NOTE: NO SPOILERS AHEAD!
Sadly, there aren’t many Chinese movies nominated for an Oscar this year. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t great Chinese movies. Netflix marathon anyone?
So, without further ado, here are five Chinese movies to watch on Netflix this weekend.
1. Ip Man 3 (Action)
Love. Heartbreak. Beautifully choreographed fight scenes. Ip Man 3 has it all. The Ip Man series is a classic of kung fu movies, and Ip Man 3 is no different. It brings several plotlines together including an underground fight club, a violent gang, and a jealous rival. When I was watching this movie, I was amazed by the speed of the actors’ fighting moves: they seemed to move with superhuman speed, blocking and throwing punches in a blur of motion. Ip Man 3 also features a fantastic soundtrack and gorgeous slow-motion shots. Definitely worth a movie marathon!
For those of you interested, there are a total of three movies in the Ip Man series, but not all of them are available on Netflix.
2. A Beautiful Life (Drama/Romance)
This movie was so sweet! It actually made me cry at a few moments because I was so worried about the main characters, but I finished the film feeling satisfied. A Beautiful Life follows the love story of Li Peiru, an ambitious and flirtatious real-estate agent, and Fang Zhendong, a rule-following police officer. What makes this movie special is that it doesn’t use the cliche of love at first sight. Instead, it shows two people whose love is so deep that it can overcome life’s most brutal challenges.
3. I Am Not Madame Bovary (Comedy/Indie)
I fell in love with this movie just by watching the trailer. It’s so beautifully shot, and the dialogue is quick-paced and witty. Personally, it reminded me of Dir. Wes Anderson whose films include The Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Fan Bingbing plays the main character, Li Xuelian, a village woman with a lot of chutzpah. Throughout the movie, she tries to seek retribution for the ways her husband wronged her.
My only complaint about this movie is that it is mostly shot in a circular frame, which was kind of distracting. But if you can get past the weird lens, then I’m sure you will enjoy I Am Not Madame Bovary!
4. The Monkey King 2 (Fantasy)
If you loved Pirates of the Caribbean, then you’ll probably love this movie too! The Monkey King series is a fun combination of epic mythology, fantasy, and comedy. Pay attention when watching this movie! There’s a lot going on in this film, and it can be hard to keep track of all of the characters and details. Also, if the other Monkey King movies are available in your country, I would 100% recommend those too!
5. Love on Delivery (Comedy)
Okay, this is probably the weirdest movie on this list. Love on Delivery is a slapstick comedy about a boy learning kung fu to impress a girl, but that doesn’t really describe it. Love on Delivery is basically a giant meme from the dramatic zoom-ins to the training montage, to the fact that the kung fu master is obviously a swindler. My favourite line from the movie was “Jackie Chan likes to have tea with me, but I don’t have time for him.”
As you can see, Chinese movies aren’t all kung-fu flicks—though the kung-fu movies are still amazing! There’s really something for everyone when it comes to Chinese movies.
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