Here For Xiao Zhan (xiaozhan.ca)

Soul

Genre: Animation

Jamie Foxx leads an all-star cast in this hilarious, heart-filled adventure. Pixar’s SOUL introduces Joe, who lands the gig of his life at the best jazz club in town. But one misstep lands Joe in a fantastical place: The Great Before. There, he teams up with soul 22 (Tina Fey), and together they find the answers to some of life’s biggest questions.

*** Xiao Zhan went to watch this in the theatres on Dec 30, 2020

Spirited Away

Genre: Animation

In this animated feature by noted Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, 10-year-old Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi) and her parents (Takashi Naitô, Yasuko Sawaguchi) stumble upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park. After her mother and father are turned into giant pigs, Chihiro meets the mysterious Haku (Miyu Irino), who explains that the park is a resort for supernatural beings who need a break from their time spent in the earthly realm, and that she must work there to free herself and her parents.

*** Xiao Zhan mentioned this movie in his Phoenix Fashion 凤凰网时尚 interview (Jun 30, 2019)

Anatomy of A Fall

Genre: Thriller/Crime

For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their eleven-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead in the snow below their chalet, the police question whether he was murdered or committed suicide. Samuel’s suspicious death is presumed murder, and Sandra becomes the main suspect.

Love Actually

Genre: Comedy/Romance

“Get ready for fun!” (Leah Rozen, People) with the “feel good movie of the year!” (Clay Smith, Access Hollywood) Love Actually is the ultimate romantic comedy from the makers of Bridget Jones’s Diary and Notting Hill. Funny, irresistible and heartwarming, an all-star cast (Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson, to name a few!) will take you on a breathtaking tour of love’.

Flipped

Genre: Comedy/Romance

When Juli meets Bryce in the second grade, she knows it’s true love. After spending six years trying to convince Bryce the same, she’s ready to give up – until he starts to reconsider.

Parasite

Genre: Thriller/Comedy

Ki-taek’s family of four is close, but fully unemployed, with a bleak future ahead of them. The son Ki-woo is recommended by his friend, a student at a prestigious university, for a well-paid tutoring job, spawning hopes of a regular income.

Gonjiam Haunted Asylum

Genre: Horror/Mystery

Based on the local legends and stories of people who’ve visited the real-life abandoned hospital, GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM follows the crew of a horror web show who plan to stream live from inside the asylum. To attract more viewers, the show’s host arranges some scares for the team, but as they move further into the nightmarish old building, they begin to encounter much more than expected.

The House That Jack Built

Genre: Horror/Crime

Failed architect Jack recounts his elaborately orchestrated murders. Told from his point of view, he sees each one as a towering work of art that defines his life’s work as a serial killer. As the police is drawing nearer, Jack takes greater risks in his attempt to create the ultimate artwork.

*** Xiao Zhan mentioned this movie in his Bazaar Film《芭莎电影》interview (Jul 5, 2019)

Hereditary

Genre: Horror

When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry.

*** Xiao Zhan mentioned this movie in his NanDou Entertainment interview (Aug 8, 2019)

My Best Friend’s Wedding

Genre: Romance/Comedy

“My Best Friend’s Wedding” is adapted from the Hollywood classic love comedy of the same name. Gu Jia (played by Shu Qi) is the new editor-in-chief of a domestic fashion magazine and is ordered to attend Fashion Week in Milan. An unexpected phone call caused her to give up her work schedule as soon as she landed in Milan. She flies to to London because she once ran away from the man she actually loved deeply in her heart.

*** Xiao Zhan went with his X-Nine brothers to watch this on Aug 5, 2016 & on Aug 13, 2016

The Lake House

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside house begins to exchange love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late.

*** Xiao Zhan mentioned this movie in his Sina Drama Star Arrives Livestream interview

Sheep Without a Shepherd

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Desperate measures are taken by a man who tries to save his family from the dark side of the law, after they commit an unexpected crime.

Spring Tide

Genre: Documentary/Drama

As a journalist specializing in social news, Guo Jian Bo (Hao Lei) has dedicated herself to reporting on the most poignant social issues. But the mental and emotional trauma she suffers because of her work often takes its toll. Even so, Jian Bo is happy to sacrifice her own comfort for the sake of her daughter, Guo Wan Ting (Junxi Qu), knowing that in doing so, she’s providing Wan Ting with the best life possible. But even with her constant sacrifices, there’s only so much Jian Bo can do, which is why she relies heavily on the help of her retired mother, Ji Ming Lan (Elaine Jin).

Suspiria

Genre: Horror

Suzy (Jessica Harper) travels to Germany to attend ballet school. When she arrives, late on a stormy night, no one lets her in, and she sees Pat (Eva Axén), another student, fleeing from the school. When Pat reaches her apartment, she is murdered. The next day, Suzy is admitted to her new school, but has a difficult time settling in. She hears noises, and often feels ill. As more people die, Suzy uncovers the terrifying secret history of the place.

*** Xiao Zhan mentioned this movie in his BELLA Quick Interview 开挂不如开战 (March 8, 2019)

Last Letter

Genre: Romance/Drama

A Shanghai librarian gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity when she pretends to be her deceased sister at a school reunion.

A Wicked Ghost

Genre: Horror

A young man and a drama teacher must find the source of a hateful ghost’s rage before it’s too late.

The Last Emperor

Genre: Western/Drama

This sweeping account of the life of Pu Yi (John Lone), the last emperor of China, follows the leader’s tumultuous reign. After being captured by the Red Army as a war criminal in 1950, Pu Yi recalls his childhood from prison. He remembers his lavish youth in the Forbidden City, where he was afforded every luxury but unfortunately sheltered from the outside world and complex political situation surrounding him. As revolution sweeps through China, the world Pu Yi knew is dramatically upended.

Joker

Genre: Thriller/Crime

Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks — the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he’s part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

Marriage Story

Genre: Romance/Comedy

A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.

Judy

Genre: Musical/Romance

Thirty years after starring in “The Wizard of Oz,” beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

La La Land

Genre: Musical/Romance

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.

No Country for Old Men

Genre: Crime/Thriller 

While out hunting, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds the grisly aftermath of a drug deal. Though he knows better, he cannot resist the cash left behind and takes it with him. The hunter becomes the hunted when a merciless killer named Chigurh (Javier Bardem) picks up his trail. Also looking for Moss is Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), an aging lawman who reflects on a changing world and a dark secret of his own, as he tries to find and protect Moss.

My Blueberry Nights

Genre: Romance/Drama

After her boyfriend of five years breaks up with her, Elizabeth (Norah Jones) consoles herself by consuming creamy confections at a sympathetic cafe owner’s (Jude Law) eatery. She sets out on a road trip, supporting herself as a waitress along the way. Elizabeth meets a host of interesting characters on her journey, including an alcoholic policeman (David Strathairn), his unfaithful wife (Rachel Weisz), and a gambler (Natalie Portman).

Saw

Genre: Horror

Two strangers awaken in a room with no recollection of how they got there, and soon discover they’re pawns in a deadly game perpetrated by a notorious serial killer.

The Notebook

Genre: Romance/Comedy 

In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) are desperately in love. But her parents don’t approve. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, it seems to mark the end of their love affair. In the interim, Allie becomes involved with another man (James Marsden). But when Noah returns to their small town years later, on the cusp of Allie’s marriage, it soon becomes clear that their romance is anything but over.

The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)

Genre: Horror/Mystery 

A depraved mama’s boy (Laurence R. Harvey) goes on a killing and collecting spree to recreate the experiment portrayed in “The Human Centipede (First Sequence).”

A Man Called Ove

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Ove, an ill-tempered, isolated retiree who spends his days enforcing block association rules and visiting his wife’s grave, has finally given up on life just as an unlikely friendship develops with his boisterous new neighbors.

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy

Novelty salesmen living in a desolate flophouse observe as their fellow humans drift through their lives of desperation and loneliness. They make unsuccessful attempts to sell their joke items.

Independence Day: Resurgence

Genre: Sci-fi/Action

As the Fourth of July nears, satellite engineer David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) investigates a 3,000-mile-wide mother ship that’s approaching Earth. Fortunately, 20 years earlier, nations across the world started to use recovered extraterrestrial technology to develop an immense defense program. When the alien invaders attack with unprecedented force, the U.S. president, teams of scientists and brave fighter pilots spring into action to save the planet from a seemingly invincible enemy.

****Xiao Zhan mentioned this movie in his Weekly Vlog (June 26, 2016)

From Vegas to Macau 3

Genre: Comedy/Action

Ken’s daughter and his protege Vincent are getting married, and the enormous wedding is being held at a resort in Macau. Things get complicated when Ken gets word that someone plans to kill him during the ceremony.

*** Xiao Zhan posted on weibo that he saw this movie on Feb 12, 2016.

A Better Tomorrow 2018

Genre: Action/Crime

A former smuggler tries hard to make amends and start his life over by repairing his relationship with his estranged brother.