Kimberley Jones’ Top 10 Films of 2019

"...The visuals in Zhang Yimou's wuxia epic dropped my jaw again and again...."

Dec. 20, 2019 Screens Feature by Kimberley Jones

Shadow

Zhang Yimou's period martial arts drama probes the moral grays of life in a royal court

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai, Wang..."

May 17, 2019 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

Fantastic Fest Wave Three Crashes Down

Music and madness fill festival lineup

"...SHADOW D: Zhang Yimou China, 2018, U.S. Premiere, 116 min. Zhang Yimou..."

Sept. 13, 2018 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

The Great Wall

Matt Damon protects the Chinese from lizards

"...Directed by: Yimou Zhang. Starring: Matt Damon, Tian Jing, Willem Dafoe and..."

Feb. 24, 2017 Movie Review by Steve Davis

Chronicle Recommends: Films About Revolution

Watch the status quo crumble to pieces in these cinematic gems

"...Zhang Yimou’s winner of the Jury Grand Prize at the..."

July 1, 2016 Screens Post by Chronicle Film Staff

Coming Home

Zhang Yimou's latest is a family drama set against the winds of history

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Gong Li, Chen Daoming, Zhang Huiwen, Guo..."

Oct. 2, 2015 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

FilmCraft: Directing

'FilmCraft: Directing' is fun reading for future filmmakers

"...book's chapters are presented alphabetically from Pedro Almodóvar to Zhang Yimou. In addition to the interview transcriptions, Goodridge presents..."

Aug. 24, 2012 Screens Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop

Surprisingly, Zhang Yimou's Chinese remake of the Coen brothers' debut film, Blood Simple, winds up something of a limp noodle.

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Sun Hunglei, Xiao Shenyang, Yan Ni, Ni..."

Sept. 24, 2010 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

On the Road, From San Fran to Taipei

Two new film series bebop and globe-hop

"...those influential Frenchmen, the great Fifth Generation innovators – Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and others – understood film not..."

March 28, 2008 Screens Feature by Josh Rosenblatt

Curse of the Golden Flower

The rather emotionally insignificant melodrama at the center of this film is given only minimal cover from scrutiny by Zhang Yimou’s visual virtuosity.

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu..."

Jan. 12, 2007 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

Chinese film by veteran Zhang Yimou is a tale about good intentions and missed opportunities.

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Ken Takakura, Shinobu Terajima, Li Jiamin, Qiu..."

Oct. 13, 2006 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

House of Flying Daggers

The swooning visuals, the expert choreography, the teasing love story, and the puzzle-piece plot all combine to provide this martial arts movie with the spirit of a star-cross'd swashbuckler.

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau and..."

Jan. 14, 2005 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

World of Wonders

Dispatch No. 2: World of Wonders

"...a Holocaust tale without any Jews. Moving to China, Zhang Yimou's follow-up to Hero (which is in current release)..."

Sept. 17, 2004 Screens Feature by Marjorie Baumgarten

Hero

If Douglas Sirk had made martial arts movies they probably would have looked something like Zhang Yimou's stunning new opus.

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung,..."

Aug. 27, 2004 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

D'OH!

AFS's "The Fifth Generation: Chinese Films of the Past Two Decades"

Jan. 24, 2003 Screens Feature

Fine China

The latest Austin Film Society free series examines the cinema of China's Fifth Generation filmmakers.

"...classmates raided the family's house and burned their books. Zhang Yimou was ostracized for his father's counterrevolutionary involvement and..."

Jan. 17, 2003 Screens Feature by Will Robinson Sheff

The Fifth Generation: Chinese Films of the Past Two Decades

"...Qiu Ju (Qiu Ju Da Guan Si) (1992) D: Zhang Yimou, 100 min., Mandarin with English subtitles...."

Jan. 17, 2003 Screens Feature

Happy Times

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Fu Biao, Dong Lihua, Dong Jie and..."

Sept. 13, 2002 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

The Road Home

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Zheng Hao, Sun Honglei and..."

June 29, 2001 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Not One Less

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Sun Zhimei, Gao Enman, Tian Zhenda, Zhang..."

March 31, 2000 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Show and Tell

Spring Previews 2000

"...D: Zhang Yimou; with Wei Minzhi, Zhang Huike, Tian Zhenda, Gao..."

Feb. 25, 2000 Screens Feature by Marjorie Baumgarten

279 Movies and 2 Funerals

Toronto International Film Festival Report

"...Asia seemed particularly strong this year. Filmmakers such as Zhang Yimou in Keep Cool and Wong Kar-wai in Happy..."

Sept. 19, 1997 Screens Feature by Marjorie Baumgarten

Shanghai Triad

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Gong Li, Wang Xiao Xiao, Li Baotian,..."

March 1, 1996 Movie Review by Steve Davis

To Live

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Ge You, Gong Li, Niu Ben, Guo..."

Jan. 27, 1995 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

The Great Conqueror's Concubine

"...film boasts the unlikely collaboration between the arthouse fave Zhang Yimou (Ju Dou), who functions here as producer, and..."

Dec. 2, 1994 Movie Review by Joey O'Bryan

The Story of Qiu Ju

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Gong Li, Lei Lao Sheng, Liu Pei..."

July 23, 1993 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Raise the Red Lantern

Zhang's film is a biting examination of sexual politics, mandarin-style. Also stunningly gorgeous to look at, this melodrama transcends all borders and eras to speak to the ages.

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Gong Li, Ma Jingwu and He Caifei...."

June 5, 1992 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Ju Dou

"...Directed by: Zhang Yimou. Starring: Gong Li, Li Baotian and Li Wei...."

May 10, 1991 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten