Zhou Yu's Train AKA zhōu yú de huǒchē

Zhou Yu's Train AKA zhōu yú de huǒchē

Sony

1 August 2002

Romance?

DVD
C-

Not bad, but confusing.  Director Zhou Sun adapted the novella by Bei Cun.

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop AKA A Simple Noodle Story AKA Sānqiāng Pāi'àn Jīngqí

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop AKA A Simple Noodle Story AKA Sānqiāng Pāi'àn Jīngqí

Beijing New Picture Co.

11 December 2009

Historical Comedy

DVD
C-

This is a remake of Blood Simple, which I surprised myself by liking, and this isn't bad, but it just didn't click for me.  Yimou Zhang directed, after Not One Less AKA  tiān shàng yǒu ge tàiyáng, but before The Great Wall.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

EuropaCorp etc.

21 July 21 2017

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Thankfully a bit cheesy, especially the dialog.  Luc Besson wrote and directed, three years after Lucy.

2046

2046

Jet Tone Productions etc.

20 May 2004

Sci-Fi, Romance

DVD
C-

Stylish but it didn't draw me in.  Kar-Wai Wong wrote and directed.

Trail of the Panda AKA Xiong mao hui jia lu

Trail of the Panda AKA Xiong mao hui jia lu

Ying Dong Media/ Disney etc.

27 April 2009

Drama?

DVD
C-

Too much about the panda trappers.  Zhong Yu directed.

Summer Palace AKA Yíhé Yuán

Summer Palace AKA Yíhé Yuán

Ocean Films

18 May 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

A young woman unhappily loses her virginity, cheers up at college, and then gets depressed again.  Ye Lou directed and co-wrote.

Spark: A Space Tail

Spark: A Space Tail

ToonBox Entertainment etc.

22 April 2016

Children's, Sci-Fi, Comedy
DVD
D+

It could be worse.  Aaron Woodley directed and co-wrote.

Red Cliff

Red Cliff

Edko Films etc.

10 July 2008

War Drama, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Not my thing, but I liked the human elements.  Director John Woo co-adapted the Guanzhong Luo novel

Quackerz

Quackerz

Turbo Films etc.

14 February 2016

Children's, Fantasy, Comedy, Action

DVD
D+

About as good as its title, with a mix of cliches, vivid colors, and a surprising amount of sex humor (e.g. "missionary position") for a kids' movie.

Not One Less AKA tiān shàng yǒu ge tàiyáng

Not One Less AKA  tiān shàng yǒu ge tàiyáng

Columbia etc.

2 December 1999

Drama

DVD
C

I gave this story twenty minutes, because I thought it had potential, but I got frustrated that the thirteen-year-old teacher wasn't even trying to teach.  Yimou Zhang directed, seventeen years before The Great Wall, which didn't have as much potential, although probably a much bigger budget.

Hooligan Sparrow

Hooligan Sparrow

Little Horse Crossing the River

22 January 2016

Documentary

DVD
C-

I couldn't stick with this because of the subject matter, but I wish the activists and the girls they're fighting for well.  Nanfu Wang directed and co-wrote.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall

Universal

6 December 2016

Historical Drama, Fantasy

DVD
D+

The set design is the most interesting thing here, although I suppose that's mostly CGI.  Yimou Zhang directed.

The First Emperor of China

The First Emperor of China

IMAX?

Documentary, Historical Drama

January 5, 1990

DVD
C-

An odd blend of narration (by Plummer) and reconstructed events.  I watched fifteen minutes, which is over a third, but wasn't interested enough to continue.  Tony Ianzelo and Liu Hao Xue co-directed.

Jet Li's Fearless

Jet Li's Fearless
Rogue Pictures
26 January 2006
Action, Historical Drama
DVD
C-

I liked this better than some martial arts movies because it shows the human side of its hero, with a long flashback to his childhood.  Ronny Yu directed.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Sony
7 July 2000
Historical Drama
DVD
C-

Oddly enough, I think I saw this at the time, although it's not my genre.  (Well, and I know it technically is "action" but not much happens in the first quarter hour, other than a lot of talking about and examining of a sword.)  Ang Lee directed.

A Beautiful Mistake

A Beautiful Mistake
Studio Unknown
1 October 2010
Historical Drama
DVD
D+

During the Cultural Revolution, a boy sees his parents have sex, pees, and gets bullied, not necessarily in that order.  And apparently this film was never shown publicly in China, perhaps because of the voyeurism after I tuned out.  Wei Hao Tang and Hui Zhou Lu co-directed and co-wrote based on a novel by Zhong Qiu Shi.