Watch What Time Is It There?

What Time Is It There? is a 2001 Taiwanese film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang. It follows the story of a watch vendor in Taipei named Hsiao-kang, played by Kang-sheng Lee, who sells his watch to a woman named Shiang-chyi Chen, who is about to leave for Paris. After their brief encounter, Hsiao-kang becomes obsessed with Paris and begins changing all the clocks in Taipei to Paris time.

The film is a slow-paced, meditative study of loneliness, human connection, and cultural dislocation. The narrative unfolds through a series of loosely connected vignettes, each exploring a different aspect of the characters' lives. The film is visually stunning, with Tsai Ming-liang's signature long, static shots creating a haunting, dreamlike atmosphere.

Hsiao-kang is a solitary figure, selling watches to people who are always in a hurry. His daily routine is suffocating, and he finds solace in films, particularly French New Wave films. When he meets Shiang-chyi, he is struck by her beauty and the fact that she is going to Paris, the city of his cinematic dreams. He becomes obsessed with Paris, watching French films, and changing all the clocks in Taipei to Paris time.

Shiang-chyi, on the other hand, is restless and disconnected. She has just lost her mother and is trying to escape her grief by going to Paris. But once there, she feels even more lost and alienated. She has trouble communicating with the people around her, including a fellow Taiwanese tourist played by Yi-Ching Lu. She spends her days wandering the city, visiting tourist attractions, and trying to find some sense of meaning.

The film explores the ways in which people try to connect with each other in a world that is increasingly fragmented and isolating. Each character is searching for something – Hsiao-kang for a connection to French culture, Shiang-chyi for meaning and purpose, and Yi-Ching Lu for a sense of identity. But their attempts at communication are often thwarted by cultural and linguistic differences.

The central theme of the film is time – both the passing of time and the human desire to control time. Hsiao-kang's obsession with Paris time is a form of time travel, a way of escaping from the monotony of his daily routine. But his attempts to control time ultimately lead to a sense of dislocation and alienation. Shiang-chyi, on the other hand, is struggling to come to terms with the passing of time – the loss of her mother, the impermanence of her experiences in Paris. The film suggests that time is both a source of comfort and a source of anxiety for people.

What Time Is It There? is a beautiful and haunting film that explores the human condition with profound insight and sensitivity. The performances by Kang-sheng Lee, Shiang-chyi Chen, and Yi-Ching Lu are superb, and the cinematography by Liao Pen-jung is breathtaking. Tsai Ming-liang's direction is masterful, and the film is a testament to his extraordinary talents as a filmmaker. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in cinema that pushes the boundaries of form and explores the complexities of the human experience.