From: NO TOP TEN CENTRAL Newsgroups: alt.asian-movies,soc.culture.hongkong.entertainment Subject: [TAKE OVER] HKSAR Film No Top 10 Box Office (JUNE 5 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. Joey Yung Cho Yi who celebrates her birthday on June 16th B. Deep Ng Ho Hong who celebrates his birthday on the 13th 2. MISCELLANEOUS * (6/18/2008) The Johnnie To Kei Fung directed new film SPARROW (MAN JEUK) two nights ago held its premiere, actor Simon Yam Tat Wa, Kelly Lin (Lam Hei Lui), Lam Suet attended. Guests included Rain Li Choi Wa and Renee Dai Mung Mung. SPARROW has spent over three years from production start to release. To Kei Fung expressed that it has already been shown at other film festivals and should be securely released. This film took him the longest to make. Since the boss did not rush him he had ample time to think about the screenplay. The cast did not complain either. Would he give the actors raises? He joked that no one has mentioned that and since the boss was paying anyway he might as well. He said that the actors were ready before the shoot. Since the shoot took three years to make, did the actors' looks change? He said that Yam Tat Wa did not change much. Actors' looks would only change if they were sick. He also said that only Hong Kong would permit the director to take such a long time to make a movie. In other locations the first thing was to fire the director. Earlier reportedly To Kei Fung would work with PLANET OF THE APES and THE INCREDIBLE HULK's Tim Roth. He has also been rumored to work on RED CIRCLE with Chow Yun Fat and Hollywood star Orlando Bloom. RED would also be To Kei Fung's first Hollywood film. Tim Roth expressed that he appreciated To Kei Fung as a director. To Sir honestly said that he too appreciated the actor, but only said that the collaboration would be left to the producer and the film company. To Sir said that the screenplay has taken 18 months to write because he and the producer have not received one that everyone liked. When asked whether Fat Gor would be in Tim Roth's film, he jokingly wished that they would be stir fried onto one dish with Chow Yun Fat, Tim Roth and Orlando Bloom. He honestly said that he has always wanted to work with Fat Gor. If the film would be a foreign language film that would be made in Hong Kong, he would not mind at all. Has Fat Gor agreed to make the film? To Sir pointed out that was beyond him and revealed that he would like to start production this year. He also said that the screenplay has been in negotiation for 18 months, normally he would have left after eight months. He said, "Since I have longevity, I can wait a little." Where would To Sir shoot? He said that originally he would like to go to London or Paris, but he did not like foreign food. Now he would plan to shoot in Hong Kong and Macau, ultimately his own place would be easier to control. Yam Tat Wa and Lam Hei Lui attended the premiere. Wa Jai in the film practiced hiding razor blade under his tongue. Two nights ago he demonstrated on the spot and the host was surprised. Wa Jai expressed that he trained for a month with experts and asked everyone not to try it. Wa Jai said that yesterday he returned from Thailand to continue to work on film. Originally he had two films abroad in August but he turned them down to spend time with his daughter. In his new film he had a slight dislocation of the hip. Lam Hei Lui expressed that she would attend the opening of Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) management company, which she would sign with. Hei Lui said that she has stayed in Hong Kong to work more. * (6/18/2008) Currently studying overseas, Isabella Leong Lok Si could not return to Hong Kong to promote her new film THE MISSING (SUM HOI CHUM YUN) and fielded press interviews through electronic mail. Earlier she accepted a Mainland publication interview through the Mainland distribution company, Mandarin Film, her manager and manager's friend Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) before the questions got to her. The questions also had to pass two rounds of legal review to confirm that the pending court case would not be affected. The process took several weeks. Isabella revealed that she was living the life of an ordinary student in school, mainly studying English and rapidly improving. Now she would have no issue communicating with foreigners. She expressed that last year when she made THE MUMMY 3 TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR she met Yeung Chi King. Due to her less than fluent English she felt stressed and lost sleep. Luckily she had Yeung Chi King and the director's support and encouragement. She was not at liberty to discuss any question about her lawsuit against Emperor. After nearly ten years with Emperor, what has she gained and lost? She honestly said that she really liked acting so she grasped every chance to play every character well. Yet because she started work at a young age she not only received a lot of pressure but also lost valuable school life. She hoped that the audience would judge gain and loss with her work result. As for the decision to leave, she felt that fairness was not easy to come by. What she is doing now is fighting for fair treatment and respect. * (6/17/2008) Gig Lin Yuan, Monie Tung Man Lei and director Scud (Wan Yu) yesterday promoted CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL (MO YEH JI SING) in Mongkok. The film's poster received complaint due to the five topless actors. Its bus ad was also pulled. Tung Man Lei thought the moves were too picky. Posters were about art and beauty, not sex and nudity. She said that actors did not have their shirts on. Some in Hong Kong were too picky. Tung Man Lei also expressed that she has gained a lot of experience from the production. During the shoot the production had a lot of news. She hoped that everyone would appreciate the film as well as the athletes. Lin Yuan felt that the poster had no problem. As for complaints, she expressed helplessness. "I never expected Hong Kong people could be so conservative." Director Scud felt that Hong Kong people were too conservative. The bus company received a minority of complaints and pulled the ad, which would mean a total loss for investors. * (6/16/2008) The annual Shanghai International Film Festival opened last night. As the entire nation has been supporting earthquake relief, this year's theme is "The Power of Filmmakers, For The Light of Life". The opening ceremony cancelled all song and dance segment. Classic scenes that reflected human wisdom and courage in the face of disaster in film industry and famous film professionals like Jackie Chan and Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit)'s disaster relief short films opened the event. The documentary that reflected the Beijing Olympics preparation opened the event. Unlike past opening ceremony, this year's Shanghai International Film Festival turned the walk of stars outside the Shanghai Theater into a heart covered walkway and star autograph boards to "love message boards". This year's opening ceremony has reached the highest number of Chinese stars in its hisory. Wong Kar Wai, Jackie Chan, Gu Changwei, Jia Zhangke, Zhang Ziyi, Fan Bingbing, Chen Bo-Lin, Chen Yi Rong, Guey Lun-Mei, Peter Ho Yun Tung, Hu Jun, Jiang Wu, Gigi Leung Wing Kei, Ruby Lin (Lam Sum Yu), Betty Sun Li, Stanley Tong Kwai Lai, Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho), Tse Kwan Ho, Yuan Chuan, Zeng Li, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, Zhao Tao and others appeared. They as well as international film professionals from far away all wore a heart symbol on their wrists, walked through the event's walk of love and left deep well wishes for disaster victims. The focus of the ceremony was on the unveiling of the Chinese Film Lifetime Achievement Award and Chinese Film Outstanding Contribution Award. Famous performing artist Qin Yi received the Chinese Film Lifetime Achievement Award. When she received the award the entire venue stood up and applauded. Zhang Ziyi received this film festival's Chinese Film Outstanding Contribution Award. Originally this year's film festival Jin Jue Award chair, famous English director Anthony Minghella passed away in March and the event presented him with the Shanghai International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. Minghella's widow accepted the prize and gave a speech in Chinese to wish the Shanghai Film Festival well and to thank the Shanghai International Film Festival for presenting the honor. Zhang Ziyi confidently expressed that currently she had no plan to wed despite the ten karat diamond ring on her left ring finger. Film remained her profession. Her next new film will be a Hollywood city romantic comedy but she still had to act in her own place with her own language. She also felt that even though she was not able to represent Chinese film professionals she still hoped to be able to show the world Chinese film professionals' best side. Jin Jue Award international jury chair and famous Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai appeared with the jury and gave a special speech. He said, "Today we are here to welcome our beautiful tomorrow through film. At the same time we salute our touching past." In its 11th year the Shanghai International Film Festival received 76 nations and regions' 1,090 films, which broke all past records of film quantity, quality and nation and region coverage. This year's film festival kept the Jin Jue International Film competition and the Asia New Comer award, the film market, professional events like the international film screening and film forum. At the same time a disaster relief segment was set up. The Jin Jue Award would simplify the ceremony and donate some film screening equipment to the disaster area. * (6/16/2008) Sundream Picture's THE CHAMPIONS (DUET BIU) has been invited to participate in the Shanghai International Film Festival. Two nights ago director Tsui Siu Ming, producer Amy Li Fengming, actors Dicky Cheung Wai Kin, Priscilla WOng Chui Yu, Debbie Goh (Ng Tin Yu), Xu Xiangdong and Xie Miao attended the opening ceremony. They were very busy with over 40 media outlet interviews. Due to Priscilla's lacking Mandarin ability she was nervous at her interview and read the answers to projected questions once. Tsui Siu Ming also pointed out that he was very happy to meet with Mainland film professionals and friends this time, which was also a great opportunity for the Mainland media to get to know Wong Chui Yu and Ng Tin Yu. Cheung Wai Kin also has not attended a film festival in a long time. He even dyed his hair blond for a new look. Xie Miao made MY FATHER IS A HERO (CUP BA BA DIK SHUN) when he was eight. Now he has already grown up. Mainland media praised his looks and compared him to Collin Chou Siu Lung. He was also very happy about Tsui Siu Ming's idea of a movie with him and Tony Jaa. * (6/15/2008) After over 30 years in film Johnnie To Kei Fung two nights ago appeared at the Hong Kong Film Archive to attend the Johnnie To film award donation ceremony and forum to donate over 30 awards and some of his photography work to the archive for display, preserve and educate and to discuss how to preserve Hong Kong film. To Sir stressed that he has already donated all of his award and planned to continue to donate future awards for preservation and education. To Sir expressed, "As a film professional I hope to use my ability to promote Hong Kong film and reward everyone to pay attention to film culture!" On display were many To Kei Fung awards, including Hong Kong Film Award, the Golden Horse Award and some foreign awards, as well as footage from his latest film SPARROW (MAN JEUK). To Sir, film critics and guests attended the forum. When asked how To Sir felt the government should preserve Hong Kong film, To Sir said, "I feel it should preserve anything that can be, film props, screenplays and information all can be preserved. Since the government has spent money on building the film archive it should also spend money on preserving film information!" He also felt that when he made SPARROW three years ago he felt the importance of preservation. To Sir said, "Three years ago when I was making SPARROW I saw the demolition of the Star Ferry pier. After that I felt very sentimental and that film had to cover more Hong Kong scenery. I was responsible for preserving collective memory for the next generation!" To Sir revealed that he hoped the award donation would motivate and educate children to appreciate film. He stressed that he has donated all of his awards to the archive. To Kei Fung said, "I have already donated all awards that I could find. I will donate future awards too. I have been in film for so long, I should support the new generation of directors and creators. Only with them will there be stars!" When asked whether he has approached Andy Lau Tak Wa to donate his awards, To Sir responded, "I feel that is personal, some people say Wa Jai donated very little money. Actually I feel how much is donated is unimportant, the effort is the most important!" * (6/13/2008) Hollywood director Ronny Yu Yun Tai yesterday appeared on BE MY GUEST. Yu Yun Tai expressed that currently he is writing the screenplay for 108, a movie based on WATER MARGIN (SHUI FU JUEN). He is also conceiving 1421, a movie about Zheng He's voyage to the West, as well as working with Bruce Willis on a DIE HARD on the Silk Road project. Because of 108, many Japanese and Korean artists have offered their services to him. However he would like to cast Chinese actors of the three lands on two shores because ultimately this is a Chinese story. * (6/13/2008) The film THE MISSING (SUM HOI CHUM YUN) two nights ago held a charity premiere and raised 280,000 for Sichuan victims. Attendees included Angelica Lee Sinjie, Guo Xiaodong, director Tsui Hark and boss Raymond Wong Pak Ming. Other guests included DOnnie Yen Chi Tan, Freeze and Natalie Ng Man Yan. However Isabella Leong Lok Si was not able to attend. Boss Wong Pak Ming expressed that Leong Lok Si has already accepted some media electronic mail interview. "I haven't officially contacted her but I know that she cares a lot about this film. (Would you approach her with another film?) With the suitable script I would." Lee Sinjie had a tough time with the film's promotion alone. He said that Director Tsui Hark would cast her as compensation. Tsui Hark expressed that he knew Leong Lok Si could not speak in public about some matter. With lawyers involved he did not want anything unpleasant with the film distribution. He honestly said that her inability to promote would affect the film but no one wanted that. He also said that he has already received Leong Lok Si's apology. He knew that she wanted the best for the film. Aside from phone calls he also chatted online with her about anything. Tsui Hark said, her life is very happy right now. He expressed that she has not introduced her fiance to him. Tsui Hark also praised her as an actress with aura and great acting potential, a star who cannot be ignored in the film industry. He said that now her salary would be increased but he still would approach her with films. Tsui Hark also said, both Leong Lok Si and Emperor are his friends and he did not want anyone to be unhappy. Yet he had no intention to intervene because he did not know the contract content and the company policies. As for rumors of marital problems between him and See Nam Sun, Tsui Hark expressed that they never wanted to become the media focus. Thus for over 30 years they never talked about their personal lives. They would not respond no matter what anyone says. Could they still be called Mr. and Mrs. Tsui Hark? He only said, "Write that as usual." He said that his wife was at an Australian film festival and thus could not attend tonight. * (6/13/2008) After many quiet years Chinese film still has not showed any sign of life this year. In the first half of the year Chinese film box office as of May 31 had 25 film releases and made 130 million. The Stephen Chow Sing Chi starred CJ7 (CHEUNG GONG CHUT HO) made 50.82 million. Only 2 movies over 10 million, Andy Lau Tak Wa's THREE KINGDOMS RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON (SAM GOK ji GEIN LUNG SEH GAP) made 16.5 million and Alex Fong Lik Sun and Stephy Tang Lai Yun's L FOR LOVE L FOR LIES (NGOR DIK JUI OI) made 12.29 million. The Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun) starred KUNG FU DUNK (GONG FU GUOON NAM) and the Leon Lai Ming and Kelly Chen Wai Lam starred THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (GONG SAN MEI YUN) made 8.31 and 6.73 million respectively and without any outstanding performance. The remaining low budget productions were not attractive enough and had even worse fate! Although the box office has been poor, film companies still continued to make low budget productions. Universe boss Daneil Lam Siu Ming was asked whether it was risky. He said, "It has to be done even if it is risky because it is a business. Film production start indeed is harder and harder. Not to mention small films, Lai Ming and Chen Wai Lam's big film THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS also slipped. Viewers all went to watch foreign films. So now production start has to have targets and not be like the past when keeping different viewers in mind a movie adds different elements and goes all over the place." Lam Siu Ming honestly said that making movies now is much harder and takes more effort now than before, but he has not been disillusioned and never thought about giving up. * (6/12/2008) Mainland actor Guo Xiaodong recently has come to Hong Kong to promote THE MISSING (SUM HOI CHUM YUN) and attended last night's premiere. Isabella Leong Lok Si is the film's female lead but has been absent from promotions and premieres. Guo Xiaodong had nothing but praise for Isabella, calling her an actress with a lot of potential. At their first meeting he had no idea that she was only 20. In the film they played siblings. During the shoot she was very natural and involved. The first time they saw each other she already held him and called his "Big Brother". Their collaboration was a pleasant one. This film was about diving. Last May when they worked on the film in Japan they were together for over 20 days and had a lot of fun. He felt that Isabella was a very happy and cheerful girl. At the time she jokingly offered to cook for them and even promised to treat them to dinner when they come to Hong Kong. Yet when the film shot until the end of May, Isabella obviously was not as happy. Guo Xiaodong joked that he would chase after her for the meal. When Guo Xiaodong came to promote THE EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (GONG SAN MEI YUN) in Hong Kong, he learned about her lawsuit and rumors. He sent a text message to comfort her but she did not respond. Perhaps she was already in the U.S. He said that when he heard about the lawsuit he wanted to protect such a pretty girl from so much suffering. He would like to be able to work with her again. * (6/12/2008) The 11th Annual Shanghai International Film Festival would open in three days. Many Chinese films like NUI YUN BUT WAI (WOMEN NOT BAD), BUTTERFLY LOVERS (GIM DIP), and OI DUT HEI have already confirmed appearance at the film festival. New Hong Kong and Taiwan film stars like Charlene Choi Cheuk Yi, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, Guey Lun-Mei, and Wu Chen will walk on the Shanghai International Film Festival's Walk of Love for the first time. In addition, the committee revealed last minute announcements of many Chinese film industry heavyweight guests. This year's film festival opening Walk of Love will gather the mainstay of Chinese film industry to become a grand event for the two shore three lands' film professionals. As Mainland's only A class international film festival, although the Shanghai film festival is only ten it has already become a focus of attention nationally and internationally and the most important exchange platform for Chinese films. Thus, this year's Chinese film competition applications have been overwhelming and many film production promotion applications have been numerous. Currently confirmed productions included Jia Zhangke's 24 CITY, Tsui Hark's NUI YUN BUT WAI, Joe Ma Wai Ho's OI DUT HEI, Jingle Ma Chor Sing's GIM DIP, Manfred Wong (Man Jun)'s SING JEUNG (GROWTH), and Gordon Chan Ka Seung's PAINTED SKIN (WAT PEI). These film productions not only valued the Shanghai International Film Festival's platform purpose but also the special meaning of the film festival being held after the Sichuan Earthquake. Reportedly, the committee's call for "the power of filmmakers for the light of life" received each production's positive response. They all expressed that they would participate in the Shanghai International Film Festival together to pave the Walk of Love that assists in aiding the disaster area, which was the best way to express filmmaker unity and caring. Each production during the film festival would have different events that would support the disaster area rebuilding. Two shore three land merger has become one of this year's opening ceremony specialty. Ma Wai Ho's OI DUT HEI gathered the forces of Gigi Leung Wing Kei, Chen Bo-Lin and Shao Bing, Ma Chor Sing's BUTTERFLY SWORD united three lands' most popular idols Wu Chen, Ah Sa and Hu Ge. Many looked forward to popularity king Wu Chen's first film performance. * (6/12/2008) The 1/2008 community short film project launch ceremony took place in Shanghai. Mainland directors Xie Jun, Huang Zukun, Zhang Yibai, Wang Guangli, Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan Kam Peng, famous scholar and one of the writers of the community short film Yu Qiuyu attended the press conference and announced the official launch. Each guests received a special invitation, a 16MM film reel with the 1/2008 logo. 2008 has been an unusual year. This community short film project was titled 1/2008 to stress that each event of 2008 would be 1/2008, and each person of 2008 would be 1/2008. As soon as the project was announced it received Mainland and Hong Kong directors' overwhelming response. Directors upon learning this event decided to participate right away without any salary. They worked hard on adjusting their schedules for this project. Kwan Kam Peng said, "Many Hong Kong people's understanding of Mainland has been similar of themselves, very limited. After this earthquake, everyone saw the unity of China. In the face of a major disaster, all of China have stood together. I am proud to be Chinese." When asked what he would make the film about, Kwan Kam Peng said that in the past his expertise was with women films but he has never made a movie about mothers. Last weekend when he dined with his mother at a coffee shop, he saw the television news coverage of the earthquake. The disaster area had many touching stories that excited him, especially with the numerous mothers who risked their own lives to save their own children. Each of the touching scenes has stayed him to now so he has decide to make it about disaster area mothers. Reportedly Chen Kaige, Yao Ming and Liu Xiang will work together on a promotional film as a special contribution to the project. All three decided to participate at once and did not take a cent. Chen Kaige expressed that each Chinese person in the face of the gigantic disaster has suffered. Life thus was valued. Chen Kaige had confidence in the rebuilding. "We must rise up from the disaster as soon as possible. As long as we are united, I believe we can rebuild our homes on the grounds of disaster." Kwan Kam Peng also revealed that his next film would be a musical. Because musical had more preparations it took more time. However, the screenplay has been completed and he believed soon it would begin production. Kwan Kam Peng expressed that due to his busy work schedule he would not participate in this Shanghai International Film Festival. [ BLAH OF THE WEEK ] Columns, Reviews, Interviews 1. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 18 2008, FILM WORDS TSUI HARK FILM"S ANCIENT AND MODERN CHANGE Even Tsui Hark's new film THE MISSING (SUM HOI CHUM YUN) cannot attract local viewers. This year Hong Kong and the entire Greater China film industry mainstream productions truly has low production and numerous difficulties. Whether revival will come the RED CLIFF (CHET BIK) led second half of the year will determine. THE MISSING actually is the most well packaged and colorful Tsui Hark directed modern film, with eerie phantom, personality split, mystery and obsession as well as underwater adventure. Undoubtedly, these popular elements are no longer rare on the silver screen; only Tsui Hark's handling is still unique. As this column has discussed, this film wants to shoot too many things and has no way to focus the drama; a frequent problem in Tsui Hark films. Three years ago his SEVEN SWORDS (CHUT GIM) was also too complicated, wild and messy, but that big costume production had fierce fighting and over 7 million at the Hong Kong box office. Reportedly in Mainland China it made 70 million yuan. Now the modern new film has been overlooked. In the hearts of general film viewers, Tsui Hark excels the most at costume wuxia films. From nearly 30 years' BUTTERFLY MURDERS (DIP BIN) to ZU: WARRIORS FROM THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN (SUN SHOOK SAN GIM HUP), THE SWORDSMAN (SIU NGO GONG WU), and ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA (WONG HEI HUNG) series, as well as his productions A CHINESE GHOST STORY (SIN NUI YAU WON) and SWORDSMAN II (DUNG FONG BUT BAI), were very ferocious. Costume romance THE LOVERS (LEUNG JOOK) was also able to attract young viewers. The new century's LEGEND OF ZU (SHOOK SAN JUEN) and SEVEN SWORDS might have been complicated messes but still hits nonetheless. However, Tsui Hark also had many modern films. After BUTTERFLY MURDERS his second film was the very explosive DON'T PLAY WITH FIRE (DAI YUT LUI YING NGAI YIM) then made the very welcome ALL THE WRONG CLUES (GWAI MA JI DOR SING) and ACES GO PLACES III: OUR MAN FROM BOND STREET (JUI GAI PAK DONG ji NUI WONG MUK LING). He also has made ghost film WE'RE GOING TO EAT YOU (DEI YUK MO MOON), war resistance background SHANGHAI BLUES (SEUNG HOI JI YEH) and PEKING OPERA BLUES (DOH MA DAN), modern Lunar New Year films THE CHINESE FEAST (GUM YUK MOON TONG) and TRI-STAR (DAI SAM YUEN), and the very successful A BETTER TOMORROW 3 (YING HUNG BOON SIK III JIK YEUNG JI GOR). In 2000 TIME AND TIDE (SHUN LAU YIK LAU) was partial decent. Last year he also directed with Ringo Lam Lan Tung and Johnnie To Kei Fung the modern TRIANGLE (TEET SAM GOK). Tsui Hark's costume and modern films both had success and failure. The most disappointing costume film was GREEN SNAKE (CHING SEH), the biggest modern film failure was KNOCK OFF. His biggest critical and commercial success was the half costume half modern ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2 (WONG FEI HUNG 2 NAM YI DONG JI KEUNG), which was very full and focused. The action was extraordinary. THE MISSING actually could be a contrast to his first film BUTTERFLY MURDERS. Both merged ghost story, mystery and science fiction, along with THE LOVERS' romantic tragedy. This new film's performance undoubtedly was more effort than it was worth, but showed Tsui Hark's creativity remained rather strong and focused on modern psychological mystery. Unfortunately it lacked explosive action and passion and could not lock on to people's hearts. - SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/seekkkeiluklei) 2. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 18 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS DO NOT ANTICIPATE TELEVISION STATIONS TO CULTIVATE FILM PROFESSIONALS In the past television station was the Shaolin Temple for training film talent. Now it has already lost this capability. Television stations cannot be blamed. They have no duty to train for the film industry. Ultimately they are two separate industries. In the past it could, but times have changed. Not only in Hong Kong, other areas' television and film also had this close relationship. Almost in all television rose first then brought film success. In the end, television provided a practice platform for film professionals. If they only keep making very self centered experimental short films without truly facing the audience, perhaps they would have no way in their entire lives to understand how to make commercial films. In the past television stations first wanted people to give up themselves and start from the bottom for both on and off screen. Directors had to start from low levels, big stars had to first be extras. Chow Yun Fat, Andy Lau Tak Wa and Tony Leung Chiu Wai all have been. This generation's new stars only relied on looks and packaging to become male and female leads. When television stations want to make youth series, whether the guys and girls have any acting abilities they can be cast with just as little fame. Television stations cannot be blamed. Times have already changed and the media ecology has also changed. New talent training only had to understand what kind of environment it would need and not forced television stations to play their past roles. Films are very expensive investment, several million for one. They cannot randomly let some inexperienced new comers to make mistakes. Many in the industry hope to create more chances for new comers to show their abilities, but who has so much money for the experiments? Digital broadcast permits even more television channels. Future online television can also have ample chances for new comers to display their work. Video equipment is getting cheaper and cheaper. The issue instead will be how a group of directionless new comers can under the guidance of experienced film professionals to go from experimental to the commercial film world that can attract the general audience. - KWOK HIN CHING 3. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 17 2008, FILM WORDS THE MISSING: CONCEPTUALLY TOO COMPLICATED Tsui Hark films can be good and bad, but they definitely have tricks and impulses and would not be monotonous and dull. The problem instead is that he has too many ideas that are too grand. Often his fantasy reaches beyond any limit and constantly cannot concentrate. His new film THE MISSING (SUM HOI CHUM YUN) is a very ambitious modern mystery, an underwater adventure that is rarely seen in Chinese films. In addition it merges science fiction, ghosts, mental illness and love to be very full and intriguing and proves that "Old Tsui" is still as daring as ever. Yet it is too much, too messy and ends up making matter worse. It bombs at the box office and performance is less than ideal. Angelica Lee Sinjie in this film plays a Hong Kong psychiatrist who falls for an ocean photographer (Guo Xiaodong). When they go for an undersea adventure in an ancient city, they end up in a fatal accident, give her partial amnesia and often see ghosts. In the film the visuals are colorful and the story is mysterious, with a lot of unique scenery. Underwater visuals are rather beautiful, the funeral home in the rain "ghost journey" is eerie, and hypnosis to find memory has an unexpected change. Yet the story is truly excessively complicated and coincidental, cooking up headless corpse and body without a head. The search for the missing man brings a "white haired witch" ghost. Truly one things come after another. The story originally absolutely does not lack the thrilling suspense elements, but it gets looser and messier, exceeds reason, and provides viewers with no means to get into the film. The star of Pang Brothers' hits THE EYE (GEIN GWAI) and RE-CYCLE (GWAI WIK), Lee Sinjie this time continues to linger in an eerie environment where fact and fiction are hard to differentiate but is not convincing. Boyfriend Guo Xiaodong and his sister Isabella Leong Lok Si have few opportunities to work with. The hospital chief Tony Leung Ka Fai has drama but a very small role. The male character with the most chance to perform is the "patient" Chang Chen who has anxiety when his girlfriend becomes a ghost. The entire film actually focuses on modern people's mental disorder, but it is excessively fantastic without any detailed and complete character personality and relationship description. Even though it is full of gimmicks it cannot construct any intense drama and even becomes loose and dull. The latter part takes twists and turns from a science fiction ghost story to a tragic romance. The couple does not turn into butterflies but becomes mermaids. Their joyful swimming scenes with the music are full of other worldly feel but they are not touching at all. THE MISSING is Tsui Hark's modern effort, the writing and the directing are both full of material. Why overall it is unsuccessful? Obviously because it wants to be too many things it instead lacks any attractive center. Tsui Hark should focus his energy on quality and not quantity. - SHEK KEI (http://www.cultureshot.net/sekkkeiluklei) 4. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 17 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS LEARN WRITING BEFORE SHOOTING Johnnie To Kei Fung has said that to be a director first you would have to learn to write a screenplay. In the 80s when film was at its peak, any position like cinematographer, action director, art director, assistant director, screen writer, actors as well as bosses who invest but have no experience at all can be promoted to director. The ones who can stand firmly mostly have television station experience and came from a writer director background. The 90s eliminated many directors. The new group no longer has television station experience. Over the 11 years after the Hand Over, new directors who have performed better have all been screen writers and can write and shoot. In the past former writer turned directors mostly do not understand camera operation. Their technique is not well honed enough, but in recent years this situation no longer exists. Perhaps they are clear about their weakness and focus on this area before production. Pang Ho Cheung and Yau Nai Hoi for example have achieved strong personal style. Without writing background, the directors have production style but their common flaw is inability to properly tell a complete story. When viewers watch these films, they resemble 90 minute music videos. Some stories are too simple, and some are so complex that no one has any idea what they try to say. Storytelling is the first requirement for screen writing. Anyone who can write a good screenplay can make things that viewers definitely can understand, unless the film is deliberately fantastic. Experienced screen writers not only know how to tell stories but also know how to capture and relate to viewers. Originally television station directors' expertise would be in this area. Because they have made many television series that target the average viewer, they understand the general public mentality. After television production became an assembly line, writer director no longer had room to think. Everyday they have been rushed to production. In comparison, film screen writers have become the position that understands human nature the most. Because screenplays are written about people's stories, in them they speak the people's language. Director training courses, no matter in universities or other academia, tend to focus on production and overlook creativity. Learning to write before learning to shoot is completely accurate. - KWOK HIN CHING 5. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 16 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS LOCAL MUSIC FILM AND TELEVISION CONDITIONS The Hong Kong music, film and television products lost their past glory at the same time, which could be treated as a natural cycle. Yet this cycle after excessive thrive and decline requires a long time before another cycle start, which needs attention. The subject of rescuing the entertainment industry has already been discussed a lot. The government has established the film development fund to help the film industry, but the efficiency has been very low completely because the treatment is not right for the symptoms. The record industry shrinks as top singers went from selling several hundred thousand copies to several ten thousand copies. The situation is very scary. Television series has gone from reigning Asia to gradually return to localized, as Mainland and Taiwan series influence expands in the global Chinese market. During the film and record industry depression, a lot of call for making good movies and creating good songs have been heard. What are good movies and good songs? Everyone's definition is different. Some feels that Hong Kong film is depressed because of too many commercial films. In recent years indeed many unique alternative films have appeared, some new directors also put their hearts into making non mainstream films. Creativity is higher and has more variety, yet they do not help with changing the depression reality. Thus, industry insiders realize that attracting the audience back to the cinemas does not mean making some non mainstream films that the general public finds hard to digest. At the end of the 70s new wave directors' early work also had difficulty gaining wide support. In the 80s they switched to make mainstream commercial films and succeeded. The music industry was the same. When popular music fell into a depression, some non mainstream singers would accuse the music scene for never improving and only flocked to create "K songs". Thus they ended up on the dead end road. Yet few music listeners enjoy alternative songs. If not, even without radio and television station support, non mainstream songs today would have the internet for good songs to be widely broadcast. The fact is non mainstream songs cannot win the general public's support. Non mainstream singers cannot resolve the music scene crisis with just criticism. They need to make themselves mainstream to be able to be enjoyed by all. Television's problem is the industry is too systematic, but the situation is not worsen to no survival without change. - KWOK HIN CHING 6. TA KUNG PAO, JUNE 15 2008, SCUD MAKES HIS DEBUT WITH ART WALKER Without any big star or big production, and the subject of baseball, a very alternative sport in Hong Kong, the film CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL (MO YEH JI SING) has become the talk of the town lately. The source is one of the nine relationships in the film, which resembles a homosexual film and not this type of independent production's space for existence, distribution opportunities, and all the difficulties that it faces. As the writer, producer and director (the other director is Lawrence Lau Kwok Cheung) Scud (Wan Yu) says that he has already done what he can and should. "I am a 'walker'. My company is also called 'art walker', the meaning is like the sport of walking. You can't think too far ahead. You can only remember, each step you take forward you are a step closer to the goal." This Thursday's release CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL is a story about the Hong Kong baseball team. The story is based on the team members' real stories with them playing themselves. Scud stresses that this is a feature film and not a documentary, but for a feature film Hong Kong may not have any film that is more realistic than it. "I have spent nearly two years on researching the baseball players' stories. Everyone later even became friends. Thus I am considered rather knowledgeable in how several leads spent these 20 some years, including their lives and baseball; as for the non factual parts in it, they are dramatic requirements. Some describe this film as a 'gay' film, actually it is not a 'gay' film but a baseball film. It would have some 'gay' suspicion relationship scenes because I want to through some more special relationship reflect young people, especially people whose values are not in the mainstream, how they face their problems. Ultimately they run into more setbacks and loneliness than the average person." Difficult Roads Still Need To Be Walked He continues, "CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL has nine relationships, aside from the mother daughter, mother son, sibling and teammate relationships it still has five romantic relationships including Coach (Dai Yu Ching) and his girlfriend (Yim Wai Sa), Chung (Hong Kong Team starting pitcher Leung Yu Chung) and a girl with suicidal tendency (Monie Tung Man Lei), Chung and (Gig) Lin Yuan who has fallen for him, Chun (Hong Kong Team pitcher Heung Chi Chun) and his girlfriend (Lin Yuan), and Chun's statement to Chung. The entire film only has several scenes that have more obvious homosexual feeling but do not involve any sex act. I feel as a balanced film this ratio is rather appropriate, especially when it has neither made special promotion of homosexuality nor pretended it doesn't exist." "I put real facts in front of the audience so they can leave the cinema with thoughts. I would rather everyone face reality and not a fictional ideal situation for everyone to savor. CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL isn't a commercial film because it doesn't consider commercial elements. Whether you like it or not it indeed is an art film. If it is to be classified I feel it basically is a tragedy, a story about failure." He says, "I wouldn't feel baseball is a necessity. Baseball in Hong Kong is the loneliest sport. I want to say, we have kept walking on the road of life, continuously faced some things that are completely unexpected, with external and internal setback and sense of failure. The question is how do we face and overcome them? This is how I would inspire. I wouldn't promote how successful this sport is because the fact isn't such as. I through another angle brought out a message, that life is more difficult than expected but the road must be continued on." Not Considering Documentary Style He honestly says that he has never considered a documentary style for this film because it would not work. Not only would cinemas not screen it, but also such documentary style films may not even be able to find distributors. "Before making CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL, I invested in a documentary called (SUP YUET WAI SING), about how a movie fails to be made. The film was screened at last year's Hong Kong film festival and reportedly received good reviews. Yet it did not have any market at all, not with cinemas or television. The one hour length was not enough for DVD distribution. Finally it had no distribution or wholesale. If I would make another one about baseball, how many viewers would you think would see it? When I was doing my research earlier at the baseball headquarter and watched some video that taught baseball. I felt that if someone had an interest in baseball he or she would watch it, but for the general public the goal was to let more people know about baseball. A dramatic film would give the audience opportunity to understand the struggles of baseball players." Early next month, CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL will participate in the Taipei Film Festival. he would bring some baseball players to promote. He expected that the Taiwan market with a better baseball development would accept it more than Hong Kong. Yet he would like the Hong Kong audience recognition the most. Undoubtedly, through the media's widespread coverage, many knew that actually Hong Kong had baseball too. Scud says that this goal has already been reached. Some friends after watching the film ask him whether the players are real or actors from Taiwan. During the shoot, he discovered that this team of baseball players actually had a calmness that was rare among young people nowadays. They had a persistence in what they do and gave a rather masculine impression. In addition they were veyr orderly and united. Completed What Should Be Done As the new actors brought the director pleasant surprises, some obstacles during the shoot made him feel that Hong KOng lacked support for film. "This was my first official feature film shoot in Hong Kong, but I realized that almost everything required application. The applications often weren't approved. Even when we arrived on the shoot location we would run into obstacles. The same went for when we promoted. Here I thought Hong Kong was a little strange, different from overseas." He also says, documentary has already been viable overseas. Yet the Hong Kong market seems to have ignored such films' existence. Art films are even seen as impossible. As for his expectation for CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL, he responds with "Expect the unexpected" and claims that the entire matter is an adventure for him and proves that they have the courage to complete this matter, make the movie and put it on the silver screen. "We have already done what can and should do, now we watch and see. This is very close to my personality. I walk 100 meters competitively so my company is also called 'Art Walker'. Like competitive walking, every step forward is a step closer to the goal." He points out that he has built a crooked line on the company floor and says that it is a road that "Art Walker" must walk. He feels, anything that is successful and quality needs long term battle readiness. "Hong Kong actually has many people with hearts for art. They only lack opportunities. I recently directed another film PERMANENT RESIDENCE (WING GAU GUI LAU) and got (Herman) Yau Lai To as the cinematographer. That is a gay film with a scene about two guys skinny dipping and chatting on the platform. After the shoot I asked Yau Lai To how it felt. He panted and said it was very beautiful and romantic, which proved that art workers would have a passion for beautiful things. Both CITY WITHOUT BASEBALL and PERMANENT RESIDENCE have proven this point." - SIU () 7. TA KUNG PAO, JUNE 15 2008, LIGHT SHADOW PATH PASSION IS IMPORTANT IN FILM INDUSTRY FOOTING In recent years, the most severe issue in the film industry has been the loss of talent and increasing age gap. Industry insiders have run out of idea and can only do what they can. Film investments cannot make money, which is the main reason that leads to sluggishness in the industry. The new generation lacks passion for the industry and persistence of personality, which also are important factors. Many young people say that getting in the film industry is very difficult, they have to go through personal connections to get in. Actually now the situation is already different because each department lacks personnel. If they are willing to work hard "getting into the business" is not hard. With suitable training young people are welcomed to film productions. Unfortunately, many young people lack passion for work, get disappointed easily and give up. This phenomenon of course does not only take place in the film industry. The film industry is the midst of a crisis, workers need a lot of persistence and full of passion. Overall they need to be willing to "toil". People who want quick success have very hard time with film industry survival. A film company friend cites an example, a story about a heiress who wants to be a film producer. Reportedly the lady is familiar with the film company boss, who arranges for her to work in the production department. The supervisor asks her what she would like ot do and she says make movies. After half a day, the supervisor realizes that she wants to be a producer and is willing to start from the bottom. After two days of work the lady feels that she is not suitable for production and should be transferred to promotion and distribution. After another week, she resigns and goes home because the job is too simple (she does not understand the complicated ones) and too demanding (accuracy is required). This is a more extreme example. Ordinarily new comers are afraid of hardship and have worse endurance than middle age film professionals. The film industry (especially now) without enough passion cannot endure, education and training instead are not the most important factors. Our friend, current film still master Mars, is an example. Born in the grass root he does not have great education, has worked in construction for over ten years before having the chance to start a super 8 MM extension course. Then he has worked at the television station and switched to the film industry. Originally Mars was an assistant director, but he often brought his camera to the set and recorded on the set conditions. His goal was to let the audience know about a group of anonymous heroes who silently toiled away for film. By chance, the director discovered that Mars' stills were very special, different from the average still photographer's approach and angle and thus hired Mars to shoot the stills. Later Mars has become an outstanding set photographer. Mars' seriousness and persistence is famous in the industry, unexpectedly his example has another angle; persistence and creativity are the elements of success in the industry. - TIN LIK 8. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 14 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS NO CONFIRMED SUMMER HONG KONG FILM By mid June, many students have already completed their examinations and are waiting for summer vacation. Without the test stress even if they still have to go to school their chance to go to the movies is higher. Thus the summer slot actually has already started in mid June. Last year was Hollywood's strongest year. The writer once claimed that this year summer Hong Kong films would have hope for a revival. Unfortunately a lot has happened in China and hindered many companies' production plans. Summer films of course have to be certain caliber, but any film that is above mid scale must have the Mainland market. Otherwise with just the Hong Kong box office alone return would be endangered. Big companies have market experts for investment risk assessment. Local box office is the hardest to estimate so they tend to be conservative. Yet as soon as the estimate is conservative, the film would have a lot of difficulty starting production. In the first half of the year Mainland inspection has been rumored to be tightened or even stopped, which explained why summer film caliber has been lacking. Now announced summer releases are more confirmed with foreign films. Hong Kong films still have no final confirmation. Some Hong Kong films have been completed, but any that involved Mainland inspection dared not announce release date. In the first half of the year several films have already been postponed time and again due to inspection issue. Some finally received approval and has been scheduled for release like Tsui Hark's THE MISSING (SUM HOI CHUM YUN). SNIPER (SU NCHEUNG SAU) and FANTASTIC WATER BABES (CHOOK SHUI FU YUNG) have not yet been resolved. Industry insiders estimate that after the Beijing Olympics the inspection issue would be gradually resolved, thus these films would be released in September or later. Actually even more local market entertainment films should be released in the summer. The writer still feels that the Hong Kong film market has potential. Unfortunately some big film companies have less adventurous spirit for market exploration and only seek stability. Film has never been a stable investment and requires foresight and adventurous spirit. Last generations' film tycoons definitely did not rely on estimated figures. - KWOK HIN CHING 9. MING PAO DAILY, JUNE 13 2008, FILM AND TELEVISION OBSERVATIONS FILM TALENT MAINTENANCE AND TRAINING Johnnie To Kei Fung donated 36 awards from over the years to the Film Archive and promoted film preservation and new talent training. Lone Ranger To Kei Fung in recent years not only has stood up and made some daring comments but also has been even more active, like becoming the art development council film committee chair and through different methods like the Fresh Wave short film contest to cultivate new generation of film professionals. Film talent preservation and education is rather important because film itself is a creative industry that is based on talent. Without experienced film professionals in the industry, next generation talent cultivation truly would be very hard. Although many Hong Kong university offers film courses and different academies provide training, truly active industry talent training and academic or non active industry talent training are very different. Talented instructors are hard to find for film courses because the successful ones are very busy. How can they make time to instruct new comers for a long time. Anyone with the time to teach are either academic, analyst or non active professionals. Their experience and methods may already passed their time. The most effective training of course is on the job. Film is not something that can be learned in the classroom and working with successful film professionals at work is the best. During the master apprentice approach of the past, To Kei Fung at the television station followed Wong Jing's father Wong Tin Lam. Today this approach would be difficult. The industry ecology has changed a lot and few young people are less calculating like the ones in the 70s and the 80s. Back then with the chance to follow masters, no one would ask how much the salary is and how long the work hours are. Many brought money to work. For masters to instruct, the apprentice first cannot mind whether what they give and what they get are proportional. The writer knows many experienced film professionals have their hearts set on cultivating the new generation, hoping their valuable experience can be passed to the future generation of film professionals. - KWOK HIN CHING [ In Production Now/Soon ] Can : Jing Yun Lit : Witness Nicholas Tse Ting Fung, Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Zhang Jingchu, Sherman Chung Shu Man ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 Can : Ga Yau Hei Si 2009 Lit : Family Has Joyous Event 2009 d. Vincent Kuk Tak Siu Sandra Ng Kwan Yu, Louis Koo Tin Lok, Ronald Cheng Chung Kei Can : Tung Moon Lit : Classmate d. Herman Yau Lai To Shawn Yue Man Lok, Ada Choi Siu Fun, Ella Koon Yun Na, Elanne Kong Yeuk Lam, Chapman To Man Jat, Jun Kung Shek Leung Can : Chun Oi Dik Lit : Dear Andy On Chi Kit, Miki Yeung Oi Kun, Kwan Chor Yiu, Alice Tsang Hoi Won, Chubby (Siu Fei), Vivian Yeo (Yeung Sau Wai), HotCha STORM RIDERS II Can : Fung Won II Lit : Wind Cloud II d. Pang Brothers Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Dior Cheng Yi Kin, Nicholas Tse Ting Fung, Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, BUTTERFLY LOVERS Can : Dip Gim Lit : Butterfly Sword AKA : Mo Hup Leung Jook Lit : Martial Art Heroes Leung Jook d. Jingle Ma Chor Sing Wu Chun, Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, Hu Ge, Harlem Yu Ching Hing, Ti Lung Can : Nui Yun But Wai Lit : Women Not Bad d. Tsui Hark Zhou Xun, Kuei Lun-Mei, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, Alex Fong Chung Shun 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) 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, Law Wing Cheung, Cheung Moon Yuen, Kate Tsui Tsz Shan Rating : IIA Length : 87 mins. Opening June 19 2008 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. 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 Rating : IIB Length : 101 mins. Opening June 19 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=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. [ COMING SOON ] BREATH d. Kim Ki-Duk Chang Chen, Zia, Ha Jung-Woo [ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ] On a cold winter day, after learning her husband has found a new woman, Yeon absent mindedly heads for the prison where Chen is confined. Although she does not know him personally, repeated news of his suicide attempts on TV has subconsciously grown in her mind and now is leading her to seek him. Jin has no visitors and normally would not agree to meet with a complete stranger, but hearing that it is a woman he accepts her meeting request out of curiosity. Their first meeting is as awkward as it can get. Yeon treats Jin like an old friend whereas Jin does not open up so easily. WINDS OF SEPTEMBER - THE 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 SNIPER Can : Sun Cheung Sau Lit : Godly Gunslingers d. Dante Lam Chiu Yin Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai), Edison Chen Koon Hei, Huang Xiaoming [ 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. 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 MALAYSIA ] 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 July 10 2008 THE LUCKIEST MAN Can : Dai Sei Hei Lit : Great Four Joys d. Lam Tsz Chung Nat Chan Pak Cheung, Yuen Qiu, Bosco Wong Chung Chak, Lam Tsz Chung, Monica Chan Fat Yung, chan Kwok Kwun, Timmy Hung Tin Ming, Pinky Cheung Man Chi Opening August 14 2008 in Malaysia [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] Ho Bit Fat founded a mahjong parlor in the 50s. With his superb mahjong skills and wise management he now has all 60 mahjong parlors in Hong Kong and has the Hong Kong mahjong industry by its ear. The industry calls him "gambling king" out of respect. He has three wives, Sophie, Sister Ling and Manna, two sons and a daughter. Sophie's son Kei has no accomplishment and uses gambling king's reputation to start trouble all over. Sister Ling's son has never grown up. Having liked music since childhood he considers himself a singer. Ling's daughter Sisi is pretty and ambitious. She makes her own living and never relies on her father. In others' eyes Ho Bit Fat's wives get along well and serve gambling king together. Many are envious but no one knows that the wives and the sons have been fighting continously over the gambling king's inheritance. They not only get the gambling king's butler to watch his every move, but also turn food into hteir weapon as they constantly play pranks on each other. The wives constantly duel in the living room, where nothing is left unturned. As they battle to life and death, the gambling king brings home his illegitimate son Fai and makes the situation even more complicated. Fai is filial and respectful to everyone, thus has the gambling king's favor. The wives and the sons for their own benefit team up and often play pranks on Fai. On the other hand the gambling king wants to retire and in order to keep his business legacy going suggests for his three sons to each take care of a mahjong parlor, with the best performer becoming the successor. Kei and Kin in order to prevent Fai's victory not only hire monks and beggars to create disturbance outside the store but also three great swindlers to cheat at Fai's store. Because Fai has no knowledge of gambling finally he has nothing left. The gambling king orders his butler to take Fai and visit three mahjong experts of the 50s. Because the trio is already aging, they can only teach mahjong techniques via lecture. Fai's extraordinary smart enables his mahjong abilities to improve suddenly with the three experts' guidance. Finally a mahjong war is about to erupt... CYBORG SHE Can : Ngor Dik Gei Hai Yun Nui Yau Lit : My Robot Girlfriend d. Kwak Jae-Yong Opening September 4 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...... CONNECTED 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 Opening September 11 2008 [ YAHOO! MOVIES HONG KONG ] Based on the Hollywood film CELLULAR, single mother Grace as usual takes her daughter Yu Ting to school but on the way robber Yi Fok crashes into her. Half conscious and powerless, she witnesses Yi Fook ransacking her home and brutally kills her maid! Later he takes Grace into a cargo. Yi Fok forces Grace to hand over his criminal evidence or he would kill her entire family. Frightened, Grace takes out a heavily damaged mobile phone, builds it while no one is watching and miraculously makes a call for help. The call accidentally goes to a financial company loan department employee Bong. Bong's son will be studying abroad and is waiting for him at the airport with his sister Jeanie. He remains suspicious on Grace's call for help and hands the phone to traffic cop Fai. Unfortunately due to network problems Fai cannot clearly hear what Grace says and warns Bong about playing prank on the police. At this time Yi Fok suddenly rushes into the cargo and luckily Grace can hide the phone in time. When Bong picks up the phone and clearly hears a gunshot he realizes the severity of the call and decides to rescue Grace! The task at hand though is to prevent the robber from hurting his next target -- Grace's daughter. Bong must keep her daughter from falling into the robber's hand. With danger ahead of him, at anytime he may have to give up his valuable life to save someone... 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 [ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ] In the early 1990s, a tractor mechanic from China nicknamed Steelhead illegally enters Japan to search for his girlfriend. To make ends meet, he joins his friend in Shinjuku in doing menial labor. Steelhead finds out that his girlfriend has married Eguchi, a Japanese Yakuza leader. Steelhead decides to stay in Japan and work for Eguchi as a hitman. Soon, Steelhead gets used to the power and find himself embroiled so deeply in the ways of the underworld that there is no turning back. 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 * SUPERKEY PRODUCTION AND ATLANTIC CITY HILTON CASINO RESORT PRESENT ANGELA TONG YING YING AND RON NG CHEUK HEI LIVE VENUE LOCATION : Hilton Grand Theatre Hilton Casino Resort Atlantic City NJ DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, June 29 2008 @ 1AM TICKET PRICES: $ 108, 78, 48 TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS: Online: Superkey Productions http://www.superkeypro.com Superkey Productions 16 Bowery, 4th Floor 212.619.2628 P & M Music 2 Elizabeth Street 212.732.3828 Double Happyness Travel Inc. 133 East Broadway 212.513.7898 Brooklyn Paradise Vacations 778 60th Street 718.238.1228 * GEORGE LAM CHI CHEUNG LIVE VENUE LOCATION : MGM Grand Theatre Foxwoods Resort Casino DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, June 22 2008 @ 2AM Sunday afternoon, June 22 2008 @ 2PM TICKET PRICES: $ 98, 68, 48 TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS: P & M Music 2 Elizabeth St. 212.732.3828 Jessica Holdings 135-27 40th Rd. Suite 301 Flushing NY 718.460.2628 Trans-Pacific Travel 11 Tyler St. Boston MA 617.451.3478 * AH NGAU (CHAN HING CHEUNG) LIVE 2008 With Special Guest Sin To Lai VENUE LOCATION: The Theatre Trump Plaza Casino and Hotel Atlantic City NJ DATE AND TIME : Saturday night / Sunday morning, June 15 2008 @ 1AM TICKET PRICES: VIP$88, 58, 38 TICKET OUTLET LOCATIONS: P & M Music Inc. 2 Elizabeth Street New York NY 10013 212.732.3828 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 June 17 2008 10 THE COUNTERFEITER d. Stefan Ruzowitzky Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Streisow 9 IRON MAN d. Jon Favreau Robert Downey Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges 8 PENELOPE d. Mark Palansky Christina Ricci, Reese Witherspoon, James McAvoy 7 BE KIND REWIND d. Michel Gondry Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover 6 INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL d. Steven Spielberg Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen 5 THE MISSING Can : Sum Hoi Chum Yun Lit : Deep Sea Search Person d. Tsui Hark Angelica Lee Sinjie, Isabella Leong Lok Si Guo Xiaodong, Chang Chen, Tony Leung Ka Fai 4 THE HAPPENING d. M. Night Shyamalan Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel 3 SEX AND THE CITY d. Michael Patrick King Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon 2 THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN d. Andrew Adamson Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes 1 THE INCREDIBLE HULK d. Louis Leterrier Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt ------ Summaries for some of the films above. Some contain SPOILERS THE MISSING Rating : IIB Length : 118 mins. Opening June 12 2008 [ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ] A man who plans to propose to his girlfriend hides an engagement ring in the ancient underwater ruins off Japan's Yonaguni Island. However, the romantic underwater proposal soon goes horribly wrong when a freak accident befalls him. ------ GLOBAL CHINESE SONG CHART For Saturday, June 14 2008 15 LIKE WATER Can : Yu Shui Janice Vidal (Wai Lan) 14 QUESTION ANSWER USELESS Can : Mun Dam Mo Yung Wang Zijie (Wong Ji Kit) 13 SING WITH ME Can : Pui Ngor Gor Cheung Soda Green 12 CURED WITHOUT MEDICINE Can : But Yeuk Yi Yu Claire Kuo (Kwok Jing) 11 NO ABANDONMENT IN LIFE AND DEATH Can : Sun Sei But Lei Jackie Chan 10 Thousand Mountains Ten Thousand Water Can : Chin San Man Shui Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun) 9 LITTLE SUN Can : Siu Tai Yeung May Day 8 GROW UP OVERNIGHT Can : Yut Man Jeung Dai Andy Lau Tak Wa 7 LIKING YOU IS VERY TIRING Can : Hei Foon Yut Gor Yun Ho Lui Vinci Chan (Wing Yi) 6 MEMORY PIANO Can : Gei Yik Gong Kum Valen Hsu (Hui Wai Yun) 5 FAITH Can : Shun Lim Anson Hu (Wu Yin Bun) 4 EVERY YEAR HAS TODAY Can : Nin Nin Yau Gum Yut Leo Ku Kui Ke 3 FALLEN FOR BEAUTY Can : Oi Seung Nei Dik Mei Yu Quan 2 WELCOME TO MY WORLD Gary Cao (Cho Gat) 1 ROAD...HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE Can : Lo...Yut Jik Doh Joi Eason Chan Yik Shun ------ [ 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. I FEEL LIKE A MONSTER The impending start of summer has brought welcomed cool water and unwelcomed rain to the area. Alas, it also means school is out and someone's children are unleashed to the workforce. Top Ten Central is not spared. Your Chaffing Editor is starting to feel the same old "spider senses" when Juno starts with her Lakers taunt. Luckily Old Chaffy recalls lessons that were learned the hard way from a few months ago... Congratulations to the Boston Celtics. For all those years of mediocrity you found got what you deserved. Too bad it was with two of my least favorite players. Would someone please call Denver? Speaking of Juno, Your Chaffing Editor leaves it to the Japanese to keep him out of trouble. Robo Chick, you knew this would happen sooner or later -- consider yourselves saved, ladies. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25209226//wid/11915829?GT1=40006) Finally, last weekend Your Chaffing Editor stumbled semiconsciously into the cinema to see one of his favorite actors turn into green computer generated images. Unfortunately, the film no matter how much the commercials are trying to convince you is not "every bit as good as IRON MAN" and instead of San Francisco the rampage took place in Harlem. Fortunately, it is entertaining enough to get you through a dull summer morning / afternoon and Harlem was apparently in Toronto. On the other hand, Your Chaffing Editor has missed a free screening of THE HAPPENING by five people. You would think that he would have learned his lesson from BEOWULF. When he tried to see it in the cinema, Old Chaffy received a better offer and fell off the wagon instead. Sorry, Zooey. HULK SMASH, Jer Jer Stinks, Your Chaffing Editor Top Ten Central --- Lunar Stages 2008 Sunset Cinema Series: Chinatown, Summer of Love Columbus Park Paviliion Grounds, 67 Mulberry Street Manhattan 7pm – 8pm: Cultural & Family Activities Sunset: Movie Screening Free Admission (Limited Capacity Available) Bring a blanket/mat with you! Movie Lineup: 5.31 - Nana (Japan, 2005) 6.07 - Hooked on You (Hong Kong, 2007) 6.14 - Train Man (Japan, 2005) 6.21 - Falling for Grace (USA, 2007) 6.28 - Love on a Diet (Hong Kong, 2001) Note: All films are shown in their native language with English subtitles, except Falling for Grace. This program is supported, in part, with public funds from Lower Manhattan Cultural Council New York City Department of Cultural Affairs New York City Department of Parks & Recreation New York State Council on the Arts New York City Manhattan Delegation Special Thanks NYC Office of the Manhattan Borough President Tai Seng Entertainment Event Co-Organizer: Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI), The City University of New York (CUNY) For more information, please visit www.aaari.info/2008sunsetchinatown.htm. --- [ WHAT IS YOUR CHAFFING EDITOR LISTENING TO ] DISTURBIA Rihanna (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vYwF28qsAg) Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? I'm going crazy now No more gas in the rig Can't even get it started Nothing heard, nothing said Can't even speak about it All my life on my head Don't want to think about it Feels like I'm going insane Yeah It's a thief in the night To come and grab you It can creep up inside you And consume you A disease of the mind It can control you It's too close for comfort Throw on your brake lights We're in the city of wonder Ain't gonna play nice Watch out, you might just go under Better think twice Your train of thought will be altered So if you must falter be wise Your mind is in disturbia It's like the darkness is the light Disturbia Am I scaring you tonight Your mind is in disturbia Ain't used to what you like Disturbia Disturbia Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Faded pictures on the wall It's like they talkin' to me Disconnectin' your call Your phone don't even ring I gotta get out Or figure this shit out It's too close for comfort It's a thief in the night To come and grab you It can creep up inside you And consume you A disease of the mind It can control you I feel like a monster Throw on your brake lights We're in the city of wonder Ain't gonna play nice Watch out, you might just go under Better think twice Your train of thought will be altered So if you must falter be wise Your mind is in disturbia It's like the darkness is the light Disturbia Am I scaring you tonight Your mind is in disturbia Ain't used to what you like Disturbia Disturbia Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Release me from this curse I'm trying to remain tame But I'm struggling You can't go, go, go I think I'm going to oh, oh, oh Throw on your brake lights We're in the city of wonder Ain't gonna play nice Watch out, you might just go under Better think twice Your train of thought will be altered So if you must falter be wise Your mind is in disturbia It's like the darkness is the light Disturbia Am I scaring you tonight Your mind is in disturbia Ain't used to what you like Disturbia Disturbia Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum Bum bum be-dum bum bum be-dum bum ---------------------- HK Top Ten Central hktopten@hotmail.com | http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/2038