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Cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films, from the latest releases to classic oldies.
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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American cinema

Review | Thunderbolts*: Marvel’s new team-up movie lacks a real sense of danger

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Asian cinema

Move over Bollywood, Indian art-house cinema is on the rise

Films such as All We Imagine as Light, Sister Midnight and Santosh are showing a different side to Indian cinema and attracting global fans.

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Kani Kusruti (left) and Divya Prabha in a still from All We Imagine as Light.
American cinema

10 of the best Vietnam war movies, from The Deer Hunter to Platoon

The fall of Saigon 50 years ago ended the Vietnam war that inspired films from Platoon to The Post and documentaries such as The Fog of War.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

Holy Night: Demon Hunters star Ma Dong-seok on film’s dark-hero energy

Korean actor-producer talks about drawing on dark-hero Marvel comics and manga for new film, and bringing variation to the roles he plays.

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Hong Kong entertainment

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In takes top prize at Hong Kong Film Awards

Best actor and actress awards go to Sean Lau and Michelle Wai.

Cast and crew members of Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In celebrate the best film win. Photo: Eugene Lee
American cinema

How Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie celebrates the silver stoners

Cheech and Chong return with a documentary about their stoner comedy and film careers since the 60s, including their split in 1985.

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The Philippines

Remembering Nora Aunor: actress, ‘rebel’ and the Philippines’ ‘Superstar’

Filipino screenwriter Ricardo Lee pays tribute to Aunor, who spent her career fighting stereotypes and giving voice to the marginalised.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

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

Hong Kong cinema was late to the exploitation genre, but made up for lost time. We recall three 90s classics full of sex, violence and gore.

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Actress Shu Qi in a sceneSex and Zen II. Photo: Wong Jing’s Workshop Ltd
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.

Actor Nick Cheung Ka-fai. Photo: Edward Wong
What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend April 25-27

A Japanese ice-cream parlour’s pop-up, a chance to invest in artistic mini pouches and an opportunity to sample Hong Kong heavy metal await.

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Hong Kong entertainment

Hong Kong’s Cinema Day tickets to go on sale for HK$30 each from May 7

About 200,000 film fans expected to flock to 53 participating cinemas on May 10.

Asian cinema: Japanese films

Bullet Train Explosion director on examining evil in the Netflix film

Shinji Higuchi talks about exploring wrongdoing and judgment in film starring Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and why bullet trains are a symbol of Japan.

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A still from Bullet Train Explosion. Photo: Netflix.
European cinema

Havoc director on how Tom Hardy thriller is ode to Hong Kong action films

Gareth Evans talks about cribbing ‘rhythms and movement’ from ‘heroic bloodshed’ films for his action movie starring Tom Hardy as a bent cop.

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Tom Hardy in a still from Havoc. Photo: Netflix
Sexual harassment and assault

Weinstein’s #MeToo rape retrial opens with added allegations from ex-model

The film mogul’s 2020 conviction, a watershed moment for the movement against sexual misconduct, was thrown out by a court last year.

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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American cinema

Review | The Accountant 2: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal back for illogical sequel

Ben Affleck returns as a mob-trained, autistic accountant in this convoluted sequel that, despite some good action, is disappointingly thin.

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Jon Bernthal (left) as Brax and Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff in a still from The Accountant 2 (category IIB), directed by Gavin O’Connor. Cynthia Addai-Robinson co-stars. Photo: Warrick Page/Prime
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?

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Recap | Hong Kong cinema legends and greats open up about their careers

What’s it like working with Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-fat, Jackie Chan, Dwayne Johnson, John Woo and Wong Kar-wai? These film and TV legends tell all.

Fame and celebrity

Who is Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon?

Born in London to parents of Iraqi, Russian, Italian and French descent, Frankel became interested in cinema at a young age; his father Mark, who died when Frankel was 2, was also an actor.

Who is Fabien Frankel, otherwise known as Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon? Photo: Getty Images
American cinema

Sinners director Ryan Coogler on how Metallica inspired new horror film

The Black Panther director talks about how Metallica’s song One inspired the structure of his new vampire movie starring Michael B. Jordan.

Michael B. Jordan, center, stars in “Sinners,” a new historical blockbuster from writer/director Ryan Coogler. (Warner Bros. Pictures/TNS)
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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Indonesia

Amid ‘Jumbo’ success, can Indonesia become an animation powerhouse?

The Indonesian film has become Southeast Asia’s biggest ever animation release in terms of revenue, at US$10 million as of April 14.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

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.
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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Hedwig Tam in a still from Smashing Frank (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Trevor Choi. Locker Lam and Sham Ka-ki co-star.
Asian cinema: Japanese films

How Sakura Ando defied traditions to become one of Japan’s top actresses

The Godzilla Minus One and Shoplifters actress reflects on her career, juggling parenting, and future aspirations as she visits Hong Kong.

Fame and celebrity

Buffy actress Michelle Trachtenberg died of complications from diabetes

The cause of death was determined through a review of lab test results, after her family objected to an autopsy.

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