There is no wonder why people love romantic comedies since they provide pleasure and fun. Although Chinese romantic dramas are becoming increasingly popular among viewers, many people do not have the time to watch each episode weekly. It does not matter whether a romantic movie tells a heart-wrenching story of a relationship or shows the growth and advancement. However, they are all entertaining to watch.
1. Comrades, Almost A Love Story (1996)
With nine awards, Comrades: Almost A Love Story, a movie by Peter Chan, used to hold the record for most wins. In the film, Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai played two quirky characters undergoing difficulties and tangled fortunes. Moreover, Director Peter Chan's poetic touch of old-fashioned love elicited a sense of place and time when the tale took place in the 1980s, followed by a decade.
2. Beijing Meets Seattle (Finding Mr. Right) (2013)
Another Chinese romance film with a social commentary angle, a blockbuster movie set in Seattle where Tang Wei plays the role of a pregnant wife of an affluent businessman in China sent to Seattle to give birth to a child (and then eventually acquires U.S citizenship). Regarding U.S. birthing centers, a sensitive issue, Finding Mr. Right reveals viewers to a love tale of Frank/Hao Zhi (Wu Xiubo) and Wen Jiajia (Tang Wei). The success of this film in China led to a spike in house prices in Seattle because Chinese investors became more interested.
3. My Old Classmate (2014)
In addition to being incredibly touching, My Old Classmate also contains tragic events. This romantic movie stars Zhou Dongyu and Lin Gengxin in a story about how two young beloveds met in middle school and grew closer during high school and college but then split apart as they pursued the American dream. Like a rollercoaster of emotions packed into 98 minutes, My Old Classmate will evoke both laughs and tears. As Variety noted, the film stands out from similarly themed films because it lacks artistic pretense and clever use of truths. This film received many awards as well.
4. But Always (2014)
But Always is a romantic Chinese-Hong Kong drama film. This movie took place during the 1970s, where two school friends from different backgrounds and distinct families made a good connection. But with time, they eventually get separated. Years after, the two friends meet in New York City, from where their story takes a turn. Snow Zou directed this film. The movie had made ¥225.77 million at the Chinese box office within a few days.
5. In the Mood For Love (2000)
No director can touch broken hearts more effectively (or more disastrously) than Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, a man renowned for melancholy films imbued with unrequited love, unfulfilled desire, and quiet grief. One of the most memorable films of Wong's is In the Mood for Love, which forms the culmination of a trilogy of romantic comedies that also involves Days of Being Wild and 2046. The movie, which stars Wong regulars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, is set in 1960s Hong Kong. Chow Mo-wan (Leung) and Su Li-Zhen (Cheung), both neighbors, are each unaware that their spouses are cheating with one another. In their efforts to reach comfort, the two start to fall in love - despite the wounds from the recent betrayal making love a lot harder for them. It is more of a mood piece than a narrative film, owing to its heavy use of celluloid.
6. If You Are The One (2008)
It's the one Chinese romcom you need to see. Mega hit If You Are the One casts one of the greatest actors of Beijing, Ge You, as newly affluent millionaire Qin Fen, in his forties, decides to settle down. Through a personal ad he posts on the Internet, Qin winds up on more ridiculous blind dates with such people as a former gay colleague and a graveyard saleswoman, among others. Finally, Qin runs into Liang Xiaoxiao (Shu Qi), a hot but damaged flight attendant, which he ends up becoming friends and ultimately bedding. While the film is funny, its sharp, biting wit and finely defined characters make it intriguing and entertaining.
7. Secret (2007)
Watch this Taiwanese heartthrob Jay Chou in this high-school fairytale if you are in the mood for a bit of sweetness and whimsy. Yu Xiang Lun studies music at Tamkang, a school known for its talented students, particularly those who perform the piano. After hearing a mysterious melody on his first day of school, he meets pianist Lu Xiao Yu. In response to his question about the song she played, she informed him it was a secret she could not tell anyone. After forming a friendship, they soon develop a romantic connection. Xiang Lun, though, was unaware that Xiao Yu has more to offer than first appears. There may be some shortcomings in Chou's performance, but the film is visually stunning, and the plot is occult, perfect for the sentimental school-girl in you.
8. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011)
While love triangles aren't new to the romantic genre, director Johnnie To and Milkyway Productions managed to infuse a novel twist to the very familiar tale in the inventive romantic comedy, Don't Go Breaking My Heart. There was something particularly captivating about this movie. The three main actors (Daniel Wu, Gao Yuanyuan, and Louis Koo) showed their affection to each other by posting post-It notes, conveying messages, and various other gestures. Witnessing their verbal flirtation was without a doubt one of the highlights of the movie. A special mention must go to mainland actress Gao Yuanyuan for her sparkling and excellent performance. The script was wittily humorous, and Johnnie To's visually appealing presentation made this romantic comedy as engaging as his crime films.
9. You Are The Apple Of My Eye (2011)
This film dethroned famous Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle (2004) by grossing the highest amount in the history of Hong Kong cinema. You Are the Apple Of My Eye, based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same title by Taiwanese writer Giddens Ko, also made his directorial debut here. This film brought attention to then-unknown Taiwanese actors Ko Chen-Tung (Kai Ko) and Michelle Chen, who were made household names through this amusing and heartfelt drama about coming-of-age youth.
10. C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri (1993)
The Chinese romantic tearjerker C'est La Vie, Mon Cheri, literally means, This is life, my love was one of the most famous films in Chinese cinema during the 1990s. With six wins at the Hong Kong Film Awards, this movie helped improve the careers of actors Lau Ching-Wan and Anita Yuen and also of director Derek Yee. It boasted a stellar cast, with Lau Ching-Wan and Anita Yuen as stars (the latter won the Best Actress award for her heart-wrenching performance as a leukemia patient). Derek Yee's direction is excellent and balanced the movie's first half, which celebrated life, with the second half's more depressing theme after Anita Yuen's character succumbs to leukemia again after years of successfully combating it.
