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| Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Andy Lau in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HONG KONG |
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| Nicholas Tse would be the action director in HOI GUAN JIN SIN |
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| Aaron Kwok has more maturity and variations |
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Wai Ka Fai praises Sean Lau for his energy, an actor he cannot see the bottom of.
courtesy of singtao.com |
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| The acting collision of Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Andy Lau triggers a series of sparks |
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| Charlene Choi's toughness and coolness add more layered colors to the role |
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| WE ARE FAMILY, CALL ME CRAZY, MAMA'S AFFAIR |
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| The rare collaboration between Nicholas Tse and Jacky Cheung has already rocked the city before it starts |
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| Jacky Cheung |
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| Karena Lam |
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| Francis Ng |
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| Cya Liu |
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| Aaron Kwok deliberately adjusts his schedule to accommodate Simon Yam, Raymond Lam, and Alex Fong Chung Shun |
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The golden team of Sean Lau and director Wai Ka Fai are together again
courtesy of on.cc |
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| Stephy Tang says that TABLE FOR SIX is about family, no matter when it will open it will still be heartwarming |
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| ONCE UPON A TIME IN HONG KONG unveils Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Andy Lau's all new looks |
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| Jacky Cheung and Nicholas Tse work together again with the latter as the action director as well |
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| Wai Ka Fai has worked with Sean Lau countless times and says his acting has no bottom |
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Aaron Kwok would play a lawyer with a sense of justice
courtesy of mingpao.com |
With Hong Kong's fifth wave of the pandemic growing more
severe, the cinema industry in coordination with preventive measures
closed starting January 7th. The livelihood of those in the business
has been hugely impacted. The government yesterday announced that
starting on April 21st, if the pandemic would show no sign of
rebounding and trend downward, social distancing measures would be
relaxed and cinemas would have hope to open up again. However with
still a month away from the "quarantine lift", changes might take
place. Many films that have been halted from releases earlier,
including Lunar New Year films TABLE FOR SIX (FAN HEI GUNG SUM) and
CHILLI LAUGH STORY (HOP GA LAT), held an optimistic attitude and have
not set whether they would be released for Easter. TABLE's lead
actress Stephy Tang Lai Yan looked forward to seeing the audience at
the movies.
The cinema industry under the fifth wave of the pandemic
closed for business for over 3 months in accordance to the social
distancing measures from early January to April 20th. Many movies have
been affected. The Louis Koo Tin Lok starred G STORM (G FUNG BO) was
released on New Year's Eve last year and after six days in release
cinemas were forced to close. Mainland film LAKE CHANGJIN 2, the Ron
Ng Cheuk Hei starred LOVE IS BLIND, HATE TOO (JI MING 24 SIU SI) and
BREAKOUT BROTHERS 2 (TOH YUK HING DAI 2) were unable to be released in
January as scheduled. Two Lunar New Year films TABLE FOR SIX and
CHILLI LAUGH STORY held it even worse. They were ready for release
after a round of promotions, but slipped up right at the gate.
The government yesterday announced hope to relax the
gathering restriction mandate. Public entertainment venues like
cinemas would open again on April 21st if the pandemic did not
rebound, confirmed cases and numbers of deaths continued to decline.
After the news was announced, industry insiders took an optimistic
approach. With both cinema operation and film production, Mandarin
Motion Pictures gave an official response on whether G and BREAKOUT 2
would open again in April, "No comment yet."
Would the two Lunar New Year films TABLE and CHILLI change
their strategy and package anew for an Easter release? The marketing
departments replied, "Currently we have not received any notification."
TABLE's lead actress Tang Lai Yan said, "Even I don't know when the
movie will open, it would depend on the film company's arrangement.
As an actor, after finishing a movie I of course hope to be able to
watch it with the audience at the movies as soon as possible. The
film is about family, actually no matter when it opens, no matter when
you watch it it would be just as heartwarming." As for LOVE and
LAKE's release, Emperor Motion Pictures said, "No comment yet."
Emperor Motion Pictures yesterday announced its 2022
film rundown, including 7 films that would be on the way and 5 big
productions that would plan to begin production. Under the pandemic,
Emperor Motion Pictures not only did not stop but kept going harder.
Its production rate rose instead of falling, 90% of which were
domestic productions that ensured film professionals would be able to
save their jobs and shine the "Hong Kong film" gold painted label together. With the numerous star studded casts and enormous
production heavyweight films, the total investment amount exceeded HK$
1.5 billion! ONCE UPON A TIME IN HONG KONG (GUM SAU JI)'s stars Tony
Leung Chiu Wai, Andy Lau Tak Wa and Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin also
unveiled their costume looks.
The 2022 Emperor Motion Pictures would gather the best of the
current film industry with variety in its subjects. They would also
focus on domestic productions, which included the epic luxury
production ONCE UPON A TIME IN HONG KONG (GUM SAU JI). This would
also be the first time Leung Chiu Wai, Lau Tak Wa, and Choi Cheuk
Yin's costume would be publicized.
The HK$ 350 million production ONCE UPON A TIME IN HONG KONG
unveiled its lead costumes for the firs time. Leung Chiu Wai and Lau
Tak Wa's big screen reunion would set of dramatic spark. Director
Felix Chong Man Keung said, "When I graduated from the film academy, I
only learned about film. I didn't know what was 'drama'. Now the
'drama' that I have learned came from them; over the years, we watched
each other grow. This time we had the opportunity to work together
again, they indeed have matured a lot. I watched two Best Actors
decide how to perform a scene, in full control and proper with
precision. The skills within which couldn't be measured with money.
Those who know how to watch would be pleased thoroughly."
Since the film was able to get Wai Jai and Wa Jai to perform,
it naturally had its own unique charm. Director Chong revealed, "They
have always been cautious with the screenplay choices, and just as
caution with their characters. They would discover the interesting
parts within. In addition the film differed from the average film.
Despite its crime film packaging it actually is an epic story that is
full of tension. They rarely come in contact with this type of
genre, naturally they are attracted to it."
Speaking of lead actress Ah Sa, Director Chong praised her for
putting in a lot of effort. She would appear in an never been seen
breakthrough look. "I really want to thank Ah Sa, we were already
very honest when we started talking. I really liked her completely
without make up, which gave me a lot of inspiration. After confirming
her casting, I made minor changes to the character. In the end I
wasn't mistaken at all. Don't be fool by Ah Sa's silliness, after so
many years in show business her toughness actually exceeds many
industry insiders in order for her to achieve such success. I took
this toughness and coolness and put them into her character, and
discovered Ah Sa's unique, all new and interesting side!"
In addition many eye catching blockbusters DETECTIVE VS.
SLEUTHS (SUN TAM DAI JIN), MAMA'S AFFAIR (AH MA YAU JOR DAI YI GOR),
LUI YING OI HUP (INSIDE RESPONSE OUTSIDE COORDINATION),
WE ARE FAMILY (CHOOK JO GA YUN), TRIAD 2 (JAT JIK 2) and SUM SIU SIM
BEI KAU (LATE NIGHT DODGE BALL) would wait for their releases. The
Gu Changwei directed, Ge You and Karry Wang Junkai starred CALL ME
CRAZY would also be coming soon!
DETECTIVE VS. SLEUTH would be a Hong Kong suspense thriller
crime film. Director Wai Ka Fai and star Sean Lau Ching Wan have been
called perfect film industry legendary partners. Director Wai admitted
that when he came up with the protagonists "Detective" Lee Chun, Ching
Wan was already the first choice. "As everyone knows, Ching Wan is a
great actor. Working together again this time, I realize he still has
a lot of energy. So I give him another push and he runs even faster.
I feel he is a good actor with unfathomable skills; in addition I
really like the way we work together. He really trusts me and I also
really trust him!"
As for Emperor Motion Pictures' soon to start production major
products, they would include the Herman Yau Lai To directed, Jacky
Cheung Hok Yau, Nicholas Tse Ting Fung, Cya Liu starred HOI GUAN JIN
SIN (CUSTOMS FRONT LINE) with special performance by Francis Ng Chun
Yu; the Alan Mak Siu Fai directed, Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Simon Yam Tat
Wa, Raymond Lam Fung, Alex Fong Chung Shun starred NOI MOK (INSIDE
INFORMATION0 would also be a major feature in active preparation; the
series of sequel films would include director Zhang Yimou's IMPASSE 2,
READY OR KNOT 2 (BUT YUT SING FUN 2) and TRIAD 3 (JAT JIK 3), all of
which are planning to start production!
The Yau Lai To directed HOI GUAN JIN SIN would star Cheung Hok
Yau, Tse Ting Fung, Cya Liu with special performance by Ng Chun Yu.
Director Yau said that this would be a very refreshing line up. He
brought them together because he was after a fresh feeling. They are
all Best Actors and Best Actress, professional and serious. The film
would center around the Customs department with an intriguing story.
Director Yau explained, "Customs is a key branch in Hong Kong's
Disciplined Services, which Hong Kong film rarely made them the
'leads'. This time I want to give the film a new vision, so I chose
to shoot a story about the Customs." Ting Fung
would serve as an action director for the first time, conceivably he
would give his all and design thrilling and intense action scenes!
After PROJECT GUTENBERG (MO SEUNG), Kwok Fu Sing would work
with Emperor Motion Pictures again in the Mak Siu Fai directed new
film NOI MOK and in direct confrontation with Yam Tat Wa, Lam Fung
and Fong Chung Shun. Director Mak said that the negotiation process
with the four hunky actors basically went rather smoothly. Director
Mak said that he and Sing Sing have not worked together in almost 20
years. He felt that Sing Sing's acting was growing with more maturity
and variations, so Sing Sing was an actor he looked forward to working
with very much. The screenplay took three years. Director Mak said,
"Yam Tat Wa's character would start the entire story. Sing Sing would
play a lawyer who is full of sense of justice and very unusual way of
thinking. This sense of justice is related to the character
background. Lam Fung would play a cop, I hope the character would be
a little more mature. He would ditch his handsome packaging, which
Lam Fung understood as soon as he heard as he let the team do whatever
it wanted with his looks! Fong Chung Shun this time would play a
bullied character, drastically different from his normally masculine
image. The interaction of the four actors would certainly set off
sparks." As for actresses, Kathy Yuen (Tong Yee), Niki Chow
Lai Kei, Gladys Li Ching Kwan would participate. The film originally
was slated to start production after the Spring Festival, but due to
the pandemic it was slightly delayed. Director Mak and the entire
cast hoped to start work as soon as possible and provide industry
workers with even more job opportunities. The film company in order to
ensure the safety of everyone on the team would conduct a rapid test
before work everyday, without any regard for the rise in production
cost that would cause. They hoped that the film would begin production
in early May.
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