The themes of this National Day week-long break are unsurprisingly patriotism and surprisingly Mount Everest. Here’s the slate of films trying to beat Ne Zha and The Wandering Earth‘s record-breaking numbers this year. All four are available in limited theaters in the U.S. and Canada (and probably New Zealand and Australia).
Abominable, the love letter to Chinese scenery that’s the first film from Pearl Studio, a venture between DreamWorks Animation, China Media Capital, and the Shanghai Media Group. I’ve seen it in English and definitely recommend it. The main characters are very shippable in an Asian drama way, and the imagery is super imaginative.
Note that if you’re in the U.S., you can watch the film with Chinese dubs in theaters by using the Theater Ears app.
Voice actors: Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai, Tenzing Norgay Trainor in English; Zhang Zifeng, Arthur Chen Feiyu, Wan Qian, Cai Qin in Chinese
The Climbers, a live-action version of Abominable
Director: Daniel Lee (White Vengeance, 14 Blades)
Starring: Wu Jing, Zhang Ziyi, Zhang Yi, Jing Boran, Hu Ge, Jackie Chan, Quni Ciren, Duobujie, Buwang Duobu,
The Captain, a feature-length episode of Air Crash Investigation
Director: Andrew Lau (Infernal Affairs)
Starring: Zhang Hanyun, Li Xian, Li Qin, Zhang Tian’ai
Me People My Country, a film of varying quality
- Guan Hu (Mr. Six)– Ou Hao, Huang Bo, Wang Qianyuan
- Zhang Yibai (Fleet of Time) – Zhang Jiayi, Zhang Yi
- Xu Zheng (Lost in Thailand) – Liu Tao, Xu Zheng
- Xue Xiaolu (Finding Mr. Right).- Du Jiang, Zhu Yilong, Gao Yalin
- Ning Hao (Let the Bullets Fly) – Ge You
- Wen Muye (Dying to Survive) – Tong Liya, Song Jia, Lei Jiayin
- Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) – Liu Haoran, Chen Feiyu, Tian Zhuangzhuang
- Wen Yan (Angels Wear White) – Andy Lau, Zhuang Yinan