Movie Box Review

courtesy of mingpao.com

Yesterday was Joey Wong Cho Yin's 45th birthday.  Since SHANGHAI STORY in 2004 she eased out of show business and retired to Vancouver, Canada.  Yesterday a photo was posted online and was supposed taken at Wong Cho Yin's home at the end of last year.

courtesy of mingpao.com

The Fang Yaxi directed horror film YE DIAN GUI TAN will be released nation wide on February 10.  The film starred Van Fan Yat Sun, Chrissie Chau Sau Na, Jill Hsu (Tsui Kit Yi) and other idol actors.  The story was about deranged murders.

Taste, elegance and intelligence tops the weekly cable programming chart.  The parade starts with the young adults of Jersey Shore, moves across the Hudson River as Kourtney & Kim Take New York, touches the LA area with Pawn Stars, and one it goes through Teen Mom, WWE wrestling, Real Housewives, etc.  It's not the classiest bunch of programs, but it is what viewers are choosing to distract themselves from the real world. 

Full chart available by clicking "read more".

Tiffany Hsu and Ethan Juan two days ago courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

Due to military service, Ethan Juan (Yuen King Tin) has become the media target.  However Siu Tin actually has never thought about avoiding it.  Instead he looked forward to it very much.  Yesterday Siu Tin finally reported and again clarified the alternative service issue.  He stressed that he did not have any special privilege.  Now finally he was able to complete what he should do and he was very happy.  Siu Tin's girlfriend Tiffany Hsu due to work could not see him off.

Siu Tin left around 9PM and reported with friends in tow.  Media waited outside Siu Tin's home.  Siu Tin was dressed casually and looked energized.  When he saw the media he could not help but scream, "This truly is too brilliant!"  How did he feel about joining the military?  Siu Tin said, "Finally I can complete what I should do so I don't have any special feeling.  I feel just like all men who have to serve."  Two nights ago Siu Tin's friends went to his home to bid him farewell.  He slept very well so yesterday he did not have any dark circles around his eyes.  He will first have lunch at his grandfather's home in Taichung, then report in the afternoon.

Siu Tin's military service has always been controversial.  Siu Tin again clarified, "Anyone who have served should know that alternative service was determined when I graduated from high school.  I went for repeated examination twice.  At the time I wasn't an artist so I don't have any so-called special privilege problem."  Was his girlfriend Tiffany Hsu reluctant to let him go or ask him for anything?  Siu Tin joked, "You make her sounds like she's my Ma!  I will be back!  It's not like I won't.  It's not bitterly guarding a chilly cave for 18 years either."  However, his girlfriend due to work would not see him off.  Why did he report alone and not meet up with others reporting?  He said, "I was informed to do so, I don't know, I am just following orders."

Siu Tin will be away from show business for a year.  He was not worried that his show business job will be hindered due to his military service, because the service had to be done.  As an actor he should properly experience life.  Siu Tin before reporting did not forget to promote his new film LOVE.  In addition, Siu Tin's film THE GUILLOTINES (HUET DIK JI) will also be released this year.  Siu Tin spent two and a half months on THE GUILLOTINES, which was as difficult as "advanced military service".  however he thanked the "spicy instructor" Andrew Lau Wai Keung for advancing his "tough experience".  This film will be released in the summer.  Siu Tin will be absent from the premiere and the promotion.  However the team guaranteed a very special way for him to appear.

Siu Tin pointed out that Lau Wai Keung gave him countless "first times", like the first time he did 50 push ups, the first time he lost eight jin in four days, the first time he felt nauseous from all the wire work.  However in Siu Tin's eyes, Lau Wai Keung was still a very loving father.  When he turned 29, Lau Wai keung arranged for a secret celebration.  When he returned to his hotel room, the team emerged from the closet, behind the curtains and under the bed.  Seeing how pleased Lau Wai Keung was, Siu Tin could not help but break down.  Siu Tin also said that brothers who he "stayed up all night with, got hurt with and even got yelled at by the director with" Shawn Yue Man Lok, Huang Xiaoming and others were hard to forget.  He looked forward to their reunion after the end of his service.

courtesy of on.cc

Mak Cheung Ching, Wilson Chin, Eric Tsang, Susan Shaw, Samantha Ko, Stanley Fung courtesy of takungpao.com

The Lunar New Year film I LOVE HONG KONG 2012 (2012 NGOR OI HK HEI SEUNG GA HEI) last night held an audience appreciation event at the Causeway Bay Times Square UA cinema with artists Eric Tsang Chi Wai, Samantha Ko Hoi Ning, Stanley Fung Shui Fan and Mak Cheung Ching.  Last night was also this UA cinema's final day of operation.  Chi Wai said that it was no big deal as it will only relocate upstairs.  As for the current location being rented to a high end retail store, Chi Wai pointed out that it proved Hong Kong tourism was doing well.  Did he feel that they had too many high end retail stores?  He pointed out that different people spent differently, taking care of everyone would be the best.  He said that Europe and Japan high end stores did poor business, but Hong Kong was doing well.  Of course it was better for tourists to come to Hong Kong than elsewhere.

Did Ko Hoi Ning's first love take place at this cinema?  She said that it was not here, but at the time she went to a movie with a guy and started dating.  Ko Hoi Ning was sorry that last night was this cinema's final day.  Fung Shui Fan said that he did not have much memory of this cinema because at his time the cinema screens were enormous.  Now many were mini cinemas so he did not go to the movies.  He also said that now the television screen was huge and not much different from going to the movies.  However he would miss it a little.  Mak Cheung Ching said that he had many memories of this cinemas because he often attended premieres.  He also came to the movies here.  He said that when he was little cinemas were much larger, only when watching with many people would the movie have atmosphere and a sense of resonance.  He believed now cinemas had a hard time and hoped that in the future fewer would close.  The best would be a cinema in every district.

JJ Jia courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of mingpao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

Eric Tsang Chi Wai and Raymond Wong Pak Ming exchanged fire for the third Lunar New Year in a row, but Chi Wai won all three years.  This year he even won from the beginning to the end.  Two nights ago at
the celebration and the New Spring visit, Tsang Chi Wai even presented the "Universe Nemesis" to Stanley Fung Shui Fan (Gung Gor) who performed for two years in a row.  He said that completely because of him "the Strongest in the Universe" Donnie Yen Chi Tan was defeated, but Gung Gor said that those words scared him.  He worried that they would insult someone and said that after the event he would have to immediately fly out of Hong Kong.

I LOVE HONG KONG 2012 two days ago broke 15 million at the box office.  Two nights ago a New Year group visit and a celebration took place.  Tsang Chi Wai, Fung Shui Fan, Bosco Wong Chung Chak, Teresa Mo Shun Kwan and others attended.  Due to the third Lunar New Year victory in a row over Wong Pak Ming, Chi Wai wrote "Universe Nemesis" and presented the words to Gung Gor as he had fun at the expense of ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2011 (BAK SING PO HEI)'s "Strongest in the Universe" Yen Chi Tan.  Chi Wai said, "Over these two years Gung Gor helped a lot.  Gung Gor took care of 'the Strongest in the Universe' over these two years, one against ten your salary should be worth several tens of
millions.  Next time I will make IP MAN 4 with you."  Gung Gor could not turn it down fast enough.  "I am not sure what you are saying, right now I am a little scared.  I didn't say any of that!  Right after this I am taking a flight out!"

Later Gung Gor said that he was in Taiwan so he did not know about the box office.  Did he know who Yen Chi Tan was?  He joked, "I know, if I don't I would die even faster!"  He also said that the success of a movie was not due to just one person, the credit went to the entire group.  No one could say that it all depended on him, no one should joke about that.  Chi Wai said, "You won with a lot of room to spare.  When you were on top, Who knew where Chi Tan was."  Was Gung Gor very embarrassed?  He said, "No, I am only afraid that someone would be insulted."  Chi Wai also said, "With writing like that, Chi Tan next year will work for Wong Pak Ming for free just to win some bragging right back!"  Chi Wai later would make five or six films for Shaw.  Will he ask Gung Gor?  He said, "How can I do it without him, whenever we are against Chi Tan I have to get him."

Chi Wai also said that actually this year was a real victory over Wong Pak Ming.  The first year Wong Pak Ming won at first, later with more people going he barely won.  The second time at first they were tied but he finally won.  This year he won from the beginning to the end.  Chi Wai said, "This time was risky because I used TVB artists, no comparison to his big stars."  Speaking of Clifton Ko Chi Sum's criticism of current Lunar New Year films as "lacking choices", Chi Wai said, "He has already left this circle, he is working on a Lunar New Year play.  Even if he comes back he would be behind because the comedy is already different. However I would welcome him to join the fray next year.  (Yet he would only work with his girlfriend Perry Chiu Woon?)  I would cast Chiu Woon.  Actually Chiu Woon is very playful, I asked her to take part in THE TRIO DELIGHTS every time.  It's a waste for her to be just on the stage, Ko Chi Sum shouldn't have the monopoly."  Wheat Bread complained that Chi Wai last year promised everyone a vacation but has yet to come through.  Chi Wai said, "This year we have a chance, maybe in Japan!  (Next Lunar New Year will you compete with Wong Pak Ming?)  I will!  Competition is good."

Teresa Mo Shun Kwan two nights ago attended the I LOVE HONG KONG 2012 (2012 NGOR OI HK HEI SEUNG GA HEI) Lunar New Year group visit and celebration.  She was very happy about the ideal box office but she had reservations about whether she will participate again next year.  Has she and her family seen the film?  She said that she would wait for the video before watching it with her family because she worried that her youngest daughter would not understand and would ask her to explain.  Was she talking about the sexy scene?  She admitted, "Yes, I am a little scared, so I have to watch and explain at home."

Sister Mo revealed that later she will rest for awhile and will not work on a series.  She will have to move and go with her daughter to look for a school in Canada.  She said, "Moving to me is a big deal in life because every time I moved I got sick.  I even had to go to a hospital, maybe because I was in too much of a hurry.  This time I don't want to have such a hard time.  I am older too, I worry that I won't just go to the hospital but have to stay there.  I hope to move slowly."  Sister Mo has one more year before going to the university.  Because her daughter is a Canadian citizen, she will return to study there.  This year she will look for schools for her there.

Sister Mo's husband Tony Au Ting Ping's birthday will be on February 6, they originally planned to celebrate in Japan.  Yet they heard radiation rumors from friends and told her not to go to Tokyo.  If something happened, the Japanese government would hide it.  Thus she decided to cancel her trip.  yet Chi Wai planned to take the cast to Japan.  Sister Mo said, "If it's Chi Wai's treat, I would risk my life."

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

Louis Koo Tin Lok and Sammi Cheng Sau Man earlier went to Shangri-La, Yunnan to work on the film ROMANCING IN THIN AIR (GO HOI BUT JI LUEN II).  When the film started production it was late winter and early spring, the mountain was filled with snow.  With the high altitude the production was more difficult.  Many workers fell ill due to the thin air.  Goo Jai and Sammi had many running scenes in the mountains, luckily they did not have altitude sickness.  Sammi said, "Goo Jai and I had to run on the mountains, he even had to carry me and run.  However I am used to exercising so I was OK."

With her asthma, Sammi this time took nebulizer with her to Yunnan but she did not need to use them.  When she and Goo Jai went to the Emei Mountain for LOVE FOR ALL SEASONS (BAK NIN HO HUP).  She said that in recent years she has been exercising, which indeed benefited her.  She was much stronger.  Sammi in the film had to cry until she was hoarse in many scenes.  She thought that physical hardship was no problem, but expressing emotions on the face was harder.  Many scenes were shot in a rush, sometimes she got into the mood to cry but the director would switch to shoot something more girly.  Often she could not switch mood in time.  Did she complain to Johnnie To Kei Fung?  She said that she always thought she was very lucky, having a director who would put an effort into shooting her and kept discovering what she could do.  She said, "He truly treats me very well, Mrs. To is afraid that I don't eat and often personally cook for me."  The director claimed that she ate once every two weeks, Sammi joked that she was afraid her face would look too big on the screen but her body was like a famine victim's.

So, a funny thing happened on the way to the theatre. Or, actually, when I was already at the theatre...

Last week when I went to Haywire * something unexpected happened. As I was nice and settled in and watching the film begin I noticed text on the screen. But, it was in English. I heard the creak of a chair and assumed someone when to go tell someone that something was off. Not the best assumption as nothing changed after a while, and then I remembered that in the lobby of the theatre there is sometimes a notation about open captioning when in turn was what I was experiencing.

I took a moment to decide what I was going to do. I decided the idea of leaving or seeing a different film simply because the film had open captions felt ridiculous. So I decided to favour being open to the experience and stayed to watch the film as it was presented. Here's what I noticed from the experience:

• Character Names, Thank You! No second guessing to who was who, or trying to interpret someone's name from pronunciation (given one character is named 'Coblenz', I was ever more thankful to see that spelled out). That also really helped me think of the characters as characters, over 'seeing' the actors which I can often do. I might of slipped a bit and wrote "What is 'actor name' up to?" in my notes over writing a character, but it was much less than normal.
• Focus to What You Hear It's not just the dialogue that's captioned, but also sounds of importance like 'door creaking' or 'heavy panting' or 'gun cocking'. I found in interesting to think about what was captioned, and which audio cues moments got their own caption. It made me curious to how they determine it...because of importance? Because it was off screen? To differentiate the focus between several people? I'm not sure, but it made me think. And I like to think.
• Clarity I never had to think twice about the possibility of mishearing something, or if I missed something. If it was inaudible, it said inaudible. If something was said, you got to see what it was. That gave me a lot more confidence that I fully understood the story! Which is almost embarrassing to admit!
• Quick to Adjust. Maybe because I see a lot of foreign films with subtitles and/or because I read quickly, but I found it surprizingly fast to adjust to viewing the film in this format so. Although I did try not to rely to heavily on the captioning, and even toyed with trying to not look at it at times, which was sometimes a greater challenge than I expected!
• Not so Quick to Adjust Back. The only downside was one time when I was trying to actively not read the captions, there were some lines that were actually subtitles because the characters weren't speaking English, and I missed it. Luckily it was rather expressive and easy to interpret through the international language... of ACTION!

Overall, I'm very glad that I stayed to see what the experience was like. I found it really engaging to see a film in this way and I wouldn't think twice about doing it again. You just never know what's going to happen when you head out to the theatre, and as often with me something new and different can come across you path when you least expect. I'm happy to say this experience turned out well. Yay!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Theatre is an column by Shannon the Movie Moxie exploring the experience of film.

*review for Haywire is incoming, but in short it was pretty awesome

So, a funny thing happened on the way to the theatre. Or, actually, when I was already at the theatre...

Last week when I went to Haywire * something unexpected happened. As I was nice and settled in and watching the film begin I noticed text on the screen. But, it was in English. I heard the creak of a chair and assumed someone when to go tell someone that something was off. Not the best assumption as nothing changed after a while, and then I remembered that in the lobby of the theatre there is sometimes a notation about open captioning when in turn was what I was experiencing.

I took a moment to decide what I was going to do. I decided the idea of leaving or seeing a different film simply because the film had open captions felt ridiculous. So I decided to favour being open to the experience and stayed to watch the film as it was presented. Here's what I noticed from the experience:

• Character Names, Thank You! No second guessing to who was who, or trying to interpret someone's name from pronunciation (given one character is named 'Coblenz', I was ever more thankful to see that spelled out). That also really helped me think of the characters as characters, over 'seeing' the actors which I can often do. I might of slipped a bit and wrote "What is 'actor name' up to?" in my notes over writing a character, but it was much less than normal.
• Focus to What You Hear It's not just the dialogue that's captioned, but also sounds of importance like 'door creaking' or 'heavy panting' or 'gun cocking'. I found in interesting to think about what was captioned, and which audio cues moments got their own caption. It made me curious to how they determine it...because of importance? Because it was off screen? To differentiate the focus between several people? I'm not sure, but it made me think. And I like to think.
• Clarity I never had to think twice about the possibility of mishearing something, or if I missed something. If it was inaudible, it said inaudible. If something was said, you got to see what it was. That gave me a lot more confidence that I fully understood the story! Which is almost embarrassing to admit!
• Quick to Adjust. Maybe because I see a lot of foreign films with subtitles and/or because I read quickly, but I found it surprizingly fast to adjust to viewing the film in this format so. Although I did try not to rely to heavily on the captioning, and even toyed with trying to not look at it at times, which was sometimes a greater challenge than I expected!
• Not so Quick to Adjust Back. The only downside was one time when I was trying to actively not read the captions, there were some lines that were actually subtitles because the characters weren't speaking English, and I missed it. Luckily it was rather expressive and easy to interpret through the international language... of ACTION!

Overall, I'm very glad that I stayed to see what the experience was like. I found it really engaging to see a film in this way and I wouldn't think twice about doing it again. You just never know what's going to happen when you head out to the theatre, and as often with me something new and different can come across you path when you least expect. I'm happy to say this experience turned out well. Yay!

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Theatre is an column by Shannon the Movie Moxie exploring the experience of film.

*review for Haywire is incoming, but in short it was pretty awesome

FOX won another Monday with CBS in all repeats again last night, although their first place finish failed to reach a 3 rating with Adults 18-49.  .

FOX won a very quiet Monday otherwise filled by repeats on much of the competition.  House had a soft outing for an original episode, and Alcatraz followed its lead to set a series low, the second weekly decline in a row.  Last year on this night, FOX averaged a 2.2 rating with a special Human Target (2.1) and Lie to Me (2.2).   



In repeats again this week, CBS matched its nightly rating from last week (2.3).   Last year on this night:  How I Met Your Mother (2.5), Rules of Engagement (2.6), Two and a Half Men (3.2), Mike & Molly (2.5) and Hawaii Five-O (1.8).   

ABC placed third with a decent 2.6 rating for The Bachelor but a repeat Castle stopped all momentum on the night.  Last year on this night (Monday, January 31, 2011), ABC averaged a 2.7 rating: The Bachelor (3.2) and Castle repeat (1.7). 

Time to take a look at a selection of DVD releases for Tuesday January 31, 2012! Pretty light day for releases, but what we don't have in volume we have in awesome & fun.

• Drive This film by Nicolas Winding Refn (Valhalla Rising, The Pusher Trilogy) starring Ryan Gosling was not only of the the Best of 2011, one of my Faves of 2011, one of the best movie experiences of the year for me, and was also one of the few films where I absolutely adored, and understood, each and every moment in it. I highly recommend it.
• 2 Headed Shark Attack Really fun B-Movie following college kids on a summer course at sea, when they stumble on... you guessed it...a 2-Headed Shark!
• The Thing This prequel to the 1982 version of The Thing ended up being one of the happy surprizes of 2011 as it was a solid horror flick that paid loving hommage to the Carperter version, but still held it's own. Definitely worth checking out.
• Dream House Daniel Craig & Rachel Weisz star in this supernatural horror film about a family whose dream home appears to have more history that meets the eye. I thankfully got to see it before seeing any of the trailers, which show way too much!
• Breakaway aka Speedy Singhs, Canadian hockey comedy following an all-Sikh hockey team as it walks the comedic balance of appeasing family wishes, community spirit and following your own heart...yep, that's always going to get me (not currently available on Amazon.com).
• The Double Richard Gere, Topher Grace and Martin Sheen star in this international espionage crime/mystery which is a feature film directorial debut from Michael Brandt.
• In Time This science fiction film where time is currency was sadly one of the big disappointments of 2011, especially as it was from Gattaca director Andrew Niccol. I did think Justin Timberlake continues to impress as an actor and Alex Pettyfer was impressive as a thug, but I found it overall pretty confusing. I would totally check out the DVD if it has a directors commentary though, as while watching I totally could feel the great idea in there but it kept going way off course.
• Blubberlla I can't help but be curious about this film from director Uwe Boll starring Lindsay Hollister, Brendan Fletcher and Michael Paré; I probably should resist...but I don't know if I will be able to (not currently available on Amazon.com).
• This is Not A Film Oddly noted as Ceci n'est pas un film, or perhaps not so odd as it's classification of being a film or not, a documentary or not, centred on Iranian director Jafar Panahi as he awaits in jail for a verdict on his appeal (not currently available on amazon.com).
• Thunder Soul Music documentary on funk - and really, how much more do you need to know?
  

Titles on Amazon.ca(Canada):


Titles on Amazon.com (US):

Time to take a look at a selection of DVD releases for Tuesday January 31, 2012! Pretty light day for releases, but what we don't have in volume we have in awesome & fun.

• Drive This film by Nicolas Winding Refn (Valhalla Rising, The Pusher Trilogy) starring Ryan Gosling was not only of the the Best of 2011, one of my Faves of 2011, one of the best movie experiences of the year for me, and was also one of the few films where I absolutely adored, and understood, each and every moment in it. I highly recommend it.
• 2 Headed Shark Attack Really fun B-Movie following college kids on a summer course at sea, when they stumble on... you guessed it...a 2-Headed Shark!
• The Thing This prequel to the 1982 version of The Thing ended up being one of the happy surprizes of 2011 as it was a solid horror flick that paid loving hommage to the Carperter version, but still held it's own. Definitely worth checking out.
• Dream House Daniel Craig & Rachel Weisz star in this supernatural horror film about a family whose dream home appears to have more history that meets the eye. I thankfully got to see it before seeing any of the trailers, which show way too much!
• Breakaway aka Speedy Singhs, Canadian hockey comedy following an all-Sikh hockey team as it walks the comedic balance of appeasing family wishes, community spirit and following your own heart...yep, that's always going to get me (not currently available on Amazon.com).
• The Double Richard Gere, Topher Grace and Martin Sheen star in this international espionage crime/mystery which is a feature film directorial debut from Michael Brandt.
• In Time This science fiction film where time is currency was sadly one of the big disappointments of 2011, especially as it was from Gattaca director Andrew Niccol. I did think Justin Timberlake continues to impress as an actor and Alex Pettyfer was impressive as a thug, but I found it overall pretty confusing. I would totally check out the DVD if it has a directors commentary though, as while watching I totally could feel the great idea in there but it kept going way off course.
• Blubberlla I can't help but be curious about this film from director Uwe Boll starring Lindsay Hollister, Brendan Fletcher and Michael Paré; I probably should resist...but I don't know if I will be able to (not currently available on Amazon.com).
• This is Not A Film Oddly noted as Ceci n'est pas un film, or perhaps not so odd as it's classification of being a film or not, a documentary or not, centred on Iranian director Jafar Panahi as he awaits in jail for a verdict on his appeal (not currently available on amazon.com).
• Thunder Soul Music documentary on funk - and really, how much more do you need to know?
  

Titles on Amazon.ca(Canada):


Titles on Amazon.com (US):