Lust / Caution (2007)
A controversial one for sure. This espionage thriller, directed by Taiwanese director Ang Lee, is a taut drama set in WWII-era Shanghai with some pretty racy sex scenes. The movie's lead actress Tang Wei was even been banned from working in China due to the sexual nature of her performance. It's a complex film, beautifully shot and with fantastically nuanced performances.
Empire of the Sun (1987)
Another movie set in WWII-era Shanghai when the city was under Japanese occupation. The central performance of Christian Bale, aged just 12 at the time of shooting, is nothing short of brilliant. This is one of Steven Spielberg's more under-rated films and definitely worth a viewing.
The Painted Veil (1986)
Naomi Watts is one of the most gifted actresses in Hollywood and consistently works on interesting movies often playing unlikeable but complex characters. Here she plays an unfaithful wife caught between her lover and her husband in1920s-era Shanghai. Then she battles a cholera outbreak in a Chinese village. The cinematography is beautiful and the performances by Watts and Edward Norton are excellent.
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