4.2.2010 - News

Variety: Fire of Conscience
Variety: 14 Blades
Variety: Slice (Thailand)
A sleazy thriller about a serial killer who slaughters sex tourists, "Slice" is a notch above the average Thai slasher pic, but has trouble cutting through its knotty yarn. Offering queasy delights for gore hounds and an initially suspenseful atmosphere, the story runs off its circuitous rails before getting back on track with a genuinely surprising twist.
Chinese filmmaker secretly shoots six-hour documentary on deadly 1994 fire
n "Karamay," Xu has crafted a powerful movie by letting the material speak for itself. He doesn't use a narrator or a musical score. An opening sequence showing student's graves zooms in on the portraits of each of their tombstones. He lets the parents vent in lengthy monologues that bring out the depth of their sorrow.

CF: "Death Dowry" Joins Beijing Student Film Festival
CF: Distant Thunder latest from Zhang Jiarui (Red River)
The film is a horror, mystery and love story that uses special filming techniques to tell the uncanny and thrilling story of happiness and sadness among lower class people. It took two years for director Zhang Jiarui to finish this film.
Sources say "Mi Cheng" has made the list of most popular films at the 17th Beijing College Student Film Festival.
CRI: Gigi Leung Donates for Southwest China's Drought
CRI: Betty Sun Li: New Cover Girl of "Trends Health"

3.22.2010 - News (Part 2)

THR: Echoes of the Rainbow
Bottom Line: A nostalgic and unabashedly sentimental family picture.
THR: 14 Blades
Bottom Line: A traditional martial arts thriller beefed up by gimmicky weaponry.

THR: Crossing Hennessy

Bottom Line: A rom-com that is more comical than romantic.

THR: Like a Dream

Bottom Line: Little thematic and less narrative sense make for difficult viewing that often tests the patience.

THR: Amphetamine

Bottom Line: Aesthetic aspirations killed the camp.

THR: Ant City (China)

Bottom Line: Evidence that the digital revolution isn't necessarily a good thing.

THR: Kyoto Story (Japan)

Bottom Line: A teasingly original idea from a new filmmaker wrapped up in the familiar.

THR: Wong Jing tackles 3D comedy
'King of Jesters' to be produced by Mega-Vision
Wong also returns to familiar grounds with "Naked Soldiers", the US$4 million three-quel to his sex and crime series "Naked Weapon" and "Naked Killer," which raised to cult status in Europe with their main draw of T&A and guns. Next, Mega-Vision will also begin production of the 30 million yuan (US$4.4 million) action adventure "Aladdina," starring Louis Koo and the Hong Kong pop group Twins.
THR: Filmko on a quest to make 3D 'Quixote'
First Chinese stereoscopic 3D period drama, helmed by Chinese director Agan

...starring Karena Lam ("Claustrophobia") and Liu Ye ("City of Life and Death"), the film was produced with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, utilizing the academy's stereoscopic 3D camera, the first in China. The film also hired a group of 3D experts from Germany as consultants during the shoots.

The company is now developing its next 3D epic, "The Monkey King," a 180 million yuan retelling of the Chinese mythical literature "Journey to the West" with a script written by "Ip Man" writer Edmond Wong. Filming is scheduled for October with a 2011 release date.

WSJ: Arvin Chen on Taiwan’s Film Scene and ‘Au Revoir Taipei’

Fresh from his win at the Berlin International Film Festival for his romantic comedy “Au Revoir Taipei,” Chinese-American director Arvin Chen is at this week’s Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum to meet with potential investors for his new movie,“Nan Jing East Road.”

East Wind Rain poster

(Sina) (Official Sina movie site)

2.3.2010 - News

14 Blades: Sharp as a knive

Kungfu epic '14 Blades' expected to become blockbuster hit

Film producer says "Avatar" not pulled for "Confucius"

CRI: Stars Attend Premiere Ceremony of "Hot Summer Days" in Beijing

Maggie Cheung - Hot Summer Days

(Sina)

Tony Leung

Leo Ku

At a ceremony yesterday, Tony Leung was named Hong Kong Entertainment Expo amabassador for the sixth time. And Leo Ku was named Hong Kong Music Fair ambassador. Tony said that he still did not who was going to play his wife in Grand Master or whether Gong Li was still participating. (Xinhua)

THR: Hugh Jackman plucks 'Flower'
Jackman's publicist, reached in Los Angeles, countered that "at this point in time he is doing an unbilled cameo."

Andy Lau

Nic Tse

Andy Lau and Nic Tse arrived in Shanghai where filming of New Shaolin Temple has moved. (Sina)

Jay Chou

(Sina)

Highlight of True Legend is a 20 minute martial arts action scene in 3D (8)(Sina)

Miriam Yeung, Alan Tam

Chang Chen

Kitty Zhang Yuqi

(Sina)

Miriam Yeung

Miriam Yeung, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, Alan Tam - Shanghai press conference for Here Comes Fortune (God of Wealth Arrives) (Sina) (2)

Twins

Charlene Choi

Gillian Chung

Twins publicity machine ramps up for their two date concert April 16 and 17 at the Hong Kong Coliseum. (Xinhua) (Sina)

Twins make a comeback

at17

at17, Eman Lam and Ellen Joyce Loo, held the first of a 5 nights of 'until we meet again' concerts in Wan Chai to mark 8 years together. They announced that for the next 2 years they would develop individually and regroup in 2012 to mark their 10th anniversary with a concert at Hong Kong Coliseum. Eman Lam will release a CD with her brother Chet Lam while Ellen will record a personal album. Fans did not know beforehand that the duo was separating.  (Sina)

Elton Loo (Law Kwan-Chor) dressed as Paula Tsui to promote his upcoming 'fake superstars' concert

(Sina)

Jane Zhang

Kitaro and Jane Zhang arrive at the Grammys Awards at Staples Center 

(Zimbio) (HD)(Sina)

Fung shui master, Tony Chan, has lost his High Court battle to inherit the estimated HK$100-billion fortune of the late tycoon, Nina Wang. In a judgement of more than 300 pages, Mr Justice Lam ruled that the will he submitted was a forgery. The judge said Mr Chan had lied and was not a credible witness. He awarded the entire estate to the rival claimant, the Chinachem Charitable Foundation, and ordered Mr Chan to pay its court costs...(RTHK)

Tony Chan loses 'Battle of Wills'

`A liar prepared to say anything'

Cops eye 'Liar' Chan ...as taxman set to chase him for $300m

1.30.2010 - News

THR: Bodyguards and Assassins

14 Blades opens Feb.4

(Sina)

Myolie Wu - one of 174 popular stars in 72 Tenants of Prosperity

(Sina)

Huang Shengyi

Sammo Hung

Kirk Wong

Peter Pau

Stanley Kwan

Zhang Yang

At a Juli Entertainment company celebration in Heibei, it was announced that Huang Shengyi will be featured in a, possibly 3D, version of Madam White Snake to be directed(?) by Sarah Choi Bo-Chu and filmed by Peter Pau. Guests included Sammo Hung, Stanley Kwan, Kirk Wong, Peter Pau, Zhang Yang and others.

(Sina)

Brigitte Lin and husband, Michael Ying Lee-Yuen

What's behind the gates to their 10000 sq.ft. mansion on New Clearwater Bay Road?

A private cinema, heated swimming pool, a private studio, a luxury gym, and a small dance floor!

(Xinhua)

A-mei turns rocker chic

Jane Zhang

Believe in Jane, Jane Zhang's new CD since joining Universal Music will be released Feb.2. According to yesasia, the CD includes two hidden tracks, the theme songs to Mulan and Panda Express. (Sina)

Audio only - I Believe

1.26.2010 - News

Chinese Mirror: The Future of Hong Kong Cinema: a round table discussion (I)
The Future of Hong Kong Cinema: a round table discussion (II)

First-time South Korean director gears up for Sundance

"Hot Summer Days" heats up icy Beijing

Hong Kong - Chow's wife was nearly injured by a falling display board but was saved by quick acting security personnel. (Source)

Confucius - Hong Kong premiere (15)(Sina)

Chow Yun-Fat, Zhou Xun, Chrissie Chau, Ren Quan, Chen Rui, Fala Chen
CRI: 'Confucius' in Hong Kong

Donnie Yen - 14 Blades Beijing press conference

Wu Zun/Wu Chun

Singer Sa Dingding, Kate Tsui

Donnie Yen

Daniel Lee, director

Kate Tsui Tsz-Shan

Wu Zun

(Sina)

Elsewhere, an anonymous email was sent to a reporters stating that investors were trying to recoup Zhao Wei's $3M  fee for breach of contract for failing to attend publicity and promotional events due to her rumored pregnancy. Her contract called for appearances at four premieres. (Xinhua)

Shao Bing

Shao Bing (Let The Bullets Fly) photo shoot (6)(Sina)

Kenix Kwok gives up acting to focus on family

Chow Yun-Fat paying for surrogate mother

Chow Yun-Fat's mother has longed for a grandchild for years, and the Hong Kong superstar may be ready to do whatever it takes for his 90-year-old mum...

Maggie Cheung - Paris

Maggie Cheung attends the Christian Dior Haute-Couture show

(Zimbio)

Maggie Cheung - Paris Fashion Week (Sina)

ESWN: The Hallelujah Mountains Are In Zhangjiajie

Chrissie Chau gets flirty at Tokyo fashion show

  (Sina)