Finally, good Western exposure for Asian films

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2003)

I liked this film. It was good to see a big budget Asian film being appreciated by Western audiences...but, as other have stated: it's nothing new. The theme and plot for CTHD is a familiar one in Asian culture. Especially the unconventional ending (which Hollywood has picked up upon in films such as Braveheart, ect...). Bittersweet seems to hold more importance in Eastern cinema than happiness.
The acting was great, the scenes were downright surreal and operatic.

Yes, they were blatantly staged with wire and unrealistic...but realism wasn't the goal...if that's all you care about, then go check out a documentary.
This film was a work of art. Beautifully done. A solid 9 out of 10 and well worth watching.