[2020.03.21] CHIN SIU HO AWAITS REUNION WITH HIS SON AFTER SELF ISOLATION ENDS

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Chin Siu Ho says that he would never forget the blind impulse he had to make action films
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Chin Siu Ho yesterday was a guest on a Hong Kong Open Television program. He revealed that despite the novel coronavirus, work has not been too greatly affected. Currently he is still working as usual on the new director Chan Kin Long directed film HAND-ROLLED CIGARETTE (SAU GUEN YIN). He spent the rest of the time either getting supply at the supermarket or staying at home.

Siu Ho explained that because HAND received government funding assistance for its production, it needed to take advantage of time to produce. Even though working during the outbreak was risky, he hoped to be able to help Hong Kong film and young directors. He also pointed that last December he just finished Sandra Ng Kwan Yu's ON YOUR MOM, GET SET, GO (MA MA DIK SUN KEI SIU JI). This year HAND has been the first film he worked on. Both were domestic productions and in production under the outbreak, which he believed that he would have a chance to run into again in his lifetime. HAND would wrap by April, he had two other new films that he did not know whether they would start production as scheduled at the end of April. Since no one would eat if they would stop working, he wished that the pandemic would pass as soon as possible.

Siu Ho's 17 year old son Chin Wing Tak was studying in England. Due to the outbreak, Siu Ho has already arranged for his son to return to Hong Kong before the mandatory quarantine on the 19th. He said, "My son returned to Hong Kong on the 18th. Although he needn't have to be in mandatory quarantine, he still self isolated. Actually I was worried about his ride to the airport in England then over 10 hours flight to Hong Kong, he arranged for him to self isolated in another home after his return. Since how serious the outbreak was in England, I was concerned for his safety. When I heard that the school term would be suspended, I decided to tell him to come home long ago and didn't have to pay for a super expensive flight. It was a little more expensive than normal." As for how long his son's stay in Hong Kong would be he would determine according to the progress of the outbreak. Because of work he did not see his son immediately. He said, "I will wait until after his 14 day self quarantine ends. Now we rely on video conferencing to communicate. He is already 17 and can take care of himself. I wish everyone peace and good health."

[2020.03.20] SEPARATION FROM SIBLING IS THE WORST EXPERIENCE IN PHILIP KEUNG'S LIFE

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Philip Keung spends more time with his siblings to make up for the time they missed
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Artist Philip Keung Ho Man with the film A WITNESS OUT OF THE BLUE (FAN JUI YIN CHEUNG) was nominated for this year's Hong Kong Film Award Best Supporting Actor. Looking back at his acting past, he once experienced "no job" poor to the point that his landlady locked him out of his home. Yet the most heartbreaking for him was when he was little and his mother was seriously ill, he and his siblings were to live separately under foster care with different welfare organizations.

Keung Ho Man in recent years played mostly heavy characters. In WITNESS he was no different, but he thanked director Fung Chih Chiang because he was his "lucky star". Each time he worked on his movies he would receive a Hong Kong Film Award nomination. He also often gave his advice, from which he benefit a lot.

With 34 years in the business, Hak Jai in 2018 with the film SHOCK WAVE (CHAK DAN JUEN GA) won the Hong Kong Film Award Best Supporting Actor. Before then his acting past was always turbulent, as he suffered a rather long "poor actor" period.

Looking back, he said that the worst was not when he had "no job" at ATV, locked out of his home because he could not pay his rent; instead it was when he was little, because his mother was seriously ill she could not care for her siblings and they had to be sent to foster care in different places. "When the family was shattered all over it was the toughest. At the time one went to a children's home, one to whatever home of happiness in Cheung Chau......I saw but I couldn't help them, the feeling was the worst. In particular for my youngest brother, he did not even get a real good look at Mommy before he was sent to the children's home." Later after they grew up and had families of their own, they valued their time together very much as they constantly held family gatherings in hopes of making up for lost time!

As for his Hong Kong Film Award competition against I'M LIVIN' IT (MAK LO YUN)'s Cheung Tat Ming and Alex Man Chi Leung among others, Hak Jai stated that he hoped "Big Brother" Man Ji would win. "He really is a great older brother. For awhile, he took me on a lot of my journey. During the days when I didn't have any job he recommended many producers to me and arranged for me to perform in Singapore. He even called producers in the middle of the night and recommended me to them."

Years ago when Hak Jai saw how quiet show business was, he tried his hand in private dining. Man Ji often gave him business, but one day he said something that woke him up. "One day he came into the kitchen and told me, there is no space for you here. You might as well come back!" At the time Hak Jai decided to work in show business again. Thus he has always been very grateful. Although in recent years they had less contact, he was very honored to be nominated with this "good older brother". As for other competitors, Hak Jai felt that Cheung Tat Ming and NEW KING OF COMEDY's Mainland artist Zhang Qi were elders. Thus he would only appreciate them and not be qualified to comment.

[2020.03.20] MICHELLE WAI STARVES FOR KAWAII PRAISES

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Artist Michelle Wai Sze Nga in the film LOST AND FOUND IN TOKYO (SHOOK NUI OI MAN YAU) had over 30 costumes. She said, "When I went to the costume fitting before the shoot began, I thought I went to a boutique because they prepared 50 costumes. Many were very cute, when I tried each one I felt younger!"

In a Matsuri scene in the film, Michelle and lead actor Danson Tang put on traditional kimono. She said, "It was the first time I wore a kimono. The team invited a kimono master to assist with our costumes. I thought I would wait until after the shoot to eat, so I could look better on camera. I didn't realize that it would take me a hour to finish. The kimono with the head dress was 7 to 8 pounds and it was super tight too, even breathing a little harder would have been very tough. Thus I had to wait until after the shoot to eat. However, when everyone saw me in the kimono they said I was Kawaii. Thus starving for awhile was worth it!"

[2020.03.20] GOLDEN HORSE BEST ACTOR EDDIE CHAN ACTS WITH HIS PINKY FINGER

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Without any fear for the outbreak, the film THE FALLEN (DOR LOK FA) has been scheduled for an April 9th release. The classic film MAN ON THE BRINK's Golden Horse Award Best Actor Eddie Chan (Ai Dik) this time in THE FALLEN played Uncle For. Hard to tell whether he was good or evil, his presence was exceptionally strong.

Eddie said, "In recent years I came back to make movies. Uncle For isn't like me at all. When I studied the role in detail and 'savor' the meaning of each line, I understood that Uncle For was not what he seemed. He was a wolf in a sheep's skin, he looked sloppy but secretly he has a picky side. So I suggested to the art director to put black polish on his pinky nail, an unintentional slip to show the audience his conflicted world inside." Eddie lived up to his Best Actor name, truly even his pinky was able to act! Eddie and THE FALLEN team also had a rather pleasant collaboration. "On the set I often joked around with Irene, Chan Wai and everyone, I made them very happy."

As the novel coronavirus spread, did Eddie feel the atmosphere has become tense in the U.S.? "I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, where there is more space. Between each individual home would be certain distance. I would drive around and have few contacts with others. For now it wouldn't be too tense. However I have seen people in masks; according to the news on television, Tom Hanks and his wife were making a movie in Australia, whoever infected them showed no symptom and they unknowingly caught it. We can only take as much precaution as we can." The pandemic has put a stop to many industries, but Eddie could not be busier. "My company has always done medical supply business, providing masks, gloves to dentists and nurses. In the past two or three months the demand of masks rapidly increased, the company still had stock and was able to handle it. However recently we were sold out of stock, without any idea when Mainland China would have supplies to ship." He wished good health to the Hong Kong audience, and he would return to Hong Kong more to make movies when the opportunities would arise. "If I run into a good script, character, I of course would gladly come back!"

[2020.03.19] FOR SUNDAY MARCH 15 2020

For Sunday February 15 2020

Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Movies Hong Kong

10 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
    d. Jeff Fowler
    Ben Schwartz (voice), James Marsden, Jim Carrey,

  9 JEXI
    d. Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
    Adam Devine, Rose Byrne, Alexandra Shipp, Michael Pena,

  8 PARASITE
  Can : Seung Lau Gei Sun Jook
  Lit : Upper Class Parasite
    d. Joon Ho-Bong
    Song Kang-Ho, Lee Sun-Kyun, Choi Woo-Shik
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 132 mins.
  Opening June 20 2019
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/p8KClAj2PXQ

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    The winner of Palme d’OR – Cannes Film Festival. Ki-taek's family of four is close, but fully unemployed, with a bleak future ahead of them. The son Ki-woo is recommended by his friend, a student at a prestigious university, for a well-paid tutoring job, spawning hopes of a regular income. Carrying the expectations of all his family, Ki-woo heads to the Park family home for an interview. Arriving at the house of Mr. Park, the owner of a global IT firm, Ki-woo meets Yeon-kyo, the beautiful young lady of the house. But following this first meeting between the two families, an unstoppable string of mishaps lies in wait.

  7 MR. ZOO: THE MISSING VIP
  Can : Ho Gau Duk Gung Dui
  Lit : Good Dog Special Assault Team
    d. Kim Tae-yun,
    Lee Sung-min, Kim Seo-hyung, Bae Jung-nam, Kal So-won
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 114 mins.
  Opening March 19 2020
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/qqfckyhUs-8

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    Joo Taeju is the top agent of National Intelligence Service. While Taeju was on a mission to guard a very special VIP, the VIP disappeared by a sudden accident and he can understand what animals are saying after his accidental fall NIS Director Min and agent Mansik suspect Taeju who is suddenly acting strangely, but Taeju is on a mission to find the VIP with help of Ali, a military dog...In the middle of downtown, never seen a team play between a man and an animal's start to happen!

  6 THE CAVE
  Can : Kei Jik Gau Woon
  Lit : Miraculous Rescue
    d. Tom Waller,
    Erik Brown, Jim Warny, Tan Xiaolong, Ekawat Niraworapanya
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 104 mins.
  Opening March 12 2020
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/x51S0_0Ie4A

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    Based on true events, THE CAVE tells the untold story of the rescue that captivated the world, from the point of view of the unsung heroes in the Tham Luang mission to free the trapped 13 'Wild Boars', culminating in a triumphant outcome against all the odds.

  5 THE INVISIBLE MAN
    d. Leigh Whannell
    Elizabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Michael Dorman

  4 MY SPY
    d. Peter Segal
    Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman

  3 THE PLATFORM
    d. Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
    Ivan Massague, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor,
      Emilio Buale, Alexandr Masangkay

  2 THE CALL OF THE WILD
    d. Chris Sanders
    Harrison Ford, Karen Gillan, Dan Stevens

  1 BATTLE OF JANGSARI
  Can : Hung Chuen Jeh
  Lit : Lucky Survivors
    d. Kim Tae-hun, Kwak Kyung-taek,
    Kim Myung-min, Megan Fox, Choi Min-ho
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 110 mins.
  Opening March 12 2020
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/PvgRKm7Xk9E

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    Based on the incredible true story of Jangsari Landing Operation. When North Korea invades South Korea on June 25, 1950, they pushed South Korea and its ally US Army to the southernmost city. U.S. General MacArthur planned Operation Chromite, which would see the joint allied forces to take back a strategic location of Inchon and in order for it to succeed, he needed a small battalion to flank the North Korean army and eliminate their supply line at Jangsari beach.

    Having lost his family on his retreat away from North Korea before the War, a model student Choi Sung-pil enlists in the army to fight for the South. Ki Ha-ryun is a rebellious youth from the South who volunteers to fight in the war. All of the 772 students and youths are like them who are barely out of school with only 2 weeks of boot camp training. Task force commander Captain Lee Myung-jun knows that it’s a long shot, but he has no choice but to lead them into a crucial mission. Meanwhile, US war correspondent Maggie braves the dangers of the battlefield to report on the war in the frontlines. She feels empathy for the Korean students who must go into battle on behalf of the veteran soldiers for their country, and tries to do what she can on her end to rescue them.

    With little ammo, scant food supplies and raggedy weapons, can the students successfully carry out their mission and return home safely?

[2020.03.16] GORDON LAM THROWS SAMOSA AT CO-STAR

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Gordon Lam Ka Tung, Bipin Karma two nights ago worked on a chase scene in the Mirador Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui for the film HAND-ROLLED CIGARETTE (SAU GUEN YIN). Although the outbreak continued, many did not wear masks. Ka Tung was not concerned.

Speaking of the outbreak, Ka Tung said that he was not worried because the crew wore masks and the set had a lot of hand sanitizer. Was he worried about taking the elevator? He said, "There are many elevators. Everyday at work I go up once and down once. Once I get home I definitely would wash everything, from head to toe. While working in crowded places I can only keep washing my hands until the skin is peeling."

Stepping into the Mirador Mansion for the first time, Ka Tung said that the feeling was very fresh. It had many motels but they were very small like subdivided rooms. As soon as you opened the door you jumped onto the bed, even turning around would be very hard. The team made very great arrangement and rented several units. Some were used for the shoot and some for actors to rest in.

Have they thought about postponing the production? Ka Tung said that the director promised to finish the film by the middle to the end of the year. They asked the insurance company and as long as everyone took the full safety precaution. He also said that while working on this film he had to shoot a production special in Malaysia for another new film, but due to the outbreak a two week self quarantine was required. To avoid any delay, he hoped to complete the shoot by early April then head over there. Luckily Petrina Fung Bo Bo was understanding.

Speaking of working with people of South Asian heritage, Ka Tung praised how smart they were. Although Bipin Karma was not fluent in English or Cantonese and also a rookie, the director wanted realism. He was afraid that being too experienced would leave a trace. He also revealed that in one scene he would throw a samosa at him.

[2020.03.15] TIN KAI MAN SHARES A ROOM WITH STEPHEN CHOW

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Tin Kai Man two nights ago revealed on a Metro Radio interview that originally he had to return to Mainland to join the Wong Jing directed film production KUNG FU CULT MASTER (YI TIN TOH LUNG GEI), but due to the novel coronavirus he had no idea when the production would start. Although the spread has eased, he still would need to be self quarantine for a week if he went to Hengdian. He would rather wait until he would not need. Other actors had to stop in the middle of the production earlier.

Speaking of this year's Hong Kong Film Award being forced to postpone and change format due to the outbreak, Tin Kai Man as a Hong Kong Film Award voter revealed that so far the Association still has not confirmed any plan. However it already came up with a lot of ideas, a different one everyday. It has considered a closed door award presentation or delay to August. However next year would be the 40th anniversary of the Hong Kong Film Award so it did not want the timing to be too close. In addition, Tin Kai Man has been helping Ronald Cheng Chung Kei with work. He said that some Mainland concerts have already been postponed and issued ticket refunds. As for the North American concerts due to the outbreak they have been suspended. For now they would consider performing in Macau first.

Tin Kai Man said that he would probably be asked about Stephen Chow Sing Chi. He said that he would try to answer as much as he could, but he had no idea about Sing Yeh's rumors because he did not witness them. He said, "Each time when we worked abroad, he would hold me to go to sleep. He was afraid of the dark so he had to share a room with me. Normally he lives with his mother."