Movie:
As Tears Go By is the English title for Wong gok ka moon, which was originally released in 1988. Directed by Wong Kar Wai, the film stars Andy Lau (Wah), Maggie Cheung (Ngor), Jackie Cheung (Fly), and Alex Man (Tony). The film was nominated for 10 Hong Kong Film Awards and it won two: Best Art Direction (William Chang) and Best Supporting Actor (Jacky Cheung).

Wah is a small time triad leader who constantly has to bail out his "little brother" Fly. Fly always wants to go after the big score, but often his plans fail and lead to injury. Wah never hesitates in helping out Fly, though its obvious he'd rather not. When Ngor, Wah's second cousin, comes to live with him for a short time while she seeks medical treatment, the two soon fall in love. Wah even considers giving up the triad lifestyle, but Fly's latest scheme pulls him back in…and this time, he might not be able to save them.

As Tears Go By is an impressive directorial debut by Wong Kar Wai, who went on to direct In the Mood for Love. The film itself is mainly dramatic with friendship and love as its main themes. The principal actors do an incredible job with their performances, especially Andy Lau as the conflicted triad leader. The film keeps an even pace and remains interesting throughout.

Picture:
As Tears Go By is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The print shows some wear, as defects such as specks, scratches, and marks all appear to varying degrees throughout. There is also some visible grain and edge enhancement. Colors are mostly natural throughout with accurate flesh tones, though they are occasionally muted. Blacks in several nighttime scenes are overly swathed with blues, but in others, are deep.

Sound:
As Tears Go By is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in Cantonese with optional English subtitles. The 5.1 track is mainly center channel based with the surrounds used for the film's score. Dialogue is clear throughout, but there are some scratches and pops in the track occasionally. The English subtitles, though readable, do contain quite a lot of bad grammar and misspellings. Also included are optional subtitles in Chinese (Traditional & Simplified), Korean, Japanese, Bahasa (Indonesian and Malaysian), Thai, and Vietnamese.

Extras:
Extras include trailers for this film and Days of Being Wild, a text plot synopsis (from the case), and talent files for Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, and Jackie Cheung.

Summary:
Though the presentation leaves a bit to be desired, As Tears Go By is a movie well worth watching if you're a fan of the director, the principal actors, or the genre. Highly Recommended!