Movies Like Up the Yangtze (2007)

Up the Yangtze is a 2007 documentary film from Yung Chang with a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks and Antonia's Line.

Documentary

Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks

2003

A detailed look at the gradual decline of Shenyang’s industrial Tiexi district, an area that was once a vibrant example of China’s socialist economy. But industry is changing, and the factories of Tiexi are closing. Director Wang Bing introduces us to some of the workers affected by the closures, and to their families.

7.7

MagicScore

Antonia's Line

1995

After World War II, Antonia and her daughter, Danielle, go back to their Dutch hometown, where Antonia's late mother has bestowed a small farm upon her. There, Antonia settles down and joins a tightly-knit but unusual community. Those around her include quirky friend Crooked Finger, would-be suitor Bas and, eventually for Antonia, a granddaughter and great-granddaughter who help create a strong family of empowered women.

6.9

MagicScore

Golden Door

2006

The story is set at the beginning of the 20th century in Sicily. Salvatore, a very poor farmer, and a widower, decides to emigrate to the US with all his family, including his old mother. Before they embark, they meet Lucy. She is supposed to be a British lady and wants to come back to the States. Lucy, or Luce as Salvatore calls her, for unknown reasons wants to marry someone before to arrive to Ellis Island in New York. Salvatore accepts the proposal. Once they arrive in Ellis Island they spend the quarantine period trying to pass the examinations to be admitted to the States. Tests are not so simple for poor farmers coming from Sicily. Their destiny is in the hands of the custom officers.

6.5

MagicScore

A Touch of Sin

2013

Four independent stories set in modern China about random acts of violence.

7.2

MagicScore

SoulMate

2016

The films spans two decades as the story unfolds in a series of flashbacks that begin when Qiyue and Ansheng were just thirteen. The two became inseparable until they met a boy who ended up tearing their lives apart.

7.1

MagicScore

Ju Dou

1990

A woman married to the brutal and infertile owner of a dye mill in rural China conceives a boy with her husband's nephew but is forced to raise her son as her husband's heir without revealing his parentage in this circular tragedy. Filmed in glowing technicolour, this tale of romantic and familial love in the face of unbreakable tradition is more universal than its setting.

7.1

MagicScore

Flavors of Youth

2018

The rigorous city life of China, while bustling and unforgiving, contains the everlasting memories of days past. Three stories told in three different cities, follow the loss of youth and the daunting realization of adulthood. Though reality may seem ever changing, unchangeable are the short-lived moments of one's childhood days. A plentiful bowl of noodles, the beauty of family and the trials of first love endure the inevitable flow of time, as three different characters explore the strength of bonds and the warmth of cherished memories. Within the disorder of the present world, witness these quaint stories recognize the comfort of the past, and attempt to revive the neglected flavors of youth.

6.9

MagicScore

Shanghai Triad

1995

Shanghai, China, 1930. When young Shuisheng arrives from the countryside, his uncle Liushu puts him at the service of Bijou, the mistress of Laoda, supreme boss of the Tang Triad, constantly threatened by his enemies, both those he knows and those lurking in the shadows.

6.7

MagicScore

Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper

2016

Born into one of the wealthiest and best-known families in American history, Gloria Vanderbilt has lived in the public eye for more than 90 years, unapologetically pursuing love, family and career, while experiencing extreme tragedy and tremendous success side by side. This documentary features a series of candid conversations as Vanderbilt and her youngest son, Anderson Cooper, look back at her remarkable life.

7.7

MagicScore

#10

The Beaches of Agnès

2008

Filmmaking icon Agnès Varda, the award-winning director regarded by many as the grandmother of the French new wave, turns the camera on herself with this unique autobiographical documentary. Composed of film excerpts and elaborate dramatic re-creations, Varda's self-portrait recounts the highs and lows of her professional career, the many friendships that affected her life and her longtime marriage to cinematic giant Jacques Demy.

7.6

MagicScore

#11

Stories We Tell

2012

Canadian actress and filmmaker Sarah Polley investigates certain secrets related to her mother, interviewing a group of family members and friends whose reliability varies depending of their implication in the events, which are remembered in different ways; so a trail of questions remains to be answered, because memory is always changing and the discovery of truth often depends on who is telling the tale.

7.1

MagicScore

#12

Full Metal Village

2007

The film describes the microcosmos of the small village Wacken and shows the clash of the cultures, before and during the biggest heavy metal festival in Europe.

6.7

MagicScore

#13

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

1995

Raj is a rich, carefree, happy-go-lucky second generation NRI. Simran is the daughter of Chaudhary Baldev Singh, who in spite of being an NRI is very strict about adherence to Indian values. Simran has left for India to be married to her childhood fiancé. Raj leaves for India with a mission at his hands, to claim his lady love under the noses of her whole family. Thus begins a saga.

8.5

MagicScore

#14

All That's Left of You

2025

In the Occupied West Bank in Palestine of the 1980s, a Palestinian teenager is swept into a protest that changes the course of his family's life. Reeling from its aftermath, his mother, Hanan, shares the story that led them to that fateful moment. Spanning seven decades, this epic drama traces the hopes and heartaches of one uprooted family, revealing not only the scars of ethnic cleansing, but the unbreakable spirit of survival.

8.0

MagicScore

#15

Cycles

2018

The short follows the lives of a family consisting of Bert, Rae, and their daughter Rachel. The viewer serves as an observer of the family's lifecycle before, during, and after living in their home. It is Walt Disney Animation Studios' first short set in virtual reality.

7.6

MagicScore

#16

The Taste of Tea

2004

A spell of time in the life of a family in rural Tochigi prefecture. Yoshiko is not an ordinary housewife, instead working on an animated film project. Uncle Ayano, a successful music producer, is looking to get his head together after living in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Sachiko is concerned with why she seems to be followed by a giant version of herself. As the lazy days pass by, each member of the family is followed in a series of episodic vignettes.

7.5

MagicScore

#17

Crac

1980

A wooden rocking chair serves as a tool to delve through the history of Quebec in the last century.

7.4

MagicScore

#18

The Castle

1997

The quirky Kerrigan family lives together in a makeshift home they built themselves – with great pride and a bizarre attention to detail – a few yards from the edge of Melbourne, Australia's busy Tullamarine Airport. When a building inspector condemns the building and reveals that the government plans to use their land for an airport expansion, Darryl Kerrigan and his brood recruit hack attorney Dennis Denuto and prepare themselves for the fight of their lives.

7.1

MagicScore

#19

Castello Cavalcanti

2013

In 1955 in Italy, race car driver Jed Cavalcanti suffers a mishap during the Molte Miglia rally and finds himself in a small town with a few familial surprises.

7.0

MagicScore

#20

After We Fell

2021

Just as Tessa's life begins to become unglued, nothing is what she thought it would be. Not her friends nor her family. The only person that she should be able to rely on is Hardin, who is furious when he discovers the massive secret that she's been keeping. Before Tessa makes the biggest decision of her life, everything changes because of revelations about her family.

7.0

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Up the Yangtze?

The top films similar to Up the Yangtze by MovieMagicScore are Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (7.7), Antonia's Line (6.9), Golden Door (6.5). Each shares documentary themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Up the Yangtze worth watching?

Up the Yangtze holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.3/10 from 24 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Up the Yangtze?

Up the Yangtze (2007) is a documentary film directed by Yung Chang, starring Campbell Ping He, Jerry Bo Yu Chen, Cindy Shui Yu.

Where can I find more recommendations like Up the Yangtze?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more documentary recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks Movies like Antonia's Line Movies like Golden Door Movies like A Touch of Sin Movies like SoulMate Movies like Ju Dou

About movies like Up the Yangtze

This ranked list pairs Up the Yangtze (2007), a documentary film from Yung Chang, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Campbell Ping He take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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