From: NO TOP TEN CENTRAL Newsgroups: alt.asian-movies,soc.culture.hongkong.entertainment Subject: [TAKE OVER] HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office (January 31 2008) 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. Grasshoppers' Choi Yat Kit who celebrates his birthday on the 6th B. Chucky Wood Gei Lan who celebrates her birthday on the 5th C. Michael Kwan Lai Kit who celebrates her birthday on the 5th D. Miriam Yeung Chin Wa who celebrates her birthday on the 3rd E. Hins Cheung King Hin who celebrates his birthday on the 1st * (2/6/2008) The Benny Chan Muk Sing directed new film BO CHI TUNG WA (KEEP IN TOUCH) yesterday held a press conference. Attendees included Louis Koo Tin Lok, Liu Ye, Barbie Shui (Tsui Hei Woon) and Nick Cheung Ka Fai. Emperor boss Albert Yeung Sau Sing also attended. The film was based on the Hollywood film CELLULAR. With a budget of HK$45 million, it is expected to be released in all Asia in the second half of the year. At the event each actor and the director introduced the characters and film background. Chan Muk Sing expressed that because he liked CELLULAR's screenplay he was very happy to be able to purchase the production right. However, the U.S. and Hong Kong version would be different due to cultural differences. Because the story revolved around the phone, the film company also found a phone company sponsorship. Each actor yesterday received a cell phone. This time each actor would have a lot of action scenes. Goo Jai said that he would personally perform may of them. Ka Fai however said the opposite and asked the director to try not to give him any action scenes. He even joked that Goo Jai was younger so he was more suitable. Yesterday Goo Jai looked tan again. He explained that because a lot of the film was shot in the afternoon he was much dark. Earlier he worked on a downhill scene that took several days to shoot. Goo Jai joked that the hill was 90 degrees steep and luckily it was full of grass to slow him down. Goo Jai expressed, he kept rolling for days and guessed that he has rolled over 100 times. Goo Jai felt that actors now do not need stunt doubles as personal stunt performance has already become action films' selling points. Thus he has not used a double in the entire film. Aside from rolling downhill, he also had car chases. The scene had 40 to 50 cars and he drove the entire way. Thus he had to be very accurate. The film company prepared six cars for him and he has crashed many. In addition, he had a fight scene at the airport transport station and had to jump back and forth on the transport platform. Sometimes it rose to over 10 stories tall. Did he want to become an action star? He said, "This isn't an action film, just car chases, fighting and rolling downhill." Was he hurt? Goo Jai said that he only had superficial wounds, but the stunt coordinators suffered worse. Earlier in one platform collapse scene one bone was visible in the stunt professional's wound. He and Tsui Hei Woon only had one scene together. Tsui Hei Woon in the film played a single mother. In one accident she and her daughter were kidnapped. Already at work Big S said that so far she only had scenes with Liu Ye. They have worked together before and that time she too played a single mother. She and Koo Tin Lok would have no romantic connection as they only would only have one scene together. Yet they would feel a little awkward. Big S in the film had a car crash scene, which she had a lot of fun with. She would use doubles for some stunts that were too dangerous. She felt that action scenes were very fun. The director was very gentle and constantly asked her whether she needed a double. She however thought that he was not vicious enough and hoped to be able to shoot something more exciting, but the director expressed that they were already very exciting and did not add any more. She said that she was not afraid of the car crash scene and instead thought it was a lot of fun. Has she gotten hurt during the shoot? Big S expressed that in some falling scenes she bruised her thigh. She also revealed that this film had many crying scenes. Earlier she cried for days. Before returning to Taiwan she felt her eyes were a little blurry. With her recent breakup did the crying scenes hurt even more? She joked, "During the shoot I didn't have this condition." She originally was afraid that she could not crying. She was very lucky during the shoot as she was able to cry very soon. Cheung Ka Fai admitted that one of the reasons that he asked for stunt doubles and less action was fatherhood. However, in the film he still had a car crash scene and metal poles crushed him. He even was thrown into a wooden box. Ka Fai expressed that he has some injuries. His wife must have heartbroken. He joked, "No! She too has to work on a series and is constantly seen in public. (Do you regret letting her work on a series?) More or less a little." He said that now when he returned home his wife and daughter would be asleep and he could only take a glimpse at them. Liu Ye in the film played the villain, which he felt was much more comfortable as it was less restrictive than a good guy role. This time he even had five good sized followers, four of whom were foreigners. Everyday he had gun play scenes, earlier he took 100 shots and he felt great. Liu Ye in the film spoke Putonghua. Reporters joked that both Cheung Ka Fia and Goo Jai's Putonghua were very poor. Were they able to communicate? He said that before the shoot he has heard about Goo Jai's Putonghau and worried that they would have difficulties chatting. Yet now he realized that Goo Jai has improved. As for whose Putonghau was the worst, Liu Ye dared not say and joked that his Cantonese was actually close to their Putonghua abilities. * (2/6/2008) The Wang Xiaoshuai directed, Tian Yuan, Liu Weiwei, and Yu Nan starred IN LOVE WE TRUST (JOR YAU) and Johnnie To Kei Fung's SPARROW (MAN JEUK) would compete for the 58th Berlin Film Festival's highest honor the Golden Bear. IN LOVE WE TRUST is based on a real life story about a Beijing couple who has been divorced for years due to their child's terminal illness that required an organ transplant had another child to compete the operation. However they have already built new families. IN LOVE WE TRUST was the only Mainland film that qualified for competition this year. Female lead Tian Yuan could not attend because she had to work on Barbara Wong Chun Chun's new film SIXTH FLOOR REAR FLAT 2 (LOK LAU HAU JOR 2) in Hong Kong. She expressed that when director Wang Xiaoshuai made this film he paid attention to every detail and grasped the entire film's peak and valley. At first her role was very small, but as she went on more and more was added. She hoped that they would be able to win. Tian Yuan honestly said that she loved to work with young directors because her performance would be more her own and she had more confidence in the director's thinking. Tian Yuan was a favorite among China's sixth generation directors. Later she would work with Jia Zhangke on the short film OUR TEN YEARS. Wang Xiaoshuai said that he could not say he did not want to win at all because everyone has been busy for a year for the movie. * (2/6/2008) Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun), Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin and Jacky Wu (Ng Chung Hin) earlier promoted KUNG FU DUNK (GONG FU GUOON NAM) in Beijing. Before the premiere, Chow Kit Lun demonstrated trick basketball at the national Olympic basketball venue but only made 2 out of 10 shots. He joked, "The score is unimportant, the beauty of the action is the most important." Some viewer felt that the film used too much computer effects that overshadowed actor's performance, Chairman Chou Said, "More special effect is good, it proves that the film company has spent a lot of money." Chairman Chou's biggest dram now is to tailor a movie for his idol Brigitte Lin (Lam Ching Ha). The character would need to wear a Chinese dress and have scenes with Gong Li. When he learned that Gong Li was interested in his suggestion, Chairman Chou expressed that he would try to prepare the screenplay as soon as possible. Ng Chung Hin revealed that Chow Kit Lun was very afraid of him. "He love to throw stuff. Once he threw underwear in front of the stage and I scolded him. I suspected that since then he hasn't worn any underwear." * (2/4/2008) The Wednesday (Lunar New Year's Eve) all Asia simultaneous Lunar New Year release KUNG FU DUNK (GONG FU GUOON NAM) has little connection to romance, instead it sells basketball and special effects. Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun) joked that actually winning over any girl's heart with the finger tip basketball spin would be very hard because usually the basketball team captain would be the center of attention; Chen Bo-Lin (Chan Pak Lam) revealed that Chairman Chou liked trick basketball while he was more solid. Chairman Chou in the interview was asked to rate his KUNG FU DUNK performance. If including music he would give himself 95 points, with the remainder five points for acting. Because he was not a professional actor he only sincerely played a silly character. In addition comedy for him was a challenge too. In the film he had a crush on Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin. He honestly said that she was the first girl who did not love him in his acting career and joked that the "feeling was terrible". "In the end we don't have a happy ending. I hope we would have a sequel that can have decent development. This film's focus is not love; love is only secondary." He said, his basketball abilities did not touch Ah Sa in the film. Instead he was comforting her when she was crying. "When I see girls crying I would be at a complete loss so I am very afraid of girls crying. Sometimes when I argue with others, even when I know she is wrong as soon as she cries I would let it go." He admitted that he played trick basketball to get people's attention, finally he discovered that tricks normally could only attract the same sex. Girls would only look at the score and shriek when you score. In addition all the glory of the basketball team goes to the captain. Chen Bo-Lin in the film played a wasted youth who always drank. Although he had a poor tolerance and disliked the taste he still had to drink a little beer per the director's request before each scene. He also revealed that during the shoot he had an unfortunate injury. "Once I was practicing with an extra. Because we were very serious I injured my face accidentally. After the injury all the shots could only come from the side. Luckily I was left without any scar. At the time my girlfriend was very nervous. She was the first one I called, if not she would be mad." In KUNG FU DUNK he would not have any kiss scene because the only female lead was his little sister Ah Sa. "Earlier when Ah Sa and I worked on TWINS EFFECTS 2 we were a couple. This time we became siblings, which proved that I have aged while she has been rather well kept." * (2/4/2008) The Lunar New Year film CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) has just been released. The film's lead Stephen Chow Sing Chi two nights ago led god daughter Xu Jiao, Kitty Zhang Yuqi and Yuen Qiu to promote in Television City and to raise fund for charity. Sing Yeh has not been in Television City for a long time. He expressed that it did not differ much. As for the new film's box office he has been rather satisfied so far and hoped that viewers would like it. He hoped that Mainland would break 200 million. He would be the happiest if the movie performed well and viewers had something fun and positive. Yet some viewers thought CJ7 would be a comedy and was a little disappointed that it was a family film. Sing Yeh said, "I only know that many people like it as well. In addition I feel family is very important and necessary." * (2/3/2008) The 27th Annual Hong Kong Film Award yesterday announced its nominations. PROTEGE (MOON TOH) in its 19 categories received 15 nominations and was the most nominated film. THE WARLORDS (TAU MING JONG) followed with 13 nominations. The Best Actor and the Best Actress categories were always the centers of attention, and the Best Actor category had fiercer competition with all former Best Actors. They included Aaron Kwok Fu Sing and his third year of nomination in a row with THE DETECTIVE (C+ JING TAM), THE WARLORDS' Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit) and Andy Lau Tak Wa, the previous year Best Actor THE MAD DETECTIVE (SUN TAM)'s Lau Ching Wan and EYE IN THE SKY (GUNG JUNG)'s Simon Yam Tat Wa. As for Best Actress, Hong Kong only had representatives in SIMPLY ACTORS (HEI WONG JI WONG)'s Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin and MR. CINEMA (LO GONG JING JUEN)'s Teresa Mo Shun Kwan who will be up against Mainland's Zhang Jingchu with PROTEGE, THE POST MODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT (YI MA DIK HAU YIN DOI SUN WOOT)'s Siqin Gaowa and Taiwan's Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying) with KIDNAP (BONG GA). Yesterday attending the press conference to announce the nominations were Hong Kong Film Award vice chairs Eric Tsang Chi Wai and John Chong Ching, Jo Kuk Cho Lam, Karena Lam Ka Yun, Lau Ching Wan and Sandra Ng Kwan Yu were guests. Perhaps due to the Japanese and Thai nominees, the guests had difficulties with their names. Ka Yun who was not too fluent in Chinese even had hardship with Chinese. This year's presentation ceremony will take place on April 13 at the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Center and the Film Development Fund has allocated over 3 million for the operation. Chi Wai expressed that this year's theme was "Four Seas One Family" with retrospectives of the Rat Pack, Seven Princesses, Nine Dragon Maiden's history. The event also would like to invite Hong Kong actors who went to develop abroad or foreign actors who rose in Hong Kong. Aside from the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, Best Supporting Actor nominees were also very strong like PROTEGE's Andy Lau Tak Wa and Louis Koo Tin Lok, AUNT's Chow Yun Fat, EXODUS (CHOOK AI CUP GEI)'s Nick Cheung Ka Fai, MR. CINEMA's Ronald Cheng Chung Kei. Anita Yuen Wing Yi's long awaited return to film PROTEGE also netted her a Best Supporting Actress nominees. Her competition included MR. CINEMA's Karen Morris (Mok Man Wai), AUNT's Vicki Zhao Wei, THE PYE-DOG's Siu Yam Yam and EYE IN THE SKY's Maggie Siu Mei Kei. As for the Best Director nominees, they included THE WARLORDS' Peter Chan Ho Sun, PROTEGE's Derek Yee Tung Sing, AUNT's Ann Hui On Wa, MAD DETECTIVE's Johnnie To Kei Fung and Wai Ka Fai and EYE IN THE SKY's Yau Nai Hoi. All five films were also Best Picture nominees. Last year's Best Actor Lau Ching Wan was very happy about his Best Actor nomination and hoped that he could repeat. Has he thought about giving up the award? He joked, "If I give the chance to others who would give me a chance?" He said that last year Mo Shun Kwan was also nominated for Best Actress but lost. He hoped that this year he could win with Mo Mo. He was also happy to see mentor and protege To Kei Fung and Yau Nai Hoi were both nominated for Best Director. Currently on vacation Lau Tak Wa also expressed his appreciation but wished that the snowstorm would soon pass. Yam Tat Wa pointed out that every year the competition has been very strong but he was confident. The best would be like the Cannes Film Festival with five Best Actor winners. If he would work with this year's Best Director on a movie then it would be even better. However, he was the happiest about Yau Nai Hoi's first Best Director nomination and referred to this competition as between an elementary school student and a professor so the nomination was already a victory. Kwok Fu Sing honestly said that he was very happy, each nomination was a recognition of him. Being nominated with a group of excellent opponents he would be happy for anyone who won. Choi Cheuk Yin expressed that she was very happy and making SIMPLY ACTORS was an incredible honor. The nomination was already an award to her. She would like the most to share this honor with the film's team. As for confidence, she said that her competition was very strong and the nomination was already a recognition. Mo Shun Kwan honestly said that she has been very happy with every nomination and this year's competition was very strong. However no one would know until the day of the nomination. As for Ching Wan's joke that he would like to win with her, she also cracked up and said that she wanted that too. Yuen Wing Yi expressed that she has never thought about being nominated. If this time she won the Best Supporting Actress again she would collect the entire set. She expressed that she was pregnant when she made the film. At the time she worked in a relaxed mood. She also said that she picked Wa Jai for the Best Supporting Actor award. Len Len also pointed out that her last nomination was with TILL DEATH DO US PART (NGOR OI NEI), which proved that in filmmaking quantity was not as important as quality. Koo Tin Lok was very happy about the nomination and also felt that this year's competition was very strong. Thus he has never thought about winning. The nomination has already proven that he has started to receive everyone's recognition, which was already an enormous improvement. Cheung Ka Fai was very happy about being nominated. The competition was very strong and the participation was already a recognition. Cheng Chung Kei thanked director Chiu Leung Chun. In the past no director would approach him about a non comedy film, thus he was already very happy about the nomination. He also thanked veterans Anthony Wong Chau Sun and Mo Shun Kwan. LOVE IS NOT ALL AROUND (SUP FUN OI)'s Linda Chung Ka Yun and EYE IN THE SKY's Kate Tsui Tsz Shan both were nominated for Best New Actor. Ka Yun honestly said that she has never though that she would be nominated and was truly greatly encouraged. She would definitely attend even it meant no sleep. She picked Tsz Shan for the award and prepared to attend with her since jumping out of television was very hard. Tsz Shan thanked director Yau Nai Hoi and To Kei Fung and she would support Ka Yun as well as being nominated together was rare. After winning the Golden Bauhinia Award last time she would not have too much expectation. When Yee Tung Sing received the news, he was looking at his new film locations on the China Russia border. Yet when he learned about PROTEGE's 15 nominations he joked, "Definite loss" because in the past many examples have had many nominations but did not win. He expressed that he would not have too much desire for the awards and felt that award shows were very cruel. Only a few would be happy and most would be disappointed. Instead no expectation for any award would make him happier. Chan Ho Sun was both THE WARLORDS' director and PROTEGE's producer, he felt that the nomination was already a recognition. He pointed out that one film had many nameless hero and hoped to be able to share the honor and recognition with them. LUST, CAUTION (SIK, GAI) did not meet the Hong Kong film criteria and thus could only be nominated for Best Asian Film. The 27th Annual Hong Kong Film Award nominations (http://www.hkfaa.com/nomineee) BEST FILM THE WARLORDS (TAU MING JONG) PROTEGE (MOON TOH) THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT (YI MA DIK HAU YIN DOI SUN WOOT) MAD DETECTIVE (SUN TAM) EYE IN THE SKY (GUNG JUNG) BEST DIRECTOR Peter Chan Ho Sun (THE WARLORDS) Derek Yee Tung SIng (PROTEGE) Ann Hui On Wa (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) Johnnie To Kei Fung, Wai Ka Fai (MAD DETECTIVE) Yau Nai Hoi (EYE IN THE SKY) BEST SCREENPLAY Xu Lan, Chun Tin Nam, Aubrey Lam Oi Wa, Huang Jianxin, Jo Jo Hui Yuet Chun, Ho Kei Ping, Kwok Chun Lap, James Yuen Sai Sun (THE WARLORDS) Derek Yee Tung Sing, Chun Tin Nam, Loong Man Hong, Ko Sun (PROTEGE) Li Qiang (THE POSTMODERN OF MY AUNT) Wai Ka Fai, Au Kin Yee (MAD DETECTIVE) Yau Nai Hoi, Au Kin Yee (EYE IN THE SKY) BEST ACTOR Aaron Kwok Fu Sing (THE DETECTIVE) Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit) (THE WARLORDS) Andy Lau Tak Wa (THE WARLORDS) Lau Ching Wan (MAD DETECTIVE) Simon Yam Tat Wa (EYE IN THE SKY) BEST ACTRESS Teresa Mo Shun Kwan (MR. CINEMA) Zhang Jingchu (PROTEGE) Siqin Gaowa (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying) (KIDNAP) Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin (SIMPLY ACTORS) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Nick Cheung Ka Fai (EXODUS) Ronald Cheng Chung Kei (MR. CINEMA) Louis Koo Tin Lok (PROTEGE) Andy Lau Tak Wa (PROTEGE) Chow Yun Fat (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Karen Morris (Mok Man Wai) (MR. CINEMA) Anita Yuen Wing Yi (PROTEGE) Vicki Zhao Wei (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) Susan Shaw Yam Yam (THE PYE-DOG) Maggie Siu Mei Kei (EYE IN THE SKY) BEST NEW PERFORMER Linda Chung Ka Yun (LOVE IS NOT ALL AROUND) Tsei Tsz Tung (PROTEGE) Wen Jun Hui (Man Chun Fai) (THE PYE-DOG) Wong Hau Yun (THE BESIEGED CITY) Kate Tsui Tsz Shan (EYE IN THE SKY) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Charlie Lam Chi Kin (EXODUS) Arthur Wong Ngok Tai (THE WARLORDS) Venus Keung Kwok Man (PROTEGE) Kwan Pun Leung, Yu Lik Wai (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) Cheng Siu Keung (MAD DETECTIVE) BEST EDITING Oxide Pang Shun, Curran Pang Jing Hei (THE DETECTIVE) Wenders Li (Lee Tung Chuen) (THE WARLORDS) Eric Kong Chi Leung (PROTEGE) Tina Baz (MAD DETECTIVE) David Richardson (EYE IN THE SKY) BEST ART DIRECTION Anuson Pinyopotjanee (THE DETECTIVE) Alfred Yau Wai Ming (BLOOD BROTHERS) Yee Chung Man, Yi Zhengzhou, Pater Wong Bing Yiu (THE WARLORDS) Yee Chung Man, Kenneth Mak Kwok Keung (PROTEGE) Yank Wong Yan Kwai (THE BESIEGED CITY) BEST COSTUME MAKE UP DESIGN Surasak Warakitcharoen (THE DETECTIVE) Tim Yip Kam Tim (BLOOD BROTHERS) Yee Chung Man, Jessie Dai Mei Ling, Lee Pik Kwan (THE WARLORDS) Ma Yu Tao (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) Stanley Cheung Sai Kit (MAD DETECTIVE) BEST ACTION CHOREOGRAPHY Kong Tao Hoi (TWIS MISSION) Tony Ching Siu Tung (THE WARLORDS) Lee Chung Chi (INVISIBLE TARGET) Chin Kar Lok (PROTEGE) Donnie Yen Chi Tan (FLASH POINT) BEST SOUND DESIGN Wachira Wongsaroj (THE DETECTIVE) Sunit Asvinikul, Nakorn Kositpaisal (THE WARLORDS) Kinson Tsang King Cheung (PROTEGE) Steve Burgess, Sam Wong Lui (FLASH POINT) Tu Duu Chih, Kuo Li Chi (THE DRUMMER) BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Suchada Somasavachai (THE DETECTIVE) Ng Yuen Fai (THE WARLORDS) Ho Siu Lun, Chow Kim Hung, Ching Han Wong (PROTEGE) Raymond Man Siu Lun (MAD DETECTIVE) Leung Wai Kit, Don Ma Wing On, Leung Yiu Fung, Frankie Chung Chi Hung (THE MAGIC GOURD) BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Payont Permsith, Jadet Chawang (THE DETECTIVE) Chan Kwong Wing, Peter Kam Pui Tat, Chatchai Pongprapaphan, Leon Ko Sai Cheung (THE WARLORDS) Peter Kam Pui Tat (PROTEGE) Joe Hisaishi (Gau Shek Yeung) (THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT) Andre Matthias (THE DRUMMER) BEST ORIGINAL SONG BROTHERS (BROTHERS) Composer: Eason Chan Yik Shun Lyrics: Andy Lau Tak Wa Performers: Andy Lau Tak Wa, Eason Chan Yik Shun TOO INTENSE (LOVE IS NOT ALL AROUND) Composer: Dennie Wong Dan Yi Lyrics: Lin Xi Performer: Kary Ng Yu Fei STARLIGHT ACCOMPANIES MY HEART (MR. CINEMA) Composer: Peter Kam Pui Tat Lyrics: Keith Chan Siu Kei Performer: Ronald Cheng Chung Kei HAPPY WANDERER (MING MING) Composers: Anthony Wong Yiu Ming, Jason Choi Tak Choi Lyrics: Lin Xi Performer: Anthon Wong Yiu Ming, Zhou Xun NO RESPONSE FROM HEAVEN (THE PYE-DOG) Composer: George Lam Chi Cheung Lyrics: Calvin Poon Yeun Leung Performer: George Lam Chi Cheung BEST NEW DIRECTOR Derek Kwok Chi Kin (THE PYE-DOG) Yau Nai Hoi (EYE IN THE SKY) Adam Wong Sau Ping (MAGIC BOY) BEST ASIAN FILM SECRET (BUT NUNG SHUET DIK BEI MUK) THE SUN ALSO RISES LUST, CAUTION (SIK, GAI) TOKYO TOWER: MOM AND ME AND SOMETIMES DAD GETTING HOME * (2/3/2008) Kitty Zhang Yuqi's film CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) opened with over 3 million at the box office, a decent performance. Yet reportedly due to this film's family selling point many "Sing fans" have been kept at bay. She said, "When I took it I already knew that the selling point was not comedy. Perhaps recently due to the chilly weather and the nonstop rain people couldn't get the energy to go to the movies, but I believe that the box office would get better and better." Her film with Edison Chen Koon Hei, TIU CHOOK HEI (DANCE OUT) has no release date due to his involvement in erotic photo scandal. Perhaps Chen Koon Hei's part would be removed and reshot. Zhang Yuqi expressed that she has never heard about that because the film has already wrapped. Now she has been busy with CJ7 promotion so she was not sure. If it was truly remade, she would try to coordinate. The scheduling should not be a problem. Was she close to Chen Koon Hei? "Not too close, we don't hang out privately because we are too busy. However we often exchange acting experience. I feel he isn't a bad person." * (2/3/2008) The Alex Fong Lik Sun and Stephy Tang Lai Yun starred new film NGOR DIK JUI OI (MY MOST BELOVED) yesterday held a worship ceremony at Causeway Bay CEO. In attendance were boss Paco Wong, Chan Wing Mei and other co-stars Miki Yeung Oi Kun and Hu Qingnan. This film has already been scheduled for a March release thus it was almost wrapped. Siu Fong and Stephy honestly said that the production has been very tough because the production time has been long and the location shoots have been numerous. With the recent cold front, they still had to work on the streets for 24 hours. Siu Fong directly stated that it was even harder than any television series. Stephy said, "My costume is flimsy and short, I had to thank God for catching a cold." Siu Fong also said, "I also have complained to Paco, but he immediately stated (Andy) Lau Tak Wa as an example. I naturally dared not make a noise." * (2/3/2008) Lollipop earlier came to Hong Kong to guest star in the Barbara Wong Chun Chun directed new film SIXTH FLOOR REAR FLAT 2 (LOK LAU HAU JOR 2). Two nights ago they shot at the Kowloon Bay Mega Box ice skating rink. Lollipop held a fan event in the story. Since their fans were already on hand to watch their idols in action, the film company asked the fans to be extras. TVB artist Lee Yi Man participated in the shoot and she took advantage of the chance for a photo with the group. Fans got upset and jeered her. * (2/2/2008) Stephy Tang Lai Yun and Alex Fong Lik Sun two nights ago worked on a film promotional poster shoot for NGOR DIK JUI OI (MY MOST BELOVED) with Alice Tsang Hoi Won and Miki Yeung Oi Kun. Stephy looked listless and was only able to squeeze out a little bit of smile during the shoot. She expressed that her colleagues have told her about doctored photos of her online but she was not unhappy over that. She has not slept in over 30 hours due to the film shoot and was exhausted. * (2/2/2008) Slated for a March Hong Kong release, THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (GONG SAN MEI YUN) has already begun its promotion. Yesterday stars Kelly Chen Wai Lam and Guo Xiaodong in Beijing attended the film's music video premiere. Kelly and Leon Lai Ming sang the theme song but Lai Ming was absent from the premiere. In the film Kelly and Guo Xiaodong were enemies but their collaboration was very pleasant. Kelly even felt that he was quite a gentleman. They had a fight scene and Guo Xiadong had to trip and kick Kelly's princess but he held back until Kelly told him to step on her helmet with full force, only then was the shoot completed. Kelly touched her cheek and said, "Actually it hurt and left a mark. Luckily it only took one take." Actually it was both their first fighting film. Seeing how serious Kelly fought, Guo Xiaodong said that he too had to properly train in gong fu. * (2/2/2008) The Lunar New Year film KUNG FU DUNK (GONG FU GUOON NAM) two nights ago held its premiere at the Times Square. The cast including Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun), Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, Chen Bo-Lin and others attended. Jay's godfather Anthony Wong Chau Sun suddenly appeared and gave his godson a pleasant surprise as he presented him with nunchuks as a gift. Jay honestly said that the presence of his godfather has put some pressure on him because his godfather has always been picky. After watching each of his performance he would directly critique. Yet he felt only with criticism would he improve. * (2/1/2008) Sammi Cheng Sau Man two nights ago worked on the final scene for the Alan Mak Siu Fai directed new film CHA JI NUI (WOMAN OF INVESTIGATION). She joked that she could not hide her excitement because she was very relaxed with this performance. She went undercover into a dance hall with guest star Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai) as a gigolo. She was very interested in this "duck". Sammi summed up the shoot as very comfortable. Only in the first three days she was not used to making the movie, later she started to enter the character. This film ultimately was more relaxed than her earlier film EVERLASTING REGRET (CHEUNG HUNG GOR). In addition it had many actors and the scenes would not focus on one or two actors, and working with Eason Chan Yik Shun was very pleasant. She revealed that Eason was fun everyday and liked to talk, but she felt that Eason in recent years has been much more serious and believed that was due to having a family. Eason once expressed that working with an actress as good as her was stressful. Sammi humbly said that she has not acted more than Eason, in the face of Eason she too was very nervous. Sammi said that her mentality was similar to this film's character. The character did not like to dress up and was not pretty, over 30 but still single but all day long she worried that she was not be able to wed. She said that when the director explained the character to her, she said to the director, "You don't need to explain, I can even tell you more." Since breaking up with Andy Hui Chi On, she has remained singled but On Jai has had one after another rumored new flame. Sammi responded, "He didn't say whether it was real or fake, my stance was very stance. I of course congratulated him. He didn't need to care about how others think. Love only has to make him happy, pleased, and bring him fortune for him to bravely surge ahead. (Earlier you had a chance to get back together?) You think too much." Yam Yin Chai will soon work on Soi Cheang Po Shui's new film that was scheduled to start production last year. He lost weight and turned down all jobs to prepare but the screenplay was incomplete and made him wait an entire film. Recently the company asked him to guest star as a gigolo in CHA JI NUI. Working with Cheng Sau Man again, Siu Chai felt that Sammi was much happier and understood that earlier when she made EVERLASTING REGRET the pressure was tremendous. Once she got into the character's moods leaving them would be difficult. When he played the crook for the first time in BREAKING NEWS (DAI SI GEIN) he could not return the lights to his eyes, during that period he did not joke with others and fans were afraid to see him. Each time he passed a jewelry store he wanted to rob it. To prepare to play the killer role in the new film, he experimented with being an ordinary person, lost weight and snuck into crowds. He even tried to go to the market but each time he was recognized. Because he looked forward to this movie he thought waiting for a year was worth it. * (2/1/2008) Mainland artist Huang Yu earlier went to Taiwan to work with Francis Ng Chun Yu and Taiwan Fan Bingbing rich girl Terri Kwan Wing in the Mei Ah film BUTTON PERSON (KAU NAU YUN). Huang Yu after receiving Best Actor Ng Chun Yu's in person instructions exhibited decent performance talent and potential. The introverted Huang Yu received fellow introvert Ng Chun Yu's deep appreciation and during the shoot he often taught Huang Yu how to get into the character better and made Huang Yu's acting suddenly took off. Huang Yu in the film not only had many scens with Kwan Wing but also had a daring bed scene with her. * (2/1/2008) Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun)'s new film KUNG FU DUNK (GONG FU GUOON NAM) two nights ago promoted at a shopping center. Chairman Chou appeared with fellow cast members Chen Bo-Lin (Chan Pak Lam), Baron Chen Chor Hor and others and attracted nearly 1,000 onlookers. The event not only aired the film theme song music video but also had the four conducted a dunk contest with fans and demonstrated nunchuku. They also fed pretty fans tofu. KUNG FU DUNK will compete with Stephen Chow Sing Chi's CJ7 (CHEUNG GOR 7 HO). Was Chairman Chou confident about defeating Sing Yeh? He humbly said, "Hong Kong is his 'turf', I don't dare to say I would win. Yet I am confident that the Mainland box office could reach 100 million yuan because the co-stars are all good actors." As for Mainland media reference to him and Sing Yeh as "Double Chow", he felt very honored and even said that he has seen all of Sing Yeh's movies. He could even recite the lines from some. Thus he hoped that Sing Yeh could take time to enjoy his performance, even if he would only buy the DVD. Chen Bo-Lin was also full of confidence in this film but dared not see Sing Yeh as the strongest opponent. He only hoped that viewrs would like this movie. * (2/1/2008) Yumiko Cheng Hei Yi, Ken Hung Cheuk Lap, Sherman Chung Shu Man, Chan Pak Yu, Patrick Tang Kin Wong, Chow Pak Ho and others two nights ago attended the film OI CHING MAN SHUI (LOVE HAIL) wrap banquet. The host asked actors what sweet things they could do for the girls, Hung Cheuk Lap put a ring on Yumiko and everyone cheered for them to kiss. They only pretended to. Tang Kin Won picked up Yumiko but Yumiko could not pick up Tang Kin Won. Chan Pak Yu and Chung Shu Man fed chocolate to each other. Yumiko in the film had an older woman, young man relationship with Hung Cheuk Lap. They had kiss scenes. Yumiko honestly said that she would not worry about Hung Cheuk Lap's fans being jealous because she was only acting. She said that kissing Hung Cheuk Lap felt OK. As for taking his first on screen kiss, Yumiko expressed that during the Lunar New Year she would give him a laisee but she reminded reporters not to make her sound like an old lady. Ken expressed that for the kiss scene he had four or five pieces of gum. He expressed that at the time his mind was a blank, after the shoot everyone felt a little embarrassed and apologized. * (2/1/2008) Slated for a March release, THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (GONG SAN MEI YUN) has already begun promotion. Kelly Chen Wai Lam and Donnie Yen Chi Tan earlier danced the tango for a certain magazine's February cover shoot. They loved with 70 pounds of burden in the film. During the interview Kelly revealed that her boyfriend was Yen Chi Tan fan who often dragged her to watch his movies. Kelly said, "Basically I have seen all of his movies and feel he is very manly. When I learned that I would work with him, my first impression was very at ease. Because he knew how to fight naturally he wouldn't accidentally hit me. Even happier should be my boyfriend, but he visited me twice on the set for a glimpse of his idol as well but coincidentally Chi Tan wasn't there both times. He was so mad!" Chi Tan in the film played a general who grew up with Kelly. Later the Emperor died. Originally he should have been crowned but in order to stabilize the troops the powe went to Kelly's princess. Chi Tan said, "From the beginning to the end I was around Kelly to love and protect her, support her, I tried to play as much a romantic fool as I could." Chi Tan appreciated Kelly extremely. "I never thought that Kelly would take so much risk. In one rain scene I had to train her in swords. That scene that involved falling and getting back up and drama and action she took very seriously and nearly chopped me." Both joked that the most difficult was wearing over 40 pounds of armor in 40 degree Celsius heat. Kelly's arm was over 30 pounds. As for the kingdom or the beauty, Yen Chi Tan said, "I think they can't be separated. Without kingdom how can beauty be possible? Both should be one. IN real life, without family how can I have a good career?" Kelly said, "Of course beauty! Because the beauty I played is me, I hope him would choose me and not the kingdom." * (1/31/2008) The Mainland snow storm has not only affected the food supply but also Stephen Chow Sing Chi's latest film after two years, CJ7 (CHEUNG GOR 7 HO). Many Hunan cinema circuits have stated that due to traffic CJ7's original copies had no way to arrive in Changsha and Hunan has already cancelled the premiere that was scheduled for today's simultaneous national release. Even though the Beijing film distributor attempted many transportation means from railroad to airplane to highway, the persistent bad weather has crippled traffic as the copies remained stuck at the Beijing airport. Meanwhile, CJ7 promoted in Taiwan. Yesterday at the press conference the host felt that this film was different from past Chow Sing Chi movies and suspected that he had the intention to wed. Sing Yeh directly said that he has never thought about it. Later he said that he was envious of the host's marriage and motherhood, but stressed that would depend on fate. As for his future film projects, Chow Sing Chi said that although he was not certain about the subject he has confirmed the direction. In the future he would make more movies that are suitable for children. He said, although adults are also very important children often had less choices. With few suitable children film, he hoped to be able to make more movies for children in the future. [ BLAH OF THE WEEK ] Columns, Reviews, Interviews 1. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 6 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS THE NECESSITY TO SATISFY VIEWER DESIRES Years ago, when the writer was still intoxicated among 80s Hong Kong film, a foreign film critics asked -- why did Hong Kong film resemble a combination platter with every element? The writer instead asked, what was so strange about that? His answer was Hollywood films usually only sold one element, as long as it satisfied the ticket buying viewers' expectation that it worked. In other words, anything that sold horror worked as long as viewers were scared stiff. It did not need any added drama. Comedy worked as long as it was funny and did not need any other addition. The writer explained that at the time Hong Kong films hoped to please viewers with different demands. The Hong Kong market was small, one film needed to have different elements to be able to attract most of the viewers. Now Hong Kong's situation is close to what that foreign film critic has said, instead some Hollywood films have changed. If viewers' expectation of the film before going is not thoroughly satisfied, they would be very disappointment. If other included elements are ignored, they would say that this film is not good. Film promotions have to coordinate. Too many selling points are not necessarily good. Focus on one may even be better. CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) has already fully promoted itself as a family film, yet viewers' expectation for a Stephen Chow Sing Chi comedy has been so great that it has already drowned out the promotional message. Not long ago, some viewers thought Wong Kar Wai's MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS was too simple and too easy to understand because they expected a movie that they would not understand. Chow Sing Chi's genre change perhaps has chosen the wrong date. If "Sing Fans" did not wait three years, if in between a comedy satisfied everyone, if it was not a Lunar New Year release and viewers were not starving for a Hong Kong style comedy like they are now, viewer disappointment could have been reduced. When I want chicken, you give me goose. It is not that goose does not taste good, but I really want chicken and you are a chicken expert. Yet you suddenly say you want to improve, ignore my needs and give my goose. The goose is not even local, but made in Mainland with a little U.S. flavor. Why not let everyone have the famous house special chicken first then give everyone goose? If they can have other tasty chicken to choose from, no one would mind having goose. - KWOK HIN CHING 2. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 5 2008, FILM WORDS CJ7, GOURD, CIVILIAN LABOR Although the Stephen Chow Sing Chi directed, written and starred new film CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) is not the typical Chow Sing Chi style, it remains an entertaining and positive children film. Modern Chinese film industry severely lack children film as Japanese anime and manga, U.S. animation and European and U.S. fantasy special effect films have all the advantages and extremely enormous influence on the new generation. Lately Chinese children films, which target the Mainland China market, have gradually appeared. For example last year's live action and animation film MAGIC GOURD and animation SPARKLING RED STAR were both China and Hong Kong co-productions. CJ7's boy receives a magical and cute alien dog that actually resembles MAGIC GOURD. The latter's subject was based on several decades ago Zhang Tianyi's original work that several generations were familiar with. The story is about a boy's adventure after receiving a magic gourd. The film's directors were Hong Kong Centro Digital's Chu Ka Yun and Chung Chi Hung. Gigi Leung Wing Kei and Mainland child stars starred. It was the first Disney China co-production. Reportedly MAGIC GOURD had decent Mainland box office and had an audience in Hong Kong as well. Yet it obviously was not as hot as fairy tale productions from the West or Japan. Now CJ7's draw is much stronger. The fact is, this film also has live action and animation. The alien dog design undoubtedly is cuter and more sympathized than the gourd. The biggest difference is the boy in MAGIC GOURD belongs to a newly rich Mainland family and is just plain naughty. CJ7's boy is the son of a poor civilian laborer and has even more Chinese realism. The father and son joy within pain family love is also touching. Actually in the already developed West and Japan, the poor and orphans are often audience recognized leads while rich kids are often despised. I feel that CJ7 is the most positive with its concern for the poor. Even the alien dog is an orphan that is very sympathized and lovable on Earth. It is not as ugly as E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL and is rather like a cute, little pet. Chow Sing Chi fans often like his Hong Kong style humor and comedy but they should not forget that on screen he has already been a representative of China's little people. Over a decade ago in his claim to fame ALL FOR THE WINNER (DOH SING) he played a poor new immigrate from Mainland in Hong Kong with special power. In recent years his SHAOLIN SOCCER and KUNG FU HUSTLE both have Chinese common poor people root. He in CJ7 plays a father who is also a poor civilian laborer and works at a new city building construction while he lives in an antiquated home with his son. Coincidentally with the recent Mainland snow storm, civilian laborers who return home for the Lunar New Year are the hardest hit. This film thus touches me even more. (1 of 2) - SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkkeiluklei) 3. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 5 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS CINEMAS' MAD CJ7 SHOWING While reading the newspaper, few would still notice what movie the cinema plays and with how many shows. Film industry insiders pay attention to them though because they reflect how cinema owners handle a movie due to market conditions. The first few days of the opening tell cinema owners' expectation for a movie, from then on is the market information. Before the film release, cinemas would send someone to watch the movie first. These people participate in cinema operations everyday. They not only have the daily box office figures and each show's admission rate, but also ticket sale speed. They are like stock market analysts whose minds are full of market information. After the screening, they have a general box office prediction and schedule the film according ot this prediction. On average they are rather accurate because scheduling would decide the film's performance, like how many screens, which screens, how many seats, how many shows. This is supply. When cinemas sell out and viewers cannot buy a ticket, demand is greater than supply. Cinema managers would in accordance with the daily box office trend change the scheduling. Movies with fewer viewers get less shows and smaller cinemas. Film professionals have slight words to this type of cinema owners excessive urgency because it is too practical. Movies that rely on word of mouth and slow heat are at a tremendous disadvantage. If big movies are released at the same time, small to mid scale films would suffer. The poor gets poorer and the rich gets richer. CJ7's release would scare you to death with its everyday cinema schedules. Traditional Chinese film cinema circuits still have seven shows everyday, others can schedule to eight. In other words every hour has two to three shows because cinemas do not operate all 24 hours. Such scheduling is already very tight. When a cinema has many screens with the same movie, viewers would rather few choices at the cinema because other film's shows have already been perhaps one to two shows everyday at very poor time. CJ7 is released a week earlier than the other Lunar New Year Chinese film KUNG FU DUNK (GONG FU GUOON NAM), thus this week it has become the first and only choice. - KWOK HIN CHING 4. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 4 2008, FILM WORDS CJ7: FAIRY TALE WITH LAUGHTER AND TEARS Parents do not need to worry the lack of any movie that is suitable for children during the Year of the Rat Lunar New Year. CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) is a children film that is very suitable for the family to bring children to. Stephen Chow Sing Chi has always been popular with young people, but in the past his movies were not officially children films like SHAOLIN SOCCER which is children like the most. Earlier ALL FOR THE WINNER (DOH SING) and TRICKY BRAIN (JING GOO JUEN GA) may even been accused of children delinquency! Chow Sing Chi has fully made CJ7 for children as he even makes a cute child star and fun alien dog as the leads. He changes his image as he no longer is comedic as the hard working, honest, and poor father. Some fans who like Chow Sing CHi's nonsense humor may be disappointed, actually CJ7 has performed rather decently and is the Chinese children film that is the most entertaining. In addition its heart is concerned with poor children. Perhaps Chow Sing Chi has been a poor child, at least he has experienced Hong Kong's difficult toiling era. His previous film KUNG FU HUSTLE misses the HOUSE OF 72 TENANTS like poor neighborhood. This new film is about a thriving city's construction worker father and son who are so poor that little Hong Kong viewers are very surprised. Yet in today's Mainland China with its widening economic gap it is nothing strange. The film of course has a lot of exaggeration. A poor child's acceptance into a famous school already exceeds reality. Luckily girl star Xu Jiao plays the poor boy who does not pity himself. Lively and energetic his feud with the rich kids is rather fun. Papa is also poor but straight laced. The father and son rely on each other in a cockroach ridden antiquated home and their love is touching. This is not a madcap comedy, but finds joy in pain and holds back tear for laughter. The most interesting is the alien dog that is found in the garbage dump. It is like a wonderful little toy that leads the little lead to very comic book like fantasy. Actually the alien dog is also down on its luck, very pitiable and very tear jerking. It makes people love it. This digital animation image is very outstanding. As some critics have pointed out, this film have influence and THE KID and E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL. It can even be said as a mix of Iran's THE CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, the U.S.'s THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS and Chinese animation MAGIC GOURD. Yet Chow Sing Chi does not imitate or copy, nor does he repeat himself. The entire film is effectively shot with agility and becomes an interesting and meaningful fairy tale. Alien dog is the cutest, little Xu Jiao has great expressions, female teacher Kitty Zhang Yuqi is very pretty and kind. This film although avoids social conflict issues touches on little people in real pain and even salutes civilian workers who risk their lives in building the new China. - SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkeiluklei) 5. TA KUNG PAO, FEBRUARY 3 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION TRAVERSE CJ7 RESPONSES POLARIZE Finally Stephen Chow Sing Chi's CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) has arrived. This film that has kept everyone waiting for three years has attracted a tremendous response and rather polarized reaction; some liked it a lot and felt it was very touching, some (especially his fans) felt that it lacked the Chow Sing Chi's past special style. For Chow Sing Chi films, I have very complex emotions. For awhile, he founded and led the "Mo Le Tau" culture and the younger generation worshipped him as the "master". His classic work like A CHINESE ODYSSEY (SAI YAU GEI), FLIRTING SCHOLAR (TONG BAK FU DIM CHAU HEUNG), FORBIDDEN CITY COP (DAI NOI MUK TAM LING LING FAT) had scenes and lines that have always attracted everyone's discussion and praise. Yet from GOD OF COOKERY (SIK SUN) to SHAOLIN SOCCER and KUNG FU HUSTLE, he has started to change from the still abstract nonsense to concern for real life issues; especially the recurring theme of helping the weak. CJ7 changes again. This change is not only a salute to Steven Spielberg's E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL or as someone has said a salute to Cantonese films that have upheld family value, a renewed extension of such people culture ideas, but also from his personal growth experience memories as he reflects expressions of a variety of modern society conditions and phenomenon. In the film Chow Sing Chi and his son are poor and live in a garbage dump. They are the lowest rung in the social ladder. Yet Chow Sing Chi can still remain positive and again repeat the importance of educating and doing one's part in hopes of his son will be able to succeed with education and change the current status. He knows the difference between the rich and the poor but still sends his son to a famous school, which in turn makes him the laughing stock for teachers and students and further divides the father and son in certain issues until the appearance of the alien dog. In this film instead of saying Xu Jiao is the lead, one may as well say that the alien dog is the entire film's soul. Xu Jiao wants to interpret Chow's ideas, but the one who truly resolves problems is this alien dog. It is Bruce Lee who helps the weak, an angel with special powers that can make Chow and his son's dreams come true (but it cannot help Xu Jiao with the bias teachers and the bully rich students). It is the companion that comforts Xu Jiao's soul and saves Chow. CJ7 has Chow Sing Chi's usual style comedy, Chow's persistence in contrast between looks and kindness; but it also has his anticipation and complaint for life. - CHUI HIU 6. TA KUNG PAO, FEBRUARY 3 2008, LIGHT SHADOW PATH NUDE PHOTO STORM GROWS STRONG Artist nude photo storm has become the headline news for three days (as of the deadline) and rocked all of Hong Kong. Nude photos, which resemble Edison Chen Koon Hei, Gillian Chung Yun Tung, Bobo Chan Man Woon and Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi, have spread online. THe police's commercial crime unit has taken over the investigation. The police even initially believed that nude photos have been spread to foreign servers that are beyond Hong Kong's legal jurisdiction and thus can only ask the Interpol for help in hopes of finding the originator's internet address. Obviously the originators is full of computer knowledge and not the "Wise Heavenly King" type. Naive internet users who spread these photos on the internet have already committed the "Obscene and Indecent Article" distribution crime that can result in 3 years in prison and 1 million in fines. Reportedly the police has contacted those involved to assist with the investigation. Artist nude photo storms have often been heard about, but in today's internet age its damage has been increased by a million fold. The victim's pain is beyond any description and an online law enforcement study cannot wait. Any idea that wants to abandon any addition to internet service provider restriction (in regards to online copyright) should think further. On the other hand, these nude photos, real or fake, actually do not affect the police investigation because whether the photos were doctored, they committed the crime of online distribution of obscene or indecent article. Performing Artist Guild has issued a statement that these indecent photos' wide media coverage was the shame of the society. Now as "entertainment becomes news and news entertainment", for a "story" that "stands out" this storm can actually be the top headline for days. In the past only the "dirty double weekly" would do so. Now weekly magazines are too slow as many "dirty daily" have appeared. Who knows how the newspaper union would feel about this. As this storm persists, the originator's motion is the most mysterious. Whether it is bad intention or blackmailing, only those involved would know for sure. The photos' authenticity has become the focus of discussion areas. If they are fake, who would have such "time". If they are real, where do they come from? Aside from people who uploaded the photos, even the photographers would suffer criticism. Many commentators have urged everyone to be careful with their phones and computers because their contents or photos can easily be stolen. Such comment actually proposes that these photos are not fake, if so the damage that the people in the photos suffer is truly beyond any description. First they are completely naked on the internet without any privacy anymore. The worst part is after being criticized from head to toe they are also criticized for being incredibly stupid for taking such photos. The writer wants to see the least anyone who admits that he or she is in the photos, otherwise the flame would spread uncontrollably. The only way to handle this is to rely on time to lighten such ugly memory. - TIN LIK 7. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 2 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS SACRIFICING LIVE SOUND RECORDING FOR TWO MARKETS Stephen Chow Sing Chi movies once were considered Hong Kong local comedy representatives. His street wise, nonsensical, and somewhat vulgarly vicious dialogues and guy warmth were Hong Kong viewers' favorites. Thus, his comedy did not win over all markets right away. In the past when Mainland viewers watched Chow Sing Chi comedies they watched the dubbed Mandarin versions that made adjustments to a lot of the Hong Kong style comedy, partially fearing that Mandarin viewers in China, Taiwan and Singapore would not understand. Some would even change the original meaning. At the time live sound recording was Cantonese, which Hong Kong people felt very familiar. Mainland viewers who watched the Mandarin version would not feel any problem because they have always watched dubbed Hong Kong films, which they were used to. Now the situation is different. Many viewers who have seen CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG 7 HO) complained about the poor dubbing. Because the true star of this Chow Sing Chi's film was Xu Jiao and the film was shot in Mainland, live sound recording was Putonghua and of course the Hong Kong version had to be dubbed. SHAOLIN SOCCER and KUNG FU HUSTLE were also produced in Mainland. Some Mainland actors of course were dubbed. Yet fortunately both films starred Chow Sing Chi from beginning to end. He was the real lead and the supporting cast with the most screen time consisted of Hong Kong actors. Hong Kong viewers would not sense any issue. Mainland viewers of course would have less issue with the Mandarin version. Actually the dubbing issue has appeared early on in many co-productions. For costume films like THE WARLORDS (TAU MING CHONG), Hong Kong viewers did not mind watching all Mandarin dialogue; but comedy was different. Although CJ7 again stressed that it was not a comedy but a warm film about father and son, the film had laughter and tears and comedy remained a key element. Even among the non comedy lines, with the more everyday life dialogue viewers knew the cast spoke Putonghua during the shoot. The dubbed Cantonese lessened the influence. Perhaps many viewers still did not know that film dubbing differed from television series. In one scene as long as one line to be dubbed, every line of every actor in the scene had to be dubbed. In other words during the shoot the Hong Kong actor spoke Cantonese and the Mainland one spoke Putonghua, the Hong Kong version would be dubbed from beginning to end and would not be a live sound recorded film. Of course, the Mainland version was the same way. - KWOK HIN CHING 8. MING PAO DAILY, FEBRUARY 1 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS THE DAMAGE THAT NUDE PHOTO STORM BRINGS The Performing Artist Guild has responded to suspected artists in bed photo incident. As chair Alan Tam Wing Lun has said, now they could not do much. Whether the photos were real or fake, currently the incident has already caused tremendous harm to the entertainment circle. Even when average people have not seen the online photos and only learned about them in the press, they would feel that entertainment circle was promiscuous, which was very unfair to the entire circle. Many artists who were suspected to be in the photos and who were linked in rumors in the press were toiling in their show business career and some have performed. As the entertainment circle appeared to have a shortage of successors, the industry longed for young idols to be "promoted" sooner and show signs of life in the long silent entertainment industry. Yet the appearance of these photos, whether they were real or fake, has already caused enormous damage to the involved artists. No matter what the intention of the distributors was and how they obtain these photos, they not only violated laws but also hurt others. Even though they have started a shocking controversy, so what? Management agencies protect artist image at every turn because it is very important to these artists. If they performed nude scenes for a movie like Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Tang Wei in LUST, CAUTION (SIK, GAI) it would be positive for their image. The internet originally was a lovable free region that could provide people with communication and information beyond borders, so the less regulation the better it is. Yet some bad seeds abused this online communication and information freedom. In the future when the Legislative Council will regulate, everyone's freedom will be restricted and they can only be the ones to blame. The responsibility of law enforcement can only be left with the police. We can only hope that artists who have suffered after the incident settles can stand up anew and again work hard for their show business careers. Whether artists have shot these photos, whether they are dumb, whether they know to protect themselves, we must identify clearly -- they are the real victims. Anyone who are not involved feels smart. When nothing similar has happened to them, they definitely would feel the others are dumb. Anyone who have not been burglarized would criticize others for not taking enough precaution until the burglar robs them. - KWOK HIN CHING 9. MING PAO DAILY, JANUARY 31 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS RELY ON THE LAW BUT ALSO RELY ON YOURSELF In these few days nothing is more shocking than the suspected doctored male and female star sex photos online. Doctored sex photos seem to appear everyday online but few are as "realistic" as this time and distributed in a planned manner. Perhaps because of this, the artists' management agency would issue warnings and make severe statements. Computer graphic software is more and more advanced. In the past doctoring requires a very long time and a lot of patience. Now it only needs a few simple steps. Yet very highly realistic merged photos still requires well honed skill, unlike before like children's cut and paste craft. The more realistic it is the more harmful it is to artists. The writer feels that indecent photo distribution online has already violated laws. Artists themselves should make civil lawsuits against pranksters who are damaging their reputation. Otherwise technology and information advancement would only provide satisfaction to a few as more and more become victims. The victims may not just be artists or celebrities. Also worthy of discussion is how artists learn to protect themselves. Photo doctoring is very hard to stop, which can only be left with the law so pranksters suffer consequences that they may have never imagined. Yet love and sex are parts of life. If real photos leak out, the consequence is even more severe than doctored photos. Urging artists not to take photos that cannot be publicized may already be too late, perhaps in the heat of the moment they do not care about much. Yet when something happens they would regret it. Computers and phones are the easiest for private photos to leak out. When computers are broken, remove the hard drives before taking it for repair and put on a new one after repair so no one else would have the chance to come in contact with your information. The same computer or the same hard drive should not be used for online and private information storage. When cell phones are broken they should not be fixed. Artists can buy new phones, which is money that should not be saved. Old phones should not be sold or given to others. Use another one outside, so even if it is lost it is no problem. All important information should be protected with encryption software. From this moment on erasing any file that would affect your reputation thoroughly would be the best. - KWOK HIN CHING [ In Production Now/Soon ] Can : Ngor Dik Jui Oi Lit : My Most Beloved d. Yip Lim Sum Alex Fong Lik Sun, Stephy Tang Lai Yun, Miki Yeung Oi Kun, Hu Qingnan (Wu Ching Nam), Alice Tsang Hoi Won Can : Bo Chi Tung Wa Lit : Keep In Touch d. Benny Chan Muk Sing Louis Koo Tin Lok, Barbie Shui (Tsui Hei Woon), Liu Ye, Nick Cheung Ka Fai Can : Ngor Lo Por Hai Doh Sing Lit : My Old Lady Is Gambling Saint Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Meng Yao Can : Ching Toi Lit : Moss d. Kwok Chi Kin Shawn Yue Man Lok, Sin Sik Lai, Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Liu Kai Chi, Terry Fan Siu Wong, Jan Lam Kam Lin, Shaun Tam Chun Yin, Shao Yam Yam Can : Oi Ching Man Shui Lit : Love Hail Yumiko Cheng Hei Yi, Ken Hung Cheuk Lap, Yan Ng Yat Yin, Chow Pak Ho, Sherman Chung Shu Man Can : Cha Ji Nui Lit : Woman of Investigation d. Alan Mak Siu Fai Sammi Cheng Sau Man, Eason Chan Yik Shun, Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai) Can : Si Lim Lit : Reminisce d. Wai Ka Fai Lau Ching Wan, Kelly Lin (Lam Hei LUi), Yan Qing, Jo Kuk Cho Lam RUN PAPA RUN Can : Hak Ba Ba Lit : Black Papa d. Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga) Louis Koo Tin Lok, Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying) Official Site : www.emp.hk [ OFFICIAL SITE ] Raised by a single mother in a crime-ridden neighborhood, Lee has risen from street punk to successful syndicate crime boss. Fast money and women have always come easily to Lee, but Lee unexpectedly falls in love with a lawyer named Mabel. When Mabel becomes pregnant, Lee panics. Determined to make the relationship the work, Mabel moves into his apartment uninvited. Mabel's persistence pays off when their child Heiyi is born - Lee's paternal instincts are awakened and he is transformed into a doting father. Desperate to protect his new family, Lee conceals the true nature of his business. His gang members undergo an image makeover and to all outward appearances Lee is now legitimate businessman. Lee is selected to be the next kingpin of the underworld, and he is torn between family and brotherhood. His relationship with the three women in his life: his mom, his wife and his daughter, changes his life perspective, and he is determined to make things right once and for all. 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 : Duet Shui d. Law Sau Yiu Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Danny Lee Sau Yin, Simon Yam Tat Wa, Maggie Siu Mei Kei, Pinky Cheung Man Chi, Jason Wu Jing, Ken Low Wai Kwong, Heung Jor, Tian Niu, Yen Wing San Can : Ang Hong Lit : Tough Guy Anthony Wong Chau Sun, Ellen Chan Nga Lun, Liu Ye, Sun Honglei THE J AND J PROJECT Can : Gong Fu ji Wong Lit : King of Gong Fu Jackie Chan, Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit), Crystal Liu Yifei, Li Bingbing 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, 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... Can : Kit Ji Lit : Scorpion d. Joe Ma Wai Ho Sam Lee Chan Sam, Emme Wong Yee Man, Leung Siu Lung, Miki Mizuno (Shui Yeh Mei Gei), Nana Natsume (Ha Muk Noi Noi) Can : Hat Sei Nei Lit : Scare You To Death Sam Lee Chan Sam, Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Tommy Yuen Man On Can : Hok Hau Hak Sai Lik Lit : School Mob Power Jordan Chan Siu Chun, Lee Si Pui, Annie Man Chung Han, Lui Hoi Yun Ada Wong Chi Hom, Timmy Hung Tin Ming Can : Goo Mo Mui Ying Lit : Ancient Tomb Phantom d. Chan Kwoon Wai Chin Kar Lok, Yuen Wah, Candy Lo Hau Yam Can : SI GUONG DOI LAU DIK WA Lit : IF TIME FLOWS BACKWARD d. Mak Kai Kwong Fiona Sit Hoi Kei, Kenny Kwan Chi Bun, Yan Ng Yat Yin, Ken Wong Hap Hei, Karen Tong Bo Yu NEW PERFECT EDUCATION Can : Sun Gum Sut Pui Yuk ji Oi Dik Fu Lo Lit : New Chamber Cultivated Desire: Captive of Love d. Ng Man Lik Kaori Sakagami (Ban Seung Heung Jik) Tony Ho Wa Chiu, Vonnie Lui Hoi Yu Can : Jin Fu Lit : War Tiger Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Kristy Yang Kung Yu, Julian Cheung Chi Lam, Lam Ka Tung, Candy Yu On On, Guo Xinqi (Kwok Sam Kei), Jason Chu Wing Tong, Koey Leung Shuet Mei, Iris Wong Yat Tung, Pavarit Mongkolpisit Nahatai Lekbumrung, Yunee Can : Mo Yau 24 Siu Si Lit : Worry Free 24 Hours Chiu Chung Yu, Natalie Ng Man Yan, Simon Loui Yu Yeung, Siu Chuen Yung, Carl Ng Ka Lung, Libby Lao Kuai Ieng Can : Nui Kuen Wong Lit : Female Fist King Diana Pang Tan, Angie Cheong Wei Yee, Lai Yiu Cheung, Emi Tojo (Dung Sing Gong Mei) Mizuho Ishikawa (Shek Chuen Mei Jung Shui) --- [ 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) KUNG FU DUNK Can : Guoon Lam Lit : Slam Dunk d. Kevin Chu Yin Ping Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun), Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, Chen Bo-Lin (Chan Pak Lam), Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Rating : IIB Opening February 7 2007 Official Site : http://www.emp.hk/kungfudunk [ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ] Shi-Jie, grew up in a martial arts school and is well-trained in kung-fu. With his kung-fu skills and good reflexes, Shi-Jie excels in basketball by mastering the slam dunk technique. Wang-Li, who is trying to locate Shi-Jie's real family, invites him to join the university's basketball team in hope of making some money. Shi-Jie faces new challenges while trying to blend in with the basketball team members Ting-Wei and Xiao-Lan. With the upcoming basketball championship and the appearance of Li-Li, will the team members set aside their differences and personal feelings for the love of the game? L: CHANGE THE WORLD d. Hideo Nakata (Jung Tin Sau Fu) Kenichi Matsuyama (Chung San Yin Yat), Youki Kudoh (Gung Tung Jik Gwai) Rating : IIB Opening February 9 2008 [ CITYLINE ] After solving the Kira case, another serious case confronts L and he has only 23 days left to solve it. A person who obtained the most horrible weapon, "Death God" says the same thing as Kira... "I am going to change the world". A boy and a girl hold the keys to solving the case and L faces a crisis of global magnitude to protect the kids. He is without his most trusted partner, Watari, and cannot rely on just his superb intellect to solve the case. What will happen to L? What will change? The 23 days are packed with turns of events even L himself cannot predict. The final countdown to the shocking events are about to begin! HONG KONG BRONX Can : Hak Sai Lik Lit : Black Power d. Billy Chung Siu Hung Jordan Chan Siu Chun, Lui Hoi Yun, Wong Chi Hom, Chan Bo Yuen, Wong Tak Bun, Winnie Leung Man Yee, Annie Man Chung Han, Timmy Hung Tin Ming Rating : III Length : 94 mins. Opening February 5 2008 [ CITYLINE ] In the 90s when the mob was thriving, Concrete Nail has made a name for himself with his fists and later is imprisoned for assault. Eight years in prison has changed him thoroughly as he decides to stay away from the underworld after his release. He forms a renovation company with his friend Gau Fai and starts a new life, if only retiring from the mob is as easy as talking about it. Rising new mobster Johnny fears Concrete Nail's return and wants to strike first with continuous harassment. First Concrete Nail's younger siblings are abused, then his friend Gau Fai is killed. Concrete Nail is determined to shake off the underworld storm but is forced to fall helplessly into this storm for revenge..... [ COMING SOON ] THE SPARROW Can : Man Jeuk Lit : Cultured Bird d. Johnnie To Kei Fung Simon Yam Tat Wa, Kelly Lin (Lam Hei Lui), Lam Ka Tung, Lo Hoi Pang, Lam Suet, Kate Tsui Tsz Shan Opening February 11 2008 at the Berlin Film Festival Site : http://www.berlinale.de/en/programm/berlinale_programm/datenblatt.php?film_id=20084390 [ BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL ] "Sparrow" is a common word used in Hong Kong street slang for pickpocket. The term refers to the special dexterity needed to pluck people's wallets from their pockets...and possibly also to the necessity of having to flutter away quickly should one de discovered. Kei is one such "sparrow" -- a nd a very professional one at that. He and his three partners earn a good living from digging deep into the pockets of oblivious passers-by moving along the crowded urban canyons of Hong Kong. As far as Kei's concerned, it's all he needs to live a carefree life. Whenever hei s not going about his business he loves to ride about the city on his bicycle photographing street scenes with his Rolleiflex camera. One day the gorgeous Chun Lei comes into his sights. Kei is fascinated but behind Chun Lei's good looks lurks a mysterious past. Kei falls in love with her -- and he is not the only one. After having managed to turn the heads of his three colleagues, she reveals her true intentions. The sparrows are to steal a key that is of great importance to her. At first the task seems simple, but then another interested party appears on the scene in shape of the shy tycoon Mr. Yen...... [ GOLDEN SCREEN CINEMAS ONLINE ] They are known as the "sparrows", Hong Kong's street slang for "pickpockets". They work in groups, lifting wallets from unsuspecting tourists until one day an irresistible woman of unknown origin appears before them and requests the gang to steal a key for her. The set up begins to unravel itself when the mission completes. The pickpockets realize this exotic beauty has been slowly leading them onto a path of no return. 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. LE GRAND CHEF d. Jeon Yoon-Soo Kim Gang-Woo, Lim Won-Hee Opening February 28 2008 PLAYBOY COPS Can : Fa Fa Ying Gaing Lit : Flowery Cop d. Jingle Ma Chor Sing Shawn Yue Man Lok, Linda Chung Ka Yun, Chen Kun, Wong Yau Nam, Carl Ng Ka Lung Opening February 28 2008 KAIDAN d. Hideo Nakata Asaka Seto, Hitomi Kuroki Opening February 28 2008 THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS Can : Gong San Mei Yun Lit : Kingdom Beauty d. Ching Siu Tung Kelly Chen Wai Lam, Donnie Yen Chi Tan, Leon Lai Ming, Guo Xiaodong, (Kau Jun Hoi) Opening March 1 2008 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] Amid a war, Princess Feier whose father died in battle took over the duty of protecting her nation with General Xuefu. Later traitor Hu Ba assassinated and injured the princess, who luckily was saved by Duen Lanchuan. They fell for each other; but with trouble inside and outside how would Feier choose? RULE NUMBER ONE Can : Dai Yut Gai Lit : First Sin d. Tong Wing Kin Dior Cheng Yi Kin, Shawn Yue Man Lok, Fiona Sit Hoi Kei, Stephanie Che Yuen Yuen Opening March 13 2008 in Malaysia [ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ] Rookie Sergeant Lee is assigned to the dubious-sounding Miscellaneous Affairs Department (MAD), where he is paired with Inspector Wong who explains that MAD's role is to answer to supernatural calls and its Rule #1 is that there are no ghosts; for every seemingly-inexplicable phenomenon, there is a scientific and rational explanation. MAD then begins investigating a string of bizarre teenage suicides. As Lee and Wong follow the clues, they realize that something sinister is heading their way. SHAMO Can : Kwun Gai Lit : Military Chicken d. Soi Cheang Po Shui Shawn Yue Man Lok, Francis Ng Chun Yu, Annie Liu (Lau Sum Yau), Dylan Kuo (Kwok Bun Chiu), Opening March 2008 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 March 27 2008 in Malaysia [ 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. THREE KINGDOMS : RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON Can : Sam Gok Gein Lung Seh Gap Lit : Three Kingdoms See Dragon Remove Armor d. Lee Yan Kong Andy Lau Tak Wa, Maggie Q, Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho), Ti Lung Opening April 2008 RED CLIFF PART I AKA : BATTLE OF RED CLIFF Can : Chet Bik Lit : Red Cliff d. John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo), Janny Lin Chiling, Vicki Zhao Wei, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi, Hu Jun, You Yong Opening July 3 2008 [ CINEMA ONLINE ] In the early third century, the warlord Cao Cao and his soldiers invaded the land of Wu. The ruler of Wu, Sun Quan called on the rival warlord Liu Bei for help, but their two armies were still badly outnumbered. However, strategists Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang see that Cao Cao's army was not used to battling at sea. With 200,000 men, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang defeated Cao Cao's army at the Yangtze River. --- [ 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 * RAYMOND MIU PRODUCTIONS AND TRUMP TAJ MAHAL CASINO RESORT PRESENT LIZA WANG LIVE IN CONCERT 2008 DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, February 24 2008 @ 1AM Sunday, February 24 2008 @ 2PM VENUE LOCATION : Mark G. Etess Arena Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort TICKET PRICCES : $118, 78, 48 EXCLUSIVE BOX OFFICE LOCATION : Raymond Miu Productions 195 Canal Street, Suite 201 New York NY 10013 212.966.0800 www.rmpny.com * DANIEL CHAN HIU TUNG AND NIKI CHOW LAI KEI IN CONCERT 2008 DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, February 17 2008 @ 2AM VENUE LOCATION : Caesars Maximus Theater Caesars Atlantic City Atlantic City NJ TICKET INFORMATION: Caesars Atlantic City 877.284.8786 Harrahs Atlantic City 609.414.5948 Bally's Atlantic City 888.833.3269 Showboat 800.756.8752 * THREE STAR LUAR NEW YEAR CONCERT SAMUEL TAI JING SIU, ELIZA CHAN KIT LING AND CHU MING MING DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, February 10 2008 @ 2AM Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 2PM VENUE LOCATION : Fox Theatre Foxwoods Resort Casino TICKET PRICES : $98, 78, 48 TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS: CHINATOWN P & M Music 2 Elizabeth St. 212.732.3828 BROOKLYN 5516 8th Avenue 718.666.0740 QUEENS Jessica Holdings 135-27 40th Rd. Suite 301 Flushing 718.460.2628 BOSTON Trans-Pacific Travel 11 Tyler St. Boston MA 02111 617.451.3478 * INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT MARKETING AND MOHEGAN SUN PRESENT EASON CHAN YIK SHUN EASON'S MOVING ON STAGE 3 DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, February 10 2008 @ 2AM Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 1PM VENUE LOCATION : Mohegan Sun Arena Mohegan Sun 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard Uncasville CT 06382 (860) 862-4002 TICKET PRICES : VIP$138, 108, 78, 58 TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS : ONLINE : www.iemshowplace.com CHINATOWN 89 Bowery 212.925.1098 FLUSHING International Entertainment Marketing 135-05 40 Road 2/Fl 718.888.3113 BROOKLYN International Entertainment Marketing 5609 8th Avenue 718.437.777 EDISON 1681 Rt. 27 Suite 3 732.819.8883 BOSTON 12A Tyler Street 617.695.1989 * SUPER KEY PRODUCTIONS PRESENT SHARON CHAN MAN CHI AND RAYMOND LAM FUNG LIVE Special Guest: Ma Chin DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, February 10 2008 @ 1AM VENUE LOCATION : Grand Theatre Hilton Casino Resort Atlantic City NJ TICKET PRICES : $118, 78, 48 BOX OFFICE LOCATION : Chinatown SuperKey Production 16 Bowery 4/FL 212.619.2628 www.superkeypro.com 2 Elizabeth Street 212.732.3828 133 East Broadway 212.513.7898 Brooklyn 778 60th Street (8th Avenue) 718.238.1228 Flushing 135-17 40 Road, 3/FL 718.886.8294 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Box office info : What Box Office Info? The usual suspects : MOV3.COM, Internet Movie Database, Yahoo! Hong Kong Erors : ye olde chaffing editor For Tuesday February 5 2008 10 ATONEMENT d. Joe Wright James McAvoy, Keira Knightley 9 MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM d. Zach Helm Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman 8 ELIZABETH : THE GOLDEN AGE d. Shekhar Kapur Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush 7 CLOVERFIELD d. Matt Reeves Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan 6 SEE YOU IN YOU TUBE Can : Oi Dau Dai Lit : Love Big Competition d. Chut Tiu Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Janice Man Wing San, Law Chung Him, Zoie Tam Hoi Kei, Maggie Lee Man Kwan, Siu Fei, Tommy Yuen Man On 5 ATASHIN'CHI THE MOVIE d. Tetsuo Yasumi (Bak Gok Jik Fu) Japanese Animation 4 KITE RUNNER d. Marc Forster Khalid Abdalla, Atossa Leoni, Shaun Toub 3 27 DRESSES d. Anne Fletcher Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Edward Burns, 2 SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET d. Tim Burton Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman 1 CJ 7 Can : Cheung Gong 7 Ho d. Stephen Chow Sing Chi Stephen Chow Sing Chi, Xu Jiao, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, Lam Tsz Chung ------ Summaries for some of the films above. Some contain SPOILERS ATASHIN'CHI THE MOVIE Rating : I Length : 95 mins. Opening January 17 2008 SEE YOU IN YOU TUBE Opening January 17 2008 [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] Ling and Janice have been friends since childhood. Although they are close, they have a habit of competition to death in school, sports, astrology, botany and dreams. No matter how competitive they get they cannot harm their friendship. When they get to the university, they under different circumstances fall for Chung Him...... CJ7 AKA : SEVEN AKA : YANGTZE RIVER 7 Opening January 31 2008 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] A down on his luck father takes his son to a broken down home as the entire family relies on his father's physical labor for a living. He also constantly picks up trash for home use. Papa has high hopes for his son to get into a star school and risks his life to pay the high tuition; the son due to his poor family background is often the subject of ridicule for teachers and students alike. Only the pretty and kind teacher Ms. Yuen never gives up on him and takes great care of him. Watching his classmates with the new technology toy dog CJ7, the envious son constantly asks Papa to get one for him. The empty pocked Papa can only bring up a plastic ball from the dump as a gift. Unexpectedly, this ball turns into a lovably alien with extraordinary abilities! The son names this new friend CJ7 and even brings it to school as his companion behind his father's back in hopes of teaching bullying classmates a lesson and resolve all difficult problems at school. ------ GLOBAL CHINESE SONG CHART For Saturday, February 2 2008 15 DOVE Can : Gat Ji Aska Yang (Yeung Chung Wai) 14 NOT THE SAME Can : But Yut Yeung JNK 13 MAN WOMAN Can : Nam Yun Nui Yun Valen Hsu (Hui Yu Wan) 12 HEART Can : Sum Wor Fahrenheit, S.H.E 11 INNOCENT Can : Mo Gu Gary Cao (Cho Gat) 10 RED CARPET Can : Hung Dei Jin Justin Lo (Juk Tin) 9 MY HEAVEN Can : Ngor Dik Tin Hins Cheung King Hin 8 CONNECTED RELATIONSHIP Can : Nin Dai Guan Hai Twins 7 I DON'T MIND YOU HATE ME Can : Ngor But Gai Yin Nei Hung Ngor Hua Er 6 C'EST LA VIE Jasmine Leong Jing Yu 5 WOW Bibi Zhou Bichang 4 LOVE SONG Fong Datong 3 ZERO HOUR ZERO MINUTE Can : Ling Si Ling Fun Joey Yung Cho Yi 2 SMOKE SPARK Can : Yin For Michael Kong (Guong Leung) 1 YOU ARE THE PERSON I LOVE THE MOST Can : Nei Si Ngor Jui Oi Dik Yun Ivana Wong Yuen Chi ------ [ 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. YOUR HELP JUST HURTS Your Chaffing Editor is a glutton for punishment. Finally in a semi sleep depraved state, one of the better condition that Your Chaffing Editor has been in for months and an alternative to totally sleep depraved, he finally went to see CLOVERFIELD. First, the movie is not as bad as some people make it out to be. As he used to watch FELICITY and anything that the WB used to spit out, Your Chaffing Editor was familiar with Mr. Reeves' work. On top of that, with his experience with turbulent waters when you feel motion sickness you should just pick a point and focus on it. On the other hand, Your Chaffing Editor still does not understand what some of the "smarter" people are debating about whether the young, the rich, the hip characters are idiots or @$$holes. Perhaps Your Chaffing Editor is too far gone from young, rich, and hip to get it, but as an avid @$$hole he could tell you that the lesson that he got was to cherish every opportunity you have with the people you love. You never know what might happen, whether some cowards decided to run a plane into a building, a stupid looking spider birthing monster escapee from DOOM (they probably would have been better off using the Bad Robot logo instead), or just your own cowardice that makes you run instead of love (Sorry, Your Chaffing Editor cannot relate to THAT ONE AT ALL) or love instead of run and in turn get all your friends and yourself killed. Duh. Personally, Your Chaffing Editor SO did not need to see this movie RIGHT NOW being in the Britney-esque mental state that he has been in for months. What is done is done though, what can you do about it except moving on? Some people cannot seem to move on though. Case and point, RAMBO. After COVERFIELD Your Chaffing Editor went to the movie that he intended on seeing in the first place. Nothing quite comforts the broken heart, mind and body like mindless violence. Sure, the story is nothing new (in face Mr. Stallone seemed to have confused Rambo with Rocky in his age and wrote the same story for both) but thanks to Mr. Spielberg's SAVING PRIVATE RYAN war violence can be as gory and bloody as HELLRAISER. Oddly enough, Your Chaffing Editor seems to enjoy GHOST RECON more after watching this movie. Perhaps Your Chaffing Editor could connect film and video game violence together. Your Chaffing Editor could also make a comment about how the holier than thou crowd fared in this movie, but alas, he is not one of the critics who spend eons on dissecting how people in CLOVERFIELD are @$$holes. He is the @$$hole. If you are an @$$hole like Your Chaffing Editor, you probably can use some time off. Coincidentally, as CLOVERFIELD's resident @$$hole Rob is running away to Japan for his new job Your Chaffing Editor wonders if he would have worked for Hime & Company. Apparently the company offers "heartache leave" (www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18532819) Your Chaffing Editor certainly could have used the benefit a week or two back. Alas, the stingy company only offers three days off. For someone who gets his own heart broken as often as Old Chaffy, he needs at least a month off. Then again, Your Chaffing Editor also needs a month off to not witness a perfect season in football yet again. I know it's been a while sweetheart We hardly talk, I was doing my thing I know it was foul baby, aye bay Lately you been all on my brain And if somebody woulda told me a month ago Frontin' on - yo, I wouldn't want to know If somebody woulda told me a year ago It'a gon' get this difficult Feelin' like Katrina with no FEMA Like Martin with no Gina Like a flight with no Visa First class with the seat back I still see ya, in my past You on the other side of the glass Of my memory's museum I'm just sayin', "Hey Mona Lisa, come home you know you can't Rome without Caesar" Finally, after all the motion sickness and bloody violence Your Chaffing Editor attempted to cleanse his minimal mind and soul like the chaser that washes the bad taste of hard liquor out of his mouth and walked into JUNO. Perhaps it was because the movie was already playing or it was a second viewing but the movie seems less charming that it was before. However, the minute Jason Bateman's character appeared on screen Your Chaffing Editor felt the consistency again because he felt creepy and left. What is the deal with this radio mix that keeps on starting with Shabba Ranks' TWICE MY AGE? When will the DJ stop taunting Old Chaffy? Here is one for you: I'm in love with a girl, nearly half my age, but my microscopic d!c* keeps me getting l@!d. Your Chaffing Editor cannot seem to get Sara Bareilles' LOVE SONG out of his head. Maybe it is the constant payola airplay on the radio, or maybe it is the VH1 airplay every f'n morning. However, Your Chaffing Editor has not been driven to murderous rage yet at the sound of the song as opposed to the instant trigger of "Can you count me in?". Listen up, Colbie, I have said it once and I am going to say again -- stealing from a cereal endorsing bird does not make you as clever as writing down every cliche you know in a song. Wow, Your Chaffing Editor is an @$$hole. HELLO TO HIGH AND DRY, Jer Jer Stinks, Your Chaffing Editor Top Ten Central --- [ WHAT IS YOUR CHAFFING EDITOR LISTENING TO ] LOVE SONG Sara Bareilles www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR5xv3pt7KI Head under water And they tell me to breathe easy for a while The breathing gets harder, even I know that You made room for me but it's too soon to see If I'm happy in your hands I'm unusually hard to hold on to Blank stares at blank pages No easy way to say this You mean well, but you make this hard on me I'm not gonna write you a love song 'cause you asked for it 'cause you need one, you see I'm not gonna write you a love song 'cause you tell me it's Make or breaking this If you're on your way I'm not gonna write you to stay If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better Reason to write you a love song today I learned the hard way That they all say things you want to hear And my heavy heart sinks deep down under you and Your twisted words, Your help just hurts You are not what I thought you were Hello to high and dry Convinced me to please you Made me think that I need this too I'm trying to let you hear me as I am I'm not gonna write you a love song 'cause you asked for it 'cause you need one, you see I'm not gonna write you a love song 'cause you tell me it's Make or breaking this If you're on your way I'm not gonna write you to stay If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better Reason to write you a love song today Promise me that you'll leave the light on To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone 'cause I believe there's a way you can love me Because I say I won't write you a love song 'cause you asked for it 'cause you need one, you see ---------------------- HK Top Ten Central hktopten@hotmail.com | http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/2038