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Chinese language cinema

Chinese language cinema
From Andy Lau to John Woo, from Jiang Wen to Tsai Ming-liang to Sylvia Chang, and from triads to kung fu to hopping vampires to costume epics, this is the place to go for features, interviews and reviews about Chinese-language movies from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China.
Betty Loh Ti (second from right) and Ivy Ling Po (right) in a still from The Love Eterne (1963), directed by Li Han-hsiang. Photo: Shaw Brothers Studio
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How these 2 films became classics of Hong Kong’s Chinese folk opera cinema

Love Eterne and Dream of the Red Chamber are two very different ‘huangmei diao’ films from legendary Hong Kong director Li Han-hsiang.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

How Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers captures the beauty of Singapore

American cinema

Why Saving Face is the most important Asian-American lesbian film ever made

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

With Blades of the Guardians, Yuen Woo-ping revives the wuxia blockbuster

Hong Kong martial arts choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping returns with an epic wuxia, starring Wu Jing and Nicholas Tse.

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Wu Jing as Dao Ma in a still from Blades of the Guardians, directed by Yuen Woo-ping, who helped define the martial arts genre in cinema.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Blades of the Guardians: Wu Jing leads star-studded Chinese martial arts epic

Starring Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse and Chen Lijun, the visually stunning Blades of the Guardians is one of the fiercest wuxia films in years.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Jackie Chan’s hot streak continues with Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe

Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe manages to overcome its previous instalment’s failings to become a fun, wholesome family adventure.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | We Are All Strangers: Anthony Chen’s epic look at fatherhood in Singapore

A beautiful conclusion to Anthony Chen’s ‘Growing Up’ trilogy, We Are All Strangers is a study of family and love in all its forms.

(Standing, from left) Yeo Yann Yann and Andi Lim in a still from We Are All Strangers, directed by Anthony Chen. Photo: Giraffe Pictures
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Night King: Dayo Wong, Sammi Cheng lead enjoyably fluffy nightclub comedy

While slightly disjointed and overlong, Night King delivers a fun blend of romance and nostalgic glamour set in Hong Kong’s nightclub scene.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why these 2 films from Hong Kong director Allen Fong are New Wave masterpieces

‘Father and Son’ and ‘Ah Ying’, which both won best film at the Hong Kong Film Awards, are compelling neo-realist explorations of Hong Kong.

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China consumption

China’s Spring Festival box office faces plot twist after 2025 smashed records

Home-grown films lead the charge but fail to meet the phenomenal success of last year’s Ne Zha 2, which attracted record-breaking crowds.

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Moviegoers walked past posters for 2025 blockbusters Ne Zha 2 and Captain America: Brave New World at a cinema in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Hong Kong actress Athena Chu escaped the sex symbol trap after early fame

Athena Chu navigated beyond her initial ‘sexy goddess’ image to become an acclaimed, gritty actress and devoted family woman.

Actress Athena Chu Yan attends the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation ceremony in Tsim Sha Tsui in 2004. While Chu’s iconic role in A Chinese Odyssey defined her early career, she has transcended the “sexy goddess” label with a variety of gritty, diverse roles. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Snowball on a Sunny Day: Mark Six miss turns into mayhem in family comedy

This witty Lunar New Year film follows a woman pretending to have won the Mark Six lottery after failing to buy the winning ticket.

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Asian cinema

What is it like to win the lottery? These 10 Asian movies have the answers

Winning the lottery can change your life forever, for good or bad. These 10 films from across Asia explore luck, wealth and greed.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Sons of the Neon Night leads 2026 Hong Kong Film Awards nominations

Amid controversy over four titles removed from the ballot, Sons of the Neon Night and Back to the Past dominate the award nominations.

Lau Ching-wan in a still from Sons of the Neon Night. The film is leading in nominations for the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards, with 12 nods.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

A beginner’s guide to watching Hong Kong martial arts movies

Flying, ‘weightless’ leaps, unrealistic injuries and long fight scenes are all part and parcel of Hong Kong martial arts movies. Here’s why.

Jackie Chan in a still from The Young Master (1980). Hong Kong martial arts films blend myth and physical poetry, prioritising style over realism. Photo: Golden Harvest
Asian cinema: Chinese films

5 horse-themed Chinese-language movies for the coming Year of the Horse

In films, horses often symbolise strength, gracefulness and agility. Here are five Chinese-language movies where the animal plays a big role.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Wicked City and 2000 AD rewrote the rules of Hong Kong cinema

Tsui Hark-produced alien flick Wicked City and Gordon Chan’s 2000 AD were ambitious projects that tried things new to the Hong Kong industry.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | From bar singer to Hong Kong icon: how Hins Cheung refused to let the dream die

The Cantopop star, who continues to sell out stadiums, is as passionate about the arts as he is about preserving heritage buildings.

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Cantopop singer Hins Cheung performs during half-time at the Legends Assemble match between Real Madrid Legends and Barcelona Heroes at Hong Kong Stadium on December 20, 2024. Photo: Getty Images
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Gezhi Town: Chinese war drama with Xiao Zhan dares to entertain

Civilians try to fend off Japanese soldiers in this thrilling drama that focuses on character dynamics rather than patriotic grandstanding.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 of Hong Kong martial arts legend Alexander Fu Sheng’s more unusual movies

Chinatown Kid, The Deadly Breaking Sword and Treasure Hunters saw Fu taking on more varied projects than his usual Shaolin kung fu films.

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Asian cinema

Why M+ and Chanel are bringing rare Asian avant-garde films to Mubi

Streaming platform Mubi teams up with Hong Kong’s M+ museum and Chanel to put the spotlight on 10 films, including a John Woo short.

John Woo in a still from “Dead Knot” (1969), which is streaming on Mubi as part of its partnership with M+ and Chanel.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Ciao UFO wins best picture in 2025 Hong Kong Film Critics Society awards

Nostalgic drama Ciao UFO scoops top prize, while Louis Koo (Behind the Shadows) and Fish Liew (Someone Like Me) pick up best actor awards.

Charlene Choi in a still from Ciao UFO, winner of the best picture prize in the 2025 Hong Kong Film Critics awards. Photo: Golden Scene
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why did the Hong Kong Film Awards drop 4 eligible films from its 2026 list?

The four films missing from the provisional list feature actors or themes unpopular with authorities in Hong Kong and mainland China, say industry insiders.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why Ronny Yu’s The Postman Fights Back is an unusual wuxia gem

Starring Leung Kar-yan and with a young Chow Yun-fat on the cast, 1982’s The Postman Fights Back is an intriguing mix of Western and wuxia.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Nancy Sit went from child star to Hong Kong’s most beloved TV matriarch

After leaving the spotlight at the height of her fame, Nancy Sit overcame personal struggles, reinvented herself and returned to superstardom.

ACTRESS NANCY SIT KAR-YIN.
Asian cinema

Loved Back to the Past? 10 Asian time travel gems you may also enjoy

After the success of Louis Koo’s Back to the Past, here are 10 other Asian time-travelling movies that are well worth checking out.

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Louis Koo in a still from Back to the Past. In celebration of the film’s success, here are 10 more of the best examples of big-screen time-travel escapism from across Asia.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Unexpected Family: Jackie Chan trades kicks for tears in sentimental drama

Chan excels as a man with Alzheimer’s disease in this well-meaning but ham-fisted film about the importance of family.

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Hong Kong entertainment

Hong Kong Cantopop singer Raymond Lam cancels 2 concerts in Japan

Lam’s shows scheduled for January 31 and February 1 at the Tokyo Garden Theatre have been postponed indefinitely.

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