As per custom every Chinese New Year, it’s the time where family reunions take place. In the midst of it, why not enjoy some Chinese New Year movies at the cinemas?
It is the norm that most Chinese flicks releases will be of the comedic genre to match the festive mood of the season. Don’t know what to watch during the upcoming holidays? We’ve compiled a list of movies to help you out:
1. A House Of Happiness (一家亲亲过好年)
- Director: JY Teng
- Cast: Richard Ng, Mimi Chu, Chan Fong, Cheryl Lee
- Language: Cantonese
- Release Date: 15th February 2018
“Bad-tempered Uncle Shui suffers from Alzheimer’s disease but he can at least remember that his wife Summer has died and his son Liong Gor is working in the city. Ha Gu stays with him and takes care of him but she leaves him when she can no longer stand his bad temper. He then falls in love with a woman who looks a lot like his late wife. Liong Gor is called back by the neighbours to help his father cope with living alone but Liong Gor hides a secret and is worried of its impact on his family.”
2. Think Big Big (大大哒)
- Director: Chiu Keng Guan
- Cast: Moon Yoong, Joanne Lau, Serene Lim, Fabian Loo, Ruby Yap, Vivienne Oon
- Language: Mandarin
- Release Date: 15th February 2018
Lim Mun Yue – which translates to ‘moon’ – is a happy plus-sized girl who works as a mascot at Sunway Lagoon. One day, she signs up for a weight loss competition. “Think Big Big (大大哒)” follows Moon’s weight loss journey as she becomes a big-time social media influencer. But when her life is turned upside down, she has to dig deep in finding what true happiness means to her.
3. Wonderful! Liang Xi Mei (旺得福梁细妹)
- Director: Jack Neo
- Cast: Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Jaspers Lai
- Language: Mandarin
- Release Date: 15th February 2018
“Liang Xing Mei is now retired and spends her time looking after two obedient grandsons. Life is still exciting for her thanks to her friends Guang Dong Po, whose absent mind tends to muddle things up a lot, and Lion King, whose mild Alzheimer’s disease causes confusion and frustration for everyone. She favours her youngest son Albert because he is more reliable compared to his older brother Robert, who is always scheming to get rich fast. This makes Robert jealous and he ends up getting the help of the God of Fortune to win back his mother’s approval.”
4. Agent Mr Chan (栋笃特工)
- Director: Jeff Cheung Ka Kit
- Cast: Dayo Wong, Charmaine Sheh, Cecilia So, Sze Kwan Cheng
- Language: Cantonese
- Release Date: 15th February 2018
“Top agent Mr. Chan suddenly finds himself removed from duties after his partner Wonder Child unintentionally offended a policewoman, Ms. Shek. But when a financial officer goes crazy due to drugs, Mr. Chan is called back in to solve the case, which he accepts even though he is force to collaborate with Ms. Shek. Despite their differences, the pair eventually develop feelings for one another.”
5. A Beautiful Moment (我的情敵女婿)
- Director: Patrick Kong
- Cast: Carina Lau, Simon Yam, Michelle Wai, Ivana Wong, Philip Keung, Bob Lam, Natalie Tong, Alex Fong Lik Sun
- Language: Cantonese
- Release Date: 15th February 2018
“A complicated love triangle forms between an aging bachelor playboy, his wife-to-be and her stepmother. The man, thinking that he has met the girl of his dreams, asks her to marry him. But after he proposes to the girl, he realises that the girl’s stepmother was his former love. Even though he and the stepmother pretend they don’t know each other, he starts to develop feelings for his first love again as his own wedding date gets closer.”
6. The Monkey King 3 (西遊記: 女兒國)
- Director: Cheang Pou Soi
- Cast: Aaron Kwok, Feng Shaofeng, Zanilia Zhao, Lin Chi Ling, Yuen King-Tan
- Language: Mandarin
- Release Date: 15th February 2018
“Passing by Wang Chuan River, Tang Sanzang and his disciples mistakenly make the River God angry. They break into Xi Liang to hide themselves and realise that they’ve entered an all-female territory, where no man has stepped foot in since it was established. They are not welcome in the country. Having said that, the arrival of a monk from the East along with a monkey, a pig and a blue-coloured man has been prophesied as the beginning of the end for the country.”
7. Monster Hunt 2 (捉妖記 2)
- Director: Raman Hui
- Cast: Bai Baihe, Jing Boran, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Li Yuchun, Tony Yang
- Language: Cantonese
- Release Date: 16th February 2018
“The story continues after Wuba has parted ways with his human parents Tian and Lan. There is still no peace in the world as a sinister lord has seized the throne following the death of the evil monster king. Meanwhile, Wuba has to go back into hiding when a heavy bounty is place on his head. While in hiding, he reluctantly forms an alliance with an ill-famed gambler, Tu, who is not only deep in debt but also up to no good.”
8. Staycation (一家大晒)
- Director: Johnson Lee
- Cast: Johnson Lee, Louisa So, Ti Lung, Chin Siu Ho, Andrew Lam
- Language: Cantonese
- Release Date: 22nd February 2018
“A traditional family man called Fai drives his wife and kids to a remote camp site, the same place where he proposed to his wife 15 years ago. Things don’t go as planned even though he wants to foster their family bond. Their trip is interrupted by Fai’s father and his troublemaker brother. While in the wilderness, their relationships are put to the test.”
Sources: KL Now, Cinema Online.
