Although Johnny To's recent films, YOM and TD, are quite different in genre, mood, setting, etc., they do have a few things in common.
A key element of both films is a secret--known to a major character from the beginning but unknown to the other characters and the audience for most of the show.
When the truth is revealed it is as part of a joke or game--a pattern of deception--making it hard to know what to believe.
The secret in both films involves a serious problem with a main character's health and his behavior throughout the film is motivated by this secret--making the character's behavior almost impossible to understand on a first viewing of the film--and (I assume) making a second viewing a totally different experience. (I have to assume that because I haven't watched either one a second time myself.)
Both movies then ultimaltely turn out to be about how the character deals with the secret problem, and derive most of their emotional impact when the viewer finally understands how the problem is the motive force of the whole film--not some plot twist tacked on at the last minute.
At the beginning of YOM Andy's character asks Sammi's which she wants--"me or the diamonds"--she picks the diamonds and he files for divorce. At this time he already knows he is terminally ill. If Sammi had said she wanted him, I assume he would have shared his news and spent the rest of his life with her. When she chose the diamonds, he divorced her in order to give her that--the material wealth without the emotional pain. All the rest is his letting her "win."
Amyone else have any thoughts about these films?
I have recently watched YOM but I can not share your enthusiasm or effort in that one. I could not find any depth in it and the film did not invoke the will to delve in more.
Well, maybe this is because I'm a lover of romantic films and maybe expected a bit much from it due to Love on a Diet and Needing You (I love them both) but have found something like Magic Kitchen instead.
I did not see Throwdown yet - and there are two main reasons 1-) I do not think Judo is a martial art that is fun to watch (same goes for Aikido) 2-) Aaron Kwok annoys me
But since I like J To in general I'm waiting for the vcd price to really really fall down then I plan to check it out inşaallah :)
If I gave the impression that I was enthusiastic about either film, I must correct that--I merely had some thoughts about them. Like you I vastly prefer the other Andy-Sammi films--particularly LOVE ON A DIET. I was just impressed by how two films from the same director that seemed so different still shared a common element--I suppose it would be considered a plot element.
I didn't like YESTERDAY ONCE MORE too much. It's basically hanging out with Sammi and Andy for 90+ minutes...they are good company but it's certainly less fun than the earlier To/Sammi/Andy pictures because To's darker artistic side showed up here. YOM shares lots of stylistic choices with THROW DOWN...a bare plot, reliance on visuals over dialog expositions, and that health crisis twist. And one quirk that's stale after its effective use in TD: the comic relief support characters that are defined by their sole weird trait (doctor with the "patient's privacy", loan shark always out challenging people, judo sensei's mentally challenged son). Granted, most of these To trademarks are always there, but I think this is the first time they show up in one of his money-making romantic comedies. This wasn't a good thing for YOM since this minimalist style is suitable for a light movie like this (at least in To's hands). Can this be caused by Wai Ka-Fai's departure? :unsure: YOM could be better with his absurdist sense of humor. On the other hand, I was surprised to see that Wai Ka-Fai served no official role in TD's production.
I knew about YOM's twist beforehand and I'm surprised to still find it effective since I didn't expect it to be so sombre. A good way to end (temporarily?) the To/Sammi/Andy romantic comedy cycle on a bittersweet note. Other than that, it's very disappointing...