(1993) This film follows a Chinese woman and her son during the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Her husband dies when he is sent to labor in the forests, and two more husbands run afoul of politics. Many scenes -- marriage before Chairman Mao's portrait, scaring away the starlings, and the Red Guards carrying away the third husband -- are likely to stay with you.

(1994) Two murderous Chinese miners scam the mine companies by collecting death benefits on young "nephews." This crime story with a surprise ending shows quite a lot about China today -- people harmed by the relentless demand for more coal, family members transferring money, dreams deferred or dreams denied. Parental discretion advised (scenes of prostitution).

(2002) Two young men "sent down" to the countryside from the cities for re-education during the Cultural Revolution fall for the same village girl. The scene of an abortion (parental discretion) demonstrates the cruelties of China's policy, while the three's attraction to foreign books alludes to the impact of foreign literature on China earlier in the 20th century.