5 movies or shows to watch in Hong Kong this weekend, September 20-22

Transformers One, with Chris Hemsworth, and a Hong Kong drama hit cinemas. The Penguin, with Colin Farrell, and a classic anime are streaming

Reading Time:3 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

A still from Transformers One, voiced by Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and other big names. The animated film is in cinemas this weekend, but for those who’d rather stay home, The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, is streaming on HBO, and a classic, tear-jerking anime and a K-drama about a billionaire are on Netflix.

SCMP Reporter

Published: 1:15pm, 19 Sep 2024

A bittersweet Hong Kong drama and a Transformers origin story beckon cinema-goers in the city this weekend.

If you prefer streaming, you can watch one of the best animated films of all time, divert yourself with a Korean series full of comic high jinks and relatable drama, or witness Colin Farrell’s extraordinary transformation into a DC Comics supervillain for a Batman spin-off series – think Robert de Niro playing Donald Trump.

1. Once in a Blue Moon

【《望月》正式預告登場🌕】

Working-class despair, relationship troubles and long-buried family secrets vie for attention in Once in a Blue Moon, writer-director Andy Lo Yiu-fai’s long-awaited follow-up to his exquisite 2016 film Happiness.

Lo’s new film is a bittersweet, character-driven drama depicting the prosaic concerns of two adult children – played by Gladys Li Ching-kwan and Peter Chan Charm-man – in a single-parent family in Hong Kong during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is thoughtful and endearing, with minor developments rather than major dramatic conflicts offering a mostly engaging look at adulthood in all its harsh glory. Read our full review

Once in a Blue Moon opens in cinemas today.