↧
Wu Xiubo poses for fashion magazine
↧
Pop idol Angelababy poses for fashion magazine
↧
↧
Yang Mi, Hawick Lau not appearing in reality series
(Toggle) Chinese actors Yang Mi and Hawick Lau will not be starring in the upcoming reality show Family Guesthouse, despite ongoing rumours.
The show, which has been dubbed the upgraded version of reality series Chinese Restaurant, will take over its slot in October once the series ends. The show focuses on a pair of celebrity couples operating an inn together, revealing how they are at work and also in their personal life.
Filming for Family Guesthouse is currently on hold as the show has recently been accused of plagiarising South Korean programme Hyori's Home Stay.
Alongside Yang Mi and Hawick, other notable couples that were speculated to appear on the show include Fan Bingbing and Li Chen, Shu Qi and Stephen Fung as well as Betty Sun and Deng Chao.
However, Yang Mi’s work studio has since refuted claims about her appearance. They explained that the actress does not intend to guest star in any reality shows after her stint as a judge on The Coming One, is completed.
The 30-year-old actress plans to dedicate more time to her family instead, following false allegations being made of her husband, Hawick, having an affair.
Yang Mi tied the knot with Hawick in 2014 and the couple have a three-year-old daughter together.
Source: Toggle
↧
'Angels Wear White' ('Jia Nian Hua'): Film Review | Venice 2017
(THR) Chinese director Vivian Qu's second film, after 'Trap Street,' premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
With her second feature, Angels Wear White (Jia Nian Hua), Chinese director Vivian Qu graduates from the Venice Critics’ Week, where her 2013 debut Trap Street premiered, to the main competition of the festival. But this tale, which follows one of two girls of about 12 who was assaulted at a seaside hotel, and the teenage girl who was working the reception there that night, demonstrates many of the same weaknesses of her first feature — though its final shot does pack an impressive punch.
Dramatically exceptionally subdued, this story of rape and corruption leaves all the violence and histrionics off-screen, focusing instead on the rather quiet but nonetheless complex aftermath for both one of the victims and a bystander who is worried that her knowledge about the affair might cost her her job. Luminously filmed but restrained to a fault, this is the kind of drama that suggests something about the difficult position of women in China, but what exactly the film wants to say is harder to pin down. After its Venice and Toronto bows, Angels Wear White should see at least as healthy a festival life as Trap Street, with a few scattered theatrical pickups likely.
Teenager Mia (Wen Qi) is first seen checking out Forever Marilyn, a gigantic statue of Marilyn Monroe, on the boardwalk of the resort town on the island province of Hainan, where she works. She then returns to the hotel where she’s working the night shift at the reception desk. There, she checks in a man (Cao Yunqing), never properly seen on camera, and two little girls, Wen (Zhou Meijun) and Xin (Jiang Xinyue), who are staying in the room next to him — or are supposed to, anyway. One of the girls has a blonde wig and beer is ordered during the night but what happens in the room is never shown.
The next day, it emerges that the girls were assaulted, as confirmed by a hospital visit. Viewers might at first believe the girls are so quiet because they are shell-shocked by what happened, but in reality Xin quickly disappears from view and Wen doesn’t much change her expressions or behavior over the following days, though she does run away from her mother’s house to the home of her divorced father (Geng Le), who reluctantly takes her under his wing. Oddly, neither parent seems to think it’s a problem that the girl goes everywhere by herself, even after she’s been raped.
Besides Wen, the film’s second protagonist is Mia, who, it turns out, is actually a cleaning lady at the hotel and was only covering for her roommate, Lily (Peng Jing), the actual receptionist, who was out with her boyfriend that night. When the police, led by Inspector Wang (Li Mengnan), arrive and question them, initially the girls stick to the official version of the story to protect their minor offenses. But the police and an inquisitive and whip-smart lawyer, Mrs. Hao (Shi Ke), will quickly figure out there is more to the story, especially where Mia is concerned. Thinking she is smart, she tries to sell her knowledge to Mrs. Hao, but as someone with secrets of her own that necessitate a lot of money to solve, Mia is on very thin ice.
As in Trap Street, Qu seems interested in questions of surveillance and in finding a workable entente between sketching a portrait of modern China and crime and genre elements (she also produced the Berlinale Golden Bear winner Black Coal, Thin Ice, which did something similar). But, also like in her previous work, the safe distance from which she observes her characters gives the proceedings a dispassionate quality that makes it hard to really care for the people onscreen, while the decision here to follow both a victim and a (partial) witness makes possible audience identification even more complicated. It takes a while for the film’s two-mirrored-leads configuration to materialize, also because certain questions are never fully answered. Why, for example, did the story need two girls when only one of them will become a protagonist? And why exactly does Qu want to contrast a teenager who, as an employee, already has responsibilities and thus (albeit very small) assets and interests to protect and whose behavior will be dictated by that and someone who, as a 12-year-old, is entirely innocent and dependent on her parents?
Since almost the entire cast is female, a portrait of women in a small town in southern China does emerge, with quite a few of them making decisions that are not always in their best interest, simply to try and stay afloat in a world dominated by men, whether they are onscreen or not. Perhaps Qu’s near-passive tone is meant to suggest that women don’t have much of a voice in society. But the story's almost complete lack of emotion also negatively impacts the viewers’ interest in the women’s plight.
What does come through loud and clear is that Angels Wear White paints an unflattering portrait of not only how women are treated but also of how men try to protect their turf at all costs. (Whether that will make it a more difficult project to distribute locally remains to be seen.)
Belgian cinematographer Benoit Dervaux shoots most of the daytime scenes in a milky, softly glowing light that seems inspired by the title and that belies all the dark things that happen offscreen.
The visual leitmotif of the Forever Marilyn statue, with its exposed undergarments under her famous white dress hovering over the tourists who come to admire it, is a bit on-the-nose as a metaphor for the position of women in society, but it does afford Qu a killer final scene and shot that lingers in the mind. Wen Zi’s score is initially entirely absent, then used sparingly and, especially in the final stretch, judiciously.
Production companies: 22 Hours Films, Mandrake Films
Cast: Wen Qi, Zhou Meijun, Shi Ke, Geng Le, Liu Weiwei, Peng Jing, Wang Yuexin, Li Mengnan,
Jiang Xinyue, Chen Chu Sheng
Writer-director: Vivian Qu
Producer: Sean Chen
Director of photography: Benoit Dervaux
Production designer: Peng Shaoying
Costume designer: Wang Tao
Editor: Yang Hongyu
Music: Wen Zi
Venue: Venice Film Festival (Competition)
Sales: Wild Bunch
In Mandarin
107 minutes
Source: The Hollywood Reporter by
↧
John Woo's tribute to Ken Takakura
(China Daily) With the Chinese version of Manhunt, screened at this year's Venice International Film Festival, the filmmaker salutes a Japanese star who influenced generations in China.
Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo has been a longtime admirer of the late Japanese actor Ken Takakura. But Woo did not get a chance to work with Takakura, who died in 2014.
Now, with the Chinese version of Manhunt, which has been screened at the ongoing Venice International Film Festival, Woo uses the silver screen to honor a star who has influenced generations in China.
The original Japanese film, also called Manhunt, which is about a procurator who wants to clear his name, influenced Chinese ideas about screen heroes when it was released in 1978. And it made Takakura one of the most popular foreign stars in China back then.
A day before Woo and the Chinese cast of the new film flew to Italy to attend the screening, also the movie's global premiere, they attended an event in Beijing where it was announced that the film would hit Chinese mainland theaters on Nov 24.
While previous reports said that Woo's Manhunt is a Chinese remake of the Japanese action thriller by the same name, Woo says: "We have added a lot of new content as the copyright deal requires it.
"The movie and the novel are both set in the 1970s, but the Chinese version is a present-day story. Besides, the Chinese tale is more romantic," he says.
The Chinese movie, featuring mainland actor Zhang Hanyu, actress Qi Wei and Japanese actor Masaharu Fukuyama, is based on the Japanese novel Kimi Yo Funnu No Kawa O Watare (You Must Cross the River of Wrath) by Juko Nishimura.
Hong Kong-based Media Asia Films company bought the movie rights to the novel from its Japanese publisher Tokuma Shoten Publishing in 2015.
The new story features the protagonist as a Chinese lawyer working for a Japanese medicine company. After being framed for murder, the lawyer, played by Zhang, attempts to clear his name.
Woo, 71, is widely regarded as a pioneer of Hong Kong action movies, especially those in the 1980s and '90s.
His films such as A Better Tomorrow (1986), The Killer (1989) and Hard Boiled (1992) paved his way to direct Hollywood blockbusters Face/Off (1997) and Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), making him one of the most recognized Chinese names in the West.
But in recent years, Woo has seen failure with The Crossing films, based on the true story of the sinking of the Chinese liner Taiping.
The two films－which had a combined budget of 400 million yuan ($61.2 million), and stars like Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Song Hye-kyo－were released in 2014 and 2015. They raked in around 250 million yuan at the box office.
Woo turned down invitations to direct superhero movies from Hollywood when he decided to do The Crossing movies. But he says he has no regrets.
"I am not a fan of sci-fi stories and I am not good at directing such movies. Personally, I like stories with human interest," he says.
Most of Woo's movies showcase brotherhood and promise, which he says is because of his education and the historical figures he admires.
Speaking about his connection with Japanese cinema, Woo says he is a diehard fan of Akira Kurosawa, one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema.
"Every year I watch Kurosawa's classics at least once. And Seven Samurai has inspired me on editing, shooting and pace of filming," he says.
As for his comfort zone－action movies－Woo will soon get international reactions to Manhunt.
Venice has been lucky for Woo. He was presented the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement in 2010, making him the first Chinese filmmaker to take home the award. And, Manhunt is expected to give a boost to the veteran filmmaker's career.
But some critics say that youngsters－now a major force among moviegoers in China－may not be as nostalgic as earlier generations.
Source: China Daily
↧
↧
Air force film 'Sky Hunter' set for September release
(China Plus) As Chinese movie "Wolf Warrior 2" climbs to new record highs at the box office, another military-themed film is set to hit Chinese theaters later this month.
"Sky Hunter" comes as the directorial debut of actor Li Chen. Unlike "Wolf Warrior 2," whose main character is a former Chinese special forces agent, "Sky Hunter" tells the story of a team of current Chinese Air Force pilots as they fight to protect national interests and regional peace.
Besides directing the film, Li Chen, a well-known actor here in China, also stars in it, along with his real life girlfriend and super star Fan Bingbing.
The pair have reportedly taken zero compensation for appearing in the film.
"Working on 'Sky Hunter' has fulfilled a flying dream of mine. I am a military fan, and to me, the Air Force has always been a very mysterious but appealing component of the military. The freedom and elegance it exhibits as it flies in the sky are qualities that many young people yearn for," explained Li during a recent promotion of the film in Beijing.
"Sky Hunter" is set to be released on the Chinese mainland on September 30.
Source: China Plus
↧
Ten teen films to welcome the new semester
The new semester has just arrived. Have you grown accustomed to school life after two months’ rest?
If your answer is no, then do not worry. After all, it takes time to immerse yourself in a tight study schedule.
While there’s still a chance to relax, let’s take stock of some classic teen films from both at home and abroad to check out in your spare time.
Teen films are, as you might guess, targeted at teenagers and young adults.
The plots are usually centered around the special interests of teenagers and young adults, such as coming of age, attempting to fit in, peer pressure, first love, rebellion, conflict with parents, teen angst or alienation.
Often these normally serious subject matters are presented in a broad, stereotyped or comedic way.
Films in this genre are often set in high schools and colleges or contain characters that are of high school or college age. Eastern and western students have totally different educational systems, and this is reflected in the teen films.
Now, let’s take a look and make a comparison.
![]()
A poster from the movie So Young.
![]()
1. You Are the Apple of My Eye
Country: China
Release Date: Aug 12, 2010
Running time: 118 minutes
Stars: Kai Ko, Michelle Chen
Classic comment: A gentle tale of teenage romance. Puppy love may not be that sweet, but it deserves recognition.
![]()
A scene from the film You Are the Apple of My Eye.
![]()
A scene from the film You Are the Apple of My Eye.
![]()
A scene from the film You Are the Apple of My Eye.
![]()
2. High School Musical
Country: US
Release Date: Jan 20, 2006
Running time: 98 minutes
Stars: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Lucas Grabeel, Ashley Tisdale
Classic comment: For a closer look at the state of American high school students, just watch this.
![]()
A scene from the film High School Musical.
![]()
A scene from the film High School Musical.
![]()
A scene from the film High School Musical.
![]()
3. Our Times
Country: China
Release Date: Aug 14, 2015
Running time: 134 minutes
Stars: Vivian Sung, Darren Wang
Classic comment: An irresistible combination of nostalgia, humour and heartfelt emotions capturing the bittersweet feelings of youthful love.
![]()
A scene from the film Our Times.
![]()
A scene from the film Our Times.
![]()
A scene from the film Our Times.
![]()
4. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story
Country: US
Release Date: April 7, 2003
Running time: 91 minutes
Stars: Thora Birch, Michael Riley
Classic comment: When there was nothing to believe in, she believed in herself.
![]()
A scene from the film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
![]()
A scene from the film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
![]()
A scene from the film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
![]()
5. My Old Classmate
Country: China
Release Date: April 25, 2014
Running time: 98 minutes
Stars: Zhou Dongyu, Lin Gengxin
Classic comment: It tells of the romance between two desk mates spanning across 20 years. Their love, hate, happiness and regret have been well-presented in the film.
![]()
A scene from the film My Old Classmate.
![]()
A scene from the film My Old Classmate.
![]()
A scene from the film My Old Classmate.
![]()
6. 3 Idiots
Country: India
Release Date: Dec 25, 2009
Running time: 171 minutes
Stars: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor. Madhavan
Classic comment: It's not that 3 Idiots is a flawless work of art. But it is an inspiring piece of entertainment with heart imbued throughout.
![]()
A scene from the film 3 Idiots.
![]()
A scene from the film 3 Idiots.
![]()
A scene from the film 3 Idiots.
![]()
7. Goodbye Mr. Loser
Country: China
Release Date: Sept 30, 2015
Running time: 104 minutes
Stars: Shen Teng, Wang Zhi. Ma Li
Classic comment: It seems to be a comedy, but good luck controlling your tears by the end.
![]()
A scene from the film Goodbye Mr. Loser.
![]()
A scene from the film Goodbye Mr. Loser.
![]()
A scene from the film Goodbye Mr. Loser.
![]()
8. Twilight
Country: US
Release Date: Jan 20, 2006
Running time: 121 minutes
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson
Classic comment: While you study hard for the college entrance exam, a lucky girl falls in love with a handsome man — or a handsome vampire.
![]()
A scene from the film Twilight.
![]()
A scene from the film Twilight.
![]()
A scene from the film Twilight.
![]()
9. So Young / To Our Youth That Is Fading Away
Country: China
Release Date: April 26, 2013
Running time: 132 minutes
Stars: Mark Chao, Han Geng,Yang Zishan
Classic comment: It marks the beginning of teen films in the Chinese mainland, accurately reflecting the college life between the 1980s and 1990s.
![]()
A scene from the film So Young.
![]()
A scene from the film So Young.
![]()
A scene from the film So Young.
![]()
10. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Country: Thailand
Release Date: Aug 12, 2010
Running time: 118 minutes
Stars: Pimchanok Leuvisadpaibul ,Tukkie
Classic comment: If you expect love, and look for love…love will find you later.
![]()
A scene from the film Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
![]()
A scene from the film Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
![]()
A scene from the film Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
Source: By Zhang Xingjian | chinadaily.com.cn
If your answer is no, then do not worry. After all, it takes time to immerse yourself in a tight study schedule.
While there’s still a chance to relax, let’s take stock of some classic teen films from both at home and abroad to check out in your spare time.
Teen films are, as you might guess, targeted at teenagers and young adults.
The plots are usually centered around the special interests of teenagers and young adults, such as coming of age, attempting to fit in, peer pressure, first love, rebellion, conflict with parents, teen angst or alienation.
Often these normally serious subject matters are presented in a broad, stereotyped or comedic way.
Films in this genre are often set in high schools and colleges or contain characters that are of high school or college age. Eastern and western students have totally different educational systems, and this is reflected in the teen films.
Now, let’s take a look and make a comparison.
A poster from the movie So Young.
1. You Are the Apple of My Eye
Country: China
Release Date: Aug 12, 2010
Running time: 118 minutes
Stars: Kai Ko, Michelle Chen
Classic comment: A gentle tale of teenage romance. Puppy love may not be that sweet, but it deserves recognition.
A scene from the film You Are the Apple of My Eye.
A scene from the film You Are the Apple of My Eye.
A scene from the film You Are the Apple of My Eye.
2. High School Musical
Country: US
Release Date: Jan 20, 2006
Running time: 98 minutes
Stars: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Lucas Grabeel, Ashley Tisdale
Classic comment: For a closer look at the state of American high school students, just watch this.
A scene from the film High School Musical.
A scene from the film High School Musical.
A scene from the film High School Musical.
3. Our Times
Country: China
Release Date: Aug 14, 2015
Running time: 134 minutes
Stars: Vivian Sung, Darren Wang
Classic comment: An irresistible combination of nostalgia, humour and heartfelt emotions capturing the bittersweet feelings of youthful love.
A scene from the film Our Times.
A scene from the film Our Times.
A scene from the film Our Times.
4. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story
Country: US
Release Date: April 7, 2003
Running time: 91 minutes
Stars: Thora Birch, Michael Riley
Classic comment: When there was nothing to believe in, she believed in herself.
A scene from the film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
A scene from the film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
A scene from the film Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story.
5. My Old Classmate
Country: China
Release Date: April 25, 2014
Running time: 98 minutes
Stars: Zhou Dongyu, Lin Gengxin
Classic comment: It tells of the romance between two desk mates spanning across 20 years. Their love, hate, happiness and regret have been well-presented in the film.
A scene from the film My Old Classmate.
A scene from the film My Old Classmate.
A scene from the film My Old Classmate.
6. 3 Idiots
Country: India
Release Date: Dec 25, 2009
Running time: 171 minutes
Stars: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor. Madhavan
Classic comment: It's not that 3 Idiots is a flawless work of art. But it is an inspiring piece of entertainment with heart imbued throughout.
A scene from the film 3 Idiots.
A scene from the film 3 Idiots.
A scene from the film 3 Idiots.
7. Goodbye Mr. Loser
Country: China
Release Date: Sept 30, 2015
Running time: 104 minutes
Stars: Shen Teng, Wang Zhi. Ma Li
Classic comment: It seems to be a comedy, but good luck controlling your tears by the end.
A scene from the film Goodbye Mr. Loser.
A scene from the film Goodbye Mr. Loser.
A scene from the film Goodbye Mr. Loser.
8. Twilight
Country: US
Release Date: Jan 20, 2006
Running time: 121 minutes
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson
Classic comment: While you study hard for the college entrance exam, a lucky girl falls in love with a handsome man — or a handsome vampire.
A scene from the film Twilight.
A scene from the film Twilight.
A scene from the film Twilight.
9. So Young / To Our Youth That Is Fading Away
Country: China
Release Date: April 26, 2013
Running time: 132 minutes
Stars: Mark Chao, Han Geng,Yang Zishan
Classic comment: It marks the beginning of teen films in the Chinese mainland, accurately reflecting the college life between the 1980s and 1990s.
A scene from the film So Young.
A scene from the film So Young.
A scene from the film So Young.
10. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Country: Thailand
Release Date: Aug 12, 2010
Running time: 118 minutes
Stars: Pimchanok Leuvisadpaibul ,Tukkie
Classic comment: If you expect love, and look for love…love will find you later.
A scene from the film Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
A scene from the film Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
A scene from the film Crazy Little Thing Called Love.
Source: By Zhang Xingjian | chinadaily.com.cn
↧
Lin Yun poses for photo shoot
↧
Wu Jing on Wolf Warrior 2’s record-breaking run, his cinematic roots in Hong Kong and Wolf Warrior 3’s story direction
(SCMP) Wu Jing may be a super soldier on screen and a box office sensation off it, but that doesn’t make him immune to exhaustion at the tail end of a weeks-long promotional tour across China.
“What I want to do most is to have a good night’s sleep,” says the director, co-writer, co-producer and star of action epic Wolf Warrior 2 , which, with ticket sales of 5.6 billion yuan (US$860 million) and counting, is the runaway box office champion of Chinese language cinema. For perspective, the second-highest grossing Chinese film ever made is Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s The Mermaid , which took 3.39 billion yuan.
“It’s been one city per day, and 10 cinemas in every city. This tour – it’s torture; it’s unimaginable for you here,” says Wu, 43, in an interview before the film’s Hong Kong premiere on Wednesday. “But luckily today is the last stop for Wolf Warrior 2.”
While his film’s remarkable coup may leave many with mental pictures of him swimming in money, Wu is understandably keen to downplay his new fortune.
“Every journalist I’ve encountered asked: Do I have a target box office figure in mind? Do I want to make it on so-and-so top-grossing charts? Do I want to break 6 billion yuan? Is that even possible? I have no idea at all,” he says. “From July 27, 8:01 am onwards [when the film opened in China], the life of Wolf Warrior 2 ceased to belong to me.
“But before that, it was priceless to me. It was something that 1,700 people had spent a huge amount of time working on. Twenty-two of us were bitten and partly paralysed by spiders in Africa. Someone got bitten on the hand by a lion. Another had a gun pointed at his head. We made so many sacrifices [for this film].”
With hindsight, Wu pinpoints the moment Wolf Warrior 2’s gross passed 800 million yuan – when the production started to break even – as his happiest memory since its release.
“So many partners and friends had come and helped me out on this project – and then I completed my mission,” he says. “I didn’t owe anyone any more; I hate to be indebted to others. So at that moment I was relieved. And after that, the box office figure kept soaring.”
Wu says he picked Hong Kong as his road tour’s final stop because his “movie dream started here”.
Then he reveals the list of people he’d like to thank, which reads like a who’s who of Hong Kong cinema.
They include Chang Hsin-yen, who gave him his first film role in 1996; Yuen Woo-ping; showbiz influencer “Uncle Ba” Chan Tat-chi, who brought him to Hong Kong; talent manager Paco Wong Pak-ko, who signed his first Hong Kong contract; and filmmakers Dennis Law Sau-yiu (“who took care of me a lot”), Wilson Yip Wai-shun (“I learned a lot chatting with him during the making of Magic to Win”), Benny Chan Muk-sing and Soi Cheang Pou-soi.
“In a way, Wolf Warrior 2 is my way of repaying these friends and teachers. It’s my homework assignment. Technically, these directors are a lot better than me. But I just happened to have had better timing.”
The pressure is now huge for Wu to replicate the success in Wolf Warrior 3, a sequel promised in the current film’s closing credits. While he had prepared the scripts for a Wolf Warrior film trilogy as early as 10 years ago, he acknowledges the challenge of adjusting those ideas for today.
“What should I do with Wolf Warrior 3? I have no idea about how to shoot it yet,” says Wu. “I wasn’t stupid – I knew that I should develop a series for myself. But could it become successful? Few people thought it would be at the time of Wolf Warrior 1.
“Now that we know, my story for the third film is already 10 years old. The world has changed, geopolitical situations have changed, [China] has changed, and some countries have even changed presidents several times already. The script doesn’t work any more. I need to reshuffle the deck.
“The main thing I want to show will still be family and national sentiments, and I owe the audience a resolution to the romance [between the two protagonists] in Wolf Warrior 1,” he adds.
Wolf Warrior 2is in cinemas now
Source: South China Morning Post by Edmund Lee
↧
↧
New stills from Eternal Wave
↧
Director: We should make 'Spider-Man' sequel in China
The director of new spidey superhero film "Spider-Man: Homecoming" said at its Chinese premiere that he would consider to shoot the sequel in China.
Director Jon Watts made the statement after he and leading actor Tom Holland were impressed by a series of fan-made posters called "Beautiful China in Spider-Man's eyes," which show Spider-Man traveling around Chinese scenery.
Watts and Holland were in China to promote "Spider-Man: Homecoming", the last major market for it, and the film opened on Friday. The Thursday midnight screening grossed 10.5 million yuan (US$1.62 million), the fourth Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film to achieve the above 10 million yuan mark at a midnight screening.
"Spider-Man" is one of the most iconic American superheroes, but its film rights were sold to Sony Pictures Entertainment. It had one blockbuster trilogy directed by Sam Raimii. It was later rebooted when Marc Webb stepped in to direct, with Andrew Garfield starring.
However, the reboot of the new trilogy ended after the second installment failed to meet Sony's expectations. In February 2015, Marvel Studios and Sony reached a deal to share the character rights of Spider-Man, integrating the character into the established MCU.
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is therefore the second Spider-Man film reboot and the first installment for spidey to return to MCU, aside from his cameo in "Captain America: Civil War." Robert Downey Jr. (as Tony Stark / Iron Man) from MCU joined the cast in the new Spider-Man film.
Although Downey Jr. didn't attend the Chinese premiere on Monday, he did send a video greeting Chinese fans and promoting the film. Tom Holland, whose character looked up to Iron Man as a father figure in the film, also shared his admiration for the actor at the premiere and said the whole crew of the film are very happy with Downey Jr.'s participation, which has inspired and elevated them. Holland also shared an intimate story about how Downey Jr. cared for him and revealed the veteran actor sent a meal to him one day when he was working late and hungry.
Watts and Holland participated in various promotional activities in China during their short trip, including learning Chinese calligraphy and the musical instrument guzheng as well as going to the Great Wall for travel and a photo shoot.
The film is directed by Jon Watts. Tom Holland stars as Spider-Man, alongside Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Tyne Daly, Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. It debuted in China on Sept. 8, 2017. Before its Chinese release, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" has grossed a worldwide total of US$747.2 million as of Sept. 4 and has received a highly positive 92 percent rating based on 289 reviews on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
Source: china.org by zhang rui
↧
China's 'Angels Wear White' competes for top prize in Venice
(China Plus) Chinese-language film "Angels Wear White" has premiered at the ongoing Venice International Film Festival.
Written and directed by Vivian Qu, the film is representing China in the main section of Venice, which overall sees 21 movies contending for the top Golden Lion prize.
The film focuses on two young girls living in a small southern Chinese coastal town, who are assaulted by a middle-aged man in a motel. The drama is shown through a double perspective – one from a victim and another of a female witness.
Speaking in Venice, the director explained that she wanted to use the film to raise awareness for the "left behind" children, especially girls, in China, as they parents look for work away from home.
“(In) the last 30 years, China has developed very dramatically, economically and in all aspects. But the price might be families and children. A lot of people have to move to different cities to work in order to have a decent living. So many children are left in their hometowns, without proper care from their parents," said Qu.
The film, a Chinese-French co-production, stars Wen Qi, Zhou Meijun and Shi Ke. Vivian Qu is the only female director among those in competition at Venice this year. She has come back to the Italian city with "Angels Wear White," after premiering another film of hers "Trap Street" in 2013.
Source: China Plus
↧
Actor Zhang Zhen poses for the fashion magazine
↧
↧
Zhao Wei enjoying the beach
↧
More Chinese designers in spotlight at NY show
(China Daily) As thousands of designers, models and celebrities gather in New York City for the semiannual New York Fashion Week from Thursday through Wednesday, 16 Chinese designers-the most to date-are ready to showcase their collections at the premier international fashion event.
"More and more Chinese designers coming to overseas fashion weeks reflects the rise of China's fashion market and its synchronization with the overseas fashion market," said Todd Hessert, founder of fashion media company Globe Fashion Runway.
"It's a good phenomenon," he added. "Design in China has gradually globalized and been recognized by overseas media and buyers."
Hessert, who is based in New York, and his teams in London, Milan and Paris help global designers market their brands.
He said that in the past two years, be it in Paris or New York, Chinese designers have been more accepted by organizers.
"The door is open for Chinese designers to be more active in the world fashion market," he said, citing such examples as Taoray Wang, Lan Yu, Zhang Chi, Yang Lu, Snow Xue Gao, Calvin Luo and Vivienne Hu.
Wang, whose designs are a favorite of US first daughter Tiffany Trump, is returning to New York Fashion Week for the eighth time.
Wang, once the chief designer for Chinese domestic brand Broadcast: Bo, launched her namesake Taoray Wang line, which targets the modern professional woman, three years ago.
Her latest collection, "Shanghai Baroque", will debut on Saturday at New York Fashion Week.
Wang said she has embraced a blurring of time and culture, balancing the ornate detail of baroque with her signature sophisticated tailoring.
On Tuesday, Taoray Wang will also present the new Taoray Taoray line, a brand designed to cross boundaries of age, gender, nationality and occupation.
Lan Yu, a third-time shower at New York Fashion Week, will unveil her new ready-to-wear collection.
Lan's namesake brand is best known for its wedding dresses and evening gowns. The brand has earned widespread recognition not only in China but worldwide, thanks to many celebrities wearing its dresses.
Nicole Zhao, CEO of Lanyu Couture in New York, said the newly added ready-to-wear production line was a strategic move in the company's plans for global expansion.
Besides the big names, China's younger generation of designers is testing the waters in New York City as well.
Emerging brand Lu Yang, established by 31-year-old Yang Lu, will debut its new collection "Fall in Love", which features bright colors and geometric figures derived from the flamingo, a metaphor for faithfulness in love.
Hessert of Globe Fashion Runway said, "These designers have successfully established a world position of 'design in China'.
"In the future, I believe more and more Chinese brands will go to the Big Four fashion weeks. It's a process of accumulation; it's also a necessary course for Chinese designers to reach out to the world," he said.
Hessert's advice for Chinese designers who want to develop an international legacy brand: Have a comprehensive outlook that balances design, media exposure and sales marketing.
Source: China Daily
↧
Star clash marks League of Legends anniversary
(China Daily) Taiwan musician Jay Chou and Chinese-Canadian singer-actor Kris Wu recently battled each other in an event to mark the sixth anniversary of the video game League of Legends in China.
In the clash, Chow and Wu, respectively, led five-member teams.
With more than100 million players, League of Legends — developed by the US publisher Riot Games and distributed by the internet giant Tencent in China — is now one of the most popular video games in the country.
The star clash was part of the 2017 LOL Summer Finals of the Professional League, which concluded on Sept 3.
In the league, Guangzhou-based e-sports club EDward Gaming beat Royal Never Give Up, financed by a Jiangxi company, to claim the championship.
Meanwhile, competitions in 2018 will be held in Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou.
Source: By Xu Fan | chinadaily.com.cn
↧
Venice Interview: Tsai Ming-liang on the Craft of VR Film Making
(Variety) Taiwan-based auteur Tsai Ming-liang, whose credits include “Stray Dogs,” “The Wayward Cloud” and “What Time is it There?” should have been the last person to make a virtual reality movie. Instead, he renewed his collaboration with top actor Lee Kang-sheng, partnered with pioneering cell phone and tech company HTC and tested the limits of story-telling in the new medium. He speaks at length with Variety.
HTC’s Liu Szu-Ming says that the parallel universe created by VR will soon be the way we all communicate.
Tsai Ming-liang:“The first person to invite me to make a VR film was Marco Mueller, the former head of the Venice Film Festival. He was planning a film festival in Asia in the second half of last year and wanted to open the festival with a VR film. I am usually unenthusiastic about such technology trends, but I was intrigued to find out more. I was also curious to know why Marco Mueller picked me. Unfortunately, before I had the chance to ask him, the plans for the festival were scrapped. However, the investor that he had introduced me to was hopeful that I would continue the project. Therefore, I began to prepare myself.
“After my very first experience with VR, my head was spinning and I was ready to give up the idea altogether. I was shown some VR clips, most of which were either commercials or content that were experimental or interactive in nature, like a ghost that appears suddenly to scare the viewer, or a carnival-like party scene. You could turn your head in any direction and there’ll be something to look at. The viewer is kept busy, the filmmaker is busy, everyone seems to be busy for no reason.
“I found the image quality unbearably digital and unrealistic, the headset was heavy and clumsy to use and worst of all, there was no sense of aesthetic beauty at all. I told my producer, ‘I’m not doing this anymore.’
“Just as I was about to leave the VR production company, their technical director said he wanted to show me something. It was a 360 degree view of a fabric shop. The details of the image were crisp and the colors rich. I was enthralled. It was only a single frame from a VR clip, yet it gave me the sense that I was there in person. I became interested.
“But the investor withdrew their funds and the project came to a sudden end. Six months later, Taiwan’s HTC came to me with an invitation. They are the leading company in the VR industry in Taiwan. I found it strange that these VR companies all came to me.
“The feeling that VR gives me is less like film and more like theatre, a theatre of life. Traditional film techniques such as picture composition, enticing facial close ups and the construction of a narrative using editing are all irrelevant to a VR film. The viewer is placed in a scene and allowed to look freely at the virtual surrounding. To a filmmaker who is used to the language of film, it could feel a little debilitating.
“The focus of my thoughts are (normally) on how to present my content, how to capture the attention of the audience and how to keep them calm and attentive to what I am trying to express. This is extremely difficult but important to overcome. “(With VR) even though I’m the filmmaker, I’m also a viewer, placed in a 360-degree space. I need to consider the best position from which to view the scene. In other words, where to place my camera and the objects, including the actors, around it.
What’s the best distance, height and even angle? These are all considerations that are very different from before. Also important is how to light the scene.
“The production company was very insistent that the VR film be kept within 20 minutes, but they had forgotten that I am known for shooting very long takes. The film ended up being 55 minutes long, which shocked them at first, but after watching it, they felt it worked very well. “For the actors, I’m still using my usual cast: Lee Kang-sheng, Chen Shiang-chyi and Lu Yi-ching. This time, I added Yin Shin, who starred in Lee Kang-sheng’s ‘Help Me Eros’ ten years ago. In the past, the actors performed in front of the camera. Now, they are in a space. As long as they don’t go within 1.5 meters from the camera, which causes distortion, they actually have more freedom than before.
“During filming, all the crew members need to clear the set, which perhaps allows the actors to experience the location in a way that feels more real. However, I insisted on remaining beside the camera to watch their performances and have them remove me during post-production. It feels a little like shooting 35mm film in the early days when there was no video assist and you could only watch with your own eyes.
“The Chinese title for ‘The Deserted’ is ‘The Home at Lan Re Temple,’ which comes from a short ghost story from the classical Chinese novel ‘Liao Zhai’ (translated as ‘Strange Tales From A Chinese Studio’). Lan Re Temple is an abandoned temple in which ghosts and spirits dwell. Three years ago, due to poor health, I moved to an abandoned ruin in the mountains with Lee Kang-sheng and began a life closer to nature, fixing up the old house, tilling the land and living with the insects, birds and other creatures. We were surrounded by other abandoned and dilapidated houses.
Sometimes, I get the feeling that it’s not that we don’t have neighbors, but that we can’t see them. I told Lee Kang-sheng, ‘We are living at Lan Re Temple.’
“I thought to myself, this has got be the main location for my next film. I began to brainstorm the concept for the characters and settings and how to create a new kind of handcrafted film. I had begun conceptualizing my next feature film when I received the invitation from HTC to make a VR film. I replied them promptly with the following synopsis:
“Hsiao-Kang is recuperating from an illness in the mountains. His late mother visits him and cooks for him. But he is unable to eat the food. A female ghost lives next door to him. Like his mother, she’s unable to enter his life. The only companion he can speak with is a lone fish.
“To me, VR is merely a creative medium. It is very new and in terms of hardware, still needs further development. It is still rather inconvenient to watch and there is a significant quality difference between what was filmed and what ends up being viewed. In other words, even though the quality is rather good at the filming stage, it ends up being compromised during the viewing stage. However, I don’t really mind it because when I’m filming VR, I still feel like I’m doing creative work. It is worth waiting for a piece of creative work and I hope that in three years time, there’ll be a more ideal way of presenting ‘The Deserted’.
“At the moment, every step of the VR production process is a little complicated, especially the post-production, stitching the image, color grading and even sound mixing. There are many limitations and lots of uncertainty and it takes more effort, which creates a lot of anxiety. With this presentation, I feel that we have already made it as best as we could.
“If anyone were to ask me to make another VR film, I will reply in the same way: ‘Give me money, give me freedom, give me Lee Kang-sheng’.”
Liu Szu-Ming
Variety: What is HTC’s ambition and goal in developing Virtual Reality (VR)?
Liu: Tens of thousands of years ago, Homo neanderthanlensis made their first drafts on cave walls. Since then, human have developed signs, languages, music, characters, and gradually retained a record of life on papers, paintings, music, drama, and different kinds of performances. Ways of satisfying humans’ bottomless demand for communicating created a milestones in human civilization.
The advent of the Internet in the late 20 century and the widespread use of smartphones have completely broken through spatial barriers and information gaps. The world now is indeed flat.
Billions of information have been exchanged intensively through 4G and WIFI. Messages, music and videos transmitting in a second dimension intertwine with our daily routine. Our second life overlap with reality. The appearance of VR is going to be another great leap forward in the history of human civilization.
The experience of virtual reality will replace data transmission of in that second dimension.
Everything happening on the Internet can be represented in the biospace though VR, and can even go beyond the reality. VR networking is going to be a parallel world that coexists with our real life. With the social networking ability of VR, we no longer face two-dimensional screens in learning, entertaining, communicating, exercising, medical caring etc, but live with three-dimensional space, just like the real universe. It is a brave new world crossing different spaces, races, appearances and distances.
HTC’s future vision of VR isn’t only about providing an entertaining and communicating devices, but finding a better way of living.
Variety: Why did HTC decide to invest in content developing and manufacturing?
Hardware is merely the container. The essence that satisfies human is the water or the wine inside the container. As a forerunner in VR field, we have no precedent to go by. But we know we don’t want to create only the equipment, We need to build a VR industry ecology. Before the ecology could become robust HTC built an inner micro ecological environment. We hope to explore humanities and cultural fields more by using our hardware equipment. It’s still a virgin paper, integrating all the possibilities. Even its business models are still in development. In the light of this, HTC founded VR Content Center last year, aiming at pan-entertainment (music, films and videos, interaction) ideas.
Variety: How are you working in film?
Liu: In film we coordinate with the directors and cooperate from script writing, preceding, shooting to post-editing, mixing and dimming. Due to the fact that VR isn’t really regular movies which possess long history, we need a more accurate knowledge, technology and devices to assist our abstract ideas.
We’ve seen many VR works transplanting traditional film tricks, narratives and equipment, but they flopped. HTC’s VR Content Center founded an integrated filmmaking team in hope of allowing film directors to practice their creativities in a three-dimension space. This is also the process of setting up the standardization, including post-production, audio format, and even the appropriateness and optimization of video players.
Variety: Why invest in content such as ‘The Deserted’?
Liu: There are two parts to this movie. The first part is what will be showcased in this year‘s Venice film festival. A full 360-degree virtual immersive film. Director Tsai Ming-Liang believes that every movie should have its independent narrative characteristic and the audience not needing to get involve to the story. For the second half, we’ve built the movie set in a 3D virtual environment. This allows audiences to explore the environment in VR. They may move within the environment and interact with the objects within. Our idea is to integrate the story with virtual character, to produce an immersive interactive movie through head-mounted display. The main production was by Tsai ‘s production company and HTC Virtual Reality Content Center. Jaunt China co-produced and provided us with high quality cameras, stitching and rendering services.
Variety: How big was this project?
Liu: This VR film is 55 minutes in length, captured using high quality stereoscopic 360 cameras.
Without any benchmarks, our initial investment plan was around $1.6 million. When we reached post-production stage, we remembered an old Chinese saying: “Man proposes, god disposes.” It was a step by step journey. But we are fortunate enough to have completed this project within our budget.
Source: Variety by Patrick Frater
↧
↧
Wall-crawling superhero looks to steal hearts in China
(China Daily) In Marvel comic books, Peter Parker is a New Yorker. But should the famed character, also known as Spider-Man, not have a New York accent? The answer is complicated.
Thanks to globalization, an English actor is the latest Spider-Man on the silver screen. And, he was recently in Beijing to visit the Great Wall.
There is more. The wall-crawling hero also traveled to other landmarks, which are featured in an anthology of posters titled Beautiful China.
In the posters, released by the Chinese promoters, he is seen surrounded by pandas, standing with the Terracotta Warriors, ornamented guards buried with China's first emperor more than 2,000 years ago.
When Spider-Man actor Tom Holland alongside director Jon Watts showed up at a promotional event in Beijing on Monday, the display of the posters tailored for the Chinese mainland market sparked excitement.
Spider-Man: Homecoming, the sixth Spider-Man movie in history, will open across the Chinese mainland in multiple formats, including Imax 3-D, on Friday, about two months after many other parts of the world.
So far, the movie, with Holland reprising his Spider-Man role from Captain America: Civil War, has raked in $740 million across the world.
The 133-minute movie also features Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., reprising his role of Iron Man, and Jon Favreau, director of two Iron Man movies, playing an assistant of Iron Man, in the new movie.
The latest movie is more like a coming-of-age story about the superhero in high school.
Spider-Man, the comic character, was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in the 1960s, and has spawned around 10 TV shows and six movies, including this newest one.
Watts says Homecoming is different from the previous versions.
"Don't tell Batman, Superman or Captain America. For me, Spiderman is the greatest superhero. He also likes every one of us. He is the most relatable hero," says the 36-year-old US filmmaker.
Holland, who has a number of Chinese fans thanks to his first Spider-Man movie, echoes his view.
"The thing that makes the character so likeable and so loved is that he is relatable. You know, he is the kid next door. He is the high school student who wants to work hard and do his homework. He is just a regular guy. I think that's why I've enjoyed playing him," says the 21-year-old actor.
Vulture, the villain, also seems like the guy next door. A one-time New York salvage company owner, and the father of Parker's love interest, he becomes a criminal after his business is taken over by a government organization.
Speaking about the movie, Holland says: "Jon's idea is that if a regular kid can become a superhero, then a regular man can become a super villain.
"Unlike the villains of the past, he is not an alien, a billionaire or an undercover agent from a nasty organization. He is just a regular guy with troubles, which give audiences a reason to feel sympathetic to him, and to understand why he is doing bad things," adds Holland.
Speaking about the action sequences, Watts says the crew built the real-size replica of a ferry for the disaster scene.
He says the funny moments as well as the action scenes will likely appeal to Chinese audiences.
Source: China Daily
↧
John Woo's "Manhunt" debuts at Venice Film Festival
Chinese filmmaker John Woo's new action movie made its debut here at the 74th edition of Venice Film Festival on Friday.
"Manhunt" (Zhuibu) runs out of competition, starring Chinese Zhang Hanyu, Qi Wei, and Angeles Woo, Japanese Masaharu Fukuyama, and South Korean Ha Ji-won.
The film is an adaptation of a novel by Japanese Juko Nishimura, which had inspired a first crime film titled "Kimi yo Fundo no Kawa o Watare" (You Must Cross the River of Wrath) in 1976.
Set in Japan, the story tells of a Chinese lawyer (Zhang Hanyu) working as attorney for a pharmaceutical firm, and getting unwittingly involved in a murder case. The man realizes he is being framed for the crime.
Believing him the perpetrator, Japanese police launch a wide manhunt for him. This would trigger the lawyer's own desperate effort to unveil the conspiracy, and reach for the truth.
Meanwhile, a veteran detective (Masaharu Fukuyama) does not believe the case to be so clear, and would gradually develop a bond with the fugitive man.
John Woo's "Manhunt" was meant as a tribute to late Ken Takakura, the iconic Japanese actor who starred in the original film directed by Japanese Junya Sato and released in China in 1978.
After Venice, the action movie is to be presented at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.
Source: Xinhua
↧
Street shots of Lin Yun in Tokyo
↧