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Super Junior Members collaborate with stars from Dream of the Red Chamber

August 9, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Non-Chinese, Television, Tagged , , , , , , ,

Upper L clockwise: Jiang Mengjie, Heechul, Yang Yang and Zhou Mi

Upper L clockwise: Jiang Mengjie, Heechul, Yang Yang and Zhou Mi

Starring Leo Ku (古巨基), Dream of Red Chamber leads Jiang Mengjie ( 蒋梦婕) and Yang Yang (杨洋) and Super Junior/SJM members Heechul (金希澈) and Zhou Mi (周觅), drama “Melody of Youth” held its press conference on the 9th.

Melody tells of a group of recent college graduates and their first steps into the real world. Leading the drama is Leo Ku, an unconventional older student with a mind for business; Jiang Mengjie plays the female lead, a headstrong tomboy who earns her own livings and is a pro at video games; Heechul plays a professional video gamer who begins to woo Jiang Mengjie; Zhou Mi plays a humorous rich boy who seeks to prove himself worth more than just his parents’ money.; As for Yang Yang, cfensi forum’s shared new love after his gorgeous smile at Happy Camp appearance last week? He plays a sweet boy whose true calling lies in nail painting.

Fan picture of Heechul (L) and Yang Yang (R)

Fan picture of Heechul (L) and Yang Yang (R)

Possibility of Yao Ming-Kobe Bryant Basketball Movie

June 3, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Movies, Non-Chinese, Tagged , , , , , , , ,
These two NBA stars might be in a movie together

These two NBA stars might be in a movie together

The slogan of the National Basketball Association — “where amazing happens” — might be going international, as the Shanghai Film Group Corporation is planning to film a basketball movie starring Yao Ming and other NBA stars. Backed by NBA commissioner David Stern, the movie is reportedly named Amazing, a name suggested by Stern and inspired by the NBA slogan. The Chinese name is Shen Qi (神奇).

The movie, to be directed by mainland director Hu Xuehua, will be about American basketball stars training in China, but apart from the name and general plot, not much else has been revealed. When telephoned by reporters yesterday, the chairman of the Shanghai Film Group Corporation, Ren Zhonglun, stated, “At the present time, it can only be said that the name of the movie has been determined. The actors, investors, and other details and problems will have to wait until after we sign the contract to be revealed.”

Nevertheless, thanks to the support of the NBA, the possibility that NBA stars will participate is enormous. Apart from Yao Ming, there are hopes that Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant and the retired Magic Johnson will join the film. According to reports, Yao Ming and Johnson have already agreed to act, and the company is currently in contact with Kobe. In reply to this, Ren Zhonglun only admitted that they really were in contact with Yao Ming, Johnson, and other NBA stars, but that before signing the contract, it was not convenient to say more.

Filming will begin in August, exactly during the NBA off-season, and must finish before October to match with the start of the new season. Insiders revealed that the most important film roles will be the master and apprentice, played respectively by Yao Ming and mainland star Huang Xiaoming. Hong Kong actor-singer Shawn Yue may also be appearing.

Shawn Yue, who had once been on the Hong Kong youth basketball team, said to the Hong Kong media yesterday that it was true that both sides had been in contact, and that he hoped to participate if his schedule fit. Huang Xiaoming’s manager, Zhou Siwei, confirmed that they were in the middle of discussion with the company.

translation by Jo
Source

Yi Zhi Mei (Iljaemei), Zhuge Liang to be filmed by Shanghai Tangren

May 17, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Television, Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
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Liu Shishi in Strange Heroes Yi Zhi Mei

Known for its gorgeous casts and youthful plots in  historical dramas like Chinese Paladin, Fairy in Wonderland and the Young Warriors of the Yang Clan,  Shanghai Tangren Company recently announced its three new series in production this year in an interview with CEO Karen Tsoi.

They include in pre-production stage series about genius strategist Zhuge Liang starring Hu Ge, currently filming series about “Asian Robin Hood” Yi Zhi Mei starring Wallace Huo, Liu Shishi and Ma Tianyu, and post-production series about textile master Huang Dao Po starring Zhang Junning (the actress, not the HSM actor), Liu Shishi and Yuan Hong.

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Pictures and character descriptions on YiZhiMei/Iljaemei adaptation below the cut: (more…)

Ip Man 2’s First-Week Box Office Over 100 Million Yuan

May 5, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Movies, Tagged , , , , , ,
Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen at the Hong Kong premiere

Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen at the Hong Kong premiere

In its first week, Ip Man 2 brought in 105 million yuan (approx. 15.38 million USD), setting a new box office high for this year and becoming the highest-selling movie during this year’s three-day May Day (Labor Day) weekend. Originally set to premiere on April 29, the release date was pushed forward to April 27 due to favorable responses after the Beijing premiere. Over 300,000 people watched the film on its opening night.

Although the weekend also welcomed the arrival of Hollywood blockbuster (and similarly named) Iron Man 2, the industry still predicts that Ip Man 2 will be able to break 200 million after two weeks. Director Wilson Yip seems confident that it will surpass 300 million, and even says he’ll go streaking if the box office reaches 500 million.

Word of mouth says Ip Man 2 is superior to Iron Man 2, as its relaxed and humorous plot, stunning action scenes, and patriotic mood are enough to move the audience to tears. Donnie Yen’s portrayal of Yip Man has been widely applauded for keeping with the way Chinese people perceive their martial arts masters: calm, humble, not showing off, and in general maintaining personal integrity. Only when the occasion calls for it will he bravely step forward.

Analysts say Ip Man 2’s success is not by chance, but of course it is directly related to the favorable reputation and popularity of its first installment two years ago. Director Yip has expressed that he would like to film Ip Man 3, thus completing the Ip Man trilogy and cementing the “Yip Man” trademark. This third movie would focus on the story of Yip Man and disciples Wong Leung and Bruce Lee. However, Donnie Yen has previously said that he would not want to film a third Ip Man movie. Director Yip has also revealed that finding someone to act out Bruce Lee would be a difficult problem: “We have to find someone who already resembles Bruce Lee and can fight.”

Pictures from the movie behind the cut:

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Daniel Wu Reflects on New Movie “Like A Dream” and Other Movies

April 28, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Interview, Mainland China, Movies, Tagged , , ,
Daniel Wu and Yuan Quan

Daniel Wu and Yuan Quan in Like A Dream

It’s actually not really a new movie. Like A Dream, starring Daniel Wu and Yuan Quan, was released last year in Taiwan and despite receiving nine nominations for the 46th Golden Horse Awards, failed to win a single one. But it’s set to open in mainland and Hong Kong theaters at the end of this month, so in a way it is a new movie. The media has questioned its long, tedious plot and unrealistic story development, but lead actor and first-time producer Daniel Wu insists that the screenplay is good: “At the very least, when you finish watching it, you will remember it and discuss it.”

At yesterday’s press conference at the Shanghai premiere, reporters brought up questions about relationships, appropriate since Yuan Quan recently had a baby girl and Daniel Wu recently got married. Daniel told the reporters that this film was one of the catalysts for his recent marriage: “The movie woke me up a little; it made me look at love in a different way and made me think I ought to give my wife a confession.” So if the movie doesn’t accomplish anything else, at least we’ll know it helped to take one of Chinese entertainment’s most eligible bachelors off the market.

Since this film was director Clara Law’s first project since her last movie in 2004, investments were slow and it was difficult to carry anything out before filming started. Daniel helped find investments himself, and even set an example by lowering his paycheck and taking on the job of producer. And apparently he threw himself so much into the role that when filming ended after two-and-a-half months, he found it really hard to come out of his character’s mindset.

Having been an actor, a director, and now a producer, Daniel Wu has clearly matured when it comes to the movie industry, and with this maturity have come insights about his career and the entertainment scene in general.

“I don’t have an objective of becoming an idol,” he told Sina in an interview. “I never have. Maybe some people want to make me an idol, but I’m an actor. I feel that this movie has meaning, and to me that’s the most important.”

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Stars Join to Raise Money for Qinghai Earthquake Victims

April 26, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Non-Chinese, Taiwan, Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Sun Nan, Andy Lau, and Jackie Chan sing together

Sun Nan, Andy Lau, and Jackie Chan sing together

There was no fancy clothing, no dazzling stage, just several hundred celebrities from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China in white T-shirts emblazoned with Artistes 414 Fund Raising Campaign, coming together to show their support for the Yushu earthquake victims. Close to 300 celebrities participated in this joint performance in order to raise money for the disaster relief. The show, which took place in the Hong Kong Coliseum on April 26, lasted five hours. During this event, 100 hotlines were set up to answer calls from donors, with stars like Alan Tam and Kenny Bee serving as switchboard operators. Donations totaled 35.06 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 4.516 U.S. dollars).

Two hundred Hong Kong artists sang the theme song “Hand With Heart,” after which everyone stood up to hold a moment of silence for the earthquake victims. During the five-hour event, numerous celebrities joined on stage to sing together. Jacky Cheung, Sun Nan, Harlem Yu, and Hacken Lee sang “Descendant of the Dragon.” Andy Lau led a group of 80 young men in singing a song he’d created after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, called “Promise” (Cheng Nuo). Other singers included Lowell Lo, Lo Ta-yu, Paula Tsui, Joey Yung, TWINS, Grasshopper band, The Wynners, Eason Chan, David Tao, Vivian Chow, Leo Ku, Aska Yang, and Kelly Chen.

This is one of the many efforts begun in support of the victims of the Qinghai Earthquake. Qinghai TV and Hunan TV cohosted a concert, followed by CCTV. Qinghai TV, in collaboration with Hunan TV, also released a series of videos raising awareness to the cause, including a remake by the eeMedia artists of a song Super Boy Wang Zhengliang had written for the Sichuan Earthquake. Many individuals and groups also stood up to help the relief efforts. One notable group is the Yumi Love Fund of Li Yuchun’s fans, which donated over 1million yuan yuan for relief efforts.

Singing “Hand With Heart”:

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Jackie Chan waters Will Smith and Jay-Z’s plants

April 15, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Interview, Mainland China, Non-Chinese, Tagged , ,
Jackie and the Smiths

Jackie and the Smiths

On the afternoon of Apr 2nd, Jacki Chan rushed to Beijing from US to record “Think when you Drink” for people in southern areas affected by the drought.At the scene, he shares his ideas for recycling with the media.

Jackie waters Will Smith and Jay-Z’s plants
Jackie Chan describes himself as a person who understands the importance of protecting the environment, and he has done so for the past 20 years. “No matter where I go to, I always educate people around me to protect the environment and the water source. Just a while ago when I ate with Will Smith, I told my crew to find a tree in the backyard and water it with what’s leftover in their bottles and glasses of water. Will agreed to my idea and told me that he will encourage his family to do the same. The same happened when I had tea with Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z, as he thought it was a neat idea as well.”

To save water, Jackie shares toilet
Chan revealed something interesting during the interview, “There are 1.3 billion people in China, if everyone flushes the toilet three times a day, how much water will be wasted? So whenever I need to use the restroom, I tell the crew, ‘Whoever wants to use the toilet, come quick!’ so only one flush is needed at the end, which saves a lot of water. The most people I had during these experiences is sharing a toilet flush with 11 people. It wasn’t really a big deal since we were all male.” Besides following through his own words, Chan educates his son on protecting the environment as well.

“Lala” is One of Four Female-Directed Movies Out in Theaters This April

March 28, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Tagged , , ,

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Xu Jinglei’s new self-directed and self-acted, metropolitan romance movie “Go Lala Go!” with Pace Wu, Stanley Huang, and Karen Mok will shown in major theaters in mainland China on April 15th.  The story tells of a college graduate who works her way up the corporate ladder and romances her boss along the way. Xu Jinglei, who in real life can be considered one of the most successful Chinese actresses, having directed award-winning films, having the number 1 blog on technorati, and her own web-magazine for women, had originally felt she was too old to star in her own movie but to do financial and other reasons ended up playing the part and hand-picked Stanley Xu for the role of Wang Wei, her boss in the film.

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Hong Kong Directors name Li Yuchun as best newcomer of the year

March 19, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Movies, Tagged , ,

Li Yuchun singing Bodyguards and Assassins theme song at her last Amon concert. She will have another concert on the 27th.

The Hong Kong Film Director’s Guild has recently announced singer Chris Li Yuchun as the best new actress/actor of the year. Li Yuchun played orphaned girl Fang Hong, in Bodyguards and Assassins. Although the award is only in its third year, it’s still an affirmation of Li Yuchun by the directors.

The movie, directed by Teddy Chen, features an all-star cast of Donnie Yen, Fan Bingbing, Nicholas Tse, Hu Jun, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Leon Lai, Jacky Cheung, Zhang Hanyun, Eric Tsang and Li Yuchun. Li Yuchun plays the sixteen-year-old daughter of a former Qing general disguised as an opera troupe leader. Her mother was killed and father exiled after his father lead  forces against the Europeans during the Boxer Rebellion. When her father is killed, Fang Hong seeks revenge and joins in the team of bodyguards protecting Sun Yat-sen from the Empress Dowager’s assassins.

Li Yuchun was also nominated  for best supporting actress, best newcomer and best theme song “Dust” for the 2009 Hong Kong Film Awards. Bodyguards and Assassins was  nominated for every category it fits into, and not undeservingly.

While I’m no judge of acting abilities, watching the following MV of her role in the movie along was enough to make me cry twice. Watch the whole movie here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz1ydhr-DfE

Vanness Wu, MC Jin, and Sean Noh teams up with Jaeson Ma to make “1040″

February 28, 2010 | Posted in Hong Kong, Movies, Taiwan, Tagged , , , , ,

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Jaeson Ma spent the past year making the film 1040, about the spread of Christianity in the area known as the “10/40 window”, referring to the area between 10 degrees and 40 degrees North latitude in the Eastern hemisphere. The film covers China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia. Jaeson is friends with a lot of entertainers in Asia, so the documentary has a large amount of interviews with stars like Van Ness Wu, Jin Tha MC, and Sean Noh (of Jinusean). The powerful film can get intense, as it shows people talking in tongues, exorcisms. It also contains moving interviews and coverage about missionary activity Asians are doing in places where westerners really can’t go anymore, like in Afghanistan. Visit the film’s website here, where there is info if you have a church you’d like to attend screenings with and see the hard work of these guys culminate on the screen.

The trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkQVzkpJbF8

Two additional interviews below the cut.

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