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Movies that feel like A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)

If you loved A Chinese Ghost Story, the closest films we have are The Legend of Hei (2019), New Gods: Nezha Reborn (2021) and A Touch of Zen (1970). All three share A Chinese Ghost Story's dreamlike and kinetic feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 12 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Peacock Premium and others, checked against today's data.

A naïve young tax collector for the imperial government winds up spending the night in a haunted temple. There he falls in love with a beautiful woman who, unfortunately, is dead. With the aid of a powerful Daoist Swordsman, he must defeat undead hordes, overcome a sinister Tree Demoness, and descend to the pits of hell, to fight for the spirit he loves.

🍅 70% Rotten Tomatoes7.4 IMDb ↗TMDB ↗dir. Tony Ching Siu-Tungdreamlikekinetic
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If A Chinese Ghost Story hit the spot, these will too

The Legend of Hei poster
The Legend of Hei
2019 · dir. MTJJ
7.3animation · fantasy · action

Dreamlike and kinetic in the same breath

The difference: Sits closer to animation than A Chinese Ghost Story does

When cat spirit Luo Xiaohei's home is deforested by humans, he must find a new one. He runs into a group of other spirit creatures who take him under their wing with dreams of reconquering the land they say is rightfully theirs. However, they run into a human known as Wuxian who separates Luo Xiaohei from the other spirits and the two go on a journey, with the cat spirit learning to control his abilities as well as forming his own thoughts on whether or not he should ally with the spirits or the humans.

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New Gods: Nezha Reborn poster
New Gods: Nezha Reborn
2021 · dir. Zhao Ji
🍅 80%6.8animation · fantasy · action

Both lean on dream logic more than on fantasy

The difference: 34 years apart, and the 2020s show

While living as an ordinary deliveryman and motor racing fan, Nezha encounters old nemeses and must rediscover his powers to protect his loved ones.

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A Touch of Zen poster
A Touch of Zen
1970 · dir. King Hu
🍅 97%7.5action · adventure · fantasy

Action built on momentum, twice over

The difference: Critics rated this one higher still

Yang Hui-zhen, a mysterious princess on the run from corrupt government officials, is joined in her endeavors by skilled Buddhist monks and an unambitious painter named Gu Sheng-zhai.

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Curse of the Golden Flower poster
Curse of the Golden Flower
2006 · dir. Zhang Yimou
🍅 65%7action · drama · fantasy

Common ground: china

During China's Tang dynasty the emperor has taken the princess of a neighboring province as his wife. She has borne him two sons and raised his eldest. Now his control over his dominion is complete, including the royal family itself.

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The Five Venoms poster
The Five Venoms
1978 · dir. Chang Cheh
🍅 80%7action · drama · mystery

Fantasy with a pulse of dream logic, in both cases

A dying master sends his last student to check up on five former pupils, who each know a special style of kung-fu.

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Night Watch poster
Night Watch
2004 · dir. Timur Bekmambetov
🍅 59%6.4fantasy · action · thriller

Kinetic action in both cases

Among normal humans live the "Others" possessing various supernatural powers. They are divided up into the forces of light and the forces of the dark, who signed a truce several centuries ago to end a devastating battle. Ever since, the forces of light govern the day while the night belongs to their dark opponents. In modern day Moscow the dark Others actually roam the night as vampires while a "Night Watch" of light forces, among them Anton, the movie's protagonist, try to control them and limit their outrage

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Green Snake poster
Green Snake
2021 · dir. Amp Wong
6.8animation · fantasy · action

Both working the same fantasy territory

While trying to free her sister from Fahai's clutches, Xiao Qing winds up in a dystopian city and meets a mysterious man who can't recall his past life.

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army poster
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
2008 · dir. Guillermo del Toro
🍅 86%7fantasy · action

Cut from the same action cloth

Hellboy, his pyrokinetic girlfriend, Liz, and aquatic empath, Abe Sapien, face their biggest battle when an underworld elven prince plans to reclaim Earth for his magical kindred. Tired of living in the shadow of humans, Prince Nuada tries to awaken an ancient force of killing machines, the all-powerful Golden Army, to clear the way for fantasy creatures to roam free. Only Hellboy can stop the dark prince and prevent humanity's annihilation.

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Highlander poster
Highlander
1986 · dir. Russell Mulcahy
🍅 70%7adventure · action · fantasy

Both are fantasy through and through

He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.

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Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons poster
🍅 94%6.7action · fantasy · adventure

Both are built on the same subject: china

In a world plagued by demons who cause great human suffering, young demon hunter Tang Sanzang must fight against monstrous demons, as well as contend with a beautiful demon hunting woman on his path to enlightenment.

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Conan the Barbarian poster
Conan the Barbarian
1982 · dir. John Milius
🍅 68%6.9adventure · fantasy · action

Both play action straight

A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom, the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria and Subotai. The group comes upon King Osric, who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills.

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Daredevil poster
Daredevil
2003 · dir. Mark Steven Johnson
🍅 42%5.3fantasy · action

Fantasy approached the same way

By day, blind attorney Matt Murdock toils for justice in Hell's Kitchen. By night, he's Daredevil, The Man Without Fear - a powerful, masked vigilante stalking the dark streets with an uncanny "radar sense" that allows him to "see" with superhuman capabilities. But when the love of his life, fiery Elektra Natchios, is targeted by New York City's ruthless Kingpin of crime and his deadly assassin Bullseye, Daredevil may be about to meet his match.

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The best-reviewed films that share A Chinese Ghost Story’s defining feeling.