions.

The city is a map of cheerful twitters now,

And everywhere people, eyes mica-silver and blank,

Are riding to work in rows, as if recently brainwashed.

— Sylvia Plath

AESTHETICS

Repugnant amount of weed smoke filling a suspension-lacking 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, that only a 100% masochist would drive in New York. You were not born to cry. Leopard print BB belts stacked on the waist. A soul, emptied. No pride, no pleasure, no desire. Life is just like a Wong Kar-Wai movie. You've got two fists comically full of metal, the weight shifts you off your feet when that punch is thrown, your poorly welded home-made 'rings' -- made from a chunk of all the old silver jewelry you've collected from the bodies over time, all these precious keepsakes melted onto a fork -- made to hurt -- should be illegal. Lots of little projects like that scatter what you call 'home'. An angel dies every time a shitty fuckboy like you flashes his mid-section in local Bodega for no reason. Recently adopted a Belgian Malinois, Osiris, who is still in training and needs a muzzle (an excuse for enabling bad behavior, could be symbolic). Egregiously loud mumble-rap. When stressed, likes watching ballroom dancing while chainsmoking cigarettes.

Hi, I'm Samuel, 24, PDT, a sweet little Californian baby boy who will do tricks for treats, gee whiz am I glad to be here. All of this is a bit vague but will be fleshed out with time -- if you've got any questions on specifics I'd be super happy to clarify. Huzzah !

#lawlessintro

10 notes · View notes

antimonyandthyme · 1 year

Note

sebchal, in the mood for love (or any of wong kar wai’s films with tony leung in it) 👀👀

Anon, anon. I think I love you. Please I’ve been in shambles thinking about this. Oh my god. Oh my god.

1. Seb’s an environmental journalist, Charles is a pianist. They’ve just moved to a new place with their spouses. They’re renting adjacent rooms to each other. The space is a little cramped, but they tell themselves it’s only for the time being while they get settled. Seb stays up late to work on his piece on a factory with insidious pollution practices. He hears Charles going through Chopin etudes and Mendelssohn’s chamber pieces. He’s secretly enamored.

2. They pass each other in the narrow hallway. Neither of them have seen their own spouses much. Several weeks later, Seb works up the courage to compliment Charles on his piano playing, when they leave their apartments in the morning. Charles lights up like Seb’s given him the world.

3. Alone in their rooms, it isn’t very hard to work out their spouses are having an affair. They sit by themselves and wonder what they should do. Charles goes through the whole of Moonlight Sonata one night, waiting, hoping, before Seb knocks on his door. Finally.

4. The increased time spent together results in the neighbours tittering. Seb can hardly find it in himself to care, but he worries about Charles. He rents a hotel room a little nearer the factory so that they can meet in peace. He reasons it’s mostly to help with his work. Charles comes over and provides insightful commentary whenever Seb gets stuck straddling the gap between neutrality and righteous anger. Seb finishes the piece and still they linger. “For us to do the same thing makes us no better than them,” they agree. “We won’t be like them.” Charles presses a kiss to Seb’s ringed finger, and leaves the hotel at midnight.

(Do they actually agree, or are too afraid to disagree with the other’s moral stance? They don’t say. They don’t touch.)

5. Seb’s paper is happy with his work, and he’ll return home. They book him a flight. A leap of faith: Seb invites Charles to the airport. They both know deep down that if Charles goes, Charles would leave the country with Seb. Charles scratches the date fervently into his calendar. He should be able to catch Seb if he leaves right away when his recital ends.

6. Traffic is bad. Charles misses Seb at the airport by minutes. A year later Seb flies back, and visits the very same apartment. Something in him aches every time he hears the sweet tones of the piano. He finds out Charles has moved. They miss each other on the street by minutes; Charles comes out of the apartment next door with a child.

#athy texts #sebchal #in the mood for love au #fanfic #rpf #anon i’m thinking of you thank you for prompting this #lil kith for you

34 notes · View notes

fayewongfuzao · 1 year

Text

I transcribed most of the parts that mention Faye.

Who is Faye Wong?

Earlier in Faye Wong's career, people wanted her to be anything but herself.

Because she was from the Mainland, they tried to force her to have this Hong Kong personality because they were worried that Hong Kong audiences wouldn't accept someone who was from the Mainland.

Wong's handlers gave her an anglicized name: Shirley Wong

She didn't enjoy it. She felt forced into a fake version of herself.

But none of that apparently bothered Wong Kar-wai. Because he saw an edge that her handlers had been trying to sand away.

He was very much taken with Faye Wong who's an interesting figure because she was a Mainlander and she had a particular aura that he thought was interesting. She seemed cooler than the people in Hong Kong cause there's something kinda otherworldly about her. And in fact, she seemed cooler.

Cooler than even the Hong Kongese who think of themselves as the coolest.

Yeah, you look at her and you think 'oh that's the cool person'.

He [Wong Kar-wai] could see it and that's part of his gift.

Faye Wong with the fake persona she hated was figuring out what was next for her.

She disappeared for some time and she went to study in New York.

She roamed The Big Apple for a few months and said: 'I saw so many strange, confident looking people. They didn't care what other people thought of them.'

And then when she came back, she became a different person.

In 1993, she dropped the LP, "100,000 Whys" doing covers of songs from Western alt rockers like Tori Amos and throwing in some killer pop originals like this one called 'Flow Not Fly'.

The Hong Kong kids fell in love with her.

She was the huge rising star because it was so cool to be a fan of Faye Wong.

She was like the Nirvana of that moment.

When you mention Nirvana, I remember the way she dressed at the time. She was wearing all these grungy style clothes. And there was no internet at that time so I had no idea about Nirvana or the grunge music scene. And people were commenting 'How come Faye Wong dresses like this?'. They're not glamorous outfits that people would be expecting a Cantopop star to be wearing.

You know a lot of people obviously try to entertain and that's great. But with Faye Wong, you had to come to her. She just did her thing. She couldn't be put in a box.

In other words, Hong Kongers finally saw what Wong Kar-wai had seen years before: a Mainlander who out-cooled them all. Something totally modern which made her and her music the perfect fit for the director's next movie - a snapshot of modern Hong Kong in 1994.

Chungking Express

Story #2 featured a food server on hip Hong Kong Island played by Faye Wong, named Faye, and was like real life Faye in every way the music audience would probably recognize.

The movie-Faye dreams of leaving Hong Kong for the West. She's constantly blasting The Mamas and the Papas 'California Dreamin' like Faye Wong, movie-Faye does leave for the West. And like Faye Wong, movie-Faye also comes back changed.

Now she's an airline attendant and she's come to pay a visit to a guy she was obsessed with but never quite dated played by Tony Leung.

"WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?" she asks him.

"WHEREVER YOU WANT TO TAKE ME." says Tony.

Will they stay in Hong Kong? Will they go? Instead of telling us, Wong Kar-wai smash cuts to the end credits, accompanied by Faye Wong's cover of a different song about dreaming.

Her version of The Cranberries tune is called 'Dream Lover'. It's as joyful as the original with Cantonese lyrics that add a hint of trepidation. They're about waiting to fall into a long kiss with an enticing stranger.

It could be movie-Faye singing to Tony.

'Dream Lover' came out a month before the movie debuted. The tune was already a smash. But now the tune was about to get bigger.

Chungking Express Goes Global

And the other thing international audiences took from the film? Faye Wong.

In that great sequence when she's at the snack bar and she's dancing to California Dreamin', the first time it ever played in North America at The Toronto Film Festival, after she finished dancing, the crowd applauded because it was such a magical sequence. And people came out thinking: 'Who is that woman?'

That's the other thing about Faye Wong. Hardened film critics came out thinking 'Who was that?'

For sure, Chungking Express was a great introduction of her to a much bigger international stage. She became quite popular in Japan thanks to the film. And so she did quite a few concerts in Japan and she did the themesong of Final Fantasy the video game. So she was that big.

Noel Hogan of The Cranberries

And as for 'Dreams', after Faye Wong's cover blew up in Hong Kong in 1994, Noel Hogan and his band had some inkling it was out there.

"We knew it happened and kinda forgot about it because we were so busy touring. But then bit by bit you'd kinda hear that 'Dreams' had taken off in this country and that country . But it really really didn't hit until we went to Hong Kong and later to China that we saw the full impact of it and how big it was."

"We were absolutely shocked."

Turns out Faye Wong had popularized 'Dreams' and the band who'd written it.

Emma Lee Moss (on her cover)

"It's just such a crowd-pleaser. People are like 'oh i know that song'. It takes them awhile to figure out what it is. Unless you're in Hong Kong, in which they know exactly what you're doing."

"Everywhere you go, there's someone who loves Faye Wong. I played in China and I couldn't communicate with anyone because my Mandarin was so terrible. But the moment we started talking about Faye Wong, we're talking in Faye Wong song titles. That's how we were communicating."

An Irish kid writes a song in his room. A Mainlander sings it to Hong Kong. Then a movie sends her music everywhere.

(SOURCE: MUBI PODCAST)

#faye wong #王菲 #chungking express #夢中人

20 notes · View notes

iridescentnuances · 2 days

Text

5 Movies I'd Show You

Thank you @psalacanthea for always tagging me in games even though I'm not very good at it lol

Okay so with this list, it's going to become pretty obvious that I am a huge weeb. I spent some time thinking about what non-Asian movies I could include. I almost came up with none because weeb foggy brain is foggy. But worst of all, it's really shameful that me, a Spaniard, couldn't come up with a single Spanish recommendation! I will duely reflect upon this tragedy.

So here we go, in no particular order:

One of my favourite musical films of all time, a gut-wrenching tragicomedy about a woman who desperately looks for true love in abusive men. Great acting, great comedic scenes, and when it's time to cry, oh boy does it make me cry. Used to hit too close to home. Can't wait to watch it again after some years.

Okay, when talking Wong Kar-wai, everyone always says how good In the Mood for Love is. I get it. But its sequel hit all the right buttons for me. A man obssessed with the past leaves a trail of emotional corpses. The past never was, as one would think, any better than the present. All that's left is picking up the pieces to try and make something out of the treacherous nostalgia of an unfulfilled romance.

From when I decided to watch each and every Cillian Murphy movie ever. If you liked Girl Interrupted or But I'm a Cheerleader, y'know, any movie about teenagers being committed somewhere, you'll probably like this one. Romance, memorable lines, great soundtrack and honestly, a worthwhile cute ending to dig oneself out of depression.

Hear me out. This movie, this fucking movie. It gets a bad rep for allegedly being too misogynistic and/or too feminist. I wrote my bachelor's thesis about this movie. Twenty-seven pages worth of paper just going on and on about it. I could talk for hours about the book, the adaptation, the authors, the script, eeeeeverything. If you haven't seen it yet in your life, you just have to. If you've already seen it, watch it again and open your mind to it. I won't say anything about it except GOD FORBID WOMEN DO ANYTHING. A very controversial academic opinion, I was told.

The nightmare version of a teenage flick. This one might be my favourite out of Gregg Araki's "Apocalypse Trilogy". If I'm not mistaken, it features all of Araki's tropes: reptilian aliens, problematic bisexuals, at least two pairs of twins, impending doom, and homoerotic longing. It's funny, it's queer, it's horny, it's violent, it's a total freak-out.

Anyone who sees this and wants to do it, consider yourselves tagged!

#tag game

2 notes · View notes

pyreofsunflowers · 1 year

Text

What I watched this week (3/6-3/12 '23)

Perfect Blue (1997, dir. Satoshi Kon)

I'm not saying anything new when I say I loved what a mindfuck this movie is. Truly a masterpiece in keeping you glued to the narrative and second guessing your own interpretation of the film.

It's really hard to talk about this movie without getting into really big spoiler territory but I'll do my best to describe why this film is such a masterpiece. Beyond the striking visuals and the intense score, Perfect Blue tackles the psyche of fame in a way I've never seen done before. It gets it so perfect, from the jealousy, the self loathing, to the wide variety of opinions of the public it paints a compelling picture of how fame literally, and figuratively traps one in it's web. Much like Mima, I constantly found myself backtracking and second guessing the films narrative, and ultimately the payoff left me with just the right amount of unanswered questions. I can't wait to re-watch and pick up on anything I may have missed.

5/5

Fallen Angels (1995, dir. Wong Kar-wai)

This!!! movie!!! is!!! so!!! sweet!!!! It's a movie about weirdos falling in love made for weirdos. The plot is just a loose thread that holds this bundle of joy and light against the grimey city underbelly together in the bestest of ways. This movie is ultimately about its characters, and for having so many different arcs going on all it once, it manages to give each one the right ammount of time to shine and grab onto my mind enough to leave a mark.

The theme of love and lonlieness permeates and saturates this film through the dark, intimate aesthetics and the bloody over the top gunfights and it makes it something special - and one of my favroites.

5/5

Escape From New York (1981, dir. John Carpenter)

Watching this movie as a metal gear solid fan is a trip, and probably contributed to 90% of my enjoyment of it. I know I know everyone has said it, "Snake plisken! snake plisken!" but there's more to it than that. The pacing, the plot structure, the elements of sci-fi all of it was used as a base in MGS and it's so cool to see it in it's original form!

Metal Gear references aside, Escape from New York is a solid sci fi action flick with good (albeit silly) worldbuilding and a solid, likeable cast of characters. I thought the movie lagged a little bit, but it made up for it in every other aspect - especially in it's action scenes.

4/5

Scream 3 + 4 (2000, 2011, dir. Wes Craven)

Oh scream, why does everyone love you? Honestly, am I just missing something with these movies? Is there some secret piece of knwoeldge I've glossed over? Or are people just stupid. I don't know. These movies are painfully boring and uninteresting people! The twists aren't fun, the gore is boring, the satire is blunt, and oh my god are the characters ever awful!

Look, I understand that looking for good characters in a Slasher is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, I understand that! But I'd forgive this movie if it didn't spend so much fucking time on them! I do not care about Sidney prescott. I do not care about Gale Weathers. I do not care about Dewey Riley. They are all fine as plot devices to keep the kills coming, but as these movies go on and on they become more and more about these people who I simply do not care about.

Scream 3: 1.5/5

Scream 4: 2/5

Scream + Scream 6 (2022, 20223 dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett)

Sadly, new directors couldn't fix this movie. They continue to perpetuate every flaw of the Craven films, and somehow manage to make them worse. The characters are just as flat, the movie is still way to long, and despite all the talk of "requels" , "elevated horror" and "reboots'' the satire continues to feel dated and overall blunt. I'm sorry, Scream franchise but saying something is a trope then doing it is neither funny or good satire.

I also personally find these two insulting as they try to knock sigh "whiney snowflake nerds with letterboxed" accounts down a peg for not enjoying.... shallow cashgrab franchise shlock? very strange angle for a satire to take but alright I guess. Also this film trys to tackle social media and. Just fails so horribly on it. At least 6 finally had some good kills.

Scream (2022): 0.5/5

Scream 6: 2/5

Better Call Saul S6 (2022, shrn. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould.)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. That is my emotions on the end of this show. OH MY GOD what a ride this series has been, did you know I actually started it to get some inspiration for a long abandonded fanfiction? because I did. And GOD am I ever glad I did because the payoff, the journey was incredible. I haven't been this nethralled by a TV show in perhaps ever. I was on the edge of my seat for the entirtiy of season 6, just waiting to see how it would all come crashing down and MY GOD did it ever.

It is so hard for me to be and speak normally about this show, in fact I don't think I could even if I tried so I'm just going to leave it at that. Until next week folks!

#Js film diary #cineblr #film #movies #movie review #horror movies #anime #forgein film #Fallen Angels #Scream #Ghostface #Perfect Blue #Better Call Saul #Breaking Bad #escape from new york

14 notes · View notes