3.10.2010 - News

Variety Drops Chief Film and Theater Critics
On Monday, the trade let go chief film critic Todd McCarthy and chief theater critic David Rooney. Longtime film critic Derek Elley also was cut, as was features editor/indie film reporter Sharon Swart, along with several copy and design desk employees. [VarietyAsia (Patrick Frater - now with THR, Marcus Lim, Kaiju Shakedown), devoted to Asian film reporting  was shut down early last year back. Now Variety's preeminent Asian film reviewer, Derek Elley, gets the pink slip.]

2010 restored version of archival treasure "Confucius" unveiled
Master director Fei Mu's lost classic "Confucius" (1940) is an important film not only from the perspectives of film and aesthetics, but also in regard to Chinese history, culture, art history, musicology and other disciplines. The screening of its initial phase of restoration last year met with an overwhelming response. This year, based on scientific evidence from the negatives and research on available literature, the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) has inserted nine minutes of loose fragments back into the film, restoring it to a condition much closer to its original glory.

Let the Bullets Fly - Ge You, Carina Lau, Feng Xiaogang, Jiang Wen

(Sina)

CRI: Director Feng Xiaogang Acts Again

CRI: "Pregnant" Lynn Xiong in IP Man 2

Miriam Yeung, Shawn Yu

CRI: HKIFF Presents World Premieres of Fire of Conscience and Love in a Puff

Hong Kong film festival to feature action thriller, romance as industry rebounds

Womb Ghosts (Mar.18) - Dada, A.Lin, Chrissie Chau, Koni Lui join Lam Suet in Dennis Law's horror film.

(Sina)

Trailer for Dennis Law's Womb Ghosts brings monumental amounts of crazy.

Liu Yifei

Liu Yifei will join Louis Koo and Yu Shaoqun (New Shaolin Temple) in Wilson Yip's new version of Chinese Ghost Story to begin filming in May. (Sina)

Stills of sets in Future X-Cops

(HunanTV)

Ronald Cheng and Charlene Choi push marriage plans back

3.3.2010 - News

Asia premiere for restored film treasure "Metropolis"
The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) will present a new 35mm version of the reconstructed original cut of Fritz Lang's silent classic "Metropolis" (1927) as the opening film of the "Restored Treasures" series.

HK sex photos actress reunites with Twins bandmate
She [Gillian Chung] also recently finished shooting the romance "Ex," which will premiere as the closing movie at the Hong Kong International Film Festival on April 6.

Variety: Confucius

Chow Yun-fat makes a commanding screen presence as "Confucius." Combining calm sagacity with a potent physicality that more than fills helmer Hu Mei's big visual stage, Chow carries the biopic almost single-handedly and prevents it from becoming overly respectful
THR: Little Big Soldier
Bottom Line: Jackie Chan's period action-adventure delivers, but without fireworks.
HK Magazine: Little Big Soldier
As the film’s title suggests, “Little Big Soldier” is a character study, not a sweeping war epic, and its approach to the Warring States Period is exciting, humorous and highly entertaining, even if it is not a groundbreaking movie.

Andy Tsang Tak-Wah (hkmdb)

(Sina)

`Little lizard' gets 7 years for raping teen virgin 

Andy Tsang Tak-wah, 31, nicknamed the "little lizard" and claiming to be a casual actor and owner of a modeling company, was found guilty of rape in the High Court last month.

CRI: Tang Wei Received Career Backup in Hong Kong
Manfred Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Film Awards Association, posted an article on his blog on Tuesday, revealing that William Kong, president of Hong Kong-based Edko Films, is the man behind Tang's career renewal.
Jay Chou gets an image makeover to improve luck
The award-winning R&B singer recently exchanged verbal insults with Taiwanese rapper, Dog G, and got burnt by allegations from ex-label-mate, Devin Wu, who claimed that she lost her virginity to him when she was just 16.
Jay Chou unlikely to direct another TV drama after 'Pandamen'

"Pandamen" suffered low ratings in Taiwan despite being aired in its entirety. Cuts made to key scenes in the show by Chinese censors were previously blamed for its dismal showing in Guangzhou, China.

Chrissie Chau appearing for an eyewear brand

(Sina)

Little Olympic Girl Lin Miaoke is appearing in an upcoming mainland TV series

(cri)

*Note: Some Chinese interwebs sites seem very sloow and uncooperative today, so I might post updates later if the tubes unclog. Dialing Roto-Rooter!

2.5.2010 - News

Avatar Fever, Catch It Series (China Hush)

Taipei Times: Monga

With a stellar cast and entertaining storyline that weaves together action and drama, the film should do well with younger audience members who like to view the underworld through rose-tinted glasses.

My Rainy Days: Japanese romance flirts with underage prostitutes (THR)

A romance as pretty and immaterial as a swirl of bubbles.

THR: Best of Times (Thailand)

A love story between an elderly couple that is tender without being schmaltzy.

Where You Can See Jackie Chan's Banned Film, 'Shinjuku Incident'

Limited US release begins this Friday

Taipei Times: ‘Confucius’ struggles against ‘Avatar’

On the popular movie site Mtime.com, it scored a 3.8 out of 10 in user-submitted reviews, compared to 9.4 for Avatar. The Global Times gave it a 4 out of 10, calling it “thoughtless and mind-numbing.”...
Han Han, one of China’s most popular writers who is widely viewed as a key voice of the country’s youth generation, gave it a two on his popular blog, calling it an entertainment, educational, and business failure.

HK Magazine: Confucius

Sze Nga (Michelle Wai)

Former - Sze Nga, Chapman To

Chapman To convinced Albert Yeung to produce small films like Former designed to bring new acting and directing talent to the screen. The artists are given creative space with no interference from Yeung. (Sina)

Huang Yi

Bernice Liu

Sire Ma Choi

Xu Jiao

Rose Chan, Bernice Liu

The cast of The Legend is Born - Ip Man (Ip Man Prequel), including Lam Suet, Yuen Biao and Du Yuhang, gathered for a production wrap banquet in Hong Kong last night. (Xinhua) (23)(Sina)

Chen Kaige - Zhao's Orphan

Chen Kaige held the first press conference for Zhao's Orphan. He said that the film will promote Tibetan culture. (Sina)

Zhang Ziyi embroiled in donation scandal
Wedding bells for Angelica Lee and Oxide Pang this Saturday
Aaron Kwok once gave Lynn Hung lingerie

Taipei Times: Pop Stop

Glass CDs, Panda Men and Golden Brooms

Spring Festival means 2.5 billion people on the move In photos (China Hush)

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)

Confucius - Hong Kong Press Conference

Chow Yun-Fat and Zhou Xun bow

Chen Rui, Ren Quan

(cri.cn)

1.23.2010 - News

Monga, the youth-gang film opens in Taiwan during the Lunar New Year and also at the Berlin Film Festival, then in Hong Kong in April.

(Sina)

In addition, the Berlin Film Festival announced the European premieres of Jackie Chan's Little Big Soldier and Yuen Wo-Ping's True Legend. Jackie plans to take a break from filming New Shaolin Temple and go to Berlin. Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun and Jay Chou are also planning on attending. (Sina)

Chow Yun-Fat and the cast and crew of Confucius went to Qufu, Shandong Province, home of Confucius, to hold a solemn prayer ceremony. (Sina) (cri.cn)

Director Hu Mei and actress Chen Rui at the Jinan, Shandong premiere (Sina)

Ren Quan

Chow Yun-Fat kisses a fan's hand

(Sina)

Attendance, so far, has been reported as only ordinary. Avatar 3D still going strong at the box office. (Xinhua)

Hot Summer Days: Maggie Cheung plays a matchmaker to Daniel Wu and Vivan Hsu. in what is essentially a 3 minute solo scene. She is credited simply as 'Miss Cheung' in the film. (HunanTV)

CNN Talk Asia: Zhou Xun: China's queen of quirk

WSJ: China's Homegrown Movies Flourish

"We began to think that we could use China's own stories to develop the industry, and that's worked really well," says Xu Jianhai, president of Beijing Forbidden City Film Co.
Chinese audiences typically shun musicals, horror and westerns, which rules out many Hollywood films. But they do like costume dramas, romances, war stories and kung-fu films. Except for a few government-subsidized political films Michael Moore documentaries, almost all productions widely shown in China the US are escapist.

Top model admits being transsexual