Lists and Recommendations : Chinese films

Chinese films

Trying to find some decent Chinese films in the vein of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of flying daggers. Any genre really as long as it's not too silly like Shaolin Soccer. Cheers

Re: Chinese films

Try Cìkè Niè Yinniáng (2015) from Hsiao-Hsien Hou.

Also, anything directed by Zhangke Jia. (Zhantai (2000) is probably his most important.)

Re: Chinese films

Farewell My Concubine 1993

Red Cliff International Version - Part I & Part II 2008

Blind Shaft 2003 Gritty, low-budget realism. Surprised it got past the censors.

Curse of the Golden Flower 2006

Dragon Inn 1992

Infernal Affairs 2003
Infernal Affairs 2 2003
--- original (and in my opinion superior) version of "The Departed". There is a Part 3, but I have not seen it.

Yi Yi: A One and a Two 2002 Very low-key drama about middle-class family problems in Taiwan seen through the eyes of a young boy.

Kung Fu Hustle 2004 is by Stephen Chow, director of Shaolin Soccer and is "silly" in much the same way. I have no interest in martial arts, monsters, or slapstick, but I quite enjoyed it, especially the first half. The "landlady" is one of the great characters of world cinema.

Two movies which others rate highly , but disappointed me are:

Chungking Express 1994

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop 2009
--- loose remake of the Coens' "Blood Simple".

Re: Chinese films

- Faa yeung nin wa (2000) a.k.a. In The Mood For Love doesn't contain action scenes (so it's a different genre than the movies you listed), but is really great!

- Ermo (1994) - I liked this one, but no action scenes and it's not as "cinematographically spectacular" as the titles you mentioned though.

- Meng ying tong nian (2004) - no action scenes, but beautiful drama.

- Hong gao liang (1987) a.k.a. Red Sorghum

- Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991) a.k.a. Raise The Red Lantern


______
Keiko Matsui & Carl Anderson - "A Drop of Water"
http://youtu.be/kPUENUUuqSk

Re: Chinese films

The Flowers Of War

Re: Chinese films

Not a huge Asian cinema guy, but Outcast definitely fits the kind of genre that you're going for. Really underrated and gets a lot of undeserved flack that I'm convinced came from people who went in wanting to hate it. Great character development, strong performances, badass swordfights and protagonist, and some clever twists on the whole 'hero seeking redemption' story. It feels almost like a Western set in Medieval China, with the mysterious, washed up outsider with a dark past protecting a beautiful girl and her family from the powerful, influential leader of the region.

Re: Chinese films

Haha, I just watched the trailer. This actually looks quite good and I had never heard of it.

Re: Chinese films

Haha glad to hear that, tragically underrated flick. I really hope it becomes a cult favorite over the years but not keeping my hopes up. Though it apparently got considerably more positive praise in China.

Re: Chinese films

I've heard good things about some of the films you guys have mentioned, and some are completely new to me - I'll check them out. Thanks loads guys!

Re: Chinese films

Wong Fei Hung (1991) (Once Upon A Time In China) / Hark Tsui
Shi yue wei cheng (2009) (Bodyguards And Assassins) / Teddy Chan
San siu lam zi (2011) (Shaolin) / Benny Chan
Tai Chi 0 (2012) (Tai Chi Zero) / Stephen Fung
Tai Chi Hero (2012) / Stephen Fung
Yang jia jiang (2013) (Saving General Yang) / Ronnie Yu
E zhan (2014) (Once Upon A Time In Shanghai) / Ching-Po Wong
Wing Chun (1994) / Woo-Ping Yuen
Da zui xia (1966) (Come Drink With Me) / King Hu

mf

Trust me. I’m The Doctor.

Re: Chinese films

Here are some (non-comedy) martial arts recommendations. If you're specifically looking for wuxia, I suggest starting with Dragon Inn. If you like fantasy then watch Green Snake. If you like Wong Kar-Wai then watch Ashes of Time (but if you've never seen any of his films before, I'd suggest starting with In the Mood For Love).

Dragon Inn (1967) (and other King Hu films)
The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)
Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
Green Snake (1993)
Ashes of Time (1994)

If you're in the mood for TV then I recommend Nirvana in Fire, which in the past year has become the most popular Chinese drama of all time. It takes place in a setting similar to Hero (an ancient Chinese kingdom).

Re: Chinese films

I thoroughly enjoyed the Detective Dee movies, Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010) and Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013), which mix historical events with a heavy infusion of fantasy. The sequel is as good as the original, and it really doesn't matter which one you see first. A third installment is due in 2017.

I've been ionized, but I'm okay now.

Re: Chinese films

5 must see period movies from late 80s-1990s

red sorghum
ju dou
raise the red lantern
farewell, my concubine
to live / huo zhe


Re: Chinese films

Tai Chi Master

Re: Chinese films

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is my favorite film of all time. You may like some of my other favorites from China:

The Assassin, Hou Hsiao-hsien - Chinese, but not from China, from Taiwan. Read my review if you look it up, it is a fantastic film.

A Touch of Sin, Ke Jia Zhang - Not an action film, yet an excellent film.

- Matt J. "There ain't no right or wrong, there just is." (Ride With the Devil)
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