From: NO TOP TEN CENTRAL <hktopten@yahoo.comx>
Newsgroups: alt.asian-movies,soc.culture.hongkong.entertainment
Subject: [TAKE OVER] HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office (April 3 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. Linda Chung Ka Yun who celebrates her birthday on the 9th
	B. Jackie Chan who celebrates his birthday on the 7th
	C. Charles Ying Cheung Yau who celebrates his birthday on the 4th
	D. Aska Yang (Yeung Chung Wai) who celebrates his birthday on the 
	4th

2. MISCELLANEOUS

* (4/9/2008) City of Dream, an important project with film and television 
production and personnel training rolled into one last night held a press 
conference at the Convention Center with the Kunming Film, Television and 
New Media Digital Content Production Industrial Base Agreement launch 
ceremony.  Chelsea Chan Chau Ha's husband Chung Ting Sum is one of the 
investors as the investment is worth 17 billion yuan.  Stanley Tong Kwai 
Lai will be the China International Media Group chair.  Yesterday 
attending guests included Chan Chau Ha, Chung Ting Sum, Alan Tam Wing Lun,
Eric Tsang Chi Wai, and Gigi Leung Wing Kei.
	Tong Kwai Lai expressed, as media become digital many existing 
professionals have lost touch so personnel training is rather important.  
He said, post production locations have always been very shattered and 
less than efficient, but this Yunnan base will be able to complete all 
post production work.  The first stage is expected to start production in 
the second half of the year and cost 3 billion yuan.  The school is 
targeted for completion within two years while other facilities are 
expected to be finished within five.  Tong Kwai Lai also said, this place
can take care of work and play because it will have school, club, 
production room, studio and hotel.
	Tong Kwai Lai estimated that this year 8 television series and 
films will be shot here.  Next year 3 films with Italy and France will be
co-produce here as well as U.S. films.  He expressed that he would not 
dare to be "another Uncle Six".  After learning from him 28 years ago he 
then followed Raymond Chow Man Wai before finally going to the U.S.
	Chung Ting Sum said, this project was Central government's 
promotion of the cultural industry with rare support from the Province of 
Yunnan and the City of Kunming.  He felt that being able to train 
personnel was good.  He also pointed out that Yunnan has rarely had snow 
and shoots will be able to take place 11 months out of the year.  All 
expenses should be rather affordable.  After the official launch the 
location will be opened to the world's film and television industries to 
shoot in.  Thus trainees must learn proper Chinese and English.
	Leung Wing Kei expressed joy to see such a tremendous investment 
project that will be great for the Hong Kong film industry as more 
locations will be available in the future.  In recent years she has 
constantly worked in Mainland and felt it was no longer as tough as 
before.  

* (4/9/2008) The Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga) directed new film RUN PAPA
RUN (YUT GOR HO BA BA) two nights ago held its premiere at the Ocean 
Theater.  Leads Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying) and Louis Koo Tin Lok both 
attended with many guests including Angelica Lee Sinjie, Kate Yeung Kei, 
Arthur Wong Ngok Tai and Mandy Chiang Nga Man.
	Goo Jai revealed that two nights ago he invited over ten former 
classmates to the movie.  Because many were married they were suitable for
some warm family film.  As for Mama Goo, Goo Jai expressed that Mommy 
usually watch the release more because she would be able to know the 
audience reaction.  No matter what movie it was, as long as Goo Jai was 
in it Mommy would praise it.  Mama Goo said that the Papa character was 
fresh.  As for box office expectation, Goo Jai expressed that was not for 
him to be nervous about because he did his best before the film was 
released.  He felt that this movie would be very suitable for the entire 
family.  Goo Jai also said, recently he was preparing a new film.  
Originally he wanted to ask Cheung Ngai Ga to play his sister, but because
it was a cameo he did not dare to ask.
	Cheung Ngai Ga has already started on two screenplays.  As for 
Goo Jai's new film cameo, Cheung Ngai Ga expressed that unless the 
character was suitable she wanted to act less.  Yeung Kei came in support
of her mentor and expressed that she would like to work with her on a 
dance film.  Cinematographer Wong Ngok Tai's left year was bandaged.  He 
explained that while playing his dog he was bit and luckily he did not 
require stitches.

* (4/9/2008) The film LOVE IS ELSEWHERE (OI CHING MAN SHUI) yesterday held
a promotion in Mongkok.  Attendees included Yumiko Cheng Hei Yi, Ken Hung 
Cheuk Lap, Sherman Chung Shu Man, Chan Pak Yu, Chow Pak Ho and Tong So 
Kei.  The cast divided into three teams that tied red ribbon on couples 
then distributed gifts.  Because yesterday was not a holiday no roadblock 
was set up and people and vehicles often fought for space in a rather 
dangerous manner.
	The film company sent eight security guards to maintain order and 
some of the artists had assistants as well.  Even with protection, Yumiko 
and Chung Shu Man both lost their shoes; Yumiko was scratched on her arms
and bumped on her head as well as nearly tripping.  She however feared the
most for the fans' safety.  Chung Shu man claimed that with Chan Pak Yu's 
protection she was not worried.  She also said his girlfriend would 
definitely feel very safe.

* (4/9/2008) Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin yesterday returned to Hong Kong to 
rest from her new film STORM RIDERS 2 (FUNG WON II) due to a Thai holiday.  
When asked whether she has run into Nicholas Tse Ting Fung and Cecilia 
Cheung Pak Chi, she said, "No.  (What about Ting Fung?)  Oh, Ting Fung of 
course I did!  He during the shoot injured his arm but it wasn't serious.  
I can only tell this much."  
	Meanwhile Aaron Kwok Fu Sing during the break instead of going to 
night spot trained at the hotel.  

* (4/8/2008) Louis Koo Tin Lok and Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying) in RUN PAPA 
RUN (YUT GOR HO BA BA) had a passionate kiss.  The over 50 year old Goo 
Jai was tired of life and relationship with his wife Lau Yeuk Ying and 
seek excitement with a young masseuse.  Lau Yeuk Ying was very angry after
finding out and stated that she wanted to sign the divorce papers.  Yet 
when she saw her young daughter still has not grown up, and with the 
decades of relationship with Goo Jai, she finally chose to forgive him.  
They unknowingly started to kiss passionately and picked up a moment of 
romance again.
	Director Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga) paid a lot of attention to
this scene because if it was mishandled the passion would turn into 
vulgar lust.  Thus she asked them to have an exchange and friction before
the shoot, to foster their emotions and prohibited any workers to disturb 
them.  Fortunately this scene had ample production time.  In addition the
duo has already become very familiar when they made HAPPY BIRTHDAY so as 
soon as they got to their places they showed their professionalism, from 
the initial light kiss to completely into it to achieve the layering that 
the director wanted.
	Goo Jai said, this was already his second intimate scene with Lau 
Yeuk Ying.  Last time with HAPPY BIRTHDAY they could not avoid the 
awkwardness and needed several takes.  This time everything came easier 
and they only needed two to three takes.  He expressed that Lau Yeuk Ying 
had absolute trust in him so they did not need to do anything special to 
coordinate.  Before the kiss they only had a piece of chewing gum.

* (4/8/2008) The Andy Lau Tak Wa starred THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION OF 
THE DRAGON (SAM GOK ji GEIN LUNG SEH GAP) last Thursday opened to nearly 
1.5 million and became the single day box office champion.  After the 
weekend, it made 8.76 million on its first four days (excluding late 
night shows).  With the new film's ideal box office performance, Wa Jai 
could relax.
	Wa Jai once felt that with the 3 costumes BATTLE OF WITS (MUK 
GUNG), THE WARLORDS (TAU MING JONG) and RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON he 
worried that viewers would grow tired.  Yet when he took the role he never
thought about this issue.  Among other releases, Chow Yun Fat's ESCAPE 
FROM HUANGSHI made 900,000, SCARED 2 DIE (HAT SEI NEI) made 1.35 million.  
In Mainland, Wa Jai also faced Fat Gor for the first time, Wa Jai humbly 
said, "When I joined TVB, he was already very famous.  I would send 
tickets to invite Fat Gor to watch the movie.  The box office doesn't have
everything to do with us, it also has distribution."

* (4/8/2008) The film COFFEE OR TEA was selected as this year's Hong Kong 
International Film Festival closing film.  Two nights ago this film held 
its premiere at the Cultural Center.  Directors Shu Kei, Mandrew Kwan Man 
Hin, actors Kate Yeung Kei, Angus Chan Siu Hei and Ben Hung Chin Ming all 
attended.  At the event Yeung Kei gave special thanks to a group of 
students who were passionate about film for their participating and for 
growing with them.  She also thanked her mentor Cheung Ngai Ga and elder
Angelica Lee Sinjie's assistance and promised to continue to work hard.  
Yeung Kei two nights ago invited mentor Cheung Ngai Ga, elder Lee Sinjie 
and Putonghua instructor Jiao Gau as a sign of sincerity.  Yeung Kei 
earlier even personally presented the premiere tickets to Jiao Gau's home.
	Yeung Kei revealed that recently she and Sinjie went to visit 
orphans in Mongolia with World Vision and hoped that everyone could be 
able to sponsor more orphans.  She also urged everyone to participate in 
Hunger 30 on the 19th and the 20th.  Speaking of Isabella Leong Lok Si's 
management company Emperor suing her for bleach of contract, Yeung Kei did
not pay attention to the matter.  She felt that most importantly Leung's 
decision was happy.  Did she run into any issue when she was new?  She 
honestly said that she did not.  When she made 20 30 40, Cheung Ngai Ga 
asked her to perform in a tank top.  At the time she still thought she was
a little girl and threw a tantrum.  Now looking back it was only wearing 
a tank top, and the director would not harm her.  She only cast her 
because she liked her.
	Lee Sinjie came deliberately in support of her junior colleague.  
She expressed that she has just returned from Malaysia.  She would attend
last night's RUN PAPA RUN premiere to support Cheung Ngai Ga as well.  
Earlier she worked on Tsui Hark's new film.  Later when the film would be 
released she would promote.

* (4/7/2008) Jija Yanin who came to Hong Kong to promote her film 
CHOCOLATE with director Prachya Pinkeaw two nights ago attended the film's
premiere.  Jija even dressed more femininely for the occasion.  When her 
idol Karen Mok Man Wai appeared she was shy like a little fan.
	Jija said that she was not mild manner at all and was as noisy as
her name.  Thus normally she would wear jeans and casual shoes.  Two 
nights ago she wore high heels at a premiere for the first time.  Thus she
was appeared she felt very awkward and shaky.  Jija saw Jackie Chan, Jet 
Li (Lee Nin Kit) and Mok Man Wai as her idols.  Two nights ago Mok Man Wai
attended with her family, which deeply touched Jija.  When standing next 
to her idol she was so nervous that she was like a little fan.  Mok Man 
Wai expressed that when she made a movie in Thailand she has seen the 
trailer for CHOCOLATE and thought that the fights were amazing.  Jija has
become her idol as well.  Jija revealed that she knew from friends where 
Mok Man Wai was working in Thailand and rushed over for a picture.  Two 
nights ago they even made a gong fu pose for pictures.  In the film Jija 
not only showed off her abilities but also had to play someone with 
autism.  Before the shoot the film company arranged for her to be with 
autistic children for three days for research.
	Two nights ago the film company arranged for two young "girl 
fighters" to demonstrate their abilities and also former freestyle 
fighting champion Chan Koon Tai and Fan Yik Man, an actress who has worked
on fighting scenes, to talk about their experience.  Chan Koon Tai pointed
out that filmmaking required real gong fu and felt that using a stunt 
double was a shame.  Thus over the years he had injuries on 80% of his 
body.  Fan Yik Man expressed that when she made the fighting scene she 
did not know how to adjust to her power and cracked the back of her right 
hand.  Now her right hand is larger than her left.  She was not scared 
off though as she still wanted to learn Muay Thai kickboxing.

* (4/7/2008) In recent years Chinese film's on and off screen talent has 
made important strides in the international film industry.  Due to the 
abundance of talent and with the 1.3 billion population market, film 
industry investment and film successor cultivation undoubtedly would be 
a business opportunity and an ideal project.  Film professional Stanley 
Tong Kwai Lai, Chung Ting Sum and wife Chelsea Chan Chau Ha would launch
a "City of Dream" project that would cost 17 billion yuan to build China's 
biggest film city in Yunnan.
	Actually as early as 8 years ago, Tong Kwai Lai has already had a 
similar idea and applied for land allocation with the Yunnan province 
government to build a film city.  Stanley saw that for years the only film 
city in China was only Hengdian, which still had a lot of spots that were 
lacking.  At the same time Stanley looked for investors everywhere until 
he ran into Mr. and Mrs. Chung Ting Sum.  Both sides had similar ideas 
and waited for 8 full years as the Yunnan province government finally 
agreed to allocation 5000 acres southwest of Kunming for the film city.  
The first stage investment could cost 3 billion yuan and would take 2 
years.  The total investment would cost 17 billion yuan and 5 years to 
complete.
	The film city facilities would be complete.  Aside from the film 
city for production use hotels, golf course and digital base would be 
constructed at the same time.  The digital base would have several U.S. 
multimedia centers on site, with advanced U.S. equipment and technology 
to coordinate with China's high quality talent to provide computer visual 
special effect service.
	Tong Kwai Lai and Chung Ting Sum have already reached agreements 
with Beijing University, Beijing Film Academy and certain famous U.S. 
universities to provide professional and tailored film courses in hopes of 
cultivating Chinese film talent for the U.S. film market.
	In addition the film city would establish an artist training 
center.  Initially it would resemble Shaolin Temple's martial art center.  
Aside from martial art personnel centers to train art, lighting and sound 
professional talent would be built.
	The Yunnan province government tomorrow would hold a contract 
signing ceremony with Tong Kwai Lai, Chung Ting Sum and Chan Chau Ha.  
Many witnesses like Raymond Chow Man Wai, Peter Lam Kin Ngok, Hung Cho 
Sing, Joe Cheung Tung Cho, Wong Ka Hei, Alan Tam Wing Lun, Eric Tsang Chi 
Wai and Gigi Leung Wing Kei would show their support for this plan.

* (4/6/2008) New film CHOCOLATE's lead actress Jija yesterday promoted 
with the director at the West Kowloon Center.  Jija demonstrated a highly
difficult mid air flip kick and other sparring displays.
	Two nights ago Jija took time to go to Mongkok.  Through her 
translator she expressed that she only walked for a little more than a 
hour and felt that Mongkok had a lot of people and could easily get lost 
in.  She said that she has seen a lot of fruit and dessert on the way but
she did not try any.  Jija also said that she came to Hong Kong mainly to 
promote, being able to go to Mongkok was already a bonus.  Since she did 
not know about Hong Kong landmarks next time she could come to visit Hong
Kong again on a personal trip.  Jija said that Hong Kong's pace was very 
fast and she had to do a lot in a short time.

* (4/6/2008) The Beijing Jian Yongjia company invested, Tsui Hark directed 
film NUI YUN BUT WAI (WOMEN NOT BAD) has shot a Beijing rock concert 
scene for three days in a row.  Participants included Zhou Xun, Kuei 
Lun-Mei, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, Stephen Fung Tak Lun and Alex Fong Chung Shun.  
Kwai Lun-Mei and Fung Tak Lun's costumes and performance were also 
unveiled for the first time.  Kuei Lun-Mei said that she enjoyed being a 
singer in the film and would try to become a singer.
	This rock concert was at shot in an old studio in the famous 
Beijing 798 art district.  Art designer Li Daqi built a stage on a truck
with a banner that read "Justice is invincible, music never dies".  Below
the stage are several old construction vehicles and truckers.  Even the 
plow was filled with guitarists.  Several gas tanks burnt brightly all 
over the set as the crew continuously ran around to ignite the smoke 
screen for effect.  The visual was alternative yet grand.  The crew 
revealed that just the cast numbered in 500 and this scene alone cost over
2 million.
	Leads Kuei Lun-Mei and Fung Tak Lun have not appeared in the 
public since the production started.  That night they finally appeared 
together as rock stars and sang and danced.  That night's performance was 
Kuei Lun-Mei's first.  Interestingly, when the actors said her they should
call her by her character name but instead they all cried out her original
name.  She said, "When I saw the audience kept calling my name I felt very 
excited and performed with more vigor.  In addition I suddenly rather 
enjoyed that feeling of being a singer.  I hope in the future I would have
the opportunity to try to be one."  To play the musician role well, she 
has started practicing the bass and learning to sing in January.  A former
singer, Fung Tak Lun has not sung in nearly ten years.  For this film he 
picked up his guitar and saxophone again and regained the joy and 
satisfaction of being a singer.  He too of course hoped to be able to be 
a singer again.
	In addition, Zhou Xun who had a cast on her right leg actually 
was not truly injured.  In the story she came to concert despite her 
injury and the lead singer called for her on stage.  The audience even 
picked her up and carried her there.  After the shoot Zhou Xun said that 
it was a lot of fun and she felt like a queen.  She joked that next time 
she would like to imitate foreign rockers and stage dive into the 
audience, which she believed would definitely be a lot of fun.  Zhang Yuqi
and Fong Chung Shun appeared and they joked that they only knew they had 
to come to the concert.  Tsui Hark also invited famous Beijing bands 
AK-47 and Storm Rain to perform.

* (4/5/2008) Onscreen couple Alex Fong Lik Sun and Stephy Tang Lai Yun 
again succeeded as their new film L FOR LOVE L FOR LIES (NGOR DIK JUI OI) 
made 12.84 million over 3 weeks in release.  Gold Label boss Paco Wong 
two nights ago held a celebration.  Aside from the two leads, other 
attendees included Miki Yeung Oi Kun, Terry Hu (Wu Ching Nam), Jason Wu 
Jing, Sammy and director Yip Lim Sum.  Recently EMI has been rumored to 
retreat from Hong Kong and Gold Label would have to support itself.  Alex, 
Kary Ng Yu Fei and Wu Ching Nam were also rumored to able to continue 
their careers because they have invested in Gold Label, which they all 
denied.
	Alex's first response was, "I actually have that much money?"  He
clarified that he did not invest and the company absolutely had no 
problem because each artist has been able to help the company make money.  
Even if it had to be self sufficient it should have no problem.  He 
continued, "If I truly have to invest, I wouldn't mind supporting myself. 
Because I already saw this as my lifelong career, investing myself 
wouldn't be a problem."  He also said that the company future looked 
favorable.  Since his contract would come to term at the end of the year,
with the contract extension concert would be his goal as he hoped to 
perform at the Hong Kong Coliseum after renovation.  As for movies, as 
one of the top ten highest grossing actors he honestly said that his film
salary could double.
	Wu Ching Nam's father reportedly invested in Gold Label so he 
was able to be the second lead in L.  He denied and said, "Paco has never 
asked me for money, only for songs."  He also pointed out that job and 
family had no relation and did not want to influence his family because he
was an artist.
	Stephy only heard the rumors from a co-worker.  She said, "If Siu 
Fong invested, I would have to call him Boss Fong in the future.  No way, 
I have to invest too."  Actually she had no interest in investing because 
the money came from hard work.  She has only planned to buy real estate.  
Miki has also heard of the investment rumors but felt that Paco would 
support an artist because the artist had potential.
	To celebrate the new film's performance, Paco gave three fortune
cats to Alex, Stephy and Yip Lim Sum.  That night was Wu Jing's 34th 
birthday and a cake was prepared for him.  Stephy and Miki pretended to 
give him a kiss and he gladly accepted, but when Alex and Sammy offered 
theirs Wu Jing pushed them away.

* (4/5/2008) ONG BAK director Prachya Pinkaew spent four years to make 
CHOCOLATE.  Yesterday he and the film's 24 year old lead actress Jija 
attended the Hong Kong press conference.  The petite Jija is a ninth 
degree Tae Kwon Do master.  Yesterday she demonstrated against two 
attackers.  The fighter actually like other girls would like a chance to 
date but would not ask for a boyfriend who at the same fighting level as 
she is.
	Jija yesterday appeared with the director, first introduced 
herself in Cantonese and greeted the press then talked about the 
production.  Later she demonstrated a series of fight stunts and highly 
difficult moves.  Although Jija was tiny she was very agile.  Actually she
is a ninth degree Tae Kwon Do master.  For this film she spent four years
on gymnastic, stunt action and weapon training.  Jija went to the 
audition herself and caught the director's eye.  Finally she was cast.
	Jija during the shoot was injured.  She laughed and said that 
bruising and bleeding took place daily.  Yet once a co-star kicked her 
left eye and she was terrified that her vision would be damaged.  Luckily 
she was fine.  After that she was somewhat frightened during action 
scenes, but for work she toughed it out.  In the film Japanese actor 
Hiroshi Abe played Jija's father.  Jija praised his looks.  When asked 
whether he would like a boyfriend like Hiroshi Abe, she laughed and said, 
"OK."
	Jija expressed that she admired Jackie Chan, Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit), 
Nicholas Tse Ting Fung and Karen Mok Man Wai.  She expressed that she 
would stay in Hong Kong for three days but has not had the time to go out.  
However she was already very happy to be able to come to Hong Kong.  In 
the future she would continue to act.  Aside from acting scenes she would
also have romantic scenes.  As for suitors, she bitterly laughed and 
said that she has not dated in four years.  During tha period she trained 
and everyday she only saw the crew, the director and the trainers.  She 
honestly said that she did not know whether her fighting abilities have 
halted suitors and hoped that was not the case.  She would not ask for her 
boyfriend to be a capable fighter, kindness, faithfulness and gentlemanly 
were the most important qualities.  She said that she would not ask for 
too high.

* (4/5/2008) The US$75 million production and Jackie Chan and Jet Li (Lee
Nin Kit)'s first action film together, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (GONG FU JI 
WONG) has been scheduled for a global release on the 24th.  Aside from the
two gong fu superstars' fight scenes, action director Yuen Wo Ping also 
designed many styles.  Yet Jackie Chan's most memorable one was the 
drunken fist because in 1978 when he made DRUNKEN MASTER (JUI KUEN) the 
director was Yuen Wo Ping.
	As for Lee Nin Kit, Jackie Chan has already wanted to work with 
him over a decade ago.  Jackie Chan honestly said that this time as soon
as he heard Lee Nin Kit gave the nod he immediately decided to take the 
role.  For the first collaboration they actually had a rare bond.  He 
said, "In the past I would first rehearse with most people.  Usually we 
would take 10 to 15 takes.  Yet this time with Lee Nin Kit we only needed
3 to 5 takes.  Aside from him, over the years I would only feel this with
(Sammo) Hung Kam Bo and Yuen Biao.
	Crystal Liu Yifei in the film also had many action scenes.  In one
scene she successfully rescued a companion who was nearly swept away in a
sandstorm.  She had to continuously perform a split for three minutes.  
Looking back she was still a little shaky because the scene was shot in 
the desert, which not only shocked her but also gave her a hard time with
the heat.  She said, "At the time the temperature reached 42 degrees.  Our
costumes were heavy.  I also had to carry a heavy pipa and weapons to 
fight.  It was incredible tough."  Carrying the pipa on horseback was also 
a challenge for her because the pipa kept hitting her head.  Luckily Lee 
Nin Kit took care of her and even before the horse came to a complete 
stop he would remember to look back at her.  Jackie Chan encouraged her 
from the sideline.  Her fight with Li Bingbig was also very memorable 
because she was forced to hit harder.  She worried that she would hurt 
her so before doing so each time she would first apologize to Bingbing.

* (4/5/2008) The Andy Lau Tak Wa, Sammo Hung Kam Bo and Maggie Q starred 
THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON (SAM GOK ji GEIN LUNG SEH GAP) 
has already been released two days ago (April 3) and crushed the 
competition with 1.48 million (not including late shows) to become the box
office champion.
	In addition Wa Jai earlier attended a Guangzhou RESURRECTION OF 
THE DRAGON and expressed that he would like Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit) to win 
even though both of them were nominated for Best Actor with THE WARLORDS 
(TAU MING JONG) at next Sunday's Hong Kong Film Awards.  Wa Jai also spoke
about his character Zhao Zilong and his opinions on the THREE KINGDOMS 
characters.  In THREE KINGDOMS he liked Cao Cao but he could not say that 
he did not like Zhao Zilong.  In the past many actors have played this 
character but they often used very normal interpretation to play Cao Cao.  
He would be interested to play Cao Cao if he truly had a new angle of 
interpretation.  Although he also liked Zhao Zilong he felt that the 
character was not too surprising.

* (4/4/2008) This year's Film Festival filmmaker in focus Eric Tsang Chi 
Wai produced WINDS OF SEPTEMBER (GAU GONG FUNG), the Hong Kong chapter of 
which premiered two nights ago.  Chi Wai led director Heiward Mak Hei Yun 
and many of the film's young actors in attendance.  The director even 
revealed that in the film a student uploaded sex footage online but 
stressed that the idea was already conceived before the "erotic photo" 
incident.  They have done the research and learned that the incident has 
had an enormous impact on the victim.  They did not make it due to the 
"erotic photos".  Edison Chen Hei Koon who retired from Hong Kong show 
business due to "erotic photos" recently has caught Hollywood's eyes for a
romance with Shu Qi.  Chi Wai said with reservation, "I feel after some 
big trouble some opportunity seeking film companies would appear.  They 
approach him for the first movie because news figures are newsworthy, if 
the offers continue to come, then he has proven that he is truly an actor 
of value.  Thus I feel the second film is the most important.  He now is a
world news figure.  Hong Kong constantly competes of newsworthy movies 
too, not to mention the U.S., more of a financial market than Hong Kong.  
I wish him good luck!"
	Chi Wai reportedly is taking care of Cat Girl Tiffany with 20,000.  
"I just got off the plane so I don't know anything.  (Reportedly you hired
her to be your assistant?)  Do you see her now?"  Chi Wai also said that 
the WINDS OF SEPTEMBER series cost 10 million.  Because the films all used
new comers, was he confident about breaking even?  Chi Wai said, "The 
movies aren't released until June, so far they are still in the red.  
However I feel the movies' art value is more important.  This film can 
provide the audience with an understanding of modern young people.  
Perhaps it may not break even until three to five years after the DVD 
release."

* (4/4/2008) Cherie Chung Chor Hung since her husband Chu Ka Ting's 
passing has kept to herself.  Earlier she was rumored to suffer from 
depression.  After months of recovery, Hung Goo two nights ago attended 
Prada's new store opening.  Hung Goo finally gave her famous brilliant 
smile in front of the media and admitted that she has started to wear 
colorful clothing again.  When asked whether she had any suitor, she 
smiled and said, "As you wish."
	Earlier Chow Yun Fat expressed that he would like to act with 
Hung Goo, who cited that she has not had any plan to.  Would she return?  
She expressed that she had a lot that she would like to and needed to 
prepare first.  However they might not necessarily be in show business.  
Would she work on Fat Gor's film?  Hung Goo said that they have not had 
any contact lately but she really wanted to see Fat Gor's new film.  Has 
Fat Gor asked her to return?  Hung Goo expressed that they would not talk 
about that.  

* (4/3/2008) The film SCARED 2 DIE (HAT SEI NEI) two nights ago held its 
premiere.  Attendees included producer Pang Fat, director Chin Kong Hong, 
actors Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Lawrence Chou Chun Wai, Sam Lee Chan Sam, and
Tommy Yuen Man On.  Later everyone poured red wine on the ice sculpture 
with boss Daneil Lam Siu Ming for good luck.
	Kong Yeuk Lam expressed that she would perform without make up in
this film, which was considered a big breakthrough.  She also challenged 
her limits because the film had many terrifying scenes.  She expressed 
that she was confident in her true face.  Normally when she was not 
working she would not put on make up.  Her skin was decent.  In addition
viewers after looking at her real look thought that she did not look too 
different from when she wore make up.  She dared not have too many 
expectation for the box office, with the market now several million would
already be good.  
	Pang Fat revealed that STOMR RIDERS 2 (FUNG WON 2) would start 
production in Thailand at the end of April.  This film would have two 
major sets, the forest construction set would cost 2 to 3 million.  
Currently the cast is still at the costume fitting stage.

* (4/3/2008) Meng Yao in Wong Jing's new film NGOR LO POR HAI DOH SING) 
plays a saint of gamblers who excels in all the games, but in real life
Meng Yao has no knowledge of gambling at all.  She does not even know how 
to play mahjong.  In order to play the role well, Meng Yao immediately 
catches up with GOD OF GAMBLERS (DOH SUN), ALL FOR THE WINNER (DOH SING) 
and other gambling films dozens of times and also invites friends and 
co-workers to teach her how to play mahjong.  Her handbag always has a 
deck of cards so she can play wherever she goes.
	Meng Yao even says, "Playing cards also requires a sense of 
beauty.  Playing pretty truly isn't easy.  Once during practice the cards
even cut me, luckily Brother Jing and (Nick) Cheung Ka Fai gave me advice
and taught me many card games.  Sometimes while waiting for the shoot we
would play cards together.  However I am always the one who loses."

* (4/3/2008) The 27th Annual Hong Kong Film Award will take place on the 
13th.  Earlier the award show reportedly was 2 million short of the 4 
million production cost.  Yesterday board member Leung Lee Siu Ha 
expressed that currently the show is 300,000 short due to difficulty in 
finding sponsors.  This year no budget was left to print programs.  
Currently Jackie Chan and Chow Yun Fat could not attend due to work and 
Andy Lau Tak Wa has been passionately trying to make room on his schedule.
She believed that a resolution would come up in less than two weeks.

[ BLAH OF THE WEEK ] Columns, Reviews, Interviews

1. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 9 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS
SUBJECT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IN FILMMAKING

	Andy Lau Tak Wa remains charismatic.  THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION 
OF THE DRAGON (SAM GOK ji GEIN LUNG SEH GAP) after four days in release
has already made 8.77 million and over 2 million daily, which is rarely 
seen good box office recently.
	Among costume armor films this one's is more ferocious visually.  
Although it is different from actual history, young viewers would not 
mind.  Instead the video game feel is the most important.
	Last week seven movies opened on the same day.  STEP UP 2 THE 
STREET was second only to RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON but its four day 
accumulation was less than half with only 3.23 million, which was already 
considered decent.
	Lower budget horror film SCARED 2 DIE (HAT SEI NEI) also defeated 
the Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) starred ESCAPE FROM 
HUANGSHI, which again proved that the audeince needed younger subject.
	SCARED 2 DIE made 1.35 million over four days.  Its promotion was
not consider massive as it focused on television commercials, like SEE YOU 
IN YOU TUBE (OI DAU DAI)'s strategy.  For a low budget film, this way 
was better than shattering money on other promotions.
	Newspaper and television are the simplest and the most direct 
promotion combination for most people to get information.
	Horror films have definite box office, no matter what it would 
pass 1 million.  It is better than other genres.
	Unfortunately due to the co-production qualification difficulty, 
horror films are fewer and fewer.  Ghost films need no to be even 
mentioned.
	Currently co-productions have stalled.  This year more horror 
Hong Kong films that have given up the Mainland market will appear in the 
second half of the year.
	This type of movies due to the possible lack of Mainland market 
could not cost too high.  3 to 4 million would be more stable.
	ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI has star power and production, but the 
subject is not what the audience is interested in.  As for Sunday the 
four day revenue was only 900,000.  The single day take has already 
dropped to 190,000.  It had neither a head start nor momentum.
	Too many movies of this type of subject has already been made.  
Even the title is familiar and feels very old.  After reading the synopsis
viewers basically know what it is.
	What movie perhaps would hit big in Hong Kong is obviously easy to
see.  Movies like ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI of course is not Hong Kong market
driven.  The writer does not know how many viewers overseas would enjoy 
it.
	Whether box office success is related to film quality, experienced
film professionals would say subject is the most important.  Then the 
cast and package together take up 70%.  Whether the movie is well made or 
not it would only affect 30%. - KWOK HIN CHING 

2. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 8 2008, FILM WORDS
STEP UP 2 IS BETTER THAN SCARED 2 DIE

	Among last week's Ching Ming Festival new opening film, the 
biggest hit was the Hong Kong film THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION OF THE 
DRAGON (SAM GOK ji GEIN LUNG SEH GAP).  Its box office sped past 10 
million and left the competition in the dust.
	In second was the US film STEP UP 2.  Although it could not 
catch up to THREE KINGDOMS it overwhelmingly defeated the higher cost but
silly U.S. treasure hunt comedy FOOL'S GOLD.
	Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) and foreign stars 
starred ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI.  The Chinese and foreign co-production scale
was rather grand, yet rescuing Nanjing Massacre orphan subject could not 
attract the Hong Kong audience.  Its draw was no match to the small Hong 
Kong production SCARED 2 DIE (HAT SEI NEI).
	SCARED 2 DIE is Pang Fat produced.  Writer director Chin Kong 
Hong reportedly was one of the seven new directors the surprise hit Hong 
Kong film SEE YOU IN YOU TUBE (OI DAU SAI) several months ago.  This time 
he accomplished three segment small budget rapidly completed horror film 
that is evil, huanted and grotesque but roughly and excessively produced.
	The first part, a mahjong possession scene, was better.  Sam Lee 
Chan Sam as the gambling addict was decent and the camera work was agile.  
It was able to accommodate mahjong fans and ghost story fans.  In the 
second part Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam ran around without a soul and made no 
sense.  In the third part Tommy Yuen Man On went to an audition and ran 
into ghost at a public housing project.  It was somewhat alternative and 
eerie but the result was not ideal.
- SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkkeiluklei)

3. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 8 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS
LET CRAZED FANS CONTINUE TO BE CRAZY

	Rice is expensive, but not as expensive as sesame.
	Someone put 23 sesame seeds that was supposedly left over from 
Jolin Tsai (Choi Yi Lam)'s breakfast on an online auction.  The bid 
started from NT$1 to the final bid was NT$40,200.
	Would someone truly use this much money to buy 20 some sesame 
seeds?
	The writer would not dare to say that no one would be like crazy 
for an idol, but he does not eliminate the possibility that the seller 
may be in a conspiracy to at least create entertainment news.
	If sesame seeds that idols leave are worth so much, artists from 
now definitely can make a lot.  If everything that they have touched and 
used are auctioned, they would make more than selling their talent and 
art.
	Although the online seller insists on the goods being real, Choi 
Yi Lam's management company states that she has never eaten breakfast at 
that fast food restaurant.  Thus the 23 left over sesame seeds were not 
real.
	If they were truly left over, so what?  Those sesame seeds did not
necessarily touched her mouth, or even any contact with her.  They are 
worth less than a bottle of water that she has drunk from or a strand of 
her hair.
	What are a few sesame seeds?  Stars throw away too much everyday, 
their assistants and workers around them would not treat them like any 
"treasure".  They do not even have a thought of collecting them.
	The world indeed has many crazed fans who might do anything dumb 
for their idols.  Even if they are fooled they do not care.
	These crazed fans have very low self esteem.  When they want to be
dumb and silly, no one can stop them.  They should continue to be fooled 
or swindled until they wake up.
	Idols are people too, they are only more successful in certain 
areas and have a little more natural talent than the ordinary people.
	Crazed fans worship their idols to the extremes.  They do not 
know that they are already somewhat abnormal and out of control in the
eyes of others, they still without any care chase stars everyday, scream 
in front of their idol, break down when they are hindered and behave 
unusually.
	Honestly, these people's behavior cannot be stopped because we 
have no way to use reasonable words to convince unreasonable people.
- KWOK HIN CHING 

4. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 7 2008, FILM WORDS
AVERAGE CHINA FOREIGN CO-PRODUCTION ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI

	ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI is the first international drama about the 
Nanjing Massacre, with TOMORROW NEVER DIES director Roger Spottiswoode, 
stars from the West as well as Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi 
King).
	This is a China foreign co-production with English and Mandarin 
dialogue.  It shows the brutality of the Japanese invasion of China and 
honors the good people from the West who helped China without making the 
Chinese look strange.  It even praised the Communist Party for resisting 
the Japanese aggression.  This film could be said as keeping both China 
and the West in mind, but the film can only be stable but lack luster.
	The story is based on real events, with MATCH POINT's British 
star Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as the young British reporter who took the risk 
in 1937 and headed to Nanjing, witnessed the Japanese military slaughter 
of civilians.  He nearly was killed at the Japanese military.
	In the story after his escape from death he was asked to take 
care of over 60 Chinese orphans.  He finally led them in the escape and 
the subsequent journey through from Huangshi through the snowy peaks and 
isolated desert to reach a safe region.
	The male lead has put hard work into his performance.  He looked 
very kind and worked hard to learn Chinese.  However his personality was 
very flat.  More lively and with more personality was female lead Radha 
Mitchell as an Australian volunteer battlefield medical personnel, who was
more realistic than the male lead.
	Chow Yun Fat played a Communist Chinese hero, well honed and 
humorous; Yeung Chi King played a businesswoman who was involved in both
legitimate and illegal dealing with grace and style.  Yet neither had a 
lot of screen time.  Orphans were not too natural, one went mad with 
rage and sadness and became excessive.
	The entire film was quite an act but lacked drama.  The leads 
romance seemed to have something but was too confused to tell.  Seemingly
the film had to avoid Great Westernism and insulting China, hindering it 
at every turn.  In comparison, last year's China foreign co-production 
THE PAINTED VEIL had a better story, details and visual.
	Experienced director Roger Spottiswoode came from Canada and has 
made many British and American films.
	Speaking of which, during the war against Japanese aggression 
famous Canadian doctor Bethune went to the Chinese battlefield to treat 
the injured soldiers.  During surgery he passed away due to an infection. 
In 1964 Mainland made the film DR. BETHUNE, in 80s Canada also had a 
biography about him and even described his experience before heading to 
China and martial issue.  Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren starred in it
but it did not attract wide attention.
	Worthy of mention was ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI talked about opium, 
which was rather important to the story.  Yet the Chinese subtitle has 
avoided it.  Perhaps Mainland China film inspection did not permit any 
mention of drug? - SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkeiluklei)

5. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 7 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS
HOLLYWOOD IS NO SHELTER FOR STARS

	Many artists have dreams of going to Hollywood.
	Yet big Hollywood companies have one common China dream.
	Why would Hollywood films have to had Chinese stars?  The 
situation is like foreign professional football and basketball teams' 
addition of famous players of different nations.  Aside from their 
abilities they aim at the market that they come from.  
	Earlier action stars were hired because Hong Kong style action
had market around the world, but this was just a trend.  Even more 
practical was merging Hong Kong style action into Hollywood films for 
U.S. stars to perform, which had an even greater market.
	Thus, with the most offer in Hollywood are not Hong Kong stars who
work in the U.S. but also a martial artist directors.
	As China's economy opens up, the 1.3 billion population market 
has strict restrictions in the past.  Hollywood films could not make much 
money and instead suffered from piracy.
	Yet where in the world could a population of 1.3 billion be 
mined -- aside from China?
	In the past Hong Kong stars were hired to bring some new impact 
to Hollywood films, now it is different.
	Hong Kong stars in the past thought they went to the U.S. to 
expand their market but actually the U.S. companies hoped the Hong Kong 
stars could help them break into the Chinese market.
	Aside from the U.S., the world has many places that can provide 
financing to make Chinese films.  Hong Kong may not necessarily benefit 
because they do not want the Hong Kong market of 6 to 7 million but the 
Mainland of 1.3 billion.
	If Hong Kong stars due to a variety of reasons cannot stay in the 
Mainland market in the short run and want to develop in Hollywood.  Due to 
the aforementioned elements, they may not get what they want.
	Perhaps in the short run they would have one or two foreign films
to make, but if their movies cannot be imported in China they would be a 
type of obstacles.
	Of course certain subject foreign films that expected not to have 
a Mainland market like horror films would have no problem.  They only 
needed Chinese actors to perform, but Chinese actors who could act are 
truly numerous.  The competition is tremendous.  Most have received 
professional training.  The ones from Hong Kong would not have very high 
success rate.  - KWOK HIN CHING 

6. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 6 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS
BOX OFFICE ALONE CANNOT TELL PROFIT OR LOSS

	Many people ask why Hong Kong film still has so many rough 
production low budget films.
	In the hearts of the average viewer, quality big films would have
high box office while vulgar low budget films would have disastrous box 
office.  They did not understand why a year would still have so many.
	The fact is high box office gross does not necessarily mean 
profit.  Small films with brutal box office may not be as dead as 
imagined.  They may even have slight profit.
	In business, after subtracting cost from revenue, if the math is 
straight, the remainder is profit.
	Big movie cost is high, even with decent box office it may not 
necessarily be able to make back the investment.  Local media only focus 
on reporting Hong Kong box office.  A movie's revenue is not just based on
one place's box office receipt.
	Whether overseas market prices are good and how many markets have 
been sold to have even more influence on a film's overall revenue.  
Viewers would not know about these figures, the media would not be 
certain about them either.  Only personnel that is familiar with 
market distribution would know.
	Not every industry insiders would be certain either because most
film workers are production professionals.  After completing one movie, 
they at most know about the local box office and really are uncertain 
about overseas sales.
	Some movies have had great Hong Kong box office but their subjects
are not accepted outside Hong Kong.  Even if some overseas markets are 
willing to take them, their offer prices would not be too high.  Together 
the profit may be minimal.
	Some other films, like small to mid scale action films, would have
an average performance in the local box office or even below 1 million.  
Yet overseas always has a demand.  The genre can sell to further places 
than other types.  Over there the film may not necessarily be officially 
released in cinemas, but with the video and television rights together 
the number would be decent.  Even though the box office fell flat, the 
movies actually made money and thus just kept on coming.
	Big movies may look glorious but still have the opportunity for 
loss, which may be very shocking and set investors way back.
	Film's profit and loss cannot just be based on local box office.  
Just because it was a hit at a certain market the film may not be a big 
success.  Some markets only offer a price for the rights.  Film companies 
would not get a share if the movie performs well.  - KWOK HIN CHING 

7. TA KUNG PAO, APRIL 6 2008, 
MAINLAND MARKET IS SMALL BUT AMPLE

	The three week long Hong Kong International Film Festival has 
already reached its closing ceremony.  This year's film festival has 
screened nearly 300 movies from over 50 nations and regions with over 500 
screenings.  Aside from Hong Kong films, Mainland and Taiwan films have
also caught some attention.  Hong Kong's film market is not larger, but 
with the advantage of being a crossroad of the East and the West and the 
coordination of the financing forum and film awards, many directors still 
see the Hong Kong Film Festival as an important exchange event in Asia.  
Only because Mainland and Taiwan's different film environment and 
development trends, directors come with different mentality and 
expectations.
	Mainland film market is enormous and its viewer base is wide.  In 
recent years many directors have become international film festival 
spotlights as their work has received recognition.  In comparison, Hong 
Kong film market is not large, but to many Mainland directors the film 
festival here still is still special; whether they are seeking local 
distribution opportunities, understanding viewer taste or share their 
creations with colleagues, the annual Hong Kong Film Festival are worthy 
of their visit.
	As in the past, Mainland films are one very important segment of 
this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival.  Influential names in
the film industry are not lacking among the participating directors.  Wang
Xiaoshuai's new film IN LOVE WE TRUST earlier won the Best Screenplay 
Silver Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival.  Later the film came to the
Hong Kong Film Festival for its Asian premiere; Gu Changwei's AND THE 
SPRING COMES enabled lead actress Jiang Wenli to win Best Actress in this
year's Rome Film Festival.  Two films with "halos" have brought a lot of 
life to this year's film festival.

Wang Xiaoshuai Is Concerned With Distribution
	Wang Xiaoshuai has made movies for years and an international film
festival frequent guest but has rarely come to Hong Kong.  He says, IN 
LOVE WE TRUST's Hong Kong Film Festival Asian premiere has been a very 
valuable experience to him.  IN LOVE WE TRUST is about a woman's choice 
and sacrifice.  With a daughter ailing from leukemia, her only road seems
to be having another child with her former husband to save her daughter.  
The director says, he wants to express the variety of problems that 
middle age people and how people in the face of sudden changes must 
tolerate the pressure that fate has brought.  "In other stories, people 
can still have a choice, can decide what to do according to their own 
value system or reject something senseless that fate has brought.  Yet 
this story can't.  The fact is the lead must violate the basic social 
ethics to save her child, otherwise the child would die.  In these two 
choices life is greater than everything."
	He admits that he does not understand Hong Kong viewers too 
much, but feels that this film can happen anywhere around the world and 
may sound resonance.  "In the past when my movies went to foreign film 
festivals, everyone would treat them as 'movies from China' and take a 
stance of how China has changed now.  Yet IN LOVE WE TRUST has 
eliminated this condition because it doesn't have to be treated with 
Chinese specialty; when we were at the Berlin Film Festival, a Greek 
buyer came to me and said, something like this has just happened to his
friend."
	A constant visitor of international film festivals, he honestly 
said that many directors would feel going to different places to "show 
their faces" seem to add a little more recognition.  For example Berlin 
and the Cannes Film Festival are all high class film exchanges that can 
indeed elevate directors' influence and film's broadcast ability, thus the
entire world's directors are willing to go there for promotion and 
premiere.  In comparison, Hong Kong film market is not large, but in his 
impression the Hong Kong film festival crosses three weeks.  With a longer
screening period, people can watch movies at even more ease and do not 
need to rush too much.  "Actually I am more concerned with the film 
buying issue.  If participating in this film festival enables me to find
distribution in Hong Kong, that would be the best;  as for pure exchange, 
that is not the most important consideration for me right now."
	He has always had his eyes on the Mainland market because he feels
this is the market with the most hope and the place that can bring his 
film the most benefits.  "Of course, with Hong Kong, Taiwan commercial 
films and Hollywood films' entry, film festival films like ours have 
difficulties in this market.  However I feel because Mainland viewers 
base is very strong, in the future Mainland stars and productions would 
gradually catch up to and even surpass Hong Kong and development their 
own strength."

Gu Changwei Longs for Exchanges
	Gu Changwei in 05 brought his first film as a director PEACOCK to
the Hong Kong film festival.  This time his second film AND THE SPRING 
COMES is also selected for a film festival screening.  He says that this 
has fostered his feeling for the Hong Kong film festival.  "As a film 
professional, having a chance for even more attention would be very 
helpful for my films' survival later.  The Hong Kong Film Festival feels 
very full.  Whether they are modern films, historical ones, three lands
on two shores ones, Asian or international ones, or even film festival 
winning but not yet released ones, they can be found inside; also, its
duration is very long, all of which are very special."
	AND THE SPRING COMES uses a local dialect.  Female lead Wang 
Choiling has a good voice and seriously hopes to fulfill her dream in 
Beijing.  Yet she realizes her dream and reality differ too much.  Gu 
Changwei says, the language would not affect viewers' ability to relate 
because everything that the film expresses is beyond borders.  "This era 
is materialistic.  All of the value system of the society has to do with
money, but this story tells of another value system.  Although the 
characters in it don't get much money in the end or any social position, 
but these people's lives are very exciting.  I want to through this film 
salute these people.  I was thinking how far are people's dreams from 
reality, heaven from hell?  Life value system actually can be very 
different.  Wang Choiling has a value system that is very worthy of us 
to admire.  I feel everyone's heart has a Wang Choiling.  I Gu Changwei is
someone who is very practical.  I would find my way to exist in reality.  
I would compromise.  When I do I still have dignity.  Deep in my heart is 
a Wang Choiling."
	He expresses, he comes to the film festival because he is very 
willing to exchange the story that he wants to tell with others.  
"Although film is a product, it is also art that needs to be shared with 
others.  Hong Kong commercial market and the film festival has no special
direct relationship, but the film festival still has brought us a lot of 
possibilities and enabled us to see many people and watch many movies.  In
addition the Hong Kong film festival in Asia is also very influential.  
Its preference, attitude and selections would affect films' development 
in other regions or commercially."  He honestly says, although the Hong 
Kong Film Festival has a financing forum that was not the goal that he 
has come for.  "As a director I have made two movies.  PEACOCK and AND THE 
SPRING COMES both found investors in 15 minutes.  The third film that is 
currently brewing, PARADISE is still under screenplay preparation but it 
already has investors.  So my film festival participation is not for 
finding financing because basically many already want to invest in my 
movies.  I only have to choose which collaborator would be the most 
suitable."
	He expresses, Hong Kong due to its population limit may not have 
much market potential as Mainland.  "Yet I feel in recent years Hong Kong
and Mainland films are harder and harder to differentiate because many 
times financing, actors or crew work together on a movie.  I only hope our
films would become stronger and stronger so everyone in the entire world 
would have the chance to see it."  However, he personally would not make 
whatever is popular in the market.  He would only make movies for himself
and his friends.  "I believe, I am someone who is more general, one of 
ordinary person.  Thus I have no problem in exchange with other people.  
The story that touches me definitely can touch others."

TAIWAN DIRECTORS RUN AROUND FOR FINANCING

	The Taiwan film market depression has already endured for awhile.  
Such a situation would give many directors trouble when they face 
financing search.  Whether they are new or experienced directors they 
would consider the market and investor opinions, which in turn affect 
their mentality when they participate in film festivals around the world.

Return Is the Most Important In Filmmaking
	Chang Tso-Chi's SOUL OF A DEMON is this year's Hong Kong film 
festival opening film.  The story describes how the lead who is deep on 
the edge is gradually swept into a vengeful world.  To show his respect, 
the director has brought the leads Tseng Yi-Che and Chen Pei-Chun to Hong 
Kong and met with the audience.  He expresses that this is his first 
film that opens outside Taiwan, so it is very meaningful but also very 
stressful; the two leads feel honored and happy to have a chance to 
attend this type of events as new comers.
	The director says, he basically makes one movie every two to three
years.  SOUL OF A DEMON however took five years, two of which was spent on
the financing search.  In between the company that was responsible for 
SOUL OF A DEMON's animation had problems and caused a delay.  Finally it 
took three years of stopping and starting again.  As an assistant director 
on Hou Hsiao-Hsien's CITY OF SADNESS, he is asked whether SOUL OF A DEMON 
has extended CITY OF SADNESS' depressed air pressure.  He expresses that 
to the lower and middle class, "better living" has no meaning.  How to 
live on is the problem.  That should be the same all over the world.
	He straightly says, filmmaking first has to make return for 
investors.  Whether a film can participate in film festivals he says that 
the decision does not lie with him.  The fact is some have already 
classified him as making that type of movies.  His movies in Hong Kong 
are mostly screened at art film cinemas.  Thus he hopes to be able to make
a comedy or gentler and simpler films next time.  "Too artistic is not too 
good.  Taiwan films often would spend time on discussing the director's 
personal feeling, which is harder to relate to."
	"For a movie to make a return, it doesn't have to make big money.  
Yet investors have to know that the money that they have spent can be 
made back.  This is every director's dream but not everyone can do it.  I 
hope I can.  When a new director looks for financing, investors always 
would consider its content, box office and actors, to directors who hae 
made several films like us, Hong Kong's Hong Kong Asian Film Financing 
Forum and Korea's Pusan Project Promotion can provide a lot of 
opportunities.  However investors are businessmen, strictly speaking, they
have to look at a sense of security.  They either consider low budget or 
merging return elements into the project like big star casting.  I lean 
toward using the first method."

Tapping Multiple Channels
	Does low budget sacrifice quality?  Chang Tso-Chi says, this 
originally is quite a conflict.  He has many workers who told him that 
they have been "starving" for a long time.  "My next movie will be a 
story about a child's dream.  He doesn't remember any of his dream but he
has to write about a dream for his winter vacation.  Thus everyday he 
tries to dream.  This subject sounds more interesting.  This is the type 
of change that I would make.  I think, with more financing forum 
participation you would feel that since you are looking for money you 
originally should compromise a little.  The film content wouldn't change 
but some things can change a little.  The low budget that I refer to also
refers to my hope of finding three low budget to turn into one.  Then to 
us it is considered a middle budget.  Thus we have to share the risk, to
find financing from multiple nations.  For example if I need US$1 million
I would first find 200,000 in each country, then I would find a Taiwan 
investor to bring everything together.  In addition, I prefer to use 
'future stars' and don't like the already famous ones.  The fact is new 
actors who just start have more potential."
	New director Singing Chen's GOD MAN DOG is her first full length 
drama.  Before this she has made many documentaries.  During the 
millennium she won an award at a Swiss film festival with a film about 
the homeless, BUNDLED.  Later she has attended many foreign film festivals
but never been to Hong Kong.  She honestly says that she has always wanted
to come to Hong Kong, to understand local viewers' thinking and reaction 
because she does not understand the people here and their way of thinking 
too much.  She looks forward to the film festival's question and answer 
segment the most because she likes to interact with the audience and 
feels that whether the review is good or bad the director has room to 
improve.

Hong Kong Has A Great Overall Environment 
	GOD MAN DOG is about three groups of people who represent three 
different background in the Taiwan society and are linked through a car 
accident.  In the film the description of grace and image of God 
strengthens the cut and paste effect and make the matter interesting.  She
says, "I have always liked the mystical reality method and very interested
in the subject of religion.  In BUNDLED the lead characters are all 
homeless.  I want to through them express what people would do if they 
cannot find dependence in their hearts.  I brought the personalities of 
these people on the edge into the film.  The handling then was more 
raging.  This time GOD MAN DOG is more accepting."
	This film is a small budget production that cost only around NT$14 
to 15 million.  The director expresses, finding film financing in Taiwan 
has always been the biggest problem because the film industry environment
there is not as complete as Hong Kong's.  "Although Taiwan films often 
won film festival wards but local viewers don't relate to them.  The 
style that many veteran directors have extended has made viewers feel very 
far away.  Thus, young directors hope to be able to find a way to converse
with the audience.  My films although are more serious in subject I would 
use very humorous way to express it so viewers can go out of the cinemas 
with a smile.  I hope to bring back the lost viewers."

Added Exposure Is Beneficial 
	Before coming to Hong Kong, she has already brought this film to 
the Berlin Film Festival and the Pusan Film Festival.  She also went to 
Switzerland and France.  Later she will head to Barcelona, South Africa 
and other film festivals.  She feels, the biggest help from attending 
different film festivals is knowing what viewers of other areas are 
thinking.  This is very helpful to creating.  "Thus, if you are able to 
have exposure in the major film festivals, local film companies would 
notice you.  This time many film companies have contacted us, which will 
be very helpful to my next film.  When investors like your movie, your 
recognition would elevate.  GOD DOG MAN is my first official full length
film.  I also hope that my next film would respond due to its result."
	"Hong Kong and the entire Chinese language market have my 
attention so I really hope to be able to personally understand viewers' 
thinking at each film festival.  I don't want to create on my own behind a
closed door and ignore the outside world; the road that I would like to 
take is to make movies that are controversial, deep, with content but 
also very entertaining."  She says. - TANG YIN YI

8. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 5 2008, 
THE WAY WE ARE

	Some perhaps have already started badgering: THE WAY WE ARE (TIN 
SHUI WAI DIK YUT YU YEH) is just another POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT (The 
same review appears now with AUNT's screen writer Li Qian's latest work 
AND THE SPRING COMES).  Both are about how a gradually aging single woman 
overcome inner loneliness and real life pressure.  One cannot say that 
this opinion has not base, the problem is it has missed the point.  The 
film's biggest achievement lies here: it on the surface may seem ordinary 
and flimsy (without a complete story or any turbulent drama, characters
are ordinary and completely without opposition, conflicting relationship 
or struggle).  The entire set is limited to within Tin Shui Wai.  The 
scenery within the walled city seems to have any special to speak of.  
High definition shot flat visual and most of the mid to far range shot 
structure (and the family subject) can easily make people accuse it of 
being like a Radio and Television Hong Kong television show.  Yet as its 
title (Chinese or English -- off the subject, Ann Hui On Wa's films always 
have the most appropriate English titles among Hong Kong films) has hinted
although the film from beginning to end has a stable space (Tin Shui Wai), 
time wise (day and night) hinted a type of permanence (or historical 
sense).  THE WAY WE ARE is not THE WAY WE WERE.
	THE WAY WE ARE not only talks about life but transcending life; 
not only good people doing good deeds, but kindness in human nature; not 
only about Tin Shui Wai but Hong Kong.  Without any warning, the film 
displays a series of historical photos twice.  When Sister Kwai's mother 
is eating at the hospital, she tells her grandson (Kwai's son) about when 
Kwai was younger how she sacrificed her happiness to put her younger 
brother through school.  The film suddenly (but quietly) follows with a 
series of photos when Hong Kong entered the industrial age as female 
factory workers became the new working class on the rise.  Thus, Kwai has 
become the prototype for all Hong Kong women (In Hong Kong or even the 
entire Chinese language film history, which director's work has never stop 
expressing sympathy, experience, recognition and honor for women's dignity
and persistence?  (Please do not tell me Stanley Kwan Kam Pang!))  By the 
end of the film, on the Mid Autumn Festival, when Kwai, her son and Granny  
(unknowingly already become a new family) celebrate at the square, the 
film again merges into brilliant photos of past Hong Kong families' 
enjoying the lanterns at Victoria Park.  The past and the present seem to 
have no difference at all.  So we all understand, we, Hong Kong, actually 
have all passed like this.
	I do not feel THE WAY WE ARE is a simple movie.  It not only 
displays an atmosphere and nostalgia but an incomparable faith and 
courage.  This is a rarity among Hong Kong film and a good film.  The film
festival is blind not to provide it with the opening film honor (or 
actually should it honor the film festival)! - SHU KEI 

9. TA KUNG PAO, APRIL 5 2008, LIGHT SHADOW PATH
FILM INDUSTRY NEW CENTURY

	Earlier a scholar published an article titled "Would Hong Kong 
Film Still Exist Ten Year Later?", the content was very "favorable".  
Although it was not an 100% accurate analysis (from a film professional 
point of view) but it was the research report with the most caliber in 
recent times.  
	The article's summation was, the differentiation between 
national and Hong Kong films have already fallen behind the times.  The 
writer basically agrees with this view.  
	Last year THE WARLORDS (TAU MING JONG) was a hit in Mainland and 
Hong Kong, a costume epic with basically an entirely Hong Kong crew (aside 
from some screen writers).  If it was not a Hong Kong film then what was 
it?  From another angle, the film's subject and story are not what Hong 
Kong viewers like.  Obviously it mainly aims at the Mainland market so it 
can be said as a Chinese film.
	Actually now Hong Kong film and Chinese film's border has become 
very blurry.  The existence of Hong Kong would be in question in less than ten 
years.  Because the communication and information advancement and new 
media's high speed development, all entertainment industries are 
continuing to transform.  Even without considering the Mainland market, 
several years later Hong Kong film industry would not be in its current 
format now.  The only young actor starred L FOR LOVE L FOR LIES (NGOR DIK 
JUI OI) made over 10 million and far surpassed THE EMPRESS AND THE 
WARRIORS (GONG SAN MEI YUN)'s box office has shown that the new era has 
already arrived (THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS starred Kelly Chen Wai Lam, 
Donnie Yen Chi Tan and Leon Lai Ming).
	As the article has mentioned, film investment scale that exceeds 
6 million mostly requires Mainland market support.  This view is more 
conservative than the average person in the industry, as the usual 
calculation would consider "genre" and actor elements as well.  However 
the Mainland market's importance indeed has already exceeded other 
overseas markets.
	Big co-productions have become the trend, the writer has pointed 
out that co-production formats have varied with films that are mainly 
Hong Kong driven or Mainland driven.  Actually the change is not 
considerably drastic (with only two).  With THE BANQUET, THE WARLORDS and 
RED CLIFF (CHET BIK) for example the most important meaning is both sides 
of the investment recognize the need for the Mainland market and thus 
"lean" toward Mainland audience taste; the second point is that the 
Mainland side knows the world market for now still relies on Hong Kong's 
distribution network and experience.  When either side is driving, they do 
not abandon the two aforementioned principles.  
	Some of the article's information is not factual.  The writer 
cited Media Asia as an example and said that the company between 2003 and 
2004's Mainland box office was 800 million and 1.5 billion.  When the 
writer confirmed with the company's distribution department, their 
response was "two figures are those two years' Mainland total box office 
revenue, not our company's."  This mistake has dampen an originally 
decent analysis.  Certainly, the writer is not a film professional and is
not familiar with such information.  If a certain director sees it, he 
would say that he "does not know film".  - TIN LIK

10. TA KUNG PAO, APRIL 5 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION TRAVERSE
REMEMBERING THE PASSED ON CHING MING

	On the even of Ching Ming Festival the temperature suddenly 
dropped.  With the days of wind and drizzle, different media took the 
opportunity to release late artist work and remembrance articles and added
sorrow to this holiday.
	Among them most of the attention went to the two Leslie Cheung 
Kwok Wing memorial concerts.  Gor Gor has already left us for five years 
but his fans still miss him.  The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, his residence 
and even the Tsim Sha Tsui East corridor all had fan memorial events.  
Everyone miss his and Danny Chan Pak Keung, Anita Mui Yim Fong, Roman Tam 
(Law Man) and others' persistence for music, search for diversification 
and performance on different levels.  Everyone reminisce their sass and 
beauty on the stage and courage to try, explore, their taste and forward 
thinking that so far no one has rivaled.
	At the same time, TVB pay television has aired Linda Lin Dai's 
THE LAST WOMAN OF SHANG (DAN GEI).  This four time Asia Best Actress was 
apt in both costume and modern roles.  Her characters were mostly tragic 
figures who made sacrifices for family, country and the men who they 
loved; like KINGDOM AND THE BEAUTY (GONG SAN MEI YUN)'s Li Feng, THE BLUE A
ND THE BLACK (NAM YU HAK)'s Tang Qi, MADAME WHITE SNAKE (BAK SEH JUEN)'s 
Bai Suzhen, as well as BEYOND THE GREAT WALL (WONG CHIU KWUN), DIAU 
DARLING (DIU SEH), THE LOTUS LAMP (BO LIN DUNG) and LOVE WITHOUT END (BUT 
LIU CHING).
	In the currently running Zhu Shilin film retrospective, THE 
CHIVALROUS SONGSTRESS (FUNG CHUN YAU MUK) made us discover the "classic 
beauty" Betty Loh Tih.  Her most famous roles were THE DREAM OF THE RED 
CHAMBER (HUNG LAU MUNG)'s Lin Daiyu, THE LOVE ETERNE (LEUNG SAN BAK YU 
JOOK YING TOI)'s Zhu Yingtai, but my deepest impression was THE ENCHANTING
SHADOW (SIN NUI YAU WON)'s Nie Xiaoqian and THE LUCKY PURSE (SOR LUN 
LONG)'s Xue Xiangling.  Her every look and smile, every gesture and step 
completely brought to life national painting's ladies, radiated an 
irresistible classical charm that no wonder the Cannes Film Festival jury 
called her "China's most beautiful female star".
	In addition, another worthy of mention actress was Chen Sisi.  
Back then she, Ha Mung and Shek Wai were called "Great Wall's Three 
Princesses".  Her most famous work was the costume opera film THREE 
CHARING SMILES (SAM SIU) in which she played Qiuxiang.  She used a lot of 
operatic gestures as body language and was called in all versions the most
beautiful little servant Qiuxiang.  Back then when the film was released 
it was an instant hit.  She had many Mainland viewers under her spell and 
now they still find her hard to forget.  The film became the few Hong Kong
films that was a hit with the Mainland audience.  Her male portrayal in 
THE JADE BOW (WON HOI YUK GUNG YUEN) also has become a classic like the 
film itself. - CHUI HIU

11. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 4 2008,
THE CHIVALRY OF THREE KINGDOMS' ZHAO ZILONG 

	In my heart, Zhao Zilong was one of the best classic Chinese 
warriors who even had the spirit of the chivalry of the West.
	In chapter 41 of THE ROMANCE OF THREE KINGDOMS, Zhao Zilong was 
responsible to protect the elderly and the young. To find the two lost 
Mrs. Liu Bei and young son, he fought through hundreds of thousands of the 
Cao army in a very exciting manner.
	He first rescued one lady, then returned to danger to find the 
other lady and the child and even offered the horse to the heavily injured
lady while he battled on foot.  The lady did not want to be a burden and 
threw herself into a well.  Zhao Zilong then hid the child in his armor 
and escaped in battle.
	Zhao Zilong was not only loyal to his master but even more 
touching was his protection of women and children, which was the most 
chivalrious.  He was a strong contrast to WATER MARGIN (SHUI FU JUEN)'s 
cheating wife killing Mo Chung and even the predecessor to Lone Wolf and 
Cub.  (Mo Chung was a tragic hero who in the conflict between lust and 
moral became a mad killer.  Mo Chung's relationship can compare to 
Oedipus' in the West.)
	In the film THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON the battle 
was rather brutal and demonstrated Zhao Zilong's bravery.  Yet it avoided 
the two ladies and the child only became a "prop" without any response.  
The film did not give any lively description of Zhao Zilong's respect for
women and protection of children.
	In the final battle, ROMANCE OF THREE KINGDOMS' chapter 92, 
the screen writer fictionally created Zhao Zilong's battle with Cao Ying 
and made the chivalrous one "fight a woman"!  Fortunately he spared her 
and did not destroy the heroism, but ultimately it was not the same as 
the original.
	In the end of this film old soldier Zhao Zilong had no help, put 
on the armor and rode into battle alone, which seemingly was very tragic.  
Actually ROMANCE OF THREE KINGDOMS told that help finally came in this 
battle and he maintained his victory record.  A year later he passed away 
due to illness.  In the book he lived past 70, an ancient general with an 
especially long life.  He was survived by two sons, but the film did not 
tell any of that.
	Filmmaking of course can be independently creative, but now 
random changes or tragedy are popular among Chinese costume films.  
Ultimately the miraculous life of the undefeated Zhao Zilong has also 
been made very tragic and painful.  The makers are often too pessimistic 
with incomplete ideas.
	Andy Lau Tak Wa as Zhao Zilong remains righteous and brave, yet 
support came from mostly created characters like Sammo Hung Kam Bo and 
Maggie Q's.  Ti Lung as Guan Yu and Damien Lau Chung Yun as Cao Cao all 
had very little screen time.  Pu Quanxin as Zhuge Liang seemed like a 
heartless conspirator.  Better was Yu Rongguang as the Cao Army veteran 
general Han De who witnessed his four sons' deaths in the battlefield, 
which truly was tragic.  (2 of 2).
- SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkkeiluklei)

12. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 4 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS
BEING A LITTLE FAIRER TO THE HONG KONG FILM AWARDS

	Reportedly this year's Hong Kong Film Award is still 2 million 
short of its operation cost but actually the sum was only around 200,000.
	The government has assisted with 2 million but the Hong Kong Film 
Award costs 4 million so it have to rely on copyright and advertiser 
sponsorship.
	Some already feel that the government's 2 million is already a lot 
and question why an award show would spend so much money.
	If they know that an overseas guest would cost 300,000 to 400,000
they would understand why the 2 million public funding was still not 
enough.  The Hong Kong Film Award every year still had to raise money 
every year and sometimes even put in its own.
	The glittering stars at the film award are not free.
	The Hong Kong Film Award is not just a simple show.  Actually it 
is in operation all year, with many industry professional organizations 
sending volunteers.
	If all the participants' salaries are included the figure would be
astronomical.
	Every year backstage at the Hong Kong Film Award are several dozen 
to a hundred or so film industry on and off screen talent who have dropped
their identity to give selflessly for the show to have today's success, 
whether they are producers, directors, action directors or actors.
	The film development fund has 300 million.  The 1/3 film financial 
assitance plan for movies that cost less than 12 million could not 
possibly be all spent.
	For the earlier held Hong Kong Film Market the government was 
willing to spend over 10 million, why would it only be willing to give 
2 million to the Hong Kong Film Award?
	Asian Film Award had many Asian superstars in Hong Kong.  Each 
cost over 300,000 and they were approved.  Even the awards were government
paid.
	No such "fairness" for the Hong Kong Film Award as the guest 
invitation cost could not be even with the Asian Film Award.  If you were 
invited to both, which one would you attend?
	The writer feels that the government does not need to give the 
Hong Kong Film Award any special treatment, but the same fair treatment 
with the Asian Film Award is necessary.
	Which award show can represent the Hong Kong film industry more, 
you know in your heart!  - KWOK HIN CHING 

13. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 3 2008, FILM WORDS
VERY TRAGIC THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON 

	Among the heroes of ROMANCE OF THREE KINGDOMS, Zhao Zilong is not
ranked as high as Liu, Guan, Zhang and Kong Ming, but his courage and 
abilities have long had a following as he is even called the nearly 
perfect best soldier.
	The Daniel Lee Yan Kong directed THREE KINGODMS RESURRECTION OF
THE DRAGON (SAM GOK ji GEIN LUNG SEH GAP)'s lead is Zhao Zilong and is 
completed and released ahead of John Woo (Ng Yu Sum)'s epic RED CLIFF 
(CHET BIK).  Zhao Zilong has been my idol since childhood.  Of course I 
would like this hero to grace the new century big screen.  However the 
more expectation I have, the more I worry about disappointment.
	Visually the film does not lack creativity but has no way to 
satisfy.  Undoubtedly, this Hong Kong, Korea and Mainland co-produced 
costume war film's production is rather large, with exciting bloodbaths, 
bleak atmosphere and fierce visuals.  Andy Lau Tak Wa is also the right 
choice to play Zhao Zilong.  Yet the entire film makes up its own story 
too much, remakes and reshapes this strong soldier, which I feel is 
somewhat not quite right.
	Lee Yan Kong obviously admires Zhao Zilong a lot and the idea is
not common.  This film very tragically stresses the tragedy of war as 
kings each hold their own corner and slaughter each other.  Zhao Zilong 
is described as coming from a poor background and has suffered the pain of
being a soldier.  After hundreds of wars he becomes the enduring victory 
general.  In his later years his superior sacrifices him to stop the 
enemies' advance and his lower class friend who has no chance at success 
sells him out.  Hero is truly hard to be!
	RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON tells of the pain of war, the harm of 
rivalry, achieves Zhao Zilong's brave deeds and lack of regret and 
complaint despite being used and betrayed as he charges ahead.
	The problem is the sigh and story of the film is mostly writer 
and director made up and forced on Zhao Zhilong, whose history and 
legend are obviously different.  Sammo Hung Kam Bo plays his compatriot
big brother with a very heavy role that is completely fictional.  The 
film also cooks up a romance with a girl and leaves it hanging.
	The battles are quite a big deal, with people falling and horses
toppling over in a rather strong sense of motion.  Yet the enemy in one 
of the battles actually is Cao Cao's granddaughter Cao Ying.  Maggie Q 
plays this female soldier cool and stylishly but it is made up for the 
film.  Zhao Zhilong's ending is too deliberately high profile.
	Too much tragedy, too much want to innovate, too much cooking, 
unique while having to keep the common in mind, this film indeed is 
different from others.  Unfortunately it is neither high or low enough
achievement wise. - SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkeiluklei)

14. MING PAO DAILY, APRIL 3 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS
HOW CAN ARTISTS BENEFIT FROM STUDYING ABROAD?

	Reportedly Gillian Chung Yun Tung and Isabella Leong Lok Si would
studying abroad separately.
	Studying abroad seems to be a must for artists who are not at 
liberty to appear, the meaning of which is temporary retirement to prepare 
for a better future.
	Artist or not, studying ultimately is good.
	Most artists after years in show business truly may not 
necessarily have had any official training.  Mainland artists are better 
than Hong Kong's because most have either a drama academy background or 
studied film.
	Some famous Mainland actors make the switch after a lifetime of 
experience.  Most are already middle age.
	Hong Kong takes the Japan, Taiwan, Korea and other areas' route 
and finds young people for new comers.  They are signed underage, the 
advantage of course is to be able to have more time to push them and 
have longer harvest period.
	Many young ideals have already signed with management companies 
as early as age 11 or 12.  They enter show business before completing 
their education.  While busy with work they have no way to go to the 
university.
	Their fans may know more than them, which creates a very enormous
limitation in their future development.
	If they join this business after the university, after a few years
of mediocrity they would face age 30 and cannot play young characters 
anymore.
	Even so, the fact is new comers cannot be made to rise as the 
same old group of veterans continues to hold the fort.  Middle age stars
can only continue to play young, which now is already to the level of 
comedy.
	Young idols would not think to study until their careers have 
hindrance, but no on truly knows how much help a moment of studying can 
provide.
	Young artists have poor academic backgrounds unless they are 
studying singing, dancing and other type of technical courses that can 
yield result in a short term.  Otherwise they may not necessarily have 
the ability to raise their performance abilities.
	Some who claimed to have studied overseas returned without any 
improvement so far.
	The most solid advantage of studying abroad to artists is being 
able to drop the suffocating workload and widen their horizon.  If they 
can, they would have little more normal lives and absorb a moment of a 
real life manner. - KWOK HIN CHING 

[ In Production Now/Soon ]

  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

MOSS
  Can : Ching Toi
    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 : 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

  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, 
  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 : 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)

RUN PAPA RUN
  Can : Yut Gor Ho Ba Ba
  Lit : One Good Papa
  AKA : Hak Ba Ba
  Lit : Black Papa
    d. Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga)
    Louis Koo Tin Lok, Rene Liu (Lau Yeuk Ying)
  Opening April 10 2008
  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.

THE MOST DISTANCE COURSE
  Can : Jui Yiu Yuen Dik Kui Lei
  Lit : The Farthest Distance
    d. Lin Jing-Jie
    Kwai Lun Mei, Mo Zi Yi
  Opening March 17 2008

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.

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
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 99 mins.
  Opening February 28 2008

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
  An extremely brutal armed robbery case has brought two very unusual 
  young detectives together in Hong Kong.  Both men have been known not to
  follow the usual rules of conduct in solving crimes.  Lincoln, the 
  younger brother of the deceased, an ex-policeman in China, has sworn to
  find the man who has murdered his brother.  While he investigates the 
  murder on his own in Hong Kong, he meets Michael, a CID officer on 
  suspension.  Michael has often been warned against insubordination, and
  for pulling stunts such as using his own private helicopter to capture
  criminals on the run...

LE GRAND CHEF
    d. Jeon Yoon-Soo
    Kim Gang-Woo, Lim Won-Hee
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 114 mins.
  Opening February 28 2008

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
  A cook-off is held to determine the best from all the chefs in the top
  Korean restaurant, Woonam-jung.  The winner is to inherit the
  restaurant.  The dish that the chefs must make is the dangerous yellow
  swellfish sushi, a taste that is to die for.  The two top chefs of the
  restaurant, Sung-chan and Bong-joo go head to head for the seat of the 
  owner of Woonam-jung.  But the judges who taste Sung-chan's sushi get
  food poisoning from his dish.  Bong-joo stands behind him and flashes a
  complacent smile....What really went on between the two?
 
KAIDAN 
    d. Hideo Nakata
    Kikunosuke Onoe, Hitomi Kuroki, Mao Inoue, Asaka Seto
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 120 mins.
  Opening February 28 2008

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
  250 years ago Soetsu, a humble moneylender, is murdered by Shinzaemon, 
  a cruel samurai, and his dead body is disposed of in the Kasanegafuchi,
  the pool of a river where it snakes around, and where legend has it, 
  those who sink into the water will never float to the surface again.  20 
  years later, in a chance encounter, Shinkichi, the handsome son of 
  Shinzaemon, meets Toyoshiga, the daughter of Soetsu, and they fall in 
  love.  When Toyoshiga dies from a mysterious disease, Shinkichi finds 
  that not only is he unable to avoid the mysterious fatality of the past
  and Toyoshiga's tenacious love for him, but he is also forced to confront
  the ghostly truths held by the Kasanegafuchi.

[ 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.

WINDS OF SEPTEMBER - THE TAIWAN CHAPTER
  Can : Gau Gong Fung
    d. Lin Shu Yu
    Rhydian Vaughan, Chang Chieh, Wang Bo Chieh
  Length : 113 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=684

[ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
  The winds of September are the wind of Hsinchu, a strong wind that visits
  the county and city between September and November.  The film takes us
  back to 1996, during the time of the tragic Taiwan baseball scandal, an
  event that devastated many teenage boys. The story follows Yen and Tang
  and their gang through the last year of their high school life.  From 
  chasing girls to midnight skinny dipping to rooting for their favorite
  baseball team, they do everything together.  When an accident throws Yen
  into a coma, their world starts falling apart.  A cruel reality has
  announced itself, can the boys grow up quickly enough to face it?

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.

WINDS OF SEPTEMBER - THE HONG KONG CHAPTER
  Can : Gau Gong Fung
    d. Heiward Mak
    Lam Yiu Sing, Sham Ka Kei, Anjo Leung Hiu Fung, Venus Wong Man Yik
  Length : 100 mins.
  Site : http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/programme/show_detail.php?fi_id=683

CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL
  Can : Mo Yeh ji Sing
  Lit : City Without Wildness
    d. Lawrence Ah Mon (Lau Kwok Cheung), Scud (Wan Yu)
    Leung Yu Chung, Ron Heung Chi Chun, Gia Lin Yuan, Monie Tung Man Lei
  Length : 100 mins.
  Opening March 22 2008 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival 
  Site : http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/programme/show_detail.php?fi_id=441

[ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTVIAL ]
  Resigned to playing at a remote facility without even a spectator's 
  stand, a local baseball team faces challenges on and off the field 
  before the international championships.  

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.

THE WAY WE ARE
  Can : Tin Shui Wai Dik Yut Yu Yeh
  Lit : Tin Shui Wai's Day and Night
    d. Ann Hui On Wa
    Paw Hee Ching, Chan Lai Wun, Leung Chun Lung, Idy Chan
  Length : 90 mins.
  Opening March 27 2008 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
  Site : http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/programme/show_detail.php?fi_id=638

[ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
  A widowed mother and her teenage son live in a Tin Shui Wai estate.  She
  works in a supermarket and helps a colleague breaks into her new job.
  The boy, average in each and every way, grows into adolescence
  hesitantly.  In passing, we find out that the mother has made big
  sacrifices to her family.  The way we are, the way we live; an ode to
  the salt of the earth.

LOVE IS ELSEWHERE
  Can : Oi Ching Man Shui
  Lit : Love Hail
    d. Vincent Chui Won Shun
    Yumiko Cheng Hei Yi, Sherman Chung Shu Man, 
      Jason Chan Pak Yu, Ken Hung Cheuk Lap,
      Yan Ng Yat Yin, Chow Pak Ho, 
  Length : 97 mins.
  Opening April 17 2008
  Opening March 31 2008 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
  Site : http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/programme/show_detail.php?fi_id=671

[ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
  The story takes place in the posh Soho, the city's favorite haunt for
  the fashionable minded.  The film begins with a young couple running a
  cafe and throwing in free counseling (their real dream is to save up
  for schooling in Beijing), and draws into this circle a playboy
  houseman, his object of desire, a gallery owner, her young delivery boy
  admirer who wants to be a singer, and an assortment of beautiful
  creatures.  As days turn into nights and nights into days, friends and
  lovers come and go; they dream of a love that ends all love.

CHOCOLATE
  Can : Nui Kuen Ba
  Lit : Female Fist Tyrant
    d. Prachya Pinkaew
    JiJa Yanin (Yanin Vismitananda), Ammara Siripong, Hiroshi Abe
  Rating : 110 mins.
  Opening April 17 2008

[ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ]
  Martial artist prodigy Zen has been living with her mother Sin since 
  childhood.  Sin is quiet and kind, thus making her the target of 
  extortionists.  Zen has always been kept in the dark.  When Sin has 
  cancer and needs a large sum for treatment, Len then discovers her 
  family fortune has fallen into the hands of extortionists.  To keep her
  mother alive, Len and her good friend Spider go on the road to get back
  her mother's money with her fists...

MASKED RIDER THE NEXT
    d. Ryuta Tazaki
    Masaya Kikawada, Kazuki Kato
  Opening April 17 2008

THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM
  AKA : THE J AND J PROJECT
  Can : Gong Fu ji Wong
  Lit : King of Gong Fu
    d. Rob Minkoff
    Jackie Chan, Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit),
      Li Bingbing, Crystal Liu Yifei, 
      Collin Chou Siu Lung, Michael Angarano
  Opening April 24 2008

[ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ]
  U.S. youth Jason is a super Chinese gong fu fan.  On an occasion, he 
  discovers a mysterious golden staff in a certain Chinatown store and is
  taken through time and space and the "door without door" to ancient 
  China!  Jason receives a shocking prediction that wants him to return
  this weapon to its owner and thus resolving the Monkey King who has been
  trapped for 500 years under a boulder.

  On his difficult search, Jason meets figures from the martial art 
  hero world and ancient legends -- One of the "Eight Fairies", "Drunken 
  Fist Master" and wandering poet Lu Yan, the mysterious and silent monk 
  and, the vengeful heroine Golden Sparrow.  The four travel over the 
  mountains and through the rivers and discovers where the evil Jade 
  Warlord has imprisoned the Monkey King.  The Jade Warlord sends his top
  assassin -- the cold blooded, white haired demon Ni Chang to lead an 
  army of over 10,000 in pursuit of the four.....

HAPPY FUNERAL
  Can : Lok Lau Hau Jor 2 Ga Suk Jeh Lai
  Lit : Sixth Floor Rear Flat 2 Family Appreciation Ceremony
    d. Barbara Wong Chun Chun
    Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Fama, I Love You Boyz, Tian Yuan,  
      Law Chung Him, Stephanie Cheng Yung, Lollipop, Eric Tsang Chi Wai
  Opening April 24 2008

[ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ]
  Landlady Susie after years as the landlady has run into countless young
  people.  She still misses the former rear flat residents the most.  This
  year, as she increases rent another group of new young people has rented
  this residence.

  Because her grandson will return to Hong Kong from the U.S., Susie takes
  the chance to find his grandson a wife.  Thus this time her strict 
  rental questions basically revolve around strange questions like blood 
  type and Chinese and Western astrology.  Some young people have great
  backgrounds, some are wooden and stiff.  As soon as she sees Kay and Chi
  Susie is already pleased with herself...  

BESIEGED CITY
  Can : Wai Sing
  Lit : Surrounded City
    d. Lawrence Ah Mon (Lau Kwok Cheung) 
    Tang Tak Po, Wong Hau Yan, Wong Yat Ho, Tze Lock Chiang Cho Man
  Rating : III 
  Length : 96 mins.
  Opening May 1 2008 
  Opening March 22 2008 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
  Site : http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/programme/show_detail.php?fi_id=425

[ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
  A young man in coma is under arrest for murder; as his older brother 
  delves into the past year of his brother's life, he discovers that 
  numbness and cowardice can have murderous consequences.  

MY WIFE IS A GAMBLING MAESTRO
  Can : Ngor Lo Por Hai Doh Sing
  Lit : My Old Lady Is Gambling Saint
    d. Wong Jing
    Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Meng Yao
  Opening May 1 2008

A TALE OF MARI AND THREE PUPPIES
    d. Ryuichi Inomata
    Eiichiro Funakoshi, Akiko Matsumoto
  Opening May 1 2008

CYBORG SHE
  Can : Ngor Dik Gei Hai Yun Nui Yau
  Lit : My Robot Girlfriend
    d. Kwak Jae-Yong
  Opening June 12 2008
  Official Site : cyborg.gyao.jp

[ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ]
  A straight laced young man runs into a robot from the future and becomes
  deeply attracted to this pretty, cute and unique robot girl.  They 
  gradually fall for each other but an earthquake disaster strikes.  He is
  trapped and his robot girlfriend risks her life to rescue her most 
  beloved......

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 10 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.

KERORO THE MOVIE 3
   Japanese Animation
  Opening August 14 2008

THE SHINJUKU INCIDENT
  Can : Sun Juk Goo Si
  Lit : Shinjuku Story
    d. Derek Yee Tung Sing
    Jackie Chan, Ken Watanabe, Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho)
  Opening September 25 2008

RED CLIFF PART II
  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 December 18 2008
---
[ 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

* SUNDAY ENTERATINMENT CONCEPTS INC. AND RESORTS ATLANTIC CITY PRESENT
  JEREMY CHANG HUNG LIANG AND EVONNE HSU (HUI WAI YUN) LIVE

  DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, April 13 2008 @ 1 AM

  VENUE LOCATION :
    Superstar Theatre
    Resorts Atlantic City
    Atlantic City NJ

  TICKET PRICES : $108, 78, 48

  TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS:
    Chinatown
    P & M Music
    2 Elizabeth Street 
    New York NY 10013
    212.732.3828

    Flushing
    41-46 Main Street
    Flushing NY 11355
    718.358.5678

-------------------------------------------------------------------
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 April 8 2008

10 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)

 9 ONCE
  d. John Carney
  Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova

 8 THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES
    d. Mark Waters
    Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Nick Nolte

 7 L FOR LOVE L FOR LIES
  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, Leila Tong Ning

 6 EVANGELION 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE
    d. Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki
    Japanese animation

 5 FOOL'S GOLD
    d. Andy Tennant
    Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland

 4 ESCAPE FROM HUANGSHI
    d. Roger Spottiswoode
    Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, 
      Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) 

 3 SCARED 2 DIE
  Can : Hat Sei Nei
  Lit : Scare You To Death
    d. Chin Kong Hong
    Sam Lee Chan Sam, Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, 
      Tommy Yuen Man On, Lawrence Chou Chun Wai,
      Tsang Kwok Cheung, Raymond Wong Ho Yin

 2 STEP UP 2 THE STREETS
    d. Jon Chu
    Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Adam G. Sevani

 1 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

------
Summaries for some of the films above.  Some contain SPOILERS

THREE KINGDOMS : RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 102 mins.
  Opening April 3 2008

[ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ]
  His country torn asunder by civil war, Zhao, a commoner, heeds the call
  of duty. From the humblest of roots, he rises through the ranks on wings
  of courage to command an army charged with liberating the land from an
  evil warlord. Inspired by action, honour and a dream of unifying his
  divided nation, Zhao's heroism becomes a legend. But as the years pass
  and the throne changes hands, the war still rages on. When a newly
  enthroned king decides peace can only be achieved by defeating the
  warlords once and for all, Zhao embarks on his final and greatest
  campaign - a road to adventure that will crown his name in glory for all
  time. 

SCARED 2 DIE
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 85 mins.
  Opening April 3 2008

EVANGELION: 1.0 - YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 98 mins.
  Opening April 3 2008
  Official Site : http://www.evangelion.co.jp

[ CITYLINE HONG KONG ]
  Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone is the first installment in a film
  series known as the Rebuild of Evangelion that reinterprets the story
  first told in the critically acclaimed anime series Neon Genesis
  Evangelion. Covering the material from the first six episodes of the
  series, this film sets the stage when 14 year old Shinji Ikari arrives
  in Tokyo-3. His mother dead and his father painfully distant, Shinji is
  lonely, quiet, and wracked with torturous self-doubt. But Shinji's
  arrival in the city signifies his chance to prove himself as one of
  three teenagers chosen to pilot a series of technologically
  unprecedented robots called Evas, mysterious hybrids of man, spirit, and
  machine created to fight the unrelenting monsters known as Angels that
  continue to attack earth, one at a time. Thrown into battle before he's
  had so much as a day of training, Shinji's desperate need for his
  father's approval isn't helped by the pressure of the world's survival
  on his shoulders, or the difficult time he has living amongst the other
  pilots, who very strangely, have suffered the same losses that he has.

L FOR LOVE L FOR LIES
  AKA : L FOR LOVE L FOR LIFE
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 106 mins.
  Opening March 13 2008

[ YAHOO! HONG KONG MOVIES ]
  Bo originally is an incredibly fortunate girl.  She and Chun, the 
  boyfriend who she grew up with, opens a small dessert shop after
  graduation.  Bo has her heart set on marrying Chun after the 
  business settles down.

  Bo one day runs into a long lost former classmate Kei, who has her eyes 
  on the ambition of the good man Chun, ignores her relationship with Bo
  and takes him away.  Poor Bo not only loses the love that she cherishes
  like a treasure but also the dessert shop that she has worked hard to 
  established.  She is left with the tragedy of losing both the guy and
  the shop.

  Mosquito is Bo's good friend who has a boyfriend of many years Fung.
  The pretty Mosquito often develops one after another short romance 
  behind the introverted Fung's back.  Mosquito loves Fung but she is 
  certain that the faithful Fung would not leave her as she is reluctant
  to be someone who is with one person for a lifetime.

THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS
  AKA : AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 95 mins.
  Opening March 20 2008
  Official Site : http://www.anempressandthewarriors.com

[ 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?

------
GLOBAL CHINESE SONG CHART

For Saturday, April 5 2008

15 HOW TO BE LONELY
  Can : Jum Mor Wui Jik Mok
  Ivana Wong Yuen Chi

14 ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
  Can : Yut Jau Nin
  Bibi Zhou Bichang

13 SIMPLE IS THE MOST ROMANTIC
  Can : Gan Dan Jui Long Man
  Fang Datong

12 WE ARE ALL CHILDREN
  Can : Wui Moon Si Siu Hai
  Yu Fei Men

11 GEMINI
  Can : Seung Ji Sing
  Michael Kong Leung

10 FALLEN INTO LOVE
  Can : Hum Yup Oi Noi Min
  (Yu Ho Ming, Gan Mei Yin)

 9 HI HI BYE BYE
  Cyndi Wang (Wong Sum Ling) 

 8 MAZE
  Can : Mai Gung
  Joanna Wang (Wong Yat Lam)

 7 I AM NO GREAT PERSON
  Can : Ngor But Si Wai Yun
  Jordan Chan Siu Chun

 6 LOOKING FORWARD TO LOVE
  Can : Kei Doi Oi
  JJ Lin Junjie (Lam Chun Kit), Jin Sha (Gum Sa)

 5 HIS STORY
  Can : Ta Dik Goo Si
  Hins Cheung King Hin

 4 HEART IN A PANIC
  Can : Sum Fong Fong
  (Lee Ji Ching)

 3 LOVE LOVE
  Can : Oi Oi
  Gary Cao (Cho Gat)

 2 WRITE POETRY FOR YOU
  Can : Wai Nei Seh Si
  Wu Kequn

 1 WOMEN'S COFFEE
  Can : Nui Yun Moon Dik Ga Feh
  Joi Tsai (Choi Shun Gai), Jin Haixin

------
[ 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.

WHY CAN'T JUST GET ALONG?

	Lately, nothing seems to be able to distance itself from politics.
	No matter what age you are, it is just something you cannot get
away from.  It is at work, at school, even at home.  This is just plain 
wrong.  (www.youtube.com/watch?v=fchFQLHEbi8)
	Your Chaffing Editor can probably get a baby to say Osama too, but
would he record it, put it on YouTube and risk sending himself or the baby 
on an all expense paid trip to Cuba courtesy of the Department of Homeland 
Security?
	Speaking of which, the Olympic Games is supposed to be politics 
free.  Alas, attention brings attention seekers and international 
attention brings, well, you get the idea.  Back in the old days (as early 
as when Beijing was trying to land the games) Your Chaffing Editor would 
have probably be one of the first person among China's enemies who would 
attempt to take out the torch.  Nowadays, 
	1. we really are in no position to cast any stone at human 
right violation (see last paragraph)
	2. being China's b!*(h, we REALLY are in no position at cast
any stone 
	3. June 4 seems but a distant memory as some descendents of the 
Tiannanmen protestors now probably have turned into China's "bourgeois 
capitalist pigs" that their grandfathers or great grandfathers either were 
or fought against.
	In other words, the lines have blurred so much that Your Chaffing 
Editor does not know who to support anymore.  Whatever happened to the 
Old Chaffy who would just simply vote for the Tailgate Party and be done 
with it?  (Here comes the hate mail from upset non-Carnivores.)
	Your Chaffing Editor watched all these protestors attacking the 
torch runner directly.  If you are trying to make a statement, make a big 
one.  Has anyone heard of Super Soaker, high powered fire hose, or big @$$ 
water balloon?  Screw the runners, take out the torch!  Nothing speaks 
louder for your cause than crushing the Olympic spirit.
	Finally, a story that is at least related to what the Games should
be about.  (www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/report_cheap_chinese_nba)

WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?

Jer Jer Stinks,
Your Chaffing Editor
Top Ten Central
---
[ WHAT IS YOUR CHAFFING EDITOR LISTENING TO ]
DAMAGED 
Danity Kane
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=S20NsEyzUeQ)

Do, do you got a first aid kit handy
Do, do you know how to patch up a wound
Tell me, are are are are you, are you patient, understanding?
Cause I might need some time to clear the hole in my heart and I
I've tried every remedy and nothing seems to work for me

Baby, baby this situation's driving me crazy, crazy
And I really wanna be
But the one before you left me so
Damaged, damaged, damaged, damaged,
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is
Damaged,
So Damaged, so damaged,
And you can blame the one before

So how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (Baby I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (What are you gonna do)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (Baby I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (What are you gonna do)

Do, do you got a first aid kit handy
Do, do you know how to patch up a wound tell me
Are, are, are, are, you,
Are you patient, understanding?
Cause I might need some time to clear the hold on my heart and I

You try to gain my trust
Talking is not enough
Actions speak louder than words
                                                                                                             
You gotta show me something
My heart is missing some pieces
I need this puzzle put together again

Damaged, damaged, damaged, damaged,
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is
Damaged,
So Damaged, so damaged,
And you can blame the one before

So how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (Baby I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (What are you gonna do)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (Baby I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it (What are you gonna do)

Can you fix my h-e-a-r-t
Cause it's d-a-m-a-g-e-d
Can you fix my h-e-a-r-t
Tell me are you up for the challenge

Cause my heart is damaged
Damaged, damaged, damaged, damaged,
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is
Damaged,
So Damaged, so damaged,
And you can blame the one before

Damaged, damaged, damaged, damaged,
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is
Damaged,
So Damaged, so damaged,
And you can blame the one before
So how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged

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HK Top Ten Central 
hktopten@hotmail.com	  | http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/2038