Movies Like China Moon (1994)

China Moon is a 1994 crime, mystery, thriller film from John Bailey with a MovieMagicScore of 6.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with The Prowler and Portrait in Black.

Crime Mystery Thriller

The Prowler

1951

Los Angeles, California. A cop who, unhappy with his job, blames others for his work problems, is assigned to investigate the case of a prowler who stalks the home of a married woman.

6.8

MagicScore

Portrait in Black

1960

A pair of lovers plot to kill the woman's rich husband.

5.5

MagicScore

Payback

1999

With friends like these, who needs enemies? That's the question bad guy Porter is left asking after his wife and partner steal his heist money and leave him for dead -- or so they think. Five months and an endless reservoir of bitterness later, Porter's partners and the crooked cops on his tail learn how bad payback can be.

6.8

MagicScore

Sudden Fear

1952

Actor Lester Blaine has all but landed the lead in Myra Hudson's new play when Myra vetoes him because, to her, he doesn't look like a romantic leading man. On a train from New York to San Francisco, Blaine sets out to prove Myra wrong...by romancing her. Is he sincere, or does he have a dark ulterior motive?

7.3

MagicScore

Diabolique

1955

The cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, is murdered by an unlikely duo -- his meek wife and the mistress he brazenly flaunts. The women become increasingly unhinged by a series of odd occurrences after Delassalle's corpse mysteriously disappears.

7.9

MagicScore

Blackout

1954

When a beautiful young woman suddenly offers inebriated Casey Morrow a lot of money for a quick and easy job, he doesn't ask too many questions. But when the girl's father is found murdered the following day and Morrow's coat is soaked with blood, he must unravel the mystery to clear his name. An intriguing story of deception, greed and immorality.

6.0

MagicScore

Enough

2002

Working-class waitress Slim thought she was entering a life of domestic bliss when she married Mitch, the man of her dreams. After the arrival of their first child, her picture perfect life is shattered when she discovers Mitch's hidden possessive dark side, a controlling and abusive alter ego that can turn trust, love and tranquility into terror. Terrified for her child's safety, Slim flees with her daughter. Relentless in his pursuit and enlisting the aid of lethal henchmen, Mitch continually stalks the prey that was once his family.

6.7

MagicScore

Personal Velocity

2002

In a series of three vignettes, three women in turn struggle to free themselves from the men who restrict their personal freedom.

5.8

MagicScore

Devil in a Blue Dress

1995

In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright, a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet, who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.

6.5

MagicScore

#10

Private Hell 36

1954

In New York City, a bank robbery of $300,000 goes unsolved for a year, until some of the marked bills are found in a Los Angeles drugstore theft. Police detectives Cal Bruner and Jack Farnham investigate and are led from the drugstore to a nightclub, where singer Lilli is another recipient of a stolen bill. With Lilli's help, the partners track down the remaining money, but both Lilli and Jack are dismayed when Cal decides he wants to keep part of it.

6.2

MagicScore

#11

What Happened, Miss Simone?

2015

The film chronicles Nina Simone's journey from child piano prodigy to iconic musician and passionate activist, told in her own words.

7.4

MagicScore

#12

Palmetto

1998

After spending two years in prison, framed for accepting a bribe, former newspaper reporter Harry Barber is released, bitter and disillusioned. Feeling like he were owed something for his loss of time, he proceeds to get himself involved in a simple kidnapping plot which turns out to be more complex than he imagined.

5.9

MagicScore

#13

The Driver

1978

The Driver specializes in driving getaway cars for robberies. His exceptional talent has prevented him from being caught yet. After another successful flight from the police a self-assured detective makes it his primary goal to catch the Driver. He promises pardons to a gang if they help to convict him in a set-up robbery. The Driver seeks help from The Player to mislead the detective.

7.2

MagicScore

#14

Insomnia

1997

Detectives Jonas and Erik are called to the midnight sun country of northern Norway to investigate a recent homicide, but their plan to arrest the killer goes awry, and Jonas mistakenly shoots Erik. The suspect escapes, and a frightened Jonas pins Erik's death on the fugitive. Jonas continues to pursue the killer as he seeks to protect himself; however, his mounting guilt and the omnipresent sun plague him with an insomnia that affects his sanity.

7.0

MagicScore

#15

Insomnia

2002

Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.

7.0

MagicScore

#16

Training Day

2001

On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop works with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears.

7.5

MagicScore

#17

Love Lies Bleeding

2024

Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

6.6

MagicScore

#18

The Long Goodbye

1973

In 1970s Hollywood, Detective Philip Marlowe tries to help a friend who is accused of murdering his wife.

7.4

MagicScore

#19

A Simple Plan

1998

Captivated by the lure of sudden wealth, the quiet rural lives of two brothers erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over $4 million in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane. Their simple plan to retain the money while avoiding detection opens a Pandora's box when the fear of getting caught triggers panicked behavior and leads to virulent consequences.

7.2

MagicScore

#20

Body Heat

1981

In the midst of a searing Florida heat wave, a woman convinces her lover, a small-town lawyer, to murder her rich husband.

7.0

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like China Moon?

The top films similar to China Moon by MovieMagicScore are The Prowler (6.8), Portrait in Black (5.5), Payback (6.8). Each shares crime/mystery/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is China Moon worth watching?

China Moon holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.1/10 from 141 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is China Moon?

China Moon (1994) is a crime, mystery, thriller film directed by John Bailey, starring Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe, Charles Dance.

Where can I find more recommendations like China Moon?

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

Keep exploring

Movies like The Prowler Movies like Portrait in Black Movies like Payback Movies like Sudden Fear Movies like Diabolique Movies like Blackout

About movies like China Moon

This ranked list pairs China Moon (1994), a crime and mystery and thriller film from John Bailey, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Ed Harris 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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