Chinese Movie Reviews »
August, Beijing (2008) Movie Review
Screened at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. “August, Beijing” is a collection of short films from a variety of directors which chart some of the many different far-reaching ways in which hosting the 2008...
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Nightfall (2012) Movie Review
Fans of last year’s good/bad/insane Aaron Kwok starring psycho mystery “Murderer” can rejoice, as director Roy Chow and writer Christine To return with more madness in the form of “Nightfall”. Another labyrinth, over the...
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Meishi Street (2006) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. The 2006 documentary “Meishi Street”, directed by famed Chinese visual artist Ou Ning, is quite a remarkable film in a number of different ways, chief amongst which...
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Once Upon a Time Proletarian (2009) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. “Once Upon a Time Proletarian” is a 2009 documentary feature from acclaimed director, novelist and poet Guo Xiaolou, also known for her award winning fiction films “She,...
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Love on Credit (2011) Movie Review
“Love on Credit” is a Mainland Chinese romantic comedy with a financial theme, directed by Taiwanese helmer Leste Chen, previously responsible for “Eternal Summer” and horror “The Heirloom”. The film is basically a vehicle...
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The Allure of Tears (2011) Movie Review
Hong Kong film maker Barbara Wong, known for romantic comedies that tackle modern issues, such as the recent “The Perfect Marriage” and “The Break Up Club”, returns with something a little more bitter than...
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Zombie 108 (2012) Movie Review
Originally screened at the 2012 Terracotta Far East Film Festival. Updated with UK Region 2 DVD release info. Taiwanese cinema finally comes of age with the country’s first ever zombie film “Zombie 108”, a...
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Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (2011) Movie Review
Taiwanese films have been causing an increasing stir both at home and abroad, none more so than historical blockbuster “Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale”, which tells the true story of a 1930s aboriginal...
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University City Savages (2009) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. “University City Savages” is a bold documentary which deals with one of the most topical and controversial issues in Modern China, the government’s practice of forced land...
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The Flowers of War (2011) Movie Review
“The Flowers of War” has been one of the most hyped Chinese films for some time, and with good reason. Boasting a budget of around US$100 million, marking it as the most expensive Chinese...
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Where Should I Go? (2011) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. Director Li Junhu’s documentary “Where Should I Go?” explores one of the most interesting issues in contemporary China, the interaction between the rural and the urban. Covering...
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Using (2007) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. “Using” was Chinese documentary director Zhou Hao’s follow up to his much loved and critically praised high school doc “Senior Year”, and is a very different proposition...
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Million Dollar Crocodile (2012) Movie Review
“Million Dollar Crocodile” is a genuine cinematic milestone, marking China’s first proper foray into the CGI creature feature genre. As the title suggests, director Lin Li Sheng’s film follows the exploits and adventures of...
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Bachelor Mountain (2011) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. Director Yu Guangyi completes his ‘Hometown Trilogy’ with “Bachelor Mountain”, following up on the documentaries “Timber Gang” (2006) and “Survival Song” (2008). The film is another set...
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Senior Year (2005) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. Although high school students in the West may think they have it tough, the pressure and hardships they face are simply nothing when compared to the trials...
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Dragon Boat (2010) Movie Review
Screening at the 2012 Chinese Visual Festival. “Dragon Boat” is the latest film from acclaimed Chinese director and artist Cao Dan, a feature documentary which charts the effects of modernisation on the tradition of...
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Double Trouble (2012) Movie Review
Taiwanese director David Chang’s 2011 Jaycee Chan vehicle “Double Trouble” is what I like to call a lightly-carbonated action/comedy. This, of course, indicates that the film in question offers very conservative portions of both...
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The Magicians (2005) Movie Review
Originally released back in 2005, “The Magicians” was the 4th film from Korean indie director Song Il Gon, known for artistic and offbeat genre offerings such as “Feathers in the Wind”, “Spider Forest”, and...
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Speed Angels (2011) Movie Review
Hong Kong director Jingle Ma follows up “Love You You” and “Mulan” with more cinematic popcorn in the glossy form of “Speed Angels”. In this latest bid for commercial success and mass appeal, Ma...
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Inseparable (2011) Movie Review
Screened at the 2012 Terracotta Far East Film Festival. “Inseparable” is somewhat of a landmark event, being one of the first Chinese films to feature a bona fide Hollywood star in a lead role....
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