9.3.2010 - News

NPR: 'Noodle Shop': A Coen Brothers Tale Goes East
Relocated from flat and empty Texas to hilly and vacant China, Zhang's film has a lot of fun with the original material, along with some smiles at the expense of the director's own style. But the pacing is too deliberate, and much of the humor doesn't translate; the result is a would-be farce that's more droll than uproarious.

NPR: A Family Torn Asunder Takes The 'Last Train Home'

Frequently moving and quietly enlightening, Last Train Home is about love and exploitation, sacrifice and endurance.

NYTimes: Last Train Home

FBA: Showtime (用心跳) (2/10)
Incoherent, wannabe musical drama fumbles the ball at every level.

Xinhua: Zhang Yimou presents "pure love" in Cultural Revolution in new film (Under the Hawthorn Tree)

Resisting his long-time penchant for dazzling, picture-perfect visual effects and dropping the political edge in his early movies, top Chinese film director Zhang Yimou has recreated a pure love story on the silver screen in a simple and direct way.

WSJ: Hong Kong: A Love Story - All About Love
"I make films because I really want to find out what Hong Kong is like at the moment," says the 63-year-old Ms. Hui.

THR: Contagion' spreads to Hong Kong - Soderbergh film to feature Josie Ho

Ho, who met Soderbergh in Hong Kong in July, said she would draw on her own memories of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak to play her role in “Contagion.”
“It was a very sad time when we were all scared and nobody knew where to turn for help,” Ho said. “I really respect all the doctors and nurses who saved us. They are heroes.”
FBA: Asian stars join Soderbergh's Contagion

CRI: 'The Piano in a Factory' to Compete at Tokyo Film Festival (formerly Steel Piano, here)

(Sina-gallery)

FBA: Tang Wei invited back to Party

Malaysian hit film Ice Kacang Puppy Love featuring Angelica Lee opens Sept. 9 in China

(Sina)

New stills from Legend of the Fist released

(Sina-slide show)

Promises, promises

Jackie Chan brewing up another donation-gate? Inquiries have revealed that Jackie's 2009 promise to donate funds from Little Big Soldier box office for the reconstruction of a Beichuan Middle School destroyed by the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan has so far been not met. Jackie Chan and Li Yuchan visited Beichuan on the first anniversary of the earthquake and made his pledge then. A search of the online website listing donors turned up nothing for Jackie Chan or his various other names, Sing Long, Chan Kong, etc. Jackie Chan's Charitable Foundation confirmed that no record of a donation to Beichuan has been made. (Xinhua)

Louis Koo's agent tried to clarify earlier reports that the star would be out of commission for 9-12 months. He said that the actor would not completely suspend working after surgery for that length of time, more likely one month for rest and recovery. (Sina)

Chen Kun and Zhao Wei in Chengdu appearing for luxury brand LV.

(Xinhua-gallery)

SG: Beautiful voice runs in Faye Wong's family
SG: Vicki Zhao thanks hubby

6.14.2010 - News

Ten arrested after Chinese film director Yan Po attacked, stabbed with knife

Li Xiaoran - Beijing airport

Li Xiaoran returned to Beijing yesterday afternoon and wrote that director Yan Po had regained consciousness after surgery for his wounds. Posting on her blog, she thanked Lu Chuan, Yao Chen, Zhang Yang, Liu Ye, Chen Kun, Gao Yuanyuan and others for their support. (Xinhua), (Sina)

Variety: Dream Home
Cutthroat real-estate prices ask for bloody countermeasures in "Dream Home," Pang Ho-cheung's deliciously dark take on the dog-eat-dog Hong Kong housing market. High-concept splatter pic is another slickly produced, femme-driven item from local multihyphenate Pang (aka Edmond Pang), with its intricate editing and dash of capitalist critique adding some gloss and a hint of topicality to the blood-soaked proceedings.
http://hkmdb.com/news/?p=5595

CRI: The 'Shanghai' Glamor
Gong Li and John Cusack promotes the WWII thriller "Shanghai" during the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival.
CRI: John Cusack Amiable and Talented, Says Gong Li

"CJ7" Releases Its 2nd Trailer
"Love In A Puff" To Be Shown on Chinese Mainland

Actress-director Charlie Young, jury member of the Asian New Talent Awards

CRI: Asian New Talent Awards Jury Debuts
THR: China's young directors in spotlight at SIFF
Panel reveals difference of opinion on working with newbies

“Young Chinese directors are very lucky now,” said hit-making producer Bill Kong (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), mentor to many a young director and backer of a few of the biggest Chinese films ever to sell overseas. “You can rest assured that there will always be a market at home that is highly diversified.”

Wen Zhang, Jet Li, Xue Xiaolu, Guei Lun-Mei (Ocean Heaven)

Huang Xiaoming, Zhang Jingchu

Law Kar-Ying

CRI: Shanghai Film Fest Opening Red Carpet (photo gallery), Kick off

Huang Xiaoming

Zhang Jingchu

Huang Xiaoming and Zhang Jingchu met with college student and promoted Flirting Scholar 2 at a nearby university in Shanghai (Xinhua)

Wang Qianyuan

Wang Qianyuan, Qin Hailu promote Steel Piano (Steel Guitar)[The Piano in a Factory] in Shanghai

Qin Hailu, director Zhang Meng, Wang Qianyuan

(Sina), 2

Behind the Shanghai scenes: Donnie Yen vs Jet Li? It's being reported that Donnie Yen's earlier press conference for Fist of Legend was cancelled to accommodate Jet Li and the Ocean Heaven press conference. Both sides' reps denied it, saying it was the work of the organizing committee. Jet's peeps defended him saying how could he be jealous of Donnie Yen and also reminded the press of his charitable works. Perhaps it was a case of resentment. In 2007, the two refused to appear together in a 'Kung Fu Stars' program. Later, Donnie Yen had criticized Jet Li's Fearless at Beijing University and one implied that the other was a 'clown' [unclear which was which]. (Xinhua)

In January, we reported on Hong Kong's subway pole dancer. Now, Nanjing's Subway Steel Pole Sister has surfaced, and has subsequently been arrested after three performances. (ESWN)

Steel Piano (Gang De Qin) - New Stills Released (3)

Filming will complete soon and then head to the Shanghai International Film Festival for publicity marketing. This set of stills focuses on actress Qin Hailu (Call For Love, After This Our Exile).

Qin Hailu

[The Piano in a Factory](Sina)

Steel Piano (Gang De Qin) - New Stills Released (2)

Wang Qianyuan's father Wang Zaolai plays his boss in the film.

Wang Qianyuan and real-life father Wang Zaolai

Wang Qianyuan

Father and son at home

Wang Zaolai 

[The Piano in a Factory] (Sina)

Steel Piano (Gang De Qin) - New Stills Released

[The Piano in a Factory] New stills from a funeral scene in the rain.

Wang Qianyuan, Qin Hailu

Wang Qianyuan

(Sina)

5.8.2010 - News

First poster for You Deserve To Be Single

Mike He and Ruby Lin star

(Sina)

Screen Daily: Ip Man 2

Old-school kung fu and an uncomplicated plot make for largely effective entertainment in Ip Man 2, the latest box office success for martial arts star Donnie Yen. http://hkmdb.com/news/?p=5428

Qin Hailu in Steel Piano (or Steel Guitar)[The Piano in a Factory]

(Sina)

THR: Weinstein Co.'s 'Shanghai' gets release date

Reports of death premature 

Simon Yam and wife, Qi Qi (May 6)

A false rumor spread on the internet that Simon Yam died in a Shanghai hospital after being found on a sofa unconscious due to alcohol intoxication. The rumor is a copy of a December 2003 news report of a famous blues artist's sudden death. Simon's name was substituted in the fake message that was posted. In an interview with a reporter from Guangzhou Daily, Simon said that the internet was a great thing but it should not be used for such silly things sometimes. When asked if he would pursue legal means, Simon said it would be difficult to locate the culprit. He would count on the media to help him out. What would he tell the person? Simon: He shouldn't write about friends. I hope he is healthy. He should think about if his friends wrote about him. According to the Sina report, Simon was on a airplane flight from Beijing to Fuzhou and unreachable causing much anxiety among family and friends who tried to reach him. Qi Qi was very angry at the rumors. (cri) (Xinhua) (Sina), 2

Fan Bingbing in series of photos for a sunglass brand

 

(Sina)

Edison Chen is featured in the current Taiwan edition of Esquire

(Sina)

CNNGo: Pen spinning in Hong Kong: Now a competitive sport

Steel Piano (Gang De Qin)

'Steel Piano' (or 'Steel Guitar')[The Piano in a Factory] is a black comedy set in the industrial northeast of Anshan during the '90s and tells the story of a laid-off steel worker who tries to keep his daughter's hard work and dream alive. With the help of friends he builds a piano (zither) for his daughter. It is a simple story showing the humor and hardships of ordinary people showing moving affection and friendship. Produced by My Sassy Girl director Kwak Jae-Yong and directed by Zhang Meng, the film stars Qin Hailu, Wang Qianyuan and South Korean actress Jang Shin-Yeong.

Qin Hailu

Wang Qianyuan

Director Zhang Meng

Zhang Meng, Qin Hailu

Jang Shin-Yeong, Wang Qianyuan

Producer Kwak Jae-Yong, Zhang Meng

Wang Qianyuan

Wang Qianyuan, Qin Hailu

(Sina), 2, 3