Tuesday's Film Roundup
Keep reading below for some Beijing-related film news, a quick roundup of films showing at cinemas around town this week (including today's screening times) and a look at the major releases later in the month.
Film News
Jet Li and Warlords Win Big at Hong Kong Film Awards
Jet Li picked up the Best Actor award at the 27th Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday for his role in the blockbuster The Warlords (Toumingzhuang 投名状). The period piece, that also starred heart throbs Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro, picked up eight awards in total including best film and best director for Peter Chan.
French Film Panorama
The French Film Panorama opened last Thursday with a special screening of Asterix aux Jeux Olympiques. The festival of French films features more than ten feature films – including Ensemble c'est Tout and Le Fils de L’Épicier plus 12 short films that include works by directors Cyril Paris and Olivier Pont. The festival concludes on Apr 21. For the film schedule and more details, visit www.xfilmcity.com or www.ccfpekin.org. Films screened daily at Star City Cinema (8518 5804) and Sun Dong An (6528 1838)
The 15th Beijing Students Film Festival
The annual university student film festival continues this week. The festival will run through until Apr 21 with daily screenings at both 1pm and 6pm taking place at the China Cinema. Tickets are a steal at 5 kuai for a double feature, but have pretty much sold out. However, organizers suggest that if you arrive at the venue early you might be able to pick up some tickets at the door or alternatively you can try posting on any university BBS. The schedule is spotty, with quality independent films being paired along with blockbuster crap and propaganda pap. Our picks of the festival include The Park and CJ7 on the evening of Apr 16 and Urtin Duu (along with Slam) at 6pm on Apr 17. You can take a look at the full schedule (in Chinese) here.
Films Around Town
Screening Times for Films in Beijing – Tuesday Apr 15
(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)
And the Spring Comes (Li Chun 李春)
The best Chinese film to hit Beijing's cinemas since Assembly dominated the Christmas/New Year holiday period, has finally been released. Originally scheduled to come out in early February, the film was postponed due to the severe snow storms that caused havoc across the country. Actress Jiang Wenli deservedly took best actress honors at last years Rome Film Festival for her performance in the film. Jiang, who is also the wife of the film's director Gu Changwei, put on 15kg in order to play the role of Wang Cailing, an opera singer stuck in a small dreary Chinese city with dreams of making it big. For a more detailed synopsis of the film click here and to view the trailer click here.
CBD
11:20 12:30 16:00 18:30
Xidan
14:00 16:25 20:40
Haidian
11:25 17:30
Stellar International Cineplex
11:30 16:00 18:00 20:00
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:20 13:40 17:50 22:10
Wangfujing
10:00 11:55 16:00 20:05
14:10
Dongsishitiao
10:00 18:00
Yayuncun
13:50 18:00
East Fourth Ring Road
12:20 16:00 21:25
Taken
Decent thriller starring Liam Neeson as the protective dad who devotes his skills as a government agent to the task of rescuing his kidnapped daughter. It might be difficult to find a cinema playing this film in English as most prints seemed to have been dubbed into Chinese. Reviews here and trailer here.
CBD
10:30 14:30 16:30 20:30 22:30
Xidan
11:20 12:10 13:10 14:00 15:00 15:50 16:50 17:40 18:40 19:30 20:30 21:20
Haidian
09:35 13:40 16:20 17:45 19:30 21:15 23:00
Stellar International Cineplex
10:10 12:00 14:50 15:55 17:45 18:50 19:35 21:25
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:45 12:45 14:40 16:25 18:15 20:15 22:20
Wangfujing
10:00 11:40 13:20 15:00 16:40 19:30 22:50
10;30 12:10 14:00 15:50 18:00 19:40
Xidan
11:00 12:45 14:30 16:15 18:00 19:45 21:30
Dongsishitiao
10:20 12:10 14:00 15:50 17:40 19:40 21:30
Yayuncun
11:30 13:20 15:10 17:00 19:00 20:50 22:30
East Fourth Ring Road
10:15 11:15 12:00 13:00 13:45 14:45 15:30 16:30 17:15 18:15 19:00 20:00 20:45 21:45 22:30
The Children of Huang Shi (Huang Shi de Haizi 黄石的孩子)
Based on the true story of British journalist George Hogg, who saved the lives of over 60 Chinese orphans during the Japanese occupation of China, this Australian-Chinese-German co-production sacrifices plausibility to the demands of sentimental storyline. Chow Yun-fat does well as the Chinese partisan fighter who teaches Hogg a few lessons about trust and it's worth hanging around for the final credits as the now elderly students of Hogg offer recollect about the man who helped save their lives. It's being promoted in China as a Chinese version of Schindler's List. Take a look at what others thought here and the trailer here.
CBD
9:50 14:50 17:20 18:20 19:50 20:50
Xidan
12:00 14:20 16:40 19:05 21:25
Haidian
11:50 22:35
Stellar International Cineplex
22:00
Wangfujing
13:50 17:55 22:00
12:00 16:05
Xidan
11:30 15:35
Dongsishitiao
12:40 16:50 21:10
Yayuncun
10:40 17:30
East Fourth Ring Road
10:50 13:05 15:20 17:35 19:50 22:05
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (Sanguo zhijian Long Xiejia 《见龙卸甲》)
The onslaught of big budget period (the Three Kingdoms is a favorite) martial arts dramas continues with this Andy Lau vehicle. Perhaps a taste of what to expect from John Woo's upcoming even bigger budget Battle of Red Cliff. Take a look at the trailer at the official site and a review over at Shanghaiist.
CBD
10:20 12:40 13:10 14:30 15:00 15:30 17:20 17:50 19:10 19:40 20:10 20:40 21:30 22:00 22:30
Xidan
10:45 11:25 12:05 12:45 13:15 13:55 14:35 15:10 15:55 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:25 19:00 19:45 20:20 20:55 21:35
Haidian
Digital Print: 09:00 10:55 12:50 14:45 16:40 18:35 20:30 22:25
19:15 21:10
Stellar International Cineplex
10:20 12:20 13:30 14:20 15:10 16:20 18:20 19:15 20:20 22:20 23:20
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:40 11:50 13:50 15:45 17:40 19:30 21:25
Wangfujing
9:50 11:40 13:30 15:20 17:10 19:00 20:50 22:40
10:00 11:00 11:55 12:50 13:50 14:40 15:40 16:30 17:30 18:20 19:20 20:10 21:10
Xidan
11:55 13:50 15:45 17:40 19:35 21:30
Dongsishitiao
11:30 13:30 14:20 15:20 17:10 19:00 20:00 20:50 22:40
Yayuncun
Digital Print: 10:20 12:10 14:00 15:50 17:40 19:30 21:20
16:40 20:30 22:20
East Fourth Ring Road
10:00 11:55 13:50 15:45 17:40 19:30 20:20 21:20
Golden Compass
An adaptation of the first book in Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, many critics have argued that the film version strips the story of any of the anti-religious tone that was apparent in Pullman's series of novels. Read what others thought about the film here and take a look at the trailer here.
CBD
10:10 14:50 19:30
Xidan
10:30 12:40 14:50 17:10 19:20 21:30
Haidian
14:10 18:05 21:25
Stellar International Cineplex
10:30 12:40 16:40 20:40 22:50
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:10 12:10 14:30 18:45
Wangfujing
12:50 15:10 17:20 21:10
12:00 16:20 20:40
Xidan
12:40 14:50 17:00 19:10 21:20
Dongsishitiao
10:40 14:50 19:20
Yayuncun
11:50 16:00 20:00 21:50
East Fourth Ring Road
10:00 12:05 14:05 16:10 18:15 22:15
10,000 BC
Similar in concept to Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, this action/adventure flick follows the adventures of a young mammoth hunter who struggles to "secure the future of his tribe." Directed by Roland Emmerich of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow fame, expect plenty of crowd pleasing special effects. Trailer available on the official site and here.
CBD
10:50 12:30 17:10 21:50
Xidan
13:25 15:30 17:35 19:40 21:45
Haidian
09:30 13:25 17:20 19:25 23:05
Stellar International Cineplex
10:00 13:05 13:50 17:10 21:15
Wangfujing
12:05 14:05 16:05 18:05 20:15 22:15
11:50 13:50 15:50 17:50 19:50 21:50
Dongsishitiao
16:10
Yayuncun
14:40 18:30
East Fourth Ring Road
11:00 13:10 15:10 17:10 19:10 21:10
In Love we Trust (Zouyou 左右)
A melodrama that follows the difficult decision faced by a divorced couple trying to save their sick daughters life. The film, which took the Silver Bear for best screenplay at the recent Berlin Film Festival. Take a look at a review here and the trailer by clicking here.
CBD
12:10 16:50
Xidan
15:20 19:15 21:15
Haidian
Stellar International Cineplex
10:00 15:25 17:35 19:45 21:55
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Go conspiracy hunting with Nicolas Cage in this sequel to the popular 2004 film that attracted large audiences to US cinemas over Christmas. Take a look at what some critics made of the film here. You can view the trailer at the official movie site here.
CBD
12:20 22:20
Xidan
14:45 15:55 17:05 18:15 19:25 20:35 21:40
Haidian
09:30 11:20 15:25 20:15
Stellar International Cineplex
10:50 13:15 15:40 18:05 20:30
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
11:20 15:30 19:45
Wangfujing
12:35 14:50 17:05 19:20 21:35
11:00 13:10 15:20 17:40 20:00 22:10
Xidan
15:20 19:50 22:00
Upcoming Releases
April 21
27 Dresses
Classic chick flick puff piece from the writer in which Knocked Up’s Katherine Heigl plays a woman who is always 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.
April 24
The Forbidden Kingdom (Gongfu Zhiwang 功夫之王)
Jet Li and Jackie Chan's highly anticipated adaptation of Journey to the West, with Chan as the Monkey King. You can view the trailer here.
April 30
Iron Man
Opening in China before it's American release on May 2, this sci-fi picture is based on the Marvel comic of the same name and 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. According to Wikipedia, Marvel and Paramount Pictures have planned a $50 million marketing campaign for the film, which is modeled on Paramount's successful promotion of last year’s Transformers film. However, given that Chinese audiences didn’t grow up with Marvel comics but did watch Transformers cartoons, it’ll be interesting to see if the film can replicate the success that Transformers had on the mainland last year. 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.
Links and Sources
AFP: 'Warlord' Jet Li celebrates Hong Kong award