Cher and her boyfriend Alexander “Ae” Edwards celebrated something special when they attended the Givenchy show during Paris Fashion Week on Thursday (September 28) – the anniversary of when they first met!
The Hollywood couple was first linked in November 2022 after romantic photos went viral. However, while on the red carpet at the event, Cher told Wwd that Paris Fashion Week was a special time for them.
“I met my boyfriend here last year, so it’s our anniversary. And so I’m pretty excited,” she explained. As for how they’re celebrating, it sounds like nothing was set in stone just yet: “I don’t know what we’re gonna do. Everything we do is special.”
One year after their first meeting, Cher and Ae looked cool at the event. She wore a black jacket over a white shirt, and he matched in monochromatic black. The duo also both had platinum blonde hair!
The Hollywood couple was first linked in November 2022 after romantic photos went viral. However, while on the red carpet at the event, Cher told Wwd that Paris Fashion Week was a special time for them.
“I met my boyfriend here last year, so it’s our anniversary. And so I’m pretty excited,” she explained. As for how they’re celebrating, it sounds like nothing was set in stone just yet: “I don’t know what we’re gonna do. Everything we do is special.”
One year after their first meeting, Cher and Ae looked cool at the event. She wore a black jacket over a white shirt, and he matched in monochromatic black. The duo also both had platinum blonde hair!
- 9/28/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
‘The Heroic Mission’ is named and inspired by two titles of To’s films during the 90s: The Heroic Trio (1992) and The Mission (1998). The imagery of ‘hero’ created by To in most of his films represents a fated statement: ‘We all came with a mission’. Influenced by the film directors King Hu, Sam Peckinpah and Akira Kurosawa, To enjoyed his international breakthrough with a film noir signature and gangster films. To specialises in angling at different characters in daily life and portraying their inner struggles and conflicts between desire and making choices. To once said, ‘I can see two to three faces of a person.’ Three films have been selected in this programme and each tells a different story about heroism.
Presented jointly by UK-China Film Collab and Trinity CineAsia, this programme provides a wider context of the societal changes in Hong Kong in recent decades. It wishes to...
Presented jointly by UK-China Film Collab and Trinity CineAsia, this programme provides a wider context of the societal changes in Hong Kong in recent decades. It wishes to...
- 6/15/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Adapted from a novel by Gu Lung, this swordplay wuxia adventure features a nineteen year old Derek Yee, half-brother of David Chiang in his debut in which he shines as the lead protagonist and subsequently launches his film career with Shaw Brothers.
on Amazon
Hungered to be Wulin’s (martial world) number one swordsman, ambitious Yen Shih San (Ling Yun) is forever challenging anyone with a sword. Dressed in black and surrendered by six swordsmen in a maple forest, that’s where we first meet him. Boasting that he can easily kill them within thirteen strokes of his sword, he quickly proves that he is again a master as he dispatches those unfortunately men in no time. Observing quietly behind the trees is Mu Yang Chiu Ti (Chen Ping) leader of the Mu Yang Clan and her entourage; she informs him that in order for him to be number one,...
on Amazon
Hungered to be Wulin’s (martial world) number one swordsman, ambitious Yen Shih San (Ling Yun) is forever challenging anyone with a sword. Dressed in black and surrendered by six swordsmen in a maple forest, that’s where we first meet him. Boasting that he can easily kill them within thirteen strokes of his sword, he quickly proves that he is again a master as he dispatches those unfortunately men in no time. Observing quietly behind the trees is Mu Yang Chiu Ti (Chen Ping) leader of the Mu Yang Clan and her entourage; she informs him that in order for him to be number one,...
- 4/9/2022
- by David Chew
- AsianMoviePulse
By Monika S-r
Another joint project by actor Andy Lau and director Johnny To, after “A love on diet”, “Fulltime killer” and Fat Choi Spirit, the film is classified as action, drama and thriller, with some humoristic scenes. The film won a number of awards, including one for Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best actor, at the 23rd Hong Kong film awards.
This is the story of a Buddhist ex-monk and bodybuilder named Big, who is endowed with the mysterious power of seeing the karma of other people. Big works as a stripteaser, which, in view of his silhouette, turns out to be a lucrative business. During one of his shows, he meets a beautiful woman-cop and notes that she has a very bad karma. He decides to help her.
The film’s story is interesting but also heavy and brutal in some scenes for me. This...
Another joint project by actor Andy Lau and director Johnny To, after “A love on diet”, “Fulltime killer” and Fat Choi Spirit, the film is classified as action, drama and thriller, with some humoristic scenes. The film won a number of awards, including one for Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best actor, at the 23rd Hong Kong film awards.
This is the story of a Buddhist ex-monk and bodybuilder named Big, who is endowed with the mysterious power of seeing the karma of other people. Big works as a stripteaser, which, in view of his silhouette, turns out to be a lucrative business. During one of his shows, he meets a beautiful woman-cop and notes that she has a very bad karma. He decides to help her.
The film’s story is interesting but also heavy and brutal in some scenes for me. This...
- 8/30/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Contemporary Chinese Cinema is a column devoted to exploring contemporary Chinese-language cinema primarily as it is revealed to us at North American multiplexes.When I reviewed this year’s crop of Lunar New Year releases a couple of months ago, there was one title that was conspicuously missing from the group of films that were released in North America for the holiday season: Stephen Chow’s The New King of Comedy. I don’t know why it didn’t get a release here. It could be because its production was too rapid for the international distribution system to absorb it. It might have something to do with the involvement of Herman Yau, an outspoken proponent of democracy in Hong Kong and thus an unwelcome presence on the Mainland. Or, it may have just been overlooked in the mad rush to book The Wandering Earth on as many screens as possible...
- 4/29/2019
- MUBI
A prominent commercial filmmaker in Hong Kong since the mid-80s, the career path and status of Johnnie To is distinctive from contemporaries such as John Woo, Tsui Hark, and Wong Kar-wai. Solely committed to his national cinema, he made a point of never venturing to Hollywood and even formed his own production company, Milkyway Image, in 1996. Only in the mid-2000s when films like Breaking News (2005) and Election (2006) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival was Johnnie To given auteur consideration by Western critics and audiences. Even then, it was only his crime and action genre work, characterized by their elegant style and directorial control, that found critical success and was seen as commercially viable for international markets. With over 50 features under his belt, Johnnie To has a massive oeuvre not bound to any single mode and while he is one of contemporary cinema’s greatest formalist filmmakers, his fluency in visual storytelling transcends genre.
- 10/28/2017
- MUBI
Last Updated: Dec 17, 2015 @ 3:10 Pm
2016 is shaping up to be a classic year for fans of martial arts / action movies. All of the big names are back , Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Sammo Hung and lets not forget Jean Claude Van Damme.
So you don’t miss out , we’ve compiled a list of stand out movies which we think you should not miss.
So without further delay here are Amp’s Best Martial Arts Movies to look forward to in 2016
Note: Bookmark this article as we will keep this updated with more news, pictures, posters, trailers as we get them.
ContentsThe Best Martial Arts Movies To Look Forward To In 2016Ip Man 3 (Donnie Yen) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon : Sword of Destiny (Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh)Kickboxer: Vengeance(Jean-Claude Van Damme)The Deadly Reclaim (Wu Jing)The Monkey King 2 (Aaron Kwok)Rail Road Tigers (Jackie Chan)Kung Fu Yoga...
2016 is shaping up to be a classic year for fans of martial arts / action movies. All of the big names are back , Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Sammo Hung and lets not forget Jean Claude Van Damme.
So you don’t miss out , we’ve compiled a list of stand out movies which we think you should not miss.
So without further delay here are Amp’s Best Martial Arts Movies to look forward to in 2016
Note: Bookmark this article as we will keep this updated with more news, pictures, posters, trailers as we get them.
ContentsThe Best Martial Arts Movies To Look Forward To In 2016Ip Man 3 (Donnie Yen) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon : Sword of Destiny (Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh)Kickboxer: Vengeance(Jean-Claude Van Damme)The Deadly Reclaim (Wu Jing)The Monkey King 2 (Aaron Kwok)Rail Road Tigers (Jackie Chan)Kung Fu Yoga...
- 12/11/2015
- by kingofkungfu
- AsianMoviePulse
Seoul — One of Asia's top screen superstars, 42-year-old Jang Dong-gun has been in the spotlight for over 20 years. With Korean pop culture proliferating around the globe, his reach is wide: When South Korea's president once toured Mexico, Latin American fans staged a mass mock protest, demanding that the actor pay them a visit too. As if answering that call, Jang has mostly appeared in international projects in recent years, including his Hollywood debut The Warrior's Way opposite Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush and Chinese co-production Dangerous Liaisons alongside Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung. Photos: Korea Box
read more...
read more...
- 6/13/2014
- by Lee Hyo-won
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Our International Sales Agent (Isa) of the Day coverage has resumed for this year's Cannes Film Festival. We will feature successful, upcoming, innovative and trailblazing agents from around the world (during and after the festival) and cover the latest trends in sales and distribution. Beyond the numbers and deals, this segment will also share inspirational and unique stories of how these individuals have evolved and paved their way in the industry, and what they envision for the new waves in global cinema.
Clay Epstein is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Acquisitions for Arclight Films, a leading international film sales company with a strong global reach, including the Easternlight and Darclight brands that rule in the Asian and genre markets. Arclight has a long list of titles that spans across the genres, including epic period action The Last Knights with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, family film Paper Planes starring Sam Worthington, thriller Reclaim starring John Cusack, Outcast starring Hyden Christiansen and Nicholas Cage, and the animated adventure Legend of A Rabbit: Martial of Fire 3D.
Clay embarked on his film career in Los Angeles back in the days when Pulp Fiction and El Mariachi were changing the playing field for independent cinema. His broad experience in the film world equips him with a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the filmmaking process - a great advantage and benefit for any of his clients.
Clay shares more about Arclight Films, his experience from the days of the indie film explosion in Los Angeles, and why America's television renaissance is keeping the film business on its toes.
Please share an overview of Arclight Films.
I joined Arclight Films just over two years ago as Vice President of Sales and Acquisitions. Arclight was started 12 years ago by Gary Hamilton, and is an Australian based company with its headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in Sydney, London, Beijing, and Toronto.
We have three divisions of the company, which is more of a branding exercise. Arclight Films is the gold standard, with titles like The Bank Job, Lord of War, and Predestination under its banner.
Darclight is for the edgy genre driven cinema, has nothing to do with budget level, but more with genre. Bait 3D, a 25 million dollar film under Darclight, was number one in the Chinese box office last year. It also carries some of the best award-winning modest budgeted horror films coming from the world of cinema right now. Wolf Creek 1 and 2 also fall under Darclight, as does Grave Encounters 1 & 2.
Our Easternlight division focuses on Asian cinema. We're representing the biggest films coming out of Asia with names like Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat and Donnie Yen. We also sell non-Asian cinema into Asia, and have an aggressive share in this market because of the level of cinema that we're selling. Recent success includes Special ID starring Donnie Yen and Badges of Fury starring Jet Li.
What distinguishes Arclight in the global market?
Let's take China for example. They're looking at commercial films in the west more than noncommercial films in China: cast driven, big budget commercial content, special effects, branded content, 3D big movies, as well as the cast-driven Chinese films. A Jet Li or Donnie Yen film, which might be a limited release in some western territories, will be a number one film throughout Asia, and will earn millions in the box office. We’re excelling in this market, because we truly understand its stars, the content, the filmmakers and especially the cultural idiosyncrasies - this sets us apart from the rest.
We’re also closely tied to the production aspects of half of our slate. This means a combination of development, packaging, and co-production possibilities. There's some incredible cinema coming out of Australia right now. It's a renaissance, and we have many Australian co-productions with support from the Australian film industry. We're developing films that can be made in Australia's film infrastructure with budgets anywhere from 3-4 million up to 20-30 million. Our recent success includes Predestination starring Ethan Hawke, A Few Best Men, and the upcoming sequel A Few Less Men.
We're commercially driven; we know what our distributors want and what the audience is drawn to. We want to be able to make films that they're interested in and that there's a market for. We'll always have some art house films on the lineup because we're all cinephiles, and we need to support those filmmakers too.
How are sales going?
If I take a step back from my sales agent role for a moment, the truth is that the market has become nothing more than selective. Look at other industries. They're selective as well: the tech industry, the automotive industry, and the housing industry. If something doesn't work, if the TV breaks down, if the car does not meet consumer demand, they're not going to sell. If they're not the right shape, and the color's not good, that TV just won't sell. That's what's happening in the film industry. If the films are not what the consumer necessarily wants to see, if the film was not produced well, if the story is off, it's the wrong genre for the market, it just won't do well.
The reason why everyone is saying the market is tough is because yesteryear, you could sell a sub-par film and make money on it. There was an appetite for pure content regardless of quality. Today the challenge is to make a film within a manageable budget that will appeal to a global audience. Unless you have a major hit on your hands, the obstacle we all face is that the cost to produce a film continues to rise while the cost that distributors will pay is creeping downwards.
The market has become selective. The consumers have other choices. They're not going to sit in front of the TV and watch movies all day. There are so many other things that they can do, so we're competing for their free time. We're competing against apps and videogames. We have TV with many amazing series--it's the glory days of TV again. People will sit and watch whole seasons of shows like Breaking Bad, so we're competing for this time as well. What we offer them better be good enough to compete with all the other media that's out there - that's why we all say that it's getting tough.
What do you consider when reviewing potential films?
We all have responsibility to the company, to the audience, to our distributors and our clients. When we evaluate a project, we're thinking whether or not there's an audience. One of the first classes I had in film school said the film is not a film until there's an audience to see it. That stuck with me. I still think about that when I'm evaluating a film. My job is to get an audience for that film. What steps I'll take to get there can be placing it with the right distributor, finding the right festival to launch it at, or finding the right publicist. You have to take different steps depending on the film or the strategy, but my ultimate goal is to find the audience and to identify its potential size.
Please talk about Arclight's current projects.
We have some projects in postproduction including Outcast with Nicholas Cage and Hayden Christensen, Reclaim with John Cusack and Ryan Philippe, and The Last Knights with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman. They have promos and trailers; we've been successful at securing distribution. It's thrilling to have seen those from go from script stage and then all the way to completion. Nothing beats when you see distributors lining up their release schedules.
We have some films in development that we've just announced: Heart of Darkness and The Nest. I'm looking forward to the next six to twelve months as these films come together.
There are projects that we became involved in during production, and we're lucky enough to be a part of, like Tell, with Jason Lee and Milo Ventimiglia. The distributors' response has been extremely positive.
What is your background?
I wanted to be in the movie business since day one. I never wanted to do anything else. There was a short period when I wanted to be a psychologist, but that was an excuse to avoid failure in what was then a less common field to major in.
I wanted to be an actor, writer and filmmaker. I went to film school when Pulp Fiction came out and Robert Rodriguez was making a name for himself. It was the birth of indie cinema (it was a brand in the early 90's), and I was right in that world as a film student. I remember meeting Robert Rodriguez at a book signing for “Rebel without a Crew” and he was incredibly inspiring. The possibilities seemed endless. Everyone thought that they were going to be the next Tarentino. There was a buzz! People were shooting all over La, such as Paul Thomas Anderson and Ben Stiller. There was a sense that film was breaking away from the studio system, and everyone could go and make an indie film. Inexpensive broadcast quality video was just about to break, but we were still dependent on film.
I learned on 16mm and was always in the labs at school. I spent more money on film processing at the labs than on tuition. I was cutting negatives at the school all night long. There was certainly encouragement to do things in a new and different way, but it's not really embraced when you try to do that in film school. There was a bit of a contradiction there, and my inflated plan to become the next Woody Allen was being stomped on.
I did a few short films and a feature. They were all horrible, but I learned the filmmaking process - that's what's important. I wrote a script. I raised money, and I made it. I learned that process, and I respect it so much; this helps me when I'm evaluating projects and meeting filmmakers. I understand what it takes to make a movie. It's hard to make a good film, and it’s hard to make a bad film. It's a tireless endeavor, and probably one of the most difficult things that a person could do. A filmmaker is so reliant on so many people, so much money and so much time. I am incredibly sympathetic to the endeavor.
Where does your drive come from?
I get passionate for everything I'm working on. I have to, because it influences everyone we work with. Our success relies on this... we're living in a parallel universe with the studios that have the resources to create awareness for its products. They have the marketing and publicity. Sometimes we don't have those means for our films, so we have to find creative ways to get them out there. This is where my drive comes from.
Learn more about Arclight's current lineup.
More About Arclight:
Arclight Films is one of the world’s leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home video. Arclight Films has sold over 150 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner Crash, and Golden Globe® Best Picture Nominee Bobby.
Arclight Films additionally encompasses subsidiary labels Darclight Films, the edgy genre-driven division of the company whose films include the worldwide horror hit Wolf Creek, action thriller Bait 3D and a current slate that includes Wolf Creek 2, and Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster Forbidden Kingdom starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 Blades starring Donnie Yen, legendary auteur Chen Kaige's Sacrifice and a live action adaptation of the world-renowned legend Mulan, now in pre-production.
The latest additions to Easternlight include Outcast starring Nicholas Cage, now in post production, Special ID starring Donnie Yen, The Assassins starring Chow Yun Fat and Cannes Film Festival “Directors Fortnight” official selection and Toronto International Film Festival Gala Selection Dangerous Liaisons starring Zhang Ziyi, Cecilia Cheung and Jang Dong Gun.
Some of the latest additions to the Arclight Films’ slate include Last Knights starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, Predestination starring Ethan Hawke, Reclaim starring John Cusack, Paper Planes starring Sam Worthington, and Left Behind starring Nicholas Cage.
Arclight Films maintains a presence at all major motion picture and television festivals and markets with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto.
For more information on Arclight Films, please visit www.arclightfilms.com...
Clay Epstein is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Acquisitions for Arclight Films, a leading international film sales company with a strong global reach, including the Easternlight and Darclight brands that rule in the Asian and genre markets. Arclight has a long list of titles that spans across the genres, including epic period action The Last Knights with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, family film Paper Planes starring Sam Worthington, thriller Reclaim starring John Cusack, Outcast starring Hyden Christiansen and Nicholas Cage, and the animated adventure Legend of A Rabbit: Martial of Fire 3D.
Clay embarked on his film career in Los Angeles back in the days when Pulp Fiction and El Mariachi were changing the playing field for independent cinema. His broad experience in the film world equips him with a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the filmmaking process - a great advantage and benefit for any of his clients.
Clay shares more about Arclight Films, his experience from the days of the indie film explosion in Los Angeles, and why America's television renaissance is keeping the film business on its toes.
Please share an overview of Arclight Films.
I joined Arclight Films just over two years ago as Vice President of Sales and Acquisitions. Arclight was started 12 years ago by Gary Hamilton, and is an Australian based company with its headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in Sydney, London, Beijing, and Toronto.
We have three divisions of the company, which is more of a branding exercise. Arclight Films is the gold standard, with titles like The Bank Job, Lord of War, and Predestination under its banner.
Darclight is for the edgy genre driven cinema, has nothing to do with budget level, but more with genre. Bait 3D, a 25 million dollar film under Darclight, was number one in the Chinese box office last year. It also carries some of the best award-winning modest budgeted horror films coming from the world of cinema right now. Wolf Creek 1 and 2 also fall under Darclight, as does Grave Encounters 1 & 2.
Our Easternlight division focuses on Asian cinema. We're representing the biggest films coming out of Asia with names like Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat and Donnie Yen. We also sell non-Asian cinema into Asia, and have an aggressive share in this market because of the level of cinema that we're selling. Recent success includes Special ID starring Donnie Yen and Badges of Fury starring Jet Li.
What distinguishes Arclight in the global market?
Let's take China for example. They're looking at commercial films in the west more than noncommercial films in China: cast driven, big budget commercial content, special effects, branded content, 3D big movies, as well as the cast-driven Chinese films. A Jet Li or Donnie Yen film, which might be a limited release in some western territories, will be a number one film throughout Asia, and will earn millions in the box office. We’re excelling in this market, because we truly understand its stars, the content, the filmmakers and especially the cultural idiosyncrasies - this sets us apart from the rest.
We’re also closely tied to the production aspects of half of our slate. This means a combination of development, packaging, and co-production possibilities. There's some incredible cinema coming out of Australia right now. It's a renaissance, and we have many Australian co-productions with support from the Australian film industry. We're developing films that can be made in Australia's film infrastructure with budgets anywhere from 3-4 million up to 20-30 million. Our recent success includes Predestination starring Ethan Hawke, A Few Best Men, and the upcoming sequel A Few Less Men.
We're commercially driven; we know what our distributors want and what the audience is drawn to. We want to be able to make films that they're interested in and that there's a market for. We'll always have some art house films on the lineup because we're all cinephiles, and we need to support those filmmakers too.
How are sales going?
If I take a step back from my sales agent role for a moment, the truth is that the market has become nothing more than selective. Look at other industries. They're selective as well: the tech industry, the automotive industry, and the housing industry. If something doesn't work, if the TV breaks down, if the car does not meet consumer demand, they're not going to sell. If they're not the right shape, and the color's not good, that TV just won't sell. That's what's happening in the film industry. If the films are not what the consumer necessarily wants to see, if the film was not produced well, if the story is off, it's the wrong genre for the market, it just won't do well.
The reason why everyone is saying the market is tough is because yesteryear, you could sell a sub-par film and make money on it. There was an appetite for pure content regardless of quality. Today the challenge is to make a film within a manageable budget that will appeal to a global audience. Unless you have a major hit on your hands, the obstacle we all face is that the cost to produce a film continues to rise while the cost that distributors will pay is creeping downwards.
The market has become selective. The consumers have other choices. They're not going to sit in front of the TV and watch movies all day. There are so many other things that they can do, so we're competing for their free time. We're competing against apps and videogames. We have TV with many amazing series--it's the glory days of TV again. People will sit and watch whole seasons of shows like Breaking Bad, so we're competing for this time as well. What we offer them better be good enough to compete with all the other media that's out there - that's why we all say that it's getting tough.
What do you consider when reviewing potential films?
We all have responsibility to the company, to the audience, to our distributors and our clients. When we evaluate a project, we're thinking whether or not there's an audience. One of the first classes I had in film school said the film is not a film until there's an audience to see it. That stuck with me. I still think about that when I'm evaluating a film. My job is to get an audience for that film. What steps I'll take to get there can be placing it with the right distributor, finding the right festival to launch it at, or finding the right publicist. You have to take different steps depending on the film or the strategy, but my ultimate goal is to find the audience and to identify its potential size.
Please talk about Arclight's current projects.
We have some projects in postproduction including Outcast with Nicholas Cage and Hayden Christensen, Reclaim with John Cusack and Ryan Philippe, and The Last Knights with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman. They have promos and trailers; we've been successful at securing distribution. It's thrilling to have seen those from go from script stage and then all the way to completion. Nothing beats when you see distributors lining up their release schedules.
We have some films in development that we've just announced: Heart of Darkness and The Nest. I'm looking forward to the next six to twelve months as these films come together.
There are projects that we became involved in during production, and we're lucky enough to be a part of, like Tell, with Jason Lee and Milo Ventimiglia. The distributors' response has been extremely positive.
What is your background?
I wanted to be in the movie business since day one. I never wanted to do anything else. There was a short period when I wanted to be a psychologist, but that was an excuse to avoid failure in what was then a less common field to major in.
I wanted to be an actor, writer and filmmaker. I went to film school when Pulp Fiction came out and Robert Rodriguez was making a name for himself. It was the birth of indie cinema (it was a brand in the early 90's), and I was right in that world as a film student. I remember meeting Robert Rodriguez at a book signing for “Rebel without a Crew” and he was incredibly inspiring. The possibilities seemed endless. Everyone thought that they were going to be the next Tarentino. There was a buzz! People were shooting all over La, such as Paul Thomas Anderson and Ben Stiller. There was a sense that film was breaking away from the studio system, and everyone could go and make an indie film. Inexpensive broadcast quality video was just about to break, but we were still dependent on film.
I learned on 16mm and was always in the labs at school. I spent more money on film processing at the labs than on tuition. I was cutting negatives at the school all night long. There was certainly encouragement to do things in a new and different way, but it's not really embraced when you try to do that in film school. There was a bit of a contradiction there, and my inflated plan to become the next Woody Allen was being stomped on.
I did a few short films and a feature. They were all horrible, but I learned the filmmaking process - that's what's important. I wrote a script. I raised money, and I made it. I learned that process, and I respect it so much; this helps me when I'm evaluating projects and meeting filmmakers. I understand what it takes to make a movie. It's hard to make a good film, and it’s hard to make a bad film. It's a tireless endeavor, and probably one of the most difficult things that a person could do. A filmmaker is so reliant on so many people, so much money and so much time. I am incredibly sympathetic to the endeavor.
Where does your drive come from?
I get passionate for everything I'm working on. I have to, because it influences everyone we work with. Our success relies on this... we're living in a parallel universe with the studios that have the resources to create awareness for its products. They have the marketing and publicity. Sometimes we don't have those means for our films, so we have to find creative ways to get them out there. This is where my drive comes from.
Learn more about Arclight's current lineup.
More About Arclight:
Arclight Films is one of the world’s leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home video. Arclight Films has sold over 150 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner Crash, and Golden Globe® Best Picture Nominee Bobby.
Arclight Films additionally encompasses subsidiary labels Darclight Films, the edgy genre-driven division of the company whose films include the worldwide horror hit Wolf Creek, action thriller Bait 3D and a current slate that includes Wolf Creek 2, and Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster Forbidden Kingdom starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 Blades starring Donnie Yen, legendary auteur Chen Kaige's Sacrifice and a live action adaptation of the world-renowned legend Mulan, now in pre-production.
The latest additions to Easternlight include Outcast starring Nicholas Cage, now in post production, Special ID starring Donnie Yen, The Assassins starring Chow Yun Fat and Cannes Film Festival “Directors Fortnight” official selection and Toronto International Film Festival Gala Selection Dangerous Liaisons starring Zhang Ziyi, Cecilia Cheung and Jang Dong Gun.
Some of the latest additions to the Arclight Films’ slate include Last Knights starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman, Predestination starring Ethan Hawke, Reclaim starring John Cusack, Paper Planes starring Sam Worthington, and Left Behind starring Nicholas Cage.
Arclight Films maintains a presence at all major motion picture and television festivals and markets with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto.
For more information on Arclight Films, please visit www.arclightfilms.com...
- 5/25/2014
- by Erin Grover
- Sydney's Buzz
This year New York's Migrating Forms is presenting a double bill of two Johnnie To films: Running on Karma (2003) and Sparrow (2008). Placed next to each other, they reveal interesting convergences and divergences that help define the dual authorship of To and his frequent collaborator Wai Ka-fai (co-director, and a writer and producer on Running on Karma but not Sparrow). To is both an intellectual and emotional director capable of multifarious expressions. Wai is more cerebral, his projects characterized by conceptually dense and layered narrative detail. In the contrastive yet strikingly parallel endings of Running on Karma and Sparrow, hints of the nuances behind these filmmakers' work becomes evident.
The final sequence of Running on Karma:
The final sequence of Sparrow:
Each of these films arrive at two of the most ecstatic endings in To's cinema, in which the two respective male protagonists, left lonely by the absence of the woman they loved,...
The final sequence of Running on Karma:
The final sequence of Sparrow:
Each of these films arrive at two of the most ecstatic endings in To's cinema, in which the two respective male protagonists, left lonely by the absence of the woman they loved,...
- 12/17/2013
- by Adam Cook & John Lehtonen
- MUBI
Hey, New York, it's time for that other Asian film festival, one that's so star-packed, you'll wonder how you've missed it. Since 2010, the New York Chinese Film Festival has quietly promoted some of the latest features from Hong Kong and the Mainland and hosted some of China's biggest names. In previous years, superstars like Zhang Ziyi, Leon Lai, Aaron Kwok, Daniel Wu, Cecilia Cheung, Ching Siu-Tung, Han Geng and Vivian Hsu have graced the festival. Though of a shorter duration than in previous editions, the 2013 Nycff seems equally mighty. The 4th Annual New York Chinese Film Festival kicks off November 5th-7th, 2013. This year, the excellent Donnie Yen {Ip Man, Sha Po Lang, Flash Point} returns to our shores to premiere Special...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/17/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Korean director Song Hae Sung has had a very interesting career which has seen him tackle a variety of social and (often multi) cultural issues in different ways, from his award winning Choi Min Sik and Cecilia Cheung starring “Failan” through to his recent “A Better Tomorrow” remake. Based on a novel by Cheon Myung Gwan, his latest offering “Boomerang Family” is on the surface a lighter and more comic affair, dealing with a group of nearly middle aged siblings who return home to live with their aging mother. Playing the family are a fittingly eclectic and impressive cast, which includes Park Hae Il (“War of the Arrows”), Kong Hyo Jin (“Love Fiction”), Yoon Je Moon (“Dangerously Excited”) and Yoon Yeo Jeong (“The Taste of Money”), joined by young actress Jin Ji Hee (“Moon That Embraces the Sun”). Like most of Song’s works, the film went down well with the critics at home,...
- 9/25/2013
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
Dangerous Liaisons (2012) DVD Review, a movie directed by Hur Jin-ho and starring Zhang Ziyi, Jang Dong-Gun, Cecilia Cheung, Shawn Dou, Lisa Lu, and Candy Wang. Release Date: February 12, 2013 Film Review The timeless tale of seduction and betrayal gets a modern update here moving it from pre-revolutionary France to Shanghai in unrest and on the verge of [...]
Continue reading: DVD Review: Dangerous Liaisons (2012): Hur Jin-ho, Zhang Ziyi...
Continue reading: DVD Review: Dangerous Liaisons (2012): Hur Jin-ho, Zhang Ziyi...
- 3/27/2013
- by Romney J. Baldwin
- Film-Book
The fine folks at Well Go USA are preparing for their upcoming release of Hur Jinho's adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses with this brand new trailer just for Twitch. Here's the plot synopsis and video, enjoy!Set in 1930s Shanghai - the glamorous, tumultuous "Paris of the East" - this adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses is the Chinese cinematic version of Dangerous Liaisons.Aging socialite Mo Jieyu(Cecilia Cheung) met her ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan(Jang Dong-kun) after years of separation. Mo became a rich and charming widower who didn't believe in any man yet indulged herself in seeking sensuous pleasures from man while Xie became a famous womanizer who, in the bottom of his heart, never got over his love for Mo. In his luxurious life,...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 1/29/2013
- Screen Anarchy
“Hi, Fidelity” writer director Calvin Poon returns with pan-Asian romantic comedy “Shadows of Love”, this time backed by acclaimed film maker Stanley Kwan (“Rouge”, “Centre Stage”) lending his talents as producer. The film features a high profile lead pairing in Kwon Sang Woo, one of Korea’s top stars, known for his roles in a variety of hit television series such as “Lady President” and “Cinderella Man”, as well as big screens outings “Pain” and “71 – Into the Fire”, and popular Chinese actress Cecilia Cheung (“Legendary Amazons”), continuing her career comeback. The Chinese production (Kwon’s first Chinese language outing) also boasts a supporting cast of up and coming Mainland and Taiwanese talents, including Singer Angela Chang (“10+10”), Jing Boran (“Love in Space”), Jing Tian (“The Warring States”) and male model Sphinx Ting, with all-time favourite Hong Kong character actor Richard Ng (“My Lucky Stars”) on hand in a small but very welcome appearance.
- 12/17/2012
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
It’s been a while since I’ve covered anything regarding director Soi Cheang’s fantasy martial arts film “The Monkey King.” To be perfectly honest, the movie had slipped off my radar. In order to remind everyone that the picture is still on its way to the big screen, a brand new teaser has been released. Although you won’t see Yen in action, it’s nice to get a taste of things to come. Based on the classic Chinese novel “Journey To The West,” the film follows the adventures of the Monkey King as he rebels against the Jade Emperor of Heaven. “The Monkey King,” which also stars Aaron Kwok, Joe Chen Qiao-En, Chow Yun Fat, Peter Ho, Faye Wong, Gigi Leung, Cecilia Cheung, and Fan Siu-Wong, is slated for release in China on July 4, 2013. You can check out the latest poster and the aforementioned teaser below...
- 12/9/2012
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
For those who don’t remember the original, “The Lion Roars 2” is a sequel to the 2002 Hong Kong hit, continuing the period comedy wackiness after a break of some 10 years. The Mainland production sees director Joe Ma (“Love Undercover”) returning along with actress Cecilia Cheung, comedian Xiao Shenyang (“Just Call Me Nobody”) replacing Louis Koo in the male lead role. With support from Xiao Shenyang’s mentor Zhao Benshan, Hui Siu Hung (“I Love Hong Kong 2012”), Victor Huang (“Nightmare”), and Zhang Xinyu (“Flying Swords of Dragon Gate”), the film mixes comedy, romance and Three Kingdoms intrigue in an attempt to serve up more of what made the first film so popular. Cecilia Cheung again plays Ying, a woman disliked in her village for her outspoken and bad-tempered behaviour, not to mention her habit of beating up men who take concubines or cheat on their wives. With her poor father...
- 11/14/2012
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
The classic French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, has had its fair share of adaptations (from the Glenn Close/John Malkovich film Dangerous Liaisons to the contemporary teen re-imagining Cruel Intentions); and now it gets a Chinese one. In this Dangerous Liaisons, 1930s Shanghai is the stand-in for 18th century France, a perfectly extravagant setting for this game of sex and love.
Notorious playboy Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-kun) and banking mogul Mo Jieyu (Cecilia Cheung) are wealthy members of Shanghai society who have an intense, ongoing flirtation. Despite said flirtation, both concern themselves with bedding whichever men or women they taking a liking to. Xie has recently set his sights on his distant cousin Du Fenyu (Ziyi Zhang), who is the model of innocence and grace. Mo, believing this conquest to be nearly impossible, bets that Xie won’t succeed. He quickly rises to the bait,...
Notorious playboy Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-kun) and banking mogul Mo Jieyu (Cecilia Cheung) are wealthy members of Shanghai society who have an intense, ongoing flirtation. Despite said flirtation, both concern themselves with bedding whichever men or women they taking a liking to. Xie has recently set his sights on his distant cousin Du Fenyu (Ziyi Zhang), who is the model of innocence and grace. Mo, believing this conquest to be nearly impossible, bets that Xie won’t succeed. He quickly rises to the bait,...
- 11/10/2012
- by John Keith
- JustPressPlay.net
Same Old Song: Jin-Ho Adapts Latest Version of Overproduced Classic
It seems there are some tales we can just never get enough of. While mainstream cinema endlessly remakes itself, super hero franchises rebooted, often more than once in the same decade, the art house crowd has its predilection for familiarity as well. If it’s not another adaptation of Shakespeare’s something or other, there’s a plethora of other canonical texts that cross multicultural barriers, and one of those happens to be Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 18th century novel, Dangerous Liaisons, which has just been remade as a co-production between China and Singapore, helmed by Hur Jin-Ho, the award winning Chinese-South Korean director of Christmas In August (1998). Several definitive versions from several countries already exist, and here we have this lurid tale of mind games and sexual manipulation transported to 1931 Shanghai. While this is certainly one lavishly mounted production,...
It seems there are some tales we can just never get enough of. While mainstream cinema endlessly remakes itself, super hero franchises rebooted, often more than once in the same decade, the art house crowd has its predilection for familiarity as well. If it’s not another adaptation of Shakespeare’s something or other, there’s a plethora of other canonical texts that cross multicultural barriers, and one of those happens to be Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 18th century novel, Dangerous Liaisons, which has just been remade as a co-production between China and Singapore, helmed by Hur Jin-Ho, the award winning Chinese-South Korean director of Christmas In August (1998). Several definitive versions from several countries already exist, and here we have this lurid tale of mind games and sexual manipulation transported to 1931 Shanghai. While this is certainly one lavishly mounted production,...
- 11/9/2012
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Zhang ZiYi is one of my favorite actresses, her acting is always great to watch, she fights very well and always chooses great movies, how can i not like her. Some of my favorite movies including Zhang are Hero, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, House Of The Flying Daggers, Rush Hour 2 and The Banquet.
Selected Filmography
2000:Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2001:Rush Hour 2
2002:Hero
2004:House of Flying Daggers
2005:Memoirs of a Geisha
2006:The Banquet
2012:The Grandmasters
Background
Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, to Zhang Yuanxiao, an accountant and later economist, and Li Zhousheng, a kindergarten teacher. She is very close to her older brother, Zhang Zinan. Zhang began studying dance when she was 8 years old; subsequently, she joined the Beijing Dance Academy by her parents’ suggestion at the age of 11. While at this boarding school, she noticed how mean the other girls were to each...
Selected Filmography
2000:Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2001:Rush Hour 2
2002:Hero
2004:House of Flying Daggers
2005:Memoirs of a Geisha
2006:The Banquet
2012:The Grandmasters
Background
Zhang was born and raised in Beijing, to Zhang Yuanxiao, an accountant and later economist, and Li Zhousheng, a kindergarten teacher. She is very close to her older brother, Zhang Zinan. Zhang began studying dance when she was 8 years old; subsequently, she joined the Beijing Dance Academy by her parents’ suggestion at the age of 11. While at this boarding school, she noticed how mean the other girls were to each...
- 11/6/2012
- by kingofkungfu
- AsianMoviePulse
Check out the trailer for Well Go USA's Dangerous Liaisons, starring Jang Dong-kun, Ziyi Zhang and Cecilia Cheung. Based on the novel by Choderlos de Laclos and adapted by Yan Geling. The film opens in theaters on November 9th, 2012. Set in 1930s Shanghai – the glamorous, tumultuous “Paris of the East” – this adaptation of the French novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" is the Chinese cinematic version of Dangerous Liaisons. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu(Cecilia Cheung) met her ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan(Jang Dong-kun) after years of separation. Mo became a rich and charming widower who didn’t believe in any man yet indulged herself in seeking sensuous pleasures from man while Xie became a famous womanizer who, in the bottom of his heart, never got over his love for Mo. In his luxurious life...
- 10/29/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Check out the trailer for Well Go USA's Dangerous Liaisons, starring Jang Dong-kun, Ziyi Zhang and Cecilia Cheung. Based on the novel by Choderlos de Laclos and adapted by Yan Geling. The film opens in theaters on November 9th, 2012. Set in 1930s Shanghai – the glamorous, tumultuous “Paris of the East” – this adaptation of the French novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" is the Chinese cinematic version of Dangerous Liaisons. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu(Cecilia Cheung) met her ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan(Jang Dong-kun) after years of separation. Mo became a rich and charming widower who didn’t believe in any man yet indulged herself in seeking sensuous pleasures from man while Xie became a famous womanizer who, in the bottom of his heart, never got over his love for Mo. In his luxurious life...
- 10/29/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
A few years ago Cecilia Cheung would be playing the Zhang Ziyi role. My, how times have changed. I guess it makes sense from a career trajectory (you can’t play the ingenue forever), but man, it’s still a shock to see her playing the older woman manipulating people around her (and apparently she’s only 1 year older than co-star Zhang Ziyi!). More notably, this Chinese version of “Dangerous Liaisons” is directed by South Korean helmer Jin-ho Hur, who was responsible for some monster hits in his native land, including “April Snow”, though my favorites are his more naturalistic dramas like “One Fine Spring Day” and “Christmas in August”. 1930s Shanghai: the glamorous, tumultuous “Paris of the East” whose salons, streets and bedrooms frame this Chinese adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu (Cecilia Cheung) still finds herself circling ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-kun). Even after years of separation,...
- 10/29/2012
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Chinese/South Korean co-production based on the classic French novel ‘Les Liaisons dangereuses’ by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos gets the official Us release trailer as well as teaser poster.
Director Jin-ho Hur’s adaptation of the 1782 French romance novel is not a remake of the 1988 Glenn Close-John Malkovich film, which is certainly the most popular adaptation.
The romance blockbuster which is pretty close to the book stars stunning Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,) as Du Fenyu – an update on virtuous Madame de Tourvel, with Jang Dong-gun (Tae Guk Gi, The Warrior’s Way) as Xie Yifan.
Also featuring Hong Kong actress Cecilia Chung, who plays the seductress, with Shawn Dou and Lisa Lu, the film, which takes place in 1930s Shanghai, is expected to open in limited release on November 9th, 2012.
Check out the trailer, poster and images from Chinese Dangerous Liaisons project shown during the main...
Director Jin-ho Hur’s adaptation of the 1782 French romance novel is not a remake of the 1988 Glenn Close-John Malkovich film, which is certainly the most popular adaptation.
The romance blockbuster which is pretty close to the book stars stunning Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,) as Du Fenyu – an update on virtuous Madame de Tourvel, with Jang Dong-gun (Tae Guk Gi, The Warrior’s Way) as Xie Yifan.
Also featuring Hong Kong actress Cecilia Chung, who plays the seductress, with Shawn Dou and Lisa Lu, the film, which takes place in 1930s Shanghai, is expected to open in limited release on November 9th, 2012.
Check out the trailer, poster and images from Chinese Dangerous Liaisons project shown during the main...
- 10/27/2012
- by Nick Martin
- Filmofilia
Another day, another remake (or a re-adaptation). "I said I truly love you." This one comes from China, a remake of the 1988 movie Dangerous Liaisons, which was an adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos's 1782 French romance novel of the same name (Les Liaisons dangereuses). Starring in this is the stunning Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Horsemen, The Grandmasters) as Madame de Tourvel, with Jang Dong-gun (Tae Guk Gi, The Warrior's Way) as Xie Yifan, also featuring Cecilia Chung, Shawn Dou and Lisa Lu. It actually looks surprisingly tense, and seductive, give this a watch. Watch the official Us release trailer for Jin-ho Hur's Dangerous Liaisons, in high def from Apple: 1930s Shanghai: the glamorous, tumultuous "Paris of the East" whose salons, streets and bedrooms frame this Chinese adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu (Cecilia Cheung) still...
- 10/26/2012
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
This week's indie film focus is on Hur Jin-ho's Dangerous Liaisons, browse images for the film starring Zhang Ziyi, Jang Donggun and Cecilia Cheung. Well Go USA distributes the romance adapted by Yan Geling from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, which opens in theaters fron November 9th, 2012 Set in 1930s Shanghai – the glamorous, tumultuous “Paris of the East” – this adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses is the Chinese cinematic version of Dangerous Liaisons. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu(Cecilia Cheung) met her ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan(Jang Dong-kun) after years of separation. Mo became a rich and charming widower who didn’t believe in any man yet indulged herself in seeking sensuous pleasures from man while Xie became a famous womanizer who, in the bottom of his heart, never got over his love for Mo. In his luxurious life, Xie met chaste young woman Du Fenyu(Ziyi Zhang) who...
- 10/26/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
This week's indie film focus is on Hur Jin-ho's Dangerous Liaisons, browse images for the film starring Zhang Ziyi, Jang Donggun and Cecilia Cheung. Well Go USA distributes the romance adapted by Yan Geling from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos, which opens in theaters fron November 9th, 2012 Set in 1930s Shanghai – the glamorous, tumultuous “Paris of the East” – this adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses is the Chinese cinematic version of Dangerous Liaisons. Aging socialite Mo Jieyu(Cecilia Cheung) met her ex-boyfriend Xie Yifan(Jang Dong-kun) after years of separation. Mo became a rich and charming widower who didn’t believe in any man yet indulged herself in seeking sensuous pleasures from man while Xie became a famous womanizer who, in the bottom of his heart, never got over his love for Mo. In his luxurious life, Xie met chaste young woman Du Fenyu(Ziyi Zhang) who...
- 10/26/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Seoul, South Korea — Along with the now inevitable galaxy of stars promoting blockbusters from across Asia, this year's Busan International Film Festival will screen a North Korean film for the first time in almost a decade as well as six classic Afghan movies that were hidden in a wall to save them from the Taliban.
The continent's showcase film festival, a glitzy nine-day affair that opens Thursday, has become a way for Asian nations such as China and especially South Korea to highlight their rise in the world pop culture scene. This year's fest will even take a break from film for a performance by South Korean rapper Psy, who galloped to global fame with his song "Gangnam Style."
But films from two nations not normally on the radar of regional cinephiles are also drawing attention.
"Comrade Kim Goes Flying," which was co-directed by a North Korean and two Europeans,...
The continent's showcase film festival, a glitzy nine-day affair that opens Thursday, has become a way for Asian nations such as China and especially South Korea to highlight their rise in the world pop culture scene. This year's fest will even take a break from film for a performance by South Korean rapper Psy, who galloped to global fame with his song "Gangnam Style."
But films from two nations not normally on the radar of regional cinephiles are also drawing attention.
"Comrade Kim Goes Flying," which was co-directed by a North Korean and two Europeans,...
- 10/3/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
North Korean film to screen at Busan event for the first time in decades, alongside Afghan treasures hidden from the Taliban
A South Korean film festival that is among Asia's showcase cinematic events will screen a North Korean film for the first time in almost a decade as well as six classic Afghan movies that were hidden in a wall to save them from the Taliban.
The Busan international film festival, a glitzy, nine-day affair that opens on Thursday, has become a way for Asian nations such as China and especially South Korea to highlight their rise in world popular culture.
This year's festival will even take a break from film for a performance by the South Korean rapper Psy, who galloped to global fame with his song Gangnam Style.
But films from two nations not normally on the radar of regional cinephiles are also drawing attention.
Comrade Kim Goes Flying,...
A South Korean film festival that is among Asia's showcase cinematic events will screen a North Korean film for the first time in almost a decade as well as six classic Afghan movies that were hidden in a wall to save them from the Taliban.
The Busan international film festival, a glitzy, nine-day affair that opens on Thursday, has become a way for Asian nations such as China and especially South Korea to highlight their rise in world popular culture.
This year's festival will even take a break from film for a performance by the South Korean rapper Psy, who galloped to global fame with his song Gangnam Style.
But films from two nations not normally on the radar of regional cinephiles are also drawing attention.
Comrade Kim Goes Flying,...
- 10/3/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
The burgeoning International Chinese Film Festival (formerly Sydney Chinese Film Festival) is still growing and facing teething problems but the opportunity to flourish in Australia is one that cannot be ignored. Luckily, in its fourth year the festival has expanded its reach yet again to include Melbourne in its competition and exhibitor film lineup, and festival director Lanwei Gong has certainly chosen some interesting and diverse picks to amuse, horrify and intrigue viewers both adept and new to mostly mainland Chinese films.Fresh from the gala opening at the Venice film festival and subsequently Tiff comes Hur Jin-ho's Dangerous Liaisons, boasting an impressive cast including Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung, and retelling the classic French tale in a period 1930's Shanghai setting. Oozing with sexuality and...
- 9/26/2012
- Screen Anarchy
See all of the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival distribution deals below. We'll be updating each day as new deals are announced. (Updated 9/10/12) The Place Beyond the Pines: Ryan Gosling teams up again with director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) for a drama set in Upstate New York, about a biker who turns to crime. With Bradley Cooper. Distributor: Focus Features. Expected release date: 2013. [The Wrap ] Dangerous Liaisons: In a new Chinese-language take of the French novel, previously adapted into multiple film versions, Zhang Ziyi and Jang Dong-gun star with Cecilia Cheung. Distributor: Well Go USA. Expected release date: Tba. [The Hollywood Reporter ] Fred Won’t Move Out: Elliot Gould stars in a drama about two grown children agonizing over...
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- 9/10/2012
- by Peter Martin
- Movies.com
A little behind the rest of the pack, Frankie Chan’s remake (this version is based on the 1972 martial arts classic ‘The 14 Amazons’) Legendary Amazons is finally set to debut in America, via Well Go USA. Cecilia Cheung (Shaolin Soccer), Cheng Pei-Pei (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) and Liu Ziaoqing (Plastic Flowers) star as widowed wives who must lead the other widows into battle when the last of a long line of Song generals are killed. Richie Ren (Life Without Principle, Accident) also stars as Yang Zongbao, the last of the Song generals to fall. Bonus materials include a behind-the-scenes featurette and a new, optional (the only option for that in our book, is the Off position) English dub. Legendary Amazons debuts on U.S Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital....October 16th Synopsis: Yang Zongbao is the last man standing in the Yang clan, a family of generals who have dedicated...
- 9/10/2012
- 24framespersecond.net
In advance of its North American premiere this Monday night at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, the Hollywood Reporter reports that Dangerous Liaisons, Korean director Hur Jin-ho's Chinese-language adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' classic French novel, has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Well Go USA. Hur's version of this oft-told tale, this time set in 1930's Shanghai, stars Zhang Ziyi, Jang Dong-gun, and Cecilia Cheung in the principal roles. It had its world premiere at this year's Directors' Fortnight in Cannes, where it received generally very good reviews.Dangerous Liaisons has proved over the years to be very attractive cinematic red meat for directors wishing to make sexy costume dramas with good-looking stars. Two of the most well-known versions are Stephen Frears' 1988 adaptation and...
- 9/9/2012
- Screen Anarchy
In advance of its North American premiere this Monday night at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, the Hollywood Reporter reports that Dangerous Liaisons, Korean director Hur Jin-ho's Chinese-language adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' classic French novel, has been picked up for U.S. distribution by Well Go USA. Hur's version of this oft-told tale, this time set in 1930's Shanghai, stars Zhang Ziyi, Jang Dong-gun, and Cecilia Cheung in the principal roles. It had its world premiere at this year's Directors' Fortnight in Cannes, where it received generally very good reviews.Dangerous Liaisons has proved over the years to be very attractive cinematic red meat for directors wishing to make sexy costume dramas with good-looking stars. Two of the most well-known versions are Stephen Frears' 1988 adaptation and...
- 9/9/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Jayne Mansfield.s Car
Piers Handling, CEO and Director of Tiff, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, made the first announcement of films to premiere at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival. Films announced include titles in the Galas and Special Presentations programmes. The announced films include 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations, including 38 world premieres.
Toronto audiences will be the first to see the world premieres of films from directors Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski,...
Piers Handling, CEO and Director of Tiff, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, made the first announcement of films to premiere at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival. Films announced include titles in the Galas and Special Presentations programmes. The announced films include 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations, including 38 world premieres.
Toronto audiences will be the first to see the world premieres of films from directors Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski,...
- 7/24/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Earlier, we brought you a snapshot glance at the first wave of programming announced for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Shortly after, the fest released a thorough breakdown of the Galas and Special Presentations for this year’s event, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 6.
So far, 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations have been announced, including 38 world premieres. Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski, Margarethe von Trotta, Joss Whedon and...
Hollywoodnews.com: Earlier, we brought you a snapshot glance at the first wave of programming announced for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Shortly after, the fest released a thorough breakdown of the Galas and Special Presentations for this year’s event, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 6.
So far, 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations have been announced, including 38 world premieres. Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski, Margarethe von Trotta, Joss Whedon and...
- 7/24/2012
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
2012′s Toronto International Film Festival is set to officially announce its initial line-up later today, but Variety let the cat out of the bag, at least partially; and it’s quite astounding. Most of our most-anticipated films of the year will be premiering at the Canadian festival, notably Terrence Malick‘s To the Wonder, Wachowskis & Tom Tykwer‘s epic-sounding Cloud Atlas, Rian Johnson‘s Looper (which will open the fest), Ben Affleck‘s Argo, Dereck Cianfrance‘s The Place Beyond the Pines and much, more more.
Coming from Sundance, the only mentioned film was Ben Lewis‘ John Hawkes-starring The Sessions, while Cannes premieres include Matteo Garrone‘s Reality, Thomas Vinterberg‘s The Hunt, Pablo Larrain‘s No and Jacques Audiard‘s Rust and Bone. One of the biggest surprises is a new film from Noah Baumbach, starring Greta Gerwing titled Frances Ha. There’s also The Avengers director Joss Whedon...
Coming from Sundance, the only mentioned film was Ben Lewis‘ John Hawkes-starring The Sessions, while Cannes premieres include Matteo Garrone‘s Reality, Thomas Vinterberg‘s The Hunt, Pablo Larrain‘s No and Jacques Audiard‘s Rust and Bone. One of the biggest surprises is a new film from Noah Baumbach, starring Greta Gerwing titled Frances Ha. There’s also The Avengers director Joss Whedon...
- 7/24/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Legendary Amazons
Stars: Cecilia Cheung, Xiaoqing Liu, Richie Ren | Directed by Frankie Chan
Let me see if I can get this straight: Legendary Amazons is a Chinese martial arts flick that involves a lot of silly fighting, a morbid love affair and some highly questionable familial bonds. That’s about all I’m sure of right now.
The film, directed by Hong Kong stalwart Frankie Chan (probably most well known for composing music for Wong Kar Wai), follows the predominantly female Yang family’s struggle to keep their only remaining son alive when he is summoned to battle by the emperor. Each of the Yang clan has their own specific skill set and is proficient in battle, so there’s lots of fighting. And betrayal, switched allegiances, returns from the dead and all that good stuff. I think.
Why I’m not quite certain is telling of many of the film’s flaws.
Stars: Cecilia Cheung, Xiaoqing Liu, Richie Ren | Directed by Frankie Chan
Let me see if I can get this straight: Legendary Amazons is a Chinese martial arts flick that involves a lot of silly fighting, a morbid love affair and some highly questionable familial bonds. That’s about all I’m sure of right now.
The film, directed by Hong Kong stalwart Frankie Chan (probably most well known for composing music for Wong Kar Wai), follows the predominantly female Yang family’s struggle to keep their only remaining son alive when he is summoned to battle by the emperor. Each of the Yang clan has their own specific skill set and is proficient in battle, so there’s lots of fighting. And betrayal, switched allegiances, returns from the dead and all that good stuff. I think.
Why I’m not quite certain is telling of many of the film’s flaws.
- 5/16/2012
- by Mark Allen
- Nerdly
Hong Kong director Jingle Ma follows up “Love You You” and “Mulan” with more cinematic popcorn in the glossy form of “Speed Angels”. In this latest bid for commercial success and mass appeal, Ma takes the high concept premise of putting good looking actresses behind the wheels of fast cars and throws in pretty much every soap opera style twist imaginable, making for a wacky mix of road racing and tears. The film certainly deserves credit for pulling together an impressive trio of leading ladies, headlined by Rene Liu (“Starry Starry Night”), Tang Wei (“Wu Xia”) and Cecilia Cheung (“Legendary Amazons”), as well as a pan-Asian supporting cast that includes pop star and real life racer Jimmy Lin (“If I Were You”), popular Korean television actor Han Jae Suk (“The Great Merchant”), and Kitamura Kazuki (“Kaibutsu-Kun: The Movie”) and Tanaka Chie (“Cape No.7”) from Japan. The film kicks off with...
- 5/9/2012
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
Edouard Waintrop, Artistic Director of Directors' Fortnight, has presented the lineup for this year's edition, running from May 17 through 27.
Features
Merzak Allouache's El Taaib. Evene claims it's an angry film aimed at the malaise of Algerian society.
Rodney Ascher's Room 237. A documentary about the plethora of theories that have sprung up over the years regarding just what Stanley Kubrick was up to when he made The Shining (1980). More here. IFC Midnight picked up North American rights just yesterday.
Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar and Benjamin Renner's Ernest et Célestine. From the makers of A Town Called Panic, this is an animated adaptation of a series of books about a little mouse who doesn't want to become a dentist and a big bear who doesn't want to become a notary. Site.
Benjamin Ávila's Infancia clandestina. From the San Sebastian Film Festival: "Juan lives in clandestinity. Just like his mum,...
Features
Merzak Allouache's El Taaib. Evene claims it's an angry film aimed at the malaise of Algerian society.
Rodney Ascher's Room 237. A documentary about the plethora of theories that have sprung up over the years regarding just what Stanley Kubrick was up to when he made The Shining (1980). More here. IFC Midnight picked up North American rights just yesterday.
Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar and Benjamin Renner's Ernest et Célestine. From the makers of A Town Called Panic, this is an animated adaptation of a series of books about a little mouse who doesn't want to become a dentist and a big bear who doesn't want to become a notary. Site.
Benjamin Ávila's Infancia clandestina. From the San Sebastian Film Festival: "Juan lives in clandestinity. Just like his mum,...
- 4/25/2012
- MUBI
Cecilia Cheung’s comeback continues with “Legendary Amazons”, a Chinese period epic which also marks the return of Frankie Chan (“A Warrior’s Tragedy”), being his first outing as director in over ten years. Drawing upon the same source material as Cheng Gang’s 1972 Shaw Brothers hit “The 14 Amazons”, the film is another charting the deeds of the heroic and patriotic Yang clan as they fight to defend the land against barbarian invaders, led by their courageous warrior women. With Jackie Chan onboard as producer, the film sees Cheung joined by a host of other top female performers, including Shaw action legend Cheng Pei Pei (star of many classics including “The Lady Hermit” and “Lady of Steel”), Mainland actress Liu Xiaoqing (“The Shadow of Empress Wu”) and Kathy Chow (“Sleepless Town”), with popular Taiwanese actor/singer Richie Jen (“Punished”) and Xiao Mingyu heading up the male contingent and veteran favourite...
- 1/18/2012
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
Wong Jing returns with something a little more family friendly than his usual bawdy fare in “Treasure Hunt”, an adventure comedy which he wrote, produced, starred in and co-directed with Keung Kwok Man (“Bullet and Brain”). The film drummed up a fair bit of interest as a result of starring actress Cecilia Cheung, continuing her comeback after an absence of six years despite some well-publicised off screen family woes, and even pulling in her real life young son Lucas Tse for a cameo. Comedian Ronald Cheng shares top billing, with support from Wong Jing, Liu Hua (“The Butcher The Chef and The Swordsman”) and Shao Bing (“The Lost Bladesman”), with Ekin Cheng making a brief cameo appearance. The skimpy plot sees Cheung as top commercial director Peggy, who leaves behind her displeased husband (Ekin Cheng) and son (Lucas Tse) to shoot a milk powder advert on a supposedly deserted island...
- 1/9/2012
- by James Mudge
- Beyond Hollywood
While I doubt anybody had any serious expectations for Jingle Ma's Speed Angels, the premise itself surely could have yielded something more trashy and entertaining than this cinematic lemon. The story of three female racing drivers, whose personal lives overlap and intersect more often off the track than their cars do on it, is a terminable bore that struggles to get out of first gear. For every minute of onscreen racing, we must endure half an hour of insufferable melodrama, making a two-hour movie feel like Le Mans.Bing (Rene Liu) and Mei (Cecilia Cheung) are best friends as well as teammates in the Speed Angels all-girl motor racing team. However, on the day of her wedding, Bing discovers that her Japanese fiancé, Asano (Kitamura Kazuki)...
- 1/7/2012
- Screen Anarchy
Well, it’s actually 35 seconds long, but I’d like to think that you get the idea. Below you’ll find the latest trailer for director Jingle Ma’s attractive racing flick “Speed Angels”, a Chinese motion picture that I am shamelessly excited to see. The film stars Tang Wei, Cecilia Cheung, and Rene Liu, three lovely ladies who find themselves at odds during a particularly intense championship race. Think “Days of Thunder” meets Corey Yuen’s “So Close”. Minus the martial arts, of course. If you missed the previously trailer, I’ve included that one, too...
- 11/30/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Veteran filmmaker Jingle Ma has a brand new action-packed cheesefest on the cinematic horizon, a high-octane racing flick called “Speed Angels”. The film stars three of China’s hottest actresses, namely Tang Wei, Cecilia Cheung, and Rene Liu, all of whom portray drivers competing against one another in some sort of popular racing event. It’s colorful and flashy, so I’m all over it. In order to prepare you for the ensuing awesomeness, the promotional team has dumped some new images on the media-minded masses. All of the goodies have been scientifically embedded below. If you missed the trailer, you can check that out, too...
- 11/26/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Hot girls and fast cars — it’s a goofy little recipe that makes perfect cinematic sense. Below you’ll find the first trailer for veteran director Jingle Ma’s upcoming racing flick “Speed Angels”, an effort which stars Tang Wei, Cecilia Cheung, and Rene Liu. There isn’t too much information floating around about this project at the moment, but you really don’t need to know much about the flick beyond its stars, its cars, and the fact that it opens in China very soon. The embedded clip is just a minute long, but it does a fantastic job of setting the tone for things to come. As long as it’s better than, say, “Driven”, chances are it’ll be a damn good time. “Speed Angels” opens on December 28th,...
- 11/16/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
As we shift into top gear for the busiest season in the Chinese movie calendar there are a number of key productions all vying for pole position. While it may not have the dramatic clout of Zhang Yimou's Flowers Of War of Derek Yee's The Great Magician, Jingle Ma's Speed Angels has the novelty of seeing three of the biggest female stars currently working in China going head to head on the motor racing circuit. Tang Wei, Cecilia Cheung and Rene Liu are the eponymous beauties in what looks to be a rather entertaining slice of silliness. The film also stars Jimmy Lin and Chie Tanaka and opens on the mainland on 2nd December. You can check out the trailer below, and while there aren't...
- 11/13/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Legendary Amazons is the latest movie brought to us by director Frankie Chan, Based on the legendary story of the widows and daughters of the Yang family who lived during the Song Dynasty.
Jackie Chan is the producer of the movie and at the premier of the movie he spoke about a certain part he actually wanted to play himself, “It’s a pity I’m a man,” he said, “I really wanted to portray a heroine of the family.”
At the attendance in Beijing, along with Jackie Chan and director Frankie Chan were Cecilia Cheung, Cheng Peipei, Liu Xiaoqing, Kathy Chow and Chen Zihan. Jackie and Frankie have worked on movies together in the past such as Operation Condor, Outlaw Brothers and also Drunken Master 2. You will recognize Frankie manly in the Wing Chun based movie The Prodigal Son.
The action choreographer for the movie is one of my...
Jackie Chan is the producer of the movie and at the premier of the movie he spoke about a certain part he actually wanted to play himself, “It’s a pity I’m a man,” he said, “I really wanted to portray a heroine of the family.”
At the attendance in Beijing, along with Jackie Chan and director Frankie Chan were Cecilia Cheung, Cheng Peipei, Liu Xiaoqing, Kathy Chow and Chen Zihan. Jackie and Frankie have worked on movies together in the past such as Operation Condor, Outlaw Brothers and also Drunken Master 2. You will recognize Frankie manly in the Wing Chun based movie The Prodigal Son.
The action choreographer for the movie is one of my...
- 11/3/2011
- by kingofkungfu
- AsianMoviePulse
Despite issues with members of its cast and the threat of the production shutting down altogether, it would appear that “Legendary Amazons” (aka “The Lady Generals of Yang Family”) is getting closer to seeing the light of a darkened theater in China. Produced by Jackie Chan and directed by Frankie Chan, the film is based on a famous Chinese opera set in the Song Dynasty, and also serves as a kind of “comeback” for star Cecilia Cheung. Below you’ll find a plethora of extremely cool posters for the upcoming production. As of this writing, a release date has not been set. Source: Film Smash...
- 8/25/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
If you thought the weirdly engaging poster we posted a while back was beyond silly, take a peek at the “Treasure Hunt” trailers embedded below. The movie certainly looked action-packed, though it doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously. Given the history of Wong Jing’s productions, I’m going to assume that it’s painfully low on substance. Then again, with a name like “Treasure Hunt”, you shouldn’t expect award-winning cinema. You’ve been warned. The plot synopsis is hanging out right here: Peggy (Cecilia Cheung), the renowned charming director in the advertising industry, was married with a 3 years old son Lucas (Lucas Tse). She was persuaded by her boss to shoot an advertisement on a deserted island with the so-called “The Strongest Man in the Galaxy” kung fu master Mr. Big (Ronald Cheng), a notorious womanizer and his daughter Cissy (Lin Miao Ke). Andy (Ekin Cheng), Peggy’s husband,...
- 8/15/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
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