News Archives

 
 

March 2008

 

     
   
     
     

 

Hou Hsiao-hsien Needs More Men for NIE YIN NIANG, His First Martial-Art Film (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 30, 2008

 
 

Hou Hsiao-hsien (R), Shu Qi (M) and Chang Chen (L) at Three Times' Cannes première in 2005. (Image: Reuters)

 
   

Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien wants to make his first martial-art movie, Nie Yin Niang, based on the same title short fantasy story written by Pei Xing in China's Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). This is, of cause, a two year old news. He would cast Shu Qi, his favorite actress, and Chang Chen, his favorite actor, to play the leading characters. This is, of cause, also a two year old news. But what's new? According to an unknown source, Hou is also asking Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tadanobu Asano to join the cast.

 

Nie Yin Niang is believed to be one of the first wuxia story, it begins with Nie Yin Niang,  the 10 year old daughter of an army commander, being taken away by a nun. Five years later, she has become a skilled assassin. An earlier story said mainland Chinese writer A Cheng (The Go Master, Springtime in a Small Town, The King of Chess, King of the Children) had completed the first draft of the script.

 

Related Story:

Hou Hsiao-hsien Will Shoot His First Martial-Art Project Next August? (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

December 24, 2006

 
 

 

Opening This Week: February 22 - 28 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 28, 2008

 

Opening

This Week

 

This week, absolutely nothing comes out except foreign imports. In the mainland side of China, Hollywood children's fantasy The Golden Compass is theatrically released on Friday, months after becoming available on DVD and download.

In Hong Kong, the new releases are Leonardo DiCaprio produced documentary The 11th Hour, Belgium-France-UK made Lady Chatterley, the latest adaptation of the controversial novel, and British comedy Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.

Movies arrive at the island of Taiwan this week are UK-Canada-USA co-produced romantic drama Closing the Ring, Japanese manga adaptation Eiga: Kurosagi, France-UK produced documentary My Enemy's Enemy, South Korean comedy Le Grand Chef, Stephen King's The Mist, Hollywood comedy Semi-Pro, and German-Austrian children's story Das Wunder von Loch Ness.

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

New FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Videos (...)

 

 

March 26, 2008

 
 

(Images: Casey Silver Productions, Huayi Brothers, Relativity Media.)

 

More video lips have popped up on the net recently. Take a look. The first one is a behind-the-scene video. The second one is for the end credit theme song "Heroes" (for the Chinese version only? I suppose.) New footages from the movie are included in the video. It is sung by Zhang Liangying, who also provided her voice for Feng Xiaogang's The Banquet (retitled to Legend of the Black Scorpion in the US).

 

Behind-the-scene video

End credit theme song video

(Thanks to Twitch.)

 
 

 

THE STORM RIDERS II Character Designs (Sina.com)

 

 

March 26, 2008

 

 

 Ekin Cheng as Whispering Wind

Aaron Kwok as Striding Cloud 

Nicholas Tse as

a villain

Tang Yan as

Muse 

Charlene Choi

 
   

(Images: Golden Harvest Company, Chengtian Entertainment, Universe Entertainment.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13 character design sheets, suspected to be the works of designer Yee Chung-Man, just appeared online. Storm Riders II, sequel to the original hit Hong Kong comic-book adaptation released in 1994, is now in production in Thailand. Directors the Pang Brothers are making it will full indoor sets plus blue screens. The original was shot more traditionally with indoor sets and landscapes in China. The story of the sequel is not related to the first one though major characters, except Sonny Chiba’s character Lord Conquer, return to the sequel. This time, the story will be:

 

Spoiler Alert! Highlight to read.

 

An evil force invades (led by Simon Yam and Nicholas Tse) and defeats Whispering Wind (Ekin Cheng) and Striding Cloud (Aaron Kowk). To stop the evil force’s plan of conquering all clans, Whispering Wind starts learning a powerful but dangerous new skill, which eventually led him to the dark side. To turn the tide, Striding Cloud is forced to fight against Whispering Wind.

 

Alert ends here.

 

This US$14 million (rough number) movie will be released in Asia toward the end of 2008.

 

Click here for all 13 character design sheets.

 
 

 

RED CLIFF Character Posters (Sina.com)

 

 

March 21, 2008

 
 
 
         

(Images: China Film Group, Lion Rock Productions, Mei Ah Entertainment.)

 

These posters are displayed at the Hong Kong International Film Mart by the film's Hong Kong distributor Mei Ah Entertainment. Part 1of the 2-part Asian edition of the historical war epic will be released in Asia starting July 10, 2008.

 

More about Red Cliff.

 
 

 

Opening This Week: March 15 - 21 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 21, 2008

 
 

An Empress

and the Warriors

 
   

(Image: BIG Pictures, Poly-bona Film Publishing Company, United Filmmakers Organization.)

 

This Thursday, Hong Kong action director Ching Siu-Tung's period, but not historical, actioner An Empress and the Warriors was finally released in Hong Kong, after doing okay in the mainland during the past two weeks. Despite some good fight scenes, especially the ones involving Donnie Yen, and fancy costumes by Yee Chung-Man, the weak story makes the movie very hollow.

 

A long line of new releases are competition for the box-office money against An Empress and the Warriors in the city. They are Taiwan-made drama The Most Distant Course, Hollywood animations Arctic Tale and Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, political light comedy Charlie Wilson's War, and Children's fantasy The Spiderwick Chronicles.

 

In the mainland China, two new releases are all from Hollywood. National Treasure: Book of Secrets was released on Monday and 10,000 B.C. is opening on Friday.  Looks like a new tactic to reduce box-office revenue of the Hollywood products in attempt to help creating an illusion that the domestic movies are gaining market share, some Chinese film officials have been quietly letting more than one Hollywood movies to be released either on the same day or on the same week. Last year, Die Hard 4.0 and Bourne Ultimatum were released on the same day in China, months after both movies were available through piracy. In the end neither did very well at the box-office. Though this time, National Treasure: Book of Secrets and 10,000 B.C. were not released on the same day, they were still pushed into a cannibal arena.

 

In Taiwan, the recession of local movie industry continues as usual. On the bright side, the islanders get to see a variety of imported new movies - An Empress and The Warriors, British-Belgian-French made drama Angel, US indie film Half Nelson, two Thai horror flicks, Body #19 and Train of the Dead, and the Hollywood remake of same title Hong Kong horror The Eye.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

The 8th Chinese Film Media Awards Nominations (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 20, 2008

 

 
   

(Image: Southern Metropolitan Daily.)

 

Chinese newspaper Southern Metropolitan Dailey just released the nomination list for the 8th Film Media Awards, the only one which makes all Chinese language films eligible with little bias. The nominees are picked by a committee formed by dozens individuals from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Among the nominees, there are Lust, Caution, director Ang Lee and all four major cast of the film, Leung Chiu-Wai, Tang Wei, Joan Chen and Wang Lee-Hom. Ironically, Tang Wei has just been "unofficially" sanctioned by the Chinese government (with no legal basis), for her performance in Lust, Caution, which has been accused of "glorifying national traitors" by some powerful people in China. The final winners will be picked by another committee later. Lost in Beijing, just banned in China for "promoting the film with indecent materials" and a few other excuses, also released multiple nominations. Oddly enough, Zhang Jingchu is nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for the same role in Protege.

 

 

 

Related Story:

The 7th Chinese Film Media Awards (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 21, 2007

The 6th Chinese Film Media Awards (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 18, 2006

 

Complete Nomination List:

 

Best Film

Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA

The Sun Also Rises - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong

 

The Warlords - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong

 

Tuya's Marriage - The Chinese Mainland / USA

 

The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong                

   

Best Director

Ann HUI (The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

Ang LEE (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

JIANG Wen (The Sun Also Rises - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong )

 

Peter CHAN (The Warlords - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

WANG Quan'an (Tuya's Marriage - The Chinese Mainland)

   

Best New

Jay CHOU (Secret - Hong Kong / Taiwan)

Director

YAU Nai-Hoi (Eye in the Sky - Hong Kong)

 

CAO Baoping (Guang Rong De Fen Nu - The Chinese Mainland)

 

CHEN Huai-en (Island Etude - Taiwan)

 

Adam WONG (Magic Boy - Hong Kong)

 

LIN Jing-Jie (The Most Distant Course - Taiwan)

   

Best

LIU Heng (Assembly - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

Screenwriter

WAI Ka-Fai, AU Kin-Yee (Mad Detective - Hong Kong)

 

WANG Hui-Ling, James SCHAMUS (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

 

Lu Wei, WANG Quan'an (Tuya's Marriage - The Chinese Mainland)

 

LI Qiang (The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

LIN Jing-Jie (The Most Distant Course - Taiwan)

Best Actor

LEUNG Chiu-Wai (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

LEUNG Ka-Fai (Lost in Beijing - The Chinese Mainland)

 

Jet LI (The Warlords - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

ZHANG Hanyu (Assembly - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

Eason CHAN (The Pye-Dog - Hong Kong)

 

Simon YAM (Eye in the Sky - Hong Kong)

   

Best Actress

Rene LIU (Kidnap - Hong Kong)

ZHANG Jingchu (Protege - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

FAN Bingbing (Lost in Beijing - The Chinese Mainland)

 

TANG Wei (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

 

YU Nan (Tuya's Marriage - The Chinese Mainland)

 

SIQIN Gaowa (The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

   

Best Supporting

LIU Kai-Chi (The Detective - Hong Kong)

Actor

Nick CHEUNG (Exodus - Hong Kong)

 

WANG Yanhui (Guang Rong De Fen Nu - The Chinese Mainland)

 

Louis KOO (Protege - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

Anthony WONG (The Sun Also Rises - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong )

 

Senge (Tuya's Marriage - The Chinese Mainland)

 

CHOW Yun-Fat (The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

Tai Po (Da-Yu: The Touch of Fate - Taiwan)

 

JIA Siao-guo (The Most Distant Course - Taiwan)

   

Best Supporting

ZHANG Jingchu (Protege - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

Actress

Joan CHEN (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

 

JIN Yanling (Lost in Beijing - The Chinese Mainland)

 

Joan CHEN (The Sun Also Rises - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong )

 

Lisa LU (The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

 

ZHAO Wei (The Postmodern Life of My Aunt - The Chinese Mainland / Hong Kong)

   
Best New

Kate TSUI (Eye in the Sky - Hong Kong)

Performer

TUNG Ming-hsiang (Island Etude - Taiwan)

 

HUANG Lu (Blind Mountain - The Chinese Mainland)

 

TANG Wei (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

 

WANG Lee-Hom (Lust, Caution - Taiwan / The Chinese Mainland / USA)

 

LEE Yat-long (Whispers and Moans - Hong Kong)

 

 
 

 

Jackie Chan and Jet Li Will Work Together Again! (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 19, 2008

 
 

Jackie Chan and Jet Li say, "We will be back."

 

(Images: Casey Silver Productions, Huayi Brothers, Relativity Media.)

 

After The Forbidden Kingdom, Jackie Chan and Jet Li will work together again, in a story they create by themselves. This is right out of their own mouth during a press conference yesterday at the Hong Kong International Film Mart. They said about 15 years ago, they met at the studio of Golden Harvest and came out an idea for a movie. Now the plot of that movie has changed but the storyline mains unchanged. They would make it happen and Jet Li even said, "we will fight each other again in the new movie, and it will be even bigger than (what we did) in The Forbidden Kingdom." Jackie Chan also said Li was thinking about bringing Chan's son Jaycee into the new movie as well.

 
 

 

THE STORM RIDERS II Now in Production (Sina.com)

 

 

March 19, 2008

 
   

 

 

(Images: Golden Harvest Company, Chengtian Entertainment, Universe Entertainment.)

 
   

A press conference held yesterday in Hong Kong marks the beginning of the principle shooting of The Storm Riders II. The original The Storm Riders, released 10 years ago, was based on popular Hong Kong comic series Wind Cloud. The story fellows two young warriors, Striding Wind and Whispering Cloud, turning against an evil warlord, who is becoming too invincible to be defeated. Aaron Kwok (Striding Cloud) and Ekin Cheng (Whispering Wind) return for the sequel. Other cast members include Nicholas Tse (as a villain), Charlene Choi, Tang Yan (replacing Shu Qi as Muse) and Simon Yam. The sequel is directed by the Pang Brothers, Danny and Oxide (The Eye). The costumes are designed by Yee Chung-Man (Curse of the Golden Flower). The entire movie will be shot in front of blue background and the CG effects will be handled by FatFace Productions (The Warlords, Forest of Death, Confession of Pain, Re-Cycle) Produced by Hong Kong's Universe and Beijing's Chengtian Entertainment, The Storm Rider II will be shot in Thailand.

 

From the press conference: A B    Clips: A B

 
 

 

Gordon Chan's PAINTED SKIN at First Glance (Sina.com)

 

 

March 18, 2008

 
 
Donnie Yen

Zhou Xun

 
   

(Images: Golden Sun Films, Mediacorp Raintree Pictures, Ningxia Film Studio, Salon Films, Shanghai Film Group.)

 

Two promo sheets appeared yesterday at the annual Hong Kong Film Mart.  The original Painted Sin story was written by Qing Dynasty novelist Pu Songling. It tells a young scholar is seduced by a demon covered with painted skin of a beautiful girl and later the demon is slain by a Taoist monk. In the new movie version (aka. "Skin Lover" according to IMDB) by Hong Kong director Gordon Chan, Zhou Xun plays the demon, Donnie Yen plays the slayer, Chen Kun plays the scholar, Zhao Wei plays the scholar's wife and Sun Li plays another slayer. Other names associated with the production include producer Hsu Li-kong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Eat Drink Man Woman, The Wedding Banquet), cinematographer Arthur Wong (The Warlords, Iron Monkey, New Dragon Inn, Once Upon a Time in China), action director Tung Wai (Seven Swords, Hero, The Blade) and art director Bill Lui (Lust, Caution, The Contract Killer, Black Mask).

 

Snapshots from Hong Kong International Film Mart.

Related Stories:

PAINTED SKIN Cast Meets the Press Today (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) December 4, 2007

Donnie Yen and Daniel Wu to Slay Fan Bingbing the ghost in THE PAINTED SKIN? (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

May 10, 2007

 
 

 

Opening This Week: March 8 - 14 - Part 2 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 18, 2008

 
 
PK.COM.CN

Ganglameiduo

 
   

(Images: Forbidden City Films, Xintong Media and Cultural Investment Co., Ltd., Sina Corporation China Film Group Corp., China Record Corporation, Tibet TV Station, Sengtang Global Media, Inc., CCTV.)

 

Two Chinese movies were released in China last Friday.

 

PK.COM.CN tells A young surgeon, Li tireless looking for his best friend Ji, back in medical school. One day he finds Ji's ex-girlfriend, who tells him Ji was murdered and the killer was Li... Based on He Xiaotian's novel Lost in Time, top winner of a writing contest hosted by Sina.com, PK.COM.CN is been advertised as China's first interactive movie.

 

Ganglamedo is about a singer, who suddenly lost her voice, is traveling to Namucuo, a sacred Tibetan lake, where she wants to find back her voice. On the road, she befriends a local musician, whose dream is to purchase a bar called Ganglamedo, where his grandfather met the girl he loved.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

The 2nd Asian Film Awards (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 17, 2008

 

 

 
   

(Image: HKIF.)

 

Organized by Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFF), Asian Film Awards just ended its second annual round tonight in the city of Hong Kong. South Korea drama Secret Sunshine became the biggest winner, collecting the awards of Best Film, Best Director (Lee Chang-Dong) and Best Actress (Jeon Do-Yeon). Hong Kong veteran Leung Chiu-Wai won the title of Best Actress for his performance in Lust, Caution. Mainland Chinese actor Sun Honglei was named the Best Supporting Actor for starring in Mongolia- Kazakhstan-Germany-Russia joint production Mongol. Shanghai-born Joan Chen collected the award of Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Sun Also Rises. She was also nominated for the Best Actress for Singapore-Australia production The Home Song Stories.

 

Asian Film Awards official website.

HKIFF's Asian Film Awards website.

 

Related Story:

1st Asian Film Awards Winners (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 20, 2007

 

 

Complete Winners' List:

 

Best Film - Secret Sunshine - South Korea

      Other nominees: Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame - Iran

                                      I Just Didn't Do It - Japan

                                      Lust, Caution - Taiwan/ Chinese Mainland, The / USA

                                      The Sun Also Rises - The Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong

                                      The Warlords - The Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong

 

Best Director - LEE Chang-Dong (Secret Sunshine - South Korea)

      Other nominees: Peter CHAN (Warlords, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong)

                                      JIANG Wen (Sun Also Rises, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong )

                                      Ang LEE (Lust, Caution - Taiwan/ Chinese Mainland, The / USA)

                                      SUO Masayuki (I Just Didn't Do It - Japan)

                                      ZHANG Lu (Desert Dream - South Korea/ France)

 

Best Actor - Tony LEUNG (Lust, Caution - Taiwan/ Chinese Mainland, The / USA)

      Other nominees: Jack KAO (God Man Dog - Taiwan)

                                      KASE Ryo (I Just Didn't Do It - Japan)

                                      Jet LI (Warlords, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong)

                                      Joe ODAGIRI (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad - Japan)

                                      SONG Kang-ho (Secret Sunshine - South Korea)
 

Best Actress - JEON Do-Yeon (Secret Sunshine - South Korea)

      Other nominees: Joan CHEN (Home Song Stories, The - Singapore/Australia)

                                      KIKI Kirin (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad - Japan)

                                      KIM Yunjin (Seven Days - South Korea)

                                      Deepika PADUKONE (Om Shanti Om - India)

                                      TANG Wei (Lust, Caution -Taiwan/ Chinese Mainland, The / USA)

 

Best Supporting Actor - SUN Honglei (Mongol - Mongolia/ Kazakhstan/ Germany/ Russia)

      Other nominees: CHUN Ho-jin (Skeletons in the Closet - South Korea)

                                      KOBAYASHI Kaoru (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad - Japan)

                                      Mario MAURER (Love of Siam - Thailand)

                                      TSUTSUMI Shin'ichi (Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 - Japan )

 

Best Supporting Actress - Joan CHEN (Sun Also Rises, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong)

      Other nominees: KONG Hyo-jin (Happiness - South Korea)

                                      KIM Hye-soo (Skeletons in the Closet - South Korea)

                                      KIKI Kirin (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad - Japan)

                                      Apinya SAKUJAROENSUK (Ploy - Thailand )

                                      YAKUSHIMARU Hiroko (Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 - Japan )

 

Best Screenwriter - AU Kin Yee / WAI Ka-Fai (Mad Detective, The - Hong Kong)

      Other nominees: IM Sang-soo (Old Garden, The - South Korea)

                                      PENG Tao (Little Moth - Chinese Mainland, The)

                                      SUO Masayuki  (I just Didn't Do it - Japan)

                                      WANG Hui-Ling / James SCHAMUS (Lust, Caution - Taiwan/ Chinese Mainland, The / USA)

 

Best Cinematographer - LIAO Pen-jung (Help Me Eros - Taiwan)

      Other nominees: Chankit CHAMNIVIKAIPONG (Ploy - Thailand)

                                      Hooman BEHMANESH (Those Three - Iran)                                     

                                      Shanker RAMAN (Frozen - India)

                                      Arthur WONG (Warlords, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong)

 

Best Production Designer - CAO Jiuping / ZHANG Jian Qun (Sun Also Rises, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong  

                                                  Kong)

      Other nominees: KIM Yu-Jeong / LEE Min-Bok (Epitaph (Gidam) - South Korea)

                                      IWAKI Namiko (Sakuran - Japan)

                                      Pisut PARIWATTANAKIT (Opaptika - Thailand )

                                      TSAI Ming-liang (Help Me Eros - Taiwan)

 

Best Composer - Vishal DADLANI / Shekhar RAVJIANI (Om Shanti Om - India)

      Other nominees: Alexandre DESPLAT (Lust, Caution - Taiwan/ Chinese Mainland, The / USA)

                                      Kitti KUREMANEE  (Love of Siam - Thailand)

                                      SHENA Ringo (Sakuran - Japan)

                                      Xiao He (Mid-Afternoon Barks - Chinese Mainland, The)

 

Best Editor - David RICHARDSON (Eye In the Sky - Hong Kong)

      Other nominees: Charliebebs GOHETIA (Slingshot - Philippines, The)

                                      HIRASAWA Shogo (Maiko haaaan!!! - Japan)

                                      LEE Eun-soo (Old Garden, The - South Korea)

                                      Wenders LI (Warlords, The - Chinese Mainland, The / Hong Kong)

 

Best Visual Effects - NG Yuen Fai (Warlords, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong)

      Other nominees: Thomas DUVAL (Sun Also Rises, The - Chinese Mainland, The/ Hong Kong)

                                      SESHITA Hiroyuki (Dainipponjin - Japan)

                                      SHIM Hyung-rae (D-War - South Korea)

                                      YAMAZAKI Takashi (Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 - Japan)

 

Lifetime Achievement Award - Yoji YAMADA (Japan)

 

The Edward Yang New Talent Award - Yuya ISHII (Japan)

 
 

 

NANKING! NANKING! Behind-The-Scene Videos (Sina.com / BTV)

 

 

March 17, 2008

 

 

 
   

(Images: Sina.com, BTV.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clip A (length: 12:13)

Clip B (length: 06:28)

 

Related stories:

First Official Production Stills of Lu Chuan's NANKING! NANKING! (...) November 26, 2007

NANKING! NANKING! Teaser Posters (Sina.com) June 26, 2007

There Is another Nanjing/Nanking Massacre Project CHRISTMAS, 1937, NANKING (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 13, 2007

Cast Choice for Lu Chuan's NANJING! NANJING! (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) February 15, 2007

Three Nanjing Massacre Projects Running in Parallel (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) December 14, 2006

Stanley Tong Wants to Tell His Nanjing Massacre Story with THE DIARY (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 21, 2006

 
 

 

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Official Sites (...)

 

 

March 16, 2008

 

 
   

(Images: Lionsgate Entertainment, Huayi Brothers, Sina.com.)

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Official English website.

Official Chinese website.

 

Related stories:

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Photos (Encore Films) March 3, 2008

Chan vs. Li, Stills of THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (JetLiCN.com) February 27, 2008

More Official THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Stills (Sina.com) September 6, 2007

More Official FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Stills - Jackie Chan and Jet Li (Sina.com) August 22, 2007

An Official FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Still (Sina.com) August 20, 2007

Jet Li as the Monkey King of the FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, Have a Look (JetLiCN.com) July 17, 2007

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Spy Photos and Video (Sina.com) June 27, 2007

FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Press Conference (...) June 14, 2007

FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Spy Photos (Sohu.com) June 13, 2007

Another THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Photo - Liu Yifei (Oriental Morning Post) May 22, 2007

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Spy Photos (Sohu.com) May 9, 2007

The Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project Is Called THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Now (...) April 11, 2007

Liu Yifei and Li Bingbing have officially onboard of the Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 5, 2007

Zhang Ziyi Is Interested in the Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 30, 2007

The Kid for  Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project Is Found (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 25, 2007

A Little Bit More about the Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project - Part 3 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 17, 2007

A Little Bit More about the Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project - Part 2 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 13, 2007

The Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project Is Titled KING OF KUNG FU? (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 6, 2007

The Jackie Chan / Jet Li Project Will Happen This Month (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 2, 2007

 
 

 

CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI Posters (Sina.com)

 

 

March 15, 2008

 

 

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Chow Yun-Fat

 
   

(Image: Bluewater Pictures, Ming Productions, Geerland Entertainment Organization, Rouge Entertainment Group, Zero West Filmproduktion.)

 

   

Official English website.

Official Chinese website.

 

Related stories:

THE CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI Trailer (Sina.com) January 22, 2008

CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI's Another Press Conference Plus Another Behind-the-Scene Video (Sina.com) June 19, 2007

CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI Promotional Photos from Sony (Sony Pictures Classics)

May 11, 2007

Video: CHILDREN OF HUANGSHI Press Conference Plus a Behind-the-Scene Clip (CCTV / Sina.com) January 23, 2007

CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI Production Update (...)

December 17, 2006

More Pictures from THE CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI (Sina.com.cn / TungStar)

November 29, 2006

A Few Singapore Kids for THE BITTER SEA (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) August 1, 2005

Brendan Fraser to Rescue CHILDREN OF GUANGXI in the War-Torn China (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) June 19, 2005

 
 

 

Opening This Week: March 8 - 14 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 14, 2008

 
 

L for Love, L for Lies

Pongso No Tao

 
   

(Images: Point of View Movie Productions, Chang Tso-chi Film Studio.)

 
   

This week, absolutely nothing is released in mainland Chinese theaters. National Treasure: Book of Secrets, once set to open this Thursday, has been pushed back to next Monday. Very suspiciously, this is another move to reduce the box-office revenue of Hollywood movies. 10,000 B.C. is set to open on next Friday, just four days after.

 

In Hong Kong, L for Love, L for Lies is released this Thursday. It tells a woman hires a conman to seduce her childhood friend, who took her boyfriend from her. The conman completes his mission perfectly and then woman's ex-boyfriend starts courting her again. But now she has fallen in love with another man, the conman. Other movies become available this week include Woody Allen's new film Cassandra's Dream, US made drama Love in the Time of Cholera and One Missed Call, Hollywood remake of Japanese horror flick Chakushin Ari.

 

Taiwanese film Pongso No Tao opens locally this Friday. The story begins with an aboriginal man and a woman recordist traveling to a small island, where many islanders' dream is staying in their island. Other new films are Cassandra's Dream, Korean horror movie Muoi, Thailand fantasy love story Ocean Butterfly, Mexican-Spanish horror story The Orphanage, Argentinean-Spanish animation  The Hairy Tooth Fairy and US thriller Untraceable.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON - The Korean Trailer (Sina.com)

 

 

March 13, 2008

 

 

   
   

(Images: United Filmmakers Organization, Poly-Bona Film Publishing Co., Ltd., Big Pictures. )

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Korean trailer.

The Korean poster.

66 stills.

 

Related stories:

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON - Full Trailer (Sina.com) February 28, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images - Andy Lau and Maggie Q (Sina.com) February 26, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images - Sammo Hung (Sina.com) February 21, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images (Sina.com) December 30, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Cannes Teaser (Sina.com) June 8, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON: Teaser International Poster and a Few Stills (Sina.com)

May 21, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Location Photos (Sina.com) May 10, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Has Gone into Production (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 14, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Pre-Production Photos (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 1, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON: Teaser Post and Character Design Sketches (Xiao Pang's Blog)

February 7, 2007

Plot Update on Andy Lau's THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 18, 2006

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON in Pre-Production (...) October 15, 2006

Andy Lau to Star in Two Period Films - STRATEGE and ZHAO ZILONG (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) July 2, 2005 

 
 

 

The First Look at Tsui Hark's WOMEN ARE NOT BAD, the Alleged Remake of PEKING OPERA BLUES (Sina.com)

 

 

March 10, 2008

 

 
Tsui Hark Zhang Yuqi (L) and Zhou Xun (R)  
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Alex Fong Shen Chang (L), Zhang Yuqi (M) and Alex Fong (R). Zhang Yuqi Tsui Hark  
   

(Images: Sina.com. )

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsui Hark is working on a movie right now, in Beijing. The local press has been invited to observe the shooting of a wedding scene on the Women's Day. The movie is called "Nu Ren Bu Hua", which is literally means "Women Are Not Bad". Produced by Beijing-based financially strong newcomer J.A. Media, it has been publicized as a remake of Tsui's classic Peking Opera Blues. Grady Hendrix, who are blogging on Asian films for Variety, seems depressed by the news. However, judging from what we have known so far, I would say the new movie is very different from Peking Opera Blues and cannot be considered as a remake. The story of Peking Opera Blues is set in the 1920s' Beijing when the country was largely controlled by warlords while Dr. Sun Yat-Sen is working on building a democratic government. The story centers around a box of jewels with three young women and two young men involved. The new movie, called a comedy, is set in modern day Beijing and is being shot in Beijing. There is no jewelry box or Peking opera, and the lead women are all working white collars. The three women are played by Zhou Xun (The Banquet, Perhaps, Love, Suzhou River), Kwai Lun-mei (Secret, The Most Distant Course, The Passage) and Zhang Yuqi (CJ7). Shooting will end by April and the Asian release is set in the coming October.

 

Clips from the set visit: A B

Clip from a press conference

Snapshots from the set visit: A  B C D

 
 

 

RED CLIFF Japanese Teaser (Sina.com)

 

 

March 9, 2008

 
 
 
   

(Images: China Film Group, Lion Rock Productions.)

 

The official Japanese website of John Woo's Red Cliff, the most expensive Asian movies, has just been updated with a teaser trailer.

 

(Thanks to Twitch.)

 

More about Red Cliff.

 

 

 
 

 

China Tightens Film Censorship Policy (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 9, 2008

 

 
   

(Image: Microsoft.)

 
   

On March 3, The Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) sent an internal notice to all movie studios in China to further tighten the country's already very tight film censorship policy. This notice was issued when the public outcry for a movie grading system was at the all time high. The first victim of this notice is believed to be Wang Xiaoshuai's In Love We Trust, ordered to be re-edited after being greenlighted by the SARFT and after winning a Silver Berlin Bear for it's screenplay last month.

 

Here is an highlight of the internal notice:

The following are prohibited in films:


1. Violations against the fundamental principle of the Constitution;

2. Threats against the national unification and the integrity of the (national) sovereignty and (national) territory.

3. Leaking of national secrets, violation against the national security and harming the national honors and national interests.

4. Inciting ethic hatred and ethic discrimination, harming ethnic solidarity of ethic groups, and volition of ethic customs and traditions;

5. Volition of the national policies on religions and preaching cult believes and superstitions;

6. Disturbing social orders and harming the social stability;

7. Promoting obseneness, gambling and violence and abetting crimes;

8. Humiliating or slandering other individuals and violating legal rights and interests of other individuals;

9. Harming social morality and playing down good national cultural heritages;

10. Others which prohibited by relevant national laws and regulations.

The following must be deleted or altered:

1. Misinterpretation of Chinese cultural and Chinese history, severely deviating the historical facts, misinterpretation of other countries?histories; disrespecting other countries?cultures, customs and traditions; dispraising revolutionary leaders, heroes and important historical figures; falsifying famous Chinese and foreign literature works and the portraying of important figures of the literature works;

2. Maliciously dispraising the image of the People抯 Liberation Army, the Armed Police, the police and the justice entities;

3. Contents of obseneness, pornography and bad-tastes, depicting scenes of prurience, sexual violations, prostitution, solicitation, sexual activities, sexual perversion, homosexuality, masturbation, etc.; and the sexual organs and other private parts of men and women; contents of indecent and bad-tasting dialogues, songs, background music and sound effects;

4. Contents of murders, violence, horrors, ghosts and demons, supernaturalism, etc; value orientations confusing the real and the fake, the innocent and the evil, and the beautiful and the ugly; confusing the basic natures of the righteous and the non-righteous; deliberately depicting the terror of criminal activities, depicting the details of criminal actives, exposing special techniques of criminal investigations; plots with murders, bloodiness, violence, drug-taking, gambling (etc.), which are strongly stimulating; plots of torturing of POWs, torturing criminals, suspects, etc. to extort confessions; shots, dialogues, background music or sound effects, which are overly horrifying;

5. Preaching negative and decadent philosophies, opinions of the world and values; deliberately glamorizing and exaggerating the ignorance and backward development of various ethic groups or the dark side of the society;

6. Preaching religious extremism, inciting the tension and conflict between religions, religious sects as well as religious believers and non-religious believers, which harm the feelings of the public;

7. Preaching destroying the environment, torturing of animals, poaching and eating nationally protected animals;

8. Overly depicting alcoholism, tobacco smoking and other bad habits;

9. Violating of the principles of relevant law and regulations.
 

(Thanks to the anonymous for the translation.)

 

Related stories:

LOST IN BEIJING, Banned in China, Finds Way to America (..) January 9, 2008

LOST IN BEIJING, Banned in China (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) January 5, 2008

SUMMER PALACE Makers Banned from Filmmaking for Five Years (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) September 5, 2006

 
 

 

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON - More Shots (Sina.com)

 

 

March 8, 2008

 

 
Andy Lau Maggie Q   
   

(Images: United Filmmakers Organization, Poly-Bona Film Publishing Co., Ltd., Big Pictures. )

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related stories:

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images - Andy Lau and Maggie Q (Sina.com) February 26, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images - Sammo Hung (Sina.com) February 21, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images (Sina.com) December 30, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Cannes Teaser (Sina.com) June 8, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON: Teaser International Poster and a Few Stills (Sina.com) May 21, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Location Photos (Sina.com) May 10, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Has Gone into Production (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 14, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Pre-Production Photos (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 1, 2007

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON: Teaser Post and Character Design Sketches (Xiao Pang's Blog)

February 7, 2007

Plot Update on Andy Lau's THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 18, 2006

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON in Pre-Production (...) October 15, 2006

Andy Lau to Star in Two Period Films - STRATEGE and ZHAO ZILONG (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) July 2, 2005 

 
 

 

Opening This Week: March 1 - 7 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

March 7, 2008

 
 

 Delicacies... Poison

Shamo  
   

(Images: Megajoy Pictures, Art Port, Pony Canyon, Same Way Productions Limited.)

 
   

This week, Hong Kong master choreographer Ching Siu-Tung's period actioner An Empress and the Warriors arrives at the theaters in the mainland China. Starring Kelly Chen, Leon Lai, Donnie Yen and Guo Xiaodong, the film tells a princess trying to reclaimed the kingdom stolen from her while falls in love with a hermit warrior. Also in competition, local production Delicacies... Poison tells a man carefully maintains relationship with two women who might be poisoning him with foods they cooked.

 

In Hong Kong, the violent Category III movie Shamo is the only local title released this week. A Hong Kong-Japan co-production based on the same title manga series, it tells a teenager boy (Shawn Yue), who is serving time for killing his parents, becomes a bloodthirsty fighter inside the reformatory. Also becoming available, there are mainland Chinese comedy Marriage Trap, Hollywood production 10,000 BC, Romania drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days and The Eye, the Hollywood remake of the same title Hong Kong horror flick.


Hong KONG screen player and director Pang Ho-Cheung's
Trivia Matters is released today in Taiwan. However, Pang has refused to go to Taiwan to participate in promoting his movie because the local distributor is advertising it as something related to the recent celebrity photo scandals though the movie was made before the scandal. Other released in the island are German-Turkish joint-production The Edge of Heaven and US made Afghan story The Kite Runner.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Assassins (Sina.com)

 

 

March 6, 2008

 

 
   

(Images: United Filmmakers Organization, Poly-Bona Film Publishing Co., Ltd., Big Pictures.)

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More shots.

Clip

 

Related Stories:

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Stills (Sina.com) February 21, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images - Sammo Hung (Sina.com) February 21, 2008

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Donnie Yen (Sina.com) February 19, 2008

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Trailers, Posters, Stills (Sina.com) February 20, 2008

Two More Shots from Ching Siu-Tung's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) February 1, 2008

Promo Stills of Ching Siu-Tung's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) December 17, 2007

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) November 1, 2007

Ching Siu-Tung's KINGDOME AND THE BEAUTY Is in Production Now (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) August 9, 2007

Ching Siu-Tung to director KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY with Leon Lai and Kelly Chen (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 9, 2007

 
 

 

NANKING! NANKING! Set Visit Clips and Photos (CCTV / Sina.com)

 

 

March 6, 2008

 

 
Director Lu Chuan on the set. Mockup Japanese tanks Type 95.  
   

(Images: Sina.com, CCTV.)

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CCTV's live coverage: A B C D

More set visit clips: A B

Set visit photos: A B C

One of several mockup Japanese tanks Type 95.

 

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There Is another Nanjing/Nanking Massacre Project CHRISTMAS, 1937, NANKING (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 13, 2007

Cast Choice for Lu Chuan's NANJING! NANJING! (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) February 15, 2007

Three Nanjing Massacre Projects Running in Parallel (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) December 14, 2006

Stanley Tong Wants to Tell His Nanjing Massacre Story with THE DIARY (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 21, 2006

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - More Stills and Clips (Sina.com)

 

 

March 5, 2008

 

 
   

(Images: United Filmmakers Organization, Poly-Bona Film Publishing Co., Ltd., Big Pictures.)

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The-Making-of Clips: A B C D

Stills: A B C

 

Related Stories:

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Stills (Sina.com) February 21, 2008

THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Images - Sammo Hung (Sina.com) February 21, 2008

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Donnie Yen (Sina.com) February 19, 2008

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - Trailers, Posters, Stills (Sina.com) February 20, 2008

Two More Shots from Ching Siu-Tung's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) February 1, 2008

Promo Stills of Ching Siu-Tung's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) December 17, 2007

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) November 1, 2007

Ching Siu-Tung's KINGDOME AND THE BEAUTY Is in Production Now (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) August 9, 2007

Ching Siu-Tung to director KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY with Leon Lai and Kelly Chen (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 9, 2007

 
 

 

MEI LANFANG Stills - Gillian Chung (China Screen / Sina.com)

 

 

March 4, 2008

 

 
   

(Images: China Film Group Corp., Emperor Motion Pictures, CMC Entertainment.)

 
   

Two photos showing Hong Kong actress Gillian Chung appear in the recent edition of Chinese magazine China Screen. Chung is one of many victims of the recent celebrity photo scandal in Hong Kong and she has stopped working since the outbreak of the scandal. Chung is a contract entertainer of Hong Kong based Emperor Motion Pictures, a major studio behind the project. In Mei Lanfang, Chung played young Fu Zhifang, the second wife of Peking opera artist Meilanfang (young Mei Lanfang is played by Shaoqun). Leon Lai and Chen Hong play the mid-age Mei Lanfang and Fu Zhifang. Zhang Ziyi plays Meng Xiaodong, who had a short-lived marriage with Mei. Releasing these photos could imply that director Chen Kaige intends to keep Chung on the screen despite recent report suggesting her scenes would be deleted. The production of the biopic wrapped up last week after seven month none stop shooting. Click here for a few photos taken on the last day of shooting on the set built to recreate the old Beijing.

 
 

 

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Photos (Encore Films)

 

 

March 3, 2008

 

 
Jet Li as the Monkey King    
   

(Images: Casey Silver Productions, Huayi Brothers, Relativity Media.)

 
Click here for more photos.

(Thanks to Jet Liang.)

 
 

 

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS - The Sword Hall (Sina.com)

 

 

March 2, 2008

 

 

 

 

(Images: United Filmmakers Organization, Poly-Bona Film Publishing Co., Ltd., Big Pictures.)

 
   

Click here for a few shots of an expensive set call "The Sword Hall."

Click here for a few shots of Kelly Chen being trained by Donnie Yen.

Click here for a few shots of an underwater scene with Kelly Chen.

 

Related Stories:

Two More Shots from Ching Siu-Tung's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) February 1, 2008

Promo Stills of Ching Siu-Tung's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) December 17, 2007

AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (Sina.com) November 1, 2007

Ching Siu-Tung's KINGDOME AND THE BEAUTY Is in Production Now (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) August 9, 2007

Ching Siu-Tung to director KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY with Leon Lai and Kelly Chen (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 9, 2007