Movie Box Review

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The Chen Kuo-Fu produced, Wuershan directed PAINTED SKIN: THE RESURRECTION (WAT PEI II) earlier held a Beijing press conference to officially announce the film's summer release.  Leads Chen Kun, Feng Shaofeng, Mini Yang Mi, Chen Ting-Chia attended the event and introduced seven mysterious posters.

The posters of the two female leads Zhou Xun and Vicki Zhao Wei were cold blue ice and water based.  Zhou Xun's "Xiao Wei" bared her shoulder with cold beauty while Zhao Wei's "Princess Jing" coolly covered her face with a golden mask.  Chen Kun's "Huo Xin" with a short sword and sharp eyes was raging with masculine fire.

Zhou Xun, Zhao Wei and Chen Kun reunited four years after.  What kind of story did they perform?  Chen Kun performed tai chi when he discussed his character, saying "Huo Xin" could either be a demon or a human.  As for the relationship between the two heavyweight female stars he said that the posters already clearly stated everything.  In the film he was like fire, Zhou Xun was cold and distant like ice and Zhao Wei was completely clear as water.  Fire, ice and water originally could not be together but in the end they all melted into one.

PAINTED SKIN: THE RESURRECTION was also the first film that Feng Shaofeng and Yang Mi worked together on.  Feng Shaofeng said that he was a "demon catcher with very little ability and has never seen a real demon."  Yang Mi humorously said that she played a "bird person" but being able to pick on the demon catcher was a benefit.  As for their relationship Yang Mi pointed out that their relationship between human and demon exceeded nature.

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The Vicki Zhao Wei, Shu Qi, Ethan Juan (Yuen King Tin), Mark Chao (Chiu Yau Ting), Eddie Peng Yu-Yen and Doze Niu Chen-Zer starred romance LOVE will not officially open in Hong Kong until the 23rd, but in Taiwan it opened on the 10th.  Its box office in two and a half days reached NT$37 million and created the highest box office record in Taiwan this year.

With the hot Taiwan opening LOVE yesterday opened in the Mainland at 14:00.  The time selection was due to its Putonghua euphony that meant "for a lifetime".  Hong Kong film distributors decided to hold advanced
screenings on Valentine's Day, the 18th and the 19th.

The cast earlier attended the Beijing premiere.  Zhao Wei and Shu Qi even kissed each other amidst the cheer of the media and the audience to create the most classic scene since SO CLOSE (JIK YEUNG TIN SI).  Viewers who have seen the film overwhelmingly voted for Shu Qi and Chiu Yau Ting's characters as the "most envious" and the "most fortunate" characters.  Shu Qi received the most female viewer envy because in the film she was under the take of tycoon Niu Chen-Zer and had time to have an affair with Chiu Yau Ting, finally she was even able to find true love like Yuen King Tin!  Chiu Yau Ting was the most fortunate because he had kiss scenes with Shu Qi and Zhao Wei; Chiu Yau Ting gleefully said, "When I kissed I felt the air around me freeze and time also stopped!"

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The Doze Niu Chen-Zer directed new film LOVE will open next Friday.  The film company two days ago first released a book.  The director could not put the book down.  LOVE will participate in this year's Berlin Film Festival Panorama segment, the director's second film to participate other than MONGA.  Niu Chen-Zer expected to go to Berlin with the cast on the 15th.  So far only Mark Chao (Chiu Yau Ting) has been confirmed.  Ethan Juan due to military service could not attend.  Actresses Ivy Chen, Amber Kuo, Vicki Zhao Wei, Shu Qi and others were still in negotiation.  The director hoped for Zhao Wei and Shu Qi to be able to attend the most.

Yuen King Tin earlier finally reported for military service.  The director was very happy for him, but his heart also ached for all the pressure that Siu Tin had to endure during this period.  Siu Tin was accused of "dodging service", the director again clarified for Siu Tin and said that Siu Tin had no way to decide his reporting date.

Siu Tin earlier said that his girlfriend Tiffany Hsu due to work could not see him off, but later reportedly his girlfriend was waiting in the car in advance and they went to Taichung together.  Some even said that Siu Tin's car drove straight into the military camp and he was again under suspicion of special privilege.  Later the military said that everything was applied for according to rules, the arrangement was made only because the military did not want Yuen King Tin to be the target of the media.  In addition, all reporting men must leave their vehicles at the gate, have their temperature take to confirm that they did not have a fever before they walked into the camp.  Siu Tin however did not do so; the military reiterated that Yuen King Tin's car occupants were already confirmed in the camp, the car was permitted to enter to avoid a media circus.

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The Berlin Film Festival yesterday announced that the Doze Niu Chen-Zer directed romantic comedy LOVE has been selected to participate in this year's festival.  On February 16 Niu Chen-Zer will promote the film in Berlin with Mark Chao (Chiu Yau Ting).

Niu Chen-Zer was very surprised and pleased, as LOVE was proven to be without border or time restrictions and even exceeded language and cultural barriers.  He looked forward to going to Berlin again very much, to share his love experience with the world.  LOVE is about eight people in Taipei and Beijing's romantic struggles and reflects love in modern society.  The film cost 75 million RMB with influential actors and crew of both sides of the straits like Vicki Zhao Wei, Shu Qi, Ethan Juan (Yuen King Tin), Mark Chao, Eddie Peng Yu-Yan, Mark Lee Ping-Bin, Tu Du-Chih and others.  The film has already been scheduled for a Valentine's Day release.  With the Berlin Film Festival selection, the film's popularity will explode.

Cara G., Anke Bui, Leanne Li courtesy of on.cc

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Vicki Zhao Wei yesterday attended a certain brand name watch opening event.  The event invited Anke Bui, Cara G. and Leanne Li Yanan to model.  Zhao Wei revealed that she just finished her new films PAINTED SKIN 2 (WAT PEI 2) and LOVE.  In the future she will personally direct a romance that will be based on a novel and start production early next year in Beijing.  Was directing a dream that she has always had?  Zhao Wei pointed out that she has already reached the research level in her drama study and needed to direct a film to complete her study.  This time to direct this film she turned down eight movies.  Because she did not reach negotiation she did not know how much she lost.  She only knew that directing definitely would not pay.

Will Zhao Wei direct and star?  She said that she has not considered it but she probably would not perform.  She was afraid that she would lack the energy.  As for the leads, she was already seeking.  She said, "The male lead had to be young, handsome and knew how to act, like a little Prince Charming.  Yet I haven't found anyone yet."  Would she ask her good friend Faye Wong to guest star?  She said that Faye Wong was not someone who guest starred, perhaps she would ask her to sing the film theme song?

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With 550 workers and 120 days in production, the original team of PAINTED SKIN (WAT PEI) Zhou Xun, Vicki Zhao Wei and Chen Kun starred PAINTED SKIN II has already been completed three shoots in Beijing, Hebei and on the plains of Inner Mongolia.  Currently the location shoot has partially moved to Tibet; over 300 workers and 40 vehicles that transported costumes already arrived on the 15th for the 20
day shoot.

Shooting in Tibet, photography director Arthur Wong Ngok Tai said, "We found an extremely peaceful vacant feeling.  To the PAINTED SKIN II creative team, Tibet has a sapphire blue sky and all white
buildings that feel incredibly pristine and symbolize the purity and the nobility of love.  Everything coordinate well with the movie's subject.  Thus, the 4,500 meters of extreme beauty on the roof of the world will
appear for the first time in an Eastern fantasy epic."

Aside from the intense production, the film PAINTED SKIN II's promotion is also heating up.  The first concept poster and trailer will be unveiled in early November.

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The 20th China Golden Rooster Hundred Flower Film Festival opens today in Hefei.  As the festival image ambassador, Vicki Zhao Wei on the 18th afternoon appeared at a Hefei cinema for a Zhao Wei film exhibit opening ceremony.  Zhao Wei revealed that after completing PAINTED SKIN 2 (WAT PEI 2) she will begin work on her debut as a director.  She might star as well.

This year's film festival will have opening ceremony, new national film introduction and screening, Hong Kong and Taiwan special topic film exhibit and other activities.  The 19th Chinese Golden Rooster Hundred Flower Best Actress Zhao Wei would appear twice, on the 18th for her film exhibit and on the 19th for the opening ceremony.  She might perform the film festival theme song DREAMS COME TRUE.

From the nominations, this year's Golden Rooster Award competition would be fierce.  Best Actress nominees included Golden Horse Best Actresses Xu Fan and Lu Liping, who have been nominated with AFTER SHOCK and CITY MONKEY respectively.  Also nominated are THE PIANO IN A FACTORY's Qin Hailu, CLOSE TO ME's Yan Bingyan, MOTHER's Na Renhua, and SUI SUI QING MING's Qian Peiyi.

As for Best Actor, LOVE FOR LIFE's AIDS patient Aaron Kwok Fu Sing would compete with THE PIANO IN A FACTORY's Tokyo International Film Festival Best Actor and Shanghai International Film Festival Media Award Best Actor Wang Qianyuan and the Huabiao Award winning film SHEN ZHOU 11's Liu Zhibing, veteran actor Zhu Xu and others.

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Doze Niu Chen-Zer's new film after MONGA, LOVE, yesterday held its first Mainland media event in Beijing.  Huayi Brothers chief Wang Zhonglei, director Niu Chen-Zer, leads Vicki Zhao Wei and Mark Chao (Chiu Yau Ting) were interviewed.  Niu Chen-Zer said that the film was a snapshot that examined the complicated relationships in the modern city love.  He also added some of his own life experience into it.  He said, "In recent years I have more and more understanding about 'love'.  I want very much to share this experience with the world so I want to make a movie about love."

Zhao Wei this time played a mother on screen for the first time.  Her relationship with her son in the film was very touching.  She said that the character was very different from her past roles and could be a breakthrough for her acting wise.  In addition she was able to work with the director and a group of Taiwan hunks, which was the reason that she temporarily put down her daughter and took the role.  On his first visit to Beijing, Chiu Yau Ting praised the early Autumn Beijing atmosphere was very romantic; he also praised Zhao Wei for being very charming on and off camera and a popular woman.  He also talked about the fun time he had while working with Ethan Juan (Yuen King Tin) and Eddie Peng Yu-Yan.  He also jokingly hoped to form with them the Taiwan "hunky trio" to bring even more handsome work to the audience.

Also at the event, the director presented "certificate of love" to the two leads.  To coordinate with his character, Chiu Yau Ting also received the "girl pick up" certificate.  Zhao Wei received the "best girlfriend" certificate.  After accepting their certificates, they gave the director a "marriage certificate" and publicly rushed him.  Zhao Wei said, "Because we feel the director looks carefree and wild but inside is someone who wants to get married very much, I hope he will be able to find a companion to spend the rest of his life with and forever extend love in marriage."

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Zhou Xun two nights ago attended a certain skin care brand event.  Speaking of the film PAINTED SKIN 2 (WAT PEI 2)'s production progress, she said that it just completed.  Did the dispute rumors with Vicki Zhao Wei bothered her?  Zhou Xun said, "No, actually on the set we made fun of that because that news seemed to be about children.  We are so grown up, have certain intelligence quotient and wouldn't do anything like that.  So we just joked around with it."

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Maggie Cheung

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Vicki Zhao Wei

Chen Kun, Vicki Zhao