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
Big changes at Cherry Lane Movies with one of Beijing's oldest independent cinemas moving their screenings to a new location. Starting from last month, Cherry Lane films began a new series of films that will take place every second Sunday at Yugong Yishan. Generally, they'll host movies on the 2nd and last Sunday of each month at 8pm. The focus of series will be Films and Filmmakers, giving audiences an opportunity to engage with the people who make the films. Each and every screening will include a discussion and Q and A with a guest, be it a director, producer, cinematographer, editor, actor, or a film critic. Their program will continue to focus on China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but they'll also occasionally present movies from other countries. The second film in the series will take place this coming Sunday with a showing of the Chinese film The Case (Xiangzi 箱子). Doors open at 7.30pm, the film starts at 8pm. After the film there'll be a Q and A session with associate producer E.T. and editor Zhou Xinxia.
Update: The good folk over at Cherry Lane have been in touch and they've informed us that the director of The Case, Wang Fen, will also be appearing at this Sunday's screening. The price for this week's session has also been lowered to RMB 40, as only one film will be screened.
The premiere screening of the five short films that have been produced as part of Vision Beijing, an Olympics-related film project that invited five well-known directors from around the world to produce a short film about the capital, took place last week. The five short films from Italian Director Giuseppe Tornatore, Majid Majidi from Iran, France's Patrice Leconte, Daryl Goodrich from Britain and Hong Kong's Andrew Lau Wai-Keung (whose film The Flock - starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes – is currently being sold in DVD stores across Beijing) are now all available online at Sohu, Tudou and Youku.
The Edison Chen photo scandal spread to Beijing this week as Gillian Chung (aka as Zhong Xintong or A Jiao), one half of the Hong Kong pop sensation Twins, was mobbed by journalists when she arrived at the capital airport (see video here). Things have since gotten even worse for Gillian, as there are now reports that not only has her role in Chen Kaige's upcoming film Mei Lanfang been cut, but it's also rumored that Zhang Yimou has ruled her out of participating in the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
In awards news, Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai's latest film In Love we Trust (Zouyou 左右)) picked up a Silver Bear for best screenplay at the recent Berlin Film Festival. The film was set to hit Beijing's screens on Mar 7 but the release has since been delayed until at least April. A Chinese documentary called Please Vote for Me that follows the election of a class monitor in a Wuhan primary school was nominated at last week's Oscars in the best documentary category. The documentary is likely to be screened at Zero China sometime in March, keep an eye on the 7 Days in Beijing e-mail newsletter for updates. For more about the film take a look at PBS's Independent Lens .
Those wanting to know more about the commercialization of China's film industry should take a look at Joel Martinsen's translation of the feature article in last week's issue of Sanlian Life Weekly over at Danwei.
The BBC are working with BTV on a documentary called A History of Beijing.
Finally, According to Variety, Assembly has come out on top of the box office rankings taking in an impressive $36.4 million between December and Feb. Of the other hesui pian and Spring Festival films, Warlords managed to pull in $30.8 million, CJ7 $25.9 million and Kung Fu Dunk $16.8 million. Meanwhile, according to the domestic box office rankings listed on Sohu, The Water Dragon has blown them all out of the water!
Upcoming Releases
Mar 7
An Empress and the Warriors (Jiangshan Meiren 江山美人)
Directed by Tony Ching and starring Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Guo Xiaodong and Kelly Chen. Leon Lai is currently working on Chen Kaige's Mei Lanfang, currently being shot in Beijing. For reviews of this martial arts flick click here. You can also view the trailer here.
Mar 17
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.
Mar 21
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.
March 28
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.
April ?
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, was to be released on Mar 7 but it's release has since been postponed to next month. Take a look at a review here and the trailer by clicking here.
Films Around Town
Screening Times for Films (CJ7 and Kungfu Dunk do not have English subtitles) in Beijing – Wednesday Mar 5
(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)
Atonement
Keira Knightley and James McAvoy star in this wartime drama adapted from Ian McKewan's brilliant novel. Winner of the Golden Globe for best drama. Take a look at the trailer here.
Haidian
13:15 16:10 18:25 20:40 22:55
CBD
10:10 12:30 14:50 17:10 19:30 21:50
Dongsishitiao
10:30 12:40 14:50 17:00 19:00 20:10 21:10 22:20
Wangfujing
11:20 13:30 15:40 18:00 20:10
10:20 11:10 12:30 13:20 14:40 15:30 16:50 17:50 19:00 20:00 21:10 22:10
Xidan
15:10 17:20 19:30 21:40
East Fourth Ring Road
11:50 14:00 16:10 18:20 20:30
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
11:25 13:40 15:50 17:55 20:00 22:20
Salir Pitando
Released at the end of last year, this Spanish film tells the story of a soccer referee and the trouble he encounters after he makes a series of controversial decisions. Take a look at the trailer here. Contact the cinema for information about subtitles.
Haidian
14:10 21:20
CBD
12:00 14:00 16:00 20:00 22:00
Dongsishitiao
09:40 15:40
Wangfujing
12:20 16:30 18:20 20:20
15:20 21:20
East Fourth Ring Road
10:15 12:05 13:55 15:40 17:30 19:20 21:10 22:45
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
12:50 18:20 22:10
Mad Detective (Shen Tan 神探)
Released last November in Hong Kong and surprise entry at last years Venice Film Festival, Johnnie To's Mad Detective makes it on to Beijing screens with two minutes of the more disturbing violence missing. China's censors have decided that mainland audiences are not as accepting of blood and gore as their Hong Kong compatriots and have left a particularly gory scene in which an ear is cut off on the cutting room floor. You can take a look at reviews of the film here and here and take a look at the trailer (with English subtitles) here. To's Sparrow (Wen Qiao 文雀) debuted at the Berlin Film Festival in February. You can watch the trailer for Sparrow here.
CBD
11:30 13:20 15:10 17:00 18:50 20:40 22:30
Dongsishitiao
16:50
Wangfujing
09:40 13:15 17:00
11:45 15:15
Xidan
11:50 13:30
East Fourth Ring Road
10:40 12:30 14:20 21:15
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
10:20 14:50
Becoming Jane
Starring Anne Hathaway and James MacAvoy (who also plays the lead role in Atonement), Becoming Jane seems to have left most reviewers lukewarm, the general trend being to describe it as an entertaining but vapid film that doesn't quite capture the spirit of Jane Austen. Take a look at the trailer here.
Haidian
14:40 17:25 21:35
CBD
09:50 14:30 16:50 19:10
Wangfujing
10:00 14:10
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
12:20 16:50 21:20
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
A family-friendly fantasy about a Scottish boy called Angus who discovers an egg which hatches into the fabled Loch Ness monster. An adaptation of popular children's author Dick King-Smith's book. You can take a look at the trailer here.
Haidian
Digital Screening: 15:30 17:35 19:40
12:35 20:30 22:35
CBD
11:10 12:10 13:30 15:50 18:10 19:10 19:40 20:30 21:30 22:00
Dongsishitiao
10:10 12:10 14:10 16:10 18:10
Wangfujing
English Version: 10:50 14:50 18:50 20:50
12:20 13:10 14:20 16:20 17:20 18:20 19:20 20:20 22:20
Xidan
10:00 11:05 12:05 13:10 14:10 15:15 16:15 17:20 18:20 19:25 20:25 21:30
East Fourth Ring Road
09:40 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:05
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:15 11:15 13:20 15:20 17:30 19:30 21:30
Digital Screening in English: 10:10 12:10 14:20 16:20 18:30 20:35 22:35
Playboy Cops (Huahua Xingjing 花花型警)
HK pretty boy singer-turned-actor Shawn Yue teams up with Mainland pretty boy actor-turned-singer Chen Kun to play two detectives who don't like to play by the rules. Likely to be as bad as it sounds. You can take a look at the trailer here.
Haidian
12:40 14:25 19:30 21:45 23:05
CBD
10:40 12:00 12:50 15:00 16:20 17:10 19:20 20:40 21:30
Dongsishitiao
10:00 13:30 18:30
Wangfujing
10:10 11:55 13:40 15:25 17:10 19:00 20:45
10:00 13:30 17:00 18:45 20:30 22:15
Xidan
12:20 16:00 17:50 19:40 21:30
East Fourth Ring Road
16:10 19:30 23:05
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:45 13:30 17:15 20:15
Kungfu Dunk (Guanlan)
Kungfu Dunk (Guanlan) stars Jay Chow (Zhou Jielun) as a kungfu school graduate who finds his high-kicking skills are transferable to the world of basketball. The trailer that we caught recently makes the film look like a basketball-themed remake of Shaolin Soccer but apparently it's actually based on the Slam Dunk manga and anime series. Unfortunately, none of the prints being screened around town have English subtitles.
Haidian
16:55
CBD
13:50 17:50 21:50
Dongsishitiao
13:50 17:20
Wangfujing
11:20 15:00 18:40 20:35
12:00 15:50 19:30
Xidan
10:30 14:10
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
11:55 15:40 17:40 19:45 21:40
CJ7 (Changjiang Qi Hao 长江7号)
CJ7 sees Stephen Chow delve into the world of family-friendly sci-fi. Take a look at the cinema feature in the March issue of that's Beijing for more background on this legendary Hong Kong director. View the trailer here.
Haidian
12:30 16:00 18:45 19:55
CBD
11:50 15:50 19:50
Dongsishitiao
11:50 15:20 20:20 22:00
Wangfujing
12:00 15:35 17:20 19:10 21:00
10:10 13:55 17:45 21:30
East Fourth Ring Road
10:00 11:40 13:20 15:00 16:40 18:20 19:00 20:45 22:25
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
09:35 11:40 15:30 19:15 21:00
Assembly (Ji Jie Hao 集结号)
Beat out Warlords in the battle of the two big films of the Christmas/NY/Spring Festival season and deservedly so. The film is a vast improvement on Feng Xiaogang's 2006 effort The Banquet and manages to tell a moving, if very bloody, story of war and sacrifice. You can take a peek at the trailer here.
Haidian
17:45
Wangjing
Stellar International Cineplex
14:35 19:05