In the first half of her career she was the centerpiece of most films she was in and the films benefited from it. Her first 10-15 films were a veritable who's who and what's what of quality independent Mainland cinema.

Along about 2008, with All About Women, she began receding into supporting roles in ensemble works. Consequently, she is unable to lift a film to greatness due to her awesomeness. The Message and The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate were pretty good films, but they weren't Zhou Xun films. I also liked Confucius, but for reasons other than any Zhou Xunness, as she was barely in it.

2014's Women Who Flirt is The Fonz on a water ski. It's a brainless offering meant to capitalize on our love for this once great actress. But it's not crap like Women Who Flirt that made us sit up and take notice. Now we see through the looking glass.

I guess it's just a typical arc in the rise to fame. But I expected and wanted more from Zhou Xun. I'm not even going to put her next film, Meet Miss Anxiety, on my wish list. I'll probably never watch another film she'll be in.

Sad.