Tuesday's Film Roundup
Film News
It seems there's been a bit of a down turn in Beijing box office takings over the past 2-3 weeks, it seems people have been watching something else instead.
Plenty of film stars were spotted around town during the games. Big-name overseas stars included Chris Tucker, Jared Letoand Nicole Kidman while stars from Hong Kong and Taiwan were all over town.
Films Around Town
Screening Times for Films in Beijing – Tuesday Aug 26
(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. 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. Unlike Speed Racer, The Hulk has been getting some pretty good reviews. You can take a look at the trailer here.
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
Haidian
08:30 09:40 10:50 11:50 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:10 16:10 17:20 18:20 19:00 19:30 20:30 21:40 22:40
Stellar International Cineplex
10:40 11:30 12:55 13:45 15:10 16:00 17:25 18:15 19:40 20:30 21:55
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:30 10:45 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:30 22:15
Wangfujing
10:50 11:30 13:00 13:40 15:10 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
10:20 11:40 13:50 15:00 16:00 17:10 18:10 19:20 20:20 21:30 22:30
Sanlitun
11:10 12:15 13:25 14:30 15:40 16:45 17:55 19:00 20:10 21:15
Yayuncun
11:20 13:30 15:40 17:50 20:00 22:10
10:20 12:20 14:20 16:20 18:20 20:20
Sparrow
The second of Johnnie To's films to make it onto the big screen this year, Sparrow (Wen Qiao 文雀) debuted at the Berlin Film Festival in February. It seems as if the censors have cut a few scenes from this film about pickpockets in Hong Kong but what remains is a homage to the island city. A few different takes on the film can be found at Variety, Love HK Film and here.
You can watch the trailer for Sparrow here.
CBD
09:30 11;20 12:40 13:10 14:30 15:00 16:20 16:50 18:10 18:40 20:00 20:30 222:20
Haidian
Stellar International Cineplex
10:50 12:35 15:55 19:20 21:05
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:15 13:10 17:10 21:00
Wangfujing
12:30 15:40 18:50 20:25 22:00
12:10 13:50 15:25 17:00 18:35 20:20 21:55
Dongsishitiao
11:20 14:40 16:30 18:20 20:00 21:50
Sanlitun
11:30 13:30 15:30 17:30 19:30 21:30
Yayuncun
10:50 12:40 14:30 16:20 18:00 19:40 21:30
Speed Racer
The latest project from the Wachowski brothers is a live-action version of Japanese anime series Speed Racer. The result is 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 heart throb Rain's presence in the cast. View trailer here.
CBD
11:05 16:45 22:25
Haidian
Stellar International Cineplex
09:55 12:30 15:05 17:40 20:15
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:05 11:45 14:20 17:00 19:45 22:25
Wangfujing
11:00 13:30 16:00 18:30 21:10
20:00
Dongsishitiao
11:50
Sanlitun
10:50 17:00
Yayuncun
13:10
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's been screening for the last couple of weeks. 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.
CBD
10:00 11:00 15:00 22:00
Haidian
Stellar International Cineplex
14:15 17:35
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
11:10
Wangfujing
11:00 12:40 14:20 16:00 17:40 19:20 21:00
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
Haidian
Stellar International Cineplex
10:30 12:25 14:20 16:10 18:05 20:00 21:50
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
12:50 16:40 18:20 20:15 22:00
Wangfujing
10:00 14:10 18:40 20:30
10:40 17:50 19:40 21:30
Dongsishitiao
10:00 14:20 19:00 20:50
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 month 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
Haidian
Stellar International Cineplex
14:00
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:50 22:35
Wangfujing
12:10 14:50
12:30 15:10
Dongsishitiao
12:20 16:20
Sanlitun
13:45 19:55
Yayuncun
11:50 16:10
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
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:25 11:20 13:20 15:20 17:20 19:15 21:15
Sanlitun
11:50 14:00 16:10 18:20 20:30
Yayuncun
11:30 17:30 20:50
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
Stellar International Cineplex
10:20 12:10 16:45 18:40 20:35
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:10 16:00
Sanlitun
11:20 13:20 15:25 17:35 19:40 21:45
Yayuncun
09:40 15:50 19:10
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 the UK. 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. Read some rather ordinary reviews here and here or take a peek at the trailer at the official site.
Sep 26
Painted Skin (画皮 Hua pi)
Painted Skin is Chinese thriller that centers on a vampire-like woman who eats the skins and hearts of her lovers. Starring both Zhou Xun and Zhao Wei, the film looks ridiculous but should attract plenty of viewers. Take a look at the trailer (with English subtitles) here.
Oct
？Batman
Still no exact date on the domestic release of the new Batman movie The Dark Knight which has been breaking box office records around the world. At this stage it looks like it's set to appear in October but there is no guarantee that this won't change. Take a look at some reviews at Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic and the trailer here.
Oct 9
Wanted
Wanted marks James McAvoy's third appearance on the Chinese big screen this year. Unlike his earlier roles in Atonement and The Chronicles of Narnia, McAvoy plays the stereotypical apathetic young man who's stuck in a dead-end job but is offered an escape when he's introduced into the exciting world of assassins by a beautiful and dangerous woman called Fox (Angelina Jolie). It all sounds as if it's based on a comic book, that's because - as with a lot of blockbusters these days - it is. The film received positivie reviews when it was released in the States back in July, you can view some here. Take a look at the trailer here.
Nov 14 007: Quantum of Solace
The release date of the new 007 has just been pushed back a week. You can take a look at a trailer here.
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. You can look at the "trailer" - it's really just a selection of still images taken from the film and set to a Peking Opera sound track - here.