WILD CITY 迷城 Movie Review

The much awaited movie from writer-director Ringo LAM sets his sights once again on Hong Kong’s seedy underbelly. In the spirit of City on Fire and Full Alert, Lam’s latest Canto-noir finds unsuspecting bystanders caught in a tangled web of and greed and betrayal, their growing anxieties punctuated with sudden bursts of violence.

Synopsis

When former cop-turned-bar owner T-man Kwok (Louis KOO) befriends a drunken woman at closing hours (TONG Liya), they soon find themselves targeted both by her former lover—a high-powered Hong Kong attorney—and the thugs (CHANG Hsiao-Chuan) he employs. Once Kwok’s underachieving half-brother (Shawn YUE) and a suitcase full of tainted cash enter the picture, the chase turns deadly, with the brothers’ tense family history coming to the surface as Kwok finds himself torn between the triads and his former police colleagues.

Details and Casts

Presented by :    Beijing East Light Films Co., Ltd.

In association with  Oriental Fortune Culture, Beijing Airmedia Film & TV Co., Ltd. , Zhujianng Film & Media Corporation Limited, East Light Film Limited, One Cool Film Production Limited, iQIYI Motion Pictures (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

Production by :   East Light Production Limited

Producer : Kenny Chau   

Directed, Story, Screenplay by : Ringo Lam

Starring : Louis Koo, Shawn Yue,  Tong Liya, Chang Hsiao Chuan , Michael Tse,  Yuen Qiu,  Same Lee, Philip Ng,  Philip Keung,  Jazz Lam

 

Guest starring : Simon Yam,  Jack Kao, Wang Xuebing, Ma Yuke,  Tam Ping Man

Director of photography : Ross W. Clarkson (HKSC)

 

Art director : Jean Tsoi  Billy Li 

   

Costume designer : Ahong Cheung

Music by : Dave Klotz 

Editor : David Richardson (HKSE) 

Sound design :    Onecool & Ramindra Sound Studio Co., Ltd 

Visual effects  : Different Digital Design Limited 

TRAILER

REVIEW

The story centred around Louis Koo ( T-Man ). His love for his step brother, step mother affect his career as a cop. He resigned and became a bar owner and got himself involved with a drunken lady customer and involved T-Man's brother into the world of bribery, betrayal, police, law, car chase,  hired triads from both Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Thanks to the bar lady customer’s lawyer boyfriend who hire them to track down the bar lady customer.

As money was involved, a series of car chase get the movie into high gear. The story got more complicated but enjoyable. There is a contrasting difference between both Hong Kong and Taiwan triad gang. Taiwanese gang does not fully value money but more important was the family brotherhood of  the gang members. In the case of Hong Kong triad they are more practical as they only see money as their motivational drive.

It was a fast action packed movie. You probably won’t have time to go to the toilet. There were violence, fights which were part of the triad way of life. The director added a scene where the weighing balancer carried by Lady Justice, was shot down. Was it a message to say that there was not justice in this world or something more positive? Watch the show, and you will probably have your own interpretation.

It was an enjoyable show for me.  Seeing Louis Koo movies for the second time in a month does convince me that he was a versatile actor. The previous movie Paris Holiday, Louis Koo was a fun and loving person while in this movie, Wild City, it was wild and violence city.

The movie will be showing on the 20 Aug 2015.

Rating

I shall rate it at 3.5/5.

Behind-The-Scene Photos

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Gala Premiere, Red Carpet and Movie Review : Triumph In The Skies

Red Carpet and Gala Premiere

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Julian Cheung and Charmaine Sheh came for the red carpet. As they walked down the glamourous red carpet, for a moment, I felt like I was photographing a wedding couple walking down the aisle. They really look charming and beautiful.

 93.3 radio station DJ, 谢家发 Xie Jiafa (Seah Kar Huat) was the compere. Just before the stars arrive,  Radio DJ holds a quiz with the fans. The rewards were the movie posters.

Here are more photos taken during the red carpet event.

More Photos can be found at : More Red Carpet Photos

Movie Review

Movie Synopsis :

Young pilot Branson (Louis KOO) recently takes over Skylette, his father’s aviation empire, only to realize his old flames Cassie (Charmaine SHEH) is a flight attendant there. Several years ago, he was forced to break up with her and move to New York to take care of his father's business. To this day, the two continue to harbour feelings for each other but decide to keep them bottled up. In an effort to rebrand the airline,Branson invites rock idol TM to star in an upcoming commercial and appoints Sam (Francis NG) as her flying consultant. Incongruent in both tastes and experience, this odd couple gets off on the wrong foot. As the shoot progresses, however, they slowly discover each other's merits, developing a strong mutual attraction.

Jayden (Julien CHEUNG) has left Skylette Airline to become a pilot for private jets. He meets the young and vivacious Kika (KUO Tsai Chieh) during a flight and assumes her to be wayward and shallow. But they turn out to have a lot in common and start falling madly in love. At the height of their romance, Jayden realizes almost too late the secret behind her recalcitrance…

Each of the three relationships comes with its own setbacks. As long as one can accept the imperfection of things, finding happiness—however fleetingly—is a blessing in itself.

Starring: Louis Koo, Sammi Cheng, Francis Ng, Julian Cheung, Charmaine Sheh, Kuo Tsai Chieh,   Oceane Zhu, Liu Jun Xiao

Co-starring: Kenneth Ma, Kong May Yee Elena, Remotigue Joventino Couto, Mark Ma, Liao Jingsheng

Directed by Wilson Yip,  Matt Chow

Distributed by Media Asia Film Distribution

Teaser Trailer : 

Official Trailer : 

Review / Ratings

I have been a fan of this Hong Kong drama television drama, Triumph In The Skies (2003) and II (2013) and naturally I am curious and excited when this new movie came along. Curious as to how the story goes for a movie as compared to the fame television drama.

According to the directors, by adapting a television drama with a 10 years of history, the biggest headache is how can the story move forward while bringing something new to the audience. Both directors took this challenging task together. As they have collaborated in the past, they agree to give this movie a romantic boost and hope to make the movie the year’s biggest romance hit.

In my opinion, it is much easier to understand the background and characteristics of Captain Cool (Julian Cheung) and Captain Sam Tong (Francis Ng) if you have watched the television drama.

It is like a continuation from television drama. The beautiful scenery settings from UK were the winning ingredient for a romantic movie. Just like in the drama I and II, where they were filmed in Rome, Sapporo, UK, France, Hainan, Kaohsiung, Kenting etc.  With the addition of Captain Branson (Louis KOO) and Cassie (Charmaine SHEH) love story, there were three separate romantic couple. Love thus conquers all obstacles. As movie goers, we just love happy endings. In fact, to be more precise, there are actually five love stories. One of them is between Kenneth Ma and Elena Kong. Only those who have watch the television drama 2, will be able to recall their relationship.

In conclusion, there was not much storyline in this movie. Romantic couples simply having a fun time together. One of memorable moment was when Captain Sam Tong and TM (Sammi Cheng) having a laughable time shooting a Skylette airlines commercial. I shall give this movie a rating of 3/5.

The movie will be showing in the cinema on the 19 February 2015.

DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART 2 《单身男女2》

Synopsis :

After the “Earthling” Cheung Shen Ren (Louis Koo) loses Cheng Zixin (Gao Yuanyuan) to the “Martian” Fang Qihong, he decides to keep it cool and reverts to single-hood graciously. Cheng and Fang, meanwhile, live happily ever after…… That seems to be the fairytale ending from DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART. In reality, the story is far from over: the three finds themselves once again entangled in an even more complicated relationship in DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART 2.

After jilted by Cheng, Cheung starts dating “Goddess of Stocks” Yang Yang Yang, who works in an opposite building. Yang has been turning a blind eye to Cheung’s philandering until she meets Paul, a romantic returnee from France whose devotion has melted her heart.

Afraid to lose his lover again, Cheung determines to settle down and marry Yang, but fate works in mysterious ways. It turns out that Cheng’s wedding with Fang has been delayed and she is now directly working under Yang. A chance encounter with Cheng again makes Cheung question his decision, because even though he appears to have emerged unscathed from their previous relationship, he was profoundly hurt and still hasn’t fully recovered.

Paul is in love with Yang; Yang has accepted Cheung’s proposal; Cheung is unable to get Cheng off his mind; and Cheng is about to marry Fang. A quadrangular relationship among five people – who is really the love of their life?

Production Company : Milkyway Image

Produced by : Johnnie To, Wai Ka Fai

Directed by : Johnnie To

Written by :  Wai Ka Fai, Ryker Chan, Yu Xi

Cast : Miriam Yeung (楊千嬅), Louis Koo (古天樂), Gao Yuan Yuan (高圓圓), Vic Chou (周渝民),

Special Appearance : Daniel Wu  吴彦祖

Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gzFQNXqRSo&list=UUm4hPh9CUfqaZVOeZYr8AAw

Review:

This is the sequence to the first movie of the same title without the 2 behind. Unfortunately, I have not seen the first movie. I shall make an effort to watch it later.

Don’t go breaking my heart 2 is a romantic comedy which focus on city love relationship. In this movie, there are more than the usual triangle love relationships which make the relationships a complex one. With the love hate relationships and misunderstandings, it makes this movie interesting and comical.

The use of two buildings with open windows creates some memorable comical scenes which brought some really loud laughter from the audiences. Another interesting thing that drew a lot of laughter came from the Louis Koo inability to take control of his testosterone which drives his behaviour.

Besides giving the audience some happy moments, the movie does relate a strong message to courting couple. Loving a person is to accept what he is and not what you want him to be. Thus, love is blind and you cannot use some complex logical deduction to make your relationship decision.

Ratings:

In my opinion, it may be a bit silly in some of moments in the movie but overall, it opened the minds of courting couple with a fair share of jokes and comical scenes. With Miriam Yeung appearing in this comedy movie, it will definitely keep my face stretched with uncontrollable laughter. I shall rate it 3.5/5 stars.

The movie will be showing in cinema on 13 November 2014.