Olympics Countdown: Chinese Hurdler Does Not Care

Chinese hurdler does not care featured image
Continuing our Olympics Countdown series in which we post about anything borderline related to London or the Olympics, here’s an oldie but goodie, from 2010, featuring a 110-meter hurdler who will simply let nothing, including hurdles, get between him and the finish line. This happened at a University Games in China, exact location unknown. No other... Read more »

Chillax With Jason Mraz: Footage From His Beijing Trip

Jason Mraz in Beijing
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz played in Beijing on June 12 as part of his Tour is a Four-Letter Word, marking his first time in China. Without any opening, he and his band played an hour, then did an encore. That's a lesson here that big-name foreign musical acts would do well to heed: respect the crowd, and they'll respect you. Those inside Workers' Gymnasium seemed to love Mraz, often chanting, "Jason! Jason!" Thanks to Youku user xiaozhunanhai, the full concert is embedded after the jump, in surprisingly high definition.

Sunday Movie: Senior Year

Senior Year movie featured image
Slightly old, from 2007, but still timely, given that China’s national college entrance exam (gaokao) was just two weeks ago, and this documentary is about how students at one particular high school prepare for that exam. This film, which won the Best Documentary award at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2006, has been... Read more »

Friday Night Musical Outro: SUBS – Ship’s Log

SUBS – Ship’s Log
SUBS, from Beijing, is one of the many bands (at least 17) expected to play tomorrow at 2 Kolegas in Beijing as part of dazeFEAST, organized by Badr Benjelloun (more commonly known around these parts as Beijing Daze). SUBS is joined by another Shanghai band, Fever Machine, who we'll feature them at another time. But for now, enjoy SUBS's Ship's Log -- and drop us a note if you end up going to tomorrow's extravaganza. Would love to hear about it.

“Unmade In China”: Moviemaking Hell In The People’s Republic

Unmade in China featured image
On one hand, I want to call out this director for his whiny first-worldism and paranoia. But on the other hand, I can't imagine the brand of hell that is making a movie in China: the ribbons of red tape, the soul-searing bureaucracy, the endless baijiu banquets and bribing with cigarettes. We're never told what movie this director, Gil Kofman, was working on, or if he ever finished. But we do know that he made a film about the experience, ala Tropic Thunder ("The Making of Tropic Thunder" was the movie that won the Oscar in Tropic Thunder, as you'll remember). The trailer is above.

The Medullary Paralysis In Beijing

The Medullary Paralysis
By The Good Doctor Friday night’s show at MAO Livehouse featured an Italian band called The Medullary Paralysis. I could write a lot about the experience, but I think a quick summary of facts will tell you everything you need to know: 1. Half the songs sounded like a lost Nine Inch Nails album I never... Read more »