From: NO TOP TEN CENTRAL Newsgroups: alt.asian-movies,soc.culture.hongkong.entertainment Subject: [TAKE OVER] HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office (February 5 2009) Organization: Chaffing Heart Club (TM) The following publication contains material that might be objectionable to some readers. Parental guidance and reader discretion are advised. [FLUFF OF THE WEEK] Courtesy of Ming Pao, Sing Tao Daily, Apple Daily, Oriental Daily, and Ta Kung Pao 1. THIS TOP 10 IS DEDICATED TO A. Selena Li Szewan who celebrates her birthday on the 12th B. Zhang Ziyi who celebrates her birthday on the 9th C. Kwan Lai Kit who celebrates his birthday on the 5th D. Gigi Lai Chi who wed Patrick Ma Ting Keung overseas before the Lunar New Year 2. MISCELLANEOUS * (2/11/2009) The Fifth Annual Hong Kong Entertainment Expo will take place between March 23 and April 19 at the Convention and Exhibition Center. Yesterday Tony Leung Chiu Wai attended the press conference as the "Hong Kong Entertainment Expo Ambassador". Wai Jai revealed that recently he has been busy with gong fu practice to prepare for the Wong Kar Wai directed YUT DOI JUNG SI (MASTER OF A GENERATION), which will begin shooting in June. Wai Jai said that aside from practice, he has also been busy with Ip Man research. He said that with his effort at practice, injuries were inevitable as arms and legs were all bruised. Earlier he accidentally hit his head. He laughed and said that Carina Lau Ka Ling's mother heard all the noise from his practice every morning and felt it was strange. He then told her that his training was very serious. Now everyday he would spar with his master's son. Once he was hit with a staff, which hurt a lot. However, Wai Jai have worked with Wong Kar Wai for many years, this time he finally got to try something fresh and thought it was a lot of fun. Of course aside from the fight scenes he also had dramatic scene. He joked, "Otherwise every scene would be tea time." Donnie Yen will also begin filming IP MAN 2 and 3 in June. He felt that different directors express different things and believed that Wilson Yip Wai Shun and Wong Kar Wai's results would not be the same. He also was not afraid of comparison if they were simultaneously released because they each made what they were good at. In addition he had no idea when YUT would be released and believed that they would not be deliberately released together. Wai Jai said that he certainly did not fight as well as Chi Tan but he would try to do his best. He did not want any comparison with others and just wanted to mind his own business. As for six pack abdominal, he joked that he had one and the director has not deliberately asked him to show off his muscles. This Lunar New Year, Wai Jai and Ka Ling went to ski in Japan so they did not give too many lai see. As for Valentine's Day, he said that they would have dinner together, nothing special. He would give a flower or a card to Ka Ling. In the card he would write something touching. In addition, the Hong Kong Film Awards would announce its nominations today. Wai Jai said that he might not be nominated for RED CLIFF. The Hong Kong Film Awards Vice Chair John Chong Ching yesterday revealed that this year's Hong Kong Film Awards presentation ceremony will moved to the waterfront promenade behind the Cultural Center and between the Clock Tower. * (2/11/2009) Zhang Ziyi since the tabloid photo incident two nights ago officially appeared at the Berlin Film Festival. Zhang Ziyi first walked the red carpet and attended a premiere, then attended the Shooting Stars 2009 award ceremony as a guest presenter and accepted the film festival's well wishes for her 30th birthday. The presentation ceremony officially started at the 19:20. Accompanied by passionate music and "ZHANG ZIYI" scrolling across the electronic screen, Zhang Ziyi under the host's introduction appeared on the stage. After a brief welcoming the host suddenly said to Zhang Ziyi, "Happy Birthday", and told all the audience that it was Zhang Ziyi's 30th birthday. Everyone applauded as birthday well wishes for Zhang Ziyi. In 2000, the Zhang Ziyi starred THE ROAD HOME won the Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear, Zhang Ziyi was only 19-year-old. Nine years later, Zhang Ziyi once again boarded the Berlin Film Festival stage with FOREVER ENTHRALLED. Zhang Ziyi said that 9 years ago she was still a "newcomer", the Berlin Film Festival recognition was a great support and encouragement to her performance career. Now she was able to return to the Berlin Film Festival to present awards to current "newcomers", obviously it was extremely meaningful. Her English has improved a lot from 9 years ago because she has a boyfriend who she could practice English with at any time. Yet she still needed time to consider huge monologues, obviously she has not mastered the language yet. The host said that Zhang Ziyi and the Berlin Film Festival had a long history. 9 years ago due to THE ROAD HOME and now she was back in Berlin to present awards to newcomers. Did she have any feeling that she would like to share with them? Zhang Ziyi said, "I first came to Berlin ten years ago with Zhang Yimou's THE ROAD HOME. The director took the Silver Bear award home. Now I am back in Berlin, I feel the Berlin Film Festival is very remarkable. When I first came here, I received tremendous support from the Berlin Film Festival. Now I feel deeply honored to be able to present awards these fresh faces." * (2/11/2009) The Jackie Chan and Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho) starred SHINJUKU INCIDENT was shot in a number of locations in China and Japan. They stayed in Japan for months, during which Jackie Chan under 2 degrees weather had to shoot an illegal entry scene at Japan's Wakasa Bay from the early morning to the next day at noon, then rushed to the streets of Tokyo to work with Ng Yin Cho. In the Western Japan Wakasa Bay shot shipwreck scene, the ship that Jackie Chan was smuggled into Japan on sunk. He had to dive into the water in 2 degree weather and to swim toward a wooden boat to escape. From 3:00 AM they shot the swimming scenes. Each time he left the water the staff would immediately wrap Jackie Chan up in cotton blankets and hand him hot tea to keep warm. Then they wanted until early morning because the director wanted to shoot the morning sky. The production team including the Japanese extras reached 1,000 people. Jackie Chan then went to the streets of Japan to meet with Ng Yin Cho. In the scene Ng Yin Cho took a walk with Jackie Chan on the streets of Tokyo. During one street crossing scene, because they shot at one of the busiest street in Japan they could not block it off. With Jackie Chan's certain recognition in Japan, people often stopped him for autographs. Finally they had to cross the street 25 times to be able to complete the scene. Ng Yin Cho said, "Filming on the streets of Japan originally was very simple, but Big Brother's presence added more pedestrian attention." Another scene was shot 7 degrees below zero in Changchun, China. Jackie Chan had to drive a tractor with a prevailing northern wind and even stepped into 3 meter deep snow for the shoot. He also inadvertently fell into the snow and spent two minutes on pulling his calves out of the snow. * (2/11/2009) Andy Lau Tak Wa and Denise Ho Wan Si two nights ago attended a taping of Sandra Ng Kwan Yu's television program. What question would Wa Jai fear the most? He joked that he was afraid of whatever she asked, but to promote he had to appear. He would answer if he would like to and not when he would not. When asked about romance, he joked that he would run and hide with every trick that he had. Kwan Yu's ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 (GA YAU HEI SI 2009) had better box office performance than his LOOK FOR A STAR (YAU LUNG HEI FUNG). Wa Jai said all he could do would be work harder next year. He joked, "I lost to (Louis) Koo Tin Lok, not Ng Kwan Yu. (Would you switch to comedy?) No, maybe I will hire him for a romantic film." At the East Asia Spring Banquet, Wa Jai shared a table with boss Peter Lam Kin Ngok. Did the arrangement showed how important he was? Wa Jai said, "Tsim Shui Man was also at the same table!" Kwan Yu heard Wa Jai said that he would not answer if he did not want to and laughed, "If he doesn't answer tell him to leave! I would only ask as scripted." Kwan Yu also said that Wa Jai was the most valuable male star and believed that even if he just sat there and not answer, people would still watch and the rating would still be great. As for her Lunar New Year film box office victory over Wa Jai, she laughed, "He should've known better." The other guest Ho Wan Si said that in LOOK she not only abandoned her singer identity but also did not mind being made ugly. * (2/11/2009) The Hong Kong LA LINGERIE (NOI YI SIU NUI) has caught the eyes of an Indian producer who purchased it remake right to turn into a young musical version that would start production this year. Director Chan Hing Ka said, "I never imagine that local Hong Kong flavored movie would catch foreign film professional's attention." Producer Chin Siu Wai hoped that the film would have a chance to be released in Hong Kong, then the Hong Kong cast would provide their voices in an extraordinary cultural exchange; she is planning a comedy that features new comedian Wong Cho Nam. * (2/10/2009) The Media Evangelism Limited's WE WILL ROCK YOU (LAU LONG HONG SAI GAI BUI) is about to be released, actors Eric Suen Yiu Wai, Zhang Jun, Wong Tak Bun, Wong Yau Nam, Otto and Tats Lau Yi Tat yesterday promoted the film with a friendly soccer match at the Ma Wan Sports Ground. Suen Yiu Wai did not play. He explained that earlier he went to ski in the United Kingdom and Switzerland for five days. After a few days all the joints in his body seemed to be shattered and he could not even more his right hand. Eric said he might have injured himself after he landed from a jump. At the time he lay on the snow and thought he was dead. When he was able to react he instantly checked all his limbs to make sure they were all still there. Eric had over ten years of skiing experience, but he was his second time on a snowboard so he lacked experience. This time, he went with his sister and her boyfriend. Originally he wanted to ask his sister to introduce a girl to him, but his sister refused. Eric said that he used to travel with his girlfriend so his sister might feel that he valued other women over her. This was Gigi Lai Chi's final film before her retirement. As for her wedding, Eric was very happy for her. He said that since she has everything so his well wishes were already enough. Recently with TVB's "salty pork hand" incident, was Zhang Jun worried about his wife Ada Choi Siu Fun being taken advantage of during series shoots? He said with a laugh, "I am not worried because a lot of people are afraid of her. She is very mean with guys. When I met her she was pretty mean, and lately she has been playing a superhero on TV." Zhang Jun said that he admired his wife for all the wire work and action scenes that she had to do for this series. Sometimes when he saw his wife returned home with a bruised arm his heart would ache and he would wish that she would recover soon. Zhang Jun said that he would not urge his wife to avoid action scenes in the future. She is very tough. For Valentine's Day, he may return to work in the Mainland but will prepare a gift. * (2/10/2009) THE BEAST STALKER (JING YUN) participated in the Berlin Film Festival. After the sold out premiere two nights ago, the second show was full as well. This screening's tickets were alll sold to the public, in the end the audience gave a 5 minute standing ovation. Some viewers even expressed that Nick Cheung Ka Fai's performance moved them to tears. Yet director Dante Lam Chiu Yin was hospitalized the night before and was not at his best that night. After the screening, when some viewers saw Cheung Ka Fai and Lam Chiu Yin enter the cinema for the question and answer segment they suspected whether Cheung Ka Fai was the villain in the film. Actually they felt that he looked very hideous in the film and his eyes were like they had cataract, they never imagined that when he appeared in person he would be in a suit. A viewer even said to Ka Fai in English, "You look real good in person." After hearing that Ka Fai gave a brilliant smile and modestly said, "Thank you! Thank you!" * (2/10/2009) Following COMRADES ALMOST A LOVE STORY (TIM MUT MUT), Leon Lai Ming attended the Berlin Film Festival again after 12 years with FOREVER ENTHRALLED (MEI LAN FONG). However, he has already prepared to accept defeats as his chances were slim. He was already very satisfied with being able to enjoy the stimulating experience. Leon has also prepared a birthday gift to February 9 birthday girl Zhang Ziyi. Lai Ming two nights ago arrived at the airport around 11 o'clock in preparation for the Berlin Film Festival. A large number of fans came to see him off and also gave lai see to Leon. This time Leon would stay for three days. As for confidence in winning any award, he said, "I personally think that the chance is very slim, but being able to enjoy the joy and excitement amid the slim process is an experience that is already very satisfying." Leon claimed that returning to Berlin after 12 years, he believed that it would have changed a lot. He also said that he remembered back then he was only able to find German sausage in Berlin and was unable to find any German pig knuckle. When reporters joked that Hong Kong had many "salty pork hand" he only laughed. Once Leon arrived, he would attend a film festival president organized dinner that other directors and actors would attend. The next day he mainly would speak with media from around the world so he might not have time for sightseeing. Leon attended with happy emotions as he recalled the last time the Berlin Wall just came down. He said as an actor when a film brought a chance to travel he was already very happy. His girlfriend Gaile Lok did not accompanied him. Upon arriving in Berlin Leon saw many fans who were waiting at the airport for him, signed autographs and posed for pictures for them. The event also assigned four personal security guards to protect Lai Ming and Zhang Ziyi. As for his gift for Zhang Ziyi, Lai Ming joked, "My appearance is the best gift!" The premiere will take place tonight in Berlin. * (2/10/2009) Sammo Hung Kam Bo two nights ago attended an "U Channel" interview. His son Timmy Hung Tin Ming due to his height has become one of the "magic salty pork hand" suspects. When asked, Big Brother joked, "I didn't read about ti! If so, he really should pay attention...getting caught like that? However I haven't seen him do any magic trick. Earlier they accused him of rape! Actually I rarely read entertainment news, I am afraid afterward I would have a heart attack!" In addition, Big Brother said that recently he has been working on a script. The new film will be an action film in which he will play a role, but it will not be a lead role. Originally he has planned to start production around May, but due to a variety of issues like leads and locations it will have to be delayed. * (2/9/2009) The movie BEAST STALKER (JING YUN) is one of the participants in this year's Berlin Film Festival. Two nights ago a premiere was held locally. Director Dante Lam Chiu Yin and actor Nick Cheung Ka Fai attended and met with the audience. The premiere was completely sold out, among them a small number of Chinese made a special trip to support Ka Fai. After the premiere the audience gave a near three minutes standing ovation, which made the two very excited. Many viewers also asked Ka Fai for autographs. Berlin Film Festival President Dieter Kosslick after seeing the movie liked it a lot and kept recommending it to his friends. He also asked his son in particular to attend the premiere. His son also praised it as not the usual Hong Kong film. Ka Fai frankly admitted that the audience reaction was unexpected, they respected the film and applauded in support. He also did not expect his level of attraction as Germans to ask him for autographs. They also took advantage of the free time to travel the streets of Berlin. Originally planning to shop, Lam Chiu Yin started to take pictures all over and forgot to shop. Due to the cold, Lam Chiu Yin was shivering on the streets. It was also Ka Fai's first trip to Berlin. After passing a coffee shop he immediately stopped for dessert and finally bought a apple cake. Originally Ka fai wanted to eat Chinese food, but in the end he went for the local delicacy pig's knuckles. In addition, Jet Tone Films's MIAO MIAO also held a premiere in Berlin, director Cheng Hsiao-tse and producer Jacky PANG Kei Wa attended with actresses Ke Jia-yan and Sandrine Pinna (Chang Yung-yung). After the premiere the audience screamed for an encore, the response was enthusiastic. The event immediately asked more shows. This time MIAO MIAO participated in the Generation segment, which targeted children and young people. A children and young people judging panel would select the "Crystal Bear Award" film. Chang Yung-Yung and Ke Jia-yan originally thought that the audience would mostly consist of young people, but actually many adults attended as well. Many viewers were moved to tears. They expressed that it was incredible for their film to be screened. They also seized this opportunity to sightsee and took pictures around the Berlin Wall area and other scenic spots. * (2/9/2009) The New film CLAUSTROPHOBIA (CHUN MUK)'s leads Dior Cheng Yi Kin and Karena Lam Ka Yun yesterday attended a promotion. Ka Yun revealed that yesterday was the last campaign, after which she would prepare for her new job. Thus she was reluctant to part with the cast and crew. Ka Yun was asked whether she and Ekin met regularly. She said, "No, although during the shoot we are very close, after the shoot we should maintain the mystery. Then next time when we work together we will have a new spark." Valentine's Day is approaching, Ka Yun expressed that she had to work and did not prepare for Valentine's Day gift. She said, "Valentine's Day doesn't need any special celebration, a couple's relationship doesn't depend on Valentine's Day to maintain. It is just another excuse. I believe every girl yearns for love, but fate cannot forced." Ekin said that Valentine's Day would be a celebration with a group of friends. As for a gift to his girlfriend, he said, "Starting this year we agree not to give gifts and instead donate the money to charity. Then we exchange receipts." * (2/8/2009) After "resting" more than a year Gillian Chung Yun Tun is determined to make a full come back. Early next month, she will appear in Hong Kong as a spokesmodel for a brand label, then she will star a romance. Both her collaborator Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin and her manager Mani Fok Man Hei have confirmed the news. Due to the "sex photo scandal", Ah Gil became a "big idler" of show business. She actually had enough time then to rest and study. After the recharge, Ah Gil has become more radiant. Ah Sa recently praised Ah Gil's condition, "Mommy and I visited Ah Gil during the Lunar New year. She is neither fat nor skinny, I hope her comeback next month will be all smooth." Ah Gil currently still is not used to facing the media anew, so Emperor has arranged a number of easy and simple jobs for her in hopes of giving her an "adjustment period." Early next month, Ah Gil as a brand name spokesman for the Asia-Pacific region will officially meet with the media. This year, Ah Gil will focus her firepower on the film industry development, many directors including James Yuen Sai Sun, Peng Fat and Dante Lam Chiu Yin have all set their sights on the "first shot" of her return. Yuen Sai Sun said: "I have tailored a script for Ah Gil. It is a modern love story, but everything has to wait for Fok Man Hei to decide. I feel the need to give Ah Gil a chance." The film will start production next month and no actor has been cast yet. Fok Man Hei admitted that currently they have many scripts on hand. "This year though we will only arrange 1 to 2 films for Ah Gil." As for Ah Gil's "comeback interview," Fok Man Hei said, "Many media outlets have asked. BE MY GUEST is also very interested in her, but all arrangements will have to wait." * (2/8/2009) The Hong Kong director Joe Ma Wai Ho directed, Gigi Leung Wing Kei and Chen Bo-Lin starred film GIVE LOVE (OI DUT HEI) recently had a premiere in Beijing. The film will open nationwide on Valentine's Eve February 13. At the same time GIVE LOVE postcards and a series of activities will also be launched. The movie GIVE LOVE describes the Leung Wing Kei played Hong Kong white collar worker who falls into a an emotional and moral vortex. At first she falls for Shao Bing. While waiting for their wedding she lives under the same roof as his brother Chen Bo-Lin temporarily. Later Shao Bing reneged on these feelings, but Leung Wing Kei and Chen Bo-Lin had feeling for each other already and fell into a vortex of emotions and morality. Director Ma Wai Ho said that since the creation of this role, Leung Wing Kei has always been the most suitable candidates for this role in his mind. "She also has suffered romantically, she knows how to play such a conflicted character." In the film, Leung Wing Kei and Chen Bo-Lin plays a couple that almost became sibling in laws. Although Chen Bo-Lin revealed that Leung Wing Kei has been his idol for more than a decade and at the beginning he was somewhat reserved, at the premiere when they faced a various questions about the film and otherwise their answers were surprisingly well coordinated. For example, when asked about the most romantic moment in the film for them, both answered when they were drunk; as for what kind of temperament their other halves should have, Chen Bo-Lin and Leung Wing Kei exposed each other. Although they speculated they confirmed later that their guesses were pretty close. This time the stars met in Beijing and even exchanged gifts. Chen Bo-Lin gave fresh roses while Leung gave him a flower vase, as well as her collection GIFT that included the GIVE LOVE theme song. * (2/8/2009) eSun Holdings Group two nights ago held its spring banquet at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Its subsidiary companies, Media Asia, East Asia and A Music artists attended. With all the attending artists two host tables were placed. Leon Lai Ming and Andy Lau Tak Wa sat at their own table. Shu Qi was at Wa Jai's table, while Lai Ming sat with Miriam Yeung Chin Wa, Michael Hui Koon Man, Andy Hui Chi On and Mr. and Mrs. Lau Ka Cheung. Boss Peter Lam Kin Ngok two nights ago was rather busy. Not only did he fly all over the venue for toasts, he also had to sit at both host tables and chat with the artists. Lai Ming and Shu Qi remained separate, but later Lai Ming came to toast the guests and finally raised his glass to Shu Qi before departing the stage with Wa Jai. Two nights ago was Chin Wa's Lunar birthday so the event brought out a birthday cake and roasted pig. Lai Ming and Chin Wa often chatted and gave toasts together, in turn dispelling any dispute rumor. The artists then took turn to draw for prizes on stage. When Johnnie To Kei Fung came on stage he boldly said that he would cover the extra. Host Michelle Ye (Yip Shuen) followed up, "Then the director should donate 12 more HK$5,000 prizes." Ah To asked instantly, "You are so full of it, where would all the 5,000 come from. Boss Lam is great." Ah To later added that he had no problem with chipping in but others said not to. Finally Lam Kin Ngok generously donated 10 more HK$5000 cash prizes. The Andrew Lau Wai Keung directed LOOK FOR A STAR (YAU LUNG HEI FUNG) has made 10 million in Hong Kong. Was he satisfied with the performance? He said, "Half and half, I've imagined it would be better. I imagined it would make 20 million." However, as of February 4 the Mainland box office was 70 million, which instead was a pleasant surprise. It even was on top of the Mainland box office, beating the company's other film SILVER MEDALIST (FUNG KONG DIK CHOI CHEH). However, he would further examine and understand the Hong Kong film situation. ultimately he owuld like to keep both Mainland and Hong Kong markets in mind. * (2/8/2009) Irene Wan Bik Ha and Wong Lam two nights ago attended an Aves Nutrition consultant center opening. Irene said that recently she made a movie in which she played a mother. She said, "After that I started to think about having a child." She expressed that she would like to be able to make a movie that she would be satisfied with. She honestly said that every actor would like to win an award but she would not work just for an award. If the script is good she would not mind mid scale productions. Would she reduce her salary to help the film market? She said, "I don't work for money, but for the sense of satisfaction." * (2/8/2009) The film BEAST STALKER (JING YUN) would participate in this Berlin Film Festival. The film's director Dante Lam Chiu Yin and actor Nick Cheung Ka Fai yesterday morning flew to Berlin, but the other lead Nicholas Tse Ting Fung due to work could not attend. When they arrived Berlin had drizzles. Ka Fai already brought a down jacket for Berlin's 3 degree Celsius temperature, Lam Chiu Yin only had a flimsy jacket. Because today's temperature would drop 3 degrees below zero, he planned to shop for winter clothing and later would shop like crazy. Ka Fai expressed that perhaps because he was too excited and the plane was crowded he tossed and turned all night. Upon arriving Ka Fai asked local workers about Chinese restaurants because he wanted warm white rice. His wish had to wait however because once they arrived the film festival arranged for them to attend a luncheon. Their promotional work in Berlin included meet over 100 international media outlets and at least two film forums to talk about the movie with the audience. Ka Fai said, "I look forward to it very much, but I don't dare to image what the Berlin audience would feel after watching it. Ultimately each location's culture is different. I just hope that when they leave they don't leave with a smile, but stunned and sad. Then we have succeeded." * (2/7/2009) Peter Chan Ho Sun earlier appeared on now Hong Kong station's talk program SUNDAY TAIPAN and revealed that his father Chan Tung Man made Mandarin films but did not want his son to follow his footsteps. Yet Chan since childhood already has his heart set on directing. He said, "I have never worked on television or ads, over twenty years I have only made movies. I always think that as long as I am focused at work I wouldn't be too bad. Experience truly was accumulated." Many filmmakers have gone to work in Hollywood, but Chan instead returned to make movies in Hong Kong and the Mainland. He frankly stated that he never thought about trying his luck in Hollywood, when he went to make a movie there he only wanted to take a break. He claimed that the Hollywood film industry was too systematic, while he was a very impromptu director. If he followed the plan too much to make a film, to him he was not being loyal to the film. However, when he produced the matter was different entirely. He said, "In Hollywood if a director wants a lot of freedom to make a movie, the production budget definitely wouldn't be too much. Thus every Woody Allen film hasn't exceeded 10 million, which is rather strange." He also felt that filming in the Mainland actually had a lot of similarities with Hollywood. Hollywood requires a plan and cost control, while the Mainland most importantly requires the passing of its inspection system. As far as a Hong Kong director is concerned, the most difficult is the very limited film subjects. Recently Sandra Ng Kwan Yu was accused of raising their daughter like a military training, Peter Chan denied that and said that he would like to repeat what his father has done and provide his children with absolute freedom. He also added that although he and Kwan Yu often traveled all over for work, they felt that providing children with a sense of security was the most important. Actually back then he also constantly followed his father all over. Since he was able to grow up healthily, he believed that his daughter should not have any issue. As for why he and Kwan Yu have not wed, he said that Kwan Yu has been very resistant of wedding. She was the most afraid of not knowing who to invite to the banquet. When people come to congratulate you and be happy for you, how happy can they be? He felt fortunately that when he met Kwan Yu they already were very nature. From the start it was a relationship and not a romance, thus it was much more reliable. * (2/7/2009) After years of retirement, Brigitte Lin (Lam Ching Ha)'s comeback has been rumored this year. Directors Wong Kar Wai and Tsui Hark have respectively tempted Ching Ha in good faith, Wong Kar Wai even mobilized the "golden team" of William Chang Suk Ping, Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun) to invite Ching Ha to come back. Two nights ago Wong Kar Wai invited Ching Ha, Wai Jai, Carina Lau Ka Ling, Chang Suk Ping, Ti Lung, Tao Man Ming and others to Causeway Bay for hot pot casserole and to talk about the collaboration. Last year when Lam Ching Ha attended a film festival in New York she announced that if she would return for her 101st film it must be representative and challenging. She would also require people who she trusts like art director Chang Suk Ping in order to tempt her to make a comeback film. Apart from Chang Suk Ping's art direction, Ching Ha would also like the support of her close friends like Tao Man Ming, Wong Kar Wai and famous writer Pai Hsien Yung. They would serve as her consultants in selecting a suitable screenplay that would open even more doors and expand her range. Since Ching Ha's remarks in New York, different rumors have surfaced and claimed that a lot of directors like Wong Kar wai and Tsui Hark were interested in casting Ching Ha. Chow Kit Lun also frankly expressed his intend to invite her to join his magic themed movie. So far all have been just empty talks. After nearly five years without a Chinese-language film, director Wong Kar Wai has been planning a movie that is based on Wing Chun master Ip Man, YUT DOI JUNG SI (MASTER OF A GENERATOIN) and stars Best Actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Ip Man. Wai Jai has already been prepared and trained for the film. Wong Kar Wai even mobilized the "golden team" to tempt Ching Ha. Aside from Wai Jai, he also plans to cast Chow Kit Lun to play Ip Man's student Bruce Lee to convince Ching Ha to take the female lead. In addition to this golden team, Wong Kar Wai also had another golden team project. He planned to tempt Ching Ha with her good friend Pai Hsien Yung's work. Earlier the Taiwan media have captured Wong Kar Wai and Pai Hsien Yung in intense negotiation. Wong Kar Wai obviously has had his eyes on Ching Ha's comeback requirement and was determined to be the first to bring Ching Ha back to film. * (2/6/2009) The Ekin Cheng and Karena Lam Ka Yun starred new film CLAUSTROPHOBIA (CHUN MUK) two nights ago held a premiere. Director Ivy Ho (Ong Sai) invited her upcoming new film YUET MOON HIN NEI SI (FULL MOON HENNESSY) leads Jacky Cheung Hok Yau and Tang Wei, but their appearance snatched the spotlight from everybody on the stage. Tang Wei remained backstage after arriving and did not appear for interview until after the ceremony. Hok Yau expressed that he has always received scripts from the director. This was already the second one. When asked how much time did the director spend to persuade him, he said, "I think this script is great. The most important is the entire film will be shot in Hong Kong, which is entirely appropriate for me. Salary on the other hand is not a factor to consider." Earlier Hok Yau has met with Tang Wei and felt that she was very easy-going. They would play a couple this time. When asked about intimate scenes, Hok Yau said, "I saw LUST, CAUTION, in which she performed very well. Yet this time's intimate scenes wouldn't be too too exciting or too serious, just the basic hand holding and kissing. I have no confidence in my figure, you would know from me keeping my shirt on during my concerts." Already received her Hong Kong identity card, Tang Wei frankly admitted that travel is now very convenient but she did not intend to immigrate to Hong Kong. She also said that after finishing LUST, CAUTION she really wanted to make a comedy. Now she felt very happy to be able to work with Hok Yau and a director who she admired. As for intimate scenes with Hok Yau, she expressed that she was not worry about this problem. Her pressure would be from speaking Cantonese. When reporters suggested for her to find a Hong Kong boyfriend, she joked that the idea was decent. She went on to say that she had little to no comedy gene, but because she really liked acting she would work very hard to perform. In addition, Ekin and Lam Ka Yun did not mind sharing the spotlight with Hok Yau and Tang Wei. Ka Yun even felt that their support of Hong Kong film was good and also said that Hok Yau took great care of his younger co-stars. Every year he would give her lai see. She too would like to work with Tang Wei. Ka Yun on stage also revealed that she has fallen for Ekin. "He has a kind heart and great upbringing. (Would you look for a boyfriend like Ekin?) He should be as courteous as him." Ekin did not know beforehand that Hok Yau would appear and thanked him for his support. When asked why he did not bring his girlfriend Yoyo Mung Ka Wai to the premiere, he expressed that the leads were already OK. When asked whether he would watch this film with her, he said that he definitely would himself. * (2/6/2009) The Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam and Janice Man Wing San starred BASIC LOVE (OI CHING GOO SI). The latter would play a fish vendor for the first time. Janice said, "At first I was afraid that I wouldn't perform well, so I have considered turning down this opportunity to perform. Later the director talked with me for a long time before I accepted the challenge. In the past I have always made happy movies and the roles have been more relatively pleasant and initiative taking, but in this film I am relatively a little quieter, a girl who keeps everything inside." Although she played a fish vendor, Janice actually did not like to eat fish at all. "I don't like to eat fish since I was little, my family isn't fond of eating fish either. I don't like the stench and would only eat it in the restaurant during the holidays. Thus when I learned that I would have to shoot at the fish stall initially I felt a little resistant; Yet in order to learn and hone the fish gutting techniques, I had to consult a master on how to gut fish and gut it straight to the tail in one stroke. Fortunately I was able to overcome the horror of fish gutting." Kong Yeuk Lam would play a cancer suffering girl for the first time without any make up. She has always wanted to play some characters with potentials. * (2/6/2009) Charlie Yeung Choi Nei, Suki Tsui Suk Man and Angelababy yesterday attended an Olympian City shampoo promotion. Charlie expressed that she currently is preparing for a new film that she is planning to direct herself, she said, "The movie would be called CHRISTMAS ROSE, I would write, direct and star in it. It is expected to start shooting next year. It is a true story, not a romance." How much would she invest? She said about US$2 million and Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum would fund the film. * (2/5/2009) Freeze yesterday with Ava Yu Hiu, Ray Lee Kin Chung, and boss Stephen Shiu Jr. (Shiu Ting Yat) went to the Wong Tai Sin Temple to pray for a great new year. Shiu Ting Yat revealed that his upcoming first productions would include SEX AND ZEN (YUK PO TUEN) and a musical. The music would feature actors from three lands on both shores. Would he cast his company's actors in SEX? He expressed that he would not because the film's costumes would be very sexy. * (2/5/2009) Zhou Xun in the Sundream movie THE EQUATION OF LOVE AN DEATH played a woman who in order to find her missing fiance of four years became a taxi driver. She hoped to find the whereabouts of her fiance from the mouth of her passengers. Her role is a woman who does not wear make-up, nice clothes, or even dress up. In order to demonstrate her decadent side, she joked that before the shoot she has already thoroughly abandon her skin maintenance. Zhou Xun before the shoot not only did not wear any make up foundation but also permitted the make-up artist to put dark circles around her eyes and freckles on her face. The freckle distribution came from a complete replication of her hairstylist, a Hong Kong guy's face. However, as she did not even apply sunscreen and the sun was very strong at the shoot location, she almost got real freckles. Unfortunately in the end her skin peeled off several layers from the sun. In addition to the special "make-up," Zhou Xun's clothing style was also very simple. She often wore a very large shirt, with a pair of jeans, a pair of canvas shoes, and a chain of keys in front of her chest. Even her shirt was not new because her boyfriend had a lot of large sized shirt. She showed a few to the director who thought they were very suitable. During filming, Zhou Xun put herself in a state of long term isolation and turned down her boyfriend's visits. Yet everyday she wore his shirt to work, she felt like he was by her side and did not feel too bad. * (2/5/2009) The 59th Annual Berlin Film Festival will open today, the Aaron Kwok Fu Sing starred EMPIRE OF SILVER has become the China representative in the Berlinale Special segment and scheduled for a February 12 global premiere. The team will head to Berlin early next week to Berlin, members will include the director Christina Yao Shuhua, Kwok Fu Sing, Lei Zhenyu and others. Sing Sing expressed that after four months of cold weather shoot in Shanxi for this film, they almost succumbed but they all insisted on finishing the film in minus 10 degrees temperature in the winter. They did not expect to unite in Berlin in the chilly winter again. He really had to say, "The film has a romantic curse!" He said sentimentally, "The temperature is cold but everybody's enthusiasm for working together is scorching hot." Sing Sing in the past few days has started to prepare for Berlin with warm clothes, heating pad and other items to keep out the cold. Sing Sing said, "I still remember the horse riding in the snow scene was somewhat tough because the horse was so cold that it wouldn't respond to any command! It also had to struggle repeatedly to run. The cold Shanxi can rival today's Berlin!" In addition, Sing Sing's film SAT YUN FAN (MURDERER) has led to many online discussions since the film information was released. Many felt that the title was too intense. The film company is considering a title change to CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (JUI YU FUT). * (2/5/2009) Jackie Chan yesterday started work on his new film DAI BING SIU JEUNG (BIG SOLDIER SMALL GENERAL) in Yunnan. After the ceremony Jackie Chan worked on a scene in which his character, a general, was drunk at an inn. In costume Big Brother angrily chopped a roadside stump. The crew cleared the set to prevent the media from getting too close to the set. The other lead Wang Leehom after arriving in Kunming yesterday has not appeared immediately on the Yunnan set. Reportedly the cast would also include Jackie Chan disciplines the New Seven Little Fortunes. * (2/5/2009) The Tokyo film reporter association organized 51th Annual Blue Ribbon film award yesterday held its presentation ceremony. Last year's Best Actor and Best Actress Ryo Kase and Kumiko Aso were the hosts. The Best Foreign film Oscar nominee DEPARTURES' Masahiro Motoki again won Best Actor, while his mother in law Kirin Kiki won Best Supporting Actress with EVEN IF YOU WALK AND WALK. They became the first "mother and son" to win two awards in the Blue Ribbon history, but the 66 year old Kirin Kiki had to attend a spring seed spreading ceremony and was absent. So her daughter and TOKYO TOWER: MOM AND ME AND SOMETIMES DAD co-star Yayako Uchida accepted on her behalf. The usually low key Mr. and Mrs. Masahiro Motoki thus appeared together in public for the first time since their 1995 wedding. Coincidentally, her actor father Yuya Uchida also received the 29th Annual Blue Ribbon Special Award. After 14 years the couple shared the stage for the first time, which had Masahiro Motoki sweating bullets. "In comparison to accepting the prize with Mother in Law, sharing the stage with my wife makes me even more nervous." The couple plans to attend the Oscars, while Kirin Kiki will be busy with her grandchild. The Best Director prize went to EVEN IF YOU WALK AND WALK's Hirokazu Koreeda, who expressed that he conceived this story about family before his mother's passing in 05 when he visited her at the hospital. Tae Kimura with ALL AROUND US won Best Actress. She said, "During the shoot I frequently felt that I performed poorly and hated myself." Her co-star Lily Franky, the TOKYO TOWER ME AND MOM AND SOMETIMES DAD author, won the Best Newcomer prize at the "old age" of 45. Yuriko Yoshitaka also won the Best Newcomer prize with SNAKES AND EARRINGS. CLIMBER'S HIGH won Best Picture and also earned Masato Sakai's the Best Supporting Actor prize. The Best Foreign Film prize went to THE DARK KNIGHT. The event also presented special prizes to two late film professionals for their contribution to the film industry -- THE INUGAMIS' famous director Kon Ichikawa and THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA's Ken Ogata. The 51st Blue Ribbon Awards Best Picture: Climber's High Best Director: Hirokazu Koreeda Best Actor: Masahiro Motoki Best Actress: Tae Kimura Best Supporting Actor: Masato Sakai Best Supporting Actress: Kirin Kiki Best Newcomer: Yuriko Yoshitaka, Lily Franky Best Foreign Film: The Dark Knight Special Prize: Kon Ichikawa, Ken Ogata [ BLAH OF THE WEEK ] Columns, Reviews, Interviews 1. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 11 2009, FILM WORDS CLAUSTROPHOBIA RESEMBLES FLOWERS AND NON FLOWERS The Hong Kong award winning screen writer Ivy Ho (Ong Sai) written and directed CLAUSTROPHOBIA (CHUN MUK) is an unique romantic masterpiece. With a style of its own, it achieves delicate relationships and crushes between co-workers. Its Chinese title CHUN MUK easily reminds viewers her famous film screenplay COMRADES ALMOST A LOVE STORY (TIM MUK MUK), but actually it is completely different. Actually it is completely different, this time the story is backward, in reverse chronological order it shows eight ordinary life scenarios that are often very subtle and real. This film paints in light strokes the characterization of a certain Hong Kong business office's several male and female co-workers. In the main story the female lead (Karena Lam Ka Yun) has a crush on her married boss (Ekin Cheng). They do not have any romantic relationship at all, but their hearts seem to beat as one and create an obscure situation that makes union or separation difficult. The English title CLAUSTROPHOBIA originally refers to a fear of closed space. In this film it perhaps means the intimate yet alienated "gridlock" that men and women who often work together in an enclosed area develop. Most of the film takes place in evening co-workers carpool after work, and everyday minor scenes in the office, the clinic, and lunches restaurants. Lam Ka Yun's performance is very meticulous. Her reserved feelings can only be spoken to herself when no one knows. The "talking in her sleep" scene in the car is especially flavorful and charming. Cheng Yi Kin's turn as the "road is ruthless but has feelings" good boss is natural and appropriate. The scene in which he and Lam Ka Yun head to the Mainland to make contact wit ha company is especially fun. Lok Ying Kwan as the veteran employee is very seasoned, the relationship between young co-workers Tsang Kwok Cheung and Chucky Wood Gei Lan is very unique. Wood Gei Lan's performance as the new generation female employee is particularly lively and interesting. In addition Andy Hui Chi On plays a taxi driver, Eric Tsang Chi Wai plays a doctor, and the latter involves another crush in a previous generation. CLAUSTROPHOBIA's original Chinese title was FA FEI FA (FLOWER NOT FLOWER), which came from Bai Juyi. "The bloom is not a bloom, the mist not mist, At midnight she comes, and goes again at dawn. She comes like a spring dream-how long will she stay? She goes like morning cloud, without a trace." Su Shi also had the well-known SHUI LUNG YIN, "Like a flower, but not a flower, No one cares when it falls. Lies discarded at the roadside, though unmoved, I think about. The tangle of wounded tendrils, lovely eyes full of sleep, About to open. Yet still in dreams, following the wind ten thousand miles, in search of love, Startled, time and again, by the oriole's cry. Do not pity the flower that flies off, grieve for the western garden, its fallen red already beyond mending. Now, after morning rain, What's left? A pond full of broken duckweed. If the three parts of spring, two turn to dust, one to flowing water. Look -- These are not catkins, But drop after drop of parted lover's tears." Ong Sai does not play up the romantic poetry, making the film very plain but connected to with these two poems. - SHEK KEI 2. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 10 2009, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS BEHIND THE "SALTY PORK HAND" HOT TALK The "Salty Pork Hand" incident is something that has happened years ago, but it has become the talk of the town that cannot be stopped even if we want it to. Another topic that is from the radio program is Sandra Ng Kwan Yu's joke on her program about whether Liu Xiang ate crap during the Olympics. Although on the program she has apologized in both dialects, she still received criticism. Both events have occurred on the radio, which few would have to listen live. Everyday someone have criticized radio programs on online discussion forums, why would these two incidents become the entertainment focus for days? Liu Xiang during the Olympic finals retreated due to injury. At the time even harsher comments were made. You can see for yourself online. If Ng Kwan Yu said those words back then, while most Chinese people were disappointed many harsh comments were made. Although many sympathized with Liu Xiang's situation, the response was not like today's. As for Yuen King tan's radio comment about "Salty Pork Hand", honestly, sexual harassment happens everyday not only in show business but the living circle of ordinary people. How can dirty men and women with excessive contact not exist? The background from which the topics arose was after the Lunar New Year when no much entertainment topic was worth talking about. The circle was too quiet, especially around the Lunar New Year holidays each year. Many artists have not yet started work, and lately nothing has occurred in particular. Topics can be easily found on online discussion boards. Because the traditional media would look when it has no lead and quote the more outrageous comments online, the press exposure mentality is like some artists who make outrageous comments. Comments with a little more rage may appear in newspapers. Since online comments do not require real names thus no one need to be responsible, some "outraged people" have become more and more extreme because the media that quote them do not care about how many people agree with them but only care about how outrageous they are. When we look into how certain events become hot topics we must also pay attention to the when they take place. - KWOK HIN CHING 3. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 9 2009, FILM WORDS IF YOU ARE THE ONE AND FENG XIAOGANG The Ge You and Shu Qi starred Lunar New Year film IF YOU ARE THE ONE has exceeded 340 million yuan at the Mainland box office, overwhelming last year's RED CLIFF I record and becoming the highest gross film in Chinese history. It may even break the foreign film TITANIC's Mainland highest box office of 360 million yuan. IF YOU ARE THE ONE is the Mainland Lunar New Year film ace director Feng Xiaogang's work. In Hong Kong it only made over HK$1 million, but after the holidays on only one screen it instead heated up again with several sold out shows and additional screens. The inspiration for this romantic comedy came from THE PERSONALS, the film that producer Chen Kuo-fu directed in Taiwan. Ge You plays a marriage seeker who has worked and toiled, been to the United States, and now has time and money. He and heartbroken flight attendant Shu Qi become drinking buddies, gradually they develop real feelings and go to Hokkaido, Japan for a holiday. I do not like this film and has talked about it in this column, but with the new Mainland box office record it has met the Mainland tastes. Whether good or not, it is worth noting. Actually Ge You has long been the Mainland's most popular comedy star, he can play good and evil, smart and dumb, self boasting and self ridiculing, a mix of Ah Q and Wai Siu Bo. He has become the post Cultural Revolution opening "working class" image representative. His Chinese characteristics is very different from Hong Kong's Stephen Chow Chi Sing. As a popular film, IF YOU ARE THE ONE's story is ordinary with many conventional and pretentious parts. Fortunately its characters and dialogue are rather wonderful, with adult situations and sentiments. In contrast, currently many Hong Kong films still "refuse to grow up" and play dress up. Luckily IP MAN is more maturely and soundly made. As for director Feng Xiaogang, he is very popular in the Mainland, has market efficiency and variety. He has quite a history with Ge You. He was one of the writers of the 1992 Ge You, Xu Fan starred AFTER SEPARATION. Since then he has directed THE DREAM FACTORY, BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, A SIGH, BIG SHOT'S FUNERAL, CELL PHONE, A WORLD WITHOUT THIEVES, THE BANQUET and ASSEMBLY, the more he worked the larger the productions grew. I think Feng Xiaogang's best film is the small scale film A SIGH, which does not star Ge You. It describes a male television writer's extra-marital affairs and is very meticulous, lively, and fun, better than the other extra-marital affair film CELL PHONE but it was not released in Hong Kong. Military film ASSEMBLY is also one of his better films. Without Ge You as well, its lead Zhang Hanyu performs outstandingly. This film's flaw is the one sided promotion of the Communist army, without any self examination of compatriots killing each other in the civil war. When the lead retires and dedicates his all for his dead comrade in arms, it is quite touching. - SHEK KEI 4. TA KUNG PAO, FEBRUARY 8 2009 CHEN HUNG LIEH WANTS TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE LOE AND HATE HIM No one knows since when has "I will do this job well" become the "golden phrase" that Hong Kong people often use, but it is easier said than done. Perhaps it is necessary to have some life experience and work experience. Veteran character actor Chen Hung Lieh in recent years has left his footprints everywhere in TVB series and brought to life many characters; once Shaw's top actor, he says frankly that his days at Shaw's has brought him serious work attitude and the tenacity that he should have. He says, since he is in this business he have to do this job well. An actor must work hard, whether the role is the protagonist or villain role he must give the audience feel the character has lovable parts. Some people say that Chen Hung Lieh has brought GEM OF LIFE (CHU GUONG BO HEI)'s tycoon Sung Sai Man to life, as they consider the role's domineering way in the market and his relationship wit his four wives always remind people of a certain celebrity in town; when they turn on the television at another time, in OFF PEDDER (BUT DA JI GEI YUN) his group big boss' unstable mood and greedy character has brought the audience another type of fun. Film And Television Interpretations Are Drastically Different When asked what secrets Chen Hung Lieh has for playing different roles, he only says that in life he has experienced a lot of things, glorious days as well as times of failure and thrilling experience. So he feels that his life experience has been rather rich. In addition, he also has paid close attention to each person's habits around him. "Wherever I go, I would pay careful attention to each individual I run into. I have a very thorough view of human nature, as long as I have a conversation with someone for awhile, I would be able to know how this person is inside. I believe that character determines the future in life. Everyone around the world is working hard, but only certain character would shape his future. So when I act, I would apply when I normally see to analyze what way to interpret the role." "I feel that regardless of whether the role is a villain or a hero, you have to make the audience feel that you have lovable parts; for them to hate you but love you, then they would feel they are entertained. Some people play villains to make people despise them. In movies they can do so because film and television are two different things. You have to pay to watch a film, the audience focuses on the story in half a hour in the dark room. Villains are used to highlight the protagonist. Even if he is even more treacherous, the audience still applauds. TV is different, television is free entertainment. When the role is too despicable, everyone can easily change channels and not watch." He adds, "Actors therefore should consider how to deal with the role, my approach is not to treat this person as a villain. He just did something very bad, but human nature itself isn't bad, as the saying goes 'people are born good'. Even when a murderer kills on an impulse, before the murder he still was good. So I would perform from a 'opposition' view rather than playing the role as a villain." Chen Hung Lieh thinks, actors must put an effort. They cannot superficially perform according to the role; they have to think about how to attract the audience, so they need to do a lot of homework in advance. "For example, when I performed in BEST SELLING SECRETS (TUNG SI SAM FUN CHUN) the producer wanted me to play a very 'mighty' and solemn big boss who can hold the line. I got home and thought that wasn't right, because this way my eyes would be too mean. So I thought about (Jack) Nicholson who in many movies has played rich people, he has taste and full of humor; he is older but still continues to 'chase girls'. I went this route and everyone's review was favorable after watching." He said, acting basically must get into the role but cannot possibly be completely substituted. Someone can only clearly imitate. After knowing the whole concept and scope, the person can add in details of his own design. He laughs that after 40 or 50 years of acting, although working on two series at the same time would be extremely difficult, he would not have any problem traversing between the roles. As long as he is physically at another shoot he would naturally convert to that role. From Shaw's, Must Be The Best Born in Shanghai, Chen Hung Lieh in 1964 signed with the Shaw Brothers to become a basic actors. In 1966 he participated in his first film KNIGHT OF KINIGHTS (MAN SO SUN), in the same year in the King Hu (Wu Kam Chuen) directed film COME DRINK WITH ME (DAI JUI HUP) he played a villain and soon his reputation rose as he introduced a new definition to villain roles. After leaving the Shaw Brothers, he was an independent producer in Taiwan and directed several films. His work has also received awards and word of mouth. Speaking of his Shaw's days, he frankly states that without the old Shaw's he would be different today. "At the time Shaw's was Southeast Asia's Hollywood, every director, including Li Han-hsiang, King Hu and so on were very serious. When we filmed we used to have the so-called "cloud waiting". Where the cloud was in the sky yesterday at the end of the shoot, today we would have to wait until that cloud would be there again before we would shoot, continuity was necessary! Of course, this is an exaggeration, but it reflects the kind of dedication and seriousness of the matter. You can see that among people of Shaw's, no one would ever be late. The previous experience has taught us professionalism." He says, in the past filmmaking was more of an enterprise, actors worked by the film. A movie often took over 30 days to shoot. The script was complete. Everything was very serious. "We would have a lot of time to digest the script, the director also would have the time to teach us how to act; like for martial arts films, a shot would require the coordination of hundreds of hits, then six sword tests. The official shoot would requires more than 10 takes before one would be chosen. How would the result be anything but good?" For him, "acting" is the very important part of the filmmaking process so he would pay special attention; but he stresses that the film also needs to have a good script and dialogue, and a good co-star is especially important. "(Bowie) Lam Bo Yi is the best co-star who I have worked with. He really knows how to act. I feel when two people are acting together, their acting is responding to each other and not competing with each other. In WAR AND BEAUTY (GUM JI YUK YIP) one scene depicted a truly emotional dialogue between us as father and son, I was able to provide him with acting and he was able to return it. Then we were able to come to tears. That scene completely did not have another take. We connected to each other one by one." Seriously Do A Job Well After years in film, Chen Hung Lieh has played a lot of impressive villains. He is the "coolest cool guy" in the eyes of many women. He also due to "Uncle Six" Sir Run Run Shaw (Siu Yat Fu)'s appreciation received a lead role contract as his monthly salary went to HK$250 to HK$3500. So far, he says that he is still working hard, working hard to do what he wants to do and tries to fight for it. "Although I am already over 60 years old, I feel that I still can work for a long time. Since I am in the business I have to keep working, and I have to do my best. As the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, has said, do this job well." Currently, his manager is looking for a good script for him in the Mainland. He says, in order to reach a new place he must find a good "fit in place." "I have turned down two roles because the 'fit in place' wasn't good. Some jobs count by days. With only 5 days on the shoot, I declined because I felt this was a very shoddy production company. They didn't want to make a good movie, they just wanted to save money. When I act I need to have a good and complete script, I don't have to play the lead but hope to have a very heavy role. A little less salary doesn't matter. " "Now I am more certain about who I am, so I should strive to do the job well and hope that one day, a Mainland producer or director would feel that my acting is good and call me for a role. This is my ideal." he says. - SIU O 5. TA KUNG PAO, FEBRUARY 8 2009 GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENCES INFLUENCE THE BOX OFFICE On this year's Lunar New Year films the dust has already settled, ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 (GA YAU HEI SI 2009) during the New Spring period has become the box office champion and would likely have a chance to exceed RED CLIFF II (CHET BIK: KUET JIN TIN HA) to become the true leader. Both RED CLIFF and LOOK FOR A STAR (YAU LUNG HEI FUNG) had Heavenly King level cast support, while ALL'S relied on Hong Kong comedy specialty to successfully break out. It is truly rare. However, in the Mainland market the story is entirely different. The first week of the Spring Festival, that is, from January 25 (Lunar New Year's Eve) to January 31 (the Lunar 6th), the Mainland box office gross was 155 million, 34% more than the same period last year. This week the most successful films (excluding foreign films) were LOOK FOR A STAR with 50,000,000. SILVER MEDALIST (FUNG KONG DIK CHOI CHEH) collected about 30 million. PLEASANT GOAT AND BIG BIG WOLF (HEI YEUNG YEUNG YU FUI TAI LONG) received more than 20 million, while RED CLIFF and ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL performed weaker. RED CLIFF has been in release for a long time while ALL'S was not suitable to the Northern market taste. PLEASANT GOAT AND BIG BIG WOLF is derived from a cartoon. After 3 or 4 years and 500 episodes the PLEASANT animated cartoon show has accumulated a lot of family audiences to become a true New Year film winner. PLEASANT now has exceeded 60 million at the box office, its rate of return is certainly the highest among films of the same period. SILVER MEDALIST is CRAZY STONE director Ning Hao's latest work, in the North its performance has been great with nearly 50 million, in the South it has been less favorable. The opposite of SILVER is ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL. This film in the Guangdong region has been running neck to neck with LOOK FOR A STAR, but in the north it has been lagging far behind. Clearly it has regional restrictions. In recent years the Greater China market's biggest feature is that apart from large scale costume films, almost all Chinese-language films have regional differences, thereby affecting different regional market revenue. In addition to ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL, when Mandarin released IP MAN, the northern box office was poor because many northerners do not know who Ip Man was. Later due to prominent word-of-mouth, the North gradually accepted it and created 100 million yuan box office record. Several years ago Feng Xiaogang films were more prevalent in the North, only now are they slowly taking root in the South for IF YOU ARE THE ONE's 300 million to appear. In different regions in the Mainland, the audience taste differences are very natural, but the general trend is mutual integration. Feng Xiaogang and Ge You's film is one example, Stephen Chow Sing Chi is another. A decade ago the Northern comrades do not understand Sing Jai's films, now Chow Sing Chi's acting has become one of the Drama School's research subjects and he is the most popular actor. Most people indeed would resist temporarily new things (or habits) and would not easily appreciate them, like drinking they must go through a process of learning and adapting to learn to appreciate all the fun. Of course whether it is worthwhile to appreciate is the most important topic. - TIN LIK 6. TA KUNG PAO, FEBRUARY 8 2009 ENTERTAINMENT CIRCLE'S MIXED EMOTIONS After the New Spring the Year of the Ox officially entered. Some metaphysics experts have forecast that the Year of the Ox would bring war, conflict and several natural and man made disasters. Whether they are accurate or not, we should wait and see. The fact is, erupted last year the global financial tsunami this year will continue to deepen and trigger a restructuring of global political and economic order, just like in the previous year when the world was in war recovery and political and economic re-engineering. At the beginning of the New Spring, the local culture and entertainment circle truly is emotionally mixed. It is joyful of course due to the Lunar New Year film box office success, and Hong Kong-produced films have returned and firmly planted themselves on top of the box office. In addition the Hong Kong Coliseum has re-opened, LEFT LUN RIGHT LEE fired the first shot and more concerts will be on the way; yet a number of renewal and personnel changes are ongoing in silence. Entering into a new year, we received the news of the martial arts novel master Leung Yu Sang's passing. He and Louis Cha (Gum Yung) are the forefather of modern new style martial art novels and for the moment the light of the genre. Their achievements in martial arts novels rivaled each other. Perhaps some would say Gum Yung's works were more popular (especially because many on a number of occasions have been adapted into film and television series), but the chivalrous spirit and knowledge of Chinese literature disclosed in Leung Yu Sang's works have everyone's praise. With the passing of Leung Yu Sang and the retirement of Gum Yung, This martial art culture that has developed as early as the Sui and Tang dynasties to as late as the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, the new chapter that they have started has also come to an end. In addition, "China Song Queen" Chang Lu's passing also means the end of an era. Back then in Shanghai she was on par with Li Xianglan, Zhou Xuan, Bai Guang and Wu Yingying, together they were known as the Bund's "Five Great Song Queens". Now out of the five only Li Xianglan and Wu Yingying remain, but the former has bid farewell to music for politics while the latter has immigrated to the United States and at an advanced age. Her most recent visit to Hong Kong was in 2007 as a guest in Ching Ting's concert. At the time she has already forecast that she may never see her Hong Kong fans again. Chang Lu's peers like Gong Qiuxia, Bai Hong, Yao Li, Rebecca Pan (Poon Dik Hung), etc. have already passed, retired, or made occasional appearances for fun. The wheel of time continues to progress forward and the dead rested in peace. Metabolism is an inevitable phenomenon. Regardless of favoring the past for the present or favoring the present for the past, neither attitude is correct. It is better to actively encourage the young generation's effort to open up new horizons, to establish their own style and characteristics. - CHUI HIU 7. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 7 2009, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS THE LUNAR NEW YEAR SLOT OF EAST CRUSHING WEST The Lunar New Year holidays have come to an end, the time has come to sum up the box office. On Thursday (February 5)'s box office standings, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON was on top with a single-day take of HK$474,000, which defeated the earlier Lunar New Year champion ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 (GA YAU HEI SI 2009)'s HK$443,000. Number 3 was BRIDE WARS, which made HK$314,000 on its opening day. Also just released was SEVEN POUNDS, which made HK$246,000. LOOK FOR A STAR (YAU LUNG HEI FUNG) was ranked fifth with only HK$183,000. Other Lunar New Year films have fallen even further. The cumulative chart was the real victory. RED CLIFF II after 22 days received HK$22,730,000, which was the best of the Lunar New Year schedule. In second was the animation PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA; which after 20 days it made HK$22,600,000, a little less than RED CLIFF II. ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 after 14 days in release received HK$21.45 million. Due to a release a week later than RED CLIFF II, whether its momentum would carry it ahead it remains unknown. MADAGASCAR ESCAPE 2 AFRICA remains in release after 48 days. Actually it was released during Christmas. On February 5 it was still running on one screen but the box office was zero. It has accumulated HK$18.27 million and still came in fourth. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON after 15 days made HK$16,680,000. BOLT made HK$13.57 million, LOOK FOR A STAR after nearly two weeks only made HK$10.93 million. The Mainland box office has remained unclear, but RED CLIFF II should already exceeded 200 million, LOOK FOR A STAR performed better than ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 while ALL'S Southern box office performance was better. On hand were Singapore box office figures as of February 1. RED CLIFF II made S$3,000,000 (approximately HK$15.48 million), IP MAN has also been strong with S$2,940,000 (approximately HK$15.17 million). ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 was released on January 22 there and made close to S$708,000 (about HK$3.65 million). LOOK FOR A STAR was not a Lunar New Year release in Singapore so it does not have any box office yet. The 2009 film industry seems to truly be more vibrant than other businesses. Many movies are already under preparation and staffing is quite intense, the feel is much better than in 2008. - KWOK HIN CHING 8. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 6 2009, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS IMPOSSIBLE TO PUBLICIZE NAME The "Salty Pork Hand" incident will not find its perpetrator. Although TVB has been actively trying to get an understanding of this incident, that does not mean that any names will be revealed. The incident started with what Yuen King Tan has said on a radio program. She did not disclose the male artist's name, which could not possibly be revealed. She later said that she never said the male artist was in TVB, which sounded to people more like a remedial measure. It is not difficult to assess that Yuen King Tan off the microphone told the name to the other hosts. Thus more than one person know "who is the perpetrator". In addition, among TVB female artists certainly many would know who the "salty pork hand" is. Only they could not publicize the name. As for why, they did not have any evidence and the incident has taken place a long time ago. Publicizing the name would be useless. Some artists during interviews asked Yuen King Tan to reveal who the "salty pork hand" is, which is simply comedy. Publicizing such television station incident on a radio program only increased the interest and the controversy of the program. Bringing up the topic is a good thing. Although the name could not be publicized, it would serve a warning to male artists who are into such behavior. Those who love to "cop a feel" normally perhaps would watch what they do more. The writer feels that who is the "real perpetrator" will not appear in the coverage. Yet this time around, industry insiders are whispering and a lot of people know who he is. Even the name may be more than one. When industry insiders are talking they are afraid that more names would appear. These people who love to "cop a feel" all have their own practices and not necessarily use magic to "take advantage". Male artists for now have a bit of trouble, especially when they have to shoot intimate scenes in the near future they have to be more careful. Of course those who have always been cautious of course would not work on them. Others have to be cautious, otherwise they can be easily described as another "salty pork hand." What can television do? In addition to understanding the incident, I am afraid it cannot do much of anything. - KWOK HIN CHING 9. HONG KONG FILMS BLOG, FEBRUARY 2 2009 WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 ACCUMULATED OVER 18 MILLION Sunday the Lunar 7th could be considered the end of the entire New Year long holidays. As the seven major films have been in release for at least ten days, the box office has begun to show fatigue. Among them the Mandarin distributed ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 has remained dominant with more screenings, on 38 screen and 231 shows it has recorded more than 1.5 million at the box office and has accumulated 18.29 million over 10 days. As for second place, Hollywood film THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON has maintained the position. On Sunday with 31 screens and 143 shows it has also recorded a more than 1.3 million. However, a comparison between the top two has shown that ALL'S victory actually was only due to more shows, as its average admission rate each show was over 10% more than CURIOUS. With the passing of the holidays so goes the New Year celebration atmosphere. The Lunar New Year comedy ALL'S box office fluctuation more or less has been a source for concern as well as the key to whether it will be able to exceed the box office of RED CLIFF II and PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA, two films that have been released a week earlier. However from the look of things, it is expected to break through the 20 million mark within the week. As for CURIOUS with the film's decent good word of mouth, the box office is still going strong. At present, CURIOUS has accumulated nearly 14 million at the box office, if it is able to sustain the momentum it is still expected to break through the 20 million mark before the middle of the month. As for the two Intercontinental distributed animation films their Sunday receipt has not displayed any weakness. Among them the Disney animation BOLT on Sunday with 36 screens and 153 shows has received nearly a million and after 11 days a cumulative box office of 12,150,000; as for the Japanese animation PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA, on Sunday with 36 screens and 202 shows it has received nearly 900,000 and accumulated more than 21,390,000. A detailed look however has shown that PONYO's performance could be considered as a result of "victory by volume", while 2/3 of BOLT's box office has been from the 13 3D cinemas, the ticket price of which in general has cost 50% more. BOLT perhaps with its 3D version will still be able to challenge the 15 million mark, while PONYO's final box office is expected to exceed RED CLIFF II's 21.71 million. RED yesterday with 38 screens and 136 shows has made nearly 60 million, 300,000 less than PONYO. Their cumulative box office difference currently is only 420,000. We shall see whether RED can hold on to the Lunar New Year second place. As for the Andy Lau Tak Wa and Shu Qi starred LOOK FOR A STAR, its Lunar New Year holiday box office has been similar to RED's then on Sunday it has shown a slight pick up at the box office, with 33 screens and 154 shows it has received nearly 70 million. Its average admission rate was better than PONYO. The outside review of LOOK has been more ideal than expected, unfortunately the entire film due to unclear promotional focus and inappropriate scheduling has been heating up slowly. With the subsequently large number of weekly film releases, LOOK's time may have been up. Currently LOOK has received 9,530,000 over 9 days and conceivably in the next day or so will break the 10 million mark. With less than ideal Lunar New Year box office all along, MARLEY AND ME has still shown no sign of any turnaround Sunday, with 32 screens and 115 shows it has received only about 40 million and its cumulative box office has only been near 6 million after 11 days. However, MARLEY's poor box office perhaps has been related to its promotion and scheduling. Its external reviews generally has been ideal, but after losing too much ground early on, it unfortunately may finish last among the 7 films. Opening only last Thursday the Japanese animation NARUTO SHIPPUDEN 2: BONDS with only eight screens and 33 shows Sunday has still recorded nearly 200,000 and accumulative over four-day 720,000, which could be considered appropriate distribution strategy. As for the current Broadway Cinematheque release, IF YOU ARE THE ONE has been increased to five shows over the weekend but without any box office rise. On Sunday it has reached about 20,000 and accumulated 1.38 million so far, conceivably 1.5 million would be its target for the time being. - RYAN (http://hongkongfilms.mysinablog.coom) [ In Production Now/Soon ] OVERHEARD Can : Sit Ting Fung Won Lit : Eavesdropping Situation d. Alan Mak Siu Fai, Felix Chong Man Keung Louis Koo Tin Lok, Lau Ching Wan, Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho), Alex Fong Chung Shun, Zhang Jingchu, Lok Sze Wan, William Chan Ting Wai [ THE FILM CATALOGUE ] Three cops become increasingly thrilled by the secret they heard while conducting a surveillance on a listed company, without knowing this is a path of no return. BIG CHEAT Can : Wan Dai Jor Lit : Play Too Big d. Pang Fat Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Stephanie Cheng Yung, Chow Pak Ho, William Chan Wai Ting, Wiley Chiu Shek Chi, Kung Yun Chi GIVE LOVE Can : Oi Dut Hei Lit : Love To The End d. Joe Ma Wai Ho, For For Gigi Leung Wing Kei, Chen Bo-Lin (Chan Pak Lam), Shaun Tam Chun Yin, Terry Fan Siu Wong, HotCha, Maggie Lee Man Kwan Opening February 26 2009 ACCIDENT Can : Um Sat Lit : Assassination d. Soi Cheang Po Shui Louis Koo Tin Lok, Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai) [ THE FILM CATALOGUE ] When a hitman suspects he is being targeted for termination, he must find and kill his predator against all odds Can : Tung Moon Lit : Classmate d. Herman Yau Lai To Shawn Yue Man Lok, Ada Choi Siu Fun, Ella Koon Yun Na, Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Chapman To Man Jat, Jun Kung Shek Leung STORM WARRIORS AKA : STORM RIDERS II Can : Fung Won II Lit : Wind Cloud II d. Pang Brothers Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Dior Cheng Yi Kin, Nicholas Tse Ting Fung, Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, Simon Yam Tat Wa, Ken Ho Ka King, Lam Suet, Tang Yan Opening December 3 2009 [ GOLDEN SCREEN CINEMAS MALAYSIA ] Japanese evil warlord Lord Godless desired to conquer China. He imprisoned a large number of martial artists and tried to make them subjugate. Among the prisoners were Cloud and the martial arts elder statesman Nameless. Wind came to the rescue. The trio was badly wounded by Lord Godless’s evil martial arts attack. Chu Chu was also knocked out when she blocked Cloud from Lord Godless’s strike. The remaining martial artists sacrificed their lives to save the trio, in the hope that the trio would beat Lord Godless one day and save the country. Chu Chu was badly wounded and stayed unconscious. Cloud was filled with remorse and vowed to take revenge. Wind chose to take the evil way to quickly boost up his martial arts skills, so that he could protect the people. During his training, he met the girl who changed his life, Dream. Meanwhile, the troop of Lord Godless came to attack. Wind’s training was interrupted when he tried to save Dream from Lord Godless’s assault. After some killings, Wind ran away and disappeared.... Lord Godless took The Emperor in captivity and stationed his troops in Heaven Cave. Cloud arrived alone and started a combat with Lord Godless. Lord Godless had the upper hand. In the meantime, the half-evil Wind appeared and joined the battle. During the fight, they inadvertently discovered the secret of the sovereign. The real intention of Lord Godless’ invasion was related to an ancient tomb, a forbidden ground buried with the Royal family’s secret. The truth was finally revealed. At last, how would the battle end? Who would eventually rule over the country? Can : Si Lim Lit : Reminisce d. Wai Ka Fai Lau Ching Wan, Kelly Lin (Lam Hei LUi), Yan Qing, Jo Kuk Cho Lam Can : Giu, Won Lit : Call, Soul Grace Ip Pui Man, Carl Ng Ka Lung, Jolie Chan Yuen Kei, Raymond Wong Ho Yin, Chucky Wood Gei Lan, Kwok Hoi San Can : Ang Hong Lit : Tough Guy Anthony Wong Chau Sun, Ellen Chan Nga Lun, Liu Ye, Sun Honglei FANTASTIC WATER BABES Can : Chook Shui Fu Yung Lit : Out of Water Hibiscus d. Jeff Lau Chun Wai Gillian Chung Yun Tung, Alex Fong Lik Sun, Stephen Fung Tak Lun, Tian Liang, Eva Huang Shengyi, Opening October 23 2008 in Malaysia Official Site : www.emp.hk [ OFFICIAL SITE ] A beautiful and cocky swimmer Jill and her teammates kidnaps Alex, Hong Kong's champion swimmer, in order that he can train her to win a duel against her rival in swimming and in love. All hell breaks loose when hate at first sight inadvertently becomes something else... --- [ NOW SHOWING ] Info from Mov3.com (http://www.mov3.com), Ryan's Hong Kong Movie DataBase (http://www.hkmdb.com), Korean Movie Database (http://www.krmdb.com), Cinema Thai (http://www.cinemathai.com), Hong Kong Entertainment News In Review (http://www.hkentreview.com), Internet Movie DataBase (http://www.imdb.com) CLAUSTROPHOBIA Can : Chun Muk Lit : Intimate d. Ivy Ho (Ong Sai) Dior Cheng Yi Kin, Karen Lam Ka Yun, Tsang Kwok Cheung, Chucky Woo Gei Lan, Andy Hui Chi On, Lok Ying Kwan, Eric Tsang Chi Wai Rating : IIA Length : 101 mins. Opening February 12 2009 Opening November 27 2008 (Limited Release) Opening October 26 2008 at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival Opening March 23 at the Tokyo International Film Festival Site : http://www.tiff-jp.net/en/lineup/works.php?id=4 [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] Pearl has quietly fallen in love with her boss Tom, who’s married with a family. Without warning, Tom asks Pearl to interview for another job. Wounded, Pearl demands that Tom terminate her. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Screenwriter Ivy Ho (JULY RHAPSODY) makes her directorial debut with CLAUSTROPHOBIA, using eight scenes and multiple characters to explore the complications and the irony of workplace romance and politics. In a space as small, crowded and claustrophobic as the office, love doesn’t grow - it incubates and breeds, like a virus. PARKING Can : Ting Che d. Chung Mong-Hong (Chung Man Won) Kwai Lun-Mei, Chang Chen Rating : IIB Length : 106 mins. Opening January 8 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] A couple on a night on which they cannot return home faces a decision before their divorce. FIT LOVER Can : Oi Ching Jor Yau Lit : Love Left Right d. Zhang Jianya Karena Lam Ka Yun, Leo Ku Kui Ke, Huang Xiaoming, Lu Yi, Alec Su (So Yau Peng), Naoki Hosaka (Bo Ban Seung Hei) Opening January 8 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] Nie Bing is a famous romantic television program presenter. She is beautiful, gracious and intelligent, on the screen she sounds like an expert with other people's feelings, but ironically in life she is unable to find he likes men. On her 30th birthday, Nie Bing awakes from a nightmare of dying alone; her mother nags her; her suitors maliciously attack her; even more terrifying is that she sees his divorced father's new girlfriend - her elementary school classmate......Is this the start of 30-year-old woman's terrible fate? Fortunately, on this day, she even meets an angel. The angel sends her a magic car and proclaims that Nie Bing will have twelve opportunities to choose, each time she turns a corner as long as she signals left and turns right, she will encounter a different type of man. With 12 types of men, one will always be suitable to her, right? The suspecting Nie Bing starts this wonderful love finding adventure. Indeed, the most handsome traffic cop in history with countless crazy female fans first enters her life. When he salutes a fan takes photos; when he says, "How are you" a fan applauds; even when he writes up a ticket someone is crying with excitement......This type of man is very handsome, but living with him is too extreme. Nie Bing flees in a panic. Then, comes the eloquent insurance salesman, rich coal bosses, a big time lawyer with unparalleled chemistry with her, a radiant little brother next door, a talented but depressed artist......a man after another arrives, each with a brilliant advantage but also exposes shortcomings for Nie Bing to nitpick at. Each experience is a hilarious adventure, every adventure leads to a helpless perception. How great would it be if she can live with the advantageous part of men. A year has passed since, Nie Bing has already suffered 11 straight defeats on the love battlefield. Nie Bing has had enough and does not want to play anymore. Nie Bloody tosses away the cursed car keys as she wants to return this car that has brought her pleasant surprises and disappointments of love to the angel. At this time, the twelfth man appears. Would this one be the one for her? Finding love sometimes has such a perspective, just like looking for moving landscape on both sides from the car windows with the most touching scenery is behind the car..... [ COMING SOON ] BREATH d. Kim Ki-Duk Chang Chen, Zia, Ha Jung-Woo [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] On a cold winter day, after learning her husband has found a new woman, Yeon absent mindedly heads for the prison where Chen is confined. Although she does not know him personally, repeated news of his suicide attempts on TV has subconsciously grown in her mind and now is leading her to seek him. Jin has no visitors and normally would not agree to meet with a complete stranger, but hearing that it is a woman he accepts her meeting request out of curiosity. Their first meeting is as awkward as it can get. Yeon treats Jin like an old friend whereas Jin does not open up so easily. WINDS OF SEPTEMBER - THE MAINLAND CHAPTER Can : Gau Gong Fung d. Han Yan Tai Junjie, Wu Xiaoliang, Liu Shuhan, Chi Jia Rating : 105 mins. Opening March 21 2008 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival Site : http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/programme/show_detail.php?fi_id=682 [ THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ] Some time before the return of Hong Kong's sovereignty to China, a Mainland high school stages a variety show to celebrate the occasion. One of the most brilliant openings among the many recent Chinese high school titles, it introduces the unfolding drama of rival groups of "good" and "bad" students and their "internal contradictions", and serves as a continual mental backdrop for the audience: of youth caught in a society whose founding ideology has become obsolete and absurd. SNIPER Can : Sun Cheung Sau Lit : Godly Gunslingers d. Dante Lam Chiu Yin Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai), Edison Chen Koon Hei, Huang Xiaoming Opening 2009 [ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ] Ming is renowned as the top shooter in the police force. However things get complicated after the release of his former teammate and superb marksman Ching from prison. With only vengeance on his mind, Ching wants to take on Ming and the police, believing that they are the ones who put him in jail. When a mysterious sniper sabotages a high-security prisoner transfer and a convict escapes, Ming and his team are dispatched to profile the suspect. KUNG FU CHEF Can : Gung Fu Chu Sun Lit : Kung Fu Kitchen God d. Yau Tat Chi Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho), Cherrie Ying Choi Yi, Lam Tze Chung Opening February 19 2009 in Malaysia [ GOLDEN SCREEN CINEMAS ONLINE ] Jo had kept hatred in his heart for a very long time and did what he could to oust his uncle Wong Bing-Yi (Sammo Hung) from the village and to claim the rights to the “Dragon-Head Cleaver”, a symbol of power to the clan. As Wong Bing-Yi was forced out of the village, he encountered Shen Qing by chance and is determined to help her during the troubled times at her restaurant “Four Seas”. Here, he discovered a young cooking wonder, Lung Kin-Yat. To bring “Four Seas” back to the top, Lung ends up representing “Four Seas” to the competition against Chef Tin, two times “Top Chef” winner and the head chef at “Imperial Palace”, the restaurant owned by Jo. At the day of the finals, Wong Bing-Yi and Jo met privately to try to resolve their problems. Lung shined by overcoming many obstacles and preparing a dish called “Fresh Water Bak-Choy” just as his master, Wong Bing-Yi had taught him. However, the head judge has been bribed by “Imperial Palace” and he is also the master of Chef Tin. Who will finally win the title of “Top Chef”? Can the “Kung Fu Chefs” finally win over the hearts of many? EMPIRE OF SILVER Can : Bak Ngun Dai Gok Lit : White Silver Empire d. Christina Yao Shuhua Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Zhang Tielin, Hao Lei, Jennifer Tily, Ding Zhicheng, Lei Zhenyu, King Shih Chieh Opening February 12 2009 at the Berlin Film Festival Site : http://www.berlinale.de/en/programm/berlinale_programm/datenblatt.php?film_id=20090009 [ BERLINALE ] Director Christina Yao’s opulent feature film is a dynastic saga; it is also a passionate love story and a moral tale, based on historical events. The story of the Kangs, a family of bankers, and their banking empire on China’s ‘Wall Street’ spans a period from the Boxer Uprising to the Chinese Revolution and the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949. The film begins in 1899. A carefree, hedonistic young man is next in line to inherit a banking empire which has hitherto meant very little to him. However, following a tragic abduction, of which his sister-in-law was the victim, this ‘third man’ reluctantly bows to his authoritative father’s iron will. Keen to prepare his offspring for the time when he will take over his financial conglomerate, this powerful banker, Kang, is determined to turn his son into as ruthless a businessman as himself. However, his idealistic son has always called into question his father’s high-handed style of leadership and hard-nosed business principles. The tense relationship between the two men is put under additional strain on account of Kang junior’s undying love for his beautiful young step-mother. She was the first and only love of his life – before his father stole her from him. It is time for him to decide whether he will take the path his father trod before him or whether he will make his own way in life... LOVE CONNECTED Can : Bo Chi Oi Nei Lit : Keep Loving You d. Patrick Kong (Yip Lim Sum) Stephy Tang Lai Yun, Justin Lo (Juk Tin), Hu Qingnan, Tong So Kei, I Love You Boz, Miki Yeung Oi Kun, Leung Cho Hiu, Kay Tse On Kay, Sammy Opening February 19 2009 [ YAHOO! HONG KONG MOVIES ] LOVE CONNECTED depicts 5 love stories between 14 people on Valentine's Day. Would Fung whose love trial period comes to an end win the heart of his goddess Kei? Wai is a shopping center's resident singer. Would his song for a flower girl Bo bear fruit? Biker boys Dragon and Tiger develop a fantastic romance with their one online day lover Goldfish! Jo and Fong's seven year relationship has already reached an emergency level. Would the Valentine's Day dinner be their final supper? Playboy Fai plans three Valentine's Day dates but would his fantasy have any unexpected change in reality? BASIC LOVE Can : Oi Ching Goo Si Lit : Love Story d. Oxide Pang Shun Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Janice Man Wing San, Ho Chun Wai, Tsui Ching Hei Opening February 26 2009 [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] In a pure love romantic story, a song links Ling, Siu Chun and Rex in a relationship. Ling has suffered from leukemia since childhood. Optimistic, she never keeps anything in her heart. Only with a limited lifespan she has kept all her love inside and does not inform her friends Rex and Siu Chun about her illness. Siu Chun came as child with her mother from Mainland to Hong Kong and has made a living selling fish. Introverted Siu Chun was not good with expressing herself. Her personality was the polar opposite with Ling, but they became good friends from mutual concern. Siu Chun has always been fond of Rex, but Rex has not made any move. Siu Chun also does not realize that another guy Hei is silently in love with her. Very talented musically, Rex writers a song for a competition. The song is written for the girl he loves but he never reveals her name. With graduation just around the corner, they will go their separate ways. Their relationship has not further developed until Ling falls ill. Her hospitalization breaks through this relationship silence...... LOVE Can : Oi Doh Dai Lit : Love To The End d. Jiu Ba Dao, Vincent Fang Wenshan, Chen Yi-Sen, Mickey Huang (Wong Chi Gau) Ethan Ruan (Yuen King Tin), Alice Tzeng Hoi Won, Van Fan Yat Sun, Megan Lai Nga Yin Lan Jing Long, Annie Liu (Lau Sum Yau), Alan Kuo (Or Yau Lun), Chou Cai Shi Opening February 26 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] Four part love story An elderly mother quietly sat on the sofa, shut her eyes and lowered her head. Suddenly the telephone rang, the mother picked it up. On the other end was his son who died five years ago. The son urged his mother to take care of herself and promised to call home again next year at the anniversary of his death... Cool looking Blue is a direct music video ad director, but his assistant has quietly had a crush on him ... Ambitious slacker Siu Tin is an amateur acting double who is in a cold war with his flight attendant girlfriend Hoi Hoi. Instead of calling them in love, one may ask well say that they have been in a damaging tug of war. Hoi Hoi can no longer stand Siu Tin's laziness and they start to complain about each other... A sloppy woman who lacks self confidence everyday fantasizes about being in love. Everyday she cries to the heavens, "Who doesn't anyone love me?" The Lord finally can tolerate no more. One day, she receives a numerologist's forecast that she will encounter six men on the road, the sixth is even her true love... THE EQUATION OF LOVE AND DEATH Can : Oi Sut Seung Lit : Love Lost Compensation d. Cao Baoping Zhou Xun, Zhang Hanyu, Deng Chao Rating : IIB Length : 98 mins. Opening March 5 2009 [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] Only with compensation would wishes come true... Give and take in love is never in a balance, what is the love that you want like? With fiance Fang Wen disappearing for four years without a trace but often sending letters without any return address, Li Mi has repeatedly recited each word in the letter and double counted each letter's date of arrival. Li Mi's love for Fang Wen accumulates day after day, as she becomes more and more hysterical. She even becomes a taxi drivers to look for her love, thinking that she can hear about her love's whereabouts from passengers' mouths. Fir four years, Li Mi has been waiting, in the end would Fangwen coming back, or would one of his answer? One day, a drug deal case reunites Li Mi with Fang Wen, who vehemently denies his identity and led to cop Ye's suspicion and investigation that finally unveils love's most tragic dark side. GU GU THE CAT d. Isshin Inudou (Huen Tung Yut Sum) Kyoko Koizumi (Siu Chuen Gum Yut Ji), Juri Ueno (Seung Yeh Shu Lei), Ryo Kase (Ga Lai Leung) Rating : I Length : 116 mins. [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] Asako, a comic book artist in her early forties, is devastated by the death of her precious cat, Saba, which kept her company for over 15 years, as her assistant Naomi watches on with concern. Naomi is a young woman in her early twenties, who has her set of worries about love and future. Then one day, Asako meets a new cat, Gu gu, which brings new joy and vitality to her life. What is more, she finds potential for love in a man named Seiji. Like Asako, Naomi, too, embarks on a new life plan. HAPPY FLIGHT Can : Hoi Sum Jik Hong Lit : Happy Direct Flight d. Shinobu Yaguchi Ayase Haruka, Seiichi Tanabe Opening March 5 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] "Finally I can fly on international routes!" The always optimistic flight attendant Etsuko is very excited about being able to participate on the international route job that she has looked forward to for a long time and is determined to do everything to its fullest! She never expects that the group of usually elegant and enchanting elders not only wolf down expensive flight meals in the break room but also remove their high heels for foot massage. Before the take of high-spirited novice pilots Suzuki only knows to give a silly laugh when he runs into a massive jet stream...how can two flight rookies turn the adventure into happiness with the passengers? NOBODY TO WATCH OVER ME Can : Shui Loi Sau Wu Ngor Lit : Who Would Protect me d. Ryoichi Kimizuka Koichi Sato, Mirai Shida, Ryuhei Matsuda, Yoshino Kimura, Toshiro Yanagiba Opening March 5 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] A 18-year-old youth suspected of killing primary school sisters is arrested, his mother and sister's lives at the same moment collapse. The unscrupulous media pursued them day and night, the internet continued to dig and uncover their privacy. They even receive death threats against the whole family. A police officer is ordered to protect the mother and daughter but has aroused strong public reaction. The officer's dark past that few know has also been revealed. The suspect's mother finally cannot take anymore and resort to suicide, as the younger sister finds the homicide's key clues......until this moment, actually no one knows whether the suspect is the real murderer? THREADS OF DESTINY Can : 366 Tin Dik Yeuk Ding Lit : 366 Days Appoinment d. Masanori Murakami Junpei Mizobata, Nao Minamisawa Opening March 5 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] When her first love has just ended, a secondary school student meets a quiet, gentle student Atsushi. Both were born on February 29 and unconsciously they have become attracted to each other. Later she discovers that she has made Atsushi in her childhood and thus is even more convinced that this is the destiny of love. On the other hand, her mother has forced Atsushi to give up this just budding romance! In order to protect his beloved, he can only hold back the pain and disappear in front of her. Fate has arranged for an innocent romance to be filled with suicide, death, drugs, violence, abuse and so many unexpected things in the middle. In the end can the red thread bring them back together and fate destined them to be connected again? A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS Can : Chin Nin Sin Toh d. Wayne Wong Henry O, Li Yiyun Opening March 12 2009 [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] Mr. Shi is a widower and a retired man from Beijing. When Yilan, his only daughter who lives in the US, has a divorce, he decides to visit her in the small town where she works as a librarian. His intention is to stay with her until he helps her recover from the trauma. He is a "rocket scientist", Mr. Shi likes to tell people he meets in America, and enjoys their attention. But Yilan acts less enthusiastic in his show-off, nor is she interested in his plan to rescue her marriage and reconstruct her life. When Mr. Shi persists in finding out the reason for the divorce, Yilan starts to avoid him. Disappointed but not discouraged, Mr. Shi explores the small town and meets an old woman, Madam, who fled the Iranian Revolution to the US. Neither Mr. Shi nor Madam speak English well, but by gesturing and talking in their own tongues, Mr. Shi and Madam start a rare friendship, in which they find momentary haven from the world of lies they have to weave to keep themselves hopeful, but the friendship is soon disrupted when Madam's son sends her away to a retirement home. Facing revelations both from Madam and Yilan's confrontation that Mr. Shi has never been prepared to face, he finally accepts things as they are, and reaches a small understanding with Yilan and her life. DEPARTURES Can : Lai Yi Si ji Jau Ming Kuk Lit : Ritual Master's Sonata d. Yojiro Takita (Lung Tin Yeung Yi Long) Masahiro Motoki (Boon Muk Nga Won), Ryoko Hirosue (Guong Muk Leung Ji) Opening March 12 2009 [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] Daigo Kobayashi is a cellist whose dream is shattered when his Tokyo orchestra suddenly closes down. Left with no choice but to sell his prized cello, Daigo returns with his wife Mika to his late mother’s house, deep in the Japanese countryside. In need of money, Daigo responds to an ad in the paper for a job in ‘Departures’, mistakenly thinking that it might be somehow related to travel. But to his complete surprise Daigo finds he has applied for a position as an ‘encoffineer’ – a man who performs the delicate and traditional Japanese ritual of preparing the bodies of the recently deceased for their departure to the next life – and without having time to think about it, he accepts the job... TOKYO SONATA Can : Dung Gaing Jau Ming Kuk d. Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Hak Jat Ching) Teruyuki Kagawa (Heung Chuen Jiu Ji), Kyoko Koizumi (Siu Chuen Gum Yut Ji), Yoji Yashuko (Yi Sor Guong Si) Length : 119 mins. [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] TOKYO SONATA unsettles on a deeper level with the story of an ordinary Japanese family that is slowly falling apart. After suddenly losing his job, Ryuhei hides the truth from his family and passes each day in lies. He becomes increasingly estranged from his two sons, each with secrets of his own. Quietly watching her husband and children drift apart, housewife Megumi is too tired to stop her family from unraveling. THE SHINJUKU INCIDENT Can : Sun Juk Goo Si Lit : Shinjuku Story d. Derek Yee Tung Sing Jackie Chan, Naoto Takenaka (Juk Jung Jik Yun), Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho), Masaya Kato (Ga Tung Nga Ya), Xu Jinglei, Fan Bingbing, Chin Kar Lok, Paul Chun Pui, Lam Suet, Lian Jin, Jack Kao (Ko Jit) Opening APRIL 2 2009 [ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ] In the early 1990s, a tractor mechanic from China nicknamed Steelhead illegally enters Japan to search for his girlfriend. To make ends meet, he joins his friend in Shinjuku in doing menial labor. Steelhead finds out that his girlfriend has married Eguchi, a Japanese Yakuza leader. Steelhead decides to stay in Japan and work for Eguchi as a hitman. Soon, Steelhead gets used to the power and find himself embroiled so deeply in the ways of the underworld that there is no turning back. --- [ Entertainment URL ] EMPEROR MOTION PICTURES http://www.emp.hk GOLDEN SCENE http://www.goldenscene.com SING PAO http://www.singpao.com THE HONG KONG FILM ARCHIVE http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/hkfa/ CHANG CHUN CHINA FILM FESTIVAL http://www.cc-film.com GOLDEN HARVEST http://www.goldenharvest.com STAR EAST http://www.stareastnet.com CITY ENTERTAINMENT http://www.cityentertainment.com.hk Commercial Radio http://www.crhk.com.hk Television Broadcast Limited http://www.tvb.com.hk --- [ NORTH AMERICA AREA CONCERTS ] Courtesy of our neighbors at : High Level Entertainment's Concert & Event News Center http://www.levelhigh.com http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/1721/hlecaen.htm * NATASHA NA YING, A MU, AND GUAN ZHE DATE AND TIME : Sunday, April 5 2009 @ 7PM Monday, April 6 2009 @ 8:30PM VENUE LOCATION : The Avalon Ballroom Theatre Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort 6380 Fallsview Boulevard Niagara Falls, ON L2G 7X5 Canada TICKET PRICES : CA$99.75, 126, 147 TICKET OUTLET LOCATION : TICKET MASTER http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1000416ABC04692E?artistid=1272557&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=5 * Eason Chan live in San Francisco,CA March 22,2009 Eason's Moving On Stage, Eason Chan Live in Concert! Date & Time: Sunday night, March 22,2009 @ 7pm Venue Location: Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave, Daly City, CA 94014 Ticket Prices: $58, $78, $98, $138, $198 VIP tickets on sale now online at: http://www.usastarimage.com/ticket.aspx?id=31 Info & online ticket: www.usastarimage.com concert hotline: 510-651-6888 info email: concert@usastarimage.com ticket outlets: http://www.usastarimage.com/ticket.aspx?id=31 http://www.usastarimage.com Ng Hing Kee SF 415-781-8330 Ng Hing Kee Sunset SF 415-759-1999 Ng Hing Kee Millbrae 650-692-8922 Ng Hing Kee Mountain View 650-969-2034 Ng Hing Kee Oakland 510-272-0822 Ng Hing Kee Milpitas 408-433-5188 World Books SF 415-397-8473 Evergeen Books Milpitas 408-383-9798 Taro Books Cupertino 408-863-1288 Taro Books Newark 510-818-9666 * LIU FANG DATE AND TIME : Saturday, March 14 2009 @ 8PM VENUE LOCATION : Ryerson United Church 2195 W. 45th Ave., Vancouver BC V6K 1N7 Canada TICKET OUTLET LOCATION : TICKET MASTER http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/110042378BFB91C7?artistid=721818&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=5 * Sunday Entertainment and Horseshoe Hammond Present Huang Pin-Yuan Live Special Guest: Rain Li Choi Wa DATE AND TIME: Sunday, March 1 2009 @ 9PM VENUE LOCATION : The Venue Horseshoe Hammond 777 Casino Center Drive Hammond IN 46320 TICKET PRICES: $73, 53, 43 TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS: TICKET MASTER http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/07004197DFAEBC96?artistid=1283342&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Box office info : What Box Office Info? The usual suspects : Internet Movie Database, Yahoo! Hong Kong Erors : ye olde chaffing editor For Thursday February 5 2009 10 DOUBT d. John Patrick Shanley Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis 9 PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA d. Hayao Miyazaki Japanese Animation 8 RED CLIFF II Can : Chet Bik - Kuet Jin Tin Ha Lit : Red Cliff - Decisive Battle Under Heaven d. John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo), Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Vicki Zhao Wei, Hu Jun, Shidou Nakamura, Janny Lin Chiling 7 BOLT d. Byron Howard, Chris Williams Disney Animation English Voices: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman Cantonese Voices: Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Wong Cho Lam 6 THE SPIRIT d. Frank Miller Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendes, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson 5 LOOK FOR A STAR Can : Yau Lung Hei Fung Lit : Swimming Dragon Acting Phoenix d. Andrew Lau Wai Keung Andy Lau Tak Wa, Shu Qi, Denise Ho Wan Si, Zhang Hanyu (Cheung Hom Yu), Dominic Lam Ka Wa, Zhang Xinyi, John Chiang Dai Wai, Maria Cordero Ella Koon Yun Na, Yao Wenxue, Pei Wei Ying, Po Po 4 SEVEN POUNDS d. Gabriele Muccino Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson 3 BRIDE WARS d. Gary Winick Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Bryan Greenberg 2 ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 Can : Ga Yau Hei Si 2009 Lit : Family Has Joyous Event 2009 d. Vincent Kuk Tak Siu Sandra Ng Kwan Yu, Louis Koo Tin Lok, Ronald Cheng Chung Kei, Raymond Wong Pak Ming, Lee Heung Kam, Ha Chun Chau, Shen Lijun, Yao Chen 1 THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON d. David Fincher Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett ------ Summaries for some of the films above. Some contain SPOILERS IF YOU ARE THE ONE Rating : IIA Length : 127 mins. Opening December 24 2008 Official Site : http://www.mediaasia.com/iyato [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] Overseas Chinese entrepreneur Qin Fen has truly lived up to the term "return from the sea", only returning from the United Stated to Beijing to visit his aging mother after his father's passing. He was 40 something and still single. Home again he got the idea to wed and published a lengthy marriage recruitment ad in the newspaper. This ad that ends with 'if insincere do not disturb' attracts many women with different state of mind for encounters, including a woman who talks to her pet about her feelings, a cemetery salesman, a frigid young woman and a pregnant young girl who is looking for a father for her child. The more Qin Fen goes on the more fun he has. Among the dates, Qin Fen finally meets Siu Siu, a woman who truly touches his heart but also is a flight attendant who is involved in an extra-marital affair. They do not fall in love at first sight, not to mention get along; but like a pair of nemesis, surprisingly they always run into each other from time to time, Siu Siu on a rare occasion can use his shoulder to lend on. Qin Fen finds her naughty smile very acceptable. As both have needs to fulfill, they unknowingly spark off a delicate relationship. However, no matter what, Siu Siu and that man have a hard time with breaking off ties while Qin Fe always seems to be waiting by her side. Finally, Siu Siu is determined to go with Qin Fen on a trip to Hokkaido, and agrees if she can resolve her heart's shackles, they would marry immediately. When the two arrive in Hokkaido, Qin Fen at first does not understand why Siu Siu would insist on coming to this cold town, only to find out that the location is where Siu Siu's love story started. Two months later, Qin Fen has spent over 60 days with Siu Siu's "recovery", she has already gone from a lost person back to a cheerful woman. Qin Fen in these days truly get to know this wonderful woman and loves her even more. They already are no longer two lonely people who meet over a marriage ad, but a true hearted couple who has suffered and shared joy and sorrow together. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN 2: BONDS Rating : IIA Length : 94 mins. Opening January 29 2009 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] A mysterious group of shinobi attacks the Leaf Village! Actually they are Land of the Sky's Sky Ninjas, whose nation the Leaf Village has vanquished previously. Their use of modern weapons bombards the Leaf Village and nearly brings it to the edge of destruction. Master healer Shinno and his apprentice Amaru arrive in the Leaf Village in hopes of the Leaf hokage would assign a squad to rescue the people of Amaru's hometown. The Sky Shinobi has also attacked Amaru's hometown to find the Sky Shinobi's former headquarter address. The Leaf hokage has ordered an counter attack on the Sky Shinboi while Naruto, Hinata and Sakura follow Shinno to Amaru's hometown. They discover the Sky Shinobi's former headquarter but Sky shinobis have killed Shinno. On the other, Leaf traitor Sasuke under Orochimaru's order heads to Amaru's hometown as well...... RED CLIFF II AKA : BATTLE OF RED CLIFF Rating : IIB Length : 141 mins. Opening January 15 2009 official Site : http://redcliff.meiah.com [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] RED CLIFF II undertakes the first installment's tense confrontation between the three kingdoms of Cao, Wu and Shu. Cao Cao learns of Wu and Shu's alliance and sends 800,000 troops and 2,000 warships to the south and set up camp in the dark forest across from the Red Cliff on the Yangtze River. The nations of Wu and Shu lack of food and has far less soldiers than the Cao troops, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang change the course of events with their resourcefulness, a series of fierce land and sea battle constituted finally The Battle of Red Cliff that has been written in the history of China for ages! LOOK FOR A STAR AKA : Sing Mung Kei Yuen Lit : Star Dream Fantasy Destiny Rating : IIA Length : 118 mins. Opening January 26 2009 Official Site : http://www.mediaasia.com/lfas [ GOLDEN SCREEN CINEMAS MALAYSIA ] Sam is the most eligible bachelor in town - he's young, smart and rich. However, every success has its price. Sam has already divorced three times and finds himself crawling back to the game of love sooner than he has expected. It is love at first sight when Sam chances upon Milan at a Macau casino. She is a part-time poker dealer and a full-time cabaret dancer, seemingly not the perfect match with Sam's life. While Milan is being groomed into a society woman by experts galore, Sam is starting to have cold feet. He takes his lawyer's advice and signs a prenuptial agreement without consulting Milan. This time, he is gravely mistaken, as this woman has a heart of gold and is looking for real love rather than fame and fortune. PONYO ON THE CLIFF BY THE SEA Rating : I Length : 101 mins. Opening January 17 2009 Official Site : http://www.ghibli.jp/ponyo [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] The story takes place in a world that still longs for magic and miracles still happen in the world, the scene is located at the seaside town and a house on the cliff. A fish Ponyo by chance runs into a boy and they become good friends. In order to live with his friend, Ponyo takes the chance, leaves the familiar sea, in hopes of becoming human. The boy also keeps his promise for his good friend. ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 Rating : IIA Length : 100 mins. Opening January 23 2009 Opening January 22 2009 in Malaysia Official Site : http://www.allswellendswell.com [ GOLDEN SCENE CINEMAS ONLINE ] Kei's eldest sister Sandra is a hot-tempered magazine editor and her temperament has left her single all this while. They have a traditional family and one of the rules is that none of the siblings could get married before their eldest sister. In view of this, Kei sort help from the famous “Casanova”, Koo Chai (Louis Koo), who is the new journalist in Sandra’s firm to pretend to court his eldest sister and lure her into the mood of love. With Sandra falling in love with Koo Chai, she decides to introduce him to her parents (Lee Heung Kam, Ha Chun Chou). However, Koo Chai fell in love with another girl, Mun during an assignment and this broke Sandra’s heart. To avoid the disappointment of her parents, Sandra asks Mr. Wong a private investigator to pretend as her boyfriend. With Sandra love life going nowhere and her career plunging low, will she get what she wants? Will Kei find his true love and marries her sister off? Who will Koo Chai choose? Will all’s well end’s well? ------ GLOBAL CHINESE SONG CHART For Saturday, February 7 2009 15 UNFORGETTABLE DAY Can : Nan Mong Dik Yut Tin Xu Yi (Hui Ngai) 14 I WISH Andy Lau Tak Wa 13 KING QUEEN Can : Gok Wong Wong Hau Big Mouth 12 LOVE MORE AND MORE Can : Yuet Loi Yuet Oi Fahrenheit (Fei Lun Hoi) 11 SUDDENLY MISS YOU ALOT Can : Dut Ying Ho Seung Nei May Day 10 BABEL TOWER Can : Ba Bit Tap Stanley Huang (Wong Lap Hung) 9 EVEN IF THE WORLD HAS NO FAIRY TALE Can : Jau Shuen Sai Gai Mo Tung Wa Janice Vidal (Wai Lan) 8 YUNNAN BEAUTY Can : Wan Nam Mei Natasha Na Ying 7 SONG WRITTEN FOR YOU Can : Wai Nei Seh Dik Gor Fang Datong 6 WITHOUT IF Can : Muk Yau Yu Gor Jasmine Leong (Leung Jing Yu) 5 LOVE IS THAT SIMPLE Can : Oi Jau Si Na Mor Gan Dan Pu Bajia (Po Ba Gap) 4 ANOTHER HEAVEN Can : Ling Yut Gor Tin Tong Wang Leehom (Wong Lik Won), Jane Zhang Liangying 3 BAD GUY Can : Wai Yun Abin Fang (Fong Gwing Bun) 2 ROSE ROSE I LOVE YOU Can : Mui Gwai Mui Gwai Ngor Oi Nei Joanna Wang (Wong Yeuk Lam) 1 YOU CHOOSE Can : Yau Nei Shuen Jat JJ Lin Junjie, Fama ------ [ Yakety Yak ] The views and opinions expressed here are purely those of the writer and in no way reflect those of Hong Kong Film Top 10 Box Office, its contributors and affiliated web sites. Please join Top Ten Central and say a prayer for the victims of the snowstorm in the United States, the drought in China, and the wildfire in Australia. Your Chaffing Editor would like to take a moment to honor Jack Box, the founder of Jack in the Box, was hit by a bus on Sunday, February 1st. For more details, please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqT_5f08Nxs Hang in there Jack http://www.hangintherejack.com Yikes, what a coincidence for such a tragedy to take place on Superbowl Sunday. Even Your Chaffing Editor would not attempt such a morbid marketing scheme (again). Then again, Old Chaffy is no Jack. [ COMMENT REMOVED ] http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090206/music_nm/us_cyrus_1 Kids are so stupid sometimes, but only Old Chaffy is stupid enough to lower to their levels. Well, it was cute how the supposed Jonas' exes performed together at the Grammy's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYBrK4QQkU0 Speaking of which, the last minute cancellation and absence of two stars who were scheduled to perform got more than attention than the actual show or the winners. [ COMMENT REMOVED ] Let us hope that the victim(s) are "well". http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29106475/?gt1=43001 Jer Jer Stinks, Your Chaffing Editor Top Ten Central --- [ WHAT IS YOUR CHAFFING EDITOR LISTENING TO ] SECOND CHANCE Shinedown www.shinedown.com My eyes are open wide By the way I made it through the day I watch the world outside By the way I'm leaving out today Well I just saw Hayley's comet, she waved Said "why you always running in place? Even the man in the moon disappeared Somewhere in the stratosphere" [Chorus] Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can To make them realize This is my life I hope they understand I'm not angry, I'm just saying Sometimes goodbye is a second chance Please don't cry one tear for me I'm not afraid of what I have to say This is my one and only voice So listen close, it's only for today Well I just saw Hayley's comet, she waved Said "why you always running in place? Even the man in the moon disappeared Somewhere in the stratosphere" [Chorus] Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can To make them realize This is my life I hope they understand I'm not angry, I'm just saying Sometimes goodbye is a second chance Here is my chance This is my chance Tell my mother, tell my father I've done the best I can To make them realize This is my life I hope they understand I'm not angry, I'm just saying Sometimes goodbye is a second chance Sometimes goodbye Is a second chance [x2] ---------------------- HK Top Ten Central hktopten@hotmail.com | http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/2038