Category: Cinema

A Chinese Ghost Story Returns: Wilson Yip & 4K Trilogy

Explore how A Chinese Ghost Story returns: the 1987 trilogy’s legacy, the 2011 remake, and the upcoming Shout! Studios 4K release.

A Chinese Ghost Story GenericA Chinese Ghost Story Returns with not only a look back at Wilson Yip’s 2011 remake, but also news of the upcoming Shout! Studios 4K trilogy release. With Ghost Month here, it feels like the perfect time to revisit one of Hong Kong cinema’s most haunting sagas. This supernatural romance has captured audiences since 1987, and it’s about to return in stunning form. The folklore is classic, and how can not weep for the shadow whose only glimmer of hope is that of a naïve scholar?

Director Wilson Yip took on A Chinese Ghost Story (2011) with the goal of reimagining the classic tale for a new generation. While opinions remain divided on whether his version matches the original’s magic, it undeniably keeps the legend alive. By comparing both versions, we see how this story of love, spirits, and duty continues to evolve. When the third film slightly deviated from the formula (I reviewed this instalment when Fantasia played it), there’s room to grow. And with the classic trilogy getting a fully remastered release (Amazon link), I’m eager to revisit it!

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Ghost Month 2025: Chinese Horror Picks & New Teasers

Although no films were made specifically for Ghost Month 2025, there’s plenty of support from releases earlier this year and following!

Ghost Month 2025The second half of August is shaping up to be very spooky and Fringey. Ghost Month 2025 starts on Aug. 23 and runs until Sept. 21. As for Hungry Ghost Festival, that will be on Sept 6!

Although there’s no mandate about releasing films during this time–that’s reserved for Chinese New Year–some fans of horror always like to look at what’s on the cinematic slate to be reminded about what the Hungry Ghost Festival will entail. Some years have seen releases made specifically for this celebration as it’s a time not to be afraid of, but honour!

But for those who want to know what’s happening this year, we got a guide!

Fresh Releases, Teasers & Trailers
Plus Where to Watch

  • The Dark Mysteries (China, 2025) — A new horror/sci-fi teaser has dropped, hinting at eerie supernatural disturbances and a mystery to unravel. A late-summer digital or theatrical drop feels likely—stay tuned!
  • Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio:
    Curious Tales of a Temple (China, July 2025) —     Just when this film will manifest in other countries is still in question, but for those fans of Chinese Ghost Story, and Pu Songling’s classic collection “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,” this animated take will please! Technically, Ghost Month 2025 can’t be complete with this film. There are six stories, and our coverage can be found by searching our archives with this link.
  • Ghost Killer — Available on Digital via WELL GO USA — Geared toward Asian horror fans, this trailer teases a ghostly revenge story packed with atmosphere and tension.

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[Fantasia Film Festival] Unveiling the Hidden Truth: A Chinese Ghost Story 3’s Secret Reincarnation Links

Explore how A Chinese Ghost Story 3 subtly connects to its predecessors through the enduring theme of reincarnation and the nuances of cultivation.

A Chinese Ghost Story 3
Playing at Fantasia Film Festival Aug 3. Buy your tickets here!

Spoiler Alert

The original “A Chinese Ghost Story” trilogy (1987–1991) is a cult classic that stands the test of time. And at Fantasia Film Fest, the programming team decided to play A Chinese Ghost Story 3 on the big screen instead of the other two, which are narratively better than this chapter. The reason may well be because the third film was originally designed to be standalone. But for a long-time fan like me, these movies are connected because of what Daoism tries to achieve–cultivation. It’s like connecting to The Force in Star Wars.

But because reincarnation is a major theme that connects all three movies, there’s an implication that Fong (Tony Leung Chiu-waii) may well be an incarnation of Ning Choi-san. That’s how I read the introduction, which explains why this film jumped 100 years into this world’s future. When Yin Chik-ha, a Taoist priest, and Ning Choi-san, the scholar, are fighting the tree-demon again in order to banish it for a century, the setup feels obvious.

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[Fantasia Film Festival] Dog of God or God of War? Just Why Lycans Crucially Matter Here is…

…that we can expect the unexpected! This wonderfully edgy film redefines what werewolves represents. To say one can be a “Dog of God,” gets morally justified here!

Dog of God Movie Poster
This movie played at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival on Monday evening, July 21st.

Potential Spoiler Alert

Vampire Hunter D better look out. There’s a new antihero in town, and his name is Dog of God! This character is more creepy than charming; given the movie’s title, I looked into its production history. And when the storylines of both are similar, I’m going to have a tough time deciding on who is the better hero.

This animated film made by Latvian filmmakers Lauris and Raitis Abele has lots of elements to like. It’s presented as a parable. When they drew inspiration from the court case where the Thiess of Kaltenbrun was accused of theft, he admitted to being a werewolf. It’s a story that might surprise even history buffs. According to records, officials brought an 82-year-old man to court, where he admitted to being a werewolf. He recounted his battles against witches and wizards who served the devil, and as an emissary of his mighty Lord and saviour, he’s out to do good rather than evil–which humanity is having trouble believing! 

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Fantasia Film Festival 2025 More Epic Picks of Must Sees!

When Fantasia Film Festival is the place to be for films old and new set within the genre of speculative fiction, it’ll have a bit of everything for everyone to enjoy, and this list considers them all!

Fantasia Film Festival 2025 Movie PosterWith the complete list of films and shorts fully announced, the 2025 edition of Fantasia Film Festival has a terrific selection of films to get fans of Asian cinema buzzing. That’s because anyone fresh from seeing STRANGE TALES: LAN RUO TEMPLE aka Curious Tales of a Temple (as Light Chaser Animation lists it) can see a revisionist version of “Nie Xiaoqian” with a cinematic presentation of Chinese Ghost Story 3 (Aug 3)

Even though that means racking up tons of air miles points to fly from China to Montreal, it might be easier to rent the film originally made in 1991. But then, one would miss out on seeing The Battle Wizard (July 20th), a fun Shaw Brothers Studio production considered by many a cult work.

With those two works said, the following remaining films make my list of must-see this hot summer season.

Queens of the Dead
Aug 02

Queens of the Dead Movie PoserIt’s Easter in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and a different resurrection is at hand. Dre (LOVE LIES BLEEDING breakout Katy O’Brian) is putting on a warehouse drag show, trying to deal with her lead performer’s last-minute cancellation, among other problems. One that she never could have imagined is a zombie apocalypse breaking out in her neighbourhood, which besieges her and her team while her wife Lizzy (Riki Lindhome, THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW), a nurse at a local hospital, tries to dodge the flesh-eating hordes and get across town to Dre. As the trapped party crew deal with various interpersonal issues—most notably the sudden return of Sam, a.k.a. Samoncé (Jaquel Spivey, MEAN GIRLS), some time after abandoning Dre and her show at a crucial moment—they’re forced to resolve their differences and band together and survive.

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All The Fears About Strange Tales of Liaozhai: Lanruo Temple Are Revealed With The Final Trailer

The upcoming Strange Tales of Liaozhai isn’t a simple anthology as far as _ is concerned!

Strange Tales of Liaozhai- Lanruo TempleLight Chaser Animation

As the date nears for Strange Tales of Liaozhai: Lanruo Temple to hit theatres, fans of this studio’s works will finally get to know more about the book Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Amazon link). This work contains many short stories, and we finally have confirmation of which tales are being adapted. They are:

  • The Taoist Priest of Laoshan Mountain: A classic zhiguai story about a wandering Taoist encountering supernatural threats.
  • Princess Lotus: A spirit romance centered on a flower fairy—echoing themes of love across realms.
  • Nie Xiaoqian: A melancholic ghost tale where a female specter falls in love with a scholar—the inspiration behind many film/TV adaptations.
  • The Painted Skin: A chilling demon tale where a beautiful woman is revealed to be a monstrous spirit.
  • The Daughter of Magistrate Lu: A supernatural courtroom fable where a magistrate in the afterlife judges the dead.

The main narrative, set at Lanruo Temple, will incorporate each of these works. This historical building sits on the Yangtze River, and locals call it a “little-known travel destination.” With the final trailer out, with subtitles, fans from around the world have a better idea about what’s going on. Although it primarily focuses on one tale, it’s easy to tell there’re multiple stories involved.

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