Top five films to watch in Hong Kong this week (February 15- 21), from Black Panther to A Fantastic Woman

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1. A Fantastic Woman

A transgender waitress (played by trans actress Daniela Vega) must tackle grief and prejudice when her older boyfriend dies suddenly – such as his family barring her from his funeral – in this heart-rending film from Chile, a favourite to take home this year’s best-foreign-language film Oscar. (Opens on February 15)

2. Black Panther

The Marvel Cinematic Universe receives a jolt of cultural relevance with its first stand-alone film about a black superhero. An Afro-futurist royal tragedy blessed with colourful characters and thrilling action, it puts Chadwick Boseman’s warrior king centre stage after his supporting turn in Captain America: Civil War . (Now showing)

3. Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny

It’s a laudatory documentary, for sure, but what else did you expect from an insightful portrait of one of the leading figures of the 1990s American independent filmmaking wave? Needless to say, this is also a must-see for fans of Linklater’s Before Sunrise trilogy and his modern classic, 2014’s Boyhood. (Opens on February 16)

4. Monster Hunt 2

We have no idea how good the movie is – it’s not screened for critics before release. But the whole of China will certainly be watching this sequel to Raman Hui Shing-ngai’s 2015 live-action debut, then the first home-grown mega-blockbuster in China. The addition of Tony Leung Chiu-wai to the cast doesn’t hurt, either. (Opens on February 16)

5. Wonder Wheel

There are many ways that you can interpret this Woody Allen film: a creepy look at gender dynamics, an outrageous allusion to Allen’s own family controversies, or just a melancholic swansong for a once-venerable filmmaker. Taken on its own, however, this is also Kate Winslet’s best performance in years. (Now showing)

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