2046

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2046

R

Released Aug 5, 2005

2h 7m

Romance

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

119 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

A train in a futuristic landscape takes passengers to a place where they can recapture their memories, a place from which no one has ever returned. This is the premise of a novel by the womanizing sci-fi writer Chow (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), who engages in passionate affairs with a series of intriguing women he meets at the Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. As Chow's lovers offer him inspiration for his writing, reality blends with fiction, and the past commingles with the future.

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Critics Consensus

Director Wong Kar-Wai has created in 2046 another visually stunning, atmospheric, and melancholy movie about unrequited love and loneliness.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

The ravishing images are tinged with regret and loss: no passion can assuage the jaded hero's solitude.

Mar 14, 2018

Full Review

Jonathan Romney

Independent on Sunday

Wwithout a doubt, it's seductively perplexing and devilishly good-looking -- and if you like it, you'll probably find that one viewing isn't enough.

Mar 6, 2015

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Kent Jones

Film Comment Magazine

For all its balance and grandeur, 2046 is the most nervous of Wong's films.

Nov 19, 2013

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Dave Giannini

InSession Film

Matching, and at times exceeding Leung’s performance, is his sometimes scene partner, Zhang Ziyi.

Feb 23, 2024

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The hazy intensity of the saturated images, the enchanting soundtrack of lush lounge music, and Wong’s way of tilting intimate scenes with his skewed visuals, all create an atmosphere thick with longing and loneliness.

Aug 19, 2023

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Jason Shawhan

Nashville Scene

...this film is a sweeping epic of melancholy beauty and textures filtered through and diminished by the passage of time.

Sep 10, 2021

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S R

Another bizarre film from Wong without a good timeline in reference to other better movies. This film does have its moments despite its slowness and odd time reflection / narrative. Ziyi & Tony are prolly the best part of this whole movie and have strong chemistry. Other than that It was a tough run. SLC DVD.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/01/25

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Alain E

I am not sure the story makes total sense, but the visual expression is unlike anything else I have watched. The director is in complete control. He uses the frame any way he wants. On occasion two thirds of the screen are black and the story progresses on the remaining third. He does like feet. There are a few scenes that we are watching for a few seconds people’s feet in shoes dancing or walking down the street. The image is full of deeply saturated colors, but on occasion reverts to black and white. Is 2046 the year or just a hotel room number? Unclear. And how the train that returns from the alternate reality ties with what is happening in Hong Kong where we are provided with historical events that actually took place?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/16/25

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felipe l

Beautiful, emotional, a story full of diverse moments, relationships, that ultimately create your perception and who you are in the world, a film you should watch again and again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Ok, it's 2025 now. Age doesn't seem too hard on it. The acting is ok. I'm not sure why the raves unless it's b/c it was 'Something' 20 years ago- doesn't seem like it would've been?? The movie LOOKS alright, the set design is good. The story is meh. The pacing is very slow and methodical. Characters staring off into the distance... contemplating? It's just one irrelevant scene after the other. I didn't connect to any of them nor did I find them interesting enough to want to. I'm not going to trash it as people must've liked it for a reason. I also can't find what that reason is. I don't plan on adding it to my collection. (I watched the trailer for it so I was excited to watch, it just wasn't anything to it)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/14/25

Full Review

Leprechaun K

How do you follow up to a perfect movie? You can't. It was bound to disappoint. It was still a solidly good movie, but as a sequel, it wasn't enough. The CGI quality also took away from the movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/25

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Marilyn K

I'll just say that it is one of my all-time favorites.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/24

Full Review

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Kar-Wai Wong

Director

Tony Leung Chiu Wai

Chow Mo-wan

Gong Li

Su Li-zhen

Takuya Kimura

Tak

Faye Wong

Wang Jing Wen

Zhang Ziyi

Bai Ling

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Synopsis

A train in a futuristic landscape takes passengers to a place where they can recapture their memories, a place from which no one has ever returned. This is the premise of a novel by the womanizing sci-fi writer Chow (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), who engages in passionate affairs with a series of intriguing women he meets at the Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. As Chow's lovers offer him inspiration for his writing, reality blends with fiction, and the past commingles with the future.

Director: Kar-Wai Wong
Producer: Kar-Wai Wong
Screenwriter: Kar-Wai Wong
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Block 2 Pictures
Rating: R (Sexual Content)
Genre: Romance, Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 5, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 18, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $261.5K
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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