Top five films to watch in Hong Kong this week (June 15-21), from The Distinguished Citizen to Let’s Go, Jets!
A satirical drama from Argentina, a Cantonese romantic classic and a coming-of-age comedy from Japan head an eclectic mix of cinematic fare
Click on film titles to read SCMP.com reviews
A Nobel Prize-winning European-based novelist makes his first visit in 40 years to his Argentinian hometown in this witty black comedy. Oscar Martinez was named best actor at the 2016 Venice Film Festival for his portrayal of the creative snob, caught in the absurdity of fame and vanity. (Opens on June 15)
Regarded by some as one of the best Cantonese-speaking films ever made, this 1955 melodrama, set in wartime Chongqing, is also a showcase of Ng Cho-fan and Pak Yin, a beloved screen couple in the city’s film history. (June 16, part of the Hong Kong Film Archive’s 100 Must See Hong Kong Movies programme)
3. Let’s Go, Jets!
Drop your cynicism and surrender to the undeniable charms of this coming-of-age romp. Having made her mark in two artful dramas, Our Little Sister and Rage , 18-year-old Suzu Hirose changes gear and takes centre stage as a Japanese high school cheerleader with little experience and big dreams. (Opens on June 15)
From an endlessly replayed VHS copy of Taxi Driver to the box office chaos caused by the Harrison Ford vehicle The Fugitive at a privatised local cinema, Chinese director Zhang Dalei’s autobiographical drama is as much a time capsule of 1990s China as it is a sign of his lifelong love for movies. (Now showing)
It could have been trite and boring. Instead, this recreation of the 1970 White House meeting between Elvis Presley and President Nixon makes for a quirky little film. Having heavyweights Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey play the King and the president contributed to a big part of the fun. (Opens on June 15)
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