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

5.26.2011 - News

THR: Ip Man' Director Wilson Yip's Comedy Debut 'Magic To Win' Sells in Europe, Southeast Asia
Filming will begin in June in Hong Kong for a late 2011 release in Hong Kong and China.

Tang Wei appearing for a TV brand in South Korea. Tang Wei was unfazed by news that her name was not among the 109 actors listed in the official cast list released for The Founding of a Party. Over 170 actors were originally cast but many were left on the cutting room floor. Director Huang Jianxin called them the 'unsung heroes' and apologized to them. An 18 minute clip of their scenes would be posted on the internet as compensation to them.

(Xinhua), 2

Frankie Chan and Ti Lung have been signed on for a remake of Blood Brothers. The film is a co-production that includes Aoying Media and Shanghai Heying Media

Frankie Chan Fan-Kei

Ti Lung

(Sina), 2

Joey Wang (Xinhua)

MSN: Joey Wong rumoured to have a 17-year-old daughter, (Xinhua)
MSN: Cecilia Cheung celebrates birthday in Taiwan
MSN: Selina Jen will not wed in December

Two nights ago at a pub in Hong Kong a female Hong Kong Apple Daily journalist met two US servicemen from the USS Carl Vinson. The journalist managed to get a basic illustration that explains Bin Laden's burial process.

Tang Wei Wins Best Female Actress Award

(May 26) Tang Wei walked the red carpet for the 47th Baeksang Arts Award (similar to our Golden Globes) held at Kyung Hee University in Seoul. Tang Wei won Best Female Actress for her role in Late Autumn.

Tang Wei bows

(Sina)

5.25.2011 - News

THR: 3D 'Sex & Zen' Sells to China Lion for North America
"It is just like being a voyeur near someone's bed," said producer Stephen Shiu Yeuk-Yuen

Hong Kong Oriental Daily News reports that Andrew Lau and Andrew Loo (IMDB) are co-directing Revenge of the Green Dragons, executive produced by Martin Scorcese. However, production which began at the end of last year, stopped due to a copyright dispute. It's an action drama set in New York's Chinatown. The project was originally announced in 2009. The film is based on an investigative article written for the New Yorker by Fredric Dannen, author of Hong Kong Babylon: : An Insider's Guide to the Hollywood of the East."

IMDB:  A gritty, violent take on a true immigrant story set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City's China town. (Sina)

MSN: Cecilia Cheung’s manager admits the star and Edison Chen met

In other related reports, Edison was said to be writing a musical based on his life...He also expressed his wish to meet with Cecilia's husband Nicholas Tse, and hopes that "it would not be a big issue by then".

CNA: Cecilia Cheung spends birthday without husband: Edison Chen to blame?

MSN: Kelly Lin speaks up on her past relationship with Ken Zhu

Hong Kong's Next Magazine is reporting that Joey Wang is the mother of 17 year old illegitimate daughter. The deaf and mute girl living in Taipei and the foster mother, a midwife, is confirming the claim. According to the report, Joey had induced labor at 6-7 months and the baby was thought to have died but was saved in the incubator room. Fu Rui Jiao, received a call from the hospital and the baby girl was adopted by a woman surnamed Du. Fu told her that the mother was a Hong Kong star, single and was involved in a sex scandal with Andy Lau. Du asked, "It's not Joey Wang is it?" And Fu said, yes it was. Fu Rui Jiao, is serving a maximum sentence in jail the past 10 years in the largest baby trafficking case ever. Fu sold more than 40 babies, many reported to be the babies abandoned by those in the movie business. 

Joey Wang's daughter?

Photos of Joey (l) and daughter (r) compared

(Sina), 2

Zhao Wei 

Vicki Zhao bikini beauty

Chinese actress and pop singer Vicki Zhao Wei has a hot body and she wants you to know it

Zhao Wei in upcoming Grazia issue

Faye Wong: "Can't you use iPhone?"

5.24.2011 - News

China Lion pursues America: AMC Entertainment courts Chinese moviegoers with monthly imports
Looking ahead a few months, China Lion will deliver to AMC its first 3D concert film, which features world-music star Cui Jian, also considered the father of rock ’n’ roll in China. Says Barlow, “He’s like the Springsteen of China and the film catches him in concerts in Beijing. The film is in post now and will come out sometime between late July and September. We’re hoping it may even be a crossover.”

CF: June Debut for 'The Devil Inside Me'
CRI: Jet Li Promotes 3-D 'Flying Swords'
CRI: 'Rest on Your Shoulder' Trailer Released

Fan Bingbing

Fan Bingbing portrays the Empress Dowager in Founding of a Party

Myolie Wu's role was reduced to just one second and only due to an intervention by Chow Yun-Fat.

(Xinhua), 2

CF: Michele Reis Covers "Elle" Magazine

CNNGo: Pop 'Twins' to market Queensland to Chinese
Avoiding stereotypical campaigns, North Queensland Tourism picks Canto-pop stars to promote the region's beauty to Australia's fastest-growing tourist market

CNA: Cherie Chung doesn't need romance to be happy
CNA: Zhang Ziyi named ScreenSingapore 2011 event ambassador
MSN: Michelle Reis’ never-ending family feud
MSN: Fan Bingbing to wed 65-year-old actor?
Fan also responded to the rumour in public, and said, "Brainless while making up stories...If there's anything, take it out on me directly, and stop involving [my] seniors

Gillian Chung vs. Shao Xiaoshan

Gillian Chung had recently engaged in an online battle with mainland actress Shao Xiaoshan on the Twitter-like networking site Weibo

Annie Yi Nengjing: "Not me in the video!", CNA: Annie Yi lashes out at tabloid over explicit article

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

Huang Yi and Jennifer Tse Launch "Caring Robots" Exhibition

Qeelin today unveils the results of the inaugural Qeelin Art Award at the ‘Caring Robot’ Exhibition at the Oval Atrium of International Finance Centre (ifc), the one-week exhibition from May 20 to May 27 celebrates the innovative works of eight talented young artists from Paris, Hong Kong and Beijing. All are welcome to bid on the art work by silent charity auction, with the proceeds will go towards UNICEF to benefit children around the world. Qeelin is a jewelry brand with Paris-Hong Kong origins.

Grand Award

Max by Anne- Claire Bottos

At first glance, Max may seem cold and frosty. But take a closer look, and

you will see the warmth and soul in this Parisian artist’s ceramic creature. His

chest gauge pumped to the max with optimism and peppy vibes, Max is the

benevolent spirit that perches on your shoulder and whispers endearments that

echo from all over the world. His mission is simple: to unite humanity with his

messages of, “Courage”, “Vas-y”, “I believe in you” and “勇氣” [Valor].

Outstanding Awards

Property Vs Poverty? by Ma Ka Yee

Ma’s caring robot, titled Property vs. Poverty?, demonstrates the greed of

some powerful businessmen who focus solely on profits, while sacrificing

the beauty of nature. Their obsession with money blinds them, resulting in a

blatant disregard for the dark and harmful emissions that billow from their

factories. With ears perforated by nails, the robot is deaf to the pleading

cries for help from the public. Endangered species and beautiful plants

around the world are destroyed to allow large corporations to siphon more

profits while the robot’s skyscraper-legs flatten the liberties and hopes of

the human race.

Red by Wang Wei

What invokes fortune and jubilation more eloquently than the colour red?

Red pays homage to centuries of Chinese heritage through its colour scheme

and stencilled motifs. The stencilling technique is one that was perfected

by ancient Chinese craftsmen over the centuries, and still runs like a thread

through modern society to conjure the joy shared by ancestors from ages past.

Chinese artist Wang Wei revisits this integral part of Chinese culture while

bringing a dynamic touch of modernism to his design. Glossy and

sophisticated, Red injects freshness into a beloved heritage.

Huang Yi

Jennifer Tse Ting-Ting

(Sina)

Maggie Cheung's stint as Qeelin's creative director was reported here. (scroll to bottom) And she is the face of Qeelin on their web site. Maggie is Qeelin's muse, according to the site, and made headlines for the brand wearing their Wulu collection at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival where she won Gold Palm for Best Actress in her role in Clean.

Photo by Wing Shya  [7.20.2010]