Top 5 films to watch in Hong Kong this week: November 26-December 2
Two French gems, a classic comedy, Nick Cheung’s second directorial effort and Taiwanese director Tom Lin’s touching meditation on grief make up this week’s must-see films
1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
A crazy US general looks to set off nuclear holocaust in Stanley Kubrick’s seminal cold-war comedy, whose satiric views on technology and political leadership prove both hilarious and scarily prophetic. (November 28, part of Cine Fan programme)
2. Far from Men
Viggo Mortensen impresses as a French schoolteacher escorting an Algerian dissident to his trial in this captivating western, which is loosely adapted from Albert Camus’ short story The Guest. (November 26 and December 2, part of Hong Kong French Film Festival)
3. Zinnia Flower
While her best actress win at Taipei’s Golden Horse Awards might have come as a slight surprise, Karena Lam Ka-yan’s heart-breaking portrayal of a grieving woman in this serene drama is undoubtedly one of the year’s best performances. (Now showing)
4. Vincent
A low-budget superhero drama with little dialogue, French actor-writer-director Thomas Salvador’s feature debut stands out as a gently humorous slice of magic realism. (November 26 and December 2, part of Hong Kong French Film Festival)
5. Keeper of Darkness
Nick Cheung Ka-fai didn’t convince as a director with his lacklustre debut Hungry Ghost Ritual. A genre bender as incoherent as it is constantly entertaining, the actor’s second directorial effort has gone some way to proving his mettle. (Opens on November 26)
