Movies of China
July 1, 2006 6:55 AM Subscribe
Can anyone recommend any good Chinese language films?
I'm looking for movies that do a good job portraying life in modern China.
I'm looking for movies that do a good job portraying life in modern China.
A World Without Thieves (2004)
Beijing Bicycle (2002)
Not at all modern but so much fun to watch is Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
posted by geekyguy at 7:26 AM on July 1, 2006
Beijing Bicycle (2002)
Not at all modern but so much fun to watch is Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
posted by geekyguy at 7:26 AM on July 1, 2006
I'd suggest Platform.
It deals with music and the shift in culture between 70s Communist China and the incursion of free market ideals on culture, specifically relating to a band of young musicians.
posted by smackwich at 7:51 AM on July 1, 2006
It deals with music and the shift in culture between 70s Communist China and the incursion of free market ideals on culture, specifically relating to a band of young musicians.
posted by smackwich at 7:51 AM on July 1, 2006
Zuotian (Quitting)
Amazing movie dealing with modern families, addiction and hospitalization in China. Read the backstory for the details of the casting and how the film came about. Highly recommended.
posted by loquax at 7:57 AM on July 1, 2006
Amazing movie dealing with modern families, addiction and hospitalization in China. Read the backstory for the details of the casting and how the film came about. Highly recommended.
posted by loquax at 7:57 AM on July 1, 2006
For a movie set in modern rural China, I'd recommend Not One Less.
In general, it sounds like you should look at what are called "sixth generation" directors, who in the nineties made a trend of doing movies about modern urban life in China. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in these movies (yet), but Harvard did a film series that seems exactly up your alley a while ago and has good descriptions of some films. Most of the Chinese directors interviewed at Sense of Chinema seem to be from that movement as well, and are surrounded by other fantastic names that might give you suggestions when interested in non-Chinese film.
posted by Schismatic at 8:09 AM on July 1, 2006
In general, it sounds like you should look at what are called "sixth generation" directors, who in the nineties made a trend of doing movies about modern urban life in China. Unfortunately, I am not well versed in these movies (yet), but Harvard did a film series that seems exactly up your alley a while ago and has good descriptions of some films. Most of the Chinese directors interviewed at Sense of Chinema seem to be from that movement as well, and are surrounded by other fantastic names that might give you suggestions when interested in non-Chinese film.
posted by Schismatic at 8:09 AM on July 1, 2006
Anything by the director Fruit Chan, he often uses non-actors and does stuff in a very almost documentary style, particularly a film like Durian Durian that has parts in Hong Kong and northern China.
As mentioned above, A World Without Thieves and Beijing Bicycle were also pretty good. Frozen, by the director of Beijing Bicycle is one of my favourite films, it deals with the lives of Chinese performance artists.
posted by bobo123 at 8:14 AM on July 1, 2006
As mentioned above, A World Without Thieves and Beijing Bicycle were also pretty good. Frozen, by the director of Beijing Bicycle is one of my favourite films, it deals with the lives of Chinese performance artists.
posted by bobo123 at 8:14 AM on July 1, 2006
Houzhe, translated as "To Live", is an excellent film detailing the many decades of Chinese Communism.
posted by rabbitsnake at 8:39 AM on July 1, 2006
posted by rabbitsnake at 8:39 AM on July 1, 2006
King Hu makes some real nice, thoughtful, epic wu-xia.
posted by MetaMonkey at 8:59 AM on July 1, 2006
posted by MetaMonkey at 8:59 AM on July 1, 2006
Second To Live, a beautiful film. Zhang Yimou in general does good work, but most of his films are historical films, not about modern China.
If you're worried Beijing Bicycle might simply be The Bicycle Thief in Chinese, it's not--the plot is more complicated than all that.
The Blue Kite is generally held in high regard, though I have to admit I saw it recently and wasn't much moved by it. YMMV.
posted by Tuwa at 9:03 AM on July 1, 2006
If you're worried Beijing Bicycle might simply be The Bicycle Thief in Chinese, it's not--the plot is more complicated than all that.
The Blue Kite is generally held in high regard, though I have to admit I saw it recently and wasn't much moved by it. YMMV.
posted by Tuwa at 9:03 AM on July 1, 2006
I'd suggest Blind Shaft. It's a pretty grim movie about a couple of workers in a coal mine who conspire to kill a third one and take the family's compensation money. It's really well done though, and probably a pretty fair depiction of life in a chinese mine.
posted by chrisege at 9:23 AM on July 1, 2006
posted by chrisege at 9:23 AM on July 1, 2006
Second for Qutting and Blind Shaft, as well as A World Without Thieves.
Zhifu (The Uniform) is great, as well, though finding it might be a problem
posted by Camel of Space at 10:51 AM on July 1, 2006
Zhifu (The Uniform) is great, as well, though finding it might be a problem
posted by Camel of Space at 10:51 AM on July 1, 2006
Just thought id pop in to say that there is no such thing as 'chinese' as a language. There is mandarin or cantonese. That might help you in your googling...
posted by GleepGlop at 10:56 AM on July 1, 2006
posted by GleepGlop at 10:56 AM on July 1, 2006
I'm so happy that I no one mentioned In The Mood For Love (Fa yeung nin wa), another one of Kar Wai Wong's masterpieces, because I just wanted to say how head-over heels I am in love with his film.
posted by jedrek at 11:01 AM on July 1, 2006
posted by jedrek at 11:01 AM on July 1, 2006
Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua) is beautiful and heartbreaking and word for word perfect. And Gong Li will devastate you. If I were to be exiled forever with one movie to watch for the rest of my life, this would be my choice.
posted by Dreama at 12:30 PM on July 1, 2006
posted by Dreama at 12:30 PM on July 1, 2006
Jia Zhang-Ke's The World
Zhang Yimou's Happy Times
If you're also interested in Taiwan, Edward Yang's Yi Yi
And, of course, Chung King Express and Fallen Angels from Wong Kar Wai, assuming your interest extends to Hong Kong.
posted by Zetetics at 12:53 PM on July 1, 2006
Zhang Yimou's Happy Times
If you're also interested in Taiwan, Edward Yang's Yi Yi
And, of course, Chung King Express and Fallen Angels from Wong Kar Wai, assuming your interest extends to Hong Kong.
posted by Zetetics at 12:53 PM on July 1, 2006
I second the recommendation for Houzhe. Gong Li is also in it, with another heart-breaking performance.
posted by invisible ink at 1:13 PM on July 1, 2006
posted by invisible ink at 1:13 PM on July 1, 2006
Rabbitsnake and invisible ink, it's actually Huozhe 活着. Got the U and the O switched.
Anything by Zhang Yimou is pretty cool, the earlier the better in my view. Red Sorghum (Hong Gaoliang) is also good.
I thought Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 was pretty good, and I love Wang Fei in anything.
Ang Lee (why does he spell his name with a "g"?) did some very good stuff before coming to Hollywood. Nakedcodemonkey already mentioned Eat Drink Man Woman, which is great. My favorite of his is The Wedding Banquet, which can be enjoyed as a goofy comedy, a deep inspection of Chinese attitudes towards love and many things in between. Pushing Hands is also a very good, small film. Anything with Lang Xiong (aka Lang Sihung) is great. Lee is Taiwanese, not mainland Chinese, though, so that might not be what you're looking for.
posted by jiawen at 4:15 PM on July 1, 2006
Anything by Zhang Yimou is pretty cool, the earlier the better in my view. Red Sorghum (Hong Gaoliang) is also good.
I thought Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 was pretty good, and I love Wang Fei in anything.
Ang Lee (why does he spell his name with a "g"?) did some very good stuff before coming to Hollywood. Nakedcodemonkey already mentioned Eat Drink Man Woman, which is great. My favorite of his is The Wedding Banquet, which can be enjoyed as a goofy comedy, a deep inspection of Chinese attitudes towards love and many things in between. Pushing Hands is also a very good, small film. Anything with Lang Xiong (aka Lang Sihung) is great. Lee is Taiwanese, not mainland Chinese, though, so that might not be what you're looking for.
posted by jiawen at 4:15 PM on July 1, 2006
Kong que or Peacock. Saw it at the Brooklyn International Film Festival a few weeks back and found it captivating.
posted by Captaintripps at 6:15 PM on July 1, 2006
posted by Captaintripps at 6:15 PM on July 1, 2006
I second Jia Zhang-Ke's "The World", which I think is better than his earlier "Platform". Jonathan Rosenbaum named "The World" a masterpiece, and called it "a tragic, visionary work -- a global newspaper that somehow catches our muddled drift in all its surreal splendor. Maybe its biggest achievement is that it actually lives up to its title."
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 7:07 PM on July 1, 2006
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 7:07 PM on July 1, 2006
Raise The Red Lantern is also one of my all-time favorites. Stunningly beautiful and heartbreaking. Seconding, thirding, nthing that suggestion.
I also enjoyed The Road Home. Mandarin, by Yimou Zhang (original title Wo de fu qin mu qin). Slow on action, rich in meaning.
posted by po at 10:36 PM on July 1, 2006
I also enjoyed The Road Home. Mandarin, by Yimou Zhang (original title Wo de fu qin mu qin). Slow on action, rich in meaning.
posted by po at 10:36 PM on July 1, 2006
Su zhou he is a good depiction of the grittier side of modern life in China. The King of Masks is excellent. Oh yeah, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is good too.
posted by edjusted at 11:05 PM on July 9, 2006
posted by edjusted at 11:05 PM on July 9, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hazelshade at 7:18 AM on July 1, 2006