Tuesday's Film Blog
Chinese Films at Cannes
Despite reports that Jia Zhangke's 24 City (Ershisi Chengji) was "one of the top three favourites for Cannes' coveted Palme d'Or for best film", the director returns to China empty handed with French film The Class (Entre Les Murs) beat out the Chinese film for top honors. For a full list of winners, click here. A extended edition of the trailer of John Woo's upcoming epic Red Cliff (Chibi) also screened at at this year's Cannes Film Festival and you can take a look at a bootleg copy of the trailer here. Zhang Ziyi was also in Cannes for the festival, aside from helping raise money for the earthquake relief effort, she also found herself having to raise awareness of the tragedy with the glitteratti attending the festival.
Earthquake Films
As rescue workers continue to treat the wounded and engineers attempt to prevent dams from bursting, some of China's most well-known film personalities have indicated their intentions to film earthquake-related movies in the near future. Both Jackie Chan and Feng Xiaogang have been reported as saying that they'd like to make films related to the tragedy. Jackie Chan envisages his project as a way to make money to help the victims of the earthquake, while a spokesperson for Feng Xiaogang reveals that the director has been planning to do a disaster film for a long time now. Both directors, however, have been beaten to the punch by director Yin Li (尹力), who along with 40 others started filming in the quake hit areas on May 14. They're working on a film called Wenchuan.
2nd New Beijing International Movie Week
A reminder that the second installment of the New Beijing International Movie Week (see reports of last year's event here) will kick off on June 1. Organizers promise that all of the 40-odd movies will be accessible to Chinese and English speakers. The event will run from Jun 1-8 at various clubs and cinemas across Beijing. A special opening party will be held at Club Obiwan on May 29 featuring screenings of last year's audience favorites and award winners. Trailers for the movies being shown as part of the festival will also be screened and detailed printed programs for the week will be available. For information regarding dates, venues and a preliminary list of the films to be screened at the independent film festival, take a look at the official site here.
Kungfu + Stars = Profits
The Forbidden Kingdom is officially the highest grossing film of the first 5 months of this year. The film, which we haven't seen but have heard from others it's crap, has already raked in close to RMB 185 million.
Films Around Town
Screening Times for Films in Beijing – Tuesday May 27
(All times and prices have been taken from today’s Beijing News or this website – it would be a good idea to call and confirm details)
27 Dresses
Originally scheduled to hit Beijing's screens on April 21, this classic chick flick's release date has now been pushed back to late May. Starring Knocked Up's Katherine Heigl as a woman doomed to always be the bridesmaid but never the bride. She's finally pushed to do something, when she's expected to help organize her sister's wedding to the man she herself loves. The film was released in the US in January this year and the UK in March. Take a look at the trailer at the official site and some reviews here.
Haidian
12:20 16:40 21:00
Yayuncun
09:30 11:40 13:50 16:00 18:10 20:20
Fool's Gold
A film starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson about a treasure hunter and his failed marriage. Take a look at some of the terrible reviews here and the trailer here.
CBD
10:30 12:40 14:50 17:00 19:10 21:20 11:50 14:00 16:10 18:20 20:30
22:40 11:10 13:20 15:30 17:40 19:50 22:00
Xidan
13:00 15:15 17:30 19:40 21:45
11:10 13:15 15:20 17:25 19:30 21:35
Haidian
Digital screening: 10:20 12:25 14:30 16:35 18:40 20:45 22:30 22:50
Stellar International Cineplex
11:00 13:10 15:00 17:40 19:50 22:00
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:45 12:50 15:00 17:05 19:15 21:20
Wangfujing
12:00 16:00 20:10
10:30 12:30 14:40 16:40 18:40 20:40
Dongsishitiao
09:45 10:55 11:45 13:00 13:45 15:00 15:50 17:00 17:55
19:00 20:00 21:05 22:00
Xinjiekou
11:00 13:10 15:00 17:40 19:50 22:00
Haidian
10:10 14:30 18:50
Dongcheng Dictrict
10:00 12:25 14:30 16:35 18:40 20:45
Iron Man
Based on the Marvel comic of the same name, Iron Man stars Robert Downey Jr. as a billionaire industrialist who builds a high-tech suit of body armor that allows him to transform into a superhero. The film opened strongly over the May break garnering good reviews in both local and international press, but was beat out by the poorly reviewed Forbidden Kingdom at the Chinese box office. Don't follow the crowds out after the credits begin to roll as there is an extra 40 second scene that follows. The producers of the film are considering making a sequel that will feature the Chinese character known as Mandarin. You can take a look at the trailer here.
CBD
9:40 12:20 15:00 17:40 20:20 23:00 11:20 14:00 16:40 19:20 22:00
Xidan
10:40 11:25 11:55 12:40 13:15 14:05 14:25 15:05 15:45 16:30 17:00
17:40 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:10 20:45 21:30
Haidian
10:40 12:55 15:10 19:30 20:15 20:55 21:50
Stellar International Cineplex
10:20 12:40 15:20 17:10 19:30 21:50
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:20 11:40 12:35 14;50 15:50 17:15 19:30 20:00 21:45
Wangfujing
09:50 10:40 13:00 14:30 15:20 17:40 19:10 20:00 22:20
10:20 12:40 15:20 17:10 19:30 21:50
Xinjiekou
10:15 14:35 17:00 19:25 21:50
Haidian
09:30 12:00 14:20 16:40 19:00 21:20
Yayuncun
09:40 11:50 14:00 16:10 18:20 20:30
East Fourth Ring Road
10:45 12:05 13:10 14:30 15:35 16:55 19:20 20:20 21:45
Esquire Runway (时尚先生 Shishang Xiansheng)
Set in the heady world of Beijing and Shanghai's media and fashion circles, this film follows the lives and rivalries of the bright young things who via for fame and fortune. You can check out the trailer over at the official site.
CBD
12:00 16:00 20:00 22:10
Xidan
13:05 16:45 18:40 20:40
Haidian
09:40 19:10 22:45
Stellar International Cineplex
14:05 20;00
Wangfujing
09:55 11:50 13:50 15:40 17:30 19:20 21:10
10:00 11:50 13:40 15:30 17:20 19:20 21:20
Xinjiekou
12:25 16:55 21:00
Dongcheng Dictrict
11:25 15:15 19:05
Yayuncun
11:10 14:50 18:30
East Fourth Ring Road
11:20 13:10 15:00 16:45 18:30 19:45 21:35
Fast Track: No Limits
Another in a line of tacky English-language German films complete with clunky dialogue. This one appears to be a knock off of the Fast and the Furious. Take a look at the trailer here.
CBD
11:00 13:10 15:20 17:30 19:40 21:50
Xidan
11:00 13:00 15:00 17:05 19:15 21:15
Haidian
09:40 11:30 13:20 15:10 17:00 17:45 18:50 19:35 20:40 21:25 22:30
Stellar International Cineplex
09:50 11:45 12:40 13:40 15:35 16:35 17:30 18:30 19:25 20:25 21:20 22:20
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
11:00 13:00 14:55 16:50 18:50 20:45 22:45
Wangfujing
11:40 15:20 19:00 22:40
Dongsishitiao
10:20 12:10 14:00 15:50 17:40 19:40 21:20
Zhongguancun
10:25 12:10 13:55 15:40 17:25 19:15 21:00 22:50
10:55 13:05 14:10 15:15 16:20 17:25 18:30 19:35 20:40 21:50
Xinjiekou
10:15 12:00 13:50 15:40 17:30 19:20 21:10
Haidian
13:10 15:05 17:00 18:55 20:50
East Fourth Ring Road
10:20 12:10 14:00 15:50 17:40 19:40 21:20
The timely story of Liu Changchun, a Chinese sprinter who escaped Japanese-occupied Manchuria and became the first Chinese athlete to compete in the Olympics (1932, Los Angeles).
CBD
10:50 15:10
Haidian
Digital screening: 13:15 17:10
Stellar International Cineplex
10;25 12:05 18:00
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:30 14:20 18:10 22:55
Xinjiekou
13:00
East Fourth Ring Road
22:40
D-War
Korean Shim Hyung-rae's film, originally titled Dragon Wars, is a fantasy film in which dragons bearing mounted cannons battle the US Army. It did well in Korea, but was panned by critics. Take a look at the trailer here.
CBD
11:10 13:00 14:50 16:40 18:30 20:20 22:10
Xidan
10:50 11:20 12:00 12:35 13:10 13:45 14:20 14:55 15:30 16:00 16:40
17:15 17:50 18:25 19:05 19:45 20:10 20:50 21:25
Haidian
17:15 18:30 19:10 23:10
Stellar International Cineplex
10:40 12:30 14:20 16:40 18:20 20:10 22:00
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:00 12:00 14:10 16:10 18:25 20:30 22:30
Wangfujing
11:00 14:50 18:40 20:20
12:40 16:00 21:10
Xinjiekou
11:30 15:30 17:15 19:00 19:15 20:45 21:00
Haidian
09:00 13:00 17:00 21:00
Yayuncun
09:20 13:00 16:40 20:20
East Fourth Ring Road
10:15 11:15 12:00 13:45 15:30 17:15 21:00 22:40
The Forbidden Kingdom (Gongfu Zhiwang 功夫之王)
After topping the American box office the previous week, The Forbidden Kingdom has also been raking in the cash since opening at cinemas across China last week. There are now reports that, given the box office success, the producers are considering making a sequel. You can take a look at a review of the film here or more of them over at Rotten Tomatoes. The trailer is available here.
The people over at UME assured us that all copies of the film showing there have English subtitles.
CBD
17:20 19:30 21:40
Xidan
10:45 12:55 13:55 15:10 16:05 17:10 18:20 19:25 20:35 21:35
Haidian
09:30 11:25 13:20 15:15 17:10 19:05 21:00 22:55
Stellar International Cineplex
12:20 14:30 18:30 20:40 22:50
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:30 11:30 13:30 15:40 17:40 19:45 21:55
Wangfujing
10:40 12:50 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00
09:40 11:40 13:40 15:40 17:40 19:40 21:40
Xinjiekou
10:45 11:00 12:45 13:30 14:45 15:00 17:15 18:45
Yayuncun
09:40 11:30 13:20 15:10 17:00 18:50 20:40
Spiderwick Chronicles
Take a look at the official site for more information, view the trailer here and read what some of the critics thought about the film here.
Haidian
18.10
Vinci
We're not sure how this supposedly decent Polish crime thriller from 2004 ended up on Beijing's cinema screens in 2008
Xidan
11:15 13:25 15:25 17:25 19:35 21:40
Haidian
09:50 11:55 14:00 16:05 18:10 20:15 22:20
Stellar International Cineplex
10:35 12:45 14:55 17:05 19:15 21:25
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:10 12:15 14:30 16:45 18:50 20:55
Wangfujing
12:40 16:30 22:00
10:20 12:30 14:40 16:50 19:00 21:10
Xinjiekou
10:25 14:15 16:20 18:25 20:30
East Fourth Ring Road
11:00 13:10 15:20 17:25 19:30 21:40
Cherries (樱桃 Yintao)
A beautifully shot film set in Yunnan. For more on the plot click here. Visit the trailer here.
Xidan
17:20
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
13:50 18:00 22:20
Haidian
09:40 12:20 14:10 16:00 17:50 19:40 21:40
Maimaiti 2008
Starring a group of cute school-aged actors from Xinjiang and similar to One Man's Olympics (see below) this film is produced as part of a propaganda push to accompany the Olympics. See more about the plot here.
Haidian
11:10 15:00 18:50
East Fourth Ring Road
10:15
Upcoming Films
Jun 6
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The children return to Narnia in this sequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But it's a very different country this time. Starring the voice of Eddie Izzard as Reepicheep, and the voice of Liam Neeson as Aslan. See reviews here and trailer here.
Jun 12
Missing (Shenhai Xunren)
Tsui Hark's new film is a romantic thriller that centers around the mysterious sunken structures around Yonaguni Island. Staring Tony Leung, Isabella Leong, Angelica Lee and Chen Chang. You can read some more about the film here and take a look at the trailer here.
Jun 20
Kungfu Panda
Despite earlier reports of the much-anticipated Kungfu Panda reaching Chinese cinemas on Jun 12, we now have confirmation that the opening of the DreamWorks animation has been pushed back to three weeks after its American release, and will hit Beijing's screens on Jun 20. We're unsure if the version of the film that finally reaches Beijing will still feature the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan or whether, like in Hong Kong, the film will receive a special dubbing by equally big name Chinese stars. You can view the trailer here and visit the official site here (Chinese version here).
Mid-June
Speed Racer
The latest project from the Wachowski brothers is a live-action version of Japanese anime series Speed Racer. The result is reportedly heavy on action and visuals, and weak on storytelling. Read some rather disappointing reviews here and take a look at the trailer here.
From Jun 27
Kung Fu Pop (Jingwu Men)
Jordan Chan and Fan Bingbing star in this street-dance saga. No relation to Kung Fu Hustle, Kung Fu Dunk, Kung Fu Panda, or Shaolin Soccer. None at all.