News Archives

 
 

April 2008

 

     
   
     
     

 

MEI LANFANG Promotional Stills (...)

 

 

April 29, 2008

 
 

 

 

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

 

Click here for more.

 
 

 

Opening This Week: April 19 - 25 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

April 25, 2008

 
 
Happy Funeral

 

(Image: Filmko Pictures.)

 

This week, Happy Funeral, or Happy Funeral, sequel to Truth or Dare: 6th Floor Rear Flat, released in 2003, is the only new movie being released. It tells more stories of several young men and women who share the same flat in the city of Hong Kong.

 

The Forbidden Kingdom, with Jackie Chan and Jet Li sharing the screen time for the first time, is released in the mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

 

Other titles open this week in Hong Kong include: music documentary Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, comedy Over her dead body, comedy drama The Savages, and teen horror comedy Teeth.

 

In Taiwan, new releases for this week are: Hong Kong made comedy drama Run Papa Run, Germany-USA made thriller 88 Minutes,  Israeli war drama Beaufort, Japanese period fantasy Kitaro, comedy The Ten, and documentary War Dance.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

THE STORM RIDERS II Production Photos (Sina.com)

 

 

April 23, 2008  

 

 

     

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

 

More photos:

A B C D E

 

Related Stories:

THE STORM RIDERS II Now in Production (Sina.com) March 18, 2008

THE STORM RIDERS II Character Designs (Sina.com) March 26, 2008

 
 

 

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Interviews (BlackFilm.com)

 

 

April 21, 2008  

 

 

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

 

Yuen Wo-Ping

Collin Chou interview 

Liu Yifei interview

(Thanks to Wilson Morales.)

 
 

 

Opening This Week: April 12 - 18 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

April 18, 2008

 
 

Love Is Elsewhere

 

(Image: Buddy Film, Entertainment International, Mastermind Film Production.)

 

This week, low-budget little drama Love Is Elsewhere is released in Hong Kong. It tells a couple of young lovers run an unlicensed psychological clinic to help people with love problem.

 

In the mainland China, the only new release this week is Russian actioner Apocalypse Code.

 

In Hong Kong, the imported titles are Thai martial-art flick Chocolate, Hollywood movie Street Kings and We Own the Night.

 

In Taiwan, new movies include: French documentary Animals in Love, US made children's story Nim's Island, Thai horror flick Sick Nurses, Hollywood production Street Kings and Japanese anime Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Review by Mighty Ganesha (MightyGanesha.com)

 

 

April 17, 2008  

 

 

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

 

Stunning reds, yellows, and oversaturated flesh tones rendered in comic book dots flash before our eyes. Images of growling men, muscles tensed, fists clenched duel with airborne acrobats defying gravity as elegant, feline women dressed as preening princesses; each as deadly as they are beautiful. A cut and paste montage of vintage Kung Fu posters, each featuring a superstar of the Golden Age of martial arts films, Bruce Lee, Gordon Liu, Angela Mao, Sammo Hung and Cheng Pei Pei amongst others host the opening credits for the film that martial arts enthusiasts the world over have waited decades to see. The kinetic use of the faces of those Golden Harvest/ Shaw Brothers legends shows a fair amount of cheek as if calling down these Kung Fu gods to lend their blessing to. The inclusion in the montage of the stars of the piece, Jackie Chan and Jet Li themselves, marks an awareness of what’s at stake. Does The Forbidden Kingdom live up to its heady expectations? Well ….

 

Click here to continue...

 
 

 

27th Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFAA)

 

 

April 13, 2008

 

 

(Image: Hong Kong Film Awards Association Ltd.)

 
   

The Warlords is the grand winner of the 27th Hong Kong Film Awards, by collecting eight awards, including Best Film, Best Director for Peter Chan and Best Actor for Jet Li.

 

Hong Kong Film Awards Official Website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Film - The Warlords

Best Director - Peter CHAN Ho Sun (The Warlords)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Protege

Derek YEE Tung Sing (Protege)

The Postmodern Life of My Aunt

Ann HUI On Wah (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

Mad Detective

Johnnie TO Kei Fung & WAI Ka Fai (Mad Detective)

Eye in the Sky

YAU Nai Hoi (Eye In The Sky)

 

 

Best Screenplay - WAI Ka Fai & AU Kin Yee (Mad Detective)

Best Actor - Jet LI (The Warlords)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Xu Lan, CHUN Tin Nam, Aubery LAM, HUANG Jianxin,

Aaron KWOK (The Detective)

Jo Jo HUI, HO Kei Ping, KWOK Chun Lap, James Andy LAU Tak Wah (The Warlords)
YUEN Sai Sang (The Warlords) LAU Ching Wan (Mad Detective)

Derek YEE Tung Sing, CHUN Tin Nam, LOONG Man

Simon YAM (Eye In The Sky)
Hong, KO Sun (Protege)  

LI Qiang (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

 

YAU Nai Hoi & AU Kin Yee (Eye In The Sky)

 

 

 

Best Actress - SIQIN Gaowa (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

Best Supporting Actor - Andy LAU Tak Wah (Protege)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Teresa MO Shun Kwan (Mr. Cinema)

Nick CHEUNG Ka Fai (Exodus)

ZHANG Jingchu (Protege)

Ronald CHENG (Mr. Cinema)

Rene LIU (Kidnap)

Louis KOO (Protege)

Charlene CHOI (Simply Actors)

CHOW Yun Fat (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

 

 

Best Supporting Actress - Susan SHAW (The Pye-Dog)

Best New Performer - Kate TSUI (Eye In The Sky)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Karen MOK (Mr. Cinema)

Linda CHUNG (Love Is Not All Around)

Anita YUEN (Protege)

TSEI Tsz Tung (Protege)

ZHAO Wei (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

WEN Junhui (The Pye-Dog)

Maggie SHIU (Eye In The Sky)

WONG Hau Yan (The Besieged City)

 

 

Best Cinematography - Arthur WONG Ngok Tai (The Warlords)

Best Film Editing - Eric KONG Chi Leung (Protege)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Charlie LAM (Exodus)

Oxide PANG & Curran PANG (The Detective)

Venus KEUNG Kwok Man (Protege)

Wenders LI (The Warlords)

KWANn Pun Leung & YU Lik Wai (The Postmodern Life

Tina BAZ (Mad Detective)

Of My Aunt) David RICHARDSON (Eye In The Sky)

CHENG Siu Keung (Mad Detective)

 

 

 

Best Art Direction - YEE Chung Man, YI Zhengzhou & Pater WONG (The Warlords)

Best Costume Make Up Design - YEE Chung Man, Jessie DAI & LEE Pik Kwan (The Warlords)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Anuson Pinyopotjanee (The Detective)

Surasak Warakitcharoen (The Detective)

Alfred YAU Wai Ming (Blood Brothers)

Tim YIP (Blood Brothers)

YEE Chung Man & Kenneth MAK (Protege)

MA Yutao (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

Yank WONG Yan Kwai (The Besieged City)

Stanley CHEUNG (Mad Detective)

 

 

Best Action Choreography - Donnie YEN (Flash Point)

Best Sound Design - Sunit Asvinikul & Nakorn Kositpaisal (The Warlords)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

KONG Tao Hoi (Twins Mission)

Wachira Wongsaroj (The Detective)

Tony CHING Siu Tung (The Warlords)

Kinson TSANG (Protege)

LEE Chung Chi (Invisible Target)

Steve BURGESS & Sam WONG (Flash Point)

CHIN Ka Lok (Protege)

TU Duu Chih & KUO Li Chi (The Drummer)

 

 

Best Visual Effects - NG Yuen Fai (The Warlords)

Best Original Film Score - Joe HISAISHI (The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt)

Other nominees: Other nominees:

Suchada Somasavachai (The Detective)

Payont Permsith & Jadet Chawang (The Detective)

HO Siu Lun, CHOW Kim Hung & ChING Han Wong

CHAN Kwong Wing, Peter KAM Pui Tat, Chatchai

(Protege) Pongprapaphan & Leon KO (The Warlords)

Raymond MAN (Mad Detective)

Peter KAM Pui Tat (Protege)

LEUNG Wai Kit, Don MA, LEUNG Yiu Fung & Frankie

Andre MATTHIAS (The Drummer)
CHUNG (The Magic Gourd)  

 

 

Best Original Film Song - ? (Love Is Not All Around), composed by Dennie WONG, lyric by LIN Xi, sung by Kary NG Best New Director - YAU Nai Hoi (Eye In The Sky)
Other nominees: Other nominees:
Brothers (Brothers), composed by Eason CHAN, lyric Derek KWOK (The Pye-Dog)
by Andy LAU Tak Wah, sung by Andy LAU Tak Wah & Adam WONG (Magic Boy)
Eason CHAN  
? (Mr. Cinema), composed by Peter KAM Pui Tat, lyric  
by Keith CHAN, sung by Ronald CHENG  
Happy Wanderer (Mingming), composed by Anthony  
WONG & Jason CHOI, lyric by LIN Xi, sung by Anthony  
WONG & ZHOU Xun  
? (The Pye-Dog), composed by George LAM, lyric by  
Calvin POON Yuen Leung, sung by George LAM  
   
Best Asian Film - Lust, Caution (USA / China / Taiwan / Hong Kong)  
Secret (Hong Kong / Taiwan)  
The Sun Also Rises (China)  
Tokyo Tower : Mom & Me, And Sometimes Dad (Japan)  
Getting Home (China / Hong Kong)  

 

 

 

 
 

 

Opening This Week: April 5 - 11 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

April 11, 2008

 
 

And the Spring Comes

Slam

Anaconda

Frightened

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gun of Mercy

 

Run Papa Run

What on Earth Have I Done Wrong?!

 

       

(Images: Asia Union Film and Media, Crimson Culture & Media Co., Ltd., Sam Po Entertainment Production Co., Ltd., Shi Ji Hua Na Culture Development Co., Corp., Shanxi Film Studio, Seaking International Movie Investment Co., CCTV Media, Shenzhen Film Studio, Hongto Production.)

 
   
   

Six new movies open this week. Four in the mainland China - Cinematographer turned director Gu Changwei's drama And the Spring Comes, teen basketball flick Slam, Hong Kong vampire-zombie horror Anaconda Frightened, thriller 5 Gun of Mercy; one in Hong Kong - Sylvia Chang's family drama Run Papa Run, and one in Taiwan - mockumentary What on Earth Have I Done Wrong?!

 

And the Spring Comes is a non-sequel follow-up to Peacock.  The story is set in the 1980s, a music teacher, who dreams about being a famous soprano, is visited by a young girl who says she is dying from cancer and her only dream is to win the grand prize of a singing contest in Beijing.

 

Also released in the mainland China, Slam is about a school boy determines to settle everything at a 3 on 3 basketball tournament.

 

Anaconda Frightened, the latest of Hong Kong vampire-zombie genre, tells a grand master and his two disciples are hunting a new zombie frightening the residences of a small town.

Gun of Mercy is about a prison guard and three inmates get separated from others while running away from the rising water...

 

Run Papa Run tells a gang leader's attempt to hide his real identity in front of his now born daughter to let her have a normal life.

 

What on Earth Have I Done Wrong shows  a famous actor and TV director decides to make his first movie by making fun of the politicians and the press everybody hates and the troubles he run into are way beyond his expectation.

 

The only foreign import released this week in the mainland is French made thriller Taken. Foreign titles become available in Hong Kong are UK-Belgium-France co-produced drama Angel, Israel-France-USA made comedy The Band's Visit,  Sylvester Stallone's Rambo, and British-American comedy Run Fatboy Run. Imported movies open this week in Taiwan include UK-USA-France comedy Definitely, Maybe, French drama The Grocer's Son, Ukrainian romantic drama Orangelove, USA-UK's children's drama The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, and Thai horror Video Clip.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

7 THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM Clips (BlackFilm.com)

 

 

April 9, 2008  

 

 

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

 

Click here.

(Thanks to Wilson Morales.)

 
 

 

Jian Zhangke Will Build TWENTY-FOUR CITY, Who Will Move In? (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

April 8, 2008  
 
   

Jiang Zhangke: Casting wil be done once the script is done.

 

(Image: ?)

 
   
   

About a month ago, a cast list for Venice winning director Jia Zhangke’s new film Twenty-Four City appeared on several Chinese newspapers - actress Joan Chen, actress Lu Liping, actress Zhao Tao (played the lead in almost every Jia’s movie) and actor Chen Jianbin. But, at a press conference just a few days ago, Jia played down the credibility of the report, sort of, by saying he had not decided who would be offered with the leading roles.

According to Jia, a few years ago he came out the idea of showing the rise and fall of an old state-owned factory with stories of several generations of women workers, pretty women workers. He started looking around and found a closed ex-military aircraft engine factory, numbered 420, in Chengdu of southwestern China. Then he lobbied the real estate developer, which brought the factory and planned to demolish it to make way for a housing compound, to co-finance his new movie,
Twenty-Four City, which was the name the developer picked for the housing project. Coincidence? Hardly.

In the one month old report, the movie will consist with three stories, which are basically independent from each other. In part one, Joan Chen and Lu Liping will play two workers from the first and second generations; in part two, Chen Jianbin will play a workshop manager, recalling his past; and in part three, Lu Liping and Zhao Tao, will be two workers from the second and the third generations. The times will be set in the 1960s, 1980s and the 21st Century. First, Jia will shoot a documentary about the factory and how it changes to a housing compound, and will write the scripts, with woman poet Zhai Yongming, based on the documentary. Both projects will be produced and directed by Jia.

We do not know who will land the leading roles. Because Jia has refused to share it with us. But we might know it very soon, because the camera will begin to roll for the documentary next month, working-titled
The Story of Twenty-Four City, and Twenty-Four City itself will follow. Jia said casting would be done once the script is done by early June.

Jia Zhangke also mentioned the script of his
Shuang Xiong Hui, a high-budget film, compared to his previous works, would not be completed until the end of this year. The story of Shuang Xiong Hui, literally means “The Meeting of Two Heroes” was set in the 1950s’s Hong Kong, a safe haven, for refugees and officials of the Nationalist government, which just lost the civil war to the Communists, and a free city attracting spies from all over the world. It will be a story of a man and woman, both are en route to somewhere but end up stranded in Hong Kong. According to a very old story, Maggie Cheung will play a stewardess who wants to go America and Lin Qiang will play an ex-Nationalist army officer who tries to make his way to Taiwan. However, Jia has refused to say working with Maggie Cheung was a done deal.

It appears Jia has postponed his
The Age of Tattoo, a drama about a group of teenage gangsters, reportedly starring Taiwan-born singer actor Jay Chou. He is also working as a producer of Hong Kong director Yu Lik-wai's Brazilian gang drama Plastic City.

Jia Zhangke, member of the “Six Generation of Chinese Directors," is rising internationally. Two years ago he grabbed the Venice Golden Lion with
Still Life and last year in Venice again, his documentary Useless won the Venice Horizons Documentary Award for him.

 
 

 

Exclusive Interview with Wang Kar-Wai by Mighty Ganesha (MightyGanesha.com)

 

 

April 7, 2008  

 

 

Wong Kar-Wai: I like women and I pay a lot of attention to women!

 
   

(Image: MightyGanesha.com)

 
   
   

Once again, Mighty Ganesha, one of our greatest contributors, managed to meet another movie legend - Wang Kar-Wai. He talks about his first English language film My Blueberry Nights and the status of two of his long-overdue projects, The Grandmaster, with Leung Chiu-Wai playing Yip Man, Bruce Lee's master, and The Lady from Shanghai, with Nicole Kidman.

 

Here is the interview:

 

Mighty Ganesha: Director Wong, it’s an honour to meet you. I’m so pleased to be speaking with you about your first American-made film. I wondered what were some of the differences in working in the US versus working in Asia ?

 

Wong Kar-Wai: Well, technically it’s not very different. Of course there’s certain rules, like especially when we’re working with unions, it’s quite different from the way we work in Hong Kong , but the rest basically is to me the same. The main difference is actually the collaborations with my team because actually this is the first time we worked together and we come from different backgrounds and have different language. My DPs French and part of my team is French, and also we have some of our crew from Hong Kong to work with our team here. So, for me basically is how to think in terms of English, you know? Because we have seen so many films made in China or in Asia about Asian characters by Western filmmakers, foreign filmmakers, which looks a bit weird to us. So I just want to avoid this mistake. I just wanted to {get} as close to American characters as possible. So, in that sense, I have to involve all my crew and cast in this process, because I’m sure they understand they understand this country or these people more than me.

 

Click here to continue...

 
 

 

Three CG Enhanced Shots from PAINTED SKIN (Sina.com)

 

 

April 6, 2008

 
 
 
 

 

 

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

 

Three still images from Hong Kong fantasy actioner Painted Skin have been released. Loosely based on the same title short story by Chinese Qing Dynasty novelist Pu SonglingPainted Kin approximately tells an demon-like creature, covers itself with a piece of painted skin of a pretty girl, seduces a young man in attempt to steal his heart and the creature is hunded by a warrior. Zhou Xun plays the creature's human form, Donnie Yen plays the warrior, Chen Kun plays the young man, Zhao Wei plays the young man's wife and Sun Li plays another creature hunter. This movie is directed by Gordon Chen (Mr. 3 Minutes, The Medallion, Fist of Legend). These shots were lensed by  is Arthur Wong (The Warlords, Ultraviolet Iron Monkey) and are digitally enhanced by Hong Kong effect house FatFace Productions (The Warlords, Forest of Death, Confession of Pain).

 

 
 

 

Opening This Week: March 29 - April 4 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

April 4, 2008

 
 
In Love We Trust

Children of Huang Shi

Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon Scare 2 Die!  
   

(Images: Qing Hong De Bo Films, Duo Ji, Dong Chun, Stellar MegaMedia, Bluewater Pictures, Ming Productions, Cheerland Entertainment Organization, Rouge Entertainment Group, Zero West Filmproduktion, Visualizer Film Productions, China Film Group, Taewon Entertainmentm, Century Creator Co. Ltd., Magic Heart Film Production.)

 
   

Making to theaters this week, there are real story inspired moral drama In Love We Trust, also real story inspired Australia-China-Germany co-produced war drama Children of Huang Shi, period actioner Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, and Hong Kong 3-part horror

story Scare 2 Die!.

 

Released in the mainland China, director Wang Xiaoshuai written and directed In Love We Trust tells a divorced couple learns that the way to possibly save the life their daughter, who is dying from blood cancer, is to have another child together. Problem is: They have both remarried.

 

Also becoming available in the mainland and Taiwan, Canadian director Roger Spottiswoode 's The Children of Huang Shi tells Young British journalist, George Hogg, who with the assistance of a courageous Australian nurse, saves a group of orphaned children during the Japanese occupation of China in 1937.

 

Hong Kong director Daniel Lee Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is released in Hong Kong, the mainland China and Taiwan. The story, based on one chapter of classic Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, centers around general Zhao making making a last stand against an invading army.

 

Low-budget horror flick Scare 2 Die! becomes available in several theaters in Hong Kong. In segment 13 Orphans, a gambler seeks help from the spirits of "13 Orphans"; in segment 13%, a woman wakes up in a world filled with zombies, and in segment No. 13, a jobless young man joins a reality TV show to survive 13 days in a haunted house.

 

Also becoming available this week in Hong Kong: Japanese animated actioner Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, Hollywood comedy adventure Fool's Gold, Ireland musical Once, and Hollywood teen romance Step Up 2 the Streets.

 

Also becoming available this week in Taiwan: Japanese manga adapted thriller Kur魖u Zero, UK-USA produced period drama The Other Boleyn Girl, and the 10th Pokemon movie from Japan.

 

Click here for detail.

 
 

 

Joe Odagiri, Anthony Wong and Huang Yi to Build a PLASTIC CITY in Sao Paulo (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

 

April 2, 2008

 
 
Joe Odagiri Anthony Wong Huang Yi  

(Images: ?)

 
   

After Japanese actor Joe Odagiri (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad, Looking for Cherry Blossoms, The Pavilion Salamandre) signed up for the lead role in director Yu Lik-wai's Plastic City, Hong Kong veteran Anthony Wong and mainland Chinese actress Huang Yi (Brothers, The Go Master, Everlasting Regret) have also joined the cast, according to mainland Chinese director Jia Zhangke, one of the film's producers. The story of this gang drama, set in Brazil, centers around a young gangster Kirin (Joe Odagiri) and his adaptive father Yuda (Anthony Wong), who runs a black market empire, in a Sao Paulo district of mixed Chinese and Japanese residents. Huang Yi's role will (most likely) be Rita, Kirin's "girlfriend" at a night club called Happy End. There is no words on who will play Tetsuo, a worker who turns against the gang and maintains enemy-friend relationship with Kirin.

 

The script is written by Yu Lik-wai and Fernando Bonassi and the project was list as a project seeking financing at Asia Film Financing Forum back in 2006. Now with the money, US$10 millions, from the mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and Brazil. According to Jia Zhangke, the crew members are from Hong Kong, the mainland China and Brazil. Many names regularly appear in movies by Wong Kar-Wai, Andrew Lau or Jia Zhangke. Interesting enough, since a mainland Chinese studio is involved, it appears this project still need the approval from China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT).

 

Related Link:

An early project description.