9.5.2013 Roast Pork Sliced From A Rusty Cleaver] (飲水思源)

Eddie Peng Yu-Yan as Wong Fei-Hong, photographed by Wing Shya, for Roy Chow's "Rise of the Legend"

NYT: In ‘Tiny Times’ Movies, Material Girls Have a Nation Tsking
“The controversy is bigger than I anticipated,” Mr. Guo said.

THR: Chinese Online Video Giant Youku's Short Film Project Racks up 10 Million Views

And the breakout hit from last year's inaugural project, the Tsai Ming-Liang-directed Walker, picked up the Best Narrative Short Film Award at the Los Angeles Film Festival and qualified for Oscar competition, the company said in a statement...Walker examines the past, present and future of Hong Kong through an elderly monk's silent, slow walk through the city's bustling streets.

Odds and Ends

• Ning Hao announced a new project (literally "Death-defying Encounter") starring "Lost in Thailand" Huang Bo and Xu Zheng. Ning Hao stated that instead of being a"crazy" film, the film will be a "healing" film, as in broken hearts. Filming begins in October. (Sina), 2
• Jiang Wen will unveil a restored version of his 1994 "In the Heat of the Sun" at the Venice Film Festival. (Sina), 2
• Tian Zhangzhuang will restart his oft-delayed "Yang Kwei-Fei" starring Fan Bingbing and Leon Lai Ming. Joan Chen,Wu Gang and Wu Chun are confirmed for the South Korean-China co-production. Zhang Yimou will also be lending a directorial hand. (Sina)
• 25 year-old Isabella Leong returns to film next year after a six year absence in Sylvia Chang's upcoming "Nian Nian" ("Obsessed"?). Isabella plays a painter to Joseph Chang's boxer. (Sina), 2
• "The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom", a retelling of the tale of "The Bride With White Hair", released the first posters featuring leads Fan Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming at the Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung, a Lunar New Year release is planned. (Sina)

The Pang Brothers "Out of Inferno 3D" release has been moved up to Sept. 30.

Louis Koo, Lau Ching-Wan and Angelica Lee Sinjie headline the cast. (Sina)

Sun Zhou ("I Do") will direct Wang Baoqiang, Xiao Shenyang and Chapman To in "Impossible", a North-South comedy due for 2014 release.

8.24.2013 [Roast Pork Sliced From A Rusty Cleaver] (飲水思源)

Zhang Ziyi, Wang Leehom in "My Lucky Star"

Variety: Ziyi Zhang’s ‘My Lucky Star’ Set For North American Release
China Lion has acquired North American rights to Ziyi Zhang’s “My Lucky Star” and will release the Chinese-language comedy Sept. 20 in North America day-and-date with Mainland China.

The film is set for a limited release in the U.S. and Canada in metro areas, including Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and the Washington, D.C., area.

FBA: Roy Chow to direct Wong Fei-hung reboot

Edko announced on Tuesday that Eddie PENG has been cast in the role of Wong Fei-hung. The film also co-stars Angelababy. Both actors attended the ceremony to mark the first day of shooting.

Not your father's Wong Fei-Hung

Eddie Peng, Roy Chow

Eddie Peng, Jing Boran

Eddie Peng, Angelababy

Cast and crew

Director Roy Chow, Eddie Peng, Angelababy

Roy Chow (Sina)

TimeOutHK: Eddie Peng interview

Things are looking extremely bright for Peng's career, and he is already preparing for his next physically demanding role. Peng sits down with Time Out at the W Hong Kong to talk about his preparations as an MMA fighter and his thoughts on becoming a sex symbol.

FBA: Crimes of Passion review

Wannabe noirish crime drama collapses from a feeble script and zero chemistry.

Hollywood's New Gold Mine: Youku Tudou (THR)

Forget box office -- online video viewing in China has doubled in the last six months as its streaming leader offers hot American TV shows -- with (yes!) paid receipts to prove it.

8.19.2013 [Roast Pork Sliced From A Rusty Cleaver] (飲水思源)

"The Palace" poster

According to news reports, "The Palace" features S&M, 'forbidden/ambiguous love', and Zhou Dongyu's most challenging role to date.

THR: China's Wanda Pushing Film Credentials With 'The Palace'

The movie is a love story set during the Qing Dynasty and features Zhou Dongyu, who made a big splash for her role in Zhang Yimou’s Under The Hawthorn Tree, and also features Lu Yi, Zhao Liying and Chen Xiao.

Zhao Liying and Zhou Dongyu develop "feelings" for each other

More publicity stills at HKMDB

THR: Cinema, Property Tycoon Wang Jianlin Named China's Richest Person

On the back of ongoing movie theater building in China, Wang's Dalian Wanda Group bought North America's AMC Entertainment last year for $2.6 billion, making it the largest exhibitor in the world.

"Tiny Times" posters

Tiny Times: It’s the Chinese Sex and the City, so Where’s the Sex? (Time)

Touted as the Chinese Sex and the City, the glitzy chick flick, which broke China’s opening-day records, follows four best friends in Shanghai as they totter around on Manolo Blahniks pursuing love and career success. [And what brand were Brigitte Lin's heels, so lovingly polished by Takeshi Kaneshiro, in "Chungking Express"? Yep, Manolo Blahnik.]

"Chungking Express"

NYT: A Kung Fu That Maims and Romances - Wong Kar-wai on His New Film, ‘The Grandmaster’
The American edit, with his approval, adds explanatory titles, character names and some different footage and hews to a more linear chronology.

Additional details on Roy Chow's upcoming Wong Fei-hung film
THR: Hong Kong's Edko Films Unveils Kung-Fu Project 'Rise of the Legend'
While the actor playing the lead role of Wong Fei-hung is not yet unannounced, the film will star Sammo Hung (Ip Man 2) as the kung fu master's mentor, as well as Jing Boran (The Bullet Vanishes), and martial arts champion-turned-actorZhang Jin (The Grandmaster).