This article originally appeared on our sister website, That's Shanghai.
Here are all the major international movies to catch in Chinese theaters this May.*
Now Playing: Au revoir là-haut (See You Up There)
Image via Stadenn Prod/IMDB
Scoring 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, this 2017 release set in 1919 tells the tale of two former soldiers that start a scam, making money off war memorials. The pair – a brilliant, disfigured artist and his partner, an accountant – embark on a hustle that quickly turns dangerous in a dramatic award-winning French film featuring the glamorous backdrop of the Parisian ’20s.
Now Playing: Capernaum
Image via Mooz Films/IMDB
In this Lebanese film, a young boy named Zain sues his parents for the crime of giving him life. He transitions from a street smart kid, to a young adult fleeing his parents, to a criminal, to a self-defending courtroom advocate in an emotional drama that isn’t meant for young eyes, but is a welcome addition on the big screen this month.
May 10: Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
Image via Legendary Entertainment/IMDB
Pokémon fans are in for a surprise with this updated, live-action remake of the cultural phenomenon that defined a generation. Pikachu turns into a caffeine-addicted super-sleuth (voiced by Ryan Reynolds, because yes, he talks), who meets a young man named Tim (Justice Smith) after finding an address in a detective cap. Upon realizing that Tim can understand him, the duo embark on a journey to recover Pikachu’s memory and track down Tim’s father. Operating in the modern metropolis of Ryme City where humans and Pokémon co-exist, they uncover a shocking plot that threatens to upset the balance of their world, leading them on an expedition that they hadn’t quite prepared for.
May 10: Roma
Image via Netflix/IMDB
People of China, rejoice! The acclaimed 2018 studio release from Netflix is hitting our silver screens this month. A story about love, death, war, loss and the banality of the every day, this complex film about a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico City is one that’s best watched in a cinema. While it asks a lot from its viewers, Roma is well worth the time in its articulation of transformation and tragedy through a less-popularized cultural lens.
May 16: Heidi
Image via Claussen Wöbke Putz Filmproduktion/IMDB
This feel-good Swiss film about a young orphan named Heidi is one for the family. A story of friendship and growth, it details the lives of Heidi and her family living in the alps, navigating growing pains, a longing for education, loss and developing relationships.
May 24: Dragon Ball Super: Broly
Image via Toei/IMDB
Goku me timbers, Dragon Ball is back! Teaming up with Vegeta, the two must face off against Broly – a Saiyan (alien) fighter the likes of which they’ve never seen before. The movie, which is very action heavy, is the 20th Dragon Ball film to date, with the screenplay and story written by the series author Akira Toriyama. It’s also one of the highest-grossing anime films of all time.
May 25: Aladdin
Image via Walt Disney Pictures/IMDB
In this live-action remake of the 1992 Disney classic, Guy Ritchie brings his fast-paced directing flair to the uplifting story of the ne’er-do-well thief who changes his fortune with the help of a wisecracking genie. With a diverse cast that includes Will Smith as the lamp-dwelling, wish-granting Genie, and young Canadian actor Mena Massoud as the infamous street urchin, the latest edition of the Arabian Nights tale promises to be punchier and more action-packed than ever before. Flying carpets, brilliantly colorful sets and original songs like ‘Never Had a Friend Like Me’ in the score set it up to be a more lighthearted version of a childhood favorite.
May 31: Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Image via Warner Bros./IMDB
Starring Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things, the infamous monster Godzilla is back to terrorize the masses once again – but this time he isn't alone. It's up to the efforts of cryptozoological agency Monarch to thwart the fleet of mythological creatures vying for supremacy in a catastrophic war against humanity. Let destruction ensue!
May 31: Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie
Image via Jam Filled Toronto/IMDB
Everyone's favorite tank engine is back at it, leaving his hometown of Sodor to fulfill his dream of traversing the planet and seeing the world. He travels over deserts, through jungles and across five continents in this family-friendly flick that's perfect for the kids.
*Release dates subject to change
See more recent movie releases in China.
[Cover image via Walt Disney Pictures/IMDB]
This article was originally published by our sister magazine That's Shanghai. For more articles like this, visit the That's Shanghai website, or follow the That's Shanghai WeChat account (ID: Thats_Shanghai).
