Opening This Week: November 14 - 20, 2009 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

 

November 20, 2009

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local Films

  

 

 

Other Films

 

 
         

 

 

 
         

 

 

 
 

China (mainland)

      

 

 

 
         

 

 

 
 
 
   

The Brothers / Wo De Tang Chao Xiong Di (Mandarin) / My Tang Dynasty Brothers (literal)

 

(China)

(November 20, 2009)

Set during the Tang Dynasty (618 ¨C 906), story of The Robbers (Chinese literal title: My Tang Dynasty Brother) tells two robbers, carrying a great deal of treasures, run to a little village called Bitter Bamboo Forest. To save a village girl, they kill a few army soldiers. They villagers want to capture the robbers and send them to the army, and when the army arrives, the entire village is suddenly in danger...

Second film by young director Yang Shupeng, The Brothers is inspired by Akira Kurosawa's movies, including Rshomon and Seven Samurai.

 

Directed by: YANG Shupeng,

Written by: Yang Shupeng,

Starring: HU Jun, JIANG Wu, WANG Xiao,  LEE Lichun, YU Xiaolei,
Produced by: Infotainment China.

 

Trailers  Stills  Posters

 		           
               
               
               
 
 
   

Huo Xing Bao Bei Zhi Huo Xing Mei Shi (Mandarin) / The Martian Kid: Mars Is OK (literal)

 

(China)

(November 20, 2009)

A guy, who lost his wife, adopts a boy as his son, whom was named OK, and the boy turns out to be a naughty boy from Mars, with some superpower no one on earth has ever seen...

A family sci-fi comedy.

 

Directed by: LIU Yiwei,

Written by: LIU Yiwei, SHU Huan,

Starring: HUANG Lei, XIE Na, GUAN Yue, WONG Jing, LIU Yiwei, SUN Tianyu, XU Zheng, TONG Dawei, HE Jing, KE Lan, GUO Degang, LI Bin, DAI Jun, LÜ HANG, JIANG Chao, LIU Yan, ZHANG Xiangxiang, WU Xun, LONG ZHanchuan, LU Gengxu,

Produced by: China Film Group Corp. (Beijing), Shi Lin Yuan Entertainment Distribution Co., Ltd. (Beijing), Joy Films (Beijing).

 

Trailers  Stills  Poster

 		           
               
               
               
 
 
   

Panda Express / Xiong Mao Da Xia (Mandarin) / The Panda Warrior (literal)

 

(China)

(November 20, 2009)

A flying dagger vendor, mistaken as a master of flying dagger, is contracted to send a dancing panda to the capital city. Meanwhile, two spies from a rival country knowing the panda is supposed to perform with the grand marshal at a variety show, pretend to be the show organizers and wait for the panda shipment to arrive…

An all-star comedy.

 

Directed by: WANG Yuelun,

Starring: LIU Hua, DENG Jiajia, Ah Duo, SHI Ning, LEE Chang-Won, LI Changyuan, REN Quan, Jeffrey G, HE Jing, The Back Dorm Boys (WEI Wei, HUANG Yixin), LI Yu, Yano KOJI, Pace WU,
Produced by: Da An Films (Beijing), Mongo Films (Beijing?), Poly-Bona Film Distribution Co., Ltd. (Beijing).

 

Trailers  Stills  Posters

 		           
               
               
         

 

 

 
 

Hong Kong

      

 

 

 
         

 

 

 
 
 
   

To Live and Die in Mongkok / Mong Kok Gam Yuk (Cantonese) / Mongkok Prison (literal)

 

(Hong Kong)

(November 19, 2009)

 

A 17 year old mentally ill man is sentenced life in prison for killing people in the street on behalf of the gang member. 30 years later, still suffering from schizophrenia, he was released on parole. He saves two sisters from the mainland, and gets himself in grave danger. Both the gang and the authority are trying to hunt him down. Will he be able to escape from Mongkok, the neighborhood he once lived in and now looks like prison to him…

 

The latest from producer / director / writer / actor Wong Jing, Hong Kong's productive filmmaker of nowadays. 

Directed by: WONG Jing, CHEUNG Siu-Hung,
Starring: Nick CHEUNG, PAW Hee-Ching, Monica MOK, MENG Yao, LIU Kai-Chi, Patrick TAM, Juno LEUNG, CHAN Lai-Wun,
Produced by: Mega-Vision Pictures (MVP) (Hong Kong).
 

Stills

      

A Christmas Carol

USA

 Nov. 19
 

 

  
Law Abiding Citizen USA Nov. 19
     
Mother South Korea Nov. 19
     
Pandorum USA Nov. 19
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 

 

 
     
     
     
 

 

 
     
     
     
     
   

 

  
               
               
         

 

 

 
 

Taiwan

            
               
 
 
   

Wild Horse from Shangri-La / Ming Xuan 800 Gong Li (Mandarin) / Life Hanging with 800 Kilometers (literal)

 

(China)

(November 20, 2009)

 

Geza is a young Tibetan herdsman nicknamed “Wild Horse” because he is the fastest runner in his hometown. His little sister is dying from her heart problem and the surgical expense, despite being reduced by welfare and the goodwill of the hospital, is still too high for his family to bear. News of a marathon race offering cash prize for the grand winner catches his attention. He decides to run to the city hosting the race, which is 800 kilometers away from his remote village home...

 

This Chinese film was briefly shown during the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival last year in the mainland China. It receives its first public release in Taiwan this week.


Directed by: Gigo LEE,
Written by: Dennis CHAN, GAN Zhaopei, Gigo LEE,
Starring: Gendu Hodsad, CHEN Guoxin, YUAN Zhibo, Zuoma, Qixingcimu, LUO Ding,
Produced by: Dadi Century Limited (Beijing).

 		     

(500) Days of Summer

USA

Nov. 20

 

 

 

Bottle Shock

USA

Nov. 20

 

 

 

Exit Speed

USA

Nov. 14

 

 

 

Phobia 2

Thailand

Nov. 20

 

 

 

Le Secret (2000)

France

Nov. 20

 

 

 

Tengri: Blude Heavens

Germany /

France / Kyrgyzstan

Nov. 20

 

 

 

The Triumphant Return

of General Rouge

Japan

Nov. 20

 

 

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
     
     
     
     

 

 

 

 

 

 
         

 

 

 

 

 
   
 

Images: China Film Group Corp., Shi Lin Yuan Entertainment Distribution Co., Ltd., Joy Films, Da An Films, Mongo Films, Poly-Bona Film Distribution Co., Ltd., Mega-Vision Pictures (MVP), Dadi Century Limited..
   

 

     
 

Opening This Week: November 14 - 20, 2009 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

  

 

November 20, 2009

  

 

The Brothers

Panda Express

To Live and Die in Mongkok

  

 

 

 

 

Huo Xing Bao Bei Zhi

 Huo Xing Mei Shi

Wild Horse from Shangri-La

 

 

 

 

Images: China Film Group Corp., Shi Lin Yuan Entertainment Distribution Co., Ltd., Joy Films, Da An Films, Mongo Films, Poly-Bona Film Distribution Co., Ltd., Mega-Vision Pictures (MVP), Dadi Century Limited..

  
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Brothers tells two robbers running into a little village and the fate of theirs and the villagers are being changed forever.

 

Huo Xing Bao Bei Zhi Huo Xing Mei Shi is about a guy, who lost his wife, adopts a boy as his son, who turns out to be a naughty boy from Mars, with some superpower no one on earth has ever seen...
 

In Panda Express, a flying dagger vendor is mistakenly contracted to ship a dancing panda to the capital city.


 To Live and Die in Mongkok is about a mentally ill man, released from prison after serving 30 year, whose action out of sympathy subsequently gets him hunted by the gang and the authority.

 

Wild Horse from Shangri-La tells a young Tibetan herdsman's amazing 800 kilometer run, an effort save the life of his little sister.

 

 

Other new movies opened this week:

 

China:

none

 

Hong Kong:

A Christmas Carol (USA)

Mother (South Korea)

Pandorum (USA)

 

Taiwan:

(500) Days of Summer (USA)

Bottle Shock (USA)

Exit Speed (USA)

Phobia 2 (Thailand)

Le Secret (France)

Tengri: Blude Heavens (Germany / France / Kyrgyzstan)

The Triumphant Return of General Rouge (Japan)

 

 

Click here for more

  
 

 

     
 

Zhang Yimou Thinks about THIRTEEN GIRLS OF JINLING and May Hug THE HAWTHORN TREE (Sina.com)

  

 

November 18, 2009

  

 

Zhang Yimou on the set of A Simple Noodle Story, formerly Known as Amazing Tales: Three Guns.

Images: New Picture Film Co.

  
   

News has comes out indicating Chinese director Zhang Yimou will start filming Thirteen Girls of Jinling (literal title) by the end of 2010.

 

The film will be based on woman writer Yan Geling's same title novel. Story of the novel is set in December 1937, when Japanese troops broke into the city of Nanjing/Nanking (nicknamed "Jinling", i.e. "Tomb of Gold"). A church run by several foreign priests provides protection for 6 wounded Chinese soldiers and many school girls, both were hunted by the ruthless Japanese. There are 13 prostitutes, who were also hiding under the same roof, for protecting the life of the school girls and soldiers, volunteered to join Japanese Christmas party as "comfort women". In fact, they are going for a revenge.

 

The story is inspired by several real stories occurred during the infamous Nanking Massacre. Zhang Yimou put the film project on hold earlier this year, on the even of the release of City of Life and Death, another movie which has a minor plot similar to the story of Thirteen Girls of Jinling. Instead, he made A Simple Noodle Story, formerly Known as Amazing Tales: Three Guns.

 

Zhang is also assessing the possibility of adopting popular book The Love of a Hawthorn Tree, published two years ago in China. Set in 1974/1975, when the destructive Culture Revolution of China was approaching the end, the book tells what is called "the purist love story" with a high school girl sent to the countryside and a young man working as a mineral explorer. If going into production, The Hawthorn Tree will be Zhang's first love story since The Road Home, released in 1999.

 
 

 
     
 

Poster and Rap Alert: A SIMPLE NOODLE STORY, formerly Known as AMAZING TALES: THREE GUNS (Sina.com)

  

 

November 18, 2009

  

 

Images: New Picture Film Co.

  
   

Two Chinese posters of Zhang Yimou's A Simple Noodle Story, formerly known as Amazing Tales: Three Guns, are released today.

 

A video clip of the theme song, titled "I'm just a fairytale" was released last week. It is performed by the lead actor, Xiao Shen Yang, with director Zhang Yimou as the guest performer, rapping in his native Shannxi dialect. click here

 

A Simple Noodle Story is based on Coen brothers' 1984 thriller Blood Simple. The story begins with a Silk Road noodle shop owner hiring a soldier to kill his wife, whom he suspects having an affair with a waiter.

 

The comedy thriller will be released in China by December 11 this year and Sony Pictures Classics will release it  in North America with the date to be determined.

 		 
 

 

     
 

Poster Alert: THE STORM WARRIORS Character Posters (Sina.com)

  

 

November 18, 2009

  

 

Aaron Kown

as Cloud

Ekin Cheng

as Wind

Tang Yan

as Chu Chu

Simon Yam

as Lord Godless

Images: Orange Sky Entertainment Group, Golden Harvest, Universe Entertainment

  
   

In this sequel to 1998's The Storm Riders, two warriors Wind and Cloud are facing a new enemy, Lord Godless invading from the east.

 

The fantacy actioner will be released in east Asia this December.

 

More posters:

Nicholas Tse as Heart

Charlene Choi as Second Dream

Kenny Ho as Nameless

 		 
 

 

     
 

Donnie Yen's Next Big Thing, THE LEGEND OF CHEN ZHEN Now in Production (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive)

  

 

November 18, 2009

  

 

The cast: (L to R) Donnie

Yen, Shu Qi, Zhou Yang, Huo Siyan, Huang Bo.

The major cast and crew.

Images: Sina.com.

  
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chen Zhen is a fictional character played first by Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury (1972), then by Jet Li in Fist of Legend (1984), and by Donnie Yen in TV series Fist of Legend (1996). Now after 13 years, Donnie Yen reprises this role in a brand new movie titled The Legend of Chen Zhen, formerly known as "Chen Zhen the Nocturnal Hero". 

 

A press conference held last Sunday announced the official start of the principal shooting. Gordon Chan, the director and co-writer of Jet Li's Fist of Legend, penned the script of the new movie with Cheung Chi-Sing and would co-produce it Lau Wai-Keung, who is also the director.

 

Nothing about the plot has been made public, except Donnie Yen's character Chen Zhen will be a patriotic who has a mission to save a city. The cast include Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Zhou Yang, Huo Siyan, Huang Bo and Anthony Wong (as a gang boss, the villain).

 

Production is taking place currently in Shanghai. The film is produced by Beijing-based Enlight Pictures, Hong Kong studio Media Asia Films and Shanghai Film Media.

  
 

 

 
   

Zhong Ji Pi Pei / The Ultimate Match (literal)

 

(China)

(November 11, 2009)

A guy is emotionally tangled between two women, a young girl fresh from college and a his partner, an elite white collar...

 

This romantic comedy is the directorial debut of Cheng Long, who has worked as the film editor for Tian An Men (2009), Blood Brothers (2007), Curse of the Golden Flowers (2006), Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005), and House of Flying Daggers (2004).

 

Directed by: CHENG Long, Pace WU, Jessey MENG, GU Liya, XU Xiaoli,
Starring: CHAN Hui-Dung, WU PEI CI, MENG GUANG MEI, GU LI YA, XU Xiaoli,

 

TU Songyan, LI Yu, DENG Jiajia, WANG Ziwen, LI Geng, PENG Bo, JIANG Chao, HE Jingjing,
Produced by: ?.

 

Stills