Top five films to watch in Hong Kong this week (December 28-January 3), from Yi Yi: A One and a Two to The Great Buddha+
A humanistic family drama and a film noir about corruption, both from Taiwan, guitars and the land of the dead from Mexico, a Paddington Bear sequel and a drama about a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 28 December, 2017, 6:53am
UPDATED : Thursday, 28 December, 2017, 6:53am
Related topics
Click on film titles to read SCMP.com reviews
1. Yi Yi: A One and a Two
An undisputed masterpiece that transcends time and cultural boundaries, this moving ensemble drama by the late Taiwanese master Edward Yang De-chang, originally released in 2000, observes the quiet sorrows of various members of a middle-class family in Taipei with a most delicate, humanistic touch. (Opens on January 1)
One of the best films to emerge from a banner year of Taiwanese cinema, documentary filmmaker Huang Hsin-yao’s fiction debut is a strangely hypnotic noir set in a corrupted small town, where a pair of impoverished middle-aged men’s discovery of their decadent boss’s affairs proves too much to bear. (Opens on December 28)
3. Coco
Forget Cars 3 , Finding Dory or The Good Dinosaur . Pixar’s first great film in years is an astonishingly effective tale of family, life and death. Set in Mexico and taking a deep dive into its culture, the colourful story of a young boy who treasures his guitar above all else is also a great delight for music lovers. (Opens on December 28)
4. Paddington 2
A belated contender for the title of 2017’s best family film, this utterly endearing sequel offers an irresistible mix of silly humour and heartfelt emotions that will convert even the cynics. Its central message – of the importance of remaining civil in a world overwhelmed by prejudice – only makes this more of a treat. (Now showing)
5. Stronger
Another year, another Oscar-worthy performance by Jake Gyllenhaal. In this true-life drama, the actor gives a complex yet undeniably powerful portrayal of a victim of the 2013 Boston marathon bombing, who recovers from losing both legs, only to encounter more complications with his celebrity status. (Opens on December 28)
Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook
Most Popular
Viewed
- 1
![Donnie Yen makes legal strike against makers of terrible Iceman film]()
- 2
![Stephen King’s latest novel Elevation is a return to form for the master storyteller. Photo: Alamy]( "Stephen King’s latest novel Elevation is a return to form for the master storyteller. Photo: Alamy")
- 3
![Marvel’s three biggest Asian superheroes during Stan Lee’s time]()
- 4
![The ‘apocalyptic love comedy’, ‘Circus Funestus’ – featuring microscopic hero, Mr Flea, who sparks a good-versus-evil battle declaring his love for a circus elephant – will be performed by Sofie Krug Teater in September as part of Hong Kong's ‘From Puppets to Humans’ Series]( "The ‘apocalyptic love comedy’, ‘Circus Funestus’ – featuring microscopic hero, Mr Flea, who sparks a good-versus-evil battle declaring his love for a circus elephant – will be performed by Sofie Krug Teater in September as part of Hong Kong's ‘From Puppets to Humans’ Series")
- 5
![Chinese director Zhang Yimou with his trophy after winning the best director award for his film “Shadow” at Taiwan’s 55th Golden Horse film awards in Taipei on Saturday. Photo: AFP]( "Chinese director Zhang Yimou with his trophy after winning the best director award for his film “Shadow” at Taiwan’s 55th Golden Horse film awards in Taipei on Saturday. Photo: AFP")
Shared
- 1
![Stephen King’s latest novel Elevation is a return to form for the master storyteller. Photo: Alamy]( "Stephen King’s latest novel Elevation is a return to form for the master storyteller. Photo: Alamy")
- 2
![Donnie Yen makes legal strike against makers of terrible Iceman film]()
- 3
![The ‘apocalyptic love comedy’, ‘Circus Funestus’ – featuring microscopic hero, Mr Flea, who sparks a good-versus-evil battle declaring his love for a circus elephant – will be performed by Sofie Krug Teater in September as part of Hong Kong's ‘From Puppets to Humans’ Series]( "The ‘apocalyptic love comedy’, ‘Circus Funestus’ – featuring microscopic hero, Mr Flea, who sparks a good-versus-evil battle declaring his love for a circus elephant – will be performed by Sofie Krug Teater in September as part of Hong Kong's ‘From Puppets to Humans’ Series")
- 4
![Performers of Cantonese opera, which combines singing, music, acrobatics and martial arts, often use hand and body gestures, eye expressions and footwork to reveal information about the plot.]( "Performers of Cantonese opera, which combines singing, music, acrobatics and martial arts, often use hand and body gestures, eye expressions and footwork to reveal information about the plot.")
- 5
![The piano duo of Jennifer Rüth (left) and Ming, known as the Queenz of Piano, who will perform their dynamic acrobatic musical show, mixing classical, pop and rock music in Hong Kong on November 17.]( "The piano duo of Jennifer Rüth (left) and Ming, known as the Queenz of Piano, who will perform their dynamic acrobatic musical show, mixing classical, pop and rock music in Hong Kong on November 17.")
Commented
- 1
![Apec summit ends without agreement as US and China’s deep divisions over trade emerge]()
- 2
![China's President Xi Jinping leaves Apec Haus during the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum in Port Moresby. Police were called on a group of Chinese officials that tried to barge into the PNG foreign minister’s office to influence the summit communique. Photo: EPA]( "China's President Xi Jinping leaves Apec Haus during the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum in Port Moresby. Police were called on a group of Chinese officials that tried to barge into the PNG foreign minister’s office to influence the summit communique. Photo: EPA")
- 3
![Papua New Guinea ‘should learn from Malaysia’s Mahathir to avoid becoming a Chinese colony’]()
- 4
![A Chinese supreme court ruling says that people who sell more than 5,000 copies of an erotic work or make more than 10,000 yuan from doing so should be jailed for 10 years to life. Photo: AFP]( "A Chinese supreme court ruling says that people who sell more than 5,000 copies of an erotic work or make more than 10,000 yuan from doing so should be jailed for 10 years to life. Photo: AFP")
- 5
![Long Yongtu said the decision to target soybeans from the start was unwise. Photo: AFP]( "Long Yongtu said the decision to target soybeans from the start was unwise. Photo: AFP")
You may also like
Disabled badminton player aiming for Tokyo 2020
In partnership with: Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Break the rules with Audemars Piguet’s Millenary
Sponsored by: Audemars Piguet
Comments: