31. Killing Me Softly (2003)

Starring: Heather Graham, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, Ulrich Thomsen, Ian Hart

Directed By: Chen Kaige

Killing Me Softly is a mystery thriller directed by distinguished director Chen Kaige. He hails from Beijing, China, and is one of the Chinese greats. He was responsible for films such as The Emperor and the Assassin, Together, and Sacrifice, among others. It is his first English film and he is amongst the fifth generation of filmmakers who attended the Beijing Film Institute after their cultural revolution. Apart from the strong political undertones his films present, he also conveys a great degree of unique dramatic visual qualities. Chen has also received several accolades in film festivals in Tokyo, Berlin, and Cannes.

That being said, his 2003 film, Killing Me Softly, came as a huge disappointment. The premise is about a woman, played by Heather Graham, and her estranged relationship with her husband after learning about his past relationships. The critics were met with cringy dialogues and absurd plot twists which left the film with terrible reviews.