In this episode, we’re cozying up for some honest talk about five films that stayed with me through the years 🎬. These aren’t just movies — they’re pieces of life, full of quiet moments, tough choices, and real feelings. From Norwegian coming-of-age stories to Chinese historical dramas, you’ll hear why I love these films, what they taught me, and how they reflect everyday life.

This episode is great for HSK2–5 learners who want to improve their listening while hearing natural, conversational Mandarin. Don’t forget to check the vocabulary and grammar notes below to help with your review 📚

🎞️ Movie List / 电影清单

• 《最糟糕的人》 (The Worst Person in the World)
• 《活着》 (To Live)
• 《爱在黎明破晓前》三部曲 (Before Sunrise Trilogy)
• 《末代皇帝》 (The Last Emperor)
• 《醉乡民谣》/《Drunk》 (Another Round)

🧠 Grammar for Intermediate Learners

不是…而是…
Used to correct or contrast two things.
例句：她不是没有能力，而是还没找到自己的方向。
It’s not that she lacks ability, but that she hasn’t found her direction yet.

一…就…
Shows immediate reaction.
例句：我一看到那个画面，就特别有感觉。
As soon as I saw that scene, I really felt something.

不一定…但…
Used to express nuance or partial truth.
例句：生活不一定每天都要很有趣，但你不能完全没感觉。
Life doesn’t have to be exciting every day, but you can’t feel nothing at all.

…的时候
Used to indicate time.
例句：我第一次看这部电影的时候，是一个下雨的晚上。
When I first saw this movie, it was a rainy evening.

📚 Vocabulary List with Example Sentences

选择 – Choice
她做了很多不同的选择。
She made many different choices.

方向 – Direction
有时候，我们需要时间去找方向。
Sometimes, we need time to find direction.

聊天 – Chat
他们整晚都在聊天。
They chatted all night.

感觉 – Feeling
我对这部电影特别有感觉。
I really felt something with this film.

自己 – Oneself
她慢慢变成了真正的自己。
She gradually became her true self.

改变 – Change
生活的改变常常是从小地方开始的。
Life changes often begin with small things.

普通人 – Ordinary person
他从皇帝变成了一个普通人。
He went from being an emperor to an ordinary person.

日子 – Days / Life
他就是一步步把日子过下来。
He simply lived day by day.