Cover Wondering what to watch now that cinemas in Hong Kong are open? Read our list to find out (Photo: Courtesy of Golden Scene)

With cinemas reopening in Hong Kong, we're listing the best new movies to see on the big screen––from "Wonder Woman 1984", "Dear Tenant", "The Silent Forest" and more

Film buffs rejoice as cinemas are open again in Hong Kong after a long hiatus due to the fourth wave of Covid-19 in the city.

With the reopening, health protocols will be set in place such as requiring visitors to use the contact-tracing app or give their contact details manually upon entry in addition to temperature checks, social distancing measures and mask-wearing.

Since the long closure, a backlog of films are waiting to be finally be shown in the cinema. And while we have Netflix releasing new films every week, the joy of watching blockbusters on the big screen is still an experience in itself.

Wondering what to watch first? We've listed nine new movies that you should check out now that cinemas are open again.

See also: Hong Kong's Most Luxurious Cinema Experiences

1. Wonder Woman 1984

Wonder Woman's next adventure is here. The superhero will be facing two all-new foes, Max Lord and The Cheetah in Wonder Woman 1984. Director Patty Jenkins is back to spearhead the film with Gal Gadot reprising her titular role.

It also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascual as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope and Connie Nielson as Hippolyta.

See also: 16 Of The Most Anticipated Movie Releases Of 2021

2. Oldboy

A 4K restoration of Park Chan-wook's classic, Oldboy is here, giving its cult fanbase a chance to see the award-winning film on the big screen.

Following the story of Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) who lives a seamlessly ordinary life, wakes up in a private makeshift prison. After 15 years of confinement, Oh is set free. Determined to find out the truth, Oh hunts for his captor. But the truth is far from what he imagined.

Oldboy won the Grand Jury Prize in the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and cemented Park's status as a leading director in South Korea and beyond.

See also: 7 Korean Movies To Watch On Netflix

3. The Way We Keep Dancing

The Way We Keep Dancing is the anticipated sequel to Adam Wong's 2013 hit, The Way We Dance which sheds light on the plight of Hong Kong's grassroots performing artists. The actors play a fictionalised version of themselves with the new lead character, rapper Heyo Fok Ka-ho, playing himself.

Rising artist, Hana, production company owner, Dave and street dancer Mik Tea all reprise their roles for the sequel. The movie follows the group as they're invited to participate in a publicity stunt to transfer the fictional Kowloon Industrial District into a Dance Street.

See also: Hong Kong Arts Festival Returns This February With In-Person & Online Events

4. Soul

Pixar's Soul will take you to look inside your soul, exploring your passion, dreams and interests. Set in the streets of New York City to the cosmic realms where you're set to find the answers to life's most important questions.

Soul is directed by two-time Academy Award winner Pete Docter of Up and Inside Out. We can expect the same sentimental and touching moments in the film.

See also: 10 Feel-Good Movies To Watch On Netflix

5. Assassins

Assassins follow the real-life assassination of King Jong-nam, the estranged older half-brother of Kim Jong-un at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February 2017. The news sent shockwaves across the globe with the manner it was down—in broad daylight and in public.

The work done by two young women, pressed VX, the most lethal nerve gas on Earth, onto his eye and instantly died within an hour. While the murder was extreme, an even more bizarre story followed with the two assassins claiming not knowing they were participating in an assassination. The film by Ryan White will investigate the nefarious murder plot.

See also: The Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch On Netflix

6. Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down

Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down has enjoyed a successful run in the festival circuit since it's international premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam which includes the Vancouver International Film Festival, Hong Kong Asian Film Festival and New York Asian Film Festival.

The comical documentary tells four bittersweet stories of Hong Kongers contending with nostalgia and an uncertain future such as two immigrant Hong Kong women joining forces to undertake an epic journey in the city and brothers who return to their working-class neighbourhood for one last hangout.

Directed by husband-and-wife duo, Leung Ming-kai who worked on a dozen celebrated features including Old Stone, By the Time it Gets Dark and Murmur of the Hearts and Kate Reilly, who also stars in the film, has moved with notable directors across the globe, Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down is sure to humour but also remind us about the sentimental memories of the city we call home.

See also: 14 Great Hong Kong Movies to Add to Your Netflix Watch List

7. Dear Tenant

Dear Tenant enjoyed a successful run during the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival and lucky for us, we still have the chance to set it on the big screen. The movie is helmed by director Cheng Yu-Chieh of award-winning TV series, Days We Stare at the Sun, who is making a comeback in directing feature-length.

The Taiwanese drama tells the story of Lin (Morning Tzu-Yi Mo) who has been taking care of by his landlady, Mrs. Chou (Grace Chen Shu-Fang) and her grandson (Bai Run-yin) for the past five years. When Mrs. Chou passes away, her son (Jay Shih) suspects foul play. He accuses Lin of murdering his mother an investigation soon takes plan with Lin's secrets unravelling.

Expect stellar performances from the leads with Grace Chen winning Best Supporting Actress and Best Leading Actor for Mo as well as Best Original Film at the Golden Horse Awards.

See also: Golden Scene Founder Winnie Tsang Lai-fun Talks Opening A New Cinema In Kennedy Town

 

8. The Silent Forest

The Silent Forest is a powerful drama inspired by real events. Director Ko Chien-Nien's directorial debut is based on sexual assault cases in a hearing-impaired school in Tainan, cementing Ko as a director to watch in Taiwanese cinema. The 2012 real-life evens had 164 victims with both perpetrators and victims being students. A similar case happened in Hualien in 2018 as well as in South Korea that inspired the 2011 film, Silenced.

The movie centres on Chang Cheng, who just transferred to a school for children with special needs with Chang himself, being deaf. He witnesses a "game" taking place on the bus and upon seeing his crush, Bei Bei, being a victim of the game, he's caught between exposing the truth or just joining in.

In the real-life event, victims themselves became perpetrators later on. But the school faced no legal consequences and 16 of the prosecuted individuals didn't face jail time. The movie also blurs the lines between perpetrators and victims, echoing the real-life case.

See also: 24 Best New Movies To Watch On Netflix In 2021

9. 3cm

3cm was actually first shown during the Hong Kong Film Festival in 2019 but is getting another run at cinemas, particularly Broadway Cinematheque. The critically-acclaimed documentary sheds light on Hong Kong's medical system about a young Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) patient who also lost her mother to the disease.

Critiquing current practices in place, there has been slow approval to allow treatment for the disease, especially when it comes to regulations on drugs that can help treat it. The movie will show an in-depth look at ordinary people, holding on to the will to live.

See also: 11 Inspiring Netflix Documentaries To Make 2021 Your Healthiest, Happiest Year Yet

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