Job Discussion Forums

oliver9184 · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 9

I'll be arriving in HCMC in one week to start a teaching job. I haven't ever been to Vietnam before. I've been able to find answers to most of my questions elsewhere but there are two I have had no joy with so I thought I'd try here, figuring anyone already in the country will know this stuff.

1) Cinema in Vietnam. I presumed that English language movies are exhibited in the major cities but haven't heard or read anything to confirm that they are. So are they? If so, is there much of a delay after a film's US/European release? Are the films mostly subtitled, dubbed or neither? Is smoking and drinking allowed? Can anyone with experience relate how going to watch a movie in Vietnam compares to Europe/USA?

2) Painkillers. Because of a back problem, depending on what I'm doing in any given day I sometimes take painkillers which contain ibuprofen and codeine. I'll probably need some for the long flight next Tuesday. Is this sort of drug safe to have in my possession going through security and customs firstly in Singapore, where I change planes, and then in Vietnam? I have heard things about drugs that are innocuous in one place being very illegal in another. Are these painkillers easily and legally available to buy in HCMC?

Thanks to anyone able to help with these.

snollygoster · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 478

Cinemas? I have never been to one in Vietnam although there are plenty. DVDs are available at very low prices because they are pirated. They are usually available before release in other countries.

Pain killers? Available for the asking at pharmacies. You do not usually need a prescription to buy drugs over the counter. Most pain killers wont present a problem at the border with Vietnam, but I can not say about Singapore.

CThomas · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 380 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

There are several good theaters in HCMC, probably in Hanoi, too. Digital sound and video, even 3D, showing current movies in English w/ Vietnamese subtitles. The food is no good, but the actual movie is as good as anything in the states. $4-$10, depending on location, movie, time, and seating.

Yea, the pharmacies have an open-door policy and are everywhere.

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

Yeah, all the cinemas seem to show the same 3 or 4 English movies, though. It seems to be a bit rare that they have anything worth seeing at that.

tefl peasant · Joined: 09 Oct 2010 Posts: 132

There are basically no cinemas, unless you consider the one at Diamond Plaza to be a cinema. Learn Vietnamese if you want to see a movie.

JHat · Joined: 29 Sep 2010 Posts: 10 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

I greatly prefer this site for finding movies. It puts all the major theaters and showtimes in one place. I swear there's a site version that's in English, but here's the Google translation of it since I couldn't find it. Assuming you know what's supposed to be out, you can figure out what means what. Although, now I really want to see "Land Data - Resident Evil: Afterlife"... GIS + zombies = good in my book.

timnhanh.com

PS, do they seriously edit the movies too? I've only seen one since I got here, as this has been a pretty miserable movie season, and it (Inception) didn't look edited to me (and the TV stuff sticks out horribly to me). Guess I can't complain with tickets only being like $3.50 here.

I'm With Stupid · Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 432

Yeah, I watched The Expendables, and it didn't seem edited to me (then again, how would you tell?). If violence is one of the things that's edited, then the threshold isn't particularly strict. The cinema I went to was the same as the one back home, minus the sticky carpets.

hot_rock · Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 107

@DNK, Residential Evil: Aferlife is HORRIFIC. The worst movie I have ever seen at the cinema and I am not exagerrating. Check rottontomatoes.com if you don't believe me, a thoroughly pathetic attempt at a movie. really, disturbingly bad.

DNK · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 236 Location: the South

It may be horrific, but, you see, these versions have land data added in. I wonder what kind it will be... I hope we get to see some really awesome action scenes with interpolated 0.1m resolution IR rasters of the greater San Diego area mixed in. That's the sort of gutsy film-making that's been missing in big budget films for so long.

tonyjones01 · Joined: 20 Aug 2010 Posts: 67

All cinema movies are censored as well as movies on Stars & HBO. Most of the DVD's are uncensored but the quality is unusually very bad. Also you never know if it's dubbed in Viet or not. DVD's cost $1 and if you return it when finished they'll give you a .50 credit. If you want to pay top dollar you can go to B.T. market for good quality DVD's.

You're not going to find "real" pain killers at the local pharmacies. For that you'll need to go to a doctor for a script. Same thing goes for sleeping meds.

BrentBlack · Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 96 Location: Quan 3, Saigon

anubistaima · Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 110 Location: Thailand

There's a REALLY nice movie theater at the VitCom Towers in Hanoi. All movies are in English with Vietnamese subtitles. They show all the new releases, 3D and all.

Ibuprofen w/Codeine can be bought over the counter. If one pharmacy says no, walk to the next. You'll find one that sells it to you.

oliver9184 · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 9

Thanks everyone. I have been in Saigon for a day now. Somehow I lost my tablets on the flight but I managed to find some here easily and for a good price.

Tonyjones01 said all cinema movies are censored. Does that go for PG type stuff such as Harry Potter or just things with more heavy violence and sex?

Thanks again.

tefl peasant · Joined: 09 Oct 2010 Posts: 132

Oliver it seems you like theaters, but the DVD movie market is big, and you can also see movies on torrents.

Like anywhere in the world, really.