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Chi-Wah Lee

Cinematographer

Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
5 on MovieCove · 15 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 84% in 30 days

What are Chi-Wah Lee's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
42%
Morality
19%
Ideas
19%
Survival
12%
Bonds
8%
Purpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 0 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 0 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 1 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
2
Hopeful
2
Contemplative
2
Tense
1
Warm
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Feel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Chi-Wah Lee's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 5 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Chi-Wah Lee's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

15 credits, 5 with a MovieCove page.

  • Wakesurf Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Cinematographer

  • Spare Queens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Cinematographer

  • To Live Through Death(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • A Legend(2024)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Vanguard(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Namiya(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • New York, New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Cinematographer

  • Hero of City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Hei

  • The Great Conqueror's Concubine: Part I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • One Arm Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • Born Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • Champion of Martial Arts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • Black Cat II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Tiger Cage III (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Assistant Camera

  • Fight Back to School(1991)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 15 titles from 1991 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Vanguard (2020)

$51M worldwide

Highest rated

Namiya (2017)

Midcredits 31st

Most popular right now

Vanguard (2020)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 15: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleCinematography12 of 15: 12 only cinematography, 0 with another roleOther crew2 of 15: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1990s7 · crew2000s1 · acting2010s2 · crew2020s5 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do Chi-Wah Lee's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 31st percentile, the median of all 5; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 26th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

26thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

15thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 5 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

2 of their 5 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · cinematographer

Namiya (2017)

86th percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

To Live Through Death (2024)

Midcredits 47th · 45% liked

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Chi-Wah Lee work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chi-Wah Lee's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jackie Chan shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers

Producers