The history of film is full of what-ifs. When average people need to revitalize their relationship, they do things like put the answering machine on, rent a movie and order in extra egg rolls along with the Singapore noodles. At the same time, it does manage to convey the slippery notion that life's purpose isn't found on a map, no matter how exotic or faraway. Few things are more discouraging than finding out a movie runs more than two hours. To many, a movie that length signifies either a dreary costume epic or an overlong, earnest drama.
Traffic is a film that has an extended running time, but it is worth every second.
All of its 147 minutes are quite necessary. The following recent releases were rated by Globe and Mail critics on a system of 0 to 4 stars. If you know of Wong Kar-wai only through his latest work, the masterful and mesmerizing In the Mood for Love, here's a great chance to catch up. William Dafoe plays the vampire actor, with John Malkovich as Murnau, and they recreate the past vivaciously. Principal photography began last Monday on Ararat, director Atom Egoyan's long-planned feature film about the 1915 Armenian genocide, Alliance Atlantis and Serendipity Point films announced.