2010 Feb 26 Screen Time: Homoerotic Sherlock, Tang Wei Returns & Searching in Tibet
It’s a busy week for film in Beijing, with a big-name movie premiering and a clutch of indie Chinese films screening around town.
First the big stuff. After being delayed for several weeks, Guy Ritchie’s sweaty new take on Sherlock Holmes premiered last night and is now playing around town. Here’s a less-than-enthusiastic review from the Guardian to get you in the mood. And a slightly more upbeat review from London's Time Out.
For an amusing cautious local take on the film, check out this article from The Global Times. The writer notes: "As the 75th actor to play Holmes, Downey stands out as one of the most handsome, at least by today's standards, and with Watson portrayed by the equally appealing Law, rumors are rife about the on-screen relationship between the two… With homosexuality still a taboo in China, local film reviewers are unclear about how audiences will respond to such a sub-plot. Some reactions after Tuesday's pre-screenings indicated a feeling of uneasiness…”
A film that makes viewers uneasy? Sounds very confronting.
For more comforting fare, check our Jackie Chan’s new film Little Big Soldier, which opened over the Spring Festival Break. The man himself was in Beijing for a preview screening earlier this month.
At the other end of the scale, lovers of small-scale, innovative cinema should check out the free screenings of Liu Jiayin’s Oxhide films up at UCCA over the weekend. You can read our profile of the celebrated young Beijing filmmaker and access a schedule of the screenings here. I attended the first screening of Oxhide I on Thursday night and was heartened to see a full cinema. Don’t go expecting fast-paced flashy storytelling, but if you’re prepared to sink into the unique dynamics of Liu’s style you’ll be richly rewarded.
Late last year we profiled Beijing’s first arthouse cinema, Broadway Cinematheque MOMA (BC MOMA). The MOMA team have gradually been getting their act together since then, and are now launching a monthly showcase of new Chinese directors – with all films screened with English subtitles. This weekend we have The Search by Pema Tseden, said to be the first dramatic feature shot by Tibetans, starring Tibetans, entirely in the Tibetan language. Tickets are RMB 30. Here are the screening times:
Friday, Feb 26, 7:30pm (includes Q&A with the director)
Saturday, Feb 27, 4pm
Sunday, Feb 28, 4pm (includes Q&A with the director)
Wednesday, March 3, 9:30pm
Saturday, March 6, 6pm
Sunday, March 7, 6pm (includes Q&A with the director)
Later in March, MOMA will be showcasing Knitting by upcoming director Yin Lichuan – more on that closer to the date.
Still at MOMA BC, next week they kick off a retrospective of celebrated Chinese filmmaker Xie Jin, whose career spanned more 30 features and half a century, including some of the most turbulent periods in China’s recent history. This retrospective will feature eight of Xie Jin’s best works. Watch this space for a full schedule next week.
Finally, The Wall Street Journal has reported Chinese actress Tang Wei is set to return to the screen after incurring the displeasure of the powers-that-be for her sexy role in Lust, Caution. Her new film Crossing Hennessy is set to open the 34th Hong Kong International Film Festival on March 21.
You might also be interested in :
Family Life One Moment at a Time: Liu Jiayin on Oxhide
A two hour feature comprising just 23 shots, filmed entirely in one apartment starring the filmmaker’s family. On paper it sounds like a teeth-grinding film student project. In reality its one of the most acclaimed and innovative slices of recent Chinese cinema – Liu Jiayin’s Oxhide. Beijing audiences now have the chance to see Liu’s film, and its sequel Oxhide II, on the big screen over the next few days at 798’s UCCA.
A Film Master on the Big Screen: Xie Jin Retrospective at MOMA BC
Beijing’s one and only arthouse cinema, MOMA Broadway Cinematheque, is proving a godsend for film fans who love the big-screen experience, but want something more challenging than multiplex spectacles. This Friday MOMA BC kick off their first “Great Masters Retrospective” with a season of eight works by Xie Jin, the exemplary representative of China’s “third generation” of filmmakers. Although not well known in the English-speaking film world, here in China Xie Jin is revered as one of the nation’s great directors.
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Nobu Grand Opening: Jackie Chan Celebrates, No De Niro
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Art Attack: Openings Galore, Booker Prize and China Overtakes the US?
Those exciting exhibit openings I promised you last week are right around the bend now, ready to smack you in the face. Get your gallery-going shoes ready!
But first on the newsy side, Artinfo.com tells us a new follow-up analysis lists China as the world’s top art market – if we’re only looking at Fine Arts. That’s kind of like if we just didn't count those votes in Florida, Al Gore would have been President of the US … not sure what that means, but the point is, things are being shaken up around here.
