Johnnie To's 'Office' Will Be A Highlight Of Asian Pop-Up Cinema's 2nd Season
By Joel Wicklund in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 17, 2016 8:11PM
Chow Yun Fat in "Office." (Photo: ©2015 China Lion Film Distribution.)
From youthful fantasy to adult romance to a musical by a crime film master, devotees of Asian films have a lot to look forward to over the next three months. Following its inaugural series last year, Asian Pop-Up Cinema returns for what is now planned as a biannual showcase of contemporary films from various countries.
China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand will be represented during the 10-film series, running until May 20. Wednesday's opening night film (the restored and reworked Chinese animation epic, The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven) is already sold out, but tickets remain for the rest of the schedule. The movies show Wednesdays and Sundays, except for a closing night feature on Friday, May 20. That final film, to be announced in April, will be one by the prolific Hong Kong director Herman Yau (Ip Man: The Final Fight), who will be honored at the event.
Our must-see pick for the series comes on Sunday, Feb. 28 when Johnny To's Office gets a Chicago encore after playing at the Gene Siskel Film Center in December. One of Hong Kong's top working directors, To is best known for his work in action films and gangster dramas like The Heroic Trio, Running Out of Time and Drug War, but he earned rave reviews for this musical satire of corporate life. The cast includes Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun Fat.
Also on our radar is Pee Mak (March 20), a 2012 Thai film that merges broad comedy with classic ghost story tropes. Director Banjong Pisanthanaku made his directorial debut with the 2004 chiller, Shutter, which spawned an English language remake and Bollywood musical reboot.
As with the first series, films are showing at either AMC's River East 21 theatres in the city or at the Wilmette Theatre, with a couple of features playing both venues. Columbia College teacher and Cinema Slapdown referee Ron Falzone also returns to moderate post-film Q&A sessions.
Click here for the complete schedule and ticket information.