The city depicted in "Chungking Express" by Wong Kar Wai invites viewers to reflect on the city as a setting of multiple, infinite and relational possibilities. Chungking Express is a film with two separate plots, composed of chance encounters between characters, the result of a shared setting, such as the bar and Midnight Express. The characters are solitary and introspective, but as a result of these encounters made possible by the casual flow of the city, they form unlikely emotional connections. It is through these connections, and the relationships they establish, that they are able to overcome their failed romances and discover a new sense of purpose and embrace change in their lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Wong uses cinematography to capture the multiple psychic possibilities of a single setting. In a slow motion shot, Agent 633 drinks his coffee, while Faye watches dreamily from the side. Meanwhile, the crowd outside the Midnight Express passes by in rapid motion. Here a moment is captured between the two of them, even as the rest of the city passes by, unaware of this moment. As a result, Wong is able to distinguish between the private and public spaces of the city: the moment shared between Agent 633 brooding over his ex-girlfriend and Faye in a daydream is in slow motion, as it is a significant moment . which captures the mood of both characters. All of this happens as the crowd moves quickly outside, indicating that moments like this are veiled, from a passerby's perspective. The appearances of characters from different storylines suggest the possibility that all the characters may have met at some point in their lives, given the shared spaces of a city. Officer 633, Faye, and Officer 633's stewardess girlfriend make fleeting appearances in the first storyline. Yet, despite their appearances, what we know about them is very superficial, until the beginning of the second plot, they are simply one of "so many everyday people... who you may never know anything about" to whom Qiwu he references in his voiceover at the beginning. of the film. The idea of ​​“proximity without reciprocity” (Abbas 54) adequately captures the sense of social spaces within Wong's Hong Kong. The use of the handheld camera in the introductory action sequences of Chungking Mansions brings to attention the heterogeneity of the city, as well as the idea of ​​“proximity without reciprocity”. During the sequence the movement is confusing, as are the faces of the countless strangers on the street. Wong presents viewers with a bustling Hong Kong that barely has enough room to walk without standing shoulder to shoulder with everyone, yet their faces are simply shown in a blur. The possibilities for connection are endless, yet there are only a few of these people with whom we actually make a meaningful connection. The city is shared by all kinds of people, a cultural heterogeneity also emphasized by the different types of food sold at the Midnight Express. The use of selective focus is also used to visually demonstrate the idea of ​​"proximity without reciprocity". Thanks to the innovative use of focus, Faye and Agent 633 are literally 0.01cm apart on the screen. Yet he doesn't really tell her what he likes, he's unwilling to reveal his true feelings and emotions to an acquaintance, choosing instead to be comically melodramatic in telling her that he likes the chef's salad. Through this shot, Wong effectively illustrates the unexpressed emotional distance between city dwellers,.