For those a little unfamiliar with the Pinku films of Japan, imagine if late-night Cinemax (“Skinemax” as we affectionately call it) movies were released theatrically. Soft-core porn with a story, if you will, and sometimes even shot by such renowned cinematographers as Christopher Doyle as this film was. Now, take that image and paste it into a typical fairy-tale story of a princess and her prince charming having been turned into a frog. Only, replace a frog that eats flies with a human-sized turtle-like-thingy called a “kappa” that eats cucumbers. And replace transformed Prince with reincarnated friend from high-school. And replace a kiss to break the spell and return back to human form with a fleshy grapefruit-sized pearl you gotta stick up your butt.

For 36 days straight, we’ll be exploring the famous 36 Dramatic Situations by examining a film that exemplifies each one. From family killing family to prisoners in need of asylum, we brush off the 19th century list in order to remember that it’s still incredibly relevant today. Whether you’re seeking a degree in Literature, love movies, or just love seeing things explode, our feature should have something for everyone. If it doesn’t, please don’t make us stare longingly at Maggie Cheung without being able to do something about it. Part 28 of the 36-part series takes a look at “Adultery” with Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love.

Sixteen years after the release of Chungking Express – the film that placed Wong Kar-Wai firmly and what seems to be permanently in the realm of international auteurdom – it is repeatedly remembered and recounted as an exercise in Cannes-friendly urban arthouse cool, specifically in its constant comparisons with the style-heavy and suave work of early 60s Godard; Amy Taubin called Chungking Express the Masculin-feminin (1966) of the 1990s, and Tarantino has made vague comparisons to Breathless.