The best Chen Jianbin’s movies

In 500 B.C., during Chinas famed 'Spring and Autumn Period', Kong Ze (Confucius), a commoner reverred for his outstanding wisdom, is made Minister of Law in the ancient Kingdom of Lu. Under his inspired leadership, Lu ascends to new heights but becomes a target of conquest for the warlike nation of Qi. Threatened with annihilation by their powerful neighbour, a desperate people turn to their greatest teacher to lead their most powerful army. When Confucius delivers a stunning victory against all odds, a jealous aristocracy sets out to destroy him, but they should never under-estimate a remarkable man whose wisdom is more powerful than the sword.

Set in the island Kinmen, often seen as the most dangerous military base because it’s geographically close to China, "Paradise in Service" follows the adventure of a boy who serves his military service in Unit 831 from 1969 to 1972, in preparation for a war that could erupt anytime. Through an unlucky lottery draw result, Pao, a twenty-something young man from Southern Taiwan has to serve the military in the remote and perilous Kinmen. Moreover, he is assigned to the Sea Dragon (ARB), a unit noted for the toughest physical training. It never occurs to Pao, however, that the greatest challenge in his military service lies not in the Sea Dragon but in Unit 831, a special task he is later appointed to… In this peculiar assignment, Pao vows to keep his virginity against all odds.

Cop-turned-security guard Ma Xianyong finds himself in a criminal twilight zone when two unrelated events turn his world upside down. The mysterious disappearance of his boss has implications for his financial security. Even more perilous is the abduction of his paralyzed sister who, unknown to Ma, makes a morbid deal with her captors.

A chronicle of the events that led to the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

Chengdu nowadays. The state owned factory 420 shuts down to give way to a complex of luxury apartments called "24 CITY". Three generations, eight characters : old workers, factory executives and yuppies, their stories melt into the History of China.

When two former lovers are brought back together by fate, their one chance to rekindle romance becomes more complicated than either could have ever anticipated. Zhou Qian (Leon Lai) is an outpatient doctor who works the streets of Shanghai from his SUV. His girlfriend Xin Xiaoyue (Faye Wong) is a professional party planner more accustomed to living it up than settling down and enjoying the quiet life. Recognizing this, Zhou plans to break up with Xin the next opportunity he gets. Just as he's about to do so, however, Xin beats him to the punch. Some time later, both Zhou and Xin are still recovering from their failed relationship when Xin begins planning a lavish birthday party for a wealthy business tycoon. Due to the tycoon's failing health, Xin must run all of the party plans by the man's family physician, Zhou. Is fate attempting to give the former couple a not-so-subtle message? While Zhou seems wounded, Xin doesn't appear to have any interest at all in getting back together.

A man must attempt to clear his name after a theatre puts on a play that accuses him of committing a 30-year-old murder.

With his directorial debut actor Chen Jianbin walks in the footsteps of A Touch of Sin, No Man’s Land, and Black Coal, Thin Ice and offers a hard-edged mainland noir where kindness and cruelty, madness and reason, greed and humanity all struggle for dominance and the fool might not be who you think . The hook here is Chen’s amazing performance as the simple, slightly crude Latioazi, a goat farmer who has a son in jail. When a young mentally handicapped man follows him home one day and enters his life, it sets off a blaze and a chain of events follows, which bares China’s class divide raw. His random act of reluctant kindness invites a parade of strangers and grifters all intent on draining Latioazi of what little he has.