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Cinema

Cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films, from the latest releases to classic oldies.
Hong Kong singer and actress Charlene Choi at One Harbourfront, in Hung Hom, in June 2015. After breaking through as one half of Cantopop girl group Twins, Choi pivoted to acting and rose to the top of Hong Kong’s film industry. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Twins’ Charlene Choi went from Cantopop teen idol to top Hong Kong actress

Since finding fame with Twins’ Gillian Chung 25 years ago, “Ah Sa” has navigated scandals and reinvented herself to become a force in showbiz.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s box office takings for first half of 2026 up 25% year on year

Fame and celebrity

California to institute Bruce Lee Day, in first for a Chinese-American

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Unidentified Murder: twisty Hong Kong comedy shows admirable ambition

This award-winning comedy about an online prank that ends in a murder is a quirky story underpinned by the performances of its lead actors.

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Ling Man-lung as Mark (left) and Renci Yeung as his girlfriend Man in a still from Unidentified Murder (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Kwok Ka-hei and Jack Lee.
Hong Kong

Will Fosun’s luxury project revive Hong Kong’s Movietown magic?

Fosun Group begins HK$10 billion transformation of legendary studio, signalling confidence in Hong Kong’s property recovery.

TV shows and streaming video

Review | Human Vapor: Shun Oguri, Yu Aoi anchor Netflix’s bold sci-fi thriller reboot

This exciting tale of a mysterious serial killer who can turn into a murderous cloud of gas is a reimagining of a classic Japanese thriller.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Running on Karma with Andy Lau hid a Buddhist tragedy behind muscles

Lau played a muscular monk-turned-stripper with karmic visions opposite Cecilia Cheung in this film that began light and then got grim.

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Andy Lau in a still from Running on Karma (2003). Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai teamed up to make this dark Buddhist tragedy packaged as a comedy that received a positive reception despite catching viewers off guard.
American cinema

From the Vault: culturally significant films

In the From the Vault feature series, the South China Morning Post’s film experts reflect on culturally significant films celebrating notable anniversaries.

American cinema

How Jim Carrey took a dark turn for 1996 stalker comedy The Cable Guy

Carrey’s turn as Matthew Broderick’s pop-culture-obsessed tormentor left viewers confused in 1996. But 30 years on, it seems oddly prescient.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

What’s showing this year at Asia’s top genre film festival BiFan?

The 2026 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival boasts a formidable programme of horror, action, science fiction and fantasy titles.

Ryu Seung-yon in a still from the Korean comedy Extreme Job (2019), one of the many movies showing at the 2026 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, in South Korea.
American cinema

Review | Power Ballad: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas charm in feel-good music rights drama

This drama about the music industry, stardom and arguments over intellectual property is a fun story with solid performances from its leads.

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Nick Jonas (left) as former boy band member Danny and Paul Rudd as ex-rock star Rick in a still from Power Ballad (category IIB), directed by John Carney. Photo: David Cleary/Lionsgate
American cinema

Review | Minions & Monsters: a clever, self-aware homage to classic Hollywood

Everyone’s favourite Despicable Me sidekicks are back, this time in Hollywood in the 1920s, with plenty of nods to films and culture.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Fennie Yuen went from Hong Kong teen idol to serious actress

A popular Hong Kong actress in the 1980s and 90s, Yuen started in teen comedies like the Happy Ghost films before pivoting to dramatic roles.

American cinema

How YouTube creator Curry Barker turned his filmmaking dream into Obsession

Barker built a following making YouTube content. Now Obsession, his horror film made for US$750,000, has grossed over US$300 million.

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Curry Barker, 26, is now one of the most in-demand filmmakers in Hollywood following the success of his horror film Obsession. He has already shot his next feature, Anything But Ghosts, starring Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard, for Blumhouse Productions. Photo: Andy Kropa/AP
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Cantopop star, scandal, redemption: Andy Hui’s turbulent 40-year career

Hui had a dream career and marriage to Sammi Cheng, then a 2019 cheating scandal threatened it all. Seven years on, he has turned things around.

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Hong Kong singer and actor Andy Hui Chi-on in 1997. Hui, one of Cantopop’s “New Four Heavenly Kings”, was embroiled in a cheating scandal in 2019 that threatened to destroy his legacy. Photo: Dickson Lee
What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do this long weekend in Hong Kong, June 19-21

Catch some local music talent at The Wanch’s H2 festival, indulge in wellness on the waterfront, enjoy Father’s Day feasts and more.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Dear You: nostalgic Teochew family drama is a surprise box office hit in China

Lan Hongchun’s film on love, loyalty and immigrant struggles is a sensation in China, with lead Li Sitong giving a career-making performance.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Palimpsest: The Story of a Name – Mary Stephen’s riveting study of identity

Hong Kong-born director Mary Stephen’s documentary explores her obscure heritage against a background of colonialism and self-reinvention.

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Mary Stephen’s mother, Hilda Stephen, whose maiden name was Yick Chuk-kwan, in a still from Palimpsest: The Story of a Name.
American cinema

Review | Toy Story 5: Jessie takes on tech in Pixar’s flawed but enjoyable sequel

A tablet threatens to render the gang obsolete in Toy Story 5, which will charm children but is the first to not stand up to adult scrutiny.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Dog Day Evening: Kafkaesque comedy reflects on a Hong Kong hostage incident

Inspired by a true story, Dog Day Evening explores the often infuriating world of customer hotlines and service cancellations.

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Singapore

Lost in translation? Singapore wants Dear You film mostly in Mandarin, not Teochew

Linguists and the local Teochew community say watching the hit Chinese film in its original form can help sustain cultural diversity.

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A still from “Dear You”, the hit Chinese film shot in southern Teochew dialect. Photo: Handout
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Why Hirokazu Koreeda paired Haruka Ayase and a TV comic in Sheep in the Box

A-lister Haruka Ayase and television comic Daigo Yamamoto star as a grieving couple confronting an AI ‘resurrection’ in Sheep in the Box.

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Haruka Ayase in a still from Sheep in the Box, Hirokazu Koreeda’s latest sci-fi drama. Daigo Yamamoto co-stars.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Pang Ho-cheung’s early black comedies disrupted Hong Kong cinema

The writer-director’s You Shoot, I Shoot (2001) and Men Suddenly in Black (2003) injected a dose of dark satire into a waning local industry.

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K-drama news

Profile | Meet Park Ji-hyun, star of Flex X Cop and See You at Work Tomorrow!

After making a late start in acting, Park quickly rose to the top playing layered characters in K-dramas from Yumi’s Cells to Reborn Rich.

Fame and celebrity

Everything to know about Jessie Mei Li, star of revenge thriller The Season

The Shadow and Bone star’s rise to fame, from college dropout to sharing the screen with A-listers like Tom Hardy and Anna Taylor-Joy.

Jessie Mei Li (centre) plays protagonist Cola in revenge drama series The Season. Photo: @studiovo.official/Instagram
American cinema

When RZA cut his teeth as a kung fu director in The Man with the Iron Fists

The Wu-Tang Clan leader’s directorial debut with Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu was an ambitious ode to the martial arts films he grew up loving.

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RZA in a still from The Man with the Iron Fists. The Wu-Tang Clan leader directed, starred in and co-wrote the 2012 movie about a former slave turned blacksmith in 19th century China caught between warring clans, a shipment of government gold and a brothel.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Hong Kong animations are finally turning heads. Meet the artists behind them

Hong Kong animators making waves at global festivals talk about growing the city’s niche but resilient industry and the challenges they face.

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American cinema

12 new Hollywood movies to watch in summer 2026, from Moana to The Odyssey

Supergirl, Minions & Monsters, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Resident Evil also feature on our list of the biggest films this summer.

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