10.22.2010 - News

TaipeiTimes: The Fourth Portrait
After winning the Best Feature Film award at this year’s Taipei Film Festival, ‘The Fourth Portrait’ is ready for the upcoming Golden Horse Awards, with nominations in seven categories.

CRI:  Huang Xiaoming Teams Up with Angelababy in New Film
Huang Xiaoming and Hong Kong model Angelababy will co-star in the film "A Sentimental Story," M1905.com reports.
The film entitled "Yi Chang Feng Hua Xue Yue De Shi" in Chinese is being directed by Gao Qunshu who shot "The Message" and "Wind Blast."
Hong Kong kicks off film fest with China focus, AFP
The seventh annual Hong Kong Asian Film Festival features more than 60 independently-made films from across Asia, but this year it will shine a spotlight on the work of Chinese directors, organisers said.

WSJ: Hong Kong Director’s ‘Perfect Wedding’ is a Perfect Rom-Com

Hong Kong director Barbara Wong has never worked in Hollywood, but you might not know that from watching her new film. “Perfect Wedding” seems right at home among Hollywood romantic comedies like “Runaway Bride” and “The Wedding Planner.”

FBA: Josie Ho runs with The Courier
ScreenDaily: Rourke, Ho join cast of Hany Abu-Assad’s The Courier
Mickey Rourke and Josie Ho have joined Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Til Schweiger in the cast of Arclight Films’ action thriller The Courier which started shooting in Louisiana this week...The Courier revolves around an international carrier who delivers things to people who can’t, or don’t want, to be reached. Ho plays a woman with a mysterious past whom the courier meets.

Josie Ho 

Husband Conroy Chan has accompanied Josie Ho to the set everyday. Does it have to do with the fact that Josie has a bed scene with Jeffrey Dean Morgan?

(Sina)

Latest Late Autumn poster

(Sina)

Cecilia Cheung has joined the cast of the Jackie Chan-produced, Frankie Chan-directed Yang Women Generals/14 Amazons! This makes the third film that Ceci has signed up for, besides Dynamic Angel/Race Car with Jimmy Lin, Tang Wei and Rene Liu and Raymond Wong's Lunar New Year film All's Well End's Well 2011. This role will be considerably more challenging as she plays the key role of Mu Guiying. It has been previously played by Ivy Ling Po and Liza Wang in previous versions. Ceci is also reported to have agreed to a guest cameo in Stephen Chow's New Journey to the West. (Sina) (Xinhua), 2, 3
MSN: Cecilia Cheung takes up Jackie Chan movie
Mu Guiying: Chinese Woman Warrior
“Her swinging sword flashes like nine falling suns shot by Yet the legendary bowman; she moves with the force of a team of Dragons driven by the gods through the sky; her strokes and attacks are like those of terrible thunder; and when she stops all is still as water reflecting the clear moonlight.”

Cecilia Cheung imagined as Mu Guiying

Liza Wang

Ivy Ling Po

Frankie Chan Fan-Kei

(Xinhua)

Stills from Zhang Jiarui's thriller Distant Thunder

Guo Xiaoran, Huo Siyan

(Sina)

Mani Fok to the rescue?

Emperor's super manager Mani Fok and so-called "bomb expert" has been recalled from the US where she was on leave to handle the Charlene Choi-William Chan Wai-Ting (Sa-Ting) affair. The publicity stunt/romance has had unintended effects requiring Mani to come back to handle matters. Since it came to light, the Sa-Ting Love has raised the popularity of William Chan  but is not popular with Twins fans. Chan is said to be a playboy and Charlene has been accused of bad taste. Chan is alleged to have  had many 'pedal boats', including Gillian Chung causing a secret rift between the singing duo in the past. Mani is said to have had private communications with Chan and the Twins to discuss how to handle events. The Twins are scheduled to hold a concert in Macau in November. (Sina)

Edison Chen attending an Adidas event will be releasing two new songs tomorrow

Edison will be performing at the East Asia All Stars Concert in Shanghai with Anthony Wong and Sammi Cheng for support in his return to the stage. Edison and Sammi recorded a new version of Mr Sandman on his new album.

(Xinhua-gallery) (Sina), 2

Invitation to Jordan Chan-Cherrie Ying 50 table wedding banquet

(Sina)

MSN: Tony Leung is “Property King”
MSN: Andy Lau and Nicholas Tse’s love woes in Year of Rabbit
Four famous Hong Kong Feng shui masters look into 2011, year of the Rabbit, and predict that both Andy and Nicholas will face troubles in love

MSN: Wang Lee Hom slams Aaron Kwok and Jay Chou

HK actress Lynn Hung defends Aaron Kwok's car obsession

MSN: Cecilia Cheung gets custody of kids if Nicholas Tse leaves her

Zhang Jiarui's Distant Thunder - Premiere Press Conference

(Oct.20) At the Beijing press conference for the premiere, actress Huo Siyan denied rumors that a nude scene was deleted from the film but she said that she would not object to shooting such a scene if it was necessary. Earlier trailers showed that there might have been a bold scene. Director Zhang Jiarui said in his previous films, Red River had many deleted scenes and The Road had 18 deleted scenes. Distant Thunder, a suspense thriller involving a love triangle, had only 2 deleted scenes for language and did not affect the integrity of the film according to director Zhang. Zhang said that the film had a Hitchcock-style suspense and Freudian dream analysis dealing with on issues of sexual repression and social polarization. Distant Thunder premiered at the HKIFF with a Cat. III rating.

Director Zhang Jiarui

Huo Siyan

Ge Siran

Guo Xiaoran

Ge Siran, Huo Siyan, Guo Xiaoran

Huo Siyan

Huo Siyan, Zhang Jiarui

Ge Siran, Huo Siyan

(Sina), 2

9.29.2010 - News

HK Film Archive shows Mandarin and Cantonese classics to celebrate Cathay's 75th anniversary


Hong Kong media reports that Cecilia Cheung will join Raymond Wong's Lunar New Year film costarring Donnie Yen, Louis Koo and Carina Lau. New Year films are always fun, popular and an easy role for a mother like Cecilia. That, and the stellar cast were given as reasons for Wong's ability to lure Ceci back. Besides the Hong Kong and Beijing premieres, Cecilia will not be required to participate in the normal publicity tour of cities. (Sina), (Xinhua)

New Westward Journey will begin filming in February. The Stephen Chow produced and written prequel to his earlier Monkey King films will be directed by Derek Kwok Chi-Kin. Casting was not announced but Chow has been recruiting new actors recently. (Sina)

Posters for Distant Thunder

Zhang Jiarui's (Red River) new film is described as a mainland 'Rouge' (Sina)

CRI: Tang Wei to Drive Racing Car in New Movie
Tang Wei has signed up to join Hong Kong director Jingle Ma's new film, "Race Car" .

CRI: 'Just Call Me Nobody' Wraps up Shooting

Just Call Me Nobody" features Taiwan actress Kelly Lin and well-known Chinese mainland comedians Zhao Benshan and Xiao Shen Yang.

(Sina)

FBA: Hot Summer has its Day in US theatres

Hot Summer Days gets limited release in New York, LA

FBA: Pinoy Sunday (台北星期天) (7/10)

Vignettish "road movie" about two Filipino workers on their day off in Taipei is slim but likable.

Interesting note: As well as many filmmakers and delegations, foreign industry guests at the 12th Pyongyang Festival included Hong Kong producer Shi Nansun (with a new print of Tsui Hark's classic 1984 comedy Shanghai Blues). (FBA)

The cast of Legend of the Fist held an event in Beijing to celebrate its box office success during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday period.

Shu Qi

Anthony Wong on harmonica

Andrew Lau, Ryu Kohata

Andrew Lau, Shu Qi, Huo Siyan, Chen Jiajia, Anthony Wong, Ryu Kohata

Director Lau  revealed that in the first cut the original ending was eight minutes longer and that he hoped the scene would be used to open the sequel. (Sina-gallery), (Xinhua-gallery) With her string of successful films on the mainland since Confession of Pain, her films Blood Brothers, If You Are the One, Looking For a Star, and City on Alert have been big box office earners, Shu Qi's being dubbed Queen of the Mainland. Elsewhere, it's been reported that Shu Qi recently bought a 14M yuan villa in Beijing.  (Xinhua)

Zhou Dongyu

Shawn Dou Xiao

Yu Xinbo

Zhang Yimou returned to his alma mater, Beijing Film Academy, with the young stars of Under the Hawthorn Tree. (Sina-gallery)

Jennifer Tse promoting Breast Cancer Awareness (Sept.29)

  (Sina), (Sina-slide show)

Vivian Chow

Vivian Chow, Kay Tse and Gong Xinliang attend a Piaget event. (Sept.28)

(Xinhua-gallery)

Jordan Chan and Cherrie Ying took retro photos for their upcoming November wedding banquet invitations.

Reminded me of this one with Fan Wei and Zhang Jingchu from The Road.

(Sina)

Rosemary 

Rosemary and boyfriend Jason return to Hong Kong from France where she's been hiding out since mid-September after her Labor Day arrest in Reno, NV. Her demeanor was reportedly better now that her legal situation has somewhat eased. (Sina)

Hong Kong model's Reno trial set for Dec. 8, (HKStandard), (msnbc)

SG: Battle of the Queens: Shu Qi, Vicki Zhao, Zhou Xun
Edison Chen makes pop-art debut

8.23.2010 - News

Global Times: The branding wars: Zhang Ziyi's latest self-reinvention falls flat
The solution is really not that complicated. All she had to do to survive the scandals was to admit to the fraud and then blame it on her team, but she held on to her pride and refused to apologize. She denied the fraud and made excuses, which finally evoked public rage and large-scale media criticism.
Zhang made the right choice by keeping a low profile for some time, enough for the scandals to dissipate and Zhang and her team to create a new public image...

CRI: Call For Control on Smoking in Chinese TV and Movies
The Chinese Association of Tobacco Control (CATC) is calling on The State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT) to exert tougher controls over TV and movie scenes showing people smoking.The Chinese Association of Tobacco Control (CATC) is calling on The State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT) to exert tougher controls over TV and movie scenes showing people smoking. (Xinhua)

FBA: Kung Fu Hip-Hop 2 (精舞門2) (4/10)

Weak follow-up to the 2008 original, with plenty of dancing but not much else.

The Stool Pigeon: Excellent male leads carry the show

The storyline is gritty and engaging but is completely eclipsed by the excellent acting of its two male leads.

Chen Kun and Dong Jie have joined the cast of The Founding of a Party. Chen Kun will play Zhou Enlai while Dong Jie will play Soong Ching-Ling. (Xinhua), (Sina)

CRI: Gordon Chan Casts Foxy Lady in Latest Movie
The new film, "Wall Paintings" ("Hua Bi"), has two young men seeking shelter from the rain in a dilapidated temple and being attracted there to two beautiful women who turn out to be a fox and a snake in human form.
Actress Yan Ni, the heroine of Zhang Yimou's "A Simple Noodle Story", stars as the fox. Other cast members are yet to be announced.

CRI: Peter Chan's New Movie Starts Shooting

Takeshi Kaneshiro

Tang Wei

Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tang Wei were spotted leaving a hotel restaurant where the cast of Peter Chan's Wu Xia were dining in Tengchong, Yunnan Province. Earlier this month, Peter Chan had denied rumors Tang Wei was cast to play Takeshi Kaneshiro's wife and no such role existed. When contacted, Peter Chan issued a statement that the standard practice of the industry is to not acknowledge cast lineups until contracts have been signed.  (Xinhua), (Sina) 

Tang Wei's arrival at airport in Tengchong. (Sina-gallery)

Pang Brothers Perfect Fairy Tale shoot in Hong Kong mall attracts onlookers

Wang Baoqiang, Lau Ching-Wan

Oxide(?) Pang, Wang Baoqiang

Wang Baoqiang, Oxide Pang, Lau Ching-Wang, Joey Meng Yee-Man

(Xinhua)

Dante Lam's Stool Pigeon

Nick Cheung

Nicholas Tse

Liu Kai-Chi

(Sina)

Yu Nan - I kill men for fun in Wind Blast

Film opens Oct.28

(Sina), (21cn)

Zhang Jiarui's (Red River) thriller Lost City (previously Distant Thunder/Secrets of the Past) has been pushed back to an October release. Originally set for a Aug. 20 release, the schedule was adjusted to avoid facing The Expendables with Sylvester Stallone and Jet Li and also fit into the Halloween season.

Ge Siran

(Sina), 2

Karen Mok - Taipei

Karen Mok denied allegations that her single Precious/Baby was plagiarised from '80s Captain and Tennille song, Do That To Me One More Time. (Sina)

Cecilia Cheung, Charlene Choi

Charlene, Ceci, Nicholas Tse

Charlene Choi posted photos of her dinner visit at Ceci and Nicholas Tse's home. (Aug.21)

(Sina)

Global Times: Believing in Jane, Zhang begins tour
Jackie Chan wants kung fu as Olympic sport
Taiwanese singer claims sex trade in Korea's show business

Global Times: Hello kitty themed children's hospital (slide show)