The best films to see in the cinema this September
The best screenings and general release films in Beijing this month
Each month, we round up the best films on general release in Beijing's cinemas. This month, there's a good mix of big-budget Hollywood films, middle-market gems you've never heard of and Chinese dramas from the Mainland's cinematic heavy hitters.
Now playing
Alpha
On general release now
Ever wondered what The Revenant would be like as a feel-good movie for dog lovers? Set in the Ice Age, a boy separated from his tribe befriends a wolf as he fights to survive the elements.
Pelé: Birth of a Legend
On general release now
This biographical drama, originally released in 2016, follows football legend Pelé on his rise from the slums of Sao Paulo to the field of the World Cup. With such a late release in Mainland China, it must be said that reviews of the film are tepid, to say the least, but sports fans and fans of inspirational films about athletes will overlook this movie's flaws.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
On general release now
Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie are back with another impossible mission. This time, Ethan Hunt and his IMF team find themselves wanted by assassins and in a race against time. Be prepared for more death-defying stunts and Cruise jumping out of planes. Check out our review here.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Image: Marvel Studios
On general release now
The tiniest Marvel hero may turn out to be the mightiest – or at least that's what is implied by his absence in Avengers: Infinity War. For now, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) rocks dad life and pines for another adventure. His wish comes true in the form of Hope van Dyne, the Wasp (Evangeline Lily), as they battle against a new enemy. Check out our review here.
Coming soon
Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura
Image: Horipro
On general release Fri 14
Adapted from a manga series, this Japanese film is an intriguing blend of magical, weird, mysterious, romantic and suspenseful. It follows a woman and her husband who solve crimes by consorting with fantastical gods and creatures. Fans of the Harry Potter world and Guillermo del Toro films will enjoy the film. We recommend checking with cinemas if they are playing the film with English subtitles before you book tickets.
Death Wish
Image: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
On general release Fri 21
In a remake that no one wanted (nor needs right now, especially), Bruce Willis takes on the infamous Charles Bronson role as a heavily armed white dude seeking vigilante justice for the brutal attack on his family.
Ash Is Purest White
On general release Fri 21
Top Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke’s still got it, it seems. His latest effort, a story of troubled romance that deftly winds its way through the last 20 years of change and modernisation in China, was chosen to compete for the Palme d’Or in May.
Lost, Found
Image: Huayi Brothers Film Co, Ltd
On general release Fri 30
Directed by Lu Yue, a cinematographer and frequent collaborator with Zhang Yimou among other Chinese cinema heavyweights, Lost, Found (找到你) follows a lawyer and the nanny she hires. The latter helps the former care for her daughter while she juggles her career and divorce proceedings with her soon-to-be ex-husband. The film looks to be an intimate portrayal of people who are not usually at the centre of Chinese cinema and has received praise following its screening at the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Shadow
Image: Perfect Village
On general release Fri 30
Acclaimed Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is back with the formula that made him famous – with a heavily stylised martial arts period drama set during China's Three Kingdoms era and somehow involving doppelgangers. The film stars Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai and Guan Xiaotong.
To check out more film happenings in Beijing, hit 'Read more'.
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