Despite the social climate affecting the film box office
in the past half a year, the Chinese film market was not afraid of the
film industry ice age. For the Lunar New Year, Chinese films still
flooded out of the game. Dayo Wong Tze Wa sold a home to raise fund and
made his new film THE GRAND GRANDMASTER (MUK DOI JUNG SI), which he
wrote, directed and starred. The film would reflect Hong Kong people
evolving from the Lion Rock spirit to the perfect like water wisdom.
The Wong Tze Wa written, directed and starred second film THE
GRAND GRANDMASTER will open on January 23rd. Tze Wa once considered
giving up before the shoot began, finally he decided to sell a home to
raise the fund. He and some of the workers even worked for no salary.
Aside from directing, writing and starring, he also sang the film theme
song PERFECT LIKE WATER (SEUNG SIN YEUK SHUI). This time he and co-stars
Fama's 6 Wing and C Kwan rapped the song. Fama wrote the lyrics and the
flowing water philosophy in martial arts. Tze Wa and Fama imagined
themselves as well water that left the well, running into mountains and
valleys, with and against the stream, and transforming into different
shapes of water as metaphors of the how adaptable Hong Kong people and
the flowing water nature that could both take offense and defense. The
magic phrase from Tze Wa's past stand up comedy show "please properly let
go" also appeared again in the film.
Lau Chin Shek, Ray Lui, Pak Suet Sin, Gordon Lam, Simon Yam
Law Hing Yim and Pak Suet Sin
Sister Sin runs into Lau Shek Ming and gives him a hug
courtesy of mingpao.com
Cantonese opera star Pak Suet Sin, Ray Lui Leung Wai,
Simon Yam Tat Wa, Gordon Lam Ka Tung and others two nights ago attended
a charity Cantonese opera concert. Sister Sin's appearance caused a
minor stir as many fans flocked to her for photos. When suggested that
he could perform on stage like Lui Leung Wai, Brother Wa joked that
after he opened his mouth even the birds would fly away. He also said
that his daughter was not interested in Cantonese opera too much, as she
preferred to listen to rap songs more.
He revealed that his hand and abdominal injuries were almost
healed. Now everyday he would go for physical therapy. Even at home he
would use equipment to help with speeding up his recovery. Brother Wa
said that after the Lunar New Year he would work on a new film that will
shoot in Hong Kong, Macau and Malaysia. The shoot will take around four
months. Would he have any action scene? Brother Wa said, "I can't work
on action scenes yet, even earlier when I went skiing with my daughter I
only watched her ski. I didn't. However now I can run, swim and play
soccer, I have to exercise to stay in shape."
Lam Ka Tung revealed that he was busy with the post production
on the Patrick Tse Yin and Petrina Fung Bo Bo starred film SAK CHOOK GOR
WONG FUN. He has been so busy that he did not even have time to have
fun on Christmas. He happily said that many industry friends after
seeing the early cuts praised the story as touching. They even
suggested for him to try to take it to film festivals. Thus he had to
put more effort on post production. Ka Tung said, "Lately I kept asking
the editor and the composer to see the film, so I have seen it over 20
times. Everyone after watching said that it was very touching." Ka Tung
said that for now he found a Beijing editor who was willing to take over.
He worried about the tight schedule but the editor gave him his
guarantee that the editing would be done after three all nighters.
Zheng Shuang brings sugar cane to wish for the box office success courtesy of on.cc
courtesy of singtao.com
Eddie Peng hugs Zhang Hanyu
courtesy of mingpao.com
The Lunar New Year film THE RESCUE (GUNG GUP GAU WOON)
will soon open. Director Dante Lam Chiu Yin, producer Leung Fung Ying
led leads Eddie Peng Yu-Yan, Ian Wang, Xin Zilei, Carlos Chan Ka Lok,
Li Mincheng, Zhang Guoqiang to the premiere at the Beijing Emperor
Cinema City. Emperor Group chief Albert Yeung Sau Sing attended, as 100
real first response team members watched on. Many stars like Huang
Jianxin, Liao Fan, Du Jiang, Huang Zitao, Zheng Shuang, Wei Chen showed
their support. Working with director Dante Lam Chiu Yin and Pang Yu-Yan
on OPERATION MEKONG, Zhang Hanyu made a surprise appearance. Eddie
was so touched that he tightly hug Zhang Hanyu.
At the premiere, Lam Chiu Yin first gave sincere thanks and
saluted to the traffic transportation department and the water rescue
personnel; then Peng Yu-Yan mentioned while in deep water rescue
training he finished his at around 15 meter depth. Under water in
darkness and the lack of oxygen added a lot of difficulty to the training
and the production, but in the end he was still able to conquer his fear
and complete the shoot!
Zhang Hanyu praised Director Lam for challenging a new subject
-- rescue at sea. He boldly proclaimed, "Even more exciting than
OPERATION MEKONG!" Du Jiang worked with Director Lam on OPERATION RED
SEA called the director amazing. "The entire film showed four rescues,
each one alone could be made into a movie. It absolutely should not be
missed!" The film's director of photography and Oscar Best
Cinematography award winner Peter Pau admitted that the biggest feature
of THE RESCUE was "everything was real; water, fire, explosion, the three
that are the most difficult to shoot, he (Director Lam) really shot them!"
Teresa Mo and Louis Cheung are both in ENTER THE FAT DRAGON but regrettably have no scene together
courtesy of mingpao.com
In the Lunar New Year film ENTER THE FAT DRAGON (FEI LUNG
GOR GONG), Teresa Mo Shun Kwan played the owner of a hot pot shop in
Japan but only worked in the Kabukicho set in Hong Kong. Sister Mo said
that the set was extremely realistic as an entire street was built, and
people could live in the houses. She had the most scenes with Wong Jing
but everyone had a lot of spark. He was very funny. In the film Sister
Mo only needed to speak a few lines of Japanese and did not have to
fight, as she was purely comedic. Mo Mo also praised Yen Ch Tan's
action for being rich in musical beauty and very rhythmic.
In ENTER THE FAT DRAGON, were Mo Mo and Wong Jing's scenes all
relationship scenes? Mo Mo joked, "Our relationship scene isn't too
heavy. In one scene when he almost died, I still asked him, 'Aren't you
dead yet!' and looked a little tense. Haha, I was afraid that too many
viewers would really laugh." Was a relationship impossible? Mo Mo
joked, "It's pretty 'tight', but not worth the risk. As everyone knows,
the audience has to be comfortable watching it."
Louis Cheung Kai Chung mentioned that he took part in the two
major scenes in the beginning and the end, in particular in the end Yen
Chi Tan fought on the Tokyo Tower while he took a helicopter to save
him. He had little contact with action comedy, but he saw Lord Tan's
fighting pace actually could not be a second more or less. Thus after
one scene a rough cut would be edited and Lord Tan would take over music
to coordinate. The result indeed was totally different and resembled a
Hollywood movie. You could feel the very danger but also funny pace
and atmosphere. He just watched from the sideline like a student. Would
he start to learn to fight? Ah Chung joked, "I will start with
stretching, study 40 years, be reincarnated in the next life before
thinking about it again. Actually this requires a kung fu foundation
from childhood."
Mo Mo was also curious and asked Ah Chung if he was younger would
he learn to become an action actor? He pointed out that at the
performing art academy he studied Beijing opera stances. If next time
he would have a costume character and needed to fight of course he would
train. However unlike Lord Tan who started when he was little, a stance
would come out differently. Actors of course should try everything, but
would understand what they would be lacking.
Speaking of action films, Mo Mo said, "When I was young I made
LEGEND OF THE DRAGON, which had a lot of action. I went to study Wing
Chun and trained as soon as I got on. I thought I was able to fight,
fearless and wanted to try something new. One day I was working in Tai
O, action director (Corey) Yuen Kwai asked me to kick for him as high as
I could. After the kick he immediately asked someone to bring a fake
leg. At the time I didn't understand so I kicked. After I lifted my
leg, then the fake leg followed with a low kick. I finally got what
was happening, and I felt very hurt inside right away."
Mo Mo also revealed that in another scene Stephen Chow Sing Chi
asked him if she would hit the wooden man ten times. She asked if the
hits could be separate. Sing Jai asked her, "Just ten!" She could only
give it a try. "As soon as I tried it I wanted to die, after I hit I
had to stop. Then I had to add another. Sing Jai immediately gave an
arrogant look and asked if I needed to practice more. This immediately
changed my mind about becoming a kung fu film star. I was no longer
delusional. Fight scene isn't easy at all. You have to train when you
are young like Sing Jai. He practiced Wing Chun until he had blisters
on his hands."
Ah Chung and Mo Mo have already worked together on two films but
did not share any scene together. Ah Chung wanted to work with Mo Mo
"alone" because Mo Mo's comedic and dramatic acting were both
entertaining. He kept making people laugh for a long time, but he really
wanted to squeeze tears out of people so he wanted to work toward Mo Mo's
direction. Mo Mo advised, "Actors are very passive, we are all waiting
for a good script!" Ah Chung also said that right now he had to keep
preparing himself.
Mo Mo has already worked with Chi Tan as early as PROTEGE DE
LA ROSE NOIRE, but as the action director he gave her quite a surprise.
"Once during break I thought who was playing the piano? The great
piano player surprised me, actually it was Chi Tan. Thus Ah Chung
suggested for him to use music to coordinate with the action. In this
business he truly is a rare breed. His action is very special, has
quite a sense of beauty." Despite working with Chi Tan, Mo Mo joked
that Wong Jing would always get in the way. She felt that Chi Tan was
very demanding about the drama, nervous and cared about each scene.
He cared not just about his own part but overall. When he saw something
he was uncomfortable with he would speak up. Mo Mo said, "Sometimes he
would feel like someone had the same idea as he did, most of the
uncomfortable spots had to do with the marks. So he would mention it
and shoot i again. He would take the time but he would communicate so
he would be able to do even better."
This time Cheung Kai Chung and Yen Chi Tan played cop buddies.
Chi Tan was even the explosive cop with a strong sense of justice. Each
time when he saved someone he would cause damage and get into trouble,
the more he got demoted the lower his rank went. Ah Chung got the
credit and became his superior, so he would encourage this brother by
the sideline. Yet when in danger he would need to be saved and become
very useless. Thus they had a lot of "up and down" performance, the
feeling of switching back and forth was pretty fun. Did he have a lot
fight scenes? Ah Chung said, "Of course I asked before taking the role,
I don't need to fight. I just have some action scenes. On the set I am
responsible for the comedy. When they fight I watch, but I really
cherish this experience."
Ah Chung and Chi Tan worked together on IP MAN 3. How did he
feel his comedic sense was? Ah Chung said, "Lord Tan of course has his
own rhythm. Actors would have their own comedic pace and have to be
able to coordinate with others. He is also very demanding in this area.
He would discuss with the screenwriters how to shoot to be the funniest.
If he wasn't satisfied he would do it a few times more."
After 29 years in film Irene Wan Bik Ha starred in the
film THE FALLEN (DOR LOK FA), which already caught attention before its
release. It was selected for many international film festivals, and
the response has given her a shot of confidence! Although she once
admitted that "others' recognition for my acting on a certain level is
even more important than winning an award", one of her goals was still
the Hong Kong Film Award Best Actress. Was she confidence that THE
FALLEN would fulfill her dream? She said, "I certainly confidence.
After so many years in the business, how could I not have confidence in
my acting? However I feel awards should be left up to fate, Heaven
naturally has its arrangement."
Because she fell in love with the script at first sight, Irene
not only helped the team with financing the production but also put all
her thought on getting into the character. Because the character needed
to be lost mentally, she drank to get into the role. In one scene
because she drank too much she almost fell off the stairs. "In the scene
I had to take the stairs, I was dizzy after drinking and slipped. I
fell forward from five steps up, luckily Ai Dik was in front of me and
caught me. He really saved my life, but I still had a lot of bruises."
Looking back, Irene said when she made romance before marriage
she got into character and fell for her co-star. Once she almost
"got caught in the mud". Luckily she has never wanted to date anyone
in the business and at the time she already had a boyfriend. In the end
she was able to the leave the character.
Steven Ma Chun Wai yesterday held a press conference to
announce the formation of strategic partnership with four film production
companies.
Ma Jai revealed that with this alliance, each production unit
would not be concerned with the expenses. They would give bonuses from
the profit after the film release. Hopefully in the current film winter
they would be able to maintain productions and increase employment
opportunities. Ma Jai said that in the plan he hoped to make ten Hong
Kong produced movies in five years, six of which would be social welfare
movies. The first one will start production in April and will be a
movie about those with hearing and speech disabilities. He will write,
direct, and star, the other actors will be new comers. As for the rest
of the plan, Ma Jai said that some will be commercial films. He hoped
that some subjects tha would be easily more profitable would make up for
the expenses, thus he said that he would call in favors. He already
told Linda Chung Ka Yun, Fala Chen, Tavia Yeung Yi and Kent Cheng Juk
Si that he will ask them for help when the need will arise. "Maybe when
they come to work they would get lai see, take a cheaper rate. After
the release they would get bonsues. Everyone would be more willing this
way."
Ma Jai said that in the future he would establish production
companies to purchase cameras and other production equipment, thus he
planned over HK$ 10 million in funding for long term investment. However
would investing in film productions be very risky in the current film
market? He said, "So we have to save on production budget with the new
format of having our own equipment for the production. I hope to
maintain production during this difficult period for everyone to have a
job." Speaking of Dayo Wong Tze Wah's home sale in order to make a
movie, Ma Jai said, "I am using my savings to make movies, for now I
won't need to sell a home. I will wait until when I need to!"
10 FROZEN 2
d. Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Disney Animation
English Voices: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel
Cantonese: Kandy Wong Shan Yee, Jim Yan Chi Hong
9 DETENTION
Can : Fan Hau
Lit : Back to School
d. John Hsu
Gingle Wang, Fu Meng-Po, Tseng Ching-Hua, Cecilia Cho,
Hsia Ching-Ting, Jessie Chang Pen-yu
Rating : IIB
Length : 103 mins.
Opening December 5 2019
Trailer : https://youtu.be/BFRADvXDgys
[ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ]
Fang Ray Shin is a high school student who lives in Taiwan in 1962, during the White Terror martial law period. Troubles at school and home cause her to feel like only her counselling teacher, Zhang, understands her and she falls in love with him. She is also part of his secret study group, which includes Miss Yin and an 11th grade male student Wei Chong Tin, and reading the banned books let them feel liberated despite the danger they're putting themselves in. When one day Zhang suddenly disappears and Fang and Wei find themselves trapped in their school at midnight, they must now search for their missing teacher even as their school begins to turn into a realm where ghosts and spirits rampage.
8 RICHARD JEWELL
d. Clint Eastwood
Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Paul Walter Hauser
7 JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL
d. Jake Kasdan
Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan,
Nick Jonas, Awkwafina
6 STAR WARS THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
d. J.J. Abrams
Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega,
Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson,
Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo,
Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams
5 LITTLE WOMEN
d. Greta Gerwig
Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen,
Laura Dern, Timonthee Chalamet, Meryl Streep
4 IP MAN 4 THE FINALE
AKA : IP MAN 4
d. Wilson Yip Wai Shun
Donnie Yen Chi Tan, Wu Yue, Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho), Scott Adkins,
Kent Cheng Juk Si, Danny Chan Kwok Kwan, Pierre Ngo Ka Nin,
Chris Collins, Vanda Margraf (Lee Yuen Tan),
Rating : IIB
Length : 105 mins.
Opening December 20 2019
Trailer : https://youtu.be/YrtreI7lkys
[ THE FILM CATALOGUE ]
Ip Man has been living a peaceful life teaching Wing Chun. One of Ip’s students, Bruce Lee decides to open a Wing Chun school in the States. The local Kung Fu masters are not happy about it. Ip goes to the States and helps Lee to resolve the problems. Meanwhile, Ip also teaches Lee how to become a real Wing Chun master. Ip gains respect from China town and all across the States. He spreads the theory of Chinese Kung Fu to society and makes it popular in the world...
3 UNDERWATER
d. William Eubank
Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, T.J. Miller, Jessica Henwick,
2 ASHFALL
Can : Bak Tau Shan: Shan For Ho Gip
d. Lee Hae-Jun, Kim Byung-Seo
Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-Woo, Ma Dong-Seok, Jeon Hye-Jin, Bae Suzy
Rating : IIA
Length : 128 mins.
Opening January 1 2020
Trailer : https://youtu.be/nVOCzfVPwoU
[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
An unexpected eruption of Korea's tallest volcano, which straddles the China-North Korea border, leaves the Korean peninsula in shambles. Seismologists warn this is only the preliminary eruption – A devastating super-eruption is still to come. Yoo-kyung is Chief Secretary to the President of South Korea. She meets renowned Korean-American seismologist, Bong-rae. Bong-rae presents a theory that could possibly stop the volcanic explosion. In-chang is only days away from completing his service with the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit of the South Korean Army. He is called way to his last mission before returning home to his wife, Ji-young. In-chang's team secretly reaches out to a North Korean elite officer, Jun-pyong, who holds the key to the mission to stop the volcanic eruption. However, Jun-pyong keeps acting erratically. With doom looming, everyone must work together to avoid imminent devastation.
1 1917
d. Sam Mendes
George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman,
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