Stephen Chow, the once iconic Hong Kong comedian, actor and director who had a string of hit films in the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century, is to produce a variety show in mainland China.
The show, to be called “The King of Comedy Stand-up Season,” is to be aired by iQiyi, one of China’s dominant streaming platforms. The title is a reference to one of Chow’s best-known movies, released in 1999.
The variety show project was described as the first step in a 360-degree partnership between Chow’s Hong Kong stock market-listed Bingo Group and the Nasdaq-listed iQiyi. The announcement was made as part of iQiyi’s annual Spring iJOY presentation and event. The partnership is also expected to include drama series, variety shows and animation productions.
Earlier this year Chow (aka Chow Sing-chi) struck a deal with Douyin, the Bytedance-owned Chinese sister company of TikTok,...
The show, to be called “The King of Comedy Stand-up Season,” is to be aired by iQiyi, one of China’s dominant streaming platforms. The title is a reference to one of Chow’s best-known movies, released in 1999.
The variety show project was described as the first step in a 360-degree partnership between Chow’s Hong Kong stock market-listed Bingo Group and the Nasdaq-listed iQiyi. The announcement was made as part of iQiyi’s annual Spring iJOY presentation and event. The partnership is also expected to include drama series, variety shows and animation productions.
Earlier this year Chow (aka Chow Sing-chi) struck a deal with Douyin, the Bytedance-owned Chinese sister company of TikTok,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
During his early career, Danny Chan Kwok Kwan, actor and Jeet Kune Do practitioner portrayed Bruce Lee in the 50-episode TV series “The Legend of Bruce Lee” (2008) due to his resemblance to him. After his portrayal of the Bruce Lee look-alike goalkeeper in Stephen Chow's “Shaolin Soccer” he became more popular which led him to further playing Lee in the “Ip Man” film series. However, in “Desperado” or “Thug in a Suit” as translated from its Chinese title, he finally has the chance to shine as a leading man.
Set in Taicheng, a made up city somewhere in Southeast Asia, most likely Thailand or Cambodia, this online iQIYI film kicks off with a great action set piece in which the thug in a suit, Zhao Ke, comes to a butchery warehouse alone to rescue his sworn brother Barno. The warehouse is actually a front for drug smuggling and a trap to lure him in.
Set in Taicheng, a made up city somewhere in Southeast Asia, most likely Thailand or Cambodia, this online iQIYI film kicks off with a great action set piece in which the thug in a suit, Zhao Ke, comes to a butchery warehouse alone to rescue his sworn brother Barno. The warehouse is actually a front for drug smuggling and a trap to lure him in.
- 4/17/2024
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
In recent times, anime and manga have started to bring about cultural shifts in the realm of wider pop culture and even entertainment in general. And leading this revolution is none other than Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece.
A still from One Piece
This revolution has only been strengthened with the release of Netflix’s One Piece live-action, which through defying the curse of former anime adaptions failing hard in execution, made a splash with both new and old fans of the manga and the animation.
Although this seems to have been a beacon of hope for live-action adaptations of the future, if Oda had never seen the 2001 action/sports film Shaolin Soccer, he may have never been convinced that his creation could be developed in the real world for the silver screen.
One Piece Creator Eiichiro Oda Reveals How Shaolin Soccer Encouraged Him To Make Netflix’s One Piece...
A still from One Piece
This revolution has only been strengthened with the release of Netflix’s One Piece live-action, which through defying the curse of former anime adaptions failing hard in execution, made a splash with both new and old fans of the manga and the animation.
Although this seems to have been a beacon of hope for live-action adaptations of the future, if Oda had never seen the 2001 action/sports film Shaolin Soccer, he may have never been convinced that his creation could be developed in the real world for the silver screen.
One Piece Creator Eiichiro Oda Reveals How Shaolin Soccer Encouraged Him To Make Netflix’s One Piece...
- 4/4/2024
- by Deepak Bisht
- FandomWire
Stephen Chow (aka Chow Sing-chi) has struck a deal with Douyin, the Chinese sister company of TikTok, to produce a slate of mini-drama series for mainland China audiences.
Mini dramas are a form of professionally-generated content that has become hugely popular in China, and to a lesser extent in other parts of Asia. Series typically have 20-100 episodes of 1-15 minutes each, though just a couple of minutes is typical. This makes them easily digestible and suitable for casual consumption on mobile devices. The most popular genres are comedy and romantic drama and many are derived from web novels.
In a statement on Douyin’s WeChat social media feed, the company said that Chow’s first series project is called “Jinzhu Yuye” and is currently a work-in-progress that could be delivered by May. He is understood to be working with other creators.
Hong Kong-based writer-director-producer Chow was in his heyday...
Mini dramas are a form of professionally-generated content that has become hugely popular in China, and to a lesser extent in other parts of Asia. Series typically have 20-100 episodes of 1-15 minutes each, though just a couple of minutes is typical. This makes them easily digestible and suitable for casual consumption on mobile devices. The most popular genres are comedy and romantic drama and many are derived from web novels.
In a statement on Douyin’s WeChat social media feed, the company said that Chow’s first series project is called “Jinzhu Yuye” and is currently a work-in-progress that could be delivered by May. He is understood to be working with other creators.
Hong Kong-based writer-director-producer Chow was in his heyday...
- 1/30/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
There’s something uniquely special about the films you discover when you’re a child. Whether it’s a wondrous flight of fantasy, a mind-boggling work of animation, an adventure in a whole new world, or a coming-of-age tale that teaches you some of life’s biggest lessons, the movies we see when we’re kids stay with us for life — and the best ones help shape who we are. But in an age where you don’t have to leave the house — or even the sofa — to lose yourself in the magic of moving pictures, it can be hard to even know where to start when it comes to finding the films that will truly connect with the next generation of budding young film buffs.
Thankfully, your cool aunt/uncle Empire is here to help. We’ve got down with the kids, reconnected with the child within, and spent...
Thankfully, your cool aunt/uncle Empire is here to help. We’ve got down with the kids, reconnected with the child within, and spent...
- 10/18/2023
- by Jordan King
- Empire - Movies
To celebrate the release of From Beijing With Love coming to Blu-Ray on 23rd October we have not 1, not 2 but 3 Blu-Rays to give away!
Hong Kong’s King of Comedy Stephen Chow directs and stars in this hilarious spoof of the James Bond franchise. Martini swilling butcher (and disgraced former spy) Ling Ling Chat is dispatched to recover a stolen dinosaur skull from a golden-gun wielding supervillain. Equipped with the latest gadgets, our hero dons his tuxedo and swaggers into a world of danger, beautiful women, and metal mouthed assassins. Sound familiar?
One of Stephen Chow’s funniest films, Eureka Classics is proud to present From Beijing With Love on Blu-ray in its UK debut.
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only.
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The Small Print
This competition is open to UK residents only. The competition will close 30th October 2023 at 23.59 GMT The winner will...
Hong Kong’s King of Comedy Stephen Chow directs and stars in this hilarious spoof of the James Bond franchise. Martini swilling butcher (and disgraced former spy) Ling Ling Chat is dispatched to recover a stolen dinosaur skull from a golden-gun wielding supervillain. Equipped with the latest gadgets, our hero dons his tuxedo and swaggers into a world of danger, beautiful women, and metal mouthed assassins. Sound familiar?
One of Stephen Chow’s funniest films, Eureka Classics is proud to present From Beijing With Love on Blu-ray in its UK debut.
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The Small Print
This competition is open to UK residents only. The competition will close 30th October 2023 at 23.59 GMT The winner will...
- 10/15/2023
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Stephen Chow was the closest Hong Kong Comedy ever had to an international star. Breaking out with “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle” he suddenly stepped back to focus on direction. Prior to this was a huge back catalogue of his work that apart from sporadic releases was hardly seen in the west. Eureka Entertainment start to rectify that with the upcoming release of “From Beijing with Love” his Bond Spoof from 1994. Comedy however can be a very acquired taste and what makes them roar in Kowloon may not necessarily do so in Kansas. So time to take a trip back to the nineties and experience Stephen Chow in his prime.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The head of a dinosaur is stolen by a man in invincible armor and a golden gun. With numerous agents out of commission Ling Ling Fat (Stephen Chow...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The head of a dinosaur is stolen by a man in invincible armor and a golden gun. With numerous agents out of commission Ling Ling Fat (Stephen Chow...
- 10/4/2023
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
Skillfully trained in multi types of martial arts like Jiu-jitsu, Jeet Kune Do, Sanda, kickboxing and Mma, Mainland Chinese actor, screenwriter, director and fight choreographer Yue Song is back after his sting in the lukewarm “The King of the Streets” (2012), China’s first street-fighting film.
on Hi-Yah!
The thin plot of “The Bodyguard”, also known as “Super Bodyguard” or “Iron Protector”, concerns a disciple of the Iron Feet clan, Wu Lin, played by Yue Song. After the death of his master, Wu wanders into the modern city of Lengcheng (Cold City) looking for his martial arts brother Li Jiang (Shi Yan Neng). White doing a split in the city square, like Stephen Chow did in “Shaolin Soccer” (2001), a bunch of gangsters was chasing after a rich businessman run pass and interrupted his busking. Regardless, Wu effortlessly fights off the attackers and saves the man’s life.
Suddenly,...
on Hi-Yah!
The thin plot of “The Bodyguard”, also known as “Super Bodyguard” or “Iron Protector”, concerns a disciple of the Iron Feet clan, Wu Lin, played by Yue Song. After the death of his master, Wu wanders into the modern city of Lengcheng (Cold City) looking for his martial arts brother Li Jiang (Shi Yan Neng). White doing a split in the city square, like Stephen Chow did in “Shaolin Soccer” (2001), a bunch of gangsters was chasing after a rich businessman run pass and interrupted his busking. Regardless, Wu effortlessly fights off the attackers and saves the man’s life.
Suddenly,...
- 9/20/2023
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
Does it count as a white savior movie if the white character is the one who needs saving? In “Next Goal Wins,” the world’s top-grossing indigenous director, Taika Waititi, retells the story of how American Samoa went from having the world’s worst soccer team to, well, not the worst. While a white man was involved, the movie — which suggests how a film like “Cool Runnings” might be made with 30 years’ more cultural enlightenment — is mostly about how their coach (Michael Fassbender) needs an attitude adjustment. Come to think of it, that’s essentially the formula for most white savior movies.
In 2001, the American Samoa soccer team set a world record. They lost the World Cup Qualification game 31-0. Apparently, they only got worse from there. Enter Fassbender’s character, Thomas Rongen, a hothead with an alcohol problem and an emotional backstory which the movie keeps up its sleeve...
In 2001, the American Samoa soccer team set a world record. They lost the World Cup Qualification game 31-0. Apparently, they only got worse from there. Enter Fassbender’s character, Thomas Rongen, a hothead with an alcohol problem and an emotional backstory which the movie keeps up its sleeve...
- 9/11/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Eiichiro Oda, One Piece creator and executive producer on Netflix’s upcoming adaptation, says that he changed his mind about whether his long-running manga could get a live-action adaption after both technology advances and seeing Shaolin Soccer.
In a rare interview with The New York Times, the Japanese artist behind the best-selling manga in history discusses how Stephen Chow’s 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy inspired the live-action take and how he ensured his upcoming series — which follows a stream of live-action manga adaptation misses — would be satisfactory to fans.
“When I first started, I didn’t think there was any point in drawing a manga that could be remade in live-action,” Oda said. “But when I saw the movie [Chow’s] , it felt like a manga-esque world brought to life.”
It was at that point, he says, that he changed his mind — with a little help from technological advances. “I realized times had changed,...
In a rare interview with The New York Times, the Japanese artist behind the best-selling manga in history discusses how Stephen Chow’s 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy inspired the live-action take and how he ensured his upcoming series — which follows a stream of live-action manga adaptation misses — would be satisfactory to fans.
“When I first started, I didn’t think there was any point in drawing a manga that could be remade in live-action,” Oda said. “But when I saw the movie [Chow’s] , it felt like a manga-esque world brought to life.”
It was at that point, he says, that he changed his mind — with a little help from technological advances. “I realized times had changed,...
- 8/30/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix subscribers are about to be able to embark on a grand adventure, as the first season of the live-action adaptation of "One Piece" is about to premiere. To mark the occasion, Netflix just released the final trailer for the highly anticipated show.
For the uninitiated, "One Piece" is the single most popular manga ever published and one of the most influential works of modern Japanese fiction. Created by Eiichiro Oda, the manga -- which follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy as he sets out to become a pirate and find the mythical treasure known as One Piece and become king of the pirates -- not only holds a Guinness World Record, but it is also the best-selling manga series in history and the best-selling comic series printed in volumes.
As hugely popular and influential as "One Piece" is, however, the series is considered one of the most daunting...
For the uninitiated, "One Piece" is the single most popular manga ever published and one of the most influential works of modern Japanese fiction. Created by Eiichiro Oda, the manga -- which follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy as he sets out to become a pirate and find the mythical treasure known as One Piece and become king of the pirates -- not only holds a Guinness World Record, but it is also the best-selling manga series in history and the best-selling comic series printed in volumes.
As hugely popular and influential as "One Piece" is, however, the series is considered one of the most daunting...
- 8/30/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
In out-there Estonian comedy “The Invisible Fight,” a clueless Russian border guard somehow escapes a surprise attack by three formidable Chinese action figures — gravity-defying kung fu warriors who swoop in out of nowhere, blasting Black Sabbath on their bright red boombox — so he does what anyone in his position would do: He resolves to become an Orthodox monk. Huh? “I guess God has other plans for you,” a less-fortunate comrade wheezes with his dying breath, setting up one of the oddest plots audiences are likely to find on the art-house circuit this year.
After attracting international attention with 2017 festival discovery “November” —a hyper-stylized, black-and-white folk horror novelty involving pagan stick monsters known as “kratts” — writer-director Rainer Sarnet swings to the color-saturated opposite extreme to make a genre-splicing martial arts satire. Set in the highly repressive, mid-’70s Soviet Union and shot like a vintage drive-in movie, “The Invisible Fight” treats kung fu as comedy,...
After attracting international attention with 2017 festival discovery “November” —a hyper-stylized, black-and-white folk horror novelty involving pagan stick monsters known as “kratts” — writer-director Rainer Sarnet swings to the color-saturated opposite extreme to make a genre-splicing martial arts satire. Set in the highly repressive, mid-’70s Soviet Union and shot like a vintage drive-in movie, “The Invisible Fight” treats kung fu as comedy,...
- 8/23/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Pellin Chou set to attend special screening.
Netflix animation The Monkey King has been set as the closing film of the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), marking the first time the festival has partnered with the streaming giant.
The special screening will take place on July 30, more than two weeks before the August 18 premiere on Netflix worldwide. It will be attended by Netflix Animation producer Peilin Chou, a former Oriental Dreamworks executive who produced Abominable and was Oscar-nominated for Over The Moon.
The feature is directed by Anthony Stacchi, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for co-directing The Boxtrolls,...
Netflix animation The Monkey King has been set as the closing film of the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), marking the first time the festival has partnered with the streaming giant.
The special screening will take place on July 30, more than two weeks before the August 18 premiere on Netflix worldwide. It will be attended by Netflix Animation producer Peilin Chou, a former Oriental Dreamworks executive who produced Abominable and was Oscar-nominated for Over The Moon.
The feature is directed by Anthony Stacchi, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for co-directing The Boxtrolls,...
- 7/18/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Fatally, perhaps, I went into Shin Kamen Rider as a Hideaki Anno fan first and a Kamen Rider fan… not so much. I knew about it, of course: the iconography of the motorbike-riding superhero with his bug-eyed grasshopper mask is as thoroughly ingrained into Japan’s pop-cultural consciousness as any Marvel or DC character in the States, having been a staple of TV, film, manga, and young boys’ imaginations for over half a century. Consume enough Japanese pop culture, and some exposure to Kamen Rider––his bike, his mask, his kabuki-like battle poses––is inevitable. Having seen barely one of the hundreds of hours of Kamen Rider content out there, however, I could not fill you in on the finer points of its character names, relationships, or plotlines––meaning that when Anno’s latest, allegedly standalone film stopped for regular applause lines and deep-cut lore references that received whooping ovations...
- 6/6/2023
- by Eli Friedberg
- The Film Stage
In Mainland China, filmmakers are producing TV dramas and feature films like hot cakes since the Hong Kong film companies no longer can complete mainly because of the lack of funds and talent after production peaked in the 1980s. Released online by the iQIYI network “The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Dragon Tamer” is another adaptation of the work of popular wuxia novelist Jin Yong.
Set during the Sung Dynasty in which the Jin Empire is at war with the Han Chinese, Guo Jing (Geng Ye Ting) a young man raised in Mongolia is on his way to the central plains of China. While stopping at an inn for food, the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan suddenly attack him but they are actually his teachers trying to test his fighting skills. Apparently, babies are being kidnapped and used in kung fu training which also involves poisonous snakes and that is...
Set during the Sung Dynasty in which the Jin Empire is at war with the Han Chinese, Guo Jing (Geng Ye Ting) a young man raised in Mongolia is on his way to the central plains of China. While stopping at an inn for food, the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan suddenly attack him but they are actually his teachers trying to test his fighting skills. Apparently, babies are being kidnapped and used in kung fu training which also involves poisonous snakes and that is...
- 2/25/2023
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
(The Morning Watch is a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fan-made productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.)
In this edition, see what stuntmen think of the lightsaber battle from "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," as well as clips from movies like "The Matrix," "Shaolin Soccer," and more. Plus, find out some of the New York City locations that movies love to feature over and over again and meet the location scouts who...
The post The Morning Watch: Stuntmen React to The Phantom Menace, NYC Locations Movies Love to Use Repeatedly & More appeared first on /Film.
In this edition, see what stuntmen think of the lightsaber battle from "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," as well as clips from movies like "The Matrix," "Shaolin Soccer," and more. Plus, find out some of the New York City locations that movies love to feature over and over again and meet the location scouts who...
The post The Morning Watch: Stuntmen React to The Phantom Menace, NYC Locations Movies Love to Use Repeatedly & More appeared first on /Film.
- 1/24/2022
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Partners lining up film, TV slate, currently attending Mia market in Rome.
Highly regarded industry veterans Matt Brodlie and Jonathan Kier have launched Los Angeles-based Upgrade Productions to develop and produce premium local-language film and TV for a global audience.
Backed by German powerhouse Constantin Film and with a strategic partnership in place with Bron, Upgrade aims to exploit the boom in demand for local-language content as the co-founders leverage deep relationships and experience in sales, acquisition and producing to partner with content creators around the world.
Brodlie, who most recently served as SVP international content at Disney+, and Kier,...
Highly regarded industry veterans Matt Brodlie and Jonathan Kier have launched Los Angeles-based Upgrade Productions to develop and produce premium local-language film and TV for a global audience.
Backed by German powerhouse Constantin Film and with a strategic partnership in place with Bron, Upgrade aims to exploit the boom in demand for local-language content as the co-founders leverage deep relationships and experience in sales, acquisition and producing to partner with content creators around the world.
Brodlie, who most recently served as SVP international content at Disney+, and Kier,...
- 10/12/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
For the uninitiated, Stephen Chow comedies on the surface can be a tad confusing with a constant stream of cultural references and wordplay that is lost on non Cantonese speakers. His style of “make no sense” (mo lei tau) comedy does require an understanding of some of what he parodies. With “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle” aiming more at the international market, “Forbidden City Cop” is a great entry point to his more locally aimed work.
Ling Ling Fat (Stephen Chow) is an imperial guard with no actual fighting skill. Instead, he invents gadgets for himself and his wife Kar-ling (Carina Lau). After getting ostracized by the emperor, he tries to protect him from being assassinated by No Face (Yuen Shun-yi). After redeeming himsel,f he must bring the beautiful Cho (Carmen Lee) back to the palace for the emperor’s attentions. But things, as always,...
Ling Ling Fat (Stephen Chow) is an imperial guard with no actual fighting skill. Instead, he invents gadgets for himself and his wife Kar-ling (Carina Lau). After getting ostracized by the emperor, he tries to protect him from being assassinated by No Face (Yuen Shun-yi). After redeeming himsel,f he must bring the beautiful Cho (Carmen Lee) back to the palace for the emperor’s attentions. But things, as always,...
- 7/13/2021
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
Watching the Bergman Brothers' wide-reaching, yet fleet documentary, Mau, on the life and career of Canadian super-star architect and designer Bruce Mau, I could not help but think of the final scene of Shaolin Soccer. After having won the big match, Stephen Chow's upbeat character is shown walking down a clean urban avenue, smiling at what he has wrought by living his values. All the urbanites are seen causally using martial arts to efficiently go about their regular day with joy: from catching the street car, to parallel parking, to triming a sidwewalk hedge. The shot eventually pans upward to a billboard emphasizing the global embrace of the martial arts ethos. Bruce Mau wants has a similar vision with good design. Not just having thought...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/7/2021
- Screen Anarchy
Ng Man-tat, the star Shaolin Soccer and frequent collaborator of Kung Fu Hustle filmmaker Stephen Chow, has died.
The iconic Hong Kong actor, accompanied by his wife and children, died peacefully on Saturday of liver cancer. He was 70.
Born in China’s Fujian province in 1951, Ng began his career with acting classes from Hong Kong’s Tvb at 19 years old. Just years later he appeared Tit Lee’s 1975 comedy Gu huo lao xun chun, marking the vet’s first screen credit.
Upon garnering experience in a number of film and television titles throughout the 70s and 80s, Ng landed a recurring role in the adventure series The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The series, adapted from Louis Cha’s novel of the same name, saw Ng play Elder Peng.
In 1989, Ng first acted alongside Stephen Chow, who would soon become a frequent collaborator for “mo lei tau” films, a popular...
The iconic Hong Kong actor, accompanied by his wife and children, died peacefully on Saturday of liver cancer. He was 70.
Born in China’s Fujian province in 1951, Ng began his career with acting classes from Hong Kong’s Tvb at 19 years old. Just years later he appeared Tit Lee’s 1975 comedy Gu huo lao xun chun, marking the vet’s first screen credit.
Upon garnering experience in a number of film and television titles throughout the 70s and 80s, Ng landed a recurring role in the adventure series The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The series, adapted from Louis Cha’s novel of the same name, saw Ng play Elder Peng.
In 1989, Ng first acted alongside Stephen Chow, who would soon become a frequent collaborator for “mo lei tau” films, a popular...
- 2/27/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Screenwriter for the likes of Stephen Chow (“Shaolin Soccer” and “The Mermaid”), Chih-chiang has since then been exploring, in the director’s chair, very diverse genres, including a musical and a contemporary western. His fourth feature as director/writer, dwells upon the mix of crime, police procedural, noir and a touch of psychology, reminiscent of past Hong Kong Cinema traditions. “A Witness Out of The Blue” puts together a convoluted script and a stellar cast helmed by ubiquitous Louis Koo to achieve mixed results.
A Witness out of the Blue is streaming on Focus Hong Kong
Immediately and before the rolling titles, we are catapulted on a murder scene; a junkie is found dead in a filthy basement by a passer-by before being knocked out by a mysterious man running away, probably the murderer. The only living soul present at the murder is a beautiful blood-red parrot that blurts out seemingly random words.
A Witness out of the Blue is streaming on Focus Hong Kong
Immediately and before the rolling titles, we are catapulted on a murder scene; a junkie is found dead in a filthy basement by a passer-by before being knocked out by a mysterious man running away, probably the murderer. The only living soul present at the murder is a beautiful blood-red parrot that blurts out seemingly random words.
- 2/5/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Screenwriter for the likes of Stephen Chow (“Shaolin Soccer” and “The Mermaid”), Chih-chiang has since then been exploring, in the director’s chair, very diverse genres, including a musical and a contemporary western. His fourth feature as director/writer, dwells upon the mix of crime, police procedural, noir and a touch of psychology, reminiscent of past Hong Kong Cinema traditions. “A Witness Out of The Blue” puts together a convoluted script and a stellar cast helmed by ubiquitous Louis Koo to achieve mixed results.
A Witness Out of The Blue is Screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Immediately and before the rolling titles, we are catapulted on a murder scene; a junkie is found dead in a filthy basement by a passer-by before being knocked out by a mysterious man running away, probably the murderer. The only living soul present at the murder is a beautiful blood-red parrot that blurts out seemingly random words.
A Witness Out of The Blue is Screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Immediately and before the rolling titles, we are catapulted on a murder scene; a junkie is found dead in a filthy basement by a passer-by before being knocked out by a mysterious man running away, probably the murderer. The only living soul present at the murder is a beautiful blood-red parrot that blurts out seemingly random words.
- 12/6/2020
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Before “Shaolin Soccer”, there was “The Champions”. Yuen Biao, despite his athletic prowess, was always a support act for his Peking opera brothers Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung and never quite reached their level of stardom, despite earning a reputation as one of the most talented performers of his generation. This feature sees him front and centre with an opportunity to show off his talent. So is it a match winner or does it get a deserved red card?
The opening of the film is rather unusual, as we get football tricks against a white background. Lee Tong (Yuen Biao) is sent away by his father (Eddie Ko) after getting in trouble. Upon arrival in town, he meets Fung (Moon Lee) and her brother Kido (Cheung Kwok Leung). Finding he has a talent for football, he joins the local team, but having upset their star player King (Dick Wei) earlier,...
The opening of the film is rather unusual, as we get football tricks against a white background. Lee Tong (Yuen Biao) is sent away by his father (Eddie Ko) after getting in trouble. Upon arrival in town, he meets Fung (Moon Lee) and her brother Kido (Cheung Kwok Leung). Finding he has a talent for football, he joins the local team, but having upset their star player King (Dick Wei) earlier,...
- 10/21/2020
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
[Warning: This report contains multiple spoilers.]
Even though Disney bent over backwards to create a live-action “Mulan” that would appeal to China, disgruntled Chinese viewers have dubbed it “the worst ‘Mulan’ in history,” saying that it feels “wooden” and offensively inauthentic.
The poor reception means that the $200 million Disney blockbuster will gain little traction in its most critical territory — one of the only major markets where the otherwise straight-to-Disney Plus title will see a theatrical release. “Mulan” is currently forecast by data tracker Maoyan to gross just $38.5 million (RMB265 million) — less than a tenth of the $437 million (RMB2.99 billion) projected cumulative for the Chinese war film “The Eight Hundred.”
“Mulan” currently rates a low but not egregious 7.5 and 7.6 out of 10 on the Maoyan and Tao Piaopiao ticketing platforms, respectively. There, many gushed over the thrill of seeing Disney tell a Chinese story on such scale, and were pleased with its message of female empowerment.
“It still...
Even though Disney bent over backwards to create a live-action “Mulan” that would appeal to China, disgruntled Chinese viewers have dubbed it “the worst ‘Mulan’ in history,” saying that it feels “wooden” and offensively inauthentic.
The poor reception means that the $200 million Disney blockbuster will gain little traction in its most critical territory — one of the only major markets where the otherwise straight-to-Disney Plus title will see a theatrical release. “Mulan” is currently forecast by data tracker Maoyan to gross just $38.5 million (RMB265 million) — less than a tenth of the $437 million (RMB2.99 billion) projected cumulative for the Chinese war film “The Eight Hundred.”
“Mulan” currently rates a low but not egregious 7.5 and 7.6 out of 10 on the Maoyan and Tao Piaopiao ticketing platforms, respectively. There, many gushed over the thrill of seeing Disney tell a Chinese story on such scale, and were pleased with its message of female empowerment.
“It still...
- 9/15/2020
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Disney has been killing it with live-action remakes of their beloved animated movie catalog. While the upcoming Mulan might look like yet another relatively straight adaptation of a previous animated film, it’s not quite the same. Mulan, in 1998 and now, is based on an ancient Chinese legend. Not a fairy tale. Her story was commonly known across Asia long before Disney’s animated feature, and it’s that story (as much as the animated feature) that makes up the inspiration for the new film.
When it was announced that the new live-action film would not include the songs or her mini-dragon sidekick Mushu, fans of the “original” were disappointed. But Disney is hoping for an international blockbuster, especially in that lucrative Chinese film market, and many Asian fans were relieved to hear of the planned changes. In China, Disney’s first Mulan feature flopped because audiences saw it as...
When it was announced that the new live-action film would not include the songs or her mini-dragon sidekick Mushu, fans of the “original” were disappointed. But Disney is hoping for an international blockbuster, especially in that lucrative Chinese film market, and many Asian fans were relieved to hear of the planned changes. In China, Disney’s first Mulan feature flopped because audiences saw it as...
- 9/3/2020
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
Screenwriter for the likes of Stephen Chow (“Shaolin Soccer” and “The Mermaid”), Chih-chiang has since then been exploring, in the director chair, very diverse genres including a musical and a contemporary western. His fourth feature as director/writer, dwells upon the mix of crime, police procedural, noir and a touch of psychology, reminiscent of past Hong Kong Cinema traditions. “A Witness Out of The Blue” puts together a convoluted script and a stellar cast helmed by ubiquitous Louis Koo to achieve mixed results.
Immediately and before the rolling titles, we are catapulted on a murder scene; a junkie is found dead in a filthy basement by a passer-by before being knocked out by a mysterious man running away, probably the murderer. The only living soul present at the murder is a beautiful blood-red parrot that blurts out seemingly random words. However, soon we discover that nothing on that crime-scene is what it looks.
Immediately and before the rolling titles, we are catapulted on a murder scene; a junkie is found dead in a filthy basement by a passer-by before being knocked out by a mysterious man running away, probably the murderer. The only living soul present at the murder is a beautiful blood-red parrot that blurts out seemingly random words. However, soon we discover that nothing on that crime-scene is what it looks.
- 4/15/2020
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Sitting close to the watershed area between its author’s domestic and global success, “God of Cookery” is another brilliant comedy from popular Hong Kong national treasure Stephen Chow, that reconfirms how well he has nailed his comedy shticks, elevating them to near perfection. A loose parody of “God of Gamblers” with Chow Yun-fat (which Chow loves to mock with affection) and inspired by the growing success of celebrity chefs, food porn, and other culinary-themed films and shows like “The Chinese Feast” and “Iron Chef”, here Chow styles himself as Sik San, the God of Cookery.
“God of Cookery“ is screening at the Nyaff Winter Showcase 2020
Sik San is indeed a God in his business as he detains the supreme power of fixing culinary contests, inventing the silliest reasons to eliminate everybody else and therefore winning the title over and over again. Arrogant and condescending, he is also the face...
“God of Cookery“ is screening at the Nyaff Winter Showcase 2020
Sik San is indeed a God in his business as he detains the supreme power of fixing culinary contests, inventing the silliest reasons to eliminate everybody else and therefore winning the title over and over again. Arrogant and condescending, he is also the face...
- 2/16/2020
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Full Lineup For 2nd New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) Winter Showcase February 14th to 16th, 2020
The New York Asian Film Festival ushers in the new decade with the second annual edition of its Winter Showcase. Held at Chelsea’s Sva Theatre over Valentine’s weekend, this year’s showcase celebrates our love of Asian films by turning the spotlight on food cultures through cinema. At a juncture when America still obsesses over Bong Joon-ho’s award-winning Parasite, and some of its more minute plot points such as the wonders of Ram-Don (jjapaguri), it is timely to show that when it comes to putting food front and center, Asian movies do it best.
To celebrate a time-honored tradition of storytelling and the romantic holiday, this year’s lineup brings together trends-and-time-transcending classics as well as some remarkable foodie films of recent years, spanning several decades and different strands of filmmaking: regardless of where and when they are from, these stories pack in full plates of heart and soul,...
To celebrate a time-honored tradition of storytelling and the romantic holiday, this year’s lineup brings together trends-and-time-transcending classics as well as some remarkable foodie films of recent years, spanning several decades and different strands of filmmaking: regardless of where and when they are from, these stories pack in full plates of heart and soul,...
- 1/26/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Comedy is a very tricky genre to get right. Even more so, when attempting to capture a global audience, as tastes can vary along with language. “Shaolin Soccer” broke out and became one of these rarities by both embracing what made Stephen Chow a star in Hong Kong but also filtering out some of the more localised humour. The globalisation and pan nationalism that the region saw develop in the late 1990’s resulted in movies with a broader international appeal develop. What we have here is a focus more on visual humour that would play better in foreign markets and less of the Cantonese wordplay that wouldn’t.
Sing (Stephen Chow) is a monk out to promote the virtues of martial arts. Teaming up with Fung (Ng Man Tat), he tracks down his former martial arts brothers to create a football team to compete in a cup competition.
Sing (Stephen Chow) is a monk out to promote the virtues of martial arts. Teaming up with Fung (Ng Man Tat), he tracks down his former martial arts brothers to create a football team to compete in a cup competition.
- 12/11/2019
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
By Randy Mckenzie
This is Stephen Chow’s fourth movie, since he had burst into the spotlight in 2001, with “Shaolin Soccer”. The movie broke several box office records in China, including the largest opening week. World wide, the film grossed almost 554 million Us dollars
The plot is a fantasy concerning an unscrupulous businessman, played by Deng Chao, who uses sound waves to drive away dolphins from ocean front property, so that he can develop it. The sound waves have a devastating effect on a local mermaid population, so they plot to assassinate him. The plan involves sending Shan (Lin Yun), a beautiful young mermaid disguised as a human, to seduce and kill him. The first attempt fails miserably (and hilariously), so they then decide to have Shan lure him to their home, so that they can ambush him. A date is arranged and Liu Xuan, the businessman,...
This is Stephen Chow’s fourth movie, since he had burst into the spotlight in 2001, with “Shaolin Soccer”. The movie broke several box office records in China, including the largest opening week. World wide, the film grossed almost 554 million Us dollars
The plot is a fantasy concerning an unscrupulous businessman, played by Deng Chao, who uses sound waves to drive away dolphins from ocean front property, so that he can develop it. The sound waves have a devastating effect on a local mermaid population, so they plot to assassinate him. The plan involves sending Shan (Lin Yun), a beautiful young mermaid disguised as a human, to seduce and kill him. The first attempt fails miserably (and hilariously), so they then decide to have Shan lure him to their home, so that they can ambush him. A date is arranged and Liu Xuan, the businessman,...
- 11/26/2019
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
With “Jade Dynasty” out front, Chinese action and Asian animation films led the way at the China box office over the past weekend, while the few American titles in play have failed to attract many moviegoers.
Chinese action fantasy “Jade Dynasty” led the weekend box office in its debut with $38.1 million, figures from consultancy Artisan Gateway showed. That was higher than the global total for the much-lauded “Hustlers,” which took $33 million in its opening in North America and $37.7 million worldwide.
China’s box office this year is running 2.5% behind this point last year, but the past weekend was not too shabby. Artisan Gateway reported a total gross of $111 million between Friday and Sunday, exceeding the $109 million earned at the box office in North America.
Starring Mandopop idol Sean Xiao Zhan, Li Qin (“The Founding of an Army”) and Rocket Girls 101 singer Meng Meiqi, “Jade Dynasty” is directed by Hong Kong’s Tony Ching Siu-tung,...
Chinese action fantasy “Jade Dynasty” led the weekend box office in its debut with $38.1 million, figures from consultancy Artisan Gateway showed. That was higher than the global total for the much-lauded “Hustlers,” which took $33 million in its opening in North America and $37.7 million worldwide.
China’s box office this year is running 2.5% behind this point last year, but the past weekend was not too shabby. Artisan Gateway reported a total gross of $111 million between Friday and Sunday, exceeding the $109 million earned at the box office in North America.
Starring Mandopop idol Sean Xiao Zhan, Li Qin (“The Founding of an Army”) and Rocket Girls 101 singer Meng Meiqi, “Jade Dynasty” is directed by Hong Kong’s Tony Ching Siu-tung,...
- 9/16/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Contemporary Chinese Cinema is a column devoted to exploring contemporary Chinese-language cinema primarily as it is revealed to us at North American multiplexes.When I reviewed this year’s crop of Lunar New Year releases a couple of months ago, there was one title that was conspicuously missing from the group of films that were released in North America for the holiday season: Stephen Chow’s The New King of Comedy. I don’t know why it didn’t get a release here. It could be because its production was too rapid for the international distribution system to absorb it. It might have something to do with the involvement of Herman Yau, an outspoken proponent of democracy in Hong Kong and thus an unwelcome presence on the Mainland. Or, it may have just been overlooked in the mad rush to book The Wandering Earth on as many screens as possible...
- 4/29/2019
- MUBI
Hulu has released its list of all the new content coming May 1 as well as everything that will leave the streaming service at the end of the month.
Highlights include Hulu Originals like “Into The Dark: All That We Destroy,” the show’s eighth episode coming May 3. Hulu describes the show as “A geneticist who fears that her son may be becoming a serial killer creates a group of clones in an attempt to cure him of his psychopathic tendencies by allowing him to relive the murder of his first victim.”
George Clooney’s “Catch-22,” which is on the Joseph Heller novel of the same name arrives mid-month. Per Hulu: “‘Catch-22'” is the story of the incomparable, artful dodger, Yossarian, a Us Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him.” The show stars Kyle Chandler,...
Highlights include Hulu Originals like “Into The Dark: All That We Destroy,” the show’s eighth episode coming May 3. Hulu describes the show as “A geneticist who fears that her son may be becoming a serial killer creates a group of clones in an attempt to cure him of his psychopathic tendencies by allowing him to relive the murder of his first victim.”
George Clooney’s “Catch-22,” which is on the Joseph Heller novel of the same name arrives mid-month. Per Hulu: “‘Catch-22'” is the story of the incomparable, artful dodger, Yossarian, a Us Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him.” The show stars Kyle Chandler,...
- 4/16/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
The out-of-this-world success of China’s first-ever sci-fi blockbuster, “The Wandering Earth,” proves that when it comes to watching special-effects extravaganzas in which stock characters scramble to intervene while the planet faces obliteration, it’s a small world after all. Director Frant Gwo’s adaptation of the 2000 novella by Liu Cixin is no genre classic, but its furious pace, spectacular visuals, and fanciful plot deliver decent escapist entertainment. After accumulating an astronomical $640 million-plus domestically — plus a tidy $5 million on limited North American screens — since Feb. 5, this display of capability from China’s commercial film sector was snapped up by Netflix for future release on the streaming giant’s platform.
A hyperactive hybrid of doomsday films ranging from ’50s classic “When Worlds Collide” to Michael Bay’s bombastic “Armageddon” and, most notably, Ishiro Honda’s 1962 Japanese space opera “Gorath,” “The Wandering Earth” is perhaps most striking for its lack of nationalism and propaganda.
A hyperactive hybrid of doomsday films ranging from ’50s classic “When Worlds Collide” to Michael Bay’s bombastic “Armageddon” and, most notably, Ishiro Honda’s 1962 Japanese space opera “Gorath,” “The Wandering Earth” is perhaps most striking for its lack of nationalism and propaganda.
- 2/27/2019
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Prominent Chinese actress Zhao Wei (aka Vicki Zhao) has been banned for five years from holding senior positions in any listed company in China. The ruling was made by the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
The punishment relates to the failed 2016 takeover bid announced by Tibet Longwei, a company controlled by Zhao and her husband, Huang Youlong, for 29% of Zhejiang Wanija. The pair were found to have “disrupted market order” and to have benefited from a “celebrity effect” when they announced their bid, but did not have the financial resources to go through with it.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission had previously punished the pair with a five-year ban from trading on the Shanghai market and a $170,000 (RMB1.2 million) fine for the same offense. The latest, additional penalty reflects their release of false information during the bid.
Zhao made her name with 1990s TV series “My Fair Princess.” She has...
The punishment relates to the failed 2016 takeover bid announced by Tibet Longwei, a company controlled by Zhao and her husband, Huang Youlong, for 29% of Zhejiang Wanija. The pair were found to have “disrupted market order” and to have benefited from a “celebrity effect” when they announced their bid, but did not have the financial resources to go through with it.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission had previously punished the pair with a five-year ban from trading on the Shanghai market and a $170,000 (RMB1.2 million) fine for the same offense. The latest, additional penalty reflects their release of false information during the bid.
Zhao made her name with 1990s TV series “My Fair Princess.” She has...
- 11/22/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Swapping gun with a huge butcher knife, Stephen Chow debuts as a director and together with Lee Lik-Chi, they bring us this Chinese version of “Get Smart” and a spoof of James Bond movies in which they mix laughs and violence to great effect.
In China, a dinosaur skull is stolen, leading to a dumb, incompetent, but a charming secret agent sent to Hong Kong to investigate and retrieve it. A female spy who is supposed to help him is in fact a double-agent ordered by their government to have him killed.
As this is a send- up of James Bond films, Stephen Chow is the secret agent Ling Ling Chat, which sounds very much like 007 but it’s loosely translated as ‘drenching in paint’ as written in Chinese. The film starts off with some John Woo style of gun-fu action in a warehouse where a secret...
In China, a dinosaur skull is stolen, leading to a dumb, incompetent, but a charming secret agent sent to Hong Kong to investigate and retrieve it. A female spy who is supposed to help him is in fact a double-agent ordered by their government to have him killed.
As this is a send- up of James Bond films, Stephen Chow is the secret agent Ling Ling Chat, which sounds very much like 007 but it’s loosely translated as ‘drenching in paint’ as written in Chinese. The film starts off with some John Woo style of gun-fu action in a warehouse where a secret...
- 5/26/2018
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
Congratulations are in order for director Jing Wu, whose war-time action thriller Wolf Warrior 2 just broke the all-time Chinese Box Office record with an astounding $571 million earned within the first 14 days of its release! An impressive achievement for certain, the record had previously been held by Stephen Chow's fantasy comedy The Mermaid. When the Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer... Read More...
- 8/10/2017
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Subscription streaming services require digging to discover their full value. For example, while I’ve been prepping for IndieWire’s Best Action Films of the 21st Century (coming later this week), I was pleasantly surprised to find how many quality action films were available on Netflix — including works by a number of non-American auteurs. From martial arts to gangster shoot ’em ups to comedy-action films, here are eight highly original, well crafted, director-driven pieces of entertainment that could serve as a welcome alternative this summer when your local cineplex feels like a boring rerun.
“Shaolin Soccer” (2001)
Stephen Chow’s films (“Kung Fu Hustle”) are a wonderful and loony mix of comedy and action that have an infectious spirit. For this film the actor/writer/director adds a sports movie to the mix, which might sound bizarre, but once seeing it you’ll wonder why no one has made a martial arts soccer film before.
“Shaolin Soccer” (2001)
Stephen Chow’s films (“Kung Fu Hustle”) are a wonderful and loony mix of comedy and action that have an infectious spirit. For this film the actor/writer/director adds a sports movie to the mix, which might sound bizarre, but once seeing it you’ll wonder why no one has made a martial arts soccer film before.
- 6/12/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Event will programme a section of Hong Kong films from the last 20 years, including Infernal Affairs, Election and Shaolin Soccer.
This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) will mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China with a special focus on major Hong Kong movies of the past 20 years.
The section, ‘Paradigm Shift: Post-97 Hong Kong Cinema’, kicks off with films such as Fruit Chan’s Made In Hong Kong and Ringo Lam’s Full Alert from the period immediately after the handover, when local cinema was under pressure with box office declining and the mainland market starting to grow.
It then moves on to landmark titles such as Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer (2001), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’s Infernal Affairs [pictured] (2002) and Johnnie To’s Election (2005), which all defined Hong Kong cinema in their own way.
The series of 20 titles ends with Pang Ho-cheung’s Love In A Puff...
This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) will mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China with a special focus on major Hong Kong movies of the past 20 years.
The section, ‘Paradigm Shift: Post-97 Hong Kong Cinema’, kicks off with films such as Fruit Chan’s Made In Hong Kong and Ringo Lam’s Full Alert from the period immediately after the handover, when local cinema was under pressure with box office declining and the mainland market starting to grow.
It then moves on to landmark titles such as Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer (2001), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’s Infernal Affairs [pictured] (2002) and Johnnie To’s Election (2005), which all defined Hong Kong cinema in their own way.
The series of 20 titles ends with Pang Ho-cheung’s Love In A Puff...
- 3/14/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Event will programme a section of Hong Kong films from the last 20 years, including Infernal Affairs, Election and Shaolin Soccer.
This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) will mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China with a special focus on major Hong Kong movies of the past 20 years.
The section, ‘Paradigm Shift: Post-97 Hong Kong Cinema’, kicks off with films such as Fruit Chan’s Made In Hong Kong and Ringo Lam’s Full Alert from the period immediately after the handover, when local cinema was under pressure with box office declining and the mainland market starting to grow.
It then moves on to landmark titles such as Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer (2001), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’s Infernal Affairs [pictured] (2002) and Johnnie To’s Election (2005), which all defined Hong Kong cinema in their own way.
The series of 20 titles ends with Pang Ho-cheung’s Love In A Puff...
This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival (Hkiff) will mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China with a special focus on major Hong Kong movies of the past 20 years.
The section, ‘Paradigm Shift: Post-97 Hong Kong Cinema’, kicks off with films such as Fruit Chan’s Made In Hong Kong and Ringo Lam’s Full Alert from the period immediately after the handover, when local cinema was under pressure with box office declining and the mainland market starting to grow.
It then moves on to landmark titles such as Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer (2001), Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’s Infernal Affairs [pictured] (2002) and Johnnie To’s Election (2005), which all defined Hong Kong cinema in their own way.
The series of 20 titles ends with Pang Ho-cheung’s Love In A Puff...
- 3/14/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Hot off the success of last year’s box office record-setting smash The Mermaid, Stephen Chow brought us a sequel this Lunar New Year to his 2013 film Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. While it set an opening day record in China, and was initially released in North America on roughly twice as many screens, it has thus far failed to match The Mermaid’s financial success. I have no idea why that is, anyone who claims to understand what makes the difference between a hit and a super-hit is a liar or a fool, but I can theorize that the film’s somewhat mixed critical response is a response to its weird hybrid nature. Not just in the ways Chow situates a sincere appreciation for religion within a goofy pop context, but in the film’s dual authorship between Chow, who co-wrote and produced, and Tsui Hark, who directed.
- 2/8/2017
- MUBI
Lionsgate is finalizing plans to join forces with Chinese companies Infinity Pictures/Cmc and Yue Hua Entertainment Culture Communications to shoot a Chinese-language version of “Step Up,” its hit dance flick franchise, TheWrap has learned. Ron Yuan, an action choreographer with a martial arts background, is directing “Step Up 6,” which will start shooting in Beijing and Los Angeles on Dec. 9. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters next year. Dede Nickerson, who produced “Kill Bill Vol. I and II” and “Shaolin Soccer,” and Du Hua are producing the film. Also Read: NBC Orders Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan Tatum Dance Competition Series The.
- 11/23/2016
- by Matt Pressberg
- The Wrap
The studio has partnered with Infinity Pictures/Cmc and Yue Hua Entertainment Culture Communications as it redirects its $600m-plus global franchise to capitalise on a strong Asian following and step away from diminishing North American theatrical revenues.
Production on Step Up 6 is scheduled to commence on December 9 in Beijing and Los Angeles in time for a 2017 release. It is understood the Chinese-language version will be the only version released.
Lionsgate sources said previous entries in the franchise had performed well in China. Executives will also be aware that the series’ appeal in North America is flagging: the last episode, 2014’s Step Up All In, generated $14.9m – the lowest by far in the franchise.
The companies unveiled the first concept poster for Chinese audiences on Wednesday. Director Ron Yuan will direct an all-Chinese cast and plans to marry martial arts with dance in the film.
Infinity Pictures CEO Dede Nickerson, who served as associate producer on Kill Bill Vol. I...
Production on Step Up 6 is scheduled to commence on December 9 in Beijing and Los Angeles in time for a 2017 release. It is understood the Chinese-language version will be the only version released.
Lionsgate sources said previous entries in the franchise had performed well in China. Executives will also be aware that the series’ appeal in North America is flagging: the last episode, 2014’s Step Up All In, generated $14.9m – the lowest by far in the franchise.
The companies unveiled the first concept poster for Chinese audiences on Wednesday. Director Ron Yuan will direct an all-Chinese cast and plans to marry martial arts with dance in the film.
Infinity Pictures CEO Dede Nickerson, who served as associate producer on Kill Bill Vol. I...
- 11/23/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The much awaited film “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2” is hitting theaters on January 28, 2017. Last week, fans were treated to the first teaser trailer of the film.
The first installment “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” was released last 2013 and set several records at the Chinese box-office. The film was a critical and commercial success, garnering 94% from film review aggregator RottenTomatoes as well as grossing over $215 million worldwide.
It’s no surprise that the fans are eagerly awaiting for this sequel. Leading the cast is Kris Wu as Tang Zeng Monk, a monk who must work with his disciples to become a demon-exorcising mega team. Superstars Lin Gengxin, Yao Chen, Lin Yun, Bao Bei’er, Da Peng, Wang Likun, Wang Duo, Zhang Mei’er and former basketball player Mengke Bateer are also in the cast. China.org reports that this action-adventure comedy based on the ancient Chinese...
The first installment “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” was released last 2013 and set several records at the Chinese box-office. The film was a critical and commercial success, garnering 94% from film review aggregator RottenTomatoes as well as grossing over $215 million worldwide.
It’s no surprise that the fans are eagerly awaiting for this sequel. Leading the cast is Kris Wu as Tang Zeng Monk, a monk who must work with his disciples to become a demon-exorcising mega team. Superstars Lin Gengxin, Yao Chen, Lin Yun, Bao Bei’er, Da Peng, Wang Likun, Wang Duo, Zhang Mei’er and former basketball player Mengke Bateer are also in the cast. China.org reports that this action-adventure comedy based on the ancient Chinese...
- 11/15/2016
- by Ella Palileo
- AsianMoviePulse
Simon Brew Sep 8, 2016
Lots of films struggled at the box office this summer - but 2016 has not been short of surprise box office hits. This lot, in fact...
Much of the box office analysis of 2016 – especially summer 2016 – has focused on the collection of films that have fallen short of expected revenues. Be they Star Trek Beyond, Ghostbusters, Independence Day: Resurgence, X-Men: Apocalypse or Ice Age: Collision Course, there’s been no shortage of stories of box office troubles.
But what about the films that have genuinely surprised, and that have found a larger audience than people had been expecting? Turns out that there have been quite a few…
Bad Moms
In a summer where the likes of Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates and Bad Neighbours 2 failed to really take off, Bad Moms has proven to be an R-rated comedy treat. Not helped at first by being sold as from the writers of The Hangover,...
Lots of films struggled at the box office this summer - but 2016 has not been short of surprise box office hits. This lot, in fact...
Much of the box office analysis of 2016 – especially summer 2016 – has focused on the collection of films that have fallen short of expected revenues. Be they Star Trek Beyond, Ghostbusters, Independence Day: Resurgence, X-Men: Apocalypse or Ice Age: Collision Course, there’s been no shortage of stories of box office troubles.
But what about the films that have genuinely surprised, and that have found a larger audience than people had been expecting? Turns out that there have been quite a few…
Bad Moms
In a summer where the likes of Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates and Bad Neighbours 2 failed to really take off, Bad Moms has proven to be an R-rated comedy treat. Not helped at first by being sold as from the writers of The Hangover,...
- 9/6/2016
- Den of Geek
Since any New York cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.
Metrograph
It’s a French New Wave take on America’s worst era — what else could you want? The great Far from Vietnam plays as part of “Welcome to Metrograph: A-z” on Saturday, along with Varda‘s Lion’s Love and Tsai‘s The Hole.
“Summer In the City” brings Dog Day Afternoon and Spike Lee...
Metrograph
It’s a French New Wave take on America’s worst era — what else could you want? The great Far from Vietnam plays as part of “Welcome to Metrograph: A-z” on Saturday, along with Varda‘s Lion’s Love and Tsai‘s The Hole.
“Summer In the City” brings Dog Day Afternoon and Spike Lee...
- 7/1/2016
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Mark Harrison Jul 1, 2016
Need a laugh? Here's our guide to 25 comedies that are on Netflix UK now, and are well worth your time...
Putting aside all of the chunter about VPNs and rising subscription costs for a moment, there are more hidden gems to be discovered on Netflix UK than you might expect, and we've been combing through the streaming site's current catalogue to find some of the most underappreciated comedies on offer.
We've come up with this fairly broad selection of films that varies on several fronts. We've picked out a mix of belly laughers and dark comedies, with a couple of dramedies thrown in for good measure. They're not all big Hollywood comedies, but neither are they all films that you're hearing about for the first time, though we've tried to order them according to how well known they may or may not be. What they all have...
Need a laugh? Here's our guide to 25 comedies that are on Netflix UK now, and are well worth your time...
Putting aside all of the chunter about VPNs and rising subscription costs for a moment, there are more hidden gems to be discovered on Netflix UK than you might expect, and we've been combing through the streaming site's current catalogue to find some of the most underappreciated comedies on offer.
We've come up with this fairly broad selection of films that varies on several fronts. We've picked out a mix of belly laughers and dark comedies, with a couple of dramedies thrown in for good measure. They're not all big Hollywood comedies, but neither are they all films that you're hearing about for the first time, though we've tried to order them according to how well known they may or may not be. What they all have...
- 6/29/2016
- Den of Geek
With China fast-becoming the world’s largest film market, Chinese Cinema has never been more relevant or in need of intelligent curatorship. With around 400 films released in China every year, it can be difficult to know where to begin, short of gravitating towards big-name populist masters like Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang. Curious cineastes in London will be rewarded next month with the Chinese Visual Festival showcasing a fantastic range of contemporary Chinese language cinema, from the mainland, as well as Taiwan, Hong Kong and other indigenous regions like Tibet. A selection of this year’s line-up will be judged by an incredible jury that includes Hong Kong screenwriter Fung Chih-Chiang (Shaolin Soccer, Mermaid), Asian Film expert Jasper Sharp and industry professional Swani Yip. ...
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- 4/18/2016
- Screen Anarchy
A wacky fantasy lark, half screwball comedy, half Looney Tunes. Chinese audiences have thrown half a billion dollars at it. Prepare for Hollywood imitators. I’m “biast” (pro): have enjoyed Stephen Chow’s other movies
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
What are the biggest movies on the planet right now? If you said 1) Star Wars: The Force Awakens and 2) Deadpool, you’d be correct. But you may have trouble guessing No 3, because it has barely made a blip in North America or the U.K. The Mermaid has, however, just passed the half-a-billion (in U.S. dollars) mark at the Chinese box office, after less than a month in release; it’s the first film ever to take in so much across any length of time there, and it’s waaay more than Star Wars has earned there. (Deadpool...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
What are the biggest movies on the planet right now? If you said 1) Star Wars: The Force Awakens and 2) Deadpool, you’d be correct. But you may have trouble guessing No 3, because it has barely made a blip in North America or the U.K. The Mermaid has, however, just passed the half-a-billion (in U.S. dollars) mark at the Chinese box office, after less than a month in release; it’s the first film ever to take in so much across any length of time there, and it’s waaay more than Star Wars has earned there. (Deadpool...
- 3/11/2016
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
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Want a quality action film, but you only have an hour and a half? Step this way...
Looking back over the genre, action films definitely haven’t suffered from the trend to make everything longer. They’ve always been pretty long, regularly clocking in at over two hours. Perhaps because of all the slo-mo? But while the sweet spot for action classics seems to be the 100-110 minute mark, there are those that have cut the genre right down to basics, and succeeded all the more for it.
Below is my pick of 25 great action films 90 minutes or under. Even more so than other genres, action crosses many other films - picking a pure ‘action’ flick is all but impossible. So below I’ve chosen films that retain action sequences as their main narrative device, and keep the action at the heart of the movie, rather than as a extra.
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Want a quality action film, but you only have an hour and a half? Step this way...
Looking back over the genre, action films definitely haven’t suffered from the trend to make everything longer. They’ve always been pretty long, regularly clocking in at over two hours. Perhaps because of all the slo-mo? But while the sweet spot for action classics seems to be the 100-110 minute mark, there are those that have cut the genre right down to basics, and succeeded all the more for it.
Below is my pick of 25 great action films 90 minutes or under. Even more so than other genres, action crosses many other films - picking a pure ‘action’ flick is all but impossible. So below I’ve chosen films that retain action sequences as their main narrative device, and keep the action at the heart of the movie, rather than as a extra.
- 3/10/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
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