Chinese movies weave magic on screen

Upstream, the latest in a series of thought-provoking Chinese movies to hit the theaters, will leave you breathless. It is paced almost like a thriller, and takes the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster right from the word go, rapidly unspooling to reveal the interesting backstories of the characters, each of whom aspires to fulfill their dreams. As the credits roll, you find yourself rooting for each one, especially the protagonist and his family.

At the box office this summer, an entire crop of Chinese movies has managed to enthrall with their technical finesse, plot, direction and acting chops, quietly working their magic on viewers, and knocking for a place at the global high table on merit alone. Of course, video streaming platforms such as Netflix do list popular Chinese movies for the global audience, but I fear they may be missing out on a clutch of exciting new offerings.

Take Decoded, for instance. I was quite looking forward to its release and it did not disappoint. Here is a thriller about a genius cryptographer that is also an intimate family portrait set from the 1940s to '60s, before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The spy thriller — which has dream sequences that are perhaps some of the most imaginative and well-executed in recent memory — is yet another example of how Chinese directors are elevating storytelling to a sublime art.

A spate of other blockbusters — with one Cannes winner thrown into the mix — has left film connoisseurs spoiled for choice. Black Dog, which won the top honor in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes this year, certainly deserves mention for its sensitive portrayal of a mining town on the brink of transition and the uneasy bond forged between its protagonist and a stray black canine.

Life Hotel, another gem, is certain to leave one teary-eyed for its deeply moving sketch of a struggling palliative care facility eyed by land sharks, while A Place Called Silence will shatter your cozy assumptions of childhood and the perils children face daily.

The Successor is a hilarious comedy — with a message — on how even the most carefully laid-out plans can go wrong, while The Last Frenzy, which is both irreverent and funny, is also ultimately a poignant tale of a miser and social misfit who discovers that he has only a few days to live.

Moments We Shared, a heartwarming story of the bond between a doting grandmother and her aimless grandson, can make even the most cynical among us hope for the best, while Dwelling by the West Lake unravels the exquisite tapestry of a mother-son relationship teetering on the brink, only to be salvaged by grit and audacity.

Time Still Turns the Pages deals with the suicide of an elder brother, seen through the eyes of the younger years later, and is certain to make your heart ache for days after. Of course, Crisis Negotiators and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In are other equally taut thrillers which one must not miss.

Suffice to say, as the Chinese movie ecosystem puts its stamp on world cinema, big events such as the annual Beijing International Film Festival may even surpass the popularity of Cannes, Venice or Berlin in the future.

It is no easy task to hold the interest of viewers, and I am quite sure China's innovative directors will think of even more compelling narratives in the days ahead to satiate them.

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Biju Dwarakanath