3 Upcoming Movies in Beijing That Are Worth Your Moolah

Nix the Netflix, turn off your torrents, ditch the DVDs and go and watch a film in a theater for Pete's sake! The Beijing cinema scene is alive and well, as our column Sino Silver Screen will prove.

The Lobster (龙虾), 2016

Directed by Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster is a dark comedy that describes a society where being single is a criminal act, and citizens only have 45 days to find true love, otherwise, they will be turned into the animal of their choice and released back into the wild.

As is Lanthimos' signature style (well, up until last year's The Favorite, at least) the characters in The Lobster – which includes now long-time collaborator Colin Farrell as protagonist David – talk in a way that is detached, devoid of strong emotions and demonstrative of cold and formulaic indifference. The beauty of the film then lies in how this monotone dialogue contrasts with the absurdity of the scenes that play out in the supernatural plot. It's a whole that will immerse and then stick with you for a long time to come; a thrilling reflection of reality put through a surrealist lens.

The Lobster screens at China Film Archives (Xiaoxitian branch) on Saturday, Aug 31 at 1pm. Click here for tickets.

Midnight Diner (深夜食堂), 2019

Tucked away in a nongtang (the equivalent to Beijing’s hutongs) in Shanghai, there's a small restaurant that does not have a set menu – instead, the 50-something owner cooks whatever customers request just so long as he has the needed ingredients. What's more, the humble restaurant is only open from midnight to 7am every day, a window in which people from all walks of life visit the restaurant with an empty stomach and a good story.

This seemingly simple premise was a hit in Japan when it arrived as the manga series of the same name, later getting an adaptation for TV. Unfortunately, when China tried to replicate the formula in 2017, it was universally panned. That hasn't stopped the industry from giving Midnight Diner a second go, this time adapting it for the big screen and bearing obvious similarities to its Japanese counterpart. So far, we must wait and see whether this incarnation can satisfy like the original or whether it'll end up with the fish guts.

Midnight Diner opens to general release on Friday, Aug 30.

Fagara (花椒之味), 2019

Fagara opens with the sudden death of the protagonist, Rushu's father, owner of a hot pot restaurant in Hong Kong. The death not only brings great sorrow to Rushu but also reveals a shocking secret – her father has two other daughters, one who lives in Taipei and the other in Chongqing. The sisters finally meet at the funeral, and from each of their perspectives and through memories of their upbringing, they start to piece the story together, presenting a mysterious father who will always remain partly unknown to them.

Fagara opens to general release on Friday, Sep 6.

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Photos: Douban