The summer movie season is upon us and, for some movies, watching them on DVDs bought from the guy on the corner just won't cut it. Take the leap, head to a real theater. We've done all the hard work for you so all you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Krisha Bartlem

Five Great Mainstream Movie Theaters

We put the leg (and butt) work in, test driving five major Shanghai theaters looking at everything from candy to mobile disruptions.

Grand Shanghai Cinema
The first thing that hit us as we entered this theater was how grand it is. The foyer is marbled throughout and a man playing a grand piano wouldn't be out of place in this setting. The next thing we noticed was how cheap it all is. Unlike other theaters which have specials according to the day of the week (Tuesdays are generally half price), or time of the day (tickets are generally cheaper in the morning), Grand Shanghai's tickets always stay at the fixed price of RMB35. When we went, the crowd was made up of more sophisticated movie-goers--no ring tones went off during the movie and when the feature started, a revered hush fell over the audience. And while all cinemas seemed to have the same variety of movies displayed, Grand Shanghai Cinema also had French films with English and Chinese subtitles.

UME International Cineplex
At first glance, this cinema appears just like one from home. Complete with restaurants and two candy counters, UME's snack selection was by far the best of all the cinemas visited (they won extra points for being the only bar with unsweetened popcorn). The screens and actual theaters are smaller than other cinemas around town, but the actual seating is the roomiest; the chairs provide you with the space to spread out and relax to your heart's desire. The only real black mark against this theater was that although the lights were off, the mobile phones certainly weren't. On the whole though, there was less interior noise than other cinemas.

Broadband International Cinema
The location of this cinema makes it the ideal theater for summer. After indulging in a bit of shopping, why not take the weight off your feet and watch a movie? English-speaking staff and comfortable seating makes this theater all the more palatable. What didn't fit in with the theme however, were the bathrooms. Although not unusable, they were the dirtiest of all surveyed, and it appeared that it had been a while since the last maintenance crew had been in. Saturdays are the busiest, especially in the late afternoon.

Peace Cinema
Currently under construction, the Peace Cinema seems bare and sterile as you make your way inside. However, first impressions do not last long as you gaze upon the immense screen. Home to the only IMAX cinema in Shanghai, you will learn quickly that here, size does indeed matter. What isn't quite as impressive is the spacing of the seats. On a Saturday night, the cinema was filled to maximum capacity, not leaving any room for arms or limbs to rest naturally. It's particularly bad for those of the long-legged variety--one tall man sat with his knees pressed against his chest, grimacing for the entire movie. But if you like your movies crane-your-neck big, then beat the crowds and go on a Monday night when it is the quietest.

Yonghua Cinema World
Located in the Metro City mall, Yonghua Cinema World boasts the best sound system of all the cinema's visited and is also the only cinema in Asia that conforms to the international film standards. Inside however, the cinema slightly disappoints. While not dirty, there were certain stick-to-the-floor moments and a few stray popcorn pieces. This minor let-down is not enough to deter movie-goers, as seats quickly sell out on a weekend or Tuesday night.

Reel Master

Wu Hehu, vice president at Shanghai United Circuit Co. Ltd., lets us in on the Chinese movie approval process.

Can you tell us a little bit about Shanghai United Circuit? Our company was set up in 2002 and we have more than 100 cinemas under our management in China; half of them are in Shanghai. Within Shanghai, there are seven "circuits" and we're the largest, responsible for making schedules and managing these cinemas. Every month we meet with our circuit to tell them what to show next month and give them the copies of the movies. We've always been curious, how does a movie get into Chinese cinemas? There's an appraisal committee called the National Film Bureau and that committee decides which movie gets the tong guo ling, (the official government approval). Do foreign movies need that as well? Any movie shown in cinemas must get this, foreign movies are no exception. Who sits on this committee? The committee is made up of permanent members, mainly filmmakers and artists, as well as a rotating group of people depending on the particular movie. For example, if a movie is about war, the committee might invite military experts to confirm the validity of the film. This is especially true for sensitive topics. Why don't you just pass good movies and deny bad ones? Film is closely connected to politics, and the political viewpoint in a movie is very important. This is why some movies positively praising the management of the government pass the committee review, although the artistic effect might be poor. Since you brought up movies and politics, how will the Olympic Games affect the Chinese mainland film market? Well, the Olympic Games are the biggest political event [this year] and film is closely connected to politics, but I think the World Cup's effects on the film market were stronger than what those of the Olympic Games will be. When the World Cup was in Korea, some theaters actually showed the football games instead of showing films. What movie are you looking forward to this summer? Red Cliff, parts I and II. The first installment is coming out this summer and the second should be out in December to celebrate the New Year and should have English subtitles. And The Mummy 3 should be good as long as it passes the committee and has no political problems.

Summer Flicks

You've already heard the buzz, now we're boiling it down, bringing you summer's movies for your reading, and hopefully viewing, pleasure.

May

11th Annual Shanghai International Film Festival
Hosted by the birthplace of Chinese cinema, the Shanghai International Film Festival is the only international film festival in China and is an incredibly popular event which has attracted a total of 4,569 films from more than 60 countries to date. Don't miss the wide variety of international movies (and stars) making their way to Shanghai for the event from June 14-22. Web: http://www.siff.com

SSTM Special Science Film Week
Grab your 3-D glasses and practice saying "Live long and prosper" as the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum hosts the Sci-Fi Film Week. You're sure to be interested, educated and amused as you check out any of the 20 movies being shown at the IMAX theater or those made by National Geographic and the 3-D and 4-D film leader Iwerks.

Early July

The Battle of Red Cliff
Red Cliff is a two-episode Chinese epic film based on the Battle of Red Cliff and events which took place during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It's set to be the most expensive Asian-financed film to date, with an estimated budget of US$80 million. Directed by John Woo and headed by an all-star Chinese cast, it's sure to be a summer hit.

Mid July

Hancock
Starring Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman, this is not your standard superhero flick. Will Smith stars as a much maligned, alcoholic superhero who begins an affair with his publicist's (Bateman) wife (Theron). With its quirky plot, this movie is sure to entertain.

Batman Begins 2: The Dark Knight
In the eagerly awaited next installment of the newest Batman series, Christian Bale reprises his role as the caped crusader and Maggie Gyllenhaal steps in where Katie Holmes left off in the last film. The film is also the last role completed by the late Heath Ledger, portraying a dark image of Batman's nemesis, The Joker.

Mid August

The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Brendan Fraser reprises his role once more in this franchise flick. In this installment, Fraser is tricked into awakening the Dragon Emperor and must fight alongside his family to stop the world from plunging into the emperor's eternal service. Spanning from the catacombs of ancient China to the Himalayas, the film also features Asian star Michelle Yeoh.

Movies Starring Shanghai

Spot the streets you work and play on in these flicks that are giving Shanghai more than its 15 minutes of fame.

Suzhou Creek (2008)
Critically acclaimed Suzhou Creek, as the name suggests, showcases the creek itself as well as many other famous Shanghai sights. In this film, Shanghai is presented as a brooding city where people are constantly searching for fulfillment.

Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)
For this action-packed installment of Mission: Impossible, Tom Cruise finds himself in Shanghai chasing the bad guys. While some of the supposed Shanghai scenes were actually filmed in nearby Xitang, grand shots of Shanghai skyscrapers and even the Yan'an Highway make their way into the movie.

The Painted Veil (2006)
This period drama based on W. Somerset Maugham's novel of the same name was originally set in Hong Kong. The movie adaption however, was set in Shanghai with CGI enhanced images of the Bund and Huangpu River prominently featured.

Perhaps Love (2005)
Often regarded as the Chinese Moulin Rouge, Perhaps Love is set in both Beijing and Shanghai and all musical sequences were filmed on location in, you guessed it, Shanghai.

The White Countess (2005)
Set in the 1930s and filmed almost entirely in Shanghai, The White Countess features many unmistakable Shanghai sights like its art deco hotels, Shanghai lane houses and the marbled stone of the Bund buildings.