[2021.06.14] SUSAN SHAW ALMOST ENDED LAU TAN'S MARRIAGE

Susan Shaw revealed that Lau Tan and his wife were in a marital crisis due to her

Grace Lam was heartbroken when her son found out about her category III film past, but in the end she admitted to him that she took the wrong path.
courtesy of mingpao.com

Susan Shaw Yam Yam and Grace Lam Sze Nga have made category III films. Two nights ago they appeared on the TVB show MAMAS' DAY and shared their experience of being discriminated against. Shaw Yam Yam complained that for years she was always misunderstood as an immoral woman, her friends would suspect that she hooked up with other people's husbands. Shaw Yam Yam even revealed that Lau Tan and his wife almost had a marital crisis because of her. She recalled, "Back then Lau Tan's friend played a prank on him, his friend over the phone claimed that she was Shaw Yam Yam to his wife. Lau Tan's wife was screaming for divorce. I didn't know about this until years later, when Lau Tan told me to never greet him again because his wife wanted to divorce him."

Lam Sze Nga said that when she made category III film she did not think too much, she only regretted the decision after getting married and starting a family. Shaw Yam Yam heard and said, "Never regret, this world has no drug for regret." Lam Sze Nga recalled that back then her former husband did not mind her category III film past, her mother in law was also very support. However her parents did not make accept her decision, which made her very upset. After becoming a mother, because she was afraid of being recognized she often was absent from parents day at her son's school. Even when she attended she still wore a hat and a mask. Lam Sze Nga said, "When her son was 8 or 9 he learned from his classmates that Mama once made a category III film. I was very heartbroken, tried to smile and admitted to my son that I went down the wrong path back then."

Shaw Yam Yam as someone who has been there comforted Lam Sze Nga and said that people ultimately have to face their problems. Even when being attacked there was nothing they could do, because they were the ones who chose the path. Shaw Yam Yam recalled that when her daughter was at elementary school she was discriminated against due to her mother. A teacher said that both her daughter and her were idiots. When she called the school office about it, someone said that they did not welcome parents like her. It was quite an experience for her. She said, "You can't live between other people's spittle, we have to bravely face them."

[2021.06.12] DONNIE YEN, NICHOLAS TSE REMEMBERS BENNY CHAN AT THE SHANGHAI FILM FESTIVAL

courtesy of singtao.com

Zhou Dongyu
courtesy of on.cc

Benny Chan
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 24th Shanghai International Film Festival officially opened yesterday. This year, 4,443 films from 113 nations and regions applied for the film festival, the highest amount in history and 750 more films than last year. Last night at the Jin Jue event, stars included Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou, Donnie Yen Chi Tan, Nicholas Tse Ting Fung and others appeared. Deng Chao and Zhou Dongyu would serve on this year's film festival Jin Jue Award jury. The film 1921 became the film festival's opening film. The film will officially open on July 1st.

The master class action director Benny Chan Muk Sing directed action film RAGING FIRE (NO FOR) will open next month, bringing a thrilling battle between justice and evil. Speaking of the film being called "the most satisfying modern action film", star Yen Chi Tan joked that because the film "has Tse Ting Fung". Tse Ting Fung responded that the film probably had more reasons to watch. "From the beginning to the end it was very exciting, this was a very cinematic action film." Working with Chi Tan again years later, Ting Fung and Chi Tan still had chemistry galore. At the same time they performed cool fight stunts and showed their hunky glory in full.

RAGING FIRE was Chan Muk Sing's final film. As Chi Tan brought RAGING FIRE to Shanghai, would he be reminded of Director Chan? Chi Tan said, "Of course! I started working with Director Chan on the series FIST OF FURY. After he watched the film CHASING THE DRAGON (JUI LUNG), the director said that he really liked my performance. Then we began to discuss working together. We started with a project that would be shot in Mexico, but due to a variety of reasons it became the current RAGING FIRE; from talking with the director about the production everyday when he was alive to taking over after his passing, every moment has been very memorable." Chi Tan hoped that when viewers watched RAGING FIRE, they would notice that Hong Kong crime films are still Hong Kong films' ace card!

Ting Fung also said, "I always hope to find a Hong Kong action film that would give me the impulse to make. When I got the call from Chan Muk Sing, I knew this moment has come! It has been many years since an action film with heavy Hong Kong flavor like RAGING FIRE has appeared. In addition due to the trust that Director Benny and I have built over the years, each time he asked me he definitely would have a daring role for me to try. Thus this time indeed was a rare opportunity of great importance!" Ting Fung also praised Director Chan as a real gentleman director, a rarity in the film industry!

Under the pandemic, many large scale international film festivals have been forced to cancel or switch to online format. This year the Shanghai Film Festival was able to take place as scheduled, Chi Tan said, "The damage that this pandemic has brought to the entire film has deeply affected everyone, but from a positive and optimistic approach we would cherish our time with family and friends even more. It is a type of happiness, because life is valuable and fragile." Chi Tan this time also had other jobs on hand in Shanghai. He said, "Once I completed the quarantine, I would join into a skincare production commercial shoot; after the Shanghai Film Festival, I will immediately join the new film's production. Thus for now I still have to stay away from the delicious food."

[2021.06.11] RONALD CHENG LAMENTS THE DIFFICULTY FOR NEWCOMERS

Ronald Cheng works for free to support new directors and actors

The cast appears at the charity premiere
courtesy of singtao.com

Tony Wu and Hanna Chan are excited about the film's four film festival selections
courtesy of on.cc

Tony Wu and Hanna Chan's characters are very heavy in the film
courtesy of mingpao.com

Ronald Cheng Chung Kei two nights ago attended the charity premiere of the film ELISA'S DAY (WAI OI). He said that he worked on the film for no salary because he felt director Alan Fung Chi Hang's thinking was very special. He felt that he needed to support new directors and new actors more. Earlier he also said that he worked on the Sandra Ng Kwan Yu produced Lunar New Year film for no salary, but Kwan Yu revealed that she got a call from his manager Tin Kai Man. Cheng Chung Kei joked, "No, she is making that up. I feel supporting newcomers is very important. Now too many people are standing on very high places and refusing to leave, so we have to give newcomers opportunities in order to know their abilities. In addition this time working with newcomers felt great, we set off many sparks."

Hanna Chan and Tony Wu Tsz Tung two nights ago attended the charity premiere for the film ELISA'S DAY. In the film they had a romance. Hanna Chan revealed that in one scene she had to slap Cheng Chung Kei. Although she had to hit an elder, she did not feel too scared. She said that in order to keep the production smooth, she would rather hit harder and reduce bad takes. She did not want to hit several more times because she held back. Finally she completed the scenes in two takes.

Wu Tsz Tung was also on the set at the time. As a Cheng Chung Kei fan, he was excited and heartbroken to see his idol getting hit. He was very conflicted. Wu Tsz Tung pointed out that this time he had many emotional scenes. In order to keep his moods from being affected, he admitted that during the shoot his family hounded him about his unhappiness. Luckily his friend Ling Man Lung taught him how to leave the role. Hanna Chan felt that actors had the responsibility to leave the characters, instead of leaving themselves in the whirlpool.

[2021.06.10] ALEX YEUNG PLANS TO EXPAND EMPEROR WITH VARIETY

Alex Yeung

Nicholas Tse has never left the Emperor family
courtesy of on.cc

Emperor chief Albert Yeung Sau Sing's son Alex Yeung Ching Lung recently has been promoted to become the vice chair of Emperor Motion Pictures. The company invested several hundreds of millions on film production and cinemas. Without any fear of the pandemic, Alex stated that entertainment would have a bright future and joked that "the show must go on". In the future the company would continue to work with famous directors like Zhang Yimou and Jiang Wen, as well as with Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Dior Cheng Yi Kin and others on family, inspirational films to inject more variety into the film industry!

Emperor Motion Picture Vice Chair Yeung Ching Lung earlier spoke to the media at his Tsim Shat Tsui cinema. The company recently made numerous moves, aside from investing HK$ 350 million on the film ONCE UPON A TIME IN HONG KONG (GUM SAU JI) Emperor also announced that it would invest HK$ 70 million on the renovation of its Causeway Bay Times Square cinema. It would be the 7th in its Hong Kong cinema expansion. Macau would also have its first Emperor Cinema. Continuing to invest under the pandemic, the company has been more courageous than others and rather optimistic about the future.

Alex revealed that projects would keep coming as the company would invest in 2 new films, including the Eric Tsang Chi Wai produced and starred CHOOK JO GA YUN (FAMILY FOR RENT), a family comedy with Carlos Chan Ka Lok, Catherine Chau Ka Yi and Tian Niu; another would be an inspirational film SUM SIU SIM BEI GUOON (LATE NIGHT HIDING HALL) that would star Cheng Yi Kin and produced by Law Chi Leung.

Was Alex worried that the pandemic would be difficult for breaking even? He said, "The pandemic has caused difficulties in every business and industry, but I feel that clothing, food, home and transportation are necessities. Like people in the industry always say, 'the show must go on!' Cinemas and film under the condition of ensured safety should probably continue to develop. Like film productions, we kept making many different genre films for the needs of different viewers; as for cinemas, aside from good video and sound systems, we also kept elevating food quality and released many innovative snacks and beverages. Many would say that online streaming video platforms would affect the cinema business, actually back then when television started cinemas were said to be affected too. However interaction between people would involve going out, watching movies, and eating. The most important is to keep improving. There is always room to develop."

Alex served as a chief planner on the film CLIFF WALKERS, which made over 1.1 billion RMB at the box office. Speaking of the film halting production for almost 2 months due to the pandemic, the film probably went over the budget by a lot. However he felt that going a little over the budget was not worth mentioning at all in comparison to the hard work of the cast and the crew working in the ice and snow. He even stated that he would like to keep working with director Zhang Yimou. Whether it would be a sequel, it would have to wait until the discussion with Director Zhang on whether the story could continue.

As film fanatic himself, Alex loved to watch all kinds of movies. He stated that film investments would be market driven. As for actors, he pointed out that the company has many artists. Nicholas Tse Ting Fung, Joey Yung Cho Yi and Twins are great choices. "Artists who signed with us are like a family, everyone are very happy to work together. One day I saw Ting Fung, at age 40 he spent 2/3 of his life at Emperor. This is truly wonderful. Everyone could see his changes, from singer to actor. His new film RAGING FIRE (NO FOR) will also be released soon. He keeps on improving on many things. Deep Ng Ho Hong and Chan Ka Lok are artists with a lot of variety. If we start production on a movie, we want to consider whether our company has suitable choices first. As for directors, we would work a lot with Lau Ho Leung, (Derek) Kwok Chi Kin, Zhang Yimou, Jiang Wen and others."

[2021.06.09] FOR THE WEEK ENDING SUNDAY, JUNE 6 2021

For the week ending Sunday June 6 2021

Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Movies Hong Kong

10 THE FATHER
    d. Florian Zeller
    Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss,
      Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams

  9 CLIFF WALKERS
    d. Zhang Yimou
    Yu Hewei, Zhang Yi, Qin Hailu, Zhu Yawen,
      Liu Haocun, Ni Dahong, Li Niwen
  Opening April 30 2021
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/kU6bduGMrEU
  Site : https://www.emp.hk/en/production/all/cliff-walkers

[ EMPEROR MOTION PICTURES ]
    In 1934, the Japanese military has built a fortress for inhumane medical experiments. However, one man – Wang Ziyang – manages to escape the fortress alive.

    Chinese intelligence forms a task force to intercept Wang for information about the fortress. But when the puppet government learns of the mission, they use any means necessary to stop the team from finding their man.

  8 77 HEARTWARMINGS
  AKA : 77 HEARTBURNS
  Can : Gum Dong Ngor 77 Chi
  Lit : Affect Me 77 Times
    d. Herman Yau Lai To
    Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin, Pakho Chau, Mario Maurer,
      Kara Wai Ying Hung, Yumiko Cheng Hei Yi, Candy Lo Hau Yam,
      Michelle Wai Sze Nga, Jeana Ho Pui Yu, Rock Ji, Gillian Chung Yun Tung,
      J. Arie (Lui Sum Yu), C Kwan, Lawrence Cheng Tan Shui, Lok Wing,
      Bob Lam Sing Bun, Terence Siufay, Francis Ng Chun Yu
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 94 mins.
  Opening May 14 2021
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/F7P97gShZk8

[ EMPEROR MOTION PICTURES ]
    A couple enters the graveyard of love -- marriage. The challenge facing Adam is whether his love is enough for Eva to achieve a happy ending!

  7 THE MAURITANIAN
    d. Kevin McDonald
    Tahir Rahim, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley

  6 MY INDIAN BOYFRIEND
  Can : Ngor Nam Yau Hei Ho Cha
    d. Sri Kishore
    Shirley Chan Yan Yin, Karan Cholia (Sing Ka Won),
      Justin Cheung Kin Sing, Lenna Yeung Cheuk Na,
      Pancy Chan Pui Sze, Gill Mohinderpaul Singh (Kiu Bo Bo),
      New Dellily (Sun Tak Lei Lei), Kaki Sham,
      Wayne Si Wai Ting, Charlotte Cheung Pui Lok
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 121 mins.
  Opening May 27 2021
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/sAZhZ4PuWq8

[ MCL CINEMAS ]
    It's a love story between a Hong Kong girl and an Indian boy, set in Hong Kong. It encapsulates the drama of conflicts caused by racial discrimination as well as differences in social-cultural, lifestyle and family values. At the same time, it combines the emotions of tears, joy, and humor with song and dance.

  5 THE COURIER
    d. Dominic Cooke
    Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel Brosnahan, Jessie Buckley

  4 DRIFTING
  Can: CHOOK SHUI PIU LAU
  Lit : MUDDY WATER DRIFTING STREAMS
    d. Jun Li Chun Shek
    Francis Ng Chun Yu, Loletta Lee Lai Chun, Tse Kwan Ho,
      Chun Pak Hong, Cecilia Choi Sze Wan, Will Or
  Rating : III
  Length : 112 mins.
  Opening February 5 2021 at the Rotterdam International Film Festival
  Opening April 4 2021 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
  Opening June 3 2021
  Site : https://iffr.com/en/2021/films/drifting
  Site : https://www.hkiff.org.hk/film/getdetail?fid=943
  Teaser : https://youtu.be/pSsmMquGPwg
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/Dive0mfX_UM

[ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM ]
    Just out of jail, Fai finds a spot on a street corner where other homeless people welcome him. But he doesn't get much time to settle in. The police soon chase them away, and their possessions disappear into a garbage truck. Young social worker Ms Ho thinks it's time to fight this in court. In the meantime, Fai and his friends have other concerns.

  3 THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT
    d. Michael Chaves
    Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga

  2 FAST AND FURIOUS 9
    d. Justin Lin
    Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster,
      Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges,
      Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Sung Kang,

  1 CRUELLA
    d. Craig Gillespie
    Emma Stone, Emma Thompson

[2021.06.09] FOR THE WEEK STARTING SATURDAY, JUNE 5 2021

For the week starting Saturday, June 5 2021 (Week 23)

VIUTV CHILL CLUB CHART

  5 THE THINKER
  Can : Chum Si Jeh
  Phil Lam Yik Hon

https://youtu.be/vXyuuIcCT98

  4 MAD MAN DIARY
  Can : Kong Yun Yut Gei
  Jer Lau Ying Yin

https://youtu.be/Fo0kczTrfeE

  3 THE WONDERFUL MAGIC POTION OF CONFUSION
  Can : Sun Kei Dik Wu Toh Mor Yeuk
  Terence Lam Ka Him

https://youtu.be/jrP24ZSYHts

  2 MISS SOMEBODY
  Can : Si Lim Jik Dei Yuk
  Jay Fung Won Him

https://youtu.be/a1_inIrS0ag

  1 FOR THOSE WHO STAY, FOR THOSE WHO HAD LEFT
  Can : Lau Ha Loi Dik Yun
  C AllStar

https://youtu.be/-a02RxrYF24

[2021.06.09] JUST 1 DAY GIVES HONG KONGERS A FEELING OF HOME

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of on.cc

The Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin and Wong Cho Nam starred Emperor Motion Picture JUST 1 DAY (CUP NGOR 1 TIN) will open this year. Before its official release the film already has had several rounds of good news. It was selected by the 2021 Dublin International Film Festival, the Hainan International Film Festival, and the 23rd Udine Far East Film Festival.

JUST 1 DAY is full of authentic local colors and collective memories. The team goes all over Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories for location shoots, bringing back deep memories for Ah Sa and Cho Nam. Ah Sa says, "We really went all over Hong Kong, like the Star Ferry Pier, City Hall. I believe everyone left their foot prints there many times. Coincidentally, we even went to where Cho Nam and I grew up. When I was little I lived on the Old Main Street in Aberdeen, while Cho Nam lived in Sham Shui Po. This time both have been captured on camera." Ah Sa jokes that she is a "friend of the Southern District", the film brings her back to her childhood locations. "From elementary school to secondary school I lived in Aberdeen. Each time I took the van home, all the other classmates had to be dropped off first. The trip included Wong Chuk Hang, Wah Fu Estate, Wah Kwai Estate, Chi Fu Fa Yuen, Lei Tung Estate, West Estate (Ap Lei Chau Estate), then to Old Main Street where I finally could get off." Cho Nam adds, "So the entire film would give the audience a type of 'home' feeling!"