One of China's first landmark directors, who has managed to successfully reinvent himself a couple of times since he started making films. A master of visual epics, but also someone who finds his way around social dramas. Essential viewing.

Rare treats

Even though it was one of the first, Hero remains one of the best epic wire-fu films ever produced.
The good stuff
The Flowers of War

The Flowers Of War borders on sentimentality and poses as a very epic endeavor. It's Zhang's magnificent direction that erases any major critiques, turning the film into a proper epic spectacle.
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

Shanghai Triad


A true master of color, Yimou Zhang surprises with this near black and white martial arts drama. It's amazing what he accomplishes with almost no colors to work with, Shadow is a true feast for the eyes. The story is amusing, the action spectacular, but this is above all a visual marvel like only Zhang can make them.
House of Flying Daggers

Not quite as majestic as Zhang's Hero, but still an overwhelmingly beautiful martial arts drama with a few memorable scenes. The drum dance and the bamboo forest fight are amongst the best the genre has on offer. And apart from some sketchy CG near the end, it hasn't aged a bit.
Solid pieces
The Love of the Hawthorn Tree

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop

Curse of the Golden Flower

Happy Times

The Road Home

Raise the Red Lantern

Ju Dou: Secret Love, Hidden Faces

The inoffensive
The Great Wall

Chacun Son Cinéma

Not One Less

The Story of Qiu Ju

Red Sorghum

Worthy but flawed
Coming Home

Big nopes
Lumière and Company

Codename Cougar
