Chinese New Year 2020: A Guide To What Movies To Catch During CNY
Are you planning to celebrate the Year of the Rat at the cineplexes?
Between Jan 23 and Jan 30, you can splurge your ang pows on new movies starring Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Will Smith and Eddie Peng. But if you prefer to stay home, Netflix has a good selection of cinematic treats as well. Here’s a round-up of what to expect.
Update: The coronavirus outbreak in China has forced producers to cancel the domestic releases of several major movies — including Jackie Chan’s Vanguard, the Eddie Peng-starring disaster thriller The Rescue, the action-comedy Chinatown Detective 3, and the animated Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification — to contain the spread of the disease.
The cancellations also affected said movies’ international releases, forcing local exhibitors and distributors scrambling for replacement titles. See the updated guide below.
We know what you’re thinking: Why can’t these movies be released here first? Chinese regulations prohibit a Chinese-produced movie to be released overseas before its premiere in China. (The government will make an exception for film festivals.)
Another reason: piracy. Chinese producers are concerned that early international releases might make it easier for pirated recordings from overseas markets to leak back into the Chinese market.
If you’re staying home, there’s no shortage of stuff to watch on the various streaming services. (Psst: On Netflix, key in ‘888’ in the search bar for the collection of CNY TV shows and movies)
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, together again…after — what? — 16 years? This time, they’re up against Mexican drug cartel.
Skip it or watch it? Watch it. It opened No. 1 in the US over the weekend. And the reviews are enthusiastic. No signs of franchise fatigue. They’re already working on another sequel. Score!
Donnie Yen plays an overweight cop fighting the Yazuka in Tokyo!
Skip it or watch it? Flip a coin. Donnie’s Ip Man fans will lap it up, but the thought of him teaming up with director Wong Jing, the Jack Neo of Hongkong Cinema doesn’t inspire confidence.
Acclaimed family drama about a high school athlete (Kelvin Harrison Jr) whose promising future is derailed by an injury. Good luck explaining that to his domineering father (This is Us’ Sterling K Brown).
Skip it or watch it? Flip a coin. File this under ‘Counterprogramming’ if you’re not into cheery festive flicks. Only at The Projector.
The Best Feature winner at last year’s Golden Horse Awards is about a juvenile delinquent and his tumultuous relationship with his family.
Skip it or watch it? Watch it! For those who missed the powerful family drama at the Singapore International Film Festival, here's your chance to catch it on Netflix.
Korean comedy starring Ahn Jae-Hong as the newly-appointed director of a run-down zoo who resorts to desperate measures to revive the place — by getting the staff to dress up as the animals. Best. Plan. Ever.
Skip it or watch it? Watch it if you can’t get tickets to Dolittle.
Valentine’s Day comes early with this Taiwanese drama — from Andrew Chien, the director of Go Lala Go — about a three-way romance involving a young singer (Fu Meng Bo) and the two people (Alice Ke and Poan Hsieh) who are his biggest fans.
Skip it or watch it? Watch it if you are in the mood for love.
Action-comedy starring Dayo Wong as a pugilist master whose ego is pulverised after he got his ass served on a platter by a female martial artist (Annie Liu) in public.
Skip it or watch it? Flip the coin. Did anyone see Davo Wong’s last movie, Agent Mr Chan? If yes, then congratulations. Looks like a movie that plays better in Cantonese.
Raymond Wong directs and stars in this slapstick comedy about three con artist brothers joining forces with three con artist sisters to scam a crime boss. Co-stars Julian Cheung, Louis Cheung, and Chrissie Chau.
Skip it or watch it? Skip it only if you prefer your Hongkong comedies in their original Cantonese dialogue. (Okay, who’s heading to JB?)
Kristen Stewart versus underwater monsters!
Skip it or watch it? Approach with caution.The movie was a critical and commercial dud in the US. If you’ve seen 47 Meters, there’s nothing here in this big budget sci-fier that'll rock your boat. Maybe just K-Stew’s haircut.
Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie star in this Oscar-nominated movie about the 2016 sexual harassment scandal at Fox News which led to the sacking of the network’s then CEO Roger Ailes (John Lithgow).
Skip it or watch it? Watch it! This movie and the Russell Crowe-starring TV mini-series The Loudest Voice in the Room (now on Fox+) will make an excellent double bill.
Adam Sandler shows off his dramatic chops as a debt-ridden jeweller who finds an unscrupulous way to settle his money problems. Pandemonium ensues when said plan goes sideways.
Skip it or watch it? Watch it! You’ve got to see the movie everyone says Sandler is robbed of an Oscar nomination. Only on Netflix.
Main collage: Pyron Tan
