7.14.2011 - News

Andy Lau Rescues Hit Kung Fu Film
Equal parts bone-cracking, sidesplitting and heartbreaking, Gallants is the sort of Hong Kong kung fu comedy you wish got made more often.

Best-selling novel-turned-movie to be released in cinemas

The Killer Who Never Kills
The movie follows the life of a contract killer who does not have the heart to kill anyone but uses deceit and trickery to give the appearance that he has killed his targets.

Produced by prolific Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang and directed by Taiwanese director Apple Lee, the movie stars Taiwanese singer Jam Hsiao in the title role, while Taiwanese starlet Lin Chen-shi plays the female protagonist and love interest Hsiao Li.

CRI: 'Winds of September' Director Takes on New Film

"CJ7" starlet Xu Jiao will portray the leading character, while Rene Liu and Harlem Yu are set to play her parents who are going through marital problems. (Sina)

A1: Tony Leung to play Lee Kuan Yew in upcoming '1965' movie, 2

Heavyweights such as Maggie Cheung and Hollywood actress Julianne Moore are also slated to star in the movie, which will be directed by Hong Kong director, Peter Chan. [The Sina report cites Carina Lau's weibo, but I can't find the post.] (Sina)

KwongWah

Shu Qi and mainland TV actress Tong Liya have agreed to appear in the Stephen Chow-Derek Kwok Monkey King/Journey to the West film according to news reports. Shu Qi will play the White-Boned Demon and Tong Liya, the Spider Demon, and Wen Zhang, Tripitaka. The status of Show Luo is up in the air as he was originally cast as the Monkey King. Chow has quietly started filming at Hengdian. The film has a new Chinese title, "Journey to the West Legendary Demon Slayer".  (Xinhua), (Sina)

CF: Angelababy Featured in "Love in Space"Posters

(HunanTV)

CF: Character Posters of "Overheard 2" Released

The three different city backgrounds in the posters hint at clues to the story: Shenzhen for Daniel Wu, Shanghai for Louis Koo, Hong Kong for Lau Ching-Wan.

Combined edition

(Sina-gallery)

New York premiere of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

Nicole Kidman and Li Bingbing 

"Tiger Mom" Amy Chua (in red) and her two daughters, Lucy Liu, Wendi Deng

Ben Kingsley

Other guests included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Ivanka Trump, Keith Urban, Gabourey Sidibe and Harvey Weinstein.

(Sina), 2, 3, 4 (Sina-slideshow)

Peter Chan and Takeshi Kaneshiro met with People's University students in Beijing. As a surprise gift, Chan brought previously unseen deleted fight scenes featuring Kaneshiro from Wu Xia. (Sina)

CF: Fan Bingbing Shoots Underwater Photos

(Sina-slideshow)

MSN: Ronald Cheng and girlfriend welcome baby girl, (CNA)

MSN: Nicholas Tse and Edison Chen almost met face-to-face

The two Hong Kong celebrities missed each other by 20 minutes

The Tse family had reportedly hired an ex-FBI agent to snoop on Cecilia after her in-flight meeting with Edison. They were rumoured to have acquired enough information to guarantee Nicholas a win during the custody battle.

(Xinhua-gallery)

MSN: Cecilia Cheung lists her divorce demands, (Xinhua)

Nicholas Tse looks set to head for a costly divorce settlement.

Apple Daily (Taiwan) illustration 

Attention must be paid! ?

(HunanTV)

(July 14) Cecilia was in Shanghai for an event and looked especially thin.

Sammi Cheng, Zhou Dongyu, Guo Jingjing and other celebrities also attended the event

 

 

(Sina-gallery), 2

First Review of Mamma Mia! in Mandarin

4.19.2011 - News

THR: '3D Sex and Zen' Beats Out 'Avatar' for One-Day Hong Kong Record
Producers had set aside “lady’s house” women-only screenings of the film on two screens, which proved popular as well and were sold out.

WSJ: ’3-D Sex and Zen’ Tops Weekend Box Office
The soft-porn movie “3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy” pulled in 13.1 million Hong Kong dollars (US$1.7 million) on its opening weekend in Hong Kong, topping the box-office chart for the four-day period ending Sunday, according to the local Motion Picture Industry Association.
"3D Sex" sells!

Variety: 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy review

Auds get an eyeful of flesh, served with sadistic, spasmodic laughs, in "3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy," an attempt to revive the 1990s Hong Kong softcore-comedy franchise.

GlobalTimes: Golden times for 'Gallants'

A rollicking homage to Hong Kong kung fu movies in the 1970s, Andy Lau's Gallants was the dark horse of the night, scooping Best Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Film Score.

[Carina] Lau, wife to Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, has had six such nominations over the past 22 years. Though her performance in Detective Dee is generally regarded as not as convincing as her past roles, she beat fellow contenders Miriam Yeung, Fiona Sit, Tang Wei, and Josie Ho, daughter of Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho.

"Counting acting alone, I would choose Yeung or Sit," critics Wei revealed to the Global Times, "but Lau has too many failed experiences and the judges felt they owed her the award. She won due to her long professional career and tradition-respecting in the Hong Kong film circle."

Ed's Favorite Hong Kong actresses gives his take on the actresses and their dresses seen on the red carpet at the HKFA awards on Sunday night.
MSN: Carina Lau crowned Best Actress after 25 years

Best Actor, 1994 for The Untold Story

After receiving the award, Anthony Wong was distressed over receiving nothing but offers for trashy roles, so he threw the trophy into the trash but his mother later retrieved it. (Xinhua)

THR: 'Love Letter' Director to Head New Talent Jury at Shanghai Int'l FIlm Fest
Shunji Iwai is best known in China for his 1995 teen romance film. (CF)
FBA: Beijing Screenings highlights trends

CF: Latest Photos of "The Founding of a Party"
The production company of "The Founding of a Party" released new photos featured Chen Kun as Zhou Enlai, Chang Chen as Chiang Kai-shek, Yu Shaoqun as Mei Lanfang and Ma Shaohua as Sun Yat-sen.

CF: Poster Out for Thriller "Case Sensitive"
The film is a Sino-American co-production, with American director Gil Kofman taking the helm.
It revolves around Luo Xiaoni, played by Ady Ang, a web celebrity who pretends to be kidnapped to gain more exposure.
Gu Changwei enrolled three famous directors for surprise guest roles in his new film Till Death Do Us Part/Life is a Miracle which opens in May.

Feng Xiaogang

Lu Chuan

Gu Changwei, Jiang Wen

Pu Cunxin, Feng Xiaogang

(Sina)

Jiang Wu

War of Words: Jiang Wu in dispute with Warring States director Jin Chen, had his scene deleted. Jin Chen charged that of a 30 day contract, Jiang Wu only showed up for 7 days at a time. Jiang Wu responded that he completed his required shots and will leave for the audience to judge. Jin Chen said some of the dross can be deleted and that if he deleted the essence of the film and left the dross in, it would foolish [oh, snap]. Jiang Wu, for his part, said that the shoot was chaotic and the script changed 5 times. Jin Chen said that Jiang Wu's schedule broken into 5 visits to the set disrupted the other actors and because Jiang was absent some of his scenes could not be shot. (Sina), 2, 3

Gong Xinliang plays the Demon Green Snake in A Chinese Fairy Tale

(Sina)

CRI: Karen Mok Stars in Micro Movie
Filming is currently on the way on the famed US Route 66, which is known as the shooting location of many road films.

Its prequel, 90-second-long micro movie, "Explosive," featuring Daniel Wu, was released at the end of last year.


MSN: Is Barbie Hsu pregnant?
The Taiwanese actress left a message on her microblog, saying that “something good” has happened

A1: Stefanie Sun secretly married last month

Happily married... in secret Other secret marriages

CNA: Hyun Bin re-assigned to frontline Marine unit

Change of plans for Late Autumn actor

CNA: Hyun Bin: A marksman or marked man?

CNA: "881 The Musical" proves adaptations can be brilliant too

CNNGo: Kung fu compulsory for Hong Kong Airlines cabin crew

The airline has ordered its 23 new cabin crew to master wing chun -- a form of kung fu practiced by martial arts legends Bruce Lee and Ip Man -- which is characterized by sharp movements and close-range combat.

WPost:Chinese leaders’ pursuit of money and morality collide over bawdy classic novel

Origins of Jin Ping Mei discovered? [Jing Ping Mei is the inspirational source of many a Cat. III HK films]

The Forbidden Legend: Sex & Chopsticks (2008)

And have you heard of this model called Mavis Pan Shuang Shuang?
Chinese model hits celebrity status after photos leak

Hong Kong Film Critics Society - Awards Presented

Gallants: Low-budget Hong Kong action-comedy becomes critics', cult favourite 2
At the critics prize ceremony on Tuesday, Teddy Robin, who played the loud and flirtatious kung fu master who rises from a coma, received loud cheers as he picked up his best actor trophy.
FBA: Local heroes rewarded by HK critics

The 17th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Presentation Ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Film Archives Tuesday. Johnnie To assisted in the presentations. Most of the photos from the weibosphere.

Teddy Robin

Gallants crew Gordon Lam, Teddy Kwan, Bruce Leung, Derek Kwok, JJ Jia, Clement Cheng

In other awards presented on Tuesday, best director went to Taiwanese filmmaker Su Chao-pin, who directed former Bond girl Michelle Yeoh in the kung fu thriller "Reign of Assassins." Best actress went to Miriam Yeung for the romantic comedy "Perfect Wedding." Best screenwriter went to Ivy Ho for "Crossing Hennessy," which she also directed.

Best Actress, Miriam Yeung and Best Actor, Teddy Robin

Miriam Yeung

Best Director, Derek Kwok

Presenter/producer Andy Lau, Derek Kwok, Bruce Leung Siu-Lung

Johnnie To, Su Chao-Bin

Miriam Yeung

(Xinhua-gallery)

1.10.2011 - News

Glamorous exhibition and archival films to celebrate Hong Kong Film Archive 10th Anniversary

• The HKFA now plans to embark on the restoration of the films "Colourful Youth" (1966), starring Connie Chan Po-chu, Josephine Siao Fong-fong and Woo Fung, and "The Arch" (1970), directed by Tong Shu-shuen. These restored archival treasures will then be introduced to local and overseas educational and cultural organisations.
• In addition, a "star cards gift box" containing some of the finest photos of the featured film stars will be on sale at $88 at the HKFA.
• Other thematic exhibitions and screenings to be held later this year include a retrospective of the Union Film Company, Movies on Railways, and the films of director and martial arts choreographer Lau Ka-leung.
• A HKFA 10th Anniversary souvenir booklet is also being published.

FBA: Gallants charms HK critics

(Sina)

Interview with Sharifah Amani

THR: 'Let The Bullets Fly' Now China's All-Time No. 3 Film

Shaolin poster, film opens Jan. 19

(21cn)

Michelle Yeoh is secretly filming The Lady in Paris to avoid affecting the safety of Aung San Suu Kyi who could be rearrested by the Burmese government at any time. A fall UK release is planned. (Sina)

Rosamund Kwan joins Andy Lau onstage. 

Fellow Five Tigers Felix Wong, Michael Miu and Ken Tong also joined Andy to sing As Time Goes By. (The other, 5th Tiger, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai was not there.)

(Sina), 2, (21cn)

Carina Lau (Sina)

(1) Liza Wang, (4) Idy Chan (Kwongwah)

Godmother Deanie Ip, according to one report, got embarrassingly drunk at the concert celebration party. 

(ifeng) (tom)

MSN: Carina Lau wants Andy Lau to thank Carol Chu for her sacrifices

Andy's guests for the night included Idy Chan, who acted with him in The Return of the Condor Hero as Little Dragon Maiden. Both of them shared a duet, 'The Courageous Chinese'.

Desperately seeking publicity?
Carina Lau marks her 45th birthday with a sultry calendar shoot, but critics say it's a desperate attempt to boost her sagging popularity.

MSN: Selina Jen sleeps with bound legs

WSJ: Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior

WPost: Mom just wants you to be happy - and perfect  

Book Review: "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother"