Review of Flight of the Red Balloon (2007) by Heather H — 15 Nov 2008

Hou Hsiao-Hsien's latest is best approached from two angles. First, how it relates to the rest of his catalog. Second, how much more successful it is than Wong Kar-Wai's similarly timed foray into western filmmaking.

This is probably the easiest entry point into his work. This doesn't imply that it's his best work- although it is in the top tier of what I've seen. It's a sort of a horizon expanding career-to-this-point summation. It refines his aesthetic, revisits old themes, and pays tribute to one of his favorite films, but he never allows it to flounder or feel like old hat. Hou is a difficult director for me. I blame a good bit of this on never having seen any of his work theatrically. So many nuances are lost- especially in the older works that are presented on lackluster discs. Sometimes his work has resonated with me. Other times I've been left feeling flat. Thankfully, like "Three Times", the film that immediately preceded this one, it works.

Which brings me to Wong Kar Wai's US shot "My Blueberry Nights". Both films are the respective directors first attempts to film outside Asia. Hou manages to capture the same emotions of earlier work by comparing and contrasting French and Chinese culture. On the surface WKW abandons the familiar in favor of a fractured road movie about an imagined America. His film flounders because he shows no true understanding of the culture. He uses scraps of older, better scenes and expects them to play equally well regardless of the differences between the casts and location. He too presents a sort of career retrospective, but at best, it makes you wish to switch it out for one of your older favorites.

Therein lies the fundamental difference. "Flight of the Red Balloon" is the sum total of what a Hou Hsiao-Hsien film should be at this stage in his career. There is a sense that he's moving forward while remain true to his roots. It is certainly not for all tastes, but if you've ever enjoyed a moment of his work, this is a sure-fire winner.