Butterflies [蝴蝶] (2021)

A lengthy short film (44 mins), Butterflies is set in a future Taiwan which has been occupied by an (unnamed) foreign power which is hunting down rebels. Yu [Han Ning, Detention the series] is on the run. Lien [Yu Pei-jen] and her adoptive (and abusive) mother [Vera Chen] claim to alter chemically people's appearance so…

Chinese cinema in time of COVID

This note looks at developments in Chinese cinema (focusing on mainland films) from the onset of COVID (effectively January 2020) to early 2022. Given that cinemas were closed for much of 2020, there was obviously a significant impact on the cinema industry including box office receipts. The number of films released in cinemas in 2020…

Secrets of 1979 [弓蕉園的秘密] (2021)

Secrets of 1979 is the latest in Zero Chou's (Zhou Meiling) LGBT-themed series of films set in different cities. Apparently this movie was set to be filmed in Malaysia until COVID intervened. It is now set in Taiwan with the Malaysian influence confined to one of the leads. I watched this in the hope of…

Manchurian Tiger [东北虎] (2022)

In this follow up to the 2016 Free and Easy, director Geng Jun shows all the same skills and weaknesses as in that (not very funny) black comedy. The earlier film - set like this one in the north east - looked good but was ultimately unengaging. Manchurian Tiger - set again in and around…

Moneyboys [金钱男孩] (2021)

The story of Fei [Kai Ko], Moneyboys is a downbeat tale of violence, police raids, fake marriages and family rejection in the Chinese gay community. It opens with Fei working as a male prostitute and developing a relationship with Xiaolai [JC Lin]. When Fei is badly beaten by a client, Xiaolai tries to avenge him…

River of Salvation [一江春水] (2020)

The best mainland film I have seen in several months and one of the best of 2021-2 (although shown at the 2021 FIRST Film Festival it was released commercially in February 2022). River of Salvation is the story of one woman's fight for survival and, more generally and without being overly didactic, it shows China…

Lost and Found [以年为单位的恋爱] (2021)

An uncertain mix of rom-com and romantic drama, the possibility of a much better movie appears briefly at one point and disappears just as rapidly. Set - as with Good Night Beijing - in a clean and shiny BJ, hotel receptionist Lu Lushan aka Shanshan [Mao Xiaotong] and IT project start-up co-owner Jiang Yu [Yang…