When people asked me what I consider the sexiest film of all times, my answer would be Ang Lee's Lust Caution.
The sex scenes between the newcomer Tang Wei and Tony Leung were so intense and filled with tension that it had me seething through my teeth. It is my moment of "Don't dare talk to me right now. And I won't leave my seat for any other reason that a real wild fire". It is very different from the hollywood type of sexy scenes or the pornography you see in the internet. And these are so publicly available, that the ability of Ang Lee to still put me on the edge of my seat during the entire sex scene just goes to show the genius of Ang Lee.
It is a combination of fear, mystery and thriller that only succeeded in escalating the sexual tension of the scenes between the young naive Wong Chia Chi and the suspicious japanese spy Mr. Yee. In retrospect, this may be the basis of the appeal of BDSM, giving up of control to someone as powerful and masterful as Mr. Yee can be very intoxicating. I was so drawn to the psychological strength of Mr. Yee that I was half imagining the pleasure of being used by him.
The film is set in the picturesque Shanghai during the 1930's when the Japanese has control of China government. Mr. Yee plays the japanese collaborator and Tang Wei plays Wong Chia Chi, a student that was recruited to cast the net around Mr. Yee so they can assassinate him. It's a bold plan and an impossible one. What transpires next was the innocent efforts of the young Wong Chia Chi to entice a worldly man like Mr. Yee. Mr. Yee is not stupid so he took what was offered, quite brutally in fact and left her with not a bid of goodbye. Not to be outwitted, Wong Chia Chi followed him and continued to flirt with her destiny. Soon, even Mr. Yee got entangled to their web of steamy sexual encounters. We catch a glimpse of Mr. Yee's vulnerability when he gifted his young girl with a rare beautiful jewelry. Love is not mentioned but viewers can sense how the cold and strong Mr. Yee is falling for this wisp of a girl. And the girl is not immune too with their frequent encounters and falls hard for Mr. Yee, that in the end cost her life.
Mr. Yee may have lived another day and he even got his expensive jewelry back, but viewers can guess that he is more affected that he cares to admit. And he may not be at the better end of the deal. Afterall, a broken heart is ten times worse than death.
Tony Leung truly delivers in this film. How he was able to project a strong powerful controlled man and yet gradually succumbing to the spell of a young girl gives testament to how great he is as an actor. He is one of the most sensitive actor I've seen on film. His every look draws the audience to second guess what he is conveying. He reveals and yet maintains the mystery of his character.
The press subsequent interviews with Director Ang Lee and their incessant probing on his personal sex life just proves how effective he was in conveying a powerful erotic film. People can't seem to fathom how an ordinary married man like Ang Lee was able to produce a highly arousing film that teases the boundaries of acceptable sex scenes.
I have known people who have watched a hundred porn films and was still moved with this movie. By far, this is the only film that had my dad rushing to Greenhills cinema to catch in the middle of a work day. 
