Movie Box Review

Kitty Zhang courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of takungpao.com

Director Tsui Hark led the FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE (LUNG MOON FEI GAP) team to this year's Berlin Film Festival.  Speaking of the film's 13 Hong Kong Film Award nominations including Best Director, he admitted that he has always admired Ann Hui On Wa and thought that she deserved the award the most.  In addition, Gua Ah Lei and the new film JOYFUL REUNION team was six hour late due to the snow closing the Munich airport.  Another lead actress Huo Siyan who arrived earlier welcomed everyone to the venue as the sun returned.

Tsui Hark earlier celebrated his 61st birthday in Berlin.  Two days ago he continued to promote FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE there.  Speaking of no interest in a sequel, he said that this film was already different from his creative habit.  He felt that if it was good enough then he did not need to do more, unless he had a story that was worth shooting then he would consider.

As for FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE's numerous Hong Kong Film Award, would he look forward to it winning more awards than DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME (DIK YUN KIT JI TUNG TIN DAI GOK)?  Tsui Hark felt that everyone should enjoy the atmosphere and share the joy at award shows.  Because colleagues were considered friends, he should share the joy no matter who won.  In addition he liked the nominations very much.  He mentioned that when his good friend Teddy Robin Kwan won last year he felt very happy.  As for this year, Tsui Hark felt that Hui On Wa should be able to win with A SIMPLE LIFE (TOH JEH) and praised her for daring to make subjects that no one would dare to touch.  Tsui Hark also felt that the Hong Kong Film Award's nature was gradually blurring, but the Greater Chinese concept was a good thing.

Gua Ah Lei, Huo Siyan and Lan Cheng-Long starred JOYFUL REUNION two nights ago held its global premiere in Berlin.  Huo Siyan earlier arrived at the film festival for the opening ceremony.  The director Tsao Jui-Yuan, producer Hsu Li-Kong and other leads originally were to arrive in Berlin three days ago but due to the snow at the Munich airport their flight was delayed for six hours.  Finally they took 26 hours to arrive in Berlin.  Luckily after they arrived the sun came out.  Huo Siyan learned of their arrived and went to welcome them and visit the film festival venue together.  At night they dressed up for the premiere.  Huo Siyan saw her parting scene with Lan Cheng-Long and broke down.  Kitty Zhang Yuqi in the new film WHITE DEER PLAIN press conference wore a tight evening gown, her belly led to speculation that she was pregnant.

courtesy of takungpao.com

Director Ang Lee's classic film EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN 19 years later yielded a Tsao Jui-Yuan directed continuation JOYFUL REUNION, which invited Gua Ah Lei to star.  This film participated in the 62nd Berlin Film Festival as the closing film of the Culinary Cinema Film and Food segment.  Two nights ago director Tsao Jui-Yuan led actors Gua Ah Lei, Lan Cheng-Long and others to Berlin from Taiwan.

For the continuation after 19 years, the only actor who remained was Gua Ah Lei.  She in the film played Lan Cheng-Long's mother, an international class dancer.  For the continuation, Gua Ah Lei pointed out that she reprised the role due to the internal changes and view of life.  In addition she used to have a dream of dance.  This time she spent a lot of time on practice and had a lot of fun during the shoot.

Speaking of Feng Fei Fei's passing, Gua Ah Lei who has worked with her was teary eyed.  She admitted that she missed her.  She said that Feng Fei Fei was a very familiar, nice girl of few words.