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Cinema

Cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films, from the latest releases to classic oldies.
A screen grab from from All Wishes Come True! from Pearl Studio, which also produced Kung Fu Panda 3 and Netflix’s Academy Award-nominated Over the Moon.
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | All Wishes Come True!: Chinese animation reinvents the Eight Immortals

This culturally authentic and wholly accessible origin story is a visually dazzling infusion of Chinese and Western storytelling conventions.

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Hong Kong entertainment

Actor Henry Cavill draws crowds as neon-lit set evokes memories of old Hong Kong

Icons and Influencers

How classical dancer Patricia Zhou stopped chasing perfection – interview

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Alex To’s 40-year Cantopop legacy: R&B origins, comebacks, acting triumphs

The now 64-year-old Hong Kong-born singer and actor remains one of the industry’s most enduring and unpredictable figures.

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Alex To performs during the “2021 New Year Concert – Sailing in the Greater Bay Area” in Shenzhen in January 2021. Photo: Weibo
American cinema

Review | The Invite: Olivia Wilde’s adult-oriented sex comedy pulls no punches

Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, Ed Norton and Wilde herself deliver excellent performances, interpreting the racy script with unabashed gusto.

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Fame and celebrity

Meet Ella Rubin, who plays Annie in Sterling Point

The actress starred alongside Mikey Madison in the Oscar-winning Anora; she also played Anne Hathaway’s daughter in The Idea of You.

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European cinema

How this British-Chinese filmmaker aims to build the Blumhouse of action

Inspired by John Woo and Chow Yun-fat, Chee Keong Cheung talks about his Action Xtreme studio and upcoming film Bad Day at the Office.

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Filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung on the set of one of his films. Cheung founded the UK’s first action-oriented film studio, Action Xtreme, while his new feature, Bad Day at the Office, will have its world premiere on August 13 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Fame and celebrity

Meet Dave Annable, who plays Zoe Saldaña’s husband, Neal, in Lioness

The role marks the actor’s reunion with Taylor Sheridan, following a short-lived appearance on the Kevin Costner-led hit Yellowstone.

American cinema

Review | Forgotten Island: DreamWorks’ trippy animated dive into Filipino folklore

Forgotten Island blends Filipino folklore with a distinct 1980s feel as two childhood friends navigate a surreal world of fading memories.

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China property

Derelict cinema on scenic Hong Kong island has a US$1 million price tag

Peng Chau Cinema was once a bustling nightspot but has lain virtually empty for almost four decades and is now set to go under the hammer.

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The once popular Peng Chau Cinema closed down almost four decades ago. The site, which currently hosts markets and other community events, is now up for sale. Photo: Peng Chau Cinema
American cinema

How did Snow Flower and the Secret Fan become such an ambitious failure?

Wayne Wang’s 2011 film blends past and present, but despite its ambition and talent, it struggled to resonate with audiences.

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Jun Ji-hyun (left) and Li Bingbing in a still from Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2011), a film that earned director Wayne Wang some of the worst reviews of his career.
The Philippines

Silent film: Philippines’ ‘Spider-Man’ screening reveals deaf inclusion gap

While several laws have been passed to help the deaf community, advocates say they remain limited in scope and implementation.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Curry and Pepper showed Stephen Chow’s comedy genius before superstardom hit

The 1990 buddy cop film was released less than three months before All for the Winner turned Stephen Chow into a superstar in Hong Kong.

Food and Drinks

On the Menu | What The Odyssey tells us about the age-old concept of hospitality

From the concept of xenia to judging a person by how they treat the lowest rung of society, the Greek classic has plenty of food for thought.

An image of Polyphemus, a cyclops who found Odysseus and his men in his cave in Homer’s The Odyssey. Image: Weltgeschichte 1898
What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, August 7-9

Enjoy a floating gong bath, teach your kids about upcycling, learn to write your name in Egyptian hieroglyphics and more this weekend.

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Malbert Lee will hold a sound healing experience at Tune In Wellness in Wan Chai this Saturday. Photo: Instagram/Tune In Wellness
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Number One: Parasite stars reunite for food-themed family drama

Choi Woo-sik and Jang Hye-jin star as a pampered son and his doting mother who always cooks for him until tragedy strikes their family.

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Fame and celebrity

Meet Thad Luckinbill, who plays Zoe Saldaña’s old CIA friend in Lioness

The actor may be best known for his role on The Young and the Restless, but he has also produced films like the Oscar-winning La La Land.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Back to Love: the Teochew romance that led to smash hit Dear You

Exploring family dynamics and modernity in a heartfelt Teochew romance, Lan Hongchun’s Back to Love charms with its cultural themes.

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(From left) Lu Shan, Zheng Runqi and Zhong Shaoxian in a still from Back to Love.
Fame and celebrity

Meet Spider-Man star Jacob Batalon’s interior designer wife, Veronica Leahov

The actor, who plays Ned Leeds in the Marvel franchise, proposed to his Moldovan partner, founder of the home decor brand Veroh, last year.

Asian cinema

10 must-see movies and programmes at Hong Kong’s Summer IFF 2026

This year’s Cine Fan Summer International Film Festival boasts 37 features, from regional premieres to 4K restorations of Hong Kong classics.

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Christopher Nolan

Who are Christopher Nolan’s brothers, Jonathan and Matthew?

The Odyssey director’s younger brother, Jonathan, has frequently collaborated with him on films like Interstellar and The Prestige – but Matthew has a darker past.

Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan at the Westworld Season 3 premiere afterparty in 2020 in California. Photo: Getty Images
Get to Know

Who is Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon reprise their roles while Jon Bernthal and Sadie Sink join the cast – but what do we know about the film’s director?

Director Deston Daniel Cretton with Tom Holland on the set of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Photo: @destindaniel/Instagram
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

What makes the 1981 horror film The Imp such a terrifying cult classic?

Directed by Dennis Yu, The Imp blends elements of Western horror classics with Taoist beliefs to create a thoroughly modern shocker.

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American cinema

‘I wanted it to be very sensual’: Circe actress on THAT pig scene in The Odyssey

Samantha Morton talks about Christopher Nolan helping her when she was ‘a little scared’, playing Circe as an ageless character… and humming.

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American cinema

Why Spider-Man: Brand New Day was made to be a ‘superperson’ film

With Marvel trying to regain its pre-pandemic box office figures, the latest Spider-Man film concentrates more on human emotions than action.

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Tom Holland in a still from Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Sony hopes the film’s more human elements will drive it to success. Photo: Sony Pictures via AP
What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, July 31-August 2

Check out an all-night rave with Reggaeton beats, pet puppies on The Peak, catch the latest Spider-Man film and more this weekend.

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DJs Ink and Ballshing play to a crowded dance floor at Boomerang. The club will host a Latin rave on August 1. Photo: Beat Friday
American cinema

Review | Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Tom Holland returns in mature Marvel triumph

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man fights both supervillains and his own superpowers in this exciting new outing co-starring Zendaya and Sadie Sink.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why Daniel Wu is swapping ‘broken’ Hollywood for Hong Kong films

Wu discusses his coming films including Cold War 1995 and the Twilight of the Warriors sequel, and how Hollywood has ‘dropped diversity’.

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