emlogomain.jpg

Main
Facebook
Tumblr
News/ Updates
DVD Reviews
DVD Reviews 2017 to 2024
Blu-ray Reviews
2024 BLu-ray and 4K UHD Reviews
2023 Blu-ray and 4K UHD Reviews
2022 Blu-ray and 4K UHD reviews
Blu-ray Reviews 2021
Movie Reviews
Movie Reviews 2019 to 2024
TV
Interviews
Movie Review: DUNE PART TWO
Blu-ray Review: THE MOON
Blu-ray Review: DIVINITY
Blu-ray Review: APOCALYPSE TETRALOGY
Bluray Review: THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER
DVD Review: INTO THE ABYSS
Blu-ray Review: THE EXPENABLES 4
4K Blu-ray Review: THE CREATOR
4K Blu-ray Revew: TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.
Blu-ray Review: FOG CITY
4K BR Review: OPPENHEIMER
Blu-ray Review: BLUE BEETLE
Movie Review: THE MARVELS
Blu-ray Review: TALK TO ME
4K Blu-ray Review: SCREAM 3 steelbook
Blu-ray Review: THE CRIMSON RIVERS 2
4K bluray review: THE BLOB 4K steelbook
Blu-ray Review: ON THE SILVER GLOBE
Blu-ray Review- BABYLON 5: THE ROAD HOME
Blu-ray Review: GOD IS A BULLET
Blu-ray Review: SKY PIRATES
Blu-ray Review: SISU
Blu-ray Review- HOLLYWOOD DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES
Movie Review: COLONIALS
4K Blu-ray Review: NIGHTBREED
Movie Review- MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- DEAD RECKONING PART ONE
Blu-ray Review: STONE COLD
Blu-ray Review: ONE RANGER
Blu-rayReview: THE FLASH
blu-ray Review: MAD HEIDI
4K Blu-ray Review: THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE
4K Blu-ray Review: DRAGONSLAYER steelbook
4K Blu-ray Review: STREETS OF FIRE
Blu-ray Review: A MAN CALLED OTTO
Blu-ray Review: THE CRIMSON RIVERS
4K Blu-ray Review: THE ITALIAN JOB (1969)
4K Blu-ray Review: EVENT HORIZON
4K Blu-ray Review: CLOVERFIELD steelbook
4K Blu-ray Review: ACCION MUTANE
4K Blu-ray Review: WINGS OF DESIRE steelbook
Blu-ray Review- DOCTOR WHO: THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN
Blu-ray Review: SAMPO
Movie Review- AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
Bluray Review: HALLOWEEN ENDS
4K Blu-ray review: HIGHLANGER Director's Cut steelbook
4K BR Review- STTMP The Complete Adventure
Blu-ray Review: MOONAGE DAYDREAM
Blu-ray Review: NO ESCAPE
Blu-ray Review: GINGER SNAPS TRILOGY
Blu-ray Review: I'M DANGEROUS TONIGHT
Blu-ray Review: THE INVITATION
Movie Review: HALLOWEEN ENDS
Movie Review: HELLRAISER (2022)
Blu-ray Review: AFTER BLUE
DVD Review: DEUS
Blu-ray Review: WOLF HOUND
Movie Review: PREY (2022)
Blu-ray Review: CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
Movie Review- THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER
Blu-ray Review: THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT
Blu-ray Review: FIRESTARTER (2022)
Movie Review- TOP GUN: MAVERICK
Movie Review- JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION
4K UHD review: LIFEFORCE
Blu-ray Review- WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE
Blu-ray Review: BELLE
DVD Review: THE KING'S DAUGHTER
Blu-ray review: PROJECT GEMINI
Movie Review: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Blu-ray Review: SETTLERS
Movie Review: THE NORTHMAN
Blu-ray Review: HOUSE OF GUCCI
Blu-ray Review- GHOSTBUSTERS AFERLIFE
Blu-ray Review: LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
Blu-ray 4K Review- RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY
Movie Review- SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
Blu-ray Review: RAGING FIRE
Movie Review: THE MARIX RESURRECTIONS
4K Blu-ray Review: NO TIME TO DIE
DVD Review: THE FLOOD
Blu-ray Review: DOCTOR WHO Season 24
Blu-ray Review: CANDYMAN (2021)
Blu-ray Review- DOCTOR WHO: EVIL OF THE DALEKS (import)
Movie Review: DUNE Part One
Blu-ray review: ELVIRA'S HAUNTED HILLS
Blu-ray Review: THE COLONY (2021)
Movie Review: ETERNALS
Movie Review: NO TIME TO DIE
Movie Review: HALLOWEEN KILLS
Blu-ray Review: THE GREEN KNIGHT
Blu-ray Review: FAST VENGEANCE
4K Blu-ray Review: BLACK WIDOW
Blu-ray Review: F9 THE FAST SAGA
Blu-ray Review: DOCTOR WHO Season 8 (1971)
4K Blu-ray Review: PROSPECT
Blu-ray Review: SPARE PARTS
blu-ray Review: SIBERIA (2021)
Blu-ray Review: DOORS (2021)
Blu-ray Review: THE UNHEALER
Blu-ray Review: VOYAGERS
Blu-ray Review: TIMELINE (import)
Blu-ray review: KING KONG (1976)
4K UHD Blu-ray review: PERDITA DURANGO
Blu-ray Review: PYSCHO GOREMAN
DVD Review: SKY SHARKS
DVD Review: WILLY'S WONDERLAND
Blu-ray Review: EVENT HORIZON Collector's Edition
Blu-ray Review: SPUTNIK
Blu-ray Review: PUMP UP THE VOLUME
Blu-ray Review: MONSTER HUNTER
Blu-ray Review: SOUTHLAND TALES
Blu-ray Review: SHADOW IN THE CLOUD
Blu-ray Review: SPACEWALKER
Blu-ray review: THE IPCRESS FILE
DVD Review: STRANDED ON MARS
Blu-ray Review: TENET
DVD Review: SKYLINES
Blu-ray Review: POSSESSOR UNCUT
Blu-ray review: FLASH GORDON
Movie Review: TENET
PHOTOGRAPHY

ASHES OF TIME REDUX
DVD Review by David Blackwell
 
DETAILS:  94 minutes, featurette, director Q&A, theatrical trailer
VIDEO:   1.78:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
AUDIO:   Cantonese, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles:   English
 
STUDIO:   SPHE/ Sony Pictures Classics/ Block 2 Pictures/ Scholar Film Co. LTD/ Jet Tone Productions/ Beijing Film Studio
RELEASE DATE:   3-3-2009

Writer/ Director Wong kar Wai has a unique style to his films. His films are very internal and romantic. The scenes are presented in a beautiful way. 2046 was my introduction to him. I started to explore his other films like CHUNGKING EXPRESS (quite good) and MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS (it's OK- just not wuite as good as his non-English language films). I still have to watch IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2046 is a sequel in a way) and watch other films by Wong Kar Wai. Now i have seen ASHES OF TIME REDUX (I never seen the original version). ASHES OF TIME is one of Wong Kar Wai's early films. People in China love it. Years after it's release, he received a call to retrive all the negatives and stock for the film before the film lab it was stored at was taken over (as assests of the people who taken possession of the lab after it went belly up). The negatives were in bad shape including some parts in pieces. They went overseas to get prints from old theaters and the distributors. A four year restoration effort began as the film was expanded and the music redone a little to include music by Yo-Yo Ma.

ASHES OF TIME REDUX has the trademark character types seen in any Wong Kar Wai film (characters with broken hearts and ones who seek to be loved), beautiful landscapes (they shot it in Western China),and a a music score that perfectfully compliments the film. it revolves around Ouyang Feng, a middle man living in the desert, aheart broken and cynical man who looks back at his life as his story weaves with the lives of his cilents, old friends, and the woman he left behind. He reflects on how he became so isolated while the film also goes into the lives of the people he encounters. This film is another masterpiece from a unique director. ASHES OF TIME is responsible for HERO, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and maybe even getting CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON made.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
BORN FROM THE ASHES: THE MAKING OF ASHES OF TIME REDUX is full interviews from cast and crew from Cannes in 2008 as they talk about the film and how it was reborn. Still the 41 minute Q& A with WONG KAR WAI is even more intersting (although the interviewer seems too much in awe of his idol).  also included is the theatrical trailer and previews for other films.

FINAL ANALYSIS: If you loved HERO and films like that, go back and see the film responsible for those films- ASHES OF TIME. This restored version is worth watching.

this DVD review is (c)3-3-2009 David Blackwell and cannot ber reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com

Enter supporting content here