In the Mood for Love 花样年华
In the Mood for Love (2000) is a romantic film written, directed and produced by Wong Kar-wai. Wong Kar-wai is a very well-known director from Hong Kong. In the Mood for Love is the second of his trilogy; the other two are Days of Being Wild 阿飞正传 and 2046.
Starring Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, In the Mood for Love is a slow-paced, nostalgic and artistic film. Each scene is like a frame of art. And it has some great soundtracks that match the mood of the film well. The actors has done a great job too, making the movie linger longer in our memories. It is a story about longing, subtlety and betrayal.
Green Snake 青蛇
Green Snake (1993) is a story adopted from one of China’s four great folktales, Legend of the White Snake. It is a fantasy film focusing more on Green Snake’s interference with the romance between her sister White Snake and Monk Fat-hoi.
The lead actors Maggie Cheung, Joey Wong and Vincent Zhao portrayed the characters very well, especially the two lead actresses who imitated behaviors of snakes. Beautifully filmed and acted, there are many unforgettable scenes in this movie.
Chungking Express 重庆森林
Starring Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung, Faye Wong and Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chungking Express (1994) is another movie written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. It is a more experimental avant-garde sort of cinema. Again there are a lot of moody scenes that set the tone of the film.
Wong Kar-wai is greatly influenced by the French New Wave style, therefore at times the film seems fragmented and discontinuous. Overall this is definitely worth checking out.
You Are the Apple of My Eye 那些年，我們一起追的女孩
You Are the Apple of My Eye (2011) is all about youth, coming of age and falling in love. It is a light-hearted, yet sentimental film, and may be quite relatable and unforgettable. The main characters, played by Ko Chen-tung and Michelle Chen, are charming, interesting and charismatic. And the story is actually very gripping.
Blue Gate Crossing 蓝色大门
Blue Gate Crossing (2002) explores feelings of love for the first time. It is a beautiful film, nicely put together. The plot is simple, but fairly engaging. It is about young love, friendship and sexual identity. And the lead actors, Gwei Lun-mei and Chen Bolin’s performance is solid.
A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella 大话西游之大圣娶亲
A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella (1995) is an epic adaptation of one of the most classic Chinese novels, Journey to the West. This sequel, starring Stephen Chow and Athena Chu, is a romantic comedy about Monkey King’s journey and his romance. It is not only a physical journey, but also an emotional one that leaves many crying.
My Sassy Girl 엽기적인그녀
My Sassy Girl (2001) is one of the most successful and watched movies in South Korea. Extremely popular among millennials, it was quite a trend at the time and was the highest-grossing Korean comedy film of all time.
Starring Cha Tae-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun, the film is based on a true story about a young woman getting a guy into a lot of trouble. This movie can feel like an emotional roller coaster, and it is absolutely a must-watch.
Our Times 我的少女時代
Our Times (2015) is a feel-good romantic comedy starring Vivian Sung and Darren Wang. It is often compared to You Are the Apple of My Eye, as these two do have similarities. Nevertheless, Our Times is without a doubt entertaining, moving and worth watching.
First Love สิ่งเล็กเล็กที่เรียกว่า…รัก
First Love (2010), aka A Little Thing Called Love, can easily be anyone’s favourite romance film. It is cute, pure and just wonderful. Starring Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul and Mario Maurer, the story is about an introverted, ordinary girl who is secretly in love with a popular and handsome senior. This film was a hit and also one of the longest-running movies in the history of Thai cinema (nearly ten weeks).
A Chinese Ghost Story 倩女幽魂
A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), beautifully acted by Leslie Cheung and Joey Wang, is a thrilling, yet entertaining romance from Hong Kong cinema. At times it can seem odd and bizarre, however the concept and cinematography of the movie are fascinating and a joy to watch. Many consider it a masterpiece of Hong Kong cinema.
Love Letter ラヴレター
Love Letter (1995) is more of a poetic film. The scenery in this story is beautiful and impressive, and the setiment is subtle, but profound. Love Letter is about nostalgia and reminisce, therefore it may be sorrowful and heart-wrenching. But still, for those who are looking for something more than just a straightforward plot, this is definitely the film to watch.
We Made a Beautiful Bouquet 花束みたいな恋をした
We Made a Beautiful Bouquet (2021) is an insightful, interesting and realistic narrative about a bittersweet couple and their ups and downs. This film brings up the question that if there really is such a thing as the perfect match. The script of the film is well-written, and the scenes of Japan are just lovely.
