Ten years after he attended the Tokyo International Film Festival for the screening of The Grandmaster, Tony Leung returned to the festival on Thursday to conduct a masterclass.
The Hong Kong acting icon, dressed in a black tailored suit and fashion-forward Kolor sneakers, was met with warm applause at a packed house at Tokyo’s Hulic Hall. Festival programmer Shozo Ichiyama began proceedings with Leung’s early years as an actor, namely his work with Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien on the classic A City of Sadness, which Ichiyama considered one of his personal favorites. A City of Sadness was notable as it was set in Taipei, and Leung, at the time, had no experience working outside of Hong Kong and couldn’t speak Mandarin.
“It was the start of my career, and I wanted to challenge myself,” Leung said through an interpreter on why he took on the role, given...
The Hong Kong acting icon, dressed in a black tailored suit and fashion-forward Kolor sneakers, was met with warm applause at a packed house at Tokyo’s Hulic Hall. Festival programmer Shozo Ichiyama began proceedings with Leung’s early years as an actor, namely his work with Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien on the classic A City of Sadness, which Ichiyama considered one of his personal favorites. A City of Sadness was notable as it was set in Taipei, and Leung, at the time, had no experience working outside of Hong Kong and couldn’t speak Mandarin.
“It was the start of my career, and I wanted to challenge myself,” Leung said through an interpreter on why he took on the role, given...
- 10/28/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Happy Friday, Insiders. Jesse Whittock on board to guide you through the big news items of the week. Read on and sign up for the newsletter here.
Tokyo Tales ‘Godzilla Minus One’
Local talent in abundance: First, we go to Zac Ntim in Japan for a report on the Tokyo International Film Festival… The Tokyo International Film Festival is underway in its first completely unrestricted, post-Covid-19 edition. It’s been a long time coming. Proceedings opened Monday with a well-attended opening ceremony followed by a screening of Perfect Days, the Tokyo-set Cannes title from German filmmaker Wim Wenders, who is also serving as the jury president of the festival’s main competition. This year’s competition has a strong focus on local talent, with three films from Japan in the main competition — the same number as from China. The festival’s centerpiece masterclass sessions almost entirely feature local talent.
Tokyo Tales ‘Godzilla Minus One’
Local talent in abundance: First, we go to Zac Ntim in Japan for a report on the Tokyo International Film Festival… The Tokyo International Film Festival is underway in its first completely unrestricted, post-Covid-19 edition. It’s been a long time coming. Proceedings opened Monday with a well-attended opening ceremony followed by a screening of Perfect Days, the Tokyo-set Cannes title from German filmmaker Wim Wenders, who is also serving as the jury president of the festival’s main competition. This year’s competition has a strong focus on local talent, with three films from Japan in the main competition — the same number as from China. The festival’s centerpiece masterclass sessions almost entirely feature local talent.
- 10/27/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Veteran Hong Kong actor Tony Leung passed through the Tokyo Film Festival this afternoon, where he led a masterclass session following a screening of 2046, his sixth collaboration with filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai.
Leung’s appearance onstage was brief but dense, with the actor largely digging into the early inception of his career and how he first hooked up with Wong Kar-Wai, with whom he has since made seven feature films.
“When I first met Wong Kar-wai, I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do because my acting wasn’t getting any better,” Leung told the packed audience inside Tokyo’s Hulic Hall.
Leung said at the time, he was working with Wong Kar-Wai on the 1990 feature Days of Being Wild, but he was struggling to land his character.
“I was working with Maggie Cheung. And Wong Kar-Wai was watching my acting and knew what wasn’t great about it,...
Leung’s appearance onstage was brief but dense, with the actor largely digging into the early inception of his career and how he first hooked up with Wong Kar-Wai, with whom he has since made seven feature films.
“When I first met Wong Kar-wai, I was stuck. I didn’t know what to do because my acting wasn’t getting any better,” Leung told the packed audience inside Tokyo’s Hulic Hall.
Leung said at the time, he was working with Wong Kar-Wai on the 1990 feature Days of Being Wild, but he was struggling to land his character.
“I was working with Maggie Cheung. And Wong Kar-Wai was watching my acting and knew what wasn’t great about it,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Winner of a special mention from the Sonje Award jury in Busan, “Everybody’s Gotta Love Sometimes” is a rather courageous short regarding a refugee from Myanmar who tries to navigate his current life, his sexuality and his past in France.
Everybody’s Gotta Love Sometimes is screening at Busan International Film Festival
The movie begins with Phyo, a young man lying in bed in his underwear, trying to learn French from his smartphone. The initial phrases are the typical ones, about one’s name and location, but soon his questions change to more intimate ones, such as ’embrace me’, ‘kiss me’ and ‘I want sex’, quite eloquently mirroring the sentiments of the protagonist. An expected masturbation soon gives its stead to a visit to a sex shop, but a phone call about the papers needed for Phyo’s stay in France bring the protagonist back to reality, to a point at least.
Everybody’s Gotta Love Sometimes is screening at Busan International Film Festival
The movie begins with Phyo, a young man lying in bed in his underwear, trying to learn French from his smartphone. The initial phrases are the typical ones, about one’s name and location, but soon his questions change to more intimate ones, such as ’embrace me’, ‘kiss me’ and ‘I want sex’, quite eloquently mirroring the sentiments of the protagonist. An expected masturbation soon gives its stead to a visit to a sex shop, but a phone call about the papers needed for Phyo’s stay in France bring the protagonist back to reality, to a point at least.
- 10/17/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Hong Kong multihyphenate Andy Lau may just be ready to star in a Hollywood movie after long being a box office king and pop star in Asia. But only if the major studios will meet him on his terms.
“I’m ready for Hollywood, as long as Hollywood is ready for me,” Lau said during an informal conversation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday after a more than four-decade career stopping short of following his contemporaries and heading to Hollywood.
In Toronto to receive a special tribute award ahead of the Sept. 15 world premiere of Ning Hao’s The Movie Emperor, Lau said he always enjoyed playing the bad guy in movies as a change of pace early in his career. “I don’t know why in the beginning, everyone saw me as the good guy,” he insisted.
Lau, who sits near the top of China’s A-list...
“I’m ready for Hollywood, as long as Hollywood is ready for me,” Lau said during an informal conversation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday after a more than four-decade career stopping short of following his contemporaries and heading to Hollywood.
In Toronto to receive a special tribute award ahead of the Sept. 15 world premiere of Ning Hao’s The Movie Emperor, Lau said he always enjoyed playing the bad guy in movies as a change of pace early in his career. “I don’t know why in the beginning, everyone saw me as the good guy,” he insisted.
Lau, who sits near the top of China’s A-list...
- 9/16/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fest runs September 7-17.
TIFF has announced additional TIFF Tribute Award recipients, with Brazilian filmmaker Carolina Markowicz, Polish cinematographer Lukasz Zal, and Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau joining the roster.
Markowicz will receive the TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by MGM Studios. The award is in the spirit of Torontonian Mary Pickford, the groundbreaking actor, producer, and co-founder of United Artists.
Markowicz will present the world premiere of her second feature Toll on September 9. The film centres on a Brazilian mother who falls in with a gang of thieves in an attempt to keep her family afloat. Her first film...
TIFF has announced additional TIFF Tribute Award recipients, with Brazilian filmmaker Carolina Markowicz, Polish cinematographer Lukasz Zal, and Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau joining the roster.
Markowicz will receive the TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by MGM Studios. The award is in the spirit of Torontonian Mary Pickford, the groundbreaking actor, producer, and co-founder of United Artists.
Markowicz will present the world premiere of her second feature Toll on September 9. The film centres on a Brazilian mother who falls in with a gang of thieves in an attempt to keep her family afloat. Her first film...
- 8/22/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Editor’s Note: This story was originally posted on July 23, 2017, and has been updated multiple times since.
Few cinematic moments can burn themselves into an audience’s psyche better than a good sex scene. They can shock, arouse, or simply capture human beauty in ways that cinema is uniquely positioned to do. Sex scenes don’t have to define the movies they appear in, but they’re often the parts you remember the most.
The nature of sex scenes are constantly evolving, as the prevalence of intimacy coordinators and increased concern for performers’ safety in Hollywood is hopefully making regrettable sex scenes a thing of the past. That has allowed sexy cinema to flourish, with plenty of tantalizing movies hitting the multiplex in recent years. With that in mind, it felt like the right time to compile some of the best additions to the sexy film canon.
Our list of...
Few cinematic moments can burn themselves into an audience’s psyche better than a good sex scene. They can shock, arouse, or simply capture human beauty in ways that cinema is uniquely positioned to do. Sex scenes don’t have to define the movies they appear in, but they’re often the parts you remember the most.
The nature of sex scenes are constantly evolving, as the prevalence of intimacy coordinators and increased concern for performers’ safety in Hollywood is hopefully making regrettable sex scenes a thing of the past. That has allowed sexy cinema to flourish, with plenty of tantalizing movies hitting the multiplex in recent years. With that in mind, it felt like the right time to compile some of the best additions to the sexy film canon.
Our list of...
- 8/17/2023
- by Christian Zilko, Samantha Bergeson and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Fest runs September 7-17.
Pedro Almodóvar, Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun, and Andy Lau will take part in the TIFF In Conversation With… series of on-stage talks next month.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF chief programming officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse line-up of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
Almodóvar will present the North American premiere of his short film Strange Way Of Life starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. His credits include All About My Mother,...
Pedro Almodóvar, Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun, and Andy Lau will take part in the TIFF In Conversation With… series of on-stage talks next month.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF chief programming officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse line-up of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
Almodóvar will present the North American premiere of his short film Strange Way Of Life starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. His credits include All About My Mother,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Toronto International Film Festival has announced the participants for this year’s “In Conversation With…” series, including headliners Pedro Almodóvar, Andy Lau and Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel transformation,” said TIFF Chief Programming Officer Anita Lee. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
The 2023 lineup represents a global and diverse gathering which will weave together unique perspectives that contribute to shaping the global entertainment landscape.
Almodóvar will receive this year’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media at the TIFF Tribute Awards. The Oscar-winning director of “All About My Mother,” “Talk to Her” and “Pain and Glory” will present the North American premiere of his short feature “Strange Way of Life.” The western romance, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal,...
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel transformation,” said TIFF Chief Programming Officer Anita Lee. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
The 2023 lineup represents a global and diverse gathering which will weave together unique perspectives that contribute to shaping the global entertainment landscape.
Almodóvar will receive this year’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media at the TIFF Tribute Awards. The Oscar-winning director of “All About My Mother,” “Talk to Her” and “Pain and Glory” will present the North American premiere of his short feature “Strange Way of Life.” The western romance, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
TIFF has begun announcing their Conversation With… (Icw) series for this year’s fest with Oscar winner Pedro Almodóvar, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau and Concrete Utopia Korean stars Lee Byung-hun and Park
Seo-jun set to sit down for chats.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel
transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
Almodóvar is already set to receive TIFF’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media this year at the fest’s Tribute Awards. His short, Strange Way of Life, which played at Cannes, will also make its North American premiere at TIFF. Short follows the relationship between a sheriff (Ethan Hawke) and a rancher
(Pedro Pascal) and their shared past.
Concrete Utopia stars...
Seo-jun set to sit down for chats.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel
transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
Almodóvar is already set to receive TIFF’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media this year at the fest’s Tribute Awards. His short, Strange Way of Life, which played at Cannes, will also make its North American premiere at TIFF. Short follows the relationship between a sheriff (Ethan Hawke) and a rancher
(Pedro Pascal) and their shared past.
Concrete Utopia stars...
- 8/11/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Hong Kong On Screen (Hkos) is proud to present the first ever Hong Kong On Screen Film Festival (Hkosff). Running April 28-30, 2023 at the Starlight Whittier Village Cinemas, it will showcase 8 feature films, 2 documentaries, 8 shorts curated from a global open call for submissions, and a 20th anniversary tribute of the passing of Hk icons Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui.
Founded in 2022 in response to the ongoing political upheaval in Hong Kong and China’s encroaching presence in the international city-state, Hkos is a collective of academics, artists, students, and concerned global citizens dedicated to preserving the voice of freedom from Hong Kong and to promote its local culture through cinema, cultural exchange, and dialogue.
Since its inception, Hkos has proactively engaged in and/or supported a variety of cultural programming in order to serve the Hong Kong diaspora in the Greater LA area and beyond. This has included a special...
Founded in 2022 in response to the ongoing political upheaval in Hong Kong and China’s encroaching presence in the international city-state, Hkos is a collective of academics, artists, students, and concerned global citizens dedicated to preserving the voice of freedom from Hong Kong and to promote its local culture through cinema, cultural exchange, and dialogue.
Since its inception, Hkos has proactively engaged in and/or supported a variety of cultural programming in order to serve the Hong Kong diaspora in the Greater LA area and beyond. This has included a special...
- 4/26/2023
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Wong Kar-wai isn't a filmmaker particularly known for his sense of humour. His work is many things: romantic, sumptuous, sensual, atmospheric. When he does attempt comedy, it's often tied to one character, an oddball outlier who provides a humorous foil to one of his stony-faced protagonists. The last thing you would expect his name attached to is a wacky parody wuxia movie less in line with King Hu and more on the same page as a Zucker Brothers production, and yet, from the spare change of the enormously expensive and troubled production behind his own “Ashes of Time”, “The Eagle Shooting Heroes” exists.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Jet Tone Films was established after the release of Wong's first two sensitive tough guy movies (“As Tears Go By” and “Days of Being Wild”), and its initial efforts went towards adapting Jin Yong's classic wuxia novel,...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Jet Tone Films was established after the release of Wong's first two sensitive tough guy movies (“As Tears Go By” and “Days of Being Wild”), and its initial efforts went towards adapting Jin Yong's classic wuxia novel,...
- 4/2/2023
- by Simon Ramshaw
- AsianMoviePulse
Editor’s Note: This story was originally posted on July 23, 2017, and has been updated multiple times since.
Few cinematic moments can burn themselves into an audience’s psyche better than a good sex scene. They can shock, arouse, or simply capture human beauty in ways that cinema is uniquely positioned to do. Sex scenes don’t have to define the movies they appear in, but they’re often the parts you remember the most.
The nature of sex scenes are constantly evolving, as the prevalence of intimacy coordinators and increased concern for performers’ safety in Hollywood is hopefully making regrettable sex scenes a thing of the past. That has allowed sexy cinema to flourish, with plenty of tantalizing movies hitting the multiplex in recent years. With that in mind, it felt like the right time to compile some of the best additions to the sexy film canon.
Our list of...
Few cinematic moments can burn themselves into an audience’s psyche better than a good sex scene. They can shock, arouse, or simply capture human beauty in ways that cinema is uniquely positioned to do. Sex scenes don’t have to define the movies they appear in, but they’re often the parts you remember the most.
The nature of sex scenes are constantly evolving, as the prevalence of intimacy coordinators and increased concern for performers’ safety in Hollywood is hopefully making regrettable sex scenes a thing of the past. That has allowed sexy cinema to flourish, with plenty of tantalizing movies hitting the multiplex in recent years. With that in mind, it felt like the right time to compile some of the best additions to the sexy film canon.
Our list of...
- 2/4/2023
- by Christian Zilko, Samantha Bergeson and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
And just like that, winter has come again. HBO Max’s list of new releases for August 2022 is highlighted by the return of the king. Or more accurately: the return of the queen … of the Seven Kingdoms.
Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Aug. 21, just over three years after Game of Thrones concluded in controversial fashion with “The Iron Throne.” This new series is a prequel, depicting the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons from George R.R. Martin’s lore. When dragon fights dragon, the realm will be torn asunder. But the viewer will certainly delight in all the Targaryen action.
Read more TV How House of the Dragon Is Approaching the Game of Thrones Ending Backlash By David Crow TV House of the Dragon: What Rickard Stark Means for the Game of Thrones Spinoff...
Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is set to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Aug. 21, just over three years after Game of Thrones concluded in controversial fashion with “The Iron Throne.” This new series is a prequel, depicting the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons from George R.R. Martin’s lore. When dragon fights dragon, the realm will be torn asunder. But the viewer will certainly delight in all the Targaryen action.
Read more TV How House of the Dragon Is Approaching the Game of Thrones Ending Backlash By David Crow TV House of the Dragon: What Rickard Stark Means for the Game of Thrones Spinoff...
- 8/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Restored versions of Chinese language cinema classics Wong Kar-wai’s “Days of Being Wild” (1990) and Jia Zhangke’s first full-length feature “Pickpocket” (“Xiao Wu”) 1998) will lead the inaugural program of Hong Kong’s M+ Cinema, which will be opened to the public on June 8.
The opening program also features the Hong Kong premiere of one of the films from Russian director Ilya Khrzhanovskiy’s epic project series “Dau,” making the M+ Museum notable for not canceling Russian culture following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The cinema, comprising three theaters with seating capacity of 180, 60, and 40 seats, is a core facility of the Moving Image Centre at M+, the visual culture museum that opened in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District in November last year. Moving images, including artist-made audio-visual works, artist films, and traditional feature films, are considered among one of the three key disciplines of the mega institution...
The opening program also features the Hong Kong premiere of one of the films from Russian director Ilya Khrzhanovskiy’s epic project series “Dau,” making the M+ Museum notable for not canceling Russian culture following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The cinema, comprising three theaters with seating capacity of 180, 60, and 40 seats, is a core facility of the Moving Image Centre at M+, the visual culture museum that opened in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District in November last year. Moving images, including artist-made audio-visual works, artist films, and traditional feature films, are considered among one of the three key disciplines of the mega institution...
- 6/3/2022
- by Vivienne Chow
- Variety Film + TV
The final entry in Wong Kar-wai’s informal love trilogy after “Days of Being Wild” (1990) and “In the Mood for Love” (2000) is set in the 60’s and took 4 years to complete before it came out in 2004. As the informal sequel to “In the Mood for Love” which is considered as his masterpiece “2046” had a lot to live up to. Even with such hype “2046” lived up to the expectations and can be argued as even better than its predecessor.
“2046” Screened at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Unlike any other films by Wong, “2046” has a much more complex story, told by jumping through time and reality. After the events of “In the Mood for Love”, Chow Mo-wan spends life as a writer and returns to Hong Kong after spending some years in Singapore. Getting over his idealized love for Su Li-zhen, he has become a womanizer. The hotel...
“2046” Screened at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Unlike any other films by Wong, “2046” has a much more complex story, told by jumping through time and reality. After the events of “In the Mood for Love”, Chow Mo-wan spends life as a writer and returns to Hong Kong after spending some years in Singapore. Getting over his idealized love for Su Li-zhen, he has become a womanizer. The hotel...
- 11/19/2021
- by Jithin Mohan
- AsianMoviePulse
Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most recognized filmmakers amongst cinephiles today. His films often include themes of romance and loneliness and are known for their strong, vibrant artistic style, which he cultivated from the similar style of his mentor Patrick Tam Kar-Ming. The biggest ambassador of the Hong Kong Second Wave movement, his films are regularly screened at prestigious film festivals across the world. Many consider “In The Mood For Love” (2000) to be his magnum opus. The film, which earned Tony Leung Chiu-Wai the Best Actor honour at Cannes Film Festival 2000, is currently available in a new restoration.
“In the Mood for Love” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
“In The Mood For Love” is the second part of a loosely attached trilogy, which includes “Days Of Being Wild” (1990) and “2046” (2004). Su Li-Zhen and Chow Mo-Wan, characters from Wong’s 1990 film, reappear as Shanghai expatriates renting adjacent...
“In the Mood for Love” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
“In The Mood For Love” is the second part of a loosely attached trilogy, which includes “Days Of Being Wild” (1990) and “2046” (2004). Su Li-Zhen and Chow Mo-Wan, characters from Wong’s 1990 film, reappear as Shanghai expatriates renting adjacent...
- 11/17/2021
- by Raktim Nandi
- AsianMoviePulse
Wong Kar-wai is the most internationally renown Hong Kong auteur, whose personal vision of this unique city, enclosed in the stylized frames, seducing with lyrical beauty, has earned him a permanent space in the hearts of the viewers and in the history of cinema. The retrospective we will present at the 15th Five Flavours includes seven of his extraordinary works: from his grasping debut, flirting with the aesthetic of the best action cinema (“As Tears Go By”), through the tender portrayals of the inhabitants of the labyrinth city, pulsating with music video lights, to refined, sensual masterpieces about the impossible love.
The screenings will be a completely new experience – the radiant beauty of the films has been restored using cutting-edge digital techniques, under the director’s supervision. As the director himself said: No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.
The screenings will be a completely new experience – the radiant beauty of the films has been restored using cutting-edge digital techniques, under the director’s supervision. As the director himself said: No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.
- 7/30/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
After the success of “As Tears Go By”, filmmaker Wong Kar-wai could have embarked on a very lucrative artistic journey, exploring the genre of action and crime even further, and while some of his later efforts contain traces of these genres, they are distinct departures from what Hong Kong cinema was known for at the beginning of the 1990s. Already with his second feature “Days of Being Wild”, he would create the brand of cinema international audiences have come to know from the director, a change emphasized by his collaboration with cinematographer Christopher Doyle, who would be integral in the genesis of the filmmaker’s unique style and approach to storytelling. In “Days of Being Wild”, Wong Kar-wai tells the stories of various characters, how their paths intertwine and relate to each other, defined by romance, love and dreams, and, above all, the urban landscape of Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong,...
In Hong Kong,...
- 7/22/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The Criterion Channel’s July 2021 Lineup Includes Wong Kar Wai, Neo-Noir, Art-House Animation & More
The July lineup at The Criterion Channel has been revealed, most notably featuring the new Wong Kar Wai restorations from the recent box set release, including As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, 2046, and his shorts Hua yang de nian hua and The Hand.
Also among the lineup is a series on neo-noir with Body Double, Manhunter, Thief, The Last Seduction, Cutter’s Way, Brick, Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and more. The channel will also feature a spotlight on art-house animation with work by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more.
With Jodie Mack’s delightful The Grand Bizarre, the landmark doc Hoop Dreams, Orson Welles’ take on Othello, the recent Oscar entries Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time and You Will Die at Twenty, and much more,...
Also among the lineup is a series on neo-noir with Body Double, Manhunter, Thief, The Last Seduction, Cutter’s Way, Brick, Night Moves, The Long Goodbye, Chinatown, and more. The channel will also feature a spotlight on art-house animation with work by Marcell Jankovics, Satoshi Kon, Ari Folman, Don Hertzfeldt, Karel Zeman, and more.
With Jodie Mack’s delightful The Grand Bizarre, the landmark doc Hoop Dreams, Orson Welles’ take on Othello, the recent Oscar entries Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time and You Will Die at Twenty, and much more,...
- 6/24/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Film fans will be able to immerse themselves in the ravishing, dreamlike World Of Wong Kar Wai on the big screen this July, with a complete retrospective of the Hong Kong master filmmakers presented by the BFI and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Ica), in partnership with Janus Films. This complete retrospective will take place at BFI Southbank and the Ica from 7-31 July and will include 7 brand-new 4K restorations, 5 of which have been overseen by Wong Kar Wai himself. With his lush and sensual visuals, pitch-perfect soundtracks, and soulful romanticism, Wong Kar Wai has established himself as one of the defining auteurs of contemporary cinema. Titles screening will include offbeat love story Chungking Express (1994), breathtaking romance In The Mood For Love (2000), alluring period drama 2046 (2004), thrilling historical biopic The Grandmaster (2013) and many more. Whether tragically romantic, soaked in blood, or quirkily comedic, the films in this retrospective are an...
- 6/12/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
One of cinema’s great collaborations is that between director Wong Kar-wai and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, together responsible for Days of Being Wild, Ashes of Time, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, and 2046—the majority of which were restored for Criterion’s new box set. With Wong retooling his films in varying capacities, we’ve wondered if Doyle was involved in this process and what he thinks about the changes. When we caught up with the cinematographer about a year ago, he didn’t seem greatly interested in revisiting his acclaimed work with the Hong Kong legend, but he’s since opened up in a recent interview.
“I think that we should not be so sensitive with our works. You have to let go, let them go. No need to masturbate over creations. I was not firmly involved in the restorations, although I gave my...
“I think that we should not be so sensitive with our works. You have to let go, let them go. No need to masturbate over creations. I was not firmly involved in the restorations, although I gave my...
- 4/19/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Criterion Collection adds another indispensable boxed set to its library with this month’s release of World of Wong Kar Wai, a package of seven essential features, all restored and remastered and accompanied by an abundance of interviews, deleted scenes, and alternate endings. Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love have been released by Criterion before, but the remaining five films – As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, and 2046 – are new to the label and presented here in vastly superior presentations to prior U.S. home video releases. The early films are […]
The post World of Wong Kar Wai, The Ten Commandments, Southland Tales and More: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post World of Wong Kar Wai, The Ten Commandments, Southland Tales and More: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/26/2021
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The Criterion Collection adds another indispensable boxed set to its library with this month’s release of World of Wong Kar Wai, a package of seven essential features, all restored and remastered and accompanied by an abundance of interviews, deleted scenes, and alternate endings. Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love have been released by Criterion before, but the remaining five films – As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, and 2046 – are new to the label and presented here in vastly superior presentations to prior U.S. home video releases. The early films are […]
The post World of Wong Kar Wai, The Ten Commandments, Southland Tales and More: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post World of Wong Kar Wai, The Ten Commandments, Southland Tales and More: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/26/2021
- by Jim Hemphill
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Nothing lasts forever in the world of Wong Kar-wai. Not countries, not relationships, not cans of pineapples. “Like Hong Kong,” filmmaker Olivier Assayas observed in a speech honoring Wong at the 2017 Lumiere Film Festival:
Wong’s cinema is built upon the ephemeral: the ephemeral nature of exile coupled with the ephemeral identity and existence of a city set on the edge of a precipice, living in a constant state of uncertainty at the mercy of mainland China, which could swallow it any moment and wipe out everything it has built, from one day to the next. This is a fleeting world of which Wong has preserved fragments, conscious of cinema’s mysterious ability to freeze time and bear witness to that which other arts cannot capture.
In the context of such a slippery body of work, it’s a strange feeling to actually hold the Criterion Collection’s astonishing new...
Wong’s cinema is built upon the ephemeral: the ephemeral nature of exile coupled with the ephemeral identity and existence of a city set on the edge of a precipice, living in a constant state of uncertainty at the mercy of mainland China, which could swallow it any moment and wipe out everything it has built, from one day to the next. This is a fleeting world of which Wong has preserved fragments, conscious of cinema’s mysterious ability to freeze time and bear witness to that which other arts cannot capture.
In the context of such a slippery body of work, it’s a strange feeling to actually hold the Criterion Collection’s astonishing new...
- 3/24/2021
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most recognized filmmakers amongst cinephiles today. His films often include themes of romance and loneliness and are known for their strong, vibrant artistic style, which he cultivated from the similar style of his mentor Patrick Tam Kar-Ming. The biggest ambassador of the Hong Kong Second Wave movement, his films are regularly screened at prestigious film festivals across the world. Many consider “In The Mood For Love” (2000) to be his magnum opus. The film, which earned Tony Leung Chiu-Wai the Best Actor honour at Cannes Film Festival 2000, is currently available in a new restoration.
“In The Mood For Love” is the second part of a loosely attached trilogy, which includes “Days Of Being Wild” (1990) and “2046” (2004). Su Li-Zhen and Chow Mo-Wan, characters from Wong’s 1990 film, reappear as Shanghai expatriates renting adjacent rooms at an apartment in 1962 British Hong Kong. They are often alone in their rooms,...
“In The Mood For Love” is the second part of a loosely attached trilogy, which includes “Days Of Being Wild” (1990) and “2046” (2004). Su Li-Zhen and Chow Mo-Wan, characters from Wong’s 1990 film, reappear as Shanghai expatriates renting adjacent rooms at an apartment in 1962 British Hong Kong. They are often alone in their rooms,...
- 3/21/2021
- by Raktim Nandi
- AsianMoviePulse
A North American rights deal for mainland Chinese fantasy action film ‘God of War II, was one of several film sales deals struck by Hong Kong’s Media Asia at the recent European Film Market and the ongoing FilMart.
Directed by Cai Cong, and starring Charles Lin, Liu Yuxi and David Wu, the film was completed in 2020. The buyer was WellGo USA, a regular distributor of Chinese and other Asian movies.
Media Asia also hatched a package of deals for films including “Septet,” “Fagara” and “The Calling of a Bus Driver” with Japanese distributor Musahino. It licensef “Septet” and “Tales From the Occult” to Singapore-based Clover Films for both Singapore and Malaysia.
“Septet: The Story of Hong Kong” is an anthology of seven short films by seven of the city’s most revered directors – Tsui Hark, Ann Hui, Sammo Hung, Patrick Tam, Yuen Woo-ping, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To, who...
Directed by Cai Cong, and starring Charles Lin, Liu Yuxi and David Wu, the film was completed in 2020. The buyer was WellGo USA, a regular distributor of Chinese and other Asian movies.
Media Asia also hatched a package of deals for films including “Septet,” “Fagara” and “The Calling of a Bus Driver” with Japanese distributor Musahino. It licensef “Septet” and “Tales From the Occult” to Singapore-based Clover Films for both Singapore and Malaysia.
“Septet: The Story of Hong Kong” is an anthology of seven short films by seven of the city’s most revered directors – Tsui Hark, Ann Hui, Sammo Hung, Patrick Tam, Yuen Woo-ping, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To, who...
- 3/18/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Hong Kong studio also seals string of deals on Tales From The Occult, Fagara and a package of 4K restored classics.
Media Asia Distribution has sealed a string of sales during the European Film Market (EFM) and Filmart period, including a North American deal on Cai Cong’s historical action title God Of War 2, which has gone to Well Go USA.
The Hong Kong-based studio has also sold three titles to Musahino in Japan – omnibus Septet: The Story Of Hong Kong, Heiward Mak’s Fagara and Patrick Kong’s The Calling Of A Bus Driver.
Septet: The Story Of Hong...
Media Asia Distribution has sealed a string of sales during the European Film Market (EFM) and Filmart period, including a North American deal on Cai Cong’s historical action title God Of War 2, which has gone to Well Go USA.
The Hong Kong-based studio has also sold three titles to Musahino in Japan – omnibus Septet: The Story Of Hong Kong, Heiward Mak’s Fagara and Patrick Kong’s The Calling Of A Bus Driver.
Septet: The Story Of Hong...
- 3/17/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Must of the Month
After creating gorgeous box sets celebrating the films of Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini, The Criterion Collection turns its attentions to one of the great auteurs who isn’t a dead white guy: World of Wong Kar Wai is a seven-Blu-ray set that features 4K restorations of contemporary masterpieces like “Chungking Express,” “In the Mood for Love,” “2046,” “Happy Together,” “Days of Being Wild,” “Fallen Angels,” and “As Tears Go By,” with a treasure trove of extras including a new interview with Wong answering questions submitted by the likes of Chloé Zhao, Sofia Coppola, Rian Johnson, and Kate and Laura Mulleavy; alternate cuts and short films never before made available on U.S. home video; an essay by Wong expert John Powers; and much more. It’s a monument to one of cinema’s living giants that every film lover should have on their shelf.
New...
After creating gorgeous box sets celebrating the films of Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini, The Criterion Collection turns its attentions to one of the great auteurs who isn’t a dead white guy: World of Wong Kar Wai is a seven-Blu-ray set that features 4K restorations of contemporary masterpieces like “Chungking Express,” “In the Mood for Love,” “2046,” “Happy Together,” “Days of Being Wild,” “Fallen Angels,” and “As Tears Go By,” with a treasure trove of extras including a new interview with Wong answering questions submitted by the likes of Chloé Zhao, Sofia Coppola, Rian Johnson, and Kate and Laura Mulleavy; alternate cuts and short films never before made available on U.S. home video; an essay by Wong expert John Powers; and much more. It’s a monument to one of cinema’s living giants that every film lover should have on their shelf.
New...
- 3/9/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
All products and services featured by IndieWire are independently selected by IndieWire editors. However, IndieWire may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
If shelf space were unlimited, you’d find the walls of many a cinephile’s living room absolutely stacked floor to ceiling with Criterion Collection Blu-rays. Allow us to indulge your itch to add to your personal film collection with this list of some of the biggest and best upcoming Criterion Collection releases, including a massive box set of Wong Kar Wai’s films, plus new Blu-ray releases of some favorites.
“World of Wong Kar Wai”
Release Date: March 23
Buy: World of Wong Kar Wai $199.95 $159.99 Buy it
First things first: There’s plenty to admire in this collector’s set of the director’s films, which includes new 4K digital restorations of “Chungking Express,...
If shelf space were unlimited, you’d find the walls of many a cinephile’s living room absolutely stacked floor to ceiling with Criterion Collection Blu-rays. Allow us to indulge your itch to add to your personal film collection with this list of some of the biggest and best upcoming Criterion Collection releases, including a massive box set of Wong Kar Wai’s films, plus new Blu-ray releases of some favorites.
“World of Wong Kar Wai”
Release Date: March 23
Buy: World of Wong Kar Wai $199.95 $159.99 Buy it
First things first: There’s plenty to admire in this collector’s set of the director’s films, which includes new 4K digital restorations of “Chungking Express,...
- 2/24/2021
- by Jean Bentley
- Indiewire
“Love is all a matter of timing” – Wong Kar Wai
The BFI and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Ica), in partnership with Janus Films, today announces the World Of Wong Kar Wai, screening on BFI Player and through the Ica’s newly launched online platform ‘Cinema 3’ during February 2021. With his lush and sensual visuals, pitch-perfect soundtracks, and soulful romanticism, Wong Kar-wai has established himself as one of the defining auteurs of contemporary cinema. This retrospective of the Hong Kong master filmmaker, including 7 brand-new 4K restorations, 5 of which have been overseen by Wong Kar Wai himself (full credits of which can be found in the notes to editors), will be available via the Ica’s digital programme platform Cinema 3 (from 1 February) and BFI Player (from 8 February). Titles will include offbeat love story Chungking Express (1994), breathtaking romance In The Mood For Love (2000), alluring period drama 2046 (2004), thrilling historical biopic The Grandmaster (2013) and many more.
The BFI and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Ica), in partnership with Janus Films, today announces the World Of Wong Kar Wai, screening on BFI Player and through the Ica’s newly launched online platform ‘Cinema 3’ during February 2021. With his lush and sensual visuals, pitch-perfect soundtracks, and soulful romanticism, Wong Kar-wai has established himself as one of the defining auteurs of contemporary cinema. This retrospective of the Hong Kong master filmmaker, including 7 brand-new 4K restorations, 5 of which have been overseen by Wong Kar Wai himself (full credits of which can be found in the notes to editors), will be available via the Ica’s digital programme platform Cinema 3 (from 1 February) and BFI Player (from 8 February). Titles will include offbeat love story Chungking Express (1994), breathtaking romance In The Mood For Love (2000), alluring period drama 2046 (2004), thrilling historical biopic The Grandmaster (2013) and many more.
- 2/3/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The Criterion Collection’s March 2020 lineup has been unveiled, and it’s an epic one. Along with their previously announced Wong Kar Wai box set, they will also release Jacques Rivette’s masterpiece Céline and Julie Go Boating, which was long unavailable in good quality and recently debuted on The Criterion Channel.
Also arriving in March is Mike Leigh’s Palme d’Or winner Secrets & Lies, Albert Brooks’ Defending Your Life (with a new essay by Ari Aster), and, getting a solo release after its inclusion in a World Cinema Project box set, Djibril Diop Mambéty’s Touki Bouki, which we discussed on The Film Stage Show below.
Check out the lineup and special features below, with more details on their official site.
New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-rayAudio commentary from 2017 featuring critic Adrian MartinJacques Rivette: Le veilleur, a 1994 two-part feature documentary by Claire Denis,...
Also arriving in March is Mike Leigh’s Palme d’Or winner Secrets & Lies, Albert Brooks’ Defending Your Life (with a new essay by Ari Aster), and, getting a solo release after its inclusion in a World Cinema Project box set, Djibril Diop Mambéty’s Touki Bouki, which we discussed on The Film Stage Show below.
Check out the lineup and special features below, with more details on their official site.
New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-rayAudio commentary from 2017 featuring critic Adrian MartinJacques Rivette: Le veilleur, a 1994 two-part feature documentary by Claire Denis,...
- 12/16/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The premiere of career-spanning restorations has been a time to again celebrate the cinema of Wong Kar-wai—but not without complications and conflicted feelings. Rather than give his tales of love, crime, and Hong Kong a 4K sheen and call it a day, Wong’s taken the opportunity to rejig his material in ways both minor and major. There’s a new, uniform style of closing credits to create “a reminder to our audience that these are the restored versions,” which most won’t notice. But in the case of Fallen Angels, he’s expanded the aspect ratio and made certain coloring changes that, as our Managing Editor discovered, are more than a little tinker. Predictably, people have strong feelings.
You can preview this new look and feel in a trailer for the 4K restoration. Having seen it myself, I can at least say the new widescreen transfer works: the images remain fluid,...
You can preview this new look and feel in a trailer for the 4K restoration. Having seen it myself, I can at least say the new widescreen transfer works: the images remain fluid,...
- 12/11/2020
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
When it was announced that acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar-wai was going back to restore all of his films in 4K, people were ecstatic. This is a director that has released some of the very best films of the past several decades, including what some consider a couple of the best films of all time. But really, what excited people most about the announcement was the inevitability of a box set release. Well, welcome to the “World of Wong Kar-wai.”
Read More: Wong Kar-Wai Reveals He Has Tweaked Many Of His Classic Films Restored In 4K
Criterion just announced a 7-disc box set containing remastered versions of Wong Kar-wai’s films such as “As Tears Go By,” “Days of Being Wild,” “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels,” “Happy Together,” “In the Mood for Love,” and “2046.” Many of these films are currently available to stream or purchase in other releases, but what Criterion...
Read More: Wong Kar-Wai Reveals He Has Tweaked Many Of His Classic Films Restored In 4K
Criterion just announced a 7-disc box set containing remastered versions of Wong Kar-wai’s films such as “As Tears Go By,” “Days of Being Wild,” “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels,” “Happy Together,” “In the Mood for Love,” and “2046.” Many of these films are currently available to stream or purchase in other releases, but what Criterion...
- 12/10/2020
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Andy Lau is on the phone, alone in a crowded bar, shoulders to the camera, palms cupped on the handset. We’re halfway through Wong Kar-wai’s first film, As Tears Go By (1988), and his Wah, a small-time gangster, is trying to reach Ngor (Maggie Cheung), a cousin he once hosted in his flat but has long since lost touch with. There was undeniable attraction between the two, but neither was brave enough to act upon it: Ngor returned to Lantau island to help in the family's restaurant, and Wah resumed his duties in the underworld. She’s not around, a woman tells him on the other end; he hangs up, reaches for a cigarette.And this is when it happens. The bar goes quiet for a second or two, until a jukebox starts singing a Cantonese rendition of Berlin’s 1986 hit “Take My Breath Away”, which catapults Wah into a bus,...
- 12/9/2020
- MUBI
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSThe 49th annual New Directors/New Films (Nd/Nf) has been rescheduled from March to December 9-20, with films slated to premiere in the Film at Lincoln Center Virtual Cinema. The line-up includes Zheng Lu Xinyuan’s The Cloud in Her Room, Maya Da-Rin's The Fever, and Alexander Nanau’s Collective. Lynne Ramsay, who last directed You Were Never Really Here, will be adapting Steven King's psychological horror novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, about a young girl who becomes lost in the woods. Recommended VIEWINGAbel Ferrara's new documentary, Sportin' Life, which premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival in August, has gone an unusual premiere route, streaming first through Indiewire (currently unavailable), and now at The Film Stage. Shot by Sean Price Willaims, the documentary follows Ferrara as he...
- 11/18/2020
- MUBI
"Love is all a matter of timing." Ain't that the truth... Janus Films has unveiled an official trailer for the retrospective series kicking off this fall officially titled The World of Wong Kar Wai, featuring seven of his finest films restored in glorious 4K. "Films you'll love for 10,000 years, the cinema of Wong Kar Wai is steeped in sensual colors, groundbreaking editing, and heart-wrenching drama. Janus Films is proud to present a touring retrospective that includes brand-new restorations of seven of the master's most dazzling films, including the US premiere of Chungking Express (1994) and the world premiere of newly restored films As Tears Go By (1988), Days of Being Wild (1990), Fallen Angels (1995), Happy Together (1997), a director's cut of The Hand (2004), and on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, a newly restored In the Mood for Love (2000)." Most film fans are familiar with his films already, but if you haven't seen all...
- 11/16/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It’s a great time to be a Wong Kar Wai fan. Not only is the Hong Kong auteur at work on a new directorial project and planning a mysterious sequel to his 1994 classic “Chungking Express,” but seven of Wong’s best films have gotten brand new 4K restorations courtesy of The Criterion Collection and L’immagine Rtrovata. Janus Films will be rolling out the restorations later this year in a package titled “The World of Wong Kar Wai.”
The official “World of Wong Kar Wai” synopsis from Janus Films reads: “Films you’ll love for 10,000 years, the cinema of Wong Kar Wai is steeped in sensual colors, groundbreaking editing, and heart-wrenching drama. Janus Films is proud to present a touring retrospective that includes brand-new restorations of seven of the master’s most dazzling films, including the US premiere of ‘Chungking Express’ and the world premiere of newly restored films ‘As Tears Go By,...
The official “World of Wong Kar Wai” synopsis from Janus Films reads: “Films you’ll love for 10,000 years, the cinema of Wong Kar Wai is steeped in sensual colors, groundbreaking editing, and heart-wrenching drama. Janus Films is proud to present a touring retrospective that includes brand-new restorations of seven of the master’s most dazzling films, including the US premiere of ‘Chungking Express’ and the world premiere of newly restored films ‘As Tears Go By,...
- 11/16/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
For a filmmaker who is not known for being very prolific, Wong Kar-wai has certainly made headlines as of late. Next week, his brand-new 20th-anniversary restoration of In the Mood for Love will finally debut at the New York Film Festival followed by a nationwide tour that includes other recent restorations of his work, and an eventual Criterion box set release. Meanwhile, production on his long-gestating, decades-spanning drama Blossoms is now underway with plans to make a TV version and a feature film. Now the director is returning to the universe of one of his most beloved films yet again.
Reports have surfaced from many Chinese media outlets (via Reddit) that Wong Kar-wai has scripted a sequel to his beloved 1994 romance Chungking Express. Titled Chungking Express 2020 and set in Chongqing in 2036, the China Film Administration approved the script back in April, which means it can move ahead. Here’s a...
Reports have surfaced from many Chinese media outlets (via Reddit) that Wong Kar-wai has scripted a sequel to his beloved 1994 romance Chungking Express. Titled Chungking Express 2020 and set in Chongqing in 2036, the China Film Administration approved the script back in April, which means it can move ahead. Here’s a...
- 9/24/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
“The director that shakes me and moves me most is Wong Kar-wai. He is one of the guys who has been revolutionizing the way the cinema is telling stories.”- Alejandro González Iñárritu
Back in early summer 2019, the elusive Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, known for masterworks like “Days Of Being Wild,” “Chungking Express” and many more, said his entire filmography would be re-released in 2020 in a sumptuous 4K restoration tied to the 20th anniversary of perhaps his greatest film “In The Mood For Love.” That’s still happening, but the timetable has shifted slightly thanks to the pandemic.
Continue reading ‘In The Mood For Love’ Trailer: Wong Kar Wai’s Touring 4K Restoration Retrospective Arrives In December at The Playlist.
Back in early summer 2019, the elusive Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, known for masterworks like “Days Of Being Wild,” “Chungking Express” and many more, said his entire filmography would be re-released in 2020 in a sumptuous 4K restoration tied to the 20th anniversary of perhaps his greatest film “In The Mood For Love.” That’s still happening, but the timetable has shifted slightly thanks to the pandemic.
Continue reading ‘In The Mood For Love’ Trailer: Wong Kar Wai’s Touring 4K Restoration Retrospective Arrives In December at The Playlist.
- 9/16/2020
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Get ready to swoon. We’ve been looking forward to the new restorations of Wong Kar-wai’s greatest films for some time now, and after a pandemic-related delay, it looks like they are finally ready to be unveiled to the world. Janus Films has announced their touring retrospective featuring brand-new restorations of seven of his films will now kick off on December 4 at Film at Lincoln Center in New York, to be followed by a nationwide rollout.
The lineup includes the U.S. premiere of Chungking Express and the world premiere of newly restored films As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, a director’s cut of The Hand, and on the occasion of its twentieth anniversary, a newly restored In the Mood for Love. Block 2 Distribution has now released a new trailer for the lattermost restoration, as well as the poster.
The good...
The lineup includes the U.S. premiere of Chungking Express and the world premiere of newly restored films As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, a director’s cut of The Hand, and on the occasion of its twentieth anniversary, a newly restored In the Mood for Love. Block 2 Distribution has now released a new trailer for the lattermost restoration, as well as the poster.
The good...
- 9/16/2020
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
by Nick Taylor
Happy Birthday, Wong Kar-Wai, who turned 62 years old last week, something that surely feels impossible for anyone younger than 61 to really consider for themselves! The celebrated auteur is known for his indefatigable sense of coolness and poise, doing for delicately conjured yet passionately felt romanticism what Ingmar Bergman did for psychological anguish. Especially in certified masterpieces like In the Mood for Love and Happy Together but even in lesser works like My Blueberry Nights, Wong’s sense of style is refreshing to sit with and inimitably his. And so, in celebration of our beloved birthday boy and the many gifts he’s given us across his career, I’m here to discuss Days of Being Wild, and the bewitching, jewel-toned performance of Carina Lau...
Happy Birthday, Wong Kar-Wai, who turned 62 years old last week, something that surely feels impossible for anyone younger than 61 to really consider for themselves! The celebrated auteur is known for his indefatigable sense of coolness and poise, doing for delicately conjured yet passionately felt romanticism what Ingmar Bergman did for psychological anguish. Especially in certified masterpieces like In the Mood for Love and Happy Together but even in lesser works like My Blueberry Nights, Wong’s sense of style is refreshing to sit with and inimitably his. And so, in celebration of our beloved birthday boy and the many gifts he’s given us across his career, I’m here to discuss Days of Being Wild, and the bewitching, jewel-toned performance of Carina Lau...
- 7/23/2020
- by Nick Taylor
- FilmExperience
Bong Joon Ho started his 20th year as a feature filmmaker on a high note with a history-making evening at the 92nd Academy Awards. Bong’s beloved social thriller “Parasite” won South Korea its first Oscars and became the first foreign-language movie to receive the Academy Award for Best Picture. But the Oscar wins aren’t the only way Bong kicked off a milestone year in his career. For Sight and Sound magazine’s February edition, Bong served as guest editor and curated a list of 20 filmmakers he believes will continue to shape the look and voice of cinema over the next decade.
“The year is 2020, a number that belongs to a sci-fi film in itself,” Bong writes in his introduction. “I do not wish to summon these 20 directors for the sake of discussing the future of cinema. I simply wish to discuss the films they have already created. But in the end,...
“The year is 2020, a number that belongs to a sci-fi film in itself,” Bong writes in his introduction. “I do not wish to summon these 20 directors for the sake of discussing the future of cinema. I simply wish to discuss the films they have already created. But in the end,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
In the previous decade, Wong Kar-wai only directed one feature-length film with The Grandmaster–the Chinese cut of which has yet to receive a proper release here in the United States. Unfortunately, his next decade has not begun with a promising start.
Last last year we reported that his long-gestating drama Blossoms would become a series before turning into a feature film, but now production has stalled in China (along with all other shoots in the country) due to the coronavirus outbreak. Based on Jin Yucheng’s novel, the story follows three Shanghai residents from the early ’60s, at the end of China’s Cultural Revolution, and through the ’90s. Once the health emergency is over, we imagine work on the series will resume, but check back for updates.
In additional news, Wong Kar-wai’s Amazon Studios series Tong Wars has been canceled. The director formally came on board the...
Last last year we reported that his long-gestating drama Blossoms would become a series before turning into a feature film, but now production has stalled in China (along with all other shoots in the country) due to the coronavirus outbreak. Based on Jin Yucheng’s novel, the story follows three Shanghai residents from the early ’60s, at the end of China’s Cultural Revolution, and through the ’90s. Once the health emergency is over, we imagine work on the series will resume, but check back for updates.
In additional news, Wong Kar-wai’s Amazon Studios series Tong Wars has been canceled. The director formally came on board the...
- 2/17/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Frequently featured in many lists of the best films of the 2000s, Wong Kar-wai second entry into his unofficial tetralogy about love is probably the movie most people associate with his name. Along with “Days of Being Wild” (1990) the story of the film is set mainly in Hong Kong during the 60’s, focusing on the narratives of people, their relationships and their struggles to maintain them within an urban setting. Given his unwillingness to shoot in a studio environment, the shooting in real locations proved to be quite demanding for cast and crew since the director was quite obsessed with details of that time and place. Unlike the plethora of films and novels concentrating on the historic events of the time, “In the Mood for Love” is a story about love and relationship in a city whose narrative microcosm sheds a more intimate insight into the changes the south of...
- 1/3/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Wong Kar-wai is producing a new web series called “Blossoms” for Chinese Internet giant Tencent. The project precedes a future feature film by the same name that he is still expecting to direct, Hong Kong’s Jet Tone Films told Variety on Thursday.
The company issued a poster image for the series Wednesday, featuring a man walking out of a dark room into the light through a revolving door. No details have been revealed about cast or director.
Wong has previously called the “Blossoms” film a deeply personal venture as a return to his hometown of Shanghai, and has been working on its script and development for five years.
Both the film and series are adaptations of a 2012 novel of the same name by Jin Yucheng, one of the few authors to write directly in Shanghai dialect (Shanghainese). It tells the story of a young entrepreneur as he seeks wealth,...
The company issued a poster image for the series Wednesday, featuring a man walking out of a dark room into the light through a revolving door. No details have been revealed about cast or director.
Wong has previously called the “Blossoms” film a deeply personal venture as a return to his hometown of Shanghai, and has been working on its script and development for five years.
Both the film and series are adaptations of a 2012 novel of the same name by Jin Yucheng, one of the few authors to write directly in Shanghai dialect (Shanghainese). It tells the story of a young entrepreneur as he seeks wealth,...
- 10/31/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of visionary filmmakers? As part of our monthly Ioncinephile profile this June, we ask the filmmaker (this month: Lila Avilés) to identify their all time top ten favorite films. Aviles’ The Chambermaid is receiving its release on Friday, June 26th at the Film Forum in New York City via the Kino Lorber folks. We have a list that exceeds the ten mark, so in no particular order, here are top fourteen films of all time as of June 2019.
Au Hasard Balthazar – Robert Bresson (1966)
Barry Lyndon – Stanley Kubrick (1975)
Drifting Clouds – Aki Kaurismäki (1996) / The Man Without a Past (2002)
Fanny and Alexander – Ingmar Bergman (1982)
Fitzcarraldo – Werner Herzog (1982)
In The Mood For Love – Wong Kar Wai (2000) / Days of Being Wild (1990)
La Ciénaga – Lucrecia Martel (2001)
Love Streams – John Cassavetes (1984)
Nostalgia – Andrei Tarkovsky (1983)
The Salt of the Earth – Wim Wenders (2014)
Songs from the...
Au Hasard Balthazar – Robert Bresson (1966)
Barry Lyndon – Stanley Kubrick (1975)
Drifting Clouds – Aki Kaurismäki (1996) / The Man Without a Past (2002)
Fanny and Alexander – Ingmar Bergman (1982)
Fitzcarraldo – Werner Herzog (1982)
In The Mood For Love – Wong Kar Wai (2000) / Days of Being Wild (1990)
La Ciénaga – Lucrecia Martel (2001)
Love Streams – John Cassavetes (1984)
Nostalgia – Andrei Tarkovsky (1983)
The Salt of the Earth – Wim Wenders (2014)
Songs from the...
- 6/6/2019
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
If you aren’t a cinephile with a large knowledge of international films, you may not be familiar with the work of Wong Kar-Wai. Over his illustrious 30+ year career in filmmaking, the writer-director has worked on 10 feature films, and is probably best known for his informal series of films that includes “Days of Being Wild,” “In the Mood for Love,” “2046,” and the upcoming “Blossoms.”
However, if you’re waiting for the right time to jump into Wong’s filmography, perhaps next year will be your time.
Continue reading Filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai Confirms His Entire Filmography Will Get 4K Restorations In 2020 at The Playlist.
However, if you’re waiting for the right time to jump into Wong’s filmography, perhaps next year will be your time.
Continue reading Filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai Confirms His Entire Filmography Will Get 4K Restorations In 2020 at The Playlist.
- 5/6/2019
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Wong Kar-wai has announced his 10 feature films will all be getting 4K restorations. The director recently told Filmmaker Magazine (via The Film Stage) that his plan is to have the restorations ready for a theatrical tour in 2020 to mark the 20th anniversary of “In the Mood for Love.” Wong’s feature films include “As Tears Go By” (1988), “Days of Being Wild” (1990), “Chungking Express” (1994), “Ashes of Time” (1994), “Fallen Angels” (1995), “Happy Together” (1997), “In the Mood for Love” (2000), “2046” (2004), “My Blueberry Nights” (2007), and “The Grandmaster” (2013).
“We’ve been working on these restorations for a long time,” the director told Filmmaker. “A few years ago I watched my film somewhere, looked at the monitor, and said, ‘Why does it look so messy?’ They said, ‘Now we are used to 4K projections, so you have to upgrade it, otherwise you will have those kind of feelings.’ We have been working on it. Last year in Lyon,...
“We’ve been working on these restorations for a long time,” the director told Filmmaker. “A few years ago I watched my film somewhere, looked at the monitor, and said, ‘Why does it look so messy?’ They said, ‘Now we are used to 4K projections, so you have to upgrade it, otherwise you will have those kind of feelings.’ We have been working on it. Last year in Lyon,...
- 5/6/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSBarbara Hammer by Mickalene Thomas for Vanity FairA treasured trailblazer of the American avant-garde, lesbian artist and filmmaker Barbara Hammer, has died. In a posthumously published interview with Vanity Fair, Hammer discusses the intertwining of her personal life and political obligations that appear in her works: "I’ve never understood why experiences need be separated into categories. And, so, I don’t." Amid ongoing talks among both parties, the Cannes Film Festival will not be screening any Netflix films in or out of its competition this year. The decision rules out a number of titles from screening, including Martin Scorsese's The Irishman and the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems.To our surprise and elation, Wong Kar-Wai has confirmed that Blossoms will be his next film, and will act as the third part to In the Mood For Love...
- 3/27/2019
- MUBI
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.