[2024.10.03] FOR THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 29 2024

For The week ending Sunday September 29 2024

10 LOOK BACK
    d. Kiyotaka Oshiyama
    Japanese Animation
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 58 mins.
  Opening August 29 2024
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/6PwY3ZUaPoY

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    Fujino is an elementary student publishing 4-panel manga in a student publication. She receives high praise from her classmates until her teacher tells her that truant student, Kyomoto, wants to try her hand at a 4-panel manga. Their love of manga is the one thing connecting these contrary girls. One day, however, something happens to them that shatters everything... A heart-wrenching and impactful story of youth.

  9 ALIEN: ROMULUS
    d. Fede Alvarez
    Cailee Spaeny, David Johnson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced,
      Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu

  8 BAGMAN
    d. Colm McCarthy
    Sam Clafin, Antonia Thomas

  7 IT ENDS WITH US
    d. Justin Baldoni
    Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Brandon Sklenar

  6 THE WILD ROBOT
    d. Chris Sanders
    DreamWorks Animation
    English Voices: Lupit Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy
    Chinese Voices: Joey Yung Cho Yee

  5 THE CHRONICLES OF LIBIDOISTS
  Can : Por Long Nam Nui
  Lit : Wave Breakng Couple
    d. Gilles Yang Ya-che
    Wu Kang-Ren, Liu Chu-Ping, Alisia Liang Xianghua, Will Or Wai Lam
  Rating : III
  Length : 106 mins.
  Opening September 1 2024 (Special Screening)
  Opening September 26 2024

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    From the acclaimed director Yang Ya-che (Blue Gate Crossing; Girlfriend, Boyfriend) comes a cinematic exploration of love and longing in the neon-soaked streets of Taipei. This is a tale of four souls, each lost in their quest for sexual fulfillment, yet bound by a common yearning for something purer, something that might resemble love. Meet Lu, a trans female haunted by an incomplete sense of womanhood, chasing the elusive high of a transformative ecstasy. Her best friend, Queenie, is a wealthy heiress entangled in an arranged engagement to a gay man, seeking solace in the intricate ties of kinbaku. Their lives intersect with a heartbroken dom from Hong Kong, adrift in the city and nursing a lost love, and Single Pa, a culinary enthusiast and former romance writer, struggling to mend the fractures in his family life.

  4 MY HERO ACADEMIA: YOU'RE NEXT
    d. Tensai Okamura
    Japanese Animation
    Length : 110 mins.
    Opening September 26 2024

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    "Next, it's your turn!"

    In a society where heroes and villains continuously battle in the name of peace and chaos, Deku, a U.A. High School student who aspires to be the best hero he can be, confronts the villain who imitates the hero he's long admired.

    Can Deku and the rest of U.A. High Class 1-A protect the world by putting an end to Dark Might, the man claiming to be the new Symbol of Peace?

  3 TRANSFORMERS ONE
    d. Josh Cooley
    Animation
    English Voices: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry,
      Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi,
      Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm

  2 STUNTMAN
  Can : Mo Tai Jeh
    d. Albert Leung Koon Hiu, Herbert Leung Koon Shun
    Stephen Tung Wai, Terrance Lau Chun Him, Cecilia Choi Sze Wan,
    English Voices: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry,
      Philip Ng Won Lun, Max Cheung Tat Lun,
      Lam Yiu Sing, Rachel Leung Yung Ting
      Stephanie Che Yuen Yuen, Keith Ng Shui Ting, To Yin Gor
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 113 mins.
  Opening September 26 2024
  Teaser : https://youtu.be/yuId0bB2LW0
  fb : www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090464305290
  ig : https://www.instagram.com/stuntman.film/
  Site : https://hiff.org/events/stuntman/

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    LEE Sam was the undisputed king of stunt choreography during the golden era of Hong Kong action cinema in the 80s. After a devastating stunt accident, Sam steps away from the industry for 30 years. However, his old friend, a veteran director, has now persuaded Sam to work as the stunt choreographer on what will be the director's last film. The only catch is that his film stars Wai - Sam's former stunt crew member who has since become a famous action star in his own right. Sam and Wai have a contentious history, with Sam's infamously overbearing and demanding personality clashing with Wai's own ego and ambition. By chance, Sam crosses paths with a young, ambitious stuntman named LEE Sai Long, who sees this as an opportunity to advance his career. Long is caught between Sam and his former protégé turned rival. At the same time, Long helps Sam to reconcile with his estranged daughter, Cherry. As Sam returns to the world he once dominated, he must confront his past, mend fences with Wai, and overcome their personal conflicts in order to deliver an epic final action spectacle for the director's swan song. However, in the midst of shooting a robbery heist, Sam's shortsightedness endangers the public, and members of his crew are arrested, causing him to be fired. As the pressure mounts and the stakes rise, Sam must decide what he's truly fighting for—reclaiming his former glory or reconnecting with the daughter he's taken for granted. [ SCREEN DAILY FILMART 2023 ] An once-famous stunt director pursues a comeback but disrupts the relationship with his daughter in the process.

  1 LOVE LIES
  Can : Ngor Tam Dik Na Cheung Luen Oi
    d. Ho Miu Ki
    Sandra Ng Kwan Yu, MC Cheung Tin Fu, Stephy Tang Lai Yun,
      Chan Fai Hung, Emotion Cheung Kam Ching,
      Ronald Cheng Chung Kei, Jo Koo Cho Lam, Elva Ni,
      Joman Chiang, Lam Yiu Sing, Norman Noel
  Rating : I
  Length : 116 mins.
  Opening July 15 2024 at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival
  Opening July 21 2024 at the Malaysia International Film Festival
  Opening July 26 2024 at M Plus (Preview)
  Opening August 23 2024 (Preview)
  Opening September 12 2024
  Teaser : https://youtu.be/6o-eMc9CaMc
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/c1v4-GhyeGQ
  fb: www.facebook.com/loveliesfilm
  ig: www.instagram.com/loveliesmovie
  Site : hiff.org/events/lovelies/

[ SCREEN DAILY ]
      A widowed gynaecologist falls for a French engineer on a dating app, which turns out to be a romance scam. Nevertheless, she insists it is true love despite being swindled out of a large sum of money.

[ 2024 NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL ]
    Are online "romance scams" always destructive? In this moving, absorbing feature debut from Ho Miu-ki, Sandra Ng plays Veronica, a wealthy, widowed doctor who falls for a middle-aged French engineer on a dating app. Soon, "Alain" has convinced her to provide large infusions of funds and Veronica’s friends urge her to report him to the police. But even as she assures them it's true love, Alain must steel his heart of gold and quell his second thoughts to continue bringing in cash or risk painful consequences. With a hilarious Stephy Tang as the young scammer's coach, this captivating film probes the unlikely emotional connection that forms between a lonely young man and a vibrant older woman—and sets crucial scenes in the pretty-as-a-postcard Sapporo.

[ M PLUS ]
    A successful obstetrician-gynecologist whose love life has stagnated, Veronica casually downloads a dating app for some harmless fun. Little does she know that the dashing French engineer on the other end of the line is actually a local con artist named Joe. The young man inadvertently joined a group of online scammers led by the oddball veteran Mr. White and the maudlin temptress Joan. As their fake relationship grows, so have Joe's guilty conscience and Veronica's hopes. First-time director Ho Miu-ki takes on the romantic comedy formula from a refreshing and topical angle, inquiring the essence of romantic love through the prism of deceit.

[2024.10.02] FOR THE WEEK STARTING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 2024

For the week starting Saturday, September 28 2024 (Week 39)

VIUTV CHILL CLUB CHART (WEEK 40)

  5 DTR
  VIVA

https://youtu.be/UVGQsdkXNME

  4 SUSTAINABLE ROMANCE
  Can : Hor Chi Jook Long Man
  The Hertz

https://youtu.be/rMKRyLqHXTM

  3 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
  Can : Sun Oi Gai Yun
  Tang Siu Hau

https://youtu.be/QIWasCe4IU8

  2 HOW ABOUT WE DANCE
  Can : Jing Lun Leung Woot Poot Cheng Gor Jeh
  Phil Lam Yik Hong

https://youtu.be/iyXE41wkOEQ

  1 THE SOUND OF THE MOMENT
  Can : Ling Ting Sai Gai Jeh Fun Jung
  Alfred Hui Ting Hung

https://youtu.be/afdHJvfqYWo

[2024.10.01] PHILIP NG ATTENDS STUNTMAN AUDIENCE APPRECIATION EVENT

Kung fu expert Philip Ng shows off a few moves
courtesy of on.cc

Philip Ng rushes to the cinema for an audience appreciation event as soon as he gets off the plane
courtesy of singtao.com

Max Cheung wants to learn kung fu from Philip

courtesy of mingpao.com

Philip Ng Won Lung, Max Cheung Tat Lun, directors Albert Leung Koon Hiu and Herbert Leung Koon Shun attended an audience appreciation event for STUNTMAN (MO TAI DOH) the night before. Before entering the venue, Ng Won Lung and several action actors who played "Wai Stuntman Association" in the film performed Kung Fu on the spot to create momentum and attracted many spectators. Breaking a board with a flying kick, Ng Won Lung pretended to be injured and hobbled after the performance, which was very funny.

STUNTMAN was released in Hong Kong last Thursday, and as of the day before yesterday (29th), its box office approached HK$ 3 million. Just returning from work in Europe, Ng Won Lung rushed to the audience appreciation event with Cheung Tat Lun as soon as he got off the plane the night before. They expressed their gratitude to the audience for their support of Hong Kong films. He was full of confidence in the film and said, "The budget of STUNTMAN isn't high and the shoot schedule is tight, but with many things I don't care about how long it takes, but the team spirit of cooperation is more important. This time, I am most grateful to have director (Benz) Kong Tao Hoi who is familiar with action movies and two directors Leung at the helm, so the action performance isn't considered difficult. In addition both the drama and the action scenes are attractive to the audience. There are not too many location changes either so the shoot felt easy."

Cheung Tat Lun said that he brought his 7-year-old son to watch the movie before. After watching this movie, he actually fell in love with action movies and was punching and kicking at home. He asked Ng Won Lung on the spot if he could recommend a kung fu teacher? Ng Won Lung suggested that Cheung Tat Lun's child should learn judo first, learn the basic skills, and learn how to fall to the ground safely without getting hurt. If Cheung Tat Lun does not mind, he can teach him. Upon hearing this, Cheung Tat Lun said that even he himself was interested in learning Kung Fu because it would be useful in future filming. H e said with a smile, "I get beaten a lot when I'm filming, and I'm really afraid when I hit people during the shoot."

Ng Won Lung also said that he does not have a martial arts school in Hong Kong, but he has been a stuntman for many years and already has a group of students. One of his students has already served as a stand-in for a lead in Hollywood, which made him happy because Kung Fu was able to flourish outside of Hong Kong. Has anyone heard about him and come here to become a disciple? He said, "Many friends in the industry have asked me to teach them kung fu, and the most well-known ones are (Nicholas) Tse Ting Fung, the girl group 2R, and artists under the same management company."

Busy with audience appreciation for the past few days, Cheung Tat Lun played the brother of Terrance Lau Chun Him in the film. The bromance between the two even made the male audience cry, which he said made him happy.

[2024.09.29] MC CHEUNG ATTENDS 8 AUDIENCE APPRECIATION SHOWS AS LOVE LIES PASSES HK$ 10 MILLION

MC Cheung hopes his movie LOVE LIE would continue to climb at the box office

MC Cheung attended an audience appreciation event with the team
courtesy of mingpao.com

The MC Cheung Tin Fu and Sandra Ng Kwan Yu starred movie LOVE LIES (NGOR TAM DIK NA CHEUNG LUEN OI) was released on the 17th. As of yesterday (September 28th), its box office exceeded HK$ 10 million. Yesterday MC participated in an audience appreciation event with the team including director Ho Miu Ki. They went to different theaters to thank the audience for 8 shows. Each of the audience appreciation shows were sold out.

MC was building momentum for LOVE LIES and went to 8 consecutive audience appreciation shows yesterday. He joked that he "threw his body out there" and has already seen the movie four or five times before. At one of the stops, MC sang a few lines of the movie theme song "Pen Pal" acapella in response to audience requests.

An audience member asked which line of dialogue in the film was the most memorable? MC loudly performed and said, "How tall is he?" Upon hearing this, the director said that she did hot know how tall MC was when she first wrote the script. The two worked in unison to create a relaxed atmosphere.

MC was happy that the box office has exceeded HK$ 10 million and he has become a HK$ 10 million actor. He said, "I am not very familiar with the film industry, so I don't know what is considered a good performance. For me, exceeding 10 million already felt great. I don't have any set goal, of course the more the better. I will communicate with the director on how to give back to the audience. I don't mind if I am promoting the movie; but if I am asked to remove my shirt, it seems to have nothing to do with the movie."

MC was grateful to the fans for their support. He also hoped to make more movies in the future. When he would receive other scripts, he would take a closer look at them. MC wanted to challenge highly difficult roles, "I want to challenge playing a character with a mental disorder, but if it is a simple, realistic character, it will be difficult to play it calmly."

MC said he did not mind paying for a celebration for the team and would wait for the team's arrangements; he also revealed that the most difficult thing about learning to ride a motorcycle recently was balance, and he will take the rider test in November. He said that people who ride motorcycles have an unique aura, and what he was most concerned about was maintaining his hairstyle when removing his helmet.

Speaking of his manager May being accused of playing with popcorn in the cabin during a flight earlier and causing a mess and the online criticism of her for inappropriate behavior, MC said, "Throwing popcorn randomly will indeed mess up the place. This is an example that everyone should learn from."

[2024.09.27] SAMMO HUNG HOSTS TOKYO FILM FESTIVAL MASTER CLASS

Sammo Hung will attend a master class and film seminar at the Tokyo Film Festival next month to share his experience in shooting action films.
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 37th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will be held from October 28th to November 6th. The selections of each section were announced the day before yesterday. The Sean Lau Ching Wan starred PAPA was chosen for competition, and the Dayo Wong Tze Wah and Michael Hui Koon Man co-starred THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK) and the Anthony Wong Chau Sun starred VALLEY IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH (BUT SEH JI JUI) were selected for the World Focus and Asia Future categories respectively. STILL HUMAN (LUN LOK YUN) director Oliver Chan Siu Kuen's new work MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT) will appear in this year's newly added Women's Empowerment section. Hong Kong filmmakers will be in the spotlight.

In addition, kung fu star and this year's Hong Kong Film Awards Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Sammo Hung Kam Bo will also attend the Tokyo Film Festival, host a master class and participate in the film festival investment promotion event TIFFCOM seminar, where he, Japanese actor Kurata Yasuaki and TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) action director Kenji Tanigaki would share their action film experience.

Receiving film production investment from the "Hong Kong-Asian Collabortion Funding Scheme" earlier, Stanley Kwan Kam Peng, Jun Li Chun Shek and Cheuk Wan Chi will also attend the TIFFCOM seminar. The funded work ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE WRONG THAT LED US TO THIS (JAU SIK NAM NUI) would be Kwan Kam Peng produced, Li ChunShek written, and Japanese director Daiji Matsunaga directed; the other, 38.83, would be Cheuk Wan Chi written and directed and telling the story of two generations of women.

[2024.09.27] KAY TSE LETS HER APPETITE LOOSE WHILE PROMOTING IN MALAYSIA

Kay Tse visits a scenic spot in Malaysia and skips rope for a photo

Kay Tse often conducts self exams in regards to breast health
courtesy of on.cc

Singer Kay Tse On Kay attended an event yesterday and stated that she would help her husband Louis Cheung Kai Chung with breast exams at home. She praised them for being very elastic and good to touch! Earlier she went to Malaysia to interact with movie fans. During the event, she kept mentioning her husband and joked that she had a "lovestruck brain".

Tse On Kay attended a breast cancer prevention event in Kowloon Tong yesterday. She said that in addition to annual check-ups, she also conducts self exams. Has her husband Cheung Kai Chung help with the exam? She laughed and said, "You can check yourself, and you can ask your other half to help you. Checking yourself is even better, you know how it feels. However, if your other half cares about you, he can easily feel it too. (Have you given your husband an exam?) His muscles are different from our soft ones, but he feels pretty good to touch, very elastic." Speaking of her music, she said that she deliberately slowed down her pace this year to make fans miss her. She was preparing for the 20th anniversary of her career next year, with plans to release new songs and hold concerts.

In addition, Kay recently attended the "Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2024: Malaysia" on behalf of the movie OUT OF THE SHADOW (NGOR DAI DIK TUI YUN SUN WOOT), interacted with fans and talk about the the new film production experience. At the event she admitted that her husband Louis Cheung Kai Chung influenced her journey to become an actress. She mentioned her husband's name four times during the event that day, and she couldn't help but laugh and said that she had a "lovestruck brain." Kay took advantage of this opportunity to visit Malaysia again and indulged in local delicacies, especially desserts that she couldn't resist. She said, "I'm usually very restrained when it comes to desserts, but when I came here I felt too happy; so I was extravagant for those few days, ate a lot of different desserts and a lot of authentic delicacies. " She also visited the nostalgic Kwai Chai Hong to take photos, and enjoyed a relaxing and happy time while skipping rope in front of the famous mural.

[2024.09.26] THE LAST DANCE WILL PREMIERE AT THE TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Two great comedians, Dayo Wong and Michael Hui, gave an unusual performance this time.
courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of mingpao.com.com

PAPA will be in competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Dayo Wong and Michael Hui have confirmed that they will attend THE LAST DANCE's Tokyo International Film Festival premiere

The Oliver Chan directed MONTAGE OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD has been selected for this year's newly added WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT section
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 37th Tokyo International Film Festival will be held from October 28 to November 6. Yesterday, the event announced its selections. Chinese-language films became the focus. Among the 15 films in competition, 5 were Chinese-language films. They included the Philip Yung Tsz Kwong directed, Sean Lau Ching Wan and Jo Koo Cho Lam starred PAPA, a Hong Kong film in competition in six year. The Michael Hui Koon Man and Dayo Wong Tze Wah starred THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK) was selected into the World Focus section, and the two will attend the premiere to interact closely with fans from all over the world. This year, a new Women's Empowerment section has been added and the STILL HUMAN (LUN LOK YUN) director Oliver Chan Siu Kuen's new film MONTAGES OF MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT) is on the list.

The Tokyo International Film Festival held a press conference yesterday. A total of 2,023 films from 110 countries and regions around the world were registered, which was more than last year's 1,942 films. 15 films were selection for the competition this year, 5 of which were Chinese films, including the mainland director Yang LiNa directed, Jackson Yee starred BIG WORLD, the Midi Z (Zhao Deyin) directed, Zhao Liying starred THE UNSEEN SISTER, the Dong Zijian written, directed and starred MY FRIEND AN DELIE, the Taiwanese director Huang Xi directed and Sylvia Chang starred DAUGHTER'S DAUGHTER, and the Hong Kong director of PORT OF CALL (DAP HUT CHUM MUI), Yung Tsz Kwong directed new film PAPA.

PAPA was inspired by the "Tsuen Wan Heung Wo Street Mother and Sister Murder Case" that shocked all of Hong Kong. It will have its world premiere. Regarding the new film's selection, Lau Ching Wan said, "I am very happy and hope that more Hong Kong films will receive more attention internationally." Producer Amy Chin Siu Wai said, "I am very encouraged and honored to be favored by the Tokyo Film Festival." Director Yung Tsz Kwong said, "I'm very happy. PAPA is a movie. Thank you very much!"

The mainland director Ye Xingyu directed THREE CASTRATED GOATS, the Wang Di directed THE VESSLE'S ISLE, the Malaysian director Chong Keat Aun and Fish Liew Chi Yu starred PAVANE FOR AN INFANT, the Lee Kang-Sheng starred "Black Bull" and the Jeffrey Lam Sen and Antonio Tam Sin Yrunh directed, Anthony Wong Chau Sun starred Hong Kong film VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH were selected for the Asian Future Category. Chau Sun congratulated the new film on its selection via social media. Lam Sen felt greatly encouraged and looked forward to the film's world premiere in Tokyo.

Chan Mou Yin wrote and directed, and Wong Tze Wah and Hui Koon Man starred Hong Kong film THE LAST DANCE has been selected for the World Focus category. They will attend the premiere with their co-stars Michelle Wai Sze Nga, Chu Pak Hong to interact with fans from all over the world.

The event has added a new Women's Empowerment section this year. The Oliver Chan Siu Keun directed Hong Kong film MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT) is selected. The Hedwig Tam Sin Yin and Siuyea Lo Chun Yip starred film focuses on the parenting dilemma of modern women and will premiere in Japan. The Hong Kong film TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIROS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING) will also be screened at the film festival.

This year's competition jury president is Tony Leung Chiu Wai, and the jury includes Hong Kong director Johnnie To Kei Fung, Japanese actress Ai Hashimoto of CONFESSIONS, Hungarian female director Ildiko Enyedi of ON BODY AND SOUL and BELOVED's French actress Chiara 9 Mastroianni.

The Emperor Motion Picture THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK) is scheduled for release on November 14. After being selected for the "Hawaii International Film Festival", the film was also selected as the opening film of the "21st Hong Kong Asian Film Festival" and a part of the Tokyo International Film Festival. Directors Anselm Chan Mou Yin, Dayo Wong Tze Wah, Michael Hui Koon Man, Michelle Wai Sze Nga and Chu Pak Hong will fly to the city in person to attend the premiere and interact with fans. The film festival poster will also be unveiled at the same time, designed by art master William Chan Suk Ping.

Wong Tze Wah and Hui Koon Man collaborated on the screen again after 32 years. In the new film they played a pair of partners in the funeral industry with completely different personalities. In one of the confession scenes, when Tze Wah's performance reached the emotional part he could not hide his emotions and choked up. After the filming he even walked aside to wipe his tears. Then the two characters sang a song to forget their grudges. Tze Wah and Michael sang a Nam Yam song for the first time, which brought a extremely powerful performance.