The Mamas & The Papas' "California Dreamin" in Chungking Express

Film Released: 1994

Similar to "Fight The Power" in Do The Right Thing, there's no way you can finish watching Chungking Express and not start singing The Mamas & the Papas' 1965 classic, "California Dreamin'." Urban loneliness is the main theme to the film which explores two separate story lines that are only thematically unified. The song mostly factors into the second half of the film where it's played incessantly by the character Faye Wong.

The record also factors into the plot as well, as Wong's character forgoes a date at a restaurant called California and opts to hop on a plane and go to the actual state. It's a snap decision, but one likely inspired by the song's line, "If I didn't tell her, I could leave today."