Johnnie To, Johnny Hallyday
Long lines of fans waited for the Toronto screening Johnnie To’s Vengeance (Xinhuanet.com)
Jay Chou as Kato (CRI)
The Message (Feng Sheng) will close the 14th Pushan International Film Festival (PIFF), which will open on
Oct 8 and run for nine days.
The Message, starring Zhou Xun and Li Bingbing, tells the story of how the Japanese-controlled puppet government finds an undercover agent among five suspects during China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).
Variety: Cow review
War is crazy and most of the characters are, too, in “Cow,”an often brilliantly imagined black comedy-cum-magical-realist yarn about a dumb Shandong peasant and his cow during WWII.
Screen Daily: Sawasdee Bangkok (Thailand) review
After Paris and New York, here comes a quartet of love letters to Bangkok - episodes marketed as one feature film, financed by the Thai Public Broadcasting Service, and with the intention of showcasing the country’s capital internationally.
Filming will be begin early next year for Chen’s new film based on Orphans in China. Orphans in China is a play written by Voltaire that itself is a translation of a famous Chinese play Orphan of Zhao. The story is based on a true incident and takes place in the Spring and Autumn Period. Chen intends to build a whole Orphan City a la Bodyguards and Assassins. It will be built in Xiangshan, Zhejiang Province (after much competition from other cities) and encompass 152 acres. Construction of the city has already begun and will be completed by year end. Sun Honglei unexpectedly appeared at the ceremony as the cast is unannounced yet. Sun, who is in demand by both Zhang Yimou and John Woo, said, ‘I am here to cheer on the director. Certainly, if the director invites me, I will participate.’ (Xinhuanet.com)
Zhao Wei
Zhao Wei is in studio working on Mulan’s post-production dubbing. Of great interest, was whether her real voice would be used. Earlier, it was reported that her voice was considered too harsh and heavy. However, it was considered fitting and consistent for the role. In the end, the rumors proved unfounded. Zhao Wei’s voice is recognizable and distinct, and she refused to be dubbed. Since, Mulan had been in the battlefield many years disguised as a man, her voice cannot be soft. Zhao Wei said, ‘I have faith in my voice. The role is different from my other roles. I am a man standing over hundreds of generals so the sound of my voice will be certainly different.’ (Sina.com) [You go, girl!]
Ekin Cheng
Ekin hopes to recapture the spirit of Storm Riders in Storm Warriors 11 years later. (Sina.com)
Riding on a Storm
A decade after appearing in storm riders, Cheng E-Kin and Aaron Kwok reprise their roles as Wind and Cloud
China’s ‘Iron Man’ an undying legend
“Du Lala’s Promotion” Stills Revealed (CRI)
Remake of “Journey to The West” in the Works (CRI)
Though at a reportedly huge cost of 100 million yuan, the new project had draw the public to question if it could outdo the widely applauded 1980 TV series of “Journey to The West”, the first - and so far the best - small screen production of the classic novel.
