[2013.12.27] 4 HONG KONG FILMS WILL CELEBRATE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

Many looks forward to Chow Yun Fat's return

Sandra Ng plays Ah Kam for the third time in GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS 

Chow Yun Fat has a gun in his hand again in FROM VEGAS TO MACAU

Chow Yun Fat guest stars as the Jade Emperor in THE MONKEY KING

Sandra Ng in HELLO BABIES

Donnie Yen as THE MONKEY KING

Aaron Kwok as the Bull Demon King in THE MONKEY KING

Eric Tsang teams up with Raymond Wong in HELLO BABIES

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney with Emma Thompson in SAVING MR. BANKS

Chris Pine and Kevin Costner in JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT

Wong Jing is very confident about FROM VEGAS TO MACAU
courtesy of mingpao.com

Hong Kong film has been in a fragile state for years. In past major slots foreign films have given them a "gang beating". However this year Hong Kong films make a strong comeback. In the past 4 years Lunar New Year Hong Kong films have been a competition between Raymond Wong Pak Ming and Eric Tsang Chi Wai. This year Shaw's has not made a Lunar New Year and Chi Wai immediately ran to help Wong Pak Ming with HELLO BABIES (LUK FUK HEI SI). At the same time 3 strong films join the fray, including the Chow Yun Fat starred FROM VEGAS TO MACAU (DOH SING FUNG WON), the Donnie Yen Chi Tan and Aaron Kwok Fu Sing starred and Fat Gor guest starred THE MONKEY KING (SAI YAU GEI ji DAI LAU TIN GUNG), and the Sandra Ng Kwan Yu starred GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS (GUM GAI SSS), as Chow Yun Fat and Ng Kwan Yu both battle with themselves.

The 600 million 3D film THE MONKEY KING's special effect took a year to make and has been looking forward to, but Fat Gor who has not made a Lunar New Year film upon his return to Hong Kong film has made FROM VEGAS TO MACAU also very attractive; both films with Ng Kwan Yu, GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS and HELLO BABIES have star ensembles. Aside from HELLO BABIES opening two days earlier, the rest will open on the Lunar New Year's Eve (January 30). As Wong Jing has said, the opening will determine everything.

In FROM VEGAS TO MACAU Fat Gor played a Las Vegas casino security chief who retires in Macau. His son Nicholas Tse Ting, friend Hui Siu Ming and nephew Chapman To Man Jat set up a ploy to save a casino. Wong Jing is very confident in the film. "FROM actually is a comedy, with gambling and action elements. Back then GOD OF GAMBLERS (DOH SUN)'s concept is already outdated. This time is a new concept. A small bet is for fun, not for your life. It will be very funny." He was not worried about all the film releases would thin out the box office. He also was not worried about Fat Gor vs. Fat Gor. He pointed out that Fat Gor in THE MONKEY KING as the Jade Emperor only guest starred for 2 or 3 days, so he was not worried. Wong Jing said, "This Lunar New Year will be very cheerful, truly a rare sight. However as soon as the battle begins the winner is already determined. I will begin promoting in advance."

The Soi Cheang Po Shui directed THE MONKEY KING had Yen Chi Tan and Kwok Fu SIng as Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King. 300's special effect makeup director Shaun Smith worked on the special effect makeup. The film cost 600 million yuan, and the post production took over a year. Cheang Po Shui was confident that the film will not only be suitable for the single crowd, but also viewers from age 8 to 80 would enjoy this Chinese mythical legend film.

Wong Pak Ming remained calm despite the strong competition. He even said that after 4 years of competition with Chi Wai, they finally teamed up on the Lunar New Year HELLO BABIES. This would be the biggest selling point. The film would be about having babies, suitable for the whole family during the New Year. He also was not concerned that the number of films would thin out the box office. "Actually for a long time the Lunar New Year had no Lunar New Year comedy. Since ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2009 (GA YAU HEI SI 2009) brought back the Lunar New Year comedy fever, Hong Kong films have performed well. Hopefully the industry will make more good films and bring back the might of Cantonese films for a win win situation."

The Kwan Yu starred GOLDEN CHICKEN SSS returned to the silver screen after 10 years as she called in many favors from friends and Best Actors like Tony Leung Ka Fai, Nick Cheung Ka Fai and Eason Chan Yik Shun to bring out Ah Kam's Hong Kong spirit amid laughter.