What's New is a recurring column that looks at the new films, music, books and DVD releases in and/or about Chinese mainland
New Film: The Revenant
Leo finally got his Oscar and all it took was being savagely beaten by a bear. With three wins at this year’s Academy Awards, this historical epic has secured a Mainland release. Inspired by the experience of frontiersman Hugh Glass in 1823, The Revenant follows DiCaprio’s Glass lead a crew of trappers on a doomed mission. Attacked by Natives, Glass is abandoned by his crew thanks to John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), but the film follows his quest for revenge. With The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu is just the third director and the first since 1950 to go back to back with Oscar wins after 2014’s The Birdman. In theaters nationwide on March 18.
New Film: Eddie the Eagle
This inspirational biopic recounts the journey of Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, who became the first Brit to compete in Olympic ski jumping at the 1988 Calgary games. Taron Egerton stars in the titular role, with X-Men’s Hugh Jackman co-starring as his coach and the immortal Christopher Walker as Jackman’s mentor. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will come to China before its UK wide release. In theaters nationwide on March 18.
New Album: Queen Sea Big Shark - To Wild Heart
It may have taken six years but Queen Sea Big Shark have finally released their third album. With viral hits ‘Bling Bling Bling’ and ‘Mammoth’ included, To Wild Heart is immediately essential. However the shapeshifting quartet prove to be in fine form, kicking the disc off with triumphant horns where dance-punk synths and surf-rock guitar riffs had previously been on their past discs. The album’s subtitle ‘Beijing Surfer’s Adventure’ proves to be apt as the band mixes an array of new sounds like sitar (‘Himalayas’), rap (‘Modern People Are So Fancy’) and skewed slide guitar (‘88 Olympics’) into their already vast and colorful sound. Available on Modern Sky.
New Videocast: Meat & Bone
While Le TV and Boiler Room are planning to bring in a Chinese version of the famed electronic music showcase to the Mainland next month, Shanghai based DJ William Mclean has hooked up with London’s NTS Radio to create the videocast Meat&Bone. The bi-weekly show is streamed live on London’s NTS Radio and is hosted at Uptown Records & Beer. Video of the first episode is online featuring the SVBKVLT affiliated Swimful (pictured above) and Rankadank’s Zean. The next episode will be broadcast on March 15 from 8-9pm. Keep up to date at NTS Radio and at Meat & Bone’s website.
New Videocast: WE: A Community of Chinese Contemporary Artists
Speaking of Le TV, their live streaming division Le Live has teamed up with Shanghai based K11 Art Mall to cover the weekly Sunday afternoon performances tied to the recently opened and acclaimed We: A Community of Chinese Contemporary Artists. Running until May 3, the exhibition features 57 artists including notable participants like Zhang Enli and Lu Yang. For people who can’t make it, performance art pieces by Shanghai’s Gao Minyan live will be broadcast live on March 20 and award-winning Hangzhou based artist Cheng Ran on March 27. Keep up to date at Le Eco’s We: A Community of Chinese Contemporary Artists page.
New Show: Aquarius
Since we’re going down the Le TV tunnel, we were delighted to discover that they had a wealth of foreign TV streaming options. While regulation ensures that there will always be a lag, the site’s impressive offerings include last year’s acclaimed summer sci-fi series Humans, the British magical extravaganza Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and so much Dr. Who. It’s not just a British thing as the site has begun broadcasting this American period crime drama. Set in 1967 Los Angeles, David Duchovny stars as an LAPD detective on the hunt for a missing teenage girl who he discovers is under the say of Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony in a complete 180 from his famed portrayal as Reny Baratheon on Game of Thrones). The show will be available weekly on Le TV.
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