New Acquisition: Ying xiong (2002)

 

New acquisition: Huo zhe (1994)

 

The Great Wall (2016)

 

In ancient China, a group of European mercenaries encounters a secret army that maintains and defends the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.

Big-budget Chinese monster movie in a historic setting is basically action-filled entertainment, but has lots of visual delight, imaginative fight scenes and some good special effects.

Yao a yao, yao dao wai po qiao (1995)

 

A provincial boy related to a Shanghai crime family is recruited by his uncle into cosmopolitan Shanghai in the 1930s to be a servant to a ganglord's mistress. 

A carefully and beautifully staged period gangster drama reveals - behind all its splendour - the true deprivations of high-end crime, especially the exploitation of women; the ending is rather depressing.

Halliwell**: "A skilled and colourful account of corruption and betrayal, which avoids on-screen violence for the most part in order to concentrate on its devastating aftermath."

Maltin***: "Absorbing tale...An intriguing companion piece to American gangster movies and another dazzling showcase for leading lady Gong Li." 

Gui lai (2014)

Lu and Feng are a devoted couple forced to separate when Lu is arrested and sent to a labor camp as a political prisoner during the Cultural Revolution. He finally returns home only to find that his beloved wife no longer recognizes him.

A simple, heart-wrenching tale with greater personal and political implications, staged by the sure hand of an accomplished director and good performances throughout.