Zhang Lei Movies
- 2007
A child falls victim to the adults who are supposed to be looking out for her in this heart-tugging drama from Chinese filmmaker Peng Tao. Xiao Ezi (Zhao Huihui) is a sickly little girl nicknamed "Little Moth" who has no reliable guardian -- her mother is dead and her father is an alcoholic who can't hold a job. Xiao Ezi is adopted by Luo (Hong Qifa) and Guihua (Han Dequn), a couple from the country, but the girl soon discovers their motives were less then benevolent -- Luo and Guihua earn their meager living by panhandling, and they believe having the tiny child on hand will earn them more money from sympathetic passers-by. Before long, Guihua finds herself becoming a loving mother to the child, even as Luo argues against buying Xiao Ezi the medicine she needs. But it seems other people have their eyes on "Little Moth" -- another beggar, Zhong (Zeng Xiaorong), offers to buy the child, and a street criminal Yang (Xu Zelin) threatens to inform the authorities about what Luo and Guihua are doing, while a pair of gangsters extort money from the couple in exchange for the child's safety. Xue Chan (aka Little Moth) received its North American premiere at the 2007 Vancouver Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 2004
Filmmaker Lu Chuan, who wrote and directed The Missing Gun, traveled to the remote border of China, Tibet, and Uygur, to make his next feature, Kekexili. Lu based the film on a true story about a reporter from Beijing, Ga Yu (Qi Liang), who traveled to the barren, frigid, high altitude region of the movie's title. Ga Yu had heard about volunteer patrols that were trying to protect the endangered Tibetan antelope from the poachers who were selling their pelts to be made into expensive, fashionable shawls. The cold-blooded murder of one of the patrol members at the hands of the well-armed poachers draws Ga Yu to a small village, where the leader of the patrol unit, Ritai (Tibetan actor Duobuji), agrees to take him out on a patrol, in the hopes that a story in the paper will spur the Chinese government to take stronger action to protect the animals. Ritai is determined to find the gunman responsible for slaughtering the animals, and for killing his comrade. His determination gradually becomes a deadly obsession. Lu shot his movie on location under dangerous conditions, with a cast of mostly nonprofessional actors. Though the film is from Mainland China, it won Hong Kong's Golden Horse Awards for Best Cinematography (Cao Yu) and Best Picture. It was also shown by Subway Cinema as part of the 2005 New York Asian Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 2003
Jiang Wen, Zhao Wei, and Fang Lijun headline this romantic urban love story about a female professor who believes she can read her romantic future in a simple cup of tea. Wu is a successful college professor who could take her pick of handsome suitors, yet she cautiously abides by Lang Lang's advice to "Predict your love with a cup of tea." Smooth operator Chen thinks Wu's method of choosing a romantic partner is hopelessly absurd, but does her really know everything about women as he so arrogantly claims? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2002
A romance born of a tragedy follows a tragic path of its own in this drama from Chinese auteur Zhang Yuan. Wang Yi (Tong Dawei) is a young man whose best friend is soon to marry a beautiful woman, Du Xiaoju (Xu Jinglei), to whom Yi finds himself attracted. When Yi's friend tragically dies shortly before the wedding, Yi becomes friendly with Xiaoju, and in time he confesses his love for her. Yi and Xiaoju soon marry, but while they're quite happy together at first, clouds soon appear on the horizon; she enjoys teasing him about his past lovers, while he becomes angry when she wears makeup or shows physical affection toward him in public. Yi and Xiaoju begin quarreling often, and he becomes moody and distant. One night, she confronts him while he's drinking with friends, and he responds with violence. Yi asks Xiaoju for a trial separation, which upsets her greatly; he decides to give their relationship another try, and all seems well on the surface. However, in time Xiaoju becomes convinced Yi no longer loves her, while she has become more emotionally dependent on him than ever, and her desperation begins to manifest itself in dangerous emotional instability. Wo Ai Ni received its American premiere at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
A young man from rural China struggles to make good in Beijing in this drama, which suggests an updated and relocated variation on the neorealist classic Ladri di Biciclette. Guei (Cui Lin) is a teenager who arrives in the big city looking for work; he and a handful of other youngsters are hired as bicycle messengers, with their employer giving them new mountain bikes under the condition that they're paid ten yuan for each message they deliver, and the bicycles are theirs once they've made 58 trips. Guei discovers the job is not an easy one, as he deals with the complexity of the huge city, confusion over who gets what message, and the condescending attitude Beijing residents often display toward the new arrivals. Guei is determined to make good and is close to owning his bike when it's stolen; Guei's boss tells him the only way he can keep is job is if he can find the bicycle, which, in a city the size of Beijing, is no easy task. Against all odds, Guei finds the bicycle, but it's now in the hands of Jian (Li Bin), who claims he got it at a second-hand shop and isn't about to give it up. Guei steals the bike back from Jian, but now has to deal with the teenaged tough and his roughneck friends. Shiqisuide Danche was produced as part of a series of films from young Chinese directors called "Tales of Three Cities," co-produced by French and Taiwanese companies. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1994
In this metaphysical adventure two very different men come to the same mountain to hunt a special fox and end up hunting each other. The Thin One works as a projectionist whose family theatre is forced to close because of commercial pressures. He sees his doctor and then heads up into the mountains to hunt. He accidently shoots at a hunter whom he thinks is a fox. The man retaliates and they begin to hunt each other in the snow. During a sudden storm, the other hunter saves the Thin One's life. They become friends. As the Thin Guy is heading down the hill, he meets another urban nerd coming up. A nifty ending ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gong Hanlin, Tu Men, (more)
- 1987
The whole idea of a modern China governed according to modern political principles and embodying the best Western standards of science and culture was exemplified and given power by the life and example of Dr. Sun Yatsen (1866-1925). Born to a Christian family in Canton, he gained a medical diploma but devoted himself to the overthrow of the Manchu (Ching/Qing) dynasty and was elected the first president of the Chinese Republic in 1911. Curiously, his work and Christian faith also made him very popular among Americans interested in "the China situation," especially such influential figures as media mogul Henry Luce. His political teachings and life work are still revered by both mainland and Taiwan Chinese. This laudatory documentary of this exemplary national hero was lavishly produced and does not explore any of the problematic areas of his life. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1982
"Go" is a complex, brain-racking "game" of military strategy, somewhat resembling chess. Chinese Sun Dao-Lin is sent to Japan to study Go under master Rentaro Mikuni. Rising to national champion, Sun is coerced into swearing allegiance to Japan at the outbreak of World War II. Having lost his son in the war, Sun vows to have his revenge on Mikuni, thereby launching a 32-year-long game of Go. Beginning the game in the heat of anger in 1946, Sun has learned the value of forgiveness at game's end in 1978. Filmed in 1982, the vastly popular Go Masters (Mikan No Taikyoku) was the first-ever Chinese/Japanese co-production. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rentaro Mikuni
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.