The Secret of the Magic Gourd

The Secret of the Magic Gourd (2007) is a Chinese–Hong Kong family fantasy you can watch online on iFILM. Schoolboy Wang Bao is a daydreamer who would rather invent a tall tale than finish his homework.

Then he stumbles onto Bao Hulu, a talking gourd straight out of his grandmother's bedtime stories, ready to grant any wish he makes. At first it feels like winning the lottery: classmates are dazzled, grades climb on their own, everything arrives for free. But the gourd takes every wish far too literally, other people's belongings appear out of nowhere, and the lies pile up fast. When Bao finally decides to get rid of his gift, he learns that ditching a wish-granter is much harder than asking for one.

Co-produced with Disney, this was one of the studio's first films made on the Chinese mainland, blending early CGI with a gentle lesson about honesty and effort. The story comes from Zhang Tianyi's classic children's novel. It's a warm, unhurried pick for a family night with younger kids — no cynicism, no blockbuster noise. Stream The Secret of the Magic Gourd (2007) online on iFILM.