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Asian cinema

Asian cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films from the continent's biggest movie production centres.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
The stuffed crab shell at Seventh Son is dipped in egg and breadcrumbs twice before being fried. Photo: Alexander Mak

Masters of Hong Kong’s ‘kung fu’ cuisine on the struggle to save Cantonese classics

The labour-intensive ‘kung fu’ dishes that once defined Cantonese cuisine are on the brink of extinction. Here, three Hong Kong chefs reveal the secrets of these vanishing recipes.

Reading Time:8 minutes
An image from The Pig’s Menu, an ink and watercolour manuscript created by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Algiers in 1944. Photo: courtesy Collection of the Saint-Exupéry-d’Agay Estate

Exhibition sheds new light on The Little Prince and its author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Reading Time:2 minutes
South Asia curry specials at Curry Room. Photo: courtesy Curry Room

Hong Kong’s hottest new openings, from Curry Room to Canto-American Lazy Suzy

Reading Time:2 minutes
Rail and road in Kunming, Yunnan province, China. Photo: Xinhua

Rail and road: the benefits of China’s full-system transport makeovers

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A wig factory in Aberdeen in 1967. Photo: SCMP Archives

In pictures: ‘Made in Hong Kong’ - craft industries that built the city

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Shinya Kobayashi beside a cedar, the wood he uses as much as possible in the construction of his “village”. Photo: courtesy Mujun

Mujun Planet: one man’s quest to revive Japan’s artisanal legacy

Reading Time:7 minutes
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Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
Hong Kong actor and singer Bowie Woo with his Lifetime Achievement Award at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, on April 16, 2023. Woo set a Guinness World Record in June 2026 as the oldest Chinese artist to hold a solo concert at the age of 94. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How 94-year-old Bowie Woo became Hong Kong’s ultimate evergreen entertainer

Since becoming a film star in 1953, ‘Sau Gor’ has adapted to remain a feature of Hong Kong screens, and his recent concert set a world record.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Prolific Hong Kong director Andrew Lau looks back on his most iconic films

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Classic Hong Kong cinema

American cinema

East meets West

In this feature series, we spotlight world cinema where East meets West, including notable China-US co-productions.

A scene from Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman film, The Dark Knight, which was partly shot in Hong Kong. Photo: Warner Bros
Film reviews

Review | The President’s Cake: Cannes-winning Iraqi drama is an instant classic

Hasan Hadi’s profound film follows a young Iraqi girl trying to find ingredients for a cake to celebrate Saddam Hussein’s birthday.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Kung Fu Soccer: Stephen Chow loses his touch with Shaolin Soccer spin-off

Dilraba Dilmurat and Zhang Xiaofei lead a team of female football martial artists in Chow’s film that falls far short of its 2001 predecessor.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How pioneering studio UFO redefined early-1990s Hong Kong cinema

Peter Chan’s studio revolutionised Hong Kong cinema, scoring numerous hits during its short life, such as Comrades, Almost a Love Story.

The key people behind UFO, pictured in 1993: (clockwise from the front) Eric Tsang, Peter Chan, Jacob Cheung, Claudie Chung and Lee Chi-ngai. Photo: SCMP
European cinema

Why flop movie Shatter is a perfect 1970s Hong Kong time capsule

Shatter, featuring Peter Cushing, Lily Li and Ti Lung, was a box office failure in 1974, but offered a glimpse of a Hong Kong in transition.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

6 surprising facts from Jet Li’s new book, including his near-death moment

From his many names to dishwasher woes, Beyond Life and Death shares things about the Chinese martial artist fans may not have been aware of.

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Singapore

Do Singapore ministers watch films? Joke raises hackles amid dialect debate

The culture minister’s quip about being too busy to go to the cinema has some critics jumping up from their seats.

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Women take a photo with “Dear You” posters during its premiere in Singapore on June 17. Photo: Xinhua
Mainland China

Video | How a Chinese indie film conquered the box office

Lan Hongchun’s story about love, loyalty and immigrant struggles has struck a chord with the overseas Chinese diaspora, topping the box office with US$290 million.

Lan Hongchun’s story about love, loyalty and immigrant struggles has struck a chord with the overseas Chinese diaspora, topping the box office with US$290 million
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | A Dance with Rainbows: Taiwanese coming-of-age boxing drama packs a punch

Director Lee Yi-shan delivers a quietly powerful Taiwanese sports drama in A Dance with Rainbows, starring Lin Yi-ting.

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Hong Kong culture

Opinion | Before we hail Hong Kong cinema’s return, let’s ensure its survival

The rules we make around artificial intelligence and creative work today will define what the city’s culture and economy look like tomorrow.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

‘Oldboy’ Choi Min-sik on revenge, craft and Notes from the Last Row

Choi Min-sik points out parallels between 2003’s Oldboy and his new role in Netflix series Notes from the Last Row.

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Veteran actor Choi Min-sik has made an enduring impact on Korean cinema and television through works such as the 2003 film Oldboy and, more recently, the Netflix series Notes from the Last Row. Photo: Ji Sang Chung
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Beyond The Killer: why Law with Two Phases is Danny Lee’s best police film

Danny Lee’s nuanced role in Law with Two Phases redefined Hong Kong police dramas, showcasing gritty realism and complex character arcs.

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Eddie Chan (left) and Danny Lee in a still from Law with Two Phases (1984). Lee put in his most nuanced performance in the film, which he also directed.
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Twins’ Charlene Choi went from Cantopop teen idol to top Hong Kong actress

Since finding fame with Twins’ Gillian Chung 25 years ago, “Ah Sa” has navigated scandals and reinvented herself to become a force in showbiz.

Fame and celebrity

California to institute Bruce Lee Day, in first for a Chinese-American

May 17, the day Lee returned to San Francisco after spending his childhood in Hong Kong, will be his annual namesake day.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Unidentified Murder: twisty Hong Kong comedy shows admirable ambition

This award-winning comedy about an online prank that ends in a murder is a quirky story underpinned by the performances of its lead actors.

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Ling Man-lung as Mark (left) and Renci Yeung as his girlfriend Man in a still from Unidentified Murder (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Kwok Ka-hei and Jack Lee.
American cinema

‘I benefited’: Renny Harlin on working in China during its ‘Wild East’ film era

The Finnish filmmaker talks about the ‘great’ years he spent in China during its pre-pandemic film boom and how using AI can benefit movies.

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Hong Kong

Will Fosun’s luxury project revive Hong Kong’s Movietown magic?

Fosun Group begins HK$10 billion transformation of legendary studio, signalling confidence in Hong Kong’s property recovery.

TV shows and streaming video

Review | Human Vapor: Shun Oguri, Yu Aoi anchor Netflix’s bold sci-fi thriller reboot

This exciting tale of a mysterious serial killer who can turn into a murderous cloud of gas is a reimagining of a classic Japanese thriller.

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Uta Uchida in a still from Human Vapor. Photo: Netflix.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Running on Karma with Andy Lau hid a Buddhist tragedy behind muscles

Lau played a muscular monk-turned-stripper with karmic visions opposite Cecilia Cheung in this film that began light and then got grim.

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Andy Lau in a still from Running on Karma (2003). Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai teamed up to make this dark Buddhist tragedy packaged as a comedy that received a positive reception despite catching viewers off guard.
Cinema

From the Vault: culturally significant films

In the From the Vault feature series, the South China Morning Post’s film experts reflect on culturally significant films celebrating notable anniversaries.

Singapore

Will Dear You’s smash success push Singapore to ease dialect film policies?

Extra Teochew shows of the indie hit signal ‘increasing liberalisation’ towards dialect films, but long-term changes will take time, analysts say.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

What’s showing this year at Asia’s top genre film festival BiFan?

The 2026 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival boasts a formidable programme of horror, action, science fiction and fantasy titles.

Ryu Seung-yon in a still from the Korean comedy Extreme Job (2019), one of the many movies showing at the 2026 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, in South Korea.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Fennie Yuen went from Hong Kong teen idol to serious actress

A popular Hong Kong actress in the 1980s and 90s, Yuen started in teen comedies like the Happy Ghost films before pivoting to dramatic roles.

Fennie Yuen in a still from Pedicab Driver (1989).
Singapore

‘Overwhelming’ demand sparks extra Teochew shows for Dear You in Singapore

The decision comes after all eight of the Chinese migration film’s previously announced Teochew-language screenings sold out.

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Cantopop star, scandal, redemption: Andy Hui’s turbulent 40-year career

Hui had a dream career and marriage to Sammi Cheng, then a 2019 cheating scandal threatened it all. Seven years on, he has turned things around.

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