8.12.2011 - News

ChinaPost: Jump Ashin! review
A story about loss, redemption and coming-of-age, “Jump Ashin!” split its soul into so many pieces for maximum commercial appeal that it eventually reminds us of Harry Potter's Voldemort, whose soul degenerated because he split it into seven pieces to bid for power and immortality.

FBA: A Beautiful Life review

San Francisco's chance at seeing 3D porn goes flat

Keep your hands at your sides, San Franciscans; unfortunately the film's debut in our city will only be offered in standard 2D. (Thanks, Dave!)

First Person: Juno Mak

CRI: Actress Shu Qi Attends Environmental Protection Event in Taipei

Carina Lau was in Chengdu yesterday promoting Haagen Dazs mooncakes.

(Sina-gallery), 2, (Xinhua)

MSN: Elaine Ng calls Jackie Chan the “third party”

Recently, it was reported that Jackie's wife Joan Lin left Hong Kong after knowing that Elaine returned.

A1: Elaine Ng wants to hear no more of Jackie Chan

MSN: Selina Jen shares her wedding photo

6.17.2011 - News

A Beautiful Life - Taiwan review
FBA: The Seal of Love review
A luscious looking political biopic that's intriguingly remoulded as a love story.

THR: How Christian Bale Is Raising the Bar in China
Variety: Jia calls for more Chinese genre pix
Censorship is stifling the development of genre movies in China, local helmer Jia Zhangke told Variety at the Shanghai Intl. Film Festival Thursday.
Chinese film director hits out at state censorship
"This kind of cultural over-cleanliness that bans the erotic, violent and terrifying is cultural naivety."

CF: Chinese Animation Classic Upgraded to 3D
The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven

Su Da said, "With the cooperation with Technicolor, we have polished the colors, applied 3D technologies and more sound effects, and even spent two months to shorten the film to 88 minutes. We also improved the Peking Opera influenced accompaniment music with the western symphonic music. Nevertheless, we will never ruin the artistry of the original piece by adding anything superfluous, all we want to do is to show our respect and to recall people's memories to the classic with its new sensations."

CRI: Tang Wei First Crowned Best Actress on Mainland
Actress Tang Wei won best actress award for her role in romance comedy, "Crossing Hennessy" at the 11th Chinese Film Media Awards in Macao Thursday night, the first title bestowed on her from the Chinese mainland.

Tang, who was honored for Crossing Hennessy in a ceremony held Thursday night in Macao, said she was shocked to have won, and that such recognition proves to her that Chinese audiences are still interested in seeing her make movies.

The Chinese Film Media Awards is sponsored by Southern Metropolitan News and selected by over 30 Chinese media. It is the only film award program in China that covers films made by the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. (GlobalTimes)

Best Actor, Ge You (Let the Bullets Fly)

Kara Hui on the red carpet

(Xinhua), (Sina)

Newly released Seediq Bale posters

The two-part film is scheduled to open Sept. 9 and Sept. 30

Director Wei Te-Sheng at yesterday's trailer and posters release event

(Sina), 2

Huang Bo, who missed the opening ceremony of the Shanghai International Film Festival due to working on projects in Beijing, will walk the red carpet at the closing ceremony with Jiang Yiyan.

The Pretending Lovers - Jiang Yiyan, Huang Bo

(Sina), 2

A Bruce Lee museum? Maybe ... in 2046

TaipeiTimes: Pop Stop

MSN: Nicholas Tse is not worried about divorce settlements
The Hong Kong actor only wants custody of his two sons

In other related reports, singer-actress Gillian Chung's management company has stepped forward to deny that she was the third party in Nicholas and Cecilia's marriage.

MSN: Isabella Leong’s sons meet their grandfather The actress was

MSN: Zhang Ziyi is willing to sacrifice for love

The newly-single actress was recently in town as the ambassador of ScreenSingapore 2011

MSN: Lin Chi-ling might get married next year

MSN: Selina Jen rumoured to marry on her birthday

CNA: Bosco Wong furious over front page nudes

Treasure Inn trailer

5.31.2011 - News

Variety: A Beautiful Life review
Despite an excess of melodrama, helmer Andrew Lau reteams with scripter Tang Kit-ming ("Look for a Star") to deliver a lush tearjerker that aims to do for Beijing what Woody Allen once did for Manhattan.

CF: Li Bingbing in "The Secret Fan"

A batch of still photos was released for the imminent drama, "Snow Flowers and the Secret Fan.

CF: Tang Wei: Despaired Housewife in "Wu Xia"

The production company of the Peter Chan's "Wu Xia" released new still photos featuring Tang Wei as a village woman.

(Sina)

Concept poster of Zhang Zilin as the Sky Goddess in The Monkey King

(Sina)

CF: Zhou Dongyu Plays Mao Zedong's Wife

CF: Zhang Hanyu Plays Founding Member of KMT

Lam Suet, Fu Yong

Lam Suet will be starring in a comedy, working title Island Paradise, produced under China Film Group's new talent development program. The film will be directed by newcomer Fu Yong. (Sina)

Mavis Pan is swelling

3D version of The Fruit is Swelling from Cash Chin Man-Kei who hopes to land Mavis Pan Shuang Shuang

Gong Li was one of the many celebrities attending a Louis Vuitton event in Beijing at the National Museum of China.

 

Wang Xueqi

Chen Kun 

Zhang Jingchu

Zhang Jingchu

(Xinhua-gallery), (Sina)

CRI: What's Wrong with Cecilia Cheung and Nicholas Tse?

Tse and Cheung's marriage reportedly on the rocks

No divorce, but plenty of rows for "happy" couple

MSN: Cecilia Cheung’s parents-in-law to help save her marriage?

This article includes the prospect of Cecilia going to visit Nicholas on set in Malaysia with their two sons and publicly apologizing. (Xinhua)

CNA: Late Anita Mui's mother vows to "seek justice on television"

Anita Mui's mother, Tam Mei-Kam, held a press conference in her hospital ward on Monday, to voice her unhappiness over not getting control of her late daughter's estate

Anita's brother and mother (Xinhua)

MSN: Isabella Leong accompanied by ex-boyfriend’s bodyguards

A1: Is Gigi Lai pregnant?

Baby bump? (Xinhua)

A1: Sammi bans Andy from proposing on stage

The queen of Cantopop claims that she does not like the idea and thinks that it is "old-fashioned and gross".

5.27.2011 - News

THR: China Studio Huayi Brothers to Build Theme Park Near Shanghai
The announcement comes on the heels of Huayi’s February announcement that it would build East Asia’s largest indoor film and TV studio in Shanghai as a part of a one billion yuan ($152 million) cultural tourism complex, and follows The Walt Disney Company’s April groundbreaking on a $4.4 billion theme park, also in Shanghai.

FBA: Huayi unveils $460m theme park plans

Meanwhile Chinese films stars including Jet Li and Maggie Cheung are expected to turn out for the official opening of the Universal Studios park in Singapore.

TimeOutHK: A Beautiful Life review

CF: Tang Wei Crowns Best Actress at Baeksang Arts Awards

With Best TV Actress winner, Han Hyo Joo

(Sina), 2, 3, 4

CRI: Wang Quan'an, Zhang Jingchu Join Golden Goblet Jury, (CF)

Wang Quan'an and actress Zhang Jingchu will join American director Barry Levinson in the main competition jury for next month's Shanghai International Film Festival, the organizer has announced. 

CF: "My Kingdom" Reveals Five Scene Photos

Set in 1920s, the film featuring Wu Chun and Han Geng as two Peking opera-singing brothers who are searching for fame, love and revenge.

Mysterious Island poster

Jordan Chan, Yang Mi and other pop idols are cast in the thriller which opens July 8. (Sina)

Cherie Chung, Chingmy Yau and Simon Yam were among the celebrity visitors to the Hong Kong International Art Exhibition yesterday.

Cherie Chung wearing a cool t-shirt

Simon Yam and wife, Qi Qi

(Xinhua)

According to a Hong Kong magazine, 90's-era actress, Jacqueline Law, is recovering from 6 months of chemotherapy. Diagnosed with stage 3 cancer last year, the actress suffered from depression and contemplated suicide. A former girlfriend of Stephen Chow, Law married Singapore businessman Liu Chee Ming in 2008. Law is deaf in one ear due to a diving accident. Law's father died of lung cancer in 1998 and Liu's ex-wife also died of cancer, so the word 'cancer' is taboo between the couple. Law is thought to have NPC, Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

With Stephen Chow

Wearing wig

On right

Wedding photo

(Xinhua)

Appearing at a store opening event for Juicy Couture, Gaile Lok was asked once again whether she'd had plastic surgery.

(Xinhua)

CF: Vivian Hsu Shows Feminine Charms on "Trendshealth", (Sina)

CF: Zhou Xun Graces "Esquire" Magazine, (Sina)

TaipeiTimes: Pop Stop

MSN: Joey Wong’s father denies pregnancy rumour

MSN: Nicholas Tse giving Cecilia Cheung the silent treatment?

CNA: Donnie Yen to groom son as successor

Selina Jen plans October comeback

5.23.2011 - News

A sampling of reviews of Andrew Lau's A Beautiful Life:
NYPost: A Beautiful Life - Chinese-made cloys
Is the Chinese export "A Beautiful Life" a light ro mantic comedy or a sappy melodrama? Sadly, it's both.
NPR: In Booming Beijing, A Bad Girl Meets A Good Cop
A Beautiful Life is hardly the only Chinese-language film to play off the culture clash between Hong Kong and the mainland. But the movie is among the first to suggest that the balance of power has shifted north. Economic migrants now travel from Hong Kong to Beijing to make their fortunes, and are regarded with suspicion by their new neighbors.LATimes Review: 'A Beautiful Life'
THR: Beijing 'Sparkles' Like an 'Urban Wonderland' in 'A Beautiful Life'
This Chinese romantic melodrama proves that cinematic clichés are an international commodity.
Slant: A Beautiful Life

Not every story has a happy ending but we strive to get by

Shu Qi's Weibo

Shu Qi can't sleep - Weibo

FBA: No Asian winners at Cannes
Wu Xia and The Yellow Sea both screened in "Cannes versions" that may never be screened again. The former, receiving its world premiere, was specially edited for the festival slot. It will be extended before it screens in Asia.

FBA: Sauna on Moon review

Loosely structured but engaging portrait of characters around a sauna/brothel in southern China.

Variety: China propaganda film to U.S.
Chairman Mao's grandson Mao Xinyu, a major-general in the People's Liberation Army, apparently intervened to have her [Tang Wei] cut out of the movie.
FBA: Party becomes Revival for int'l release
China Lion Film Distribution has given the new title of Beginning of the Great Revival to its planned release of The Founding of a Party

A report has come out that the film has not yet passed approval/review by China's SARFT and the June 15th release may be in jeopardy. However, a China Film Group spokesman said that SARFT has said never said that it did not pass review. Instead, post-production changes were being made to accommodate younger viewers so that they would better understand the story according to the rep. A dozen actors could be affected under this scenario. [Does that mean cut?] (Sina)

Tsui Hark, Jet Li

(Sina-gallery)

Jet Li and Tsui Hark promote Flying Swords of Dragon Gate in Beijing. Jet Li discounted old rumours of a rift with Tsui Hark. He revealed their 'secret history' and that the director once advised him not to make Black Mask when he was searching for investors. Jet also cited his starting up of The One Foundation as the reason for missing out on Tsui's production of Detective Dee but had read the script. Tsui Hark said that he was quite proud of his 3D work for the upcoming film and felt it was comparable to Hollywood. A brief clip was shown to the assembled press.

Current poster for The Piano in a Factory (Sina)

If You Build It, They Will Come: Chinese Town Gets Hollywood Makeover (WSJ)

[Another story on the studio at Hengdian, this one is pretty good.]

Productions must use the studio extras, says Nansun Shi, a Hong Kong film producer. "They stick out like a sore thumb," she says.   Official Hengdian web site.

CF: Eva Huang Shengyi Graces Fashion Weekly

CNA: Cecilia Cheung reconciles with Edison Chen?
Edison Chen admitted that he met actress Cecilia Cheung, one of the women he was photographed with in his 2008 sex photo scandal, at the airport earlier this month on May 8.
MSN: Andy Hui talks about his relationship with Sammi Cheng

5.19.2011 - News

CRI: First Poster of "The Great Magician" Released

Another poster previously posted...

CF: Newest Poster of "White Vengeance" Out at Cannes
Starring a slew of famous actors Leon Lai Ming, Zhang Hanyu, Liu Yifei, Feng Shaofeng, Anthony Wong, Jordan Chan and Andy On, the film has aroused great interest of foreign film companies.

(Sina)

CF: Weinstein Holds Yacht Party for "Wu Xia"
CF: Sundance Int'l Film Festival Lauds Chinese Film Last Train Home
CF: 'Piano in a Factory' Scheduled to Hit Cinemas
[There seems to some sort of controversy involved over a title change and posters have been released without a title but only with a question mark. Since winning best picture prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the investors want to change the Chinese title, "Steel Piano", to draw a better domestic box office, against the wishes of the director. Actress, producer Qin Hailu also objected to the name change and asked to have her name removed as producer if it is changed. Dozens of suggestions from the internet, including "Crazy Piano", have been suggested.] (Sina), 2, 3

Simon Yam will team up with Gianna Jun (Jeon Ji-Hyun), Kim Hye-su in a Korean film called "Thieves", a diamond heist story. It will begin shooting June in Seoul and Macau. Choi Dong-hun (Tazza: The High Rollers) will direct. (Sina)

First concept poster for Stephen Fung's Tai Chi from Huayi Brothers

Wang Zhonglei and Stephen Fung

(Sina)

FBA: Chinese director Gao is jailed
Chinese film director Gao Xiaosong, whose My Kingdom showed to buyers in Cannes this week, was jailed on Tuesday for six months by a Beijing court.

New poster for the horror film, No. 32, B District, shot entirely with hand-held video camera. Opens June 3. (Sina), 2

Wang Lanfei, Gu Youming

Poster for Love Finally (billed as male version of Sex and the City) opens June 17

Perhaps most notable for having Mavis Pan Shuang Shuang in the cast

(Sina), 2, 3, 4

CF: "A Beautiful Life" Premieres in Hong Kong

Liu Ye was inexplicably absent, however Shawn Yue was in attendance

(Sina-slideshow)

Charlie Young and Aaron Kwok appear for TSL brand jewelry

(Sina-slideshow)

Timmy Hung & Janet Chow to marry
MSN: Cecilia Cheung and Edison Chen reconciled?

The pair was spotted on the same flight earlier this month

Christy Chung's Marriage Breakdown

MSN: Christy Chung: I’m doing well, don’t worry

Seems like all the rumours about marriage troubles for Christy and Jon are unfounded after Taiwan media reported yesterday that the so-called girl seen with Jon was actually veteran singer David Huang's manager cum girlfriend. It was also revealed that David was the one who took a photo of the pair (Jon and his girlfriend) CNA: Christy Chung's rumoured marriage woes prove false On the catwalk (Sina-slideshow)

A1: China to take action against celebrities who promote fake products

CNA: Dee Hsu, Lee Ao to settle spat with on-air debate

ChinaHush: Dispute over new immigrants from the mainland, Hong Kong is unhappy?

New immigrants’ new issues