The best Joan Chen’s romance movies

During World War II, a secret agent must seduce then assassinate an official who works for the Japanese puppet government in Shanghai. Her mission becomes clouded when she finds herself falling in love with the man she is assigned to kill.

Writer Ernest Hemingway begins a romance with fellow scribe Martha Gellhorn.

A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.

A bank accountant who moonlights as a high-priced call girl becomes embroiled in the lives of a money launderer, his seductive wife, and his bodyguard.

At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he fell in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.

The tragic story of a Tang Dynasty imperial consort who was the favorite of the Emperor Xuanzong.

Zhang Ziyi plays the youngest of three generations of women who leads lives in Shanghai. Joan Chen plays the great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother. The film recounts this family, the mistakes they make, and a cycle that the granddaughter breaks out of.

Li-ann, a dreamer, is a strong believer of the soul mate theory and rejects all men, especially her best friend KS, till she falls in love with Jeremy, at first sight. They tour Chinatown, Singapore, together on February 29 1980. Unfortunately, she is heartbroken when he tells her he is engaged. He decides to make up to her by meeting her same time, same place, every leap year. Their love spans twenty years, as they realize the pain of love until they take the leap of faith...and the leap of love...

"For Love or Money" is based on a novel by Zhang Xiaoxian, which tells the moving story between a fallen noble lady and a rich heir to a large company. She’s broken and has lost the direction in life, whereas he chooses a life of poverty and freedom to pursue his passion as a painter. Together, will they be able to find themselves in this world of twists and turns before it’s too late?

Famous from an incredibly young age, DMH (Wang Lee Hom) has only ever known a celebrity pop star existence. Yet, despite all the glamour, there is still something lacking in his charmed life - true love. With the help of fellow musician and friend WZB, DMH disguised himself as a regular Joe in the hope of finding true love. While incognito, DMH and WZB stumble across the performance of a classical Chinese orchestra and DMH is immediately captivated by the melodies of the guzheng soloist, LMQ (Crystal Liu Yi-Fei), a student at the Shanghai Conservatory, whose affections lie with the accomplished but arrogant virtuoso, ZXZ. In his attempt to spend more time with LQM, DMH promises to help LQM get together with ZXZ. As DMH and LQM grow closer, it becomes increasingly difficult to conceal his identity.

Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers who then becomes emperor. Shi retreats to a monastery, perhaps to hide, perhaps to plan a coup. When his loyal troops as well as the princess he desires are slain, he seeks refuge in a remote, abandoned monastery where an aged abbot schools him with practical, earthy teachings. The emperor's forces pursue Shi: first a woman, then a general seek to overpower him with lust and might. Over the course of the film, the reds of battle give way to blues of meditation.

The comedy of the year. This wannabe magical romance-drama is one of the most illogical films ever and the actors, if not director Kam Kwok-Leung, may be aware of it. Featuring CGI tears and paintings of corn-eating monkeys. The highlight: Chang Chen pretending to be Korean.