The China box office bounced back this weekend to its pre-pandemic levels, figures from its National Day holiday weekend show — proving that the right mix of competitive new local titles can entice viewers in, what this year is very much on track to be, the world’s largest movie market.
The news comes as other major markets flounder, with Regal Cinemas owner Cineworld Group announcing the temporary suspension of its U.S. and U.K. operations due to an insufficient pipeline of Hollywood studio tentpoles, causing its shares to plummet more than 40% on Monday.
China’s week-long vacation period to celebrate the Oct. 1 founding of the People’s Republic is one of its busiest moviegoing periods of the year. That is particularly true this year, after Covid-19 shut down cinemas and wiped out the prospects of the strong Lunar New Year release window. Three of the top five titles this...
The news comes as other major markets flounder, with Regal Cinemas owner Cineworld Group announcing the temporary suspension of its U.S. and U.K. operations due to an insufficient pipeline of Hollywood studio tentpoles, causing its shares to plummet more than 40% on Monday.
China’s week-long vacation period to celebrate the Oct. 1 founding of the People’s Republic is one of its busiest moviegoing periods of the year. That is particularly true this year, after Covid-19 shut down cinemas and wiped out the prospects of the strong Lunar New Year release window. Three of the top five titles this...
- 10/5/2020
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The article was first published on EasternKicks
The script is based on the novel July and Ansen by Qing Shan and tells the story of two girls, from the moment they become friends at 13, and through a number of intervals, to their late 20s.
“Soul Mate” screened at the New York Asian Film Festival
Their relationship is defined by their differences, since July is a well brought-up “princess” from a nice family and Ansen an outgoing, bold girl whose parents have actually abandoned her (her father is dead and her mother is constantly missing). The presence of a man, Jia Ming, is what makes them fall apart, as they start to discover themselves and their differences, while growing up.
Derek Tsang directs a very tender film that manages to combine elaborately elements of romance, drama, and coming-of-age, while exemplifying the fact that he seems to understand women. The story is told in flashbacks,...
The script is based on the novel July and Ansen by Qing Shan and tells the story of two girls, from the moment they become friends at 13, and through a number of intervals, to their late 20s.
“Soul Mate” screened at the New York Asian Film Festival
Their relationship is defined by their differences, since July is a well brought-up “princess” from a nice family and Ansen an outgoing, bold girl whose parents have actually abandoned her (her father is dead and her mother is constantly missing). The presence of a man, Jia Ming, is what makes them fall apart, as they start to discover themselves and their differences, while growing up.
Derek Tsang directs a very tender film that manages to combine elaborately elements of romance, drama, and coming-of-age, while exemplifying the fact that he seems to understand women. The story is told in flashbacks,...
- 6/16/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
By Shikhar Verma
In Ritesh Batra’s 2013 Indian film ‘The Lunchbox,’ romance blossoms between two strangers through food. While being alarmingly charming, ‘The Lunchbox’ was also incredibly honest, grounded and real. Derek Hui’s ‘This Is Not What I Expected’, quite ironic to its title, is not only everything you would expect but is also so timidly clichéd that it never leaves you with enough meat to chew on.
“This Is Not What I Expected!” screened at the New York Asian Film Festival
Based on Lan Bai Se’s novel ‘Finally, I Get You’, the film opens with Lu Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a stiff, well-dressed and overly self-conscious multi-millionaire. His job is to visit and acquire hotels, making them a part of his own company. While on inspection he also likes to sit alone and eat the various cuisines that the hotels have to offer. He has made it a...
In Ritesh Batra’s 2013 Indian film ‘The Lunchbox,’ romance blossoms between two strangers through food. While being alarmingly charming, ‘The Lunchbox’ was also incredibly honest, grounded and real. Derek Hui’s ‘This Is Not What I Expected’, quite ironic to its title, is not only everything you would expect but is also so timidly clichéd that it never leaves you with enough meat to chew on.
“This Is Not What I Expected!” screened at the New York Asian Film Festival
Based on Lan Bai Se’s novel ‘Finally, I Get You’, the film opens with Lu Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a stiff, well-dressed and overly self-conscious multi-millionaire. His job is to visit and acquire hotels, making them a part of his own company. While on inspection he also likes to sit alone and eat the various cuisines that the hotels have to offer. He has made it a...
- 6/10/2019
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Contemporary Chinese Cinema is a column devoted to exploring contemporary Chinese-language cinema primarily as it is revealed to us at North American multiplexes.Over the last few years it has become increasingly easy to see mainstream Asian films in North America at the same time they are released in their home countries. Thanks to partnerships with small, international distributors, the major multiplex chains (AMC, Cinemark, Regal) have devoted a handful of screens in major markets to showing new releases from India, Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Most of these titles fall under the radar of both critics and audiences outside the diasporic communities to which they are targeted. They play for a week or two and then disappear, outside of a handful of breakout titles. Last year Stephen Chow’s The Mermaid made headlines for its high per-screen averages in North America as it shattered domestic box office records in China.
- 12/4/2017
- MUBI
Hong Kong director Derek Hui's romantic comedy This Is Not What I Expected was one of the big winners Sunday night at the second annual Golden Screen Awards, a growing film business occasion which celebrates co-productions between China and movie industries around the world, particularly Hollywood.
This Is Not What I Expected won the event's top best co-production film award, and the best leading actor trophy also went to the film's male lead, Japanese-Taiwanese star Takeshi Kaneshiro.
Held at Club Novo in downtown Los Angeles, this year's Golden Screen Awards were hosted by actor and comedian Kevin Pollak (The Usual...
This Is Not What I Expected won the event's top best co-production film award, and the best leading actor trophy also went to the film's male lead, Japanese-Taiwanese star Takeshi Kaneshiro.
Held at Club Novo in downtown Los Angeles, this year's Golden Screen Awards were hosted by actor and comedian Kevin Pollak (The Usual...
- 10/30/2017
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Centerpiece Gala is North American premiere of Filipino thriller Birdshot.
The Us premiere of Jung Byung-gil’s revenge thriller and recent Cannes Midnight screening The Villainess will close the 16th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), set to run from June 30-July 16.
Festival brass unveiled on Monday the selection of 57 films including seven entries in the new Main Competition: previously announced festival opener Bad Genius (Thailand, pictured); Birdshot (Philippines); A Double Life (Japan); The Gangster’s Daughter (Taiwan); Kfc (Vietnam); Jane (South Korea); and With Prisoners (Hong Kong).
The Centerpiece Gala is the North American premiere of Filipino thriller Birdshot.
The festival programme includes a 20th Anniversary Hong Kong Panorama with a focus on emerging talent called Young Blood Hong Kong. Selections include Wong Chun’s Mad World, Derek Hui’s This Is Not What I Expected, and Alan Lo’s Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight.
An Lgbtq showcase features five films: Naoko Ogigami’s Close-Knit from Japan...
The Us premiere of Jung Byung-gil’s revenge thriller and recent Cannes Midnight screening The Villainess will close the 16th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), set to run from June 30-July 16.
Festival brass unveiled on Monday the selection of 57 films including seven entries in the new Main Competition: previously announced festival opener Bad Genius (Thailand, pictured); Birdshot (Philippines); A Double Life (Japan); The Gangster’s Daughter (Taiwan); Kfc (Vietnam); Jane (South Korea); and With Prisoners (Hong Kong).
The Centerpiece Gala is the North American premiere of Filipino thriller Birdshot.
The festival programme includes a 20th Anniversary Hong Kong Panorama with a focus on emerging talent called Young Blood Hong Kong. Selections include Wong Chun’s Mad World, Derek Hui’s This Is Not What I Expected, and Alan Lo’s Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight.
An Lgbtq showcase features five films: Naoko Ogigami’s Close-Knit from Japan...
- 6/5/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
A cloying Chinese rom-com so full of clichés that it instantly qualifies for a Hollywood remake, Derek Hui’s directorial debut concerns an uptight businessman and free-spirited chef who meet cute, instantly detest each other and, naturally, fall in love. That they bond over a shared love of fine food marks the only distinguishing element of This Is Not What I Expected, whose title belies its overly familiar content. Still, the film has its charms, mostly found in the culinary offerings so gorgeously shot they qualify as food porn.
The lead characters are Lu Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro, The Crossing and...
The lead characters are Lu Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro, The Crossing and...
- 5/8/2017
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Welcome back to the Weekend Warrior, your weekly look at the new movies hitting theaters this weekend, as well as other cool events and things to check out.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 Kicks Off the Summer With a Sci-Fi Action-Comedy
After three weeks of dominating the box office, Universal’s The Fate of the Furious is going to have to give way to a new movie, and that’s because the first weekend of May means that it’s officially...The Summer Movie Season!!!!
Just like the last couple years, the summer movie season is kicking off with a new movie from Marvel Studios, and their sequel Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2 (Marvel Studios/Disney), reunites Chris Pratt as Starlord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista’s Drax, Michael Rooker’s Yondu with the voices of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as Groot and Rocket Racoon, for the next...
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 Kicks Off the Summer With a Sci-Fi Action-Comedy
After three weeks of dominating the box office, Universal’s The Fate of the Furious is going to have to give way to a new movie, and that’s because the first weekend of May means that it’s officially...The Summer Movie Season!!!!
Just like the last couple years, the summer movie season is kicking off with a new movie from Marvel Studios, and their sequel Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2 (Marvel Studios/Disney), reunites Chris Pratt as Starlord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista’s Drax, Michael Rooker’s Yondu with the voices of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as Groot and Rocket Racoon, for the next...
- 5/4/2017
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
There is a thrilling selection of Chinese-language titles at Filmart this year. Liz Shackleton picks out some of the most promising.
With very few Hong Kong or mainland Chinese sellers making the journey to this year’s European Film Market in Berlin, Filmart offers a chance for buyers to catch up with the Chinese-language titles that will be rolled out in the region for the rest of the year.
After serving up the biggest film of the Chinese New Year holiday — Kung Fu Yoga, starring Jackie Chan and directed by Stanley Tong — China’s Sparkle Roll Media has launched a Hong Kong-based sales arm that is selling Ding Sheng’s reboot of the A Better Tomorrow series.
Other high-profile action titles new to market include Distribution Workshop’s Extraordinary Mission, from the creative teams behind the Infernal Affairs and Overheard series, and Huayi Brothers’ crime drama Explosion, starring Duan Yihong.
Previously announced...
With very few Hong Kong or mainland Chinese sellers making the journey to this year’s European Film Market in Berlin, Filmart offers a chance for buyers to catch up with the Chinese-language titles that will be rolled out in the region for the rest of the year.
After serving up the biggest film of the Chinese New Year holiday — Kung Fu Yoga, starring Jackie Chan and directed by Stanley Tong — China’s Sparkle Roll Media has launched a Hong Kong-based sales arm that is selling Ding Sheng’s reboot of the A Better Tomorrow series.
Other high-profile action titles new to market include Distribution Workshop’s Extraordinary Mission, from the creative teams behind the Infernal Affairs and Overheard series, and Huayi Brothers’ crime drama Explosion, starring Duan Yihong.
Previously announced...
- 3/13/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Action star Donnie Yen, director Teddy Chen and actress Michelle Bai to attend London Film Festival premiere.
The 58th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 8-19) is to host the world premiere of Kung Fu Jungle (Yi Ge Ren de Wu Lin), attended by director Teddy Chen, action super star Donnie Yen (Ip Man) and actress Michelle Bai.
The film has been added to the festival’s Thrill selection and will screen premiere on Oct 12 at the Empire Leicester Square Cinema.
Yen plays Hahou, a former martial arts instructor, imprisoned after accidentally slaying an opponent. But when a vicious killer (Wang Baoqiang) starts targeting martial arts masters, the instructor offers to help a police inspector (Charlie Young) in return for his freedom. Bai plays the woman loved by Hahou who is threatened by the killer.
Lff director Clare Stewart described the film as “a breathtaking thrill-ride” and said she was “honoured” that the festival had been chosen by [link...
The 58th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 8-19) is to host the world premiere of Kung Fu Jungle (Yi Ge Ren de Wu Lin), attended by director Teddy Chen, action super star Donnie Yen (Ip Man) and actress Michelle Bai.
The film has been added to the festival’s Thrill selection and will screen premiere on Oct 12 at the Empire Leicester Square Cinema.
Yen plays Hahou, a former martial arts instructor, imprisoned after accidentally slaying an opponent. But when a vicious killer (Wang Baoqiang) starts targeting martial arts masters, the instructor offers to help a police inspector (Charlie Young) in return for his freedom. Bai plays the woman loved by Hahou who is threatened by the killer.
Lff director Clare Stewart described the film as “a breathtaking thrill-ride” and said she was “honoured” that the festival had been chosen by [link...
- 9/16/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Tai Me Up Tai Me Down: Reeves’ Directorial Debut a B Grade Vanity Project
Keanu Reeves. Hardly as woeful as you might assume, the directorial debut of The Matrix star is capably entertaining, especially if you don’t mind watching an ornate video game. However, his Man of Tai Chi, which was developed as a project to grandstand the martial arts talents of its star, Tiger Chen, has little to offer outside of slickly repetitive fight sequences. Reeves’ insistence on casting himself as an omnipotent baddie swerves the film into high gear camp akin to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2009), and one wishes the star had taken on the less glamorous role of producer and perhaps hired a re-write of a script penned by Michael G. Cooney, whose writing credits consist mainly of dialogue for video games.
A lowly courier by day in Beijing, Tiger Chen Lin-Hu...
Keanu Reeves. Hardly as woeful as you might assume, the directorial debut of The Matrix star is capably entertaining, especially if you don’t mind watching an ornate video game. However, his Man of Tai Chi, which was developed as a project to grandstand the martial arts talents of its star, Tiger Chen, has little to offer outside of slickly repetitive fight sequences. Reeves’ insistence on casting himself as an omnipotent baddie swerves the film into high gear camp akin to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2009), and one wishes the star had taken on the less glamorous role of producer and perhaps hired a re-write of a script penned by Michael G. Cooney, whose writing credits consist mainly of dialogue for video games.
A lowly courier by day in Beijing, Tiger Chen Lin-Hu...
- 10/28/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
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