Tuesday's Film Roundup
Yes, we know it's not actually Tuesday, but due to the fact that The Incredible Hulk is being released today, we've held our regular Tuesday film roundup back to today. Keep reading below for a comprehensive list of all the films showing around town this Wednesday.
Film News
New Cinemas
In keeping with Beijing government’s plans to increase the number of cinema screens in the city, a handful of new classy cinemas have opened up in prominent locations around town. However, we doubt that any of these new cinemas are likely to have an effect on the inflated ticket prices that Beijingers have to put up with.
Shuangjing
UME International Cineplex UME国际影城 （双井）
5-6/F, Fuli Guangchang, Shuangjing Qiao, Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District. (5903 7171/7373) www.bjume.com
朝阳区东三环中路 双井桥北富力广场5-6层
The Village in Sanlitun
Village Mega Box 美嘉欢乐影城（三里屯）
B1/F, Sanlitun Village (5986 3777) www.imegabox.com
朝阳区三里屯village地下一层（三里屯酒吧街南口西侧）
Chaoyang Park/Lucky Street
Saga Cinema传奇时代影城
SA-42, Solana, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu (east side of Lucky Street/Haoyun Jie), Chaoyang District (6585 5858)
朝阳区朝阳公园路6号SOLANA蓝色港湾商业区SA-42(朝阳公园西北
Changping
Wanda Longde International Cinema北京万达龙德国际电影城
5/F Longde Guangchang, 186 Litang Lu, Changping District (8482 2440) www.wandafilm.com
昌平区立汤路186号龙德广场5层
Batman and Wanted to be Released in October
According to a report on Sohu, both Batman:The Dark Knight and Wanted will be released along with the new 007 (view trailer here) in October. There are still no exact dates.
Baihua Film Awards Shortlist Announced
The shortlist for this year's Baihua or Hundred Flowers Film Awards was announced today. The list was apparently arrived at after a special group of 100 people had whittled down the results of the popular vote that was not widely publicised. The award is known one of China's highest film honors and is held every two years (it switches with the other big award the Golden Rooster Awards). As you can see by looking at this list of previous year's winners here, the prize will often go to films that are not exactly the most popular or well made, but often have a good political pedigree.
The 10 shortlisted works in the best film category are:
Benny Chan's Rob-B-Hood, Feng Xiaogang's The Assembly, Feng Zhenzhi's Invisible Wings, Frankie Chung and John Chu's The Secret of the Magic Gourd, Gao Qunshu's Tokyo Trial, Ning Hao's Crazy Stone, Peter Chan's The Warlords, Stephen Chow's CJ7, Yin Li's The Knot, and Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower. (sourced from Beijing Review). Lee Ang's Lust Caution is conspicuously absent. The award ceremony will be held in Dalian on September 10.
Sequel Alert
Reports this week of a possible sequel to Kungfu Panda and Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is slated to be released in June, 2009.
Other movie news:
Release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been delayed. You can view a trailer of the film here.
Journalist and well-known blogger Wang Xiaofeng (profiled by danwei here and Time magazine here) has been screening his latest short film《你丫真狠》at private screenings in Shanghai. The film will be officially released in September
Chinese film production company Huayi Bros plans to list on the stockmarket.
Variety take a look at what Zhang Yimou's got lined up after directing the greatest show on earth.
Films Around Town
Screening Times for Films in Beijing – Wednesday Aug 20
(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)
The Incredible Hulk
Louis Leterrier has taken the reins as director of the famous Marvel comic book figure, with Edward Norton playing the mutant scientist on a quest to escape his alter-ego. Unlike Speed Racer, The Hulk has been getting some pretty good reviews. You can take a look at the trailer here.
Below is the full text of the review by Jessica Pan that appeared in the August issue of the Beijinger magazine
Following the critically slammed Hulk (2003) directed by Ang Lee, this summer's sequel offers a different cast and director, and new take on the legendary comic book figure. Day laborer Bruce Banner (Ed Norton) works in a bottling factory in Brazil while spending his spare time pining for Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) and corresponding with a professor to create an antidote for his emotionally-charged condition – anger and excitement transforms Banner into an angry green monster who destroys buildings and kills people on site. But the action shines upon the creation of a monster more menacing than the Hulk: Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), driven by jealousy, is enhanced into a “supersoldier” in an experiment resembling Banner’s debacle. The confrontations between the two Goliaths are nothing short of intense.
This newest installment of The Incredible Hulk offers a monster slightly hunkier than its predecessor, with longer locks and softer features atop a massive, vein-covered green body. No one does sad doe eyes better than Tyler (read Lord of the Rings and Armageddon), though Tyler’s towering height and exaggerated features juxtaposed against Norton’s lankiness seem a bit off-balanced. Still, their chemistry works in certain parts, and Norton successfully brings a humane touch to his portrayal of Banner, a scientist in despair.
Where Ang Lee failed – a too-complicated plot weaved with a confusing Freudian backdrop – The Incredible Hulk succeeds: Comical preferences for stretchy pants and pseudo-sex scenes alongside fast-paced chase sequences with adrenaline-pumping transformations prove to be surefire ways to please a summer crowd.
CBD
15:35 18:25 21:15 9:30 12:20 15:10 18:00 20:50 13:05 15:55
18:45 21:35 11:30 14:20 17:10 20:00 22:50 10:40 13:30 16:20
19:10 22:00
Xidan
10:30 11:00 11:25 11:50 12:15 12:40 13:10 13:35 14:00 14:25 14:50
15:20 15:45 16:10 16:35 17:00 17:30 17:55 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:40
20:05 20:30 20:55 21:20 21:35 21:50
Haidian
09:45 10:50 11:55 13:00 14:05 15:10 16:15 17:20 18:25 19:10 19:30
20:35 21:40 22:45
Stellar International Cineplex
16:55 19:10 21:25
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:30
19:30 20:30 21:30
Wangfujing
10:50 11:30 13:00 13:40 15:50 17:20 18:00 19:30 20:10 21:40 22:20
Theater 5 12:00 14:10 16:20 18:30 20:40
Theater 7 10:50 13:00 15:10 17:20 19:30 21:40
Dongsishitiao
11:20 13:30 14:40 15:40 17:50 19:00 20:00 21:10 22:10
Yayuncun
Digital 13:30 15:40 17:50 20:00
10:20 12:20 14:20 16:20 18:20 20:20
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. Despite the poor reviews the film's Chinese box office takings might be helped by the presence of Korean heartthrob Rain's presence in the cast. View trailer here.
CBD
11:05 16:45 22:25
Xidan
11:35 12:45 14:05 15:15 16:35 17:50 19:05 20:20
Haidian
10:00 11:25 12:35 14:00 15:10 16:35 17:45 19:10 20:20 21:50 22:55
Stellar International Cineplex
11:35 14:10 16:45 19:20 21:55
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
Digital 09:05 14:20 19:45
Wangfujing
13:30 16:00 18:30 21:10
16:10 18:50 21:15
Dongsishitiao
13:00 18:10
Yayuncun
11:50 16:00 20:20
10:00 12:30 15:00 17:30 20:00
The Deserted Inn
The Deserted Inn (荒村客栈 Huangcun Kezhan) is a Chinese horror flick that opened last week. It managed to earn RMB 5 million on it's opening day and is continuing to prove popular with local audiences. No English subtitles. Take a peek at the trailer here.
Xidan
12:05 14:05 15:55 17:55 19:45 21:40
Haidian
12:00 17:15 23:15
Stellar International Cineplex
10:40 12:30
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
Digital 09:15
Wangfujing
10:40 14:20 18:10 19:50 21:30
10:10 11:50 13:30 15:10 16:50 18:40 20:20 22:00
Dongsishitiao
21:30
Yayuncun
12:30 18:00 21:30
Shiquan Jiumei
If Crazy Stone was the surprise film of 2007, Shiquan Jiuemei (十全九美) is the dark horse of 2008. The Chinese comedy about a prince in China's Ming Dynasty who attempts to learn carpentry, pulled in over RMB 10 million at the box office in it's first ten days after opening on August 1. You can take a look at the trailer here and listen to the original supergirl Li Yuchun sing the theme song here.
CBD
12:00 20:00
Xidan
10:35 12:25 14:15 16:05 17:55 19:50 21:45
Haidian
10:10 13:40 17:20 20:40
Stellar International Cineplex
09:40 12:50 14:45 16:40 18:35 20:30 22:25
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:50 12:50 16:40 18:20 20:20 22:05
Wangfujing
12:30 16:10 17:30 19:20 21:20
10:30 12:20 14:10 16:00 17:50 19:40 21:30
Dongsishitiao
14:00 17:40 19:30
Yayuncun
10:40 14:10 16:10 19:40
» Red Cliff
Red Cliff (赤壁 Chibi), alternatively known as The Battle of Red Cliff, recreates the story surrounding the legendary Battle of Red Cliff that took place immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period. Red Cliff is to be released in two parts throughout Asia, with the first part premiering last Thursday and the second part in January 2009. Outside of Asia, a single 2½-hour film will be released in January 2009. With an estimated budget of USD 80 million, The Battle of Red Cliff is the most expensive Chinese film to date. Trailer (with English subtitles) available here.
CBD
9:55 12:45
Xidan
13:35 14:55 16:15 17:35 18:55 20:15 21:35
Haidian
09:25 13:55 16:35 21:00
Stellar International Cineplex
10:10 14:15 18:10 20:50
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:50 21:00 22:35
Wangfujing
12:10 14:50
10:40 13:20
Dongsishitiao
15:20 20:40
Yayuncun
15:00 19:20
Hancock
After The Pursuit of Happyness and I am Legend, this film marks Will Smith's third appearance on China's big screens in 2008. This time he's playing a down and out superhero who gets little in the way of moral support from his wife, played by Charlize Theron. Reviews tend to go either way, this write-up in last week's Sydney Morning Herald being a good example of a more positive review and this recent review on Slate an example of a less than glowing recommendation. Synopsis available here and trailer here.
CBD
16:00 22:00
Xidan
16:00 18:15 20:10
Haidian
15:30 18:55 22:30
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:40 13:20 17:20 21:15
Dongsishitiao
16:00
Yayuncun
13:20 17:40
Kungfu Panda
Despite what appear to be rather self-serving attempts by Zhao Bandi to persuade Chinese people to boycott the film, it's still proved very popular, becoming the first animated film to take over RMB 100 million at the Chinese box office. Reviews have also been good - most settling for the "it's all good fun" kind of appraisal. Aficionados of Chinese traditional painting have also enjoyed some of the in jokes and one review in a Beijing newspaper compared the films melding of East and West to one of KFC's "Lao Beijing" Chicken wraps. You can view the trailer here and visit the official site here (Chinese version here). The complete copy of the film is available here. The Beijing correspondent of the Guardian has also produced this audio report on the popularity of the film in Beijing.
CBD
18:00
Xidan
12:20 16:20
Haidian
12:05 19:15
Stellar International Cineplex
10:30 12:25 14:20 16:15 18:05 20:00 21:50
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:10
Yayuncun
10:00 14:20 18:30
Upcoming Films
Sep 2
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Jet Li stars as Mummy Qin Shihuang, alongside Michelle Yeoh and Brendan Fraser in this third installment of the popular franchise. No reviews yet - not released elsewhere until July 24 but you can read more about the making of the film here. Trailer here.
Sep 4
Asterix and the Olympics
Asterix, Obelix, and their friends have entered the famous Olympic games in Ancient Olympia. They are determined to taste victory, but the Gauls face formidable competition from both Greeks and Romans. See trailer here.
Sep 14
Flood
Flood is a disaster film set in London and Scotland. Estranged meteorologoist father Leonard (Courtnay) and Marine Engineer son (Carlyle) are caught up in a weather related disaster as spring tides meet a freak North Sea Superstorm…
Oct
Batman, Wanted, 007 and Painted Skin
Expect the China premieres of the new Batman, Wanted, 007: Quantum of Solace and also Painted Skin Hua pi a Chinese thriller that centers on a vampire-like woman who eats the skins and hearts of her lovers.
Dec 12
Mei Lanfang
A biographical account of iconic Peking Opera star Mei Lanfang directed by Chen Kaige and starring Beijing-born singer Leon Lai. Ziyi Zhang stars as Mei’s lover Meng Xiaodong. More info available here.