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TOPIC

Asian cinema: Chinese films

Related Topics:
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film
Chinese language cinema
Cinema
Golden Horse awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
Asian cinema: Chinese films
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Asian cinema: Chinese films. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Ma Li as businesswoman Zang Jianhe in a still from ‎The Dumpling Queen (category IIB; Cantonese, Mandarin) directed by Andrew Lau. Kara Wai and Ben Yuen co-star. Photo: Handout
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | ‎The Dumpling Queen: founding of a Hong Kong food brand

Andrew Lau’s rags-to-riches biopic streamlines and rather sugarcoats the story of the Wanchai Ferry brand’s Zang Jianhe, played by Ma Li.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Vital Signs: Louis Koo, Neo Yau play ambulance paramedics in wistful drama

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

From a ‘Chinese RoboCop’ to Shu Qi sex scenes, Hong Kong exploitation films

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Trending in China

China actress Liu Yifei lookalike praised for professionalism as teacher, kindness

Much-loved teacher of logic becomes social media sensation because she resembles Mulan star, attracts millions of views online.

A teacher in China has become an online hit thanks to her strong resemblance to the popular Chinese actress Liu Yifei. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/Douyin
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Hong Kong actor Nick Cheung rolled with the punches to emerge on top

A punch bag in Danny Lee films, roles in comedies and TV dramas before being taken seriously as a dramatic actor, Cheung is directing now.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Montages of a Modern Motherhood: Hedwig Tam shines in bleak drama

Hong Kong writer-director Oliver Chan, a mother herself, paints a grim picture of maternity in a patriarchal Chinese society.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Hong Kong Film Awards 2025: who will win and who should win

Twilight of the Warriors and The Last Dance are expected to scoop up most of the prizes, but are any films more deserving of the awards?

(From left) Terrance Lau Chun-him, Louis Koo Tin-lok and Philip Ng Wan-lung in a still from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, a top contender at the Hong Kong Film Awards 2025.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Lust, Caution made waves for its sex scenes but overdid the caution

Although beautifully staged, this Hong Kong-US-China production starring Tony Leung and Tang Wei had a muddled story and misguided messages.

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Trending in China

Chinese woman imitating Ne Zha film’s Lady Rocky attacked for being ‘Japanese’

Man hurls insults at ‘helpless’ woman who passionately portrays character in public square, police launch investigation into incident.

Chinese language cinema

How Australian-Chinese movie Guardians of the Tomb reached new lows

This 2018 co-production starring Li Bingbing about deadly spiders in China was poorly made and scripted, earning well below its budget.

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Li Bingbing as Jia, an expert on venomous creatures, in a still from Guardians of the Tomb.
Fame and celebrity

Meet Zhang Ruonan, star of Chinese romantic drama The First Frost

Zhang starred in 2021 romcom My Love with Taiwanese heartthrob Greg Hsu, and in the 2023 TV drama A Date with the Future opposite Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor William Chan.

Meet “born actress” Zhang Ruonan, star of Netflix’s The First Frost and China’s new queen of the romantic drama. Photo: Weibo
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Smashing Frank: Hedwig Tam robs the rich and powerful in slick drama

Director Trevor Choi tries to explore Hong Kong’s generational and class divide with a film that sees the poor and young steal from the rich.

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American cinema

Youn Yuh-jung on channelling her past in The Wedding Banquet

The Oscar-winning 78-year-old talks about her son coming out and bringing intense emotion to Andrew Ahn’s new remake of the 1993 romcom.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Once Upon a Lie: Irene Wan chases much younger man in unconvincing romance

Irene Wan plays a lovesick divorcee catfishing a much younger man, played by Bruce Hung, in a superficial film that lacks any chemistry.

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Irene Wan in a still from Once Upon a Lie.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

The Gordon Chan film series that reshaped Hong Kong police movies

1994’s The Final Option, starring Michael Wong, was such a hit it spawned a prequel and sequels. We recall them and how they were received.

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Michael Wong as police commander Stone Wong in a still from First Option (1996). 1994’s The Final Option, which introduced his character, was such a hit, it spawned this prequel and two sequels. Photo: Online
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Carman Lee, her interrupted screen career and emergence as fitness icon

Actress got her big break in a Hong Kong TV adaptation of a Louis Cha wuxia novel, shone in a variety of roles, then quit acting.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

What’s ‘extended’ in new In the Mood for Love 4K special cinema edition?

Wong Kar-wai’s 2000 masterpiece returns to Hong Kong cinemas this week for the film’s 25th anniversary with nine minutes of new footage.

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Chinese culture

How Chinese in the US hired a cinema to see Ne Zha 2 on IMAX

Across the US, in big cities and small towns, Chinese communities arrange IMAX screenings of Chinese blockbuster; some watching in costume.

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Zhao Yuanyuan (right) takes her son to a community-organised IMAX screening of Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2 in the US state of Maryland. Similar screenings have been organiser elsewhere in the United States. Photo: AP
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

What were Donnie Yen’s early movies like before Ip Man? 5 films revisited

Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen rose to super stardom with Ip Man, but some of his films as a young actor showcase his skills best.

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Hong Kong

Want to see top film premieres and classic oldies? HKIFF is coming

From Akira Kurasawa’s iconic Seven Samurai to Louis Koo Tin-lok’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, cinephiles are in for a treat.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Last Dance (extended version): what the deleted scenes entail

The highest grossing Hong Kong film ever returns with 12 minutes of extra scenes that add some comedy, but do they warrant a re-release?

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Dayo Wong as Dominic and Catherine Chau as Jade in a still from The Last Dance (extended version). The film (category III, Cantonese) is directed by Anselm Chan. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

‘Could have been 3 movies’: Chang Cheh’s The Brave Archer crams in a lot

Hong Kong filmmaker Chang Cheh wanted to do justice to Louis Cha’s The Legend of the Condor Heroes. But his trilogy is dense and confusing.

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Niu Niu as Huang Rong and Alexander Fu Sheng as Guo Jing in a still from The Brave Archer 3.
Cinema

Best movies to watch at the Hong Kong International Film Festival 2025

The 2025 HKIFF boasts a line-up of nearly 200 films to be shown over 12 days. Here is our pick of unmissable movies and programmes.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Peg O’ My Heart: great visuals, awful story in Nick Cheung horror thriller

Andy Lau cameo can’t save Cheung’s film starring himself, Fala Chen and Terrance Lau that is heavy on style but lacks convincing backstories.

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American cinema

How The Wedding Banquet remake updates Ang Lee’s romcom

With Ang Lee’s blessing, Andrew Ahn has remade his comedy about same-sex couples with a cast including Bowen Yang and Kelly Marie Tran.

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(From left) Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, Han Gi-chan and Bowen Yang in a still from The Wedding Banquet, Andrew Ahn’s remake of Ang Lee’s Oscar-nominated 1993 romantic comedy. Photo: TNS
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

What other films did A Chinese Ghost Story’s Tony Ching Siu-tung direct?

From a film starring Kelly Chen and Donnie Yen to an Indiana Jones rip-off with Jet Li, 4 of Tony Ching’s lesser-known productions.

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A still from Dr Wai in the Scripture with No Words, starring Jet Li (centre).
European cinema

John Rabe, film with a Western angle on the Nanking massacre

The film tells the story of the Japanese massacre of Chinese civilians through the eyes of ‘good’ Nazi John Rabe.

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Chinese language cinema

Review | In fencing-themed drama Pierce, Liu Hsiu-fu and Tsao Yu-ning are brothers

Singaporean filmmaker Nelicia Low’s feature film debut has some visual flourishes but is let down by glaring weaknesses in its narrative.

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