https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325325/feed Views, news, and reviews of films, from the latest releases to classic oldies. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg James Marsh James Marsh 2/5 stars In Michihito Fujii’s romantic drama You, Like a Star, Suzu Hirose and Ryusei Yokohama play young lovers trapped in a turbulent, decades-spanning relationship that defines their lives. Adapted from the novel by Yuu Nagira, who provided the source material for the actors’ last on-screen collaboration, Wandering (2022), the drama touches on intriguing and volatile topics without ever daring to broach them fully. The result is a polished but aggressively generic chronicle of romantic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3372376/you-star-review-suzu-hirose-ryusei-yokohama-reunite-tragic-love-story https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3372376/you-star-review-suzu-hirose-ryusei-yokohama-reunite-tragic-love-story Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3.5/5 stars It is a deliciously metafictional irony that the vendetta in We Are Born Good ignites because a protagonist refuses to eat beef. Playing like a gentler Hong Kong reimagination of the Netflix series Beef, the film charts how a petty argument between two strangers spirals into a life-altering feud. Beyond this shared premise, audiences will find an entertaining and almost cathartic comedy of errors, trading the race and class hostilities of its American counterpart for an intimately... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371886/we-are-born-good-review-chung-suet-ying-yeung-wai-lun-have-beef-dark-comedy-drama https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371886/we-are-born-good-review-chung-suet-ying-yeung-wai-lun-have-beef-dark-comedy-drama Tue, 27 Oct 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Actor Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, the youthful Russian navigator on the Star Trek television series and several films, has died. He was 90. Koenig died Monday at his home in the North Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles, talent agent Zachery McGinnis said in a statement. In Star Trek, Ensign Chekov was the sole Communist-bloc member of the spaceship Enterprise bridge staff. His friendly, supportive presence showed how the rival nations (in the far-off future in which the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372213/walter-koenig-star-treks-original-pavel-chekov-dies-90 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3372213/walter-koenig-star-treks-original-pavel-chekov-dies-90 Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:25:02 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li A new viral song by Canadian singer The Weeknd, “Hong Kong”, is a love letter to the city, the director of the accompanying video has said, adding that he believes nostalgia for the late 1980s and early 1990s era is the secret ingredient that has captured the hearts of many. US director Evan Larsen told the South China Morning Post exclusively on Monday that the video was produced in about a week, shortly before its debut at the singer’s concert at Kai Tak Stadium on Saturday as part of his 2026... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372168/weeknds-hong-kong-captures-nostalgia-bygone-era-video-director-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372168/weeknds-hong-kong-captures-nostalgia-bygone-era-video-director-says Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:12:48 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh In The First Taste of Loneliness, one of the highest-profile Chinese art-house film debuts of 2026, three generations of women – played by Zhou Xun, Xi Meijuan and Wang Shengdi – struggle to put their lives back on track after the death of their family’s patriarch. This beautifully crafted family drama from Chinese writer-director Gu You (previously known as Gu Xiaogang) premiered in competition at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea earlier this month. Zhou stars as Jiang Yue,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3372127/why-zhou-xun-risked-it-all-amazing-long-take-first-taste-loneliness https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3372127/why-zhou-xun-risked-it-all-amazing-long-take-first-taste-loneliness Mon, 26 Oct 2026 07:35:57 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa With Clayface, DC trades its usual cape-donning heroes for a chilling entry into body-horror cinema. Starring Tom Rhys Harries, the film follows Matt Hagen (played by Harries), a Hollywood star from Gotham whose run-in with a crime boss leaves his face severely disfigured. Desperate to restore himself, Hagen turns to Dr. Caitlyn Corr (Naomi Ackie), whose experimental treatment makes matters worse. So Hagen finds himself on a path from Hollywood’s charming leading man to a Gotham City... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371945/meet-tom-rhys-harries-star-dcs-body-horror-clayface https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371945/meet-tom-rhys-harries-star-dcs-body-horror-clayface Sat, 24 Oct 2026 20:00:11 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Korean actor Kim Jae-young and his signature locks are back on screen in the currently airing romcom Make Me Tingle, where he takes on the daring role of a sex toy entrepreneur. Since his 2013 acting debut, Kim has played a variety of brooding characters that take advantage of the lithe, imposing frame that helped him start in entertainment as a model. However, Kim was not initially aiming for a career in front of the camera. Rather, he harboured an ambition to be a chef and has said in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3371920/who-kim-jae-young-imposing-star-k-dramas-make-me-tingle-and-judge-hell https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3371920/who-kim-jae-young-imposing-star-k-dramas-make-me-tingle-and-judge-hell Sat, 24 Oct 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar One of the most highly anticipated films of 2026 is Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s Wicker. Starring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård, it follows a lonely fisherwoman who commissions a weaver to make her a husband out of wicker, only for the creation to come to life, sparking an enviable romance. The cast includes Peter Dinklage as the Basket Weaver, Elizabeth Debicki as the Tailor’s Wife and Marli Siu as the Bottle-Washer’s Wife. View this post on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371003/meet-wicker-star-marli-siu-who-was-born-hong-kong https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371003/meet-wicker-star-marli-siu-who-was-born-hong-kong Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:00:07 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre When designer and entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli announced that he would be releasing a documentary about his life directed by Oscar winner Giuseppe Tornatore, it caught many by surprise. Titled Brunello, Il Visionario Garbato (Brunello: The Gracious Visionary), the film combines interviews and real-life footage with re-enactments to show Cucinelli’s childhood and his early days as a striving entrepreneur and designer, long before he became known as the “king of cashmere”. Works of this type... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3371733/brunello-cucinelli-director-giuseppe-tornatores-documentary-about-his-life https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3371733/brunello-cucinelli-director-giuseppe-tornatores-documentary-about-his-life Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Versatile actor Tom Skerritt, who starred in Hollywood megahits including the sci-fi classic Alien, the ⁠war comedy M*A*S*H, and the action drama Top Gun, ⁠has died at the age of 93. Skerritt, a Detroit native ⁠whose Hollywood career spanned from the 1960s to the 2020s, died on Wednesday of natural causes, his family said in a statement. “While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humour, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and the love he brought into our... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371834/tom-skerritt-star-alien-and-top-gun-dies-93 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371834/tom-skerritt-star-alien-and-top-gun-dies-93 Thu, 22 Oct 2026 21:02:38 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu As we inch closer to the end of October, the city is ready to embrace the spooky and cosy ambience of the season – though the sweltering weather means we cannot ease into an autumnal mood just yet. Whether it is trying dishes with seasonal ingredients or checking out a new movie, here are five things to do in Hong Kong this weekend. 1. M+’s Myths and Monsters As the first major survey exploring two centuries of Asian fantasy visual culture, the latest exhibition at M+, “Myths and Monsters: The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3371736/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-october-23-25 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3371736/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-october-23-25 Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:15:07 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3.5/5 stars From Venom and Morbius to Birds of Prey and The New Mutants, elevating side characters to centre stage in Marvel and DC comic-book adaptations rarely takes flight. Clayface, however, is an exception. Set in the Gotham underworld, the new film features no sign – or even mention – of Batman, but no matter. A grisly but delicious tale of Hollywood excess, this DC thriller is part crime, part horror and certainly not one for the squeamish. Tom Rhys Harries (Suspicion) stars as Matt... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371568/clayface-review-dc-spin-delivers-grisly-vengeance-fuelled-body-horror-thriller https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371568/clayface-review-dc-spin-delivers-grisly-vengeance-fuelled-body-horror-thriller Wed, 21 Oct 2026 19:00:06 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 2.5/5 stars In Bird of Paradise, a dutiful middle-aged Hong Kong woman takes up pole dancing and shatters her thankless routine of cooking and cleaning for her family. Marking the feature debut of writer-director Joey Wu Chui-yi, this perfectly pleasant family drama offers an easy watch for viewers seeking light-hearted domestic quibbles. More sophisticated audiences, however, will find it slightly shallow and naive. Crucially, the film provides a rare leading role for Catherine Chau Ka-yee. She... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371368/bird-paradise-review-catherine-chau-takes-pole-dancing-light-hearted-family-drama https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371368/bird-paradise-review-catherine-chau-takes-pole-dancing-light-hearted-family-drama Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:15:04 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which closed on October 15, drew 277,027 visitors, roughly 40,000 more than last year and the highest since 2015. The 10-day event screened more than 300 films from 59 countries. Alongside 95 world premieres, the programme featured the Asian premieres of several prestigious award winners from Cannes and Venice, including Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or winner Fjord and May el-Toukhy’s Golden Lion recipient Woman Unknown. Other highlights included... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371348/busan-2026-10-festivals-best-movies-midday-meal-satoko-always https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371348/busan-2026-10-festivals-best-movies-midday-meal-satoko-always Mon, 19 Oct 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby Before The Dark Knight made him a household name in 2008, Christopher Nolan crafted intricate thrillers such as Following (1998), Memento (2000) and Insomnia (2002). But 2006’s The Prestige, which turns 20 this month, is the most labyrinthine by far. Made just after Batman Begins (2005), but a far stranger and more personal proposition, it is set in 1890s London. Here, we are introduced to stage magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), who risk their lives, and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370672/what-christopher-nolans-prestige-reveals-about-his-cinematic-obsession-20-years https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370672/what-christopher-nolans-prestige-reveals-about-his-cinematic-obsession-20-years Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Despite two much-maligned live-action film adaptations inspired by the popular fighting video game Street Fighter in the past several decades – its namesake 1994 film and Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009) – it seems Hollywood has yet to give up on the franchise. Paramount Pictures just premiered its live-action reboot film Street Fighter starring Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, Jason Momoa and Callina Liang. The film’s plot follows the game’s fighter avatars Ryu (Koji) and his estranged... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371024/martial-arts-action-franchise-street-fighter-back-who-its-star-callina-liang https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371024/martial-arts-action-franchise-street-fighter-back-who-its-star-callina-liang Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Grace Chang, also known by her stage name Ge Lan, died in August at the age of 93. She is widely remembered today for her lively performance in Mambo Girl, the 1957 Chinese-language musical that made her a star. Famed for pure roles expressing the aspirations of would-be middle-class Hong Kong girls, Chang initially played characters who were hip, popular, socially adept, conscientious and relatively well-off, possessing no hint of sexuality; her character in Mambo Girl is almost... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370576/why-1960-film-wild-wild-rose-late-grace-changs-greatest-cinematic-triumph https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370576/why-1960-film-wild-wild-rose-late-grace-changs-greatest-cinematic-triumph Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:45:06 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3/5 stars Taika Waititi, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Jojo Rabbit (2019), brings his trademark quirk to Klara and the Sun, a sunny-side-up sci-fi fable that occasionally delivers flashes of darkness. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel of the same name, the film is set in a future where AI companions are the norm. The effervescent Klara (Jenna Ortega) is one such android, albeit a discontinued B1 model now being hawked from a city discount store. Klara’s escape comes when a young girl,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371093/klara-and-sun-review-jenna-ortega-android-upbeat-saccharine-sci-fi-fable https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3371093/klara-and-sun-review-jenna-ortega-android-upbeat-saccharine-sci-fi-fable Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:28:10 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa After the tragic passing of his wife, Jo Andres, in 2019, Steve Buscemi seems to have found happiness again with his new wife, Karen Ho, whom he married in 2025. On October 9, the Wednesday actor and Ho arrived hand in hand at the screening of his film Wild Horse Nine at the Royal Festival Hall in London during the BFI London Film Festival. Buscemi was previously married to Andres, an artist and filmmaker, for over three decades until she passed away after battling cancer. She was 64 years old.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3370962/meet-steve-buscemis-new-wife-karen-ho-who-attended-wild-horse-nine-screening-london https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3370962/meet-steve-buscemis-new-wife-karen-ho-who-attended-wild-horse-nine-screening-london Thu, 15 Oct 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Cartier unveiled the second chapter of its latest high jewellery collection, Le Chœur des Pierres, at the Kyoto National Museum on Tuesday. Among the new creations are the Panthère Tunya necklace, embellished with emeralds, yellow diamonds, white diamonds and onyx; and the Undara earrings, made of white gold, diamonds and blue spinels. Cartier ambassadors including Jisoo from Blackpink, director Sofia Coppola and Japanese actor Ryo Yoshizawa attended the glamorous event, which culminated in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3370988/sofia-coppola-cartier-marie-antoinette-and-her-love-japan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3370988/sofia-coppola-cartier-marie-antoinette-and-her-love-japan Thu, 15 Oct 2026 07:55:40 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar The Bear star Jeremy Allen White may have a new woman in his life. On October 7, the 35-year-old stepped out for a walk in New York City, hand in hand with 25-year-old model Lulu Tenney. The pair was photographed looking cosy as they chatted on a bench, according to TMZ. Neither White nor Tenney has commented on their rumoured romance. Exclusive: Jeremy Allen White and model Lulu Tenney holding hands on a date in NYC 💞 🎥: The Image Direct pic.twitter.com/sppjIwDCPO — TMZ (@TMZ) October 8,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3370731/meet-lulu-tenney-model-spotted-social-reckonings-jeremy-allen-white https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3370731/meet-lulu-tenney-model-spotted-social-reckonings-jeremy-allen-white Tue, 13 Oct 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3.5/5 stars In Good Trip, a father and daughter’s impromptu final excursion unfolds as a deceptively playful comedy road movie. It tackles one of the most agonising subjects a family can face – the impending death of a parent – with surprising, life-affirming levity. Co-directed by Norris Wong Yee-lam (The Lyricist Wannabe) – who also wrote the screenplay – and Wong Hoi (Let It Ghost), and produced by the acclaimed filmmaker Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting, the film avoids unbearable sentimentality; it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370541/good-trip-review-nick-cheung-chung-suet-ying-play-father-and-daughter-road-comedy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370541/good-trip-review-nick-cheung-chung-suet-ying-play-father-and-daughter-road-comedy Tue, 13 Oct 2026 07:15:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Actress Selma Blair was arrested after she was accused of injuring two flight attendants on a trip from Los Angeles to New York. She was also accused of kicking a police officer taking her to the hospital and kicking a nurse once she got there. She pleaded not guilty Monday night to two counts of assault for state charges involving the officer and the nurse. And she faces separate federal charges based on what happened on the flight, which her representatives say was brought on by a severe... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370648/actress-selma-blair-taken-custody-police-responding-abusive-plane-passenger https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370648/actress-selma-blair-taken-custody-police-responding-abusive-plane-passenger Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:55:53 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3.5/5 stars Lead cast: Koji Yakusho, Kento Kaku, Kenichi Matsuyama In Netflix’s new comedy series Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?, Koji Yakusho stars as a world-famous Japanese actor who discovers that almost the whole of Japan has forgotten him. Playful and lighthearted, the eight-episode series follows the veteran performer as he loses his celebrity status overnight and is forced to reassess his character and relationships while rebuilding his life and career. Created by acclaimed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369868/netflix-drama-did-someone-happen-mention-me-review-koji-yakusho-leads-amnesia-comedy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369868/netflix-drama-did-someone-happen-mention-me-review-koji-yakusho-leads-amnesia-comedy Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:00:14 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram When Kitao Sakurai, the Japanese-American director of a new film adaptation of the Street Fighter video game franchise, called to say she had the role, Callina Liang reacted the way anyone might expect. “I was in a park screaming at the top of my lungs,” the 26-year-old actress reveals with a giggle over Zoom. Starring Andrew Koji (Warrior) as Ryu and Noah Centineo (Black Adam) as Ken, the film allows Liang to live out her 16-bit dreams, playing Chun-Li, the franchise’s first-ever female... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370287/who-callina-liang-actress-playing-chun-li-new-street-fighter-movie https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370287/who-callina-liang-actress-playing-chun-li-new-street-fighter-movie Mon, 12 Oct 2026 10:15:05 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu As the weather cools in October, it is finally pleasant enough to venture out on weekends, so it is time to trade the indoor hustle for this season’s best offerings. This weekend’s line-up brings together meaningful community events, immersive storytelling and unique local flavours across the city. Here are five things to do in Hong Kong this weekend. 1. ‘What We Regret Most’ “What We Regret Most” is a community-driven, story-led exhibition that invites people to embrace the messy, awkward and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3370126/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-october-9-11 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3370126/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-october-9-11 Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:15:06 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter Before the luxury sneaker became a wardrobe staple, Hogan had already identified the opportunity in a shoe that could move comfortably between casual and cachet. The Italian brand marks its 40th anniversary this year by revisiting that founding instinct: a belief that well-made footwear should accommodate the pace of modern life without compromising on design or craftsmanship. Founded in 1986 within the Tod’s Group, Hogan began with the Traditional, a streamlined, cricket-inspired shoe defined... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3369799/style-edit-hogan-marks-40-years-luxury-sneakers-cinema https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3369799/style-edit-hogan-marks-40-years-luxury-sneakers-cinema Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 2.5/5 stars A seemingly deranged rubbish collector makes for an unorthodox cinematic sleuth. Yet this is precisely the conceit of The Mage, a supernatural whodunnit that pairs the pungent outcast with a cynical police detective to make sense of a spate of gruesome deaths in Hong Kong. Beneath the grime is Josie Ho Chiu-yee. The billionaire heiress has long exhibited a fascination with the wealth spectrum’s lower end in the stylised horror films produced by her own studio, 852 Films, having... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369798/mage-review-josie-ho-scavenges-lost-souls-supernatural-detective-thriller https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369798/mage-review-josie-ho-scavenges-lost-souls-supernatural-detective-thriller Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak While cinemas worldwide have suffered waves of closures over the past decade, Hong Kong’s longest-running art house theatre has bucked the trend. As Broadway Cinematheque celebrates its 30th anniversary, shifting audience preferences appear to be playing to its strengths. In November 1996, Broadway Cinematheque (often simply called BC) opened in Kowloon’s Yau Ma Tei district as one of Hong Kong’s few cinemas screening international films that would not otherwise make it onto the city’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369767/how-broadway-cinematheque-hong-kongs-longest-running-art-house-cinema-thriving-30 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369767/how-broadway-cinematheque-hong-kongs-longest-running-art-house-cinema-thriving-30 Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 1/5 stars A fine line separates a labyrinthine murder thriller from an infuriatingly fragmented mess. With Mastermind, emerging Hong Kong writer-director James Hung Ling-ching (The Seventh Lie) crosses it with reckless abandon, delivering a detective mystery with such irredeemably awful plotting that genre fans will rarely have felt so insulted. Set over a single, relentlessly storm-soaked night in H City – a fictional, dystopian metropolis of 5 million starved of proper rule of law – the film... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369912/mastermind-review-louis-koo-plays-detective-ludicrously-bad-hong-kong-mystery-thriller https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369912/mastermind-review-louis-koo-plays-detective-ludicrously-bad-hong-kong-mystery-thriller Tue, 06 Oct 2026 10:15:05 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) opens its 31st edition today with a renewed sense of relevance and prestige as it celebrates its newly minted status as an A-list festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). This globally recognised industry benchmark “gives us clear and tangible external validation”, says Busan festival director Jung Han-seok in an email interview with the South China Morning Post. “BIFF’s international standing and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369752/what-does-busan-international-film-festivals-new-pathway-oscars-mean-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369752/what-does-busan-international-film-festivals-new-pathway-oscars-mean-asia Mon, 05 Oct 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu During a whirlwind September press tour in Thailand, Josie Ho Chiu-yee cuts a glamorous figure at the centre of the Bangkok International Film Festival, where she even receives a royal souvenir from Thailand’s Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi, a prominent patron of Thai cinema. But what Ho, a daughter of the late Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho Hung-sun, has come to promote is much darker and grittier: her latest feature, The Mage. As both lead actress of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369749/why-josie-ho-diving-back-macabre-her-new-horror-crime-thriller-mage https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369749/why-josie-ho-diving-back-macabre-her-new-horror-crime-thriller-mage Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby In 1986, a strange coincidence occurred in Hollywood. Despite the industry having previously shown little interest in the subject, two major Chinese-themed fantasy films were released in the same year: John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China and the Eddie Murphy vehicle The Golden Child. Ever the cynic, Carpenter refused to believe in serendipity. “How many adventure pictures dealing with Chinese mysticism have been released by the major studios in the past 20 years?” he asked Starlog... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369539/why-john-carpenters-big-trouble-little-china-both-problematic-and-progressive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369539/why-john-carpenters-big-trouble-little-china-both-problematic-and-progressive Sat, 03 Oct 2026 11:15:06 +0000 David D. Lee David D. Lee Like many films released during Chuseok, South Korea’s national mid-autumn harvest festival, The Assassin(s) shot right to the top, selling more than a million tickets in its first four days. But the box-office success of the film about the 1974 assassination attempt on former president and military leader Park Chung-hee was quickly overshadowed by calls to halt screenings, as well as a police complaint against the film’s director and producers. Park loyalists and conservative politicians are... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369548/why-film-about-dictator-has-south-korea-war-itself https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369548/why-film-about-dictator-has-south-korea-war-itself Sat, 03 Oct 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis It is easy to misremember the Hong Kong New Wave of the late 1970s and 80s. Nearly five decades after its inception, that iconic chapter in the city’s cinema history is generally thought of as a socially inclined art-house movement that addressed everyday issues – a stark contrast to the martial arts films that dominated the local box office at the time. While partially true, viewing New Wave films merely as local iterations of 1960s and 70s rarefied European art-house cinema misses the mark.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369332/how-hong-kong-new-wave-directors-hijacked-martial-arts-and-crime-films-make-art https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369332/how-hong-kong-new-wave-directors-hijacked-martial-arts-and-crime-films-make-art Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee Japanese director Sabu’s Arrested Memory leads the race for the 63rd Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan with 11 nominations, including best picture, best director and acting nods for Ethan Juan Ching-tien and Akira Huang Guan-zhi. The crime thriller, which recently premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, is closely followed by Girl. A coming-of-age drama marking the feature directorial debut of Taiwanese actress Shu Qi, the film secured 10 nominations, including best picture and best new... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369500/golden-horse-awards-2026-nominations-full-arrested-memory-and-girl-lead-race https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369500/golden-horse-awards-2026-nominations-full-arrested-memory-and-girl-lead-race Fri, 02 Oct 2026 03:08:23 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung The National Day “golden week” break is upon us, and with it comes the familiar dread: packed MTR carriages, huge crowds and a slow-moving tide of visitors. But as always, there are several ways to escape the hordes, whether that is trying experimental gelato, practising poolside yoga or checking out an exhibition of Hong Kong’s beloved neon lights. 1. Ciao! Gelato Fest 2026 The city’s first large-scale Italian gelato festival is back at PMQ for another edition, bringing together 20 brands from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/article/3369409/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-october-2-4 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/article/3369409/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-october-2-4 Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Hollywood may have a new Superman in David Corenswet, who plays the Man of Steel in James Gunn’s 2025 film, but fans of the superhero can never forget the OG Superman, played by the late Christopher Reeve. Reeve played the Last Son of Krypton in four Superman films before a spinal cord injury left him paralysed from the neck down. He passed away in 2004. His lookalike son, Will Reeve, whom he shared with Dana Reeve, makes a cameo in Gunn’s Superman as a TV reporter, continuing his father’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3369351/all-you-need-know-about-og-superman-christopher-reeves-son-will-who-battled-cancer https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3369351/all-you-need-know-about-og-superman-christopher-reeves-son-will-who-battled-cancer Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:25:18 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3.5/5 stars Philip Yung Tsz-kwong’s Cyclone is an alternately transgressive and lyrical drama charting the sexual escapades of a transgender woman fleeing her traumatic past. The film takes its name from the protagonist’s chosen alias – a literary allusion that may enlighten and confuse audiences in equal measure. It references Cyclone Mei, a fabled villainess from Louis Cha Leung-yung’s wuxia epic The Legend of the Condor Heroes. Forged by a tragic childhood into a ruthless killer, she is the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369188/cyclone-review-philip-yungs-transgender-drama-bold-lyrical-and-utterly-divisive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369188/cyclone-review-philip-yungs-transgender-drama-bold-lyrical-and-utterly-divisive Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:15:05 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Far removed from the sweeping historical epics and sleek commercial blockbusters that have long defined the region’s cinematic exports, a quieter evolution is unfolding across Asian cinema. An emerging cohort of storytellers is eschewing grand spectacles to navigate the intimate, the unspoken and the marginalised. In doing so, these young directors are carving out a new path – one they view as more grounded and representative of contemporary life. Nadia Chui and Law Yik-man from Hong Kong, Bo... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369065/how-asian-film-awards-academys-filmmaking-camp-grooming-new-generation-directors https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369065/how-asian-film-awards-academys-filmmaking-camp-grooming-new-generation-directors Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:15:06 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 1/5 stars Japanese comedian Naomi Watanabe plays a pop star who travels to the Taiwanese countryside in search of her ancestral home in the horror comedy Oh My Ghost! Oh My God! Marking the directorial debut of indigenous actor Soda Voyu, the film follows an eclectic group of oddball characters as they navigate all manner of supernatural obstacles in the hostile mountains, but fails spectacularly to be either scary or funny. A spiritual sequel to Hidden Treasures in the Mountain (2018), Oh My... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369054/oh-my-ghost-oh-my-god-review-naomi-watanabe-gets-lost-dismal-taiwanese-horror-comedy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3369054/oh-my-ghost-oh-my-god-review-naomi-watanabe-gets-lost-dismal-taiwanese-horror-comedy Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:15:05 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Manchester City footballer Jack Grealish, currently on loan at fellow Premier League club Everton, hit the red carpet earlier this month, when the UK film Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger premiered at Cineworld Leicester Square in London. Speaking to Manchester Evening News on the red carpet before the Oasis tour was officially announced, the self-described “massive Oasis fan” said he was eager for the reunion: “If it happens, I can’t wait. I’ll be at more than two shows.” Standing by Grealish’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3368488/new-posh-and-becks-meet-sasha-attwood-partner-manchester-citys-jack-grealish https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3368488/new-posh-and-becks-meet-sasha-attwood-partner-manchester-citys-jack-grealish Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Stories of the manananggal, a creature said to split its body in two, and the tiyanak, which takes the form of an infant, are part of the folklore many children grow up hearing in the Philippines. Now, they are among the mythological creatures featured in DreamWorks’ animated film Forgotten Island, which opened in the Philippines on Wednesday and two days later in the United States. The film, described as the first major Hollywood production to showcase Filipino culture and mythology, offers a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3368924/forgotten-no-more-filipino-folklore-finds-footing-global-stage https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3368924/forgotten-no-more-filipino-folklore-finds-footing-global-stage Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:00:30 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3.5/5 stars If the runaway success of 2023’s Godzilla Minus One proved anything, it is that there is plenty of life left in the old kaiju. This century’s revival of the fabled giant monster has been a sort of tit for tat between Hollywood – with Legendary Pictures’ Monsterverse films placing the creature alongside King Kong – and the Japanese originator, Toho, which has also rebooted the franchise. Godzilla Minus One – directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who also wrote the script and oversaw the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368758/godzilla-minus-zero-review-visually-stunning-japanese-monster-sequel-full-surprises https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368758/godzilla-minus-zero-review-visually-stunning-japanese-monster-sequel-full-surprises Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:15:07 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak This is the 86th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Few figures are as synonymous with Hong Kong horror films as Helena Law Lan, who has been a household name for over half a century. Unlike the typical “scream queens” who gain popularity playing damsels in distress, 91-year-old Law has been the city’s on-screen spirit medium for over three decades and for years served as Hong Kong theme park Ocean Park’s Halloween... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368350/how-91-year-old-helena-law-lan-became-hong-kong-cinemas-grand-dame-horror https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368350/how-91-year-old-helena-law-lan-became-hong-kong-cinemas-grand-dame-horror Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:15:06 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh Few cinematic stories are as life-affirming or tug as effectively at our heartstrings as those exploring the bond between humans and dogs. The unwavering loyalty and adoration of a faithful pup can melt even the hardest of hearts, making it little wonder that filmmakers continually return to the subject. This week sees the release of David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast, starring Brad Pitt as a retired US Special Forces officer stranded in the Alaskan wilderness alongside his loyal dog, Odin –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368251/loved-heart-beast-10-best-dog-movies-where-canine-takes-lead https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368251/loved-heart-beast-10-best-dog-movies-where-canine-takes-lead Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar The brand-new Apple TV comedy series Brothers, starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, celebrated its Los Angeles premiere last week in a star-studded affair. The show, in which the two Hollywood stars play fictionalised versions of themselves, riffs on real-life speculation that they may share the same biological father. Harrelson walked the red carpet at the Hammer Museum with his wife, Laura Louie, who is known to be very private, while McConaughey was there with his mother Kay... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3368632/meet-woody-harrelsons-wife-laura-louie-who-joined-him-brothers-premiere https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3368632/meet-woody-harrelsons-wife-laura-louie-who-joined-him-brothers-premiere Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak A short film depicting an unexpected friendship between a Pakistani tailor and a Hong Kong florist has scooped the top Hong Kong prize at this year’s Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival. Between the Unsaid, produced by Kaneeta Arshad and directed by Qasim Khan, champions integration and how different communities in the city should work and learn together. “We see this very commonly in Hong Kong with our parents or someone who comes from outside Hong Kong,” Khan says. “There’s a communication... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3368512/pakistani-made-micro-film-scoops-top-prize-asian-festivals-hong-kong-final https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3368512/pakistani-made-micro-film-scoops-top-prize-asian-festivals-hong-kong-final Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby 4/5 stars American writer-director David Ayer has built a career on tough-guy films featuring unlikely team-ups – from mismatched policemen Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in Training Day (2001) to Will Smith and an orc in Bright (2017) to Jason Statham and some bees in The Beekeeper (2024). However, Heart of the Beast, a soulful survival drama scripted by Cameron Alexander, represents Ayer’s best combination yet. A grizzled Brad Pitt stars as retired special forces officer James Belmont, who... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367938/heart-beast-review-brad-pitt-and-his-loyal-combat-dog-brave-alaskan-wilderness https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367938/heart-beast-review-brad-pitt-and-his-loyal-combat-dog-brave-alaskan-wilderness Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:00:07 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Sienna Miller’s 14-year-old daughter, Marlowe Sturridge, recently made a rare public appearance, joining her mother on the red carpet for the world premiere of Miller’s forthcoming television series War – a co-production of HBO and Sky – in London on September 16. Stepping out in contrasting styles, Miller wore a black feathered Dilara Findikoglu gown, while Marlowe took a relaxed approach in a graphic yellow baby tee and a black silk midi skirt. She finished the ensemble with Mary Jane flats... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3368364/meet-sienna-millers-daughter-marlowe-sturridge-who-attended-premiere-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3368364/meet-sienna-millers-daughter-marlowe-sturridge-who-attended-premiere-war Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:11 +0000