Lau Wai-Chi (Andy Lau) is a Hong Kong movie star with legions of devoted fans and a constant eye on his competition. His fame has drawn him inside an ever-tighter circle, where all he can do is keep his body perfect and worry what other star is snagging an award or a big role that should be his. Vulnerable and sensing the need for a new image, Lau is persuaded to take the starring role in a humble indie drama where the protagonist is a village pig farmer. Lau and the director – played by Ning Hao himself – agree this foray into miserabilist cinema will be just what foreign film festivals crave. [Source: 2023 Toronto International Film Festival]
Andy Lau continues his streak as a box-office drawcard with his third consecutive movie release since December 2023 – this time a Ning Hao industry comedy satire, “The Movie Emperor”, set for an exclusive Chinese New Year release in China on...
Andy Lau continues his streak as a box-office drawcard with his third consecutive movie release since December 2023 – this time a Ning Hao industry comedy satire, “The Movie Emperor”, set for an exclusive Chinese New Year release in China on...
- 1/30/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Taiwanese screenwriter and director Su Chao Bin wrote this Ming Dynasty wuxia drama primarily for Michelle Yeoh to star in. According to Su and producer Terence Chang, the approach was to do a story in the style of Gu Long's wuxia, populated with multiple characters plus a touch of suspense and mystery. Producer John Woo's input is mainly as an adviser, but he did direct one action scene which featured his daughter and thereby also credited as co-director. Su won the Best Director award for his effort at the 17th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The story starts off with an interesting animated prologue detailing the arrival of Monk Bodhi from India some eight hundred years ago. He spent his early years preaching in the Palace and then retired to Mt Jinhua where he trained and...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The story starts off with an interesting animated prologue detailing the arrival of Monk Bodhi from India some eight hundred years ago. He spent his early years preaching in the Palace and then retired to Mt Jinhua where he trained and...
- 10/27/2023
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
‘The Movie Emperor’ Review: Andy Lau Plays Vain Version of Himself in Hong Kong Megastar Meta-Satire
In America, doing what Andy Lau does in Hong Kong film industry satire “The Movie Emperor” would likely net him an Oscar nomination. Or at least an MTV Movie Award. Or maybe just the admiration of his peers, considering how few stars are willing to poke fun at their own image, much less entertain the question of what might happen if their fans were to turn on them tomorrow.
Reteaming with “Crazy Stone” director Ning Hao for an ultra-polished, good-sport parody of A-list vanity, Lau plays Dany Lau — not quite himself, but a megastar of roughly his own stature. The movie is loaded with inside jokes, but like French series “Call My Agent,” it should have no trouble translating around the globe. Between Lau’s international standing — bolstered by roles in everything from “Infernal Affairs” to “A Simple Life,” plus a Cantopop singing career — and the script’s deft way...
Reteaming with “Crazy Stone” director Ning Hao for an ultra-polished, good-sport parody of A-list vanity, Lau plays Dany Lau — not quite himself, but a megastar of roughly his own stature. The movie is loaded with inside jokes, but like French series “Call My Agent,” it should have no trouble translating around the globe. Between Lau’s international standing — bolstered by roles in everything from “Infernal Affairs” to “A Simple Life,” plus a Cantopop singing career — and the script’s deft way...
- 10/21/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Gambling films make for an exciting viewing experience, complete with high rollers, risky bets, crowded poker tables, and fast-paced storylines. Like online resources such as this one www.gambleonlineaustralia.com/, they are an excellent place to learn gambling strategies and see different casino plays in action. But gambling films are not limited to Hollywood. In fact, there seems to be a movie with some aspect of casino life in just about every country. Below, we review the top gambling films from the Asian continent.
God of Gamblers (1989)
God of Gamblers features some humor, which surprisingly works well with the gambling theme. The 1989 classic follows pro-gambler Ko Chun, who is so good at gambling he is considered the “god of gamblers.” Chun, like any man, has eccentricities, his being that he enjoys a piece of chocolate in every game he plays. He beats another master gambler, Tanaka, beginning a series of humorous and engaging events.
God of Gamblers (1989)
God of Gamblers features some humor, which surprisingly works well with the gambling theme. The 1989 classic follows pro-gambler Ko Chun, who is so good at gambling he is considered the “god of gamblers.” Chun, like any man, has eccentricities, his being that he enjoys a piece of chocolate in every game he plays. He beats another master gambler, Tanaka, beginning a series of humorous and engaging events.
- 2/1/2023
- by Peter Adams
- AsianMoviePulse
Titles include Sofia Brockenshire’s ‘The Dependents’.
Eight feature documentaries will have world premieres in the international feature competition of Dok Leipzig, which runs from October 17-23 in Germany.
World debuts in the 13-strong international competition include Sofia Brockenshire’s The Dependents, an Argentina-Canada co-production about the life of an official in the Canadian Immigration Service.
Scroll down for the full competition selection
Brockenshire previously co-directed One Sister, a fiction film that debuted in Biennale College – Cinema at Venice Film Festival in 2016.
The international competition section will also launch Joseph Mangat’s Divine Factory, a Filipino-us-Taiwanese co-production that looks at the economic,...
Eight feature documentaries will have world premieres in the international feature competition of Dok Leipzig, which runs from October 17-23 in Germany.
World debuts in the 13-strong international competition include Sofia Brockenshire’s The Dependents, an Argentina-Canada co-production about the life of an official in the Canadian Immigration Service.
Scroll down for the full competition selection
Brockenshire previously co-directed One Sister, a fiction film that debuted in Biennale College – Cinema at Venice Film Festival in 2016.
The international competition section will also launch Joseph Mangat’s Divine Factory, a Filipino-us-Taiwanese co-production that looks at the economic,...
- 9/29/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
I confess, I don’t know as much of the work of the revered Johnnie To as I should. I remember seeing Election when it came out in UK cinemas, but I’m not sure that I’ve got round to anything else, so this latest set from Eureka should prove something of an education.
The Films
Cheung (Andy Lau) is dying. With just weeks left, he decides to play a game with Police and a local gangster, with the objective of stealing both a valuable necklace and the 5million the gangsters are willing to pay for it. Inspector Ho (Ching Wan Lau) is assigned to the case, and he and Leung develop a relationship of respect as adversaries.
It is fairly obvious where Running Out Of Time is drawing it major inspiration from. Michael Mann’s Heat pre-dates it by just a few years and the central relationship, while...
The Films
Cheung (Andy Lau) is dying. With just weeks left, he decides to play a game with Police and a local gangster, with the objective of stealing both a valuable necklace and the 5million the gangsters are willing to pay for it. Inspector Ho (Ching Wan Lau) is assigned to the case, and he and Leung develop a relationship of respect as adversaries.
It is fairly obvious where Running Out Of Time is drawing it major inspiration from. Michael Mann’s Heat pre-dates it by just a few years and the central relationship, while...
- 8/1/2022
- by Sam Inglis
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Boutique distributor Limonero Films is to launch documentary series “Ahead of Their Time” at Cannes television market MipTV, which runs April 4-6. The show will deliver insights from the entrepreneurs behind such ground-breaking enterprises as Lonely Planet, Airbnb, Netflix, TikTok and Zumba.
The eight-part show was produced by Singapore-based Sora Media, and ordered by Channel News Asia.
Season one will feature the stories behind Netflix, Vestron, Quorn, Impossible Foods, Horn, Hardart, Tiffin Labs, Polaroid and TikTok. Season two will look at Airbnb, Lonely Planet, Fitbit, Garmin, Rude Health, Vitasoy, F45 and Zumba.
Pamela Martínez, managing director of Limonero Films, said: “We are very excited about collaborating with Sora Media for the first time. This factual series is perfect for our catalogue, and I’m sure it’s going to do exceptionally well with international broadcasters. Each episode has unique access, an entertaining approach, and lots of take-home information.”
Kelly Lin,...
The eight-part show was produced by Singapore-based Sora Media, and ordered by Channel News Asia.
Season one will feature the stories behind Netflix, Vestron, Quorn, Impossible Foods, Horn, Hardart, Tiffin Labs, Polaroid and TikTok. Season two will look at Airbnb, Lonely Planet, Fitbit, Garmin, Rude Health, Vitasoy, F45 and Zumba.
Pamela Martínez, managing director of Limonero Films, said: “We are very excited about collaborating with Sora Media for the first time. This factual series is perfect for our catalogue, and I’m sure it’s going to do exceptionally well with international broadcasters. Each episode has unique access, an entertaining approach, and lots of take-home information.”
Kelly Lin,...
- 3/28/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
With the success of his predecessor becoming imminent, it was perhaps just a question of time before cinema audiences would be given a sequel to Johnnie To’s 1999 film “Running Out of Time”. Even though Andy Lau’s character is naturally out of the picture in this film, we have Lau Ching-wan reprising his role as Inspector Ho, who, once again, has to engage in a game of deception and trickery with a skilled thief. And although there is always a high risk of sequels not living up to their predecessors, “Running Out of Time 2” at least features some aspect which prooves the directors’ predilection for illusions, since they essentially create a film about the nature of performing.
Several years have gone by since Inspector Ho (Lau Ching-wan) had to face a criminal who would deceive him and make a game of evading being arrested. However, he...
Several years have gone by since Inspector Ho (Lau Ching-wan) had to face a criminal who would deceive him and make a game of evading being arrested. However, he...
- 2/5/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
When three of the best directors of modern Hong Kong action cinema come together, distributors as well as fans naturally become quite excited for the result of their efforts. Scheduled for filming in 2007, “Triangle” was planned as a frame story directed by Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To, with each one taking charge of 30 minutes of the overall movie. To make matters even more interesting, they agreed on an overall narrative framework, but with each segment the director would work with a different crew and would continue the story with a different script. While Hark directed the first segment, Lam did the second and To’s segment concluded the film.
Of course, the overall concept and the premise of theses three directors working together looks very good in theory, there are however, some flaws within the final outcome which need to be addressed, many of which...
Of course, the overall concept and the premise of theses three directors working together looks very good in theory, there are however, some flaws within the final outcome which need to be addressed, many of which...
- 1/27/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
“Told you sparrows bring bad luck.”
Every director has a passion project of his or her own. Although every project is one they had always been planning to do or were interested in doing, the difference to other project, sometimes is quite huge, which, of course, is not necessarily a positive aspect. Directors like Stanley Kubrick or Terry Gilliam have worked on their individual projects for many years, sometimes with no conclusion in sight, as in the case of the former and his “Napoleon” project.
In the case of Chinese director Johnnie To, “Sparrow” (2008) definitely qualifies as a passion project in the body of the work of the director. For a director and producer, who sometimes released three to four different films per year in his career, “Sparrow” is quite the oddity. Shooting took place over a period of three years during which he released many famous entries of his body of work,...
Every director has a passion project of his or her own. Although every project is one they had always been planning to do or were interested in doing, the difference to other project, sometimes is quite huge, which, of course, is not necessarily a positive aspect. Directors like Stanley Kubrick or Terry Gilliam have worked on their individual projects for many years, sometimes with no conclusion in sight, as in the case of the former and his “Napoleon” project.
In the case of Chinese director Johnnie To, “Sparrow” (2008) definitely qualifies as a passion project in the body of the work of the director. For a director and producer, who sometimes released three to four different films per year in his career, “Sparrow” is quite the oddity. Shooting took place over a period of three years during which he released many famous entries of his body of work,...
- 8/7/2018
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
2013 promises to be filled with lots of Martial Art movies and i have to say 2012 wasn’t the best year for it. The list that we have here include some great movies and we have high expectations to see some great choreography. There might be more movies which we will add to this list, so if you know of any more, please leave a comment in the box at the bottom of the page.
Tom Yum Goong 2
Cast:Tony Jaa, Jeeja Yanin, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Marrese Crump
Kham is the last of a family line of guards who once watched over the King of Thailand’s war elephants. Traditionally, only the most perfect elephants could successfully defend the throne, and very great care was taken in raising them. After his harrowing quest to retrieve the elephants and his calf, Korn, Kham returns to his village to live in peace. But for...
Tom Yum Goong 2
Cast:Tony Jaa, Jeeja Yanin, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Marrese Crump
Kham is the last of a family line of guards who once watched over the King of Thailand’s war elephants. Traditionally, only the most perfect elephants could successfully defend the throne, and very great care was taken in raising them. After his harrowing quest to retrieve the elephants and his calf, Korn, Kham returns to his village to live in peace. But for...
- 12/13/2012
- by kingofkungfu
- AsianMoviePulse
Director: Su Chao Pin. Review: Adam Wing. Taiwan writer-director Su Chao Pin (Silk) joins forces with legendary filmmaker John Woo for a period tale about love and freedom. Hang on a minute, I here you say. Surely you mean brotherhood and redemption, right? Surprisingly not, Woo’s latest collaboration steps away from familiar themes and embraces the softer side of life instead. I say softer, there are swordsman, epic battles and countless martial arts showdowns, but for the most part Reign of Assassins throws its arms out to love and sentiment. Who am I kidding? Veteran action director Stephen Tung (Bodyguards and Assassins) is on hand to choreograph the exhilarating stunts, wire-assisted swordplay and epic battles sequences. He’s not so well versed in the art of poetic ballads, so I guess bone-crunching action will have to do then. Action queen Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) takes the leading...
- 1/16/2012
- 24framespersecond.net
Top Chinese funny men Xiao Shenyang and Zhao Benshan return with period set comedy “Just Call me Nobody”, poking fun at costume epics through the adventures of a lowly shoemaker who bumbles and fumbles his way through the martial arts world. With the twosome recently having been on screens together in Zhang Yimou’s “A Simple Noodle Story”, this time around Xiao takes the lead role while Zhao also acts as producer, the film directed by Taiwanese helmer Chu Yen Ping (“Kung Fu Dunk”). As well as the headlining humorists, the film also has a vast and high profile supporting cast, which includes Kelly Lin (“Reign of Assassins”), Benny Chen, industry veterans Jacky Wu, Eric Tsang, Wong Yat Fei, Leung Ka Yan and others. The film also received a boost in the form of acclaimed action choreographer Ching Siu Tung (“A Chinese Ghost Story”), whose martial arts scenes helped propel...
- 8/25/2011
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
The previously posted teasers didn’t reveal too much, but I’ve gotta say that the latest trailer for director Zhang Qi’s “The Devil Inside Me” certainly paints a more vivid picture. And while I’ve haven’t been able to locate a proper synopsis for the film — if you know of one, feel free to let me know — the aforementioned clip should give you enough information to form a formidable amount of excitement. Assuming, of course, you enjoy the work of Tony Leung Ka-Fai, which I most certainly do.The film, which also stars Kelly Lin, Anya, Victor Huang, and Ying Da, is scheduled to hit Hong Kong later this year. Source: Film Smash function getVideo() { var so = new SWFObject("http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf?pid=byhw013&siteId=243&videoId=313683&autostart=false&file=http://cms.springboard.gorillanation.com/xml_feeds_advanced/index/243/3/313683/&pageUrl="+escape(document.
- 6/23/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
The Devil Inside Me
Directed by Zhang Qi
China, 2011
The Devil Inside Me is either one of the all-time, comically bad attempts at a dramatic thriller, or one of the best tongue-in-cheek B-melodrama this side of John Waters. Unfortunately for director Zhang Qi, all signs, including the serious way that the subject matter is handled, point to the former.
The plot would make William Castle proud. Unstable doctor Jiang Mu (Tony Leung) has performed a heart transplant on Lin Yan (Kelly Lin). Little does she know that Jiang has also performed a “memory transplant” giving her the memories and emotions of the donor. As she investigates the cause of her donor’s death, Lin meets Ma Benke (Victor Huang), the deceased’s boyfriend. As both Ma and Jiang fall for Lin her visions of another life become increasing violent and troubling.
The melodramatic twists and turns pile needlessly on top...
Directed by Zhang Qi
China, 2011
The Devil Inside Me is either one of the all-time, comically bad attempts at a dramatic thriller, or one of the best tongue-in-cheek B-melodrama this side of John Waters. Unfortunately for director Zhang Qi, all signs, including the serious way that the subject matter is handled, point to the former.
The plot would make William Castle proud. Unstable doctor Jiang Mu (Tony Leung) has performed a heart transplant on Lin Yan (Kelly Lin). Little does she know that Jiang has also performed a “memory transplant” giving her the memories and emotions of the donor. As she investigates the cause of her donor’s death, Lin meets Ma Benke (Victor Huang), the deceased’s boyfriend. As both Ma and Jiang fall for Lin her visions of another life become increasing violent and troubling.
The melodramatic twists and turns pile needlessly on top...
- 6/23/2011
- by Neal Dhand
- SoundOnSight
Its official, Chinese horror film "The Devil Inside Me," starring Kelly Lin and Leung Ka-fai, has announced that it will hit theatres in late June. The film depicts a doctor (Leung) whose bizarre and dysfunctional personal relationships lead him to more and more violent extremes. Devil was directed by young director Zhang Qi as a follow-up to his 2007 first thriller ‘Help,’ and is set to be the opening film at this years screen Singapore film festival. Check out a very promising teaser trailer via the link. Devil Inside Me trailer...
- 5/26/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
What’s it about? I’m not entirely sure. When will it hit Hong Kong theaters? Sometime this summer. Can I tell you anything about this upcoming Chinese thriller that will make you want to watch it? At the moment, not really. All I can say for sure at this point is that the film stars Tony Leung and Kelly Lin, which is basically all I need know. Sure, a proper plot synopsis and a trailer would be nice, but I’ll settle for this pair of posters until more information comes to light. You can find the images resting below. via Chinesemov.com...
- 4/28/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Meek's Cutoff (PG)
(Kelly Reichardt, 2010, Us) Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henderson, Paul Dano, Will Patton. 102 mins
Take away the epic music, the widescreen vistas, the male chauvinism, the gunfights, and just about every other Hollywood western convention, and you get this sparse, haunting evocation of American pioneering – which is probably far closer to how the west was really won. This group of settlers breaks away from the Oregon trail only to wander through an uncharted desert limbo in a trance of thirst, tension and uncertainty. Putting women's roles and the hardships of frontier survival very much to the fore, the result is a western unlike any other.
Your Highness (15)
(David Gordon Green, 2011, Us) Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman. 102 mins
A medieval stoner-com, dude! Which sounds like a great idea if you're baked, but not if you remember how Year One, that caveman stoner-com, turned out.
Scream 4 (15)
(Wes Craven,...
(Kelly Reichardt, 2010, Us) Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henderson, Paul Dano, Will Patton. 102 mins
Take away the epic music, the widescreen vistas, the male chauvinism, the gunfights, and just about every other Hollywood western convention, and you get this sparse, haunting evocation of American pioneering – which is probably far closer to how the west was really won. This group of settlers breaks away from the Oregon trail only to wander through an uncharted desert limbo in a trance of thirst, tension and uncertainty. Putting women's roles and the hardships of frontier survival very much to the fore, the result is a western unlike any other.
Your Highness (15)
(David Gordon Green, 2011, Us) Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman. 102 mins
A medieval stoner-com, dude! Which sounds like a great idea if you're baked, but not if you remember how Year One, that caveman stoner-com, turned out.
Scream 4 (15)
(Wes Craven,...
- 4/15/2011
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Johnnie To's pickpocket comedy is unexpectedly entertaining – and has the strangest imaginable influence
Johnnie To is the multi-talented Hong Kong director with a reputation here for hard-hitting crime and action: his Election (2005), about a fratricidal war for gangland primacy has many admirers; I found it clotted and self-conscious. This movie is lighter, easier and more likeable: it's a sprightly comedy caper about a pickpocket gang that pays eccentric homage to French cinema. But it's not Bresson. The movie on which it's modelled is, of all things, Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Veteran tough guy Simon Yam plays Kei, the leader of a light-fingered gang roaming the Hong Kong streets, pinching purses and wallets and palming them quickly on to each other. Chung Chun Lei, played by Kelly Lin, is a beautiful, mysterious woman spying on Kei on behalf of ageing gang boss Mr Fu (Lo Hoi Pang...
Johnnie To is the multi-talented Hong Kong director with a reputation here for hard-hitting crime and action: his Election (2005), about a fratricidal war for gangland primacy has many admirers; I found it clotted and self-conscious. This movie is lighter, easier and more likeable: it's a sprightly comedy caper about a pickpocket gang that pays eccentric homage to French cinema. But it's not Bresson. The movie on which it's modelled is, of all things, Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Veteran tough guy Simon Yam plays Kei, the leader of a light-fingered gang roaming the Hong Kong streets, pinching purses and wallets and palming them quickly on to each other. Chung Chun Lei, played by Kelly Lin, is a beautiful, mysterious woman spying on Kei on behalf of ageing gang boss Mr Fu (Lo Hoi Pang...
- 4/14/2011
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Being an assassin is tough on the social life. It’s even tougher when you’ve escaped from your old friends with the remains of a mythical Buddhist monk that is said to have the ability to grant extraordinary powers to those who possess them. Such is life for Drizzle (the beautiful Kelly Lin), a tough-as-nails assassin for the Dark Stone gang, led by the gravel voice Wheel King (Xueqi Wang). In the aftermath of another bloody job, Drizzle decides it’s time to skedaddle, but that’s easier said than done. After the Dark Stone puts a contract out of her, Drizzle goes the surgery route, and changes her face and assumes the identity of a dead woman name Zeng Jing, and Kelly Lin is suddenly replaced by the equally beautiful Michelle Yeoh as Drizzle. Or, actually, the assassin formerly known as Drizzle. Note: If you’ve spent any...
- 11/20/2010
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
John Woo and Su Chao-pin’s new Martial arts epic Reign of Assassins - starring a veritable who’s who of Asia’s talent including; Michelle Yeoh, Shawn Yue, Kelly Lin and Jung Woo-sung - opens this month in China, early next in Hong Kong and soon after hits it Korea…..Which is where we pick up the story. The Korean official site for the film has just gone live and first thing to see is a teaser trailer. Much of the footage we’ve seen before, but this being Korea it has the added bonus of being in lovely High resolution. Synopsis: Master assassin Drizzle (Michelle Yeoh) has possession of the body of Bodhi, who is rumoured to have mystical martial arts power and she is determine to return the body back to its rightful place. However, a powerful team of assassins called 'The Black Stone' want sole possession of the body.
- 9/21/2010
- 24framespersecond.net
Reign of Assassins, coming this fall to theaters, is a martial arts action flick featuring Michelle Yeoh as a deadly woman on a dangerous mission.
Directed by Chao-Bin Su and John Woo based on Chao-Bin Su's script, Reign of Assassins falls under that category of awesome recent innovative martial arts films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in which women possess deadly powers and are never to be underestimated. There's also a fantastical setting to the story - mythical historical China, which is filled with monks, warriors, religion, kings, and romance.
The official synopsis: A skilled assassin finds herself on a quest to carry the mystical remnants of a Buddhist monk through China. A team of deadly assassins follow her, placing her in a fight for her life as she attempts to put the power-wielding secret of the monk to rest.
Apparently, Michelle Yeoh's character is retired and is...
Directed by Chao-Bin Su and John Woo based on Chao-Bin Su's script, Reign of Assassins falls under that category of awesome recent innovative martial arts films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in which women possess deadly powers and are never to be underestimated. There's also a fantastical setting to the story - mythical historical China, which is filled with monks, warriors, religion, kings, and romance.
The official synopsis: A skilled assassin finds herself on a quest to carry the mystical remnants of a Buddhist monk through China. A team of deadly assassins follow her, placing her in a fight for her life as she attempts to put the power-wielding secret of the monk to rest.
Apparently, Michelle Yeoh's character is retired and is...
- 7/30/2010
- by Superheidi
- Planet Fury
Shanghai -- The Weinstein Co. on Friday bought from Fortissimo Films the North American rights to the forthcoming martial arts epic "Reign of Assassins," starring Michelle Yeoh and co-directed by Su Chao-pin ("Silk") and producer John Woo.
The deal -- announced on the eve of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival, which runs through June 20 and where Woo is head of the jury -- also includes South African rights.
"I am thrilled to be back in business with Michelle Yeoh and am very excited to be working with John Woo on another one of his brilliant films," Harvey Weinstein said of the deal.
The film also stars Jung Woo-sung ("The Warrior"), Kelly Lin ("After This Our Exile") Barbie Hsu ("Silk") and Wang Xueqi ("Forever Enthralled").
"Reign" was produced by Woo and his long-time business partner Terence Chang through their L.A.-based outfit Lion Rock Prods., together with Beijing-based Galloping Horse Film and TV Prods,...
The deal -- announced on the eve of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival, which runs through June 20 and where Woo is head of the jury -- also includes South African rights.
"I am thrilled to be back in business with Michelle Yeoh and am very excited to be working with John Woo on another one of his brilliant films," Harvey Weinstein said of the deal.
The film also stars Jung Woo-sung ("The Warrior"), Kelly Lin ("After This Our Exile") Barbie Hsu ("Silk") and Wang Xueqi ("Forever Enthralled").
"Reign" was produced by Woo and his long-time business partner Terence Chang through their L.A.-based outfit Lion Rock Prods., together with Beijing-based Galloping Horse Film and TV Prods,...
- 6/11/2010
- by By Jonathan Landreth
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Weinstein Company has picked up North American as well as South African rights to 'Reign of Assassins" starring Michelle Yeoh. John Woo and Terence Chang produce via their Lion Rock Productions along with Galloping Horse Film and TV Productions and Hong Kong's Media Asia. Woo co-directed alongside Su Chao-pin ("Silk"). Yeoh plays a lethal assassin who falls for the son of a man who was killed by her gang. Jung Woo-sung, Kelly Lin, Wang Xueqi and Barbie Hsu also star.
- 6/11/2010
- Upcoming-Movies.com
There once was a time when having John Woo's name on a film would generate instant excitement, but after a string of mediocre American action films throughout the '90s and early 2000s, it looked like his career was running out of steam for good. Then came the release of Red Cliff, which seemed to prove that the problem wasn't with John Woo, but with Hollywood -- big surprise. Now John Woo is co-directing and co-producing another action movie originating from his homeland of China called Reign of Assassins, and an early promo trailer has found its way online. The movie stars Michelle Yeoh as a retired assassin who just can't escape her former life. It looks like another much more traditional martial arts action movie with a romance angle, which seems to get getting away from the Hong Kong gangster flicks that Woo is best known for. Of course,...
- 4/22/2010
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
This promo reel for “Reign of Assassins” (aka “Jianyu Jianghu”) has John Woo’s name all over the place, and it even claims Woo is a “co-director”, though honestly, who knows if that’s really true, and I’d have to see the finished film to know for sure if there are any Woo trademarks in there. For now, the official credit belongs to Chao-Bin Su as writer and director, with Woo producing. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, Kelly Lin, and South Korean actor Woo-sung Jung (last seen in “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”). Here’s the promo reel/trailer and somewhat spoilerific synopsis courtesy of Twitch (via MichelleYeoh.info). 428Ad, Bodhi, a Southern India prince became a Buddhist monk and set off for China, earning a hallowed reputation as a mystical martial artist. Following his death, his remains mysteriously disappeared. Hundreds of years later, Zhang, a high-ranking court official,...
- 4/20/2010
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Our first clear look at the actual footage for John Woo & Su Chao-pin's wuxia film Reign of Assassins (Chinese title: Jianyu Jianghu, English translation: Rain of Swords in the Martial Arts World) has surfaced online in the form of a promo reel. The cast include Michelle Yeoh, Jung Woo-sung, Barbie Hsu, Kelly Lin, Shawn Yue, Angeles Woo and Wang Xueqi. Here's a detailed synopsis (spoiler alert):
In 428Ad, Bodhi, a Southern India prince became a Buddhist monk and set off for China, earning a hallowed reputation as a mystical martial artist. Following his death, his remains mysteriously disappeared.
Hundreds of years later, Zhang, a high-ranking court official, is assassinated by Drizzle. Zhang's son Jingxiu, whilst mourning his father's death, is assailed by a group assassins. They leave him for dead, but somehow he survives and escapes their clutches.
Drizzle, a talented warrior herself, finds herself in possession of Bodhi's remains,...
In 428Ad, Bodhi, a Southern India prince became a Buddhist monk and set off for China, earning a hallowed reputation as a mystical martial artist. Following his death, his remains mysteriously disappeared.
Hundreds of years later, Zhang, a high-ranking court official, is assassinated by Drizzle. Zhang's son Jingxiu, whilst mourning his father's death, is assailed by a group assassins. They leave him for dead, but somehow he survives and escapes their clutches.
Drizzle, a talented warrior herself, finds herself in possession of Bodhi's remains,...
- 4/20/2010
- Screen Anarchy
After helming the war epic Red Cliff, it looks like John Woo’s next project will tackle wuxia, the martial arts/fantasy genre that inspired Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers.
The new film, currently in production, is entitled Reign of Assassins. A promotional reel has made its way to Twitch — which you can also check out using the player below — and based on what we’ve seen, the new film co-helmed by Woo and Su Chao-pin combines drama, romance, and a few action set-pieces reminiscent of Crouching Tiger. It also stars Michelle Yeoh, who gained international fame in Ang Lee’s 2000 movie.
Yeoh plays Drizzle, a talented warrior in possession of the remains of Bodhi, a renowned mystical martial artist. Her character is on a quest to bring the ashes to their rightful resting place; however, a team of deadly assassins called The Black Stone are after her,...
The new film, currently in production, is entitled Reign of Assassins. A promotional reel has made its way to Twitch — which you can also check out using the player below — and based on what we’ve seen, the new film co-helmed by Woo and Su Chao-pin combines drama, romance, and a few action set-pieces reminiscent of Crouching Tiger. It also stars Michelle Yeoh, who gained international fame in Ang Lee’s 2000 movie.
Yeoh plays Drizzle, a talented warrior in possession of the remains of Bodhi, a renowned mystical martial artist. Her character is on a quest to bring the ashes to their rightful resting place; however, a team of deadly assassins called The Black Stone are after her,...
- 4/20/2010
- CinemaSpy
It doesn't look like John Woo will be returning to Hollywood anytime soon. After a string of not-so-great Western films, Woo returned to China and delivered the massive two-part epic Red Cliff. I've only seen the first film of the Chinese release (haven't yet seen the condensed most other countries got), and while it certainly isn't perfect, it towers above anything Woo delivered while in Hollywood. Now we have a first look at his next project, Jianyu Jianghu (also known for now as Rain of Swords In The Pugilistic World), which stars Michelle Yeoh. Woo will be co-directing the film with Su Chao-Bin (Silk, Better Than Sex). They'll be joined by longtime producer bud Terrence Chang. The cast also includes Chang Chen, Kelly Lin, and Barbie Hsu. There's no official English title yet, but I suspect they'll run with something similar to Rain of Swords. It's apparently a wuxia film...
- 12/3/2009
- by Devindra Hardawar
- Slash Film
Sparrow is a weird little movie. It's an obvious pet project by director Johnnie To that moves in its own breezy rhythm, no doubt an aftereffect of its lax shooting style. Over a period of three years, To and his tight crew—which includes usual faces like Simon Yam and Lam Ka Tung—would shoot scenes for Sparrow in-between their big projects. It's obvious that it's not one of To's best, but it's a very loose and fun film nonetheless.
You can tell it's a To film by its quartet of male anti-heroes. Simon Yam plays Kei, the leader of a quartet of "sparrows" (Hong Kong slang for pickpockets). A beautiful woman (the luminous Kelly Lin) from mainland China enters all their lives separately, and soon they are tangled in a dangerous game against the woman's husband, an old and powerful gang boss. A pretty lady wants to escape a...
You can tell it's a To film by its quartet of male anti-heroes. Simon Yam plays Kei, the leader of a quartet of "sparrows" (Hong Kong slang for pickpockets). A beautiful woman (the luminous Kelly Lin) from mainland China enters all their lives separately, and soon they are tangled in a dangerous game against the woman's husband, an old and powerful gang boss. A pretty lady wants to escape a...
- 10/15/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
Chicago – Horror, action, drama, and comedy - HollywoodChicago.com’s DVD Round-Up has it all. Where else can you read about the latest from internationally acclaimed auteur Peter Greenaway and the newest Mos Def comedy in one column? These are the recently released titles that you might have missed when you last updated your Netflix queue. See if any of them grab you enough to deal with “Very Long Wait”.
All four titles - “Deadgirl,” “Next Day Air,” “Nightwatching,” and “Triangle” - were released on September 15th, 2009.
“Deadgirl”
Photo credit: Mpi Synopsis: “Daringly original and genre-busting, Deadgirl is an odyssey into the soul of our alienated youth that takes the conventions of the horror and coming-of-age movies and turns them on their heads.
When high school misfits Rickie and Jt decide to ditch school and find themselves lost in the crumbling facility of a nearby abandoned hospital, they come face-to-face...
All four titles - “Deadgirl,” “Next Day Air,” “Nightwatching,” and “Triangle” - were released on September 15th, 2009.
“Deadgirl”
Photo credit: Mpi Synopsis: “Daringly original and genre-busting, Deadgirl is an odyssey into the soul of our alienated youth that takes the conventions of the horror and coming-of-age movies and turns them on their heads.
When high school misfits Rickie and Jt decide to ditch school and find themselves lost in the crumbling facility of a nearby abandoned hospital, they come face-to-face...
- 9/29/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The DVD cover for Triangle says “Three Masters. One Masterpiece.” Triangle does not in fact live up to the hype its cover hopes to generate, but I understand the desire to make a little-known (to Americans anyway) film’s cover eye-catching. This Hong Kong import did pique my interest with its distinction of bringing together three innovative and influential Hk directors: Tsui Hark (Zu Warriors, Once Upon a Time in China), Ringo Lam (City on Fire, which inspired Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, the underrated twin Jackie Chan comedy Twin Dragons, and Chow Yun Fat vehicle Full Contact), Johnnie To (Ptu, Election, and Breaking News).
The primary cinematic appeal of Triangle is invested in the collaboration between these three “masters.” Each director takes the reins on one 30-minute section of this 90-minute film. The trio maintains the same editor and cinematography to ensure continuity but bring their own stylistic choices and cinematic flair to their third.
The primary cinematic appeal of Triangle is invested in the collaboration between these three “masters.” Each director takes the reins on one 30-minute section of this 90-minute film. The trio maintains the same editor and cinematography to ensure continuity but bring their own stylistic choices and cinematic flair to their third.
- 9/24/2009
- by Mark Zhuravsky
- JustPressPlay.net
More Filmart news
Hong Kong -- Hong Kong-based media distribution company Mei Ah Entertainment and sister production company Big Media have big plans for China that include an adjusted production strategy, a new, multifaceted distribution line and more movie houses.
"Our new strategy for development is definitely 'Toward the North,' " Big Media CEO Charley Zhuo told The Hollywood Reporter.
On Monday at Filmart, the sister companies will unveil a director-driven, 500 million yuan ($72 million) slate of 14 films that targets the Chinese market. The pics include the $12 million July release "Ku Fu Cyborg" by director Jeff Lau; the $1 million Taiwan romantic drama "More Than Close," produced by Terence Chang; the $2 million urban romance "Dirt Rich in Shanghai," produced by Chang, John Woo, Michelle Yeoh, Tang Tsai-yang and Matthew Tong and starring Kelly Lin and Sun Hong-lei; youth dance pic "Beat it," directed by Adam Wong; fantasy comedy "Amazing Stories" from directors...
Hong Kong -- Hong Kong-based media distribution company Mei Ah Entertainment and sister production company Big Media have big plans for China that include an adjusted production strategy, a new, multifaceted distribution line and more movie houses.
"Our new strategy for development is definitely 'Toward the North,' " Big Media CEO Charley Zhuo told The Hollywood Reporter.
On Monday at Filmart, the sister companies will unveil a director-driven, 500 million yuan ($72 million) slate of 14 films that targets the Chinese market. The pics include the $12 million July release "Ku Fu Cyborg" by director Jeff Lau; the $1 million Taiwan romantic drama "More Than Close," produced by Terence Chang; the $2 million urban romance "Dirt Rich in Shanghai," produced by Chang, John Woo, Michelle Yeoh, Tang Tsai-yang and Matthew Tong and starring Kelly Lin and Sun Hong-lei; youth dance pic "Beat it," directed by Adam Wong; fantasy comedy "Amazing Stories" from directors...
- 3/23/2009
- by By Karen Chu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Vincent Van Gogh cut off an ear for a prostitute named Christine; and Hong Kong police Inspec tor Bun, the hero of "Mad Detective," cuts off one of his as a gift for a retiring superior.
No wonder Bun (Lau Ching-wan, excellent) is booted off the force.
But you can't keep a good cop down, even if he is loony and has only one ear.
Five years later, a younger cop (Andy On) gets Bun to help him on a perplexing case involving a missing officer and his gun, which has been used in several serious crimes.
No wonder Bun (Lau Ching-wan, excellent) is booted off the force.
But you can't keep a good cop down, even if he is loony and has only one ear.
Five years later, a younger cop (Andy On) gets Bun to help him on a perplexing case involving a missing officer and his gun, which has been used in several serious crimes.
- 7/18/2008
- by By V.A. MUSETTO
- NYPost.com
- It happens to be one of those week where we are getting tons of movie poster images. Just the way we like it. Here we have a pair from Magnolia Pictures - first off we have the Cannes selected newest pic from the filmmaker behind Irma Vep and Demonlover. To be release via Magnet Releasing this coming March, Boarding Gate sees the spunky Asia Argento play sexy ex-prostitute Sandra, who is forced to flee London after a steamy S&M encounter with a debt-ridden ex-lover (Michael Madsen) ends in violence. Fleeing to Hong Kong in search of a fresh start, she becomes involved with an attractive young couple, Lester (Carl Ng) and Sue (Kelly Lin), who promise to help her obtain papers and money. But nothing turns out as expected for Sandra, and she finds herself trapped in a sordid game of manipulation. Seeing that I'm a big fan of U.
- 2/7/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
- Today's nine title announcement for the Berlin Festival’s main competition section (the 58th edition runs between Feb. 7-17.) is an early sign that the 2008 year in film is rich in international film from all corners of the globe and that the upcoming Cannes film festival is going to be loaded once again with heavyweight titles. Out of the titles I'm most looking forward to seeing are the little known Mike Leigh project called Happy-Go-Lucky and Erick Zonca’s French thriller Julia starring Tilda Swinton, and the postponed domestic release of Isabel Coixet’s Elegy. Here is the 9-list:Feuerherz (Heart of Fire) Germany/Austria (adapted from the bestseller by Senait Mehari) by Luigi Falorni (The Story of the Weeping Camel) with Letekidan Micael Julia France by Erick Zonca (The Dreamlife of Angels) with Tilda Swinton, Aidan Gould, Saúl Rubinek Lady Jane France By Robert Guédiguian (Le Promeneur du champ de Mars,
- 1/9/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Opened Friday, March 21
New York
"Fulltime Killer" imbues fast-moving action suspense with a vigorous visual style to explore the rivalry of two hired assassins, with playful tips of the hat to numerous crime films along the way. Directing duo Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai make the most of Hong Kong star Andy Lau's youthful charisma, which is at full throttle here. There's a fine chemistry of contrasts between Lau's exuberance and the quiet, slow-burning intensity Takashi Sorimachi brings to his role.
Based on a best-selling novel by Edmond Pang, the film was a hit on home turf in 2001. Word of mouth may entice audiences beyond genre fans during its Stateside limited release.
The story moves quickly into high gear, crisscrossing Asia as its two Hong Kong-based protagonists carry out deadly assignments, approaching their work from opposite ends of the spectrum. The preternaturally cool O (Sorimachi), a native of Japan who's traded in his original identity to become Asia's No. 1 assassin, is a man of few words who lives in the shadows. Hot on his heels is Lau's upstart Tok, a flashy, self-styled film buff who rhapsodizes about the art of trailers, draws direct inspiration from movies and takes undesirable jobs at bargain rates as he plots to challenge O's crown.
Toward that end, Tok becomes involved with Chin (Kelly Lin), the shy video-store clerk who moonlights as O's maid. He steps into her life with supreme confidence, albeit from behind a grinning Clinton mask (an overt nod to "Point Break"). In one of the film's most audacious scenes, Tok excuses himself from a cafe tete-a-tete with Chin to commit a quadruple hit in broad daylight -- and then returns breathlessly to their date. Soon, he's instructing her in the fine art of automatic weapons.
But Tok's swagger and brazenness belie a deep-seated fear, evidenced in his extreme physical reaction to close calls, among them a hair's-breadth encounter with a speeding subway train, tightly framed to heighten the tension. Two Interpol cops on his trail (Simon Yam and Cherrie Ying) unearth the supposed key to Tok's murderous ways, but this less-than-convincing back story feels beside the point. More successful dramatically are the film's sketched-in glimpses of O's psychology; his guilt over a past incident, depicted in haunting images, fuels his resolve when at last he makes his move with Chin.
The lead actors' appeal is especially apparent when their characters finally meet: The killers interact with striking ease, their mutual respect bordering on affection as they joke over dinner before the climactic showdown. The least effective of the film's action sequences, the battle between O and Tok serves as prelude to a postmodern twist that places Yam's Interpol cop center stage.
Compelling throughout, Lau and Sorimachi get strong support from the rest of the cast. To and Wai alternate adrenaline-rush set pieces with more brooding, contemplative scenes, using stylized interiors to express O's hermetic existence. The effective score, ranging from techno to classical, is a crucial element propelling the stark spin on anonymity vs. celebrity.
"Fulltime Killer" never takes itself too seriously and is as much a winking comment on movies as an exploration of human nature. When Lau's character cites an Alain Delon film, he could also be talking about his own project: "Not the best movie", he says. "But I like the style".
FULLTIME KILLER
Palm Pictures
Milky Way Image Co
and Teamwork Motion Pictures in association with CMC Magnetics Corp.
Credits:
Directors: Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai
Screenwriters: Wai Ka-fai, Joseph O'Bryan
Based on the novel by: Edmond Pang
Producers: Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai, Andy Lau
Executive producer: Shirley Lau
Director of photography: Cheng Siu-keung
Art directors: Silver Cheung, Jerome Fung
Music: Guy Zerafa
Editor: David M Richardson
Cast:
Tok: Andy Lau
O: Takashi Sorimachi
Lee: Simon Yam
Chin: Kelly Lin
Gigi: Cherrie Ying
Running time --100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
New York
"Fulltime Killer" imbues fast-moving action suspense with a vigorous visual style to explore the rivalry of two hired assassins, with playful tips of the hat to numerous crime films along the way. Directing duo Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai make the most of Hong Kong star Andy Lau's youthful charisma, which is at full throttle here. There's a fine chemistry of contrasts between Lau's exuberance and the quiet, slow-burning intensity Takashi Sorimachi brings to his role.
Based on a best-selling novel by Edmond Pang, the film was a hit on home turf in 2001. Word of mouth may entice audiences beyond genre fans during its Stateside limited release.
The story moves quickly into high gear, crisscrossing Asia as its two Hong Kong-based protagonists carry out deadly assignments, approaching their work from opposite ends of the spectrum. The preternaturally cool O (Sorimachi), a native of Japan who's traded in his original identity to become Asia's No. 1 assassin, is a man of few words who lives in the shadows. Hot on his heels is Lau's upstart Tok, a flashy, self-styled film buff who rhapsodizes about the art of trailers, draws direct inspiration from movies and takes undesirable jobs at bargain rates as he plots to challenge O's crown.
Toward that end, Tok becomes involved with Chin (Kelly Lin), the shy video-store clerk who moonlights as O's maid. He steps into her life with supreme confidence, albeit from behind a grinning Clinton mask (an overt nod to "Point Break"). In one of the film's most audacious scenes, Tok excuses himself from a cafe tete-a-tete with Chin to commit a quadruple hit in broad daylight -- and then returns breathlessly to their date. Soon, he's instructing her in the fine art of automatic weapons.
But Tok's swagger and brazenness belie a deep-seated fear, evidenced in his extreme physical reaction to close calls, among them a hair's-breadth encounter with a speeding subway train, tightly framed to heighten the tension. Two Interpol cops on his trail (Simon Yam and Cherrie Ying) unearth the supposed key to Tok's murderous ways, but this less-than-convincing back story feels beside the point. More successful dramatically are the film's sketched-in glimpses of O's psychology; his guilt over a past incident, depicted in haunting images, fuels his resolve when at last he makes his move with Chin.
The lead actors' appeal is especially apparent when their characters finally meet: The killers interact with striking ease, their mutual respect bordering on affection as they joke over dinner before the climactic showdown. The least effective of the film's action sequences, the battle between O and Tok serves as prelude to a postmodern twist that places Yam's Interpol cop center stage.
Compelling throughout, Lau and Sorimachi get strong support from the rest of the cast. To and Wai alternate adrenaline-rush set pieces with more brooding, contemplative scenes, using stylized interiors to express O's hermetic existence. The effective score, ranging from techno to classical, is a crucial element propelling the stark spin on anonymity vs. celebrity.
"Fulltime Killer" never takes itself too seriously and is as much a winking comment on movies as an exploration of human nature. When Lau's character cites an Alain Delon film, he could also be talking about his own project: "Not the best movie", he says. "But I like the style".
FULLTIME KILLER
Palm Pictures
Milky Way Image Co
and Teamwork Motion Pictures in association with CMC Magnetics Corp.
Credits:
Directors: Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai
Screenwriters: Wai Ka-fai, Joseph O'Bryan
Based on the novel by: Edmond Pang
Producers: Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai, Andy Lau
Executive producer: Shirley Lau
Director of photography: Cheng Siu-keung
Art directors: Silver Cheung, Jerome Fung
Music: Guy Zerafa
Editor: David M Richardson
Cast:
Tok: Andy Lau
O: Takashi Sorimachi
Lee: Simon Yam
Chin: Kelly Lin
Gigi: Cherrie Ying
Running time --100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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