News

Hong Kong-based sales outfit Autumn Sun has picked up international sales on Moonlight Madness starring Korean actor Don Lee (The Roundup) in his first ever comedy role and first performance in a Chinese production.

The film also stars Kris Phillips (Creation Of The Gods I & II) as a top lawyer caught in hot waters during an affair in a hotel and features a special appearance by Lee who plays a jealous boyfriend throwing his signature punches.

Autumn Sun is handling sales on the movie in collaboration with Scene One launched by producer Serena Deng Shuo, who is also the film’s producer and credited for bringing Don Lee on board.

“When we first showed Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee) the script, he liked it being a comedy”, said Deng. “Having it be a Chinese production is also a first for the action superstar”.

Autumn Sun has already sold the film to Korea’s Big Wave Cinema,...

Despite the challenges currently faced by the Hong Kong film industry, a wave of new filmmakers has emerged in recent years. Backed by government funding and the mentoring of experienced local producers and directors, these talents have seen encouraging box office results at home as well as festival play and some commercial success overseas.

Unlike Hong Kong’s previous generation of filmmakers, which specialized in crime thrillers and martial arts action movies, these younger directors tend to work with much smaller budgets and focus on realistic characters and social issues relevant to their hometown of Hong Kong. Few of these filmmakers are aiming for mainland Chinese audiences, due to the high costs, cultural differences and censorship issues that complicate releasing films in that market.

For nearly two decades now, the Hong Kong Film Development Council (Hkfdc) has provided a range of funding programmes to support local filmmakers, including the Film Production Financing Scheme,...

Anselm Chan’s The Last Dance leads the pack going into the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa) with 18 nominations.

It is followed by Soi Cheang’s Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In with 14 nods and Philip Yung’s Papa with 11 nominations. All three films will face off alongside Adam Wong’s The Way We Talk and Ray Yeung’s All Shall Be Well, in both the best film and best director categories.

The 18 nominations secured by The Last Dance is the highest in Hkfa’s history since Teddy Chen’s Assassins And Bodyguards received the same number in 2010. Chan...

Guangzhou (Canton) born Chor Yuen studied Chemistry at the Sun Yat Sen University before getting into the Hong Kong film industry. He worked his way up and soon became a sought-after director. “Cold Blade” (1970) was his first wuxia film, and after joining Shaw Brother Studio in 1971, he directed “Duel for Gold” and then “Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan”. Chor’s adaptation of Gu Long‘s 17 novels from 1976 onwards into a series of swordplay wuxia films won him more recognitions, awards and international reputation.

Buy This Title

by clicking on the image below

With “Bat Without Wings”, a film adapted from Huang Ying’s novel, Chor again brings us more wuxia mystery and detective thrills to the big screen but with a touch of horror. The film’s title refers to a notorious and highly skilled swordsman who rapes beautiful women and kills them. In order to stop him for good,...

Asia in the mid-1990s to early 2000s experienced both economic upheaval and a cinematic renaissance. As the financial crisis rippled through the region, a new wave of filmmakers emerged, crafting films that captured the turbulence of the era. World cinema witnessed the rise of several influential movements, from J-horror and Korean crime thrillers to the early days of Hallyu and the digital arthouse films of Southeast Asia that produced figures such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Erik Khoo, and Lav Diaz.

Between the festival regulars and national mainstream releases, are relatively underseen films that captured their times with a sense of grit. In the wake of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the region faced economic instability, widespread unemployment, and a deep sense of uncertainty about the future. Against this backdrop, a wave of filmmakers across Asia captured the struggles, aspirations, and disillusionment of those navigating an increasingly precarious world. These films, often made on modest budgets,...

Clearly due to the ongoing Tony Leung hype, Netflix has now dug up this rather mediocre film from 2011, which grossed a not-so-impressive $27.2 million at the Chinese box office in the first half of 2012 – on an estimated budget of $15 million – but was at least the highest-grossing Chinese-language film at the time behind eight Hollywood blockbusters. Apart from two festival screenings, the film never made it to Europe or the USA.

Click the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

The Hong Kong/Mainland co-production is so disappointing because at first glance it gives cause for optimism. Derek Yee is an experienced director who has a number of successful films, including “People’s Hero” (1987), to his credit. Then there is a basically splendid cast. Alongside Mr. Leung, other actors include Lau Ching-wan, the always great Zhou Xun, Paul Chun, Lam Suet and, in a not so small role, Wang Ziwen, who...

Hong Kong film industry veteran and longtime assistant director Albert Mak directed a few films back in 2000 with his last solo directing effort being “Forget Me Not” (2010). However, he is also known as an associate director to filmmaker Johnnie To in the film “Drug War” (2012). Released during the Chinese New Year 2024, Mak returns as director in the wacky comedy action heist film “Rod N Roll” which is just perfect for the occasion.

Taxi driver Robby (Gordon Lam Ka Tung) lives in a small apartment with his frustrated pregnant wife and his nagging mother. Unreliable and timid, loser Robby lives day to day and avoids the conflicts at home. On the other hand, his good friend Fai (Richie Jen) is an honest man who runs a small elderly home business. But he is forever in financial trouble and the recent rent increase makes his life even more difficult. Nonetheless, these two middle-aged men are kind,...

Hong Kong Film Development Council (Hkfdc) has announced the first ten projects to receive grants under its Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms.

The ten projects, which will now enter phase two of the scheme, include series to be directed and/or produced by leading Hong Kong filmmakers such as Lawrence Ah Mon, Derek Yee, Peter Ho-sun Chan and Kenneth Bi (see full list of grantees below).

Shortlisted teams will each receive Hk$0.6M to Hk$1.2M as a script development fee for developing a production proposal and full scripts of an entire mini-series.

Winning teams selected to enter phase three will each receive Hk$4.5M to produce the first one or first two episodes of a series. Together with the script development fee, each final winning team will be awarded a total of up to Hk$5.7M.

Hkfdc chairman Wilfred Wong, said: “This new Scheme launched under the Film...

The Hong Kong box office was dominated by a trio of local titles over Chinese New Year, earning almost $8m (Hk$62m) in 10 days.

Taking the top spot was Table For Six 2, with a cumulative box office of $4.07m (Hk$31.86m) as of February 18, while The Moon Thieves ($2.5m/Hk$19.58m) and Rob N Roll ($1.35/Hk$10.54m) ranked second and third respectively.

All three opened on Chinese New Year’s Eve (February 9) when multiple tentpole titles traditionally open to take full advantage of the lucrative festive period.

Ensemble family comedy Table For Six 2 rode on the success of its predecessor,...

“In Broad Daylight,” an expose of real events in a care home for the elderly, dominated the nominations for the Hong Kong Film Awards.

The Lawrence Kan-directed comedy-drama received 16 nominations, at the Tuesday nominations event, including best picture and best new director as well as others for cinematography, editing sound design and original song.

The story sees an investigative reporter go under cover to expose cruelty and other wrong-doings at the Rainbow Bridge Care Home. It premiered last year at the Shanghai film festival and was a highlight of the New York Asian Film Festival, but came away empty-handed from the Golden Horse Film Awards, where it had been nominated in five categories. It enjoyed its commercial release in Hong Kong in November.

Other contenders in the Hkfa best film category are: Nick Cheung’s “Time Still Turns the Pages,” Soi Cheang’s “Mad Fate,” Felix Chong’s “The Goldfinger...

Lawrence Kan’s newsroom drama In Broad Daylight leads the pack going into the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards with 16 nominations.

The feature, which follows an undercover journalist who exposes the abuse of residents in a nursing home, secured nods in all but three of the 19 categories. It marks the second feature by Kan and proved the fourth highest grossing local film in 2023.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Also gaining multiple nominations was Nick Cheuk’s emotive drama Time Still Turns The Pages and Felix Chong’s financial crime extravaganza The Goldfinger, which secured 12 nods apiece, while Jack Ng...

“Clans of Intrigue” was Chor Yuen's first and highly successful adaptation of Gu Long's “Fragrance from the Sea of Blood”, a series of three wuxia novels about Chu Liu Hsiang. A sequel adapted from the first installment of a five-novel series “The New Legend of Chu Liu Hsiang” titled “Legend of the Bat” soon followed and saw the return of protagonist Chu “Lingering Fragrance” and with the help of his ally Yi Tian Hung investigating more mysteries and murder cases.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

A combination of footage from its predecessor “Clans of Intrigue” which also serves as a recap and opening credits kick off the film nicely. Immediately after, the viewers are transported to Bat Island where an auction is being held in almost total darkness. It is the autumn of the Jiawu Year and on this island owned by...

Best known for his novels, film producer, screenwriter and novelist Xiong Yao Hua (pen name Gu Long) wrote “Xiao Li Fei Dao” (“Little Li Flying Dagger”), a wuxia series consisting of five novels from 1968 to 1981. This film is an adaptation of the second novel “The Bordertown Wanderer” in which two swordsmen team up to investigate the murder case of a legendary swordsman, Bai Tian Yu. Apparently it is the 20th anniversary of his death and his son is showing up to settle the old score with the remaining surviving seven murderers.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Set in a winter landscape, the film kicks off with Fu Hong Xue (Ti Lung), an unshaven man cladded in a poncho, walking alone on the snowy fields and frozen rivers as the opening credits roll. Obviously the same frozen location where Chor filmed his very own “The...

Li Xun Huan, the sick gentleman of jianghu, the martial arts world, returns with yet another adventure full of intrigue and bloodshed. Widely claimed as the 100th film directed by Chor Yuen, this straight continuation of “The Sentimental Swordsman” (1977) with most of the original cast returning though some playing different roles, did even better at the box office than its predecessor.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

After defeating the “Plum Blossom Bandit”, wine loving Li Xun Huan, Flying Dagger Xiao Li (Ti Lung) and his only friend Ah Fei (Derek Yee) went their separate ways as they tried to settle down in seclusion. But his peaceful life lasted only three years, due to an official martial world “Best Weapons and Fighters” list which ranks him at number three. Challengers are keen to dethrone him especially the leader of the ruthless Money Clan, Shang Kuan...

The ceremony was held on Sunday evening.

Mabel Cheung’s controversial documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self was named best film at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa), which also saw Wai Ka Fai’s Detective Vs. Sleuths walk away with best director.

Held on Sunday evening (April 16), the awards ceremony returned to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre for the first time since 2019. It was a star-studded event with a big presence of nominees and guests on the red carpet. Most notable was Michelle Yeoh who recently won the best actress Oscar.

As the first presenter of the night, Yeoh...

Niu Chao’s ’Stories Of Our Youth’ among first titles.

China’s Blossoms Entertainment is presenting three upcoming TV shows from Cosmic Bliss Culture and Media at Hong Kong Filmart, marking the Beijing-based sales company’s first foray into TV series sales.

Stories Of Our Youth, directed by Niu Chao and Ma Chengcheng, stars popular actress Yang Zi (Immortal Samsara), Fan Chengcheng (Time Seems To Have Forgotten) and Jin Shijia (Under The Skin) in a 35-episode nostalgic coming-of-age drama about the bond between six best friends who live in the same neighbourhood in the 1990s.

The producer is Yang Chao,...

Niu Chao’s ’Stories Of Our Youth’ among first titles.

China’s Blossoms Entertainment is presenting three upcoming TV shows from Cosmic Bliss Culture and Media at Hong Kong Filmart, marking the Beijing-based sales company’s first foray into TV series sales.

Niu Chao’s Stories Of Our Youth stars popular actress Yang Zi (Immortal Samsara), Fan Chengcheng (Time Seems To Have Forgotten) and Jin Shijia (Under The Skin) in a 35-episode nostalgic coming-of-age drama about the bond between six best friends who live in the same neighbourhood in the 1980s. It is in post-production.

Blossoms is also promoting two...

Adapted from the first novel of Gu Long's “Xiao Li Fei Dao” (“Little Li Flying Dagger”) a wuxia series which consisted of five novels, “Duo Qing Lian Ke Wu Qing Jian” published in 1968, narrates the adventure of swordsman Li Xun Huan and his trademark use of daggers hidden in his fan. This Shaw Brothers production was a success and went on to become one of their highest grossing films ever.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

Renowned and proud swordsman Li Xun Huan (Ti Lung) has been wandering the country side with his loyal servant Chuan Jia (Fan Mei Sheng) for ten years after retiring from the martial arts community, after willingly giving up the woman he loves to his savior. But he is happy with his simple life and finds comfort in drinking wine. However, news of the reappearance of the “Plum Blossom...

“We need more love stories, even if they have their ups and downs,” says Hong Kong-based producer Cora Yim, who is behind the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) in-development project “The Marriage Drive.” Haf runs takes place alongside the FilMart rights market.

The film is a simple-to-describe idea that writer-director Lawrence Kan has been kicking around and developing for some six years. The story involves a middle-class professional couple — he’s in the legal sector, she’s in finance — and tracks their childless, but not loveless, marriage over a period of 10 years from marriage to divorce.

Their professions are significant as both jobs bring them to Admiralty, the Hong Kong Island district that is the seat of the territory’s lawmaking, the center of administration of justice, high finance and culture. Over the past decade, Admiralty has also been venue for some of the city’s most dramatic socio-political twists and turns.

’The Dream, The Bubble, And The Shadow’ is from ‘Ip Man’ director Wilson Yip.

Hong Kong-based One Cool Pictures is launching a string of new titles featuring Louis Koo, Jennifer Yu, Kay Tse and Lim Min Chen as it returns to Hong Kong Filmart, the company’s first physical market since 2019.

The Dream, The Bubble, And The Shadow, directed by Wilson Yip, produced by Soi Cheang and starring Koo, reunites the same team behind 2017’s Paradox from the Spl franchise, which won Koo the best actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Asian Film Awards.

The upcoming suspense...

Despite a barnstorming address celebrating the re-opening of Hong Kong and China by Bona Film Group COO Jiang De Fu, it is clear that the film industry in China is still suffering its own version of long-covid, with box office tracking at around half of 2018 levels.

“The Chinese box office was RMB60.7 billion ($8.89 billion at current rates of exchange) in 2018. And 83 films made over RMB100 million. 16 films that made over RMB1 billion. Post-pandemic, in 2022, China’s box office was RMB29.9 billion. [Just] 41 films made over RMB100 million. [And] 8 films made over RMB1 billion. We are now only at 50% of the level in 2018,” said Jiang aty a presentation on the first day of Hong Kong’s FilMart.

According to Jiang, the RMB100 million ($14.5 million) figure is a significant one, because it represents a breakeven level for moderately budgeted Chinese films in the RMB30 million range.

“China produces around 1,000 films a year. Those that...

In the midst of her Oscar campaign, and with a lot of people consequently discovering or rediscovering her earlier work, there’s not a whole lot left to say about Michelle Yeoh. However, Eureka’s perfectly timed releases of her early classics are definitely the best way to newly appreciate Yeoh, prior to the almost regal bearing she now brings to her projects.

Magnificent Warriors was the penultimate film of Yeoh’s short early run, before she took a break from the screen during her marriage to producer Dickson Poon, making a post-divorce comeback in Police Story 3. This early run is exceptional, also including starring roles in Yes Madam and its sequel Royal Warriors, but Magnificent Warriors may be the best of them, and one of her finest films full stop.

Drawing some inspiration from Indiana Jones (the character rather than specifics of either film that had been released by...

‘My Nineteen-Year-Old Self’ withdrawn over public screening consent issues.

Courtroom drama The Sparring Partner has received 16 nominations for the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards, which saw the last-minute withdrawal of Mabel Cheung’s documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self.

The Sparring Partner, which marks the feature directorial debut of Ho Cheuk Tin, leads the pack with nominations in all but three categories. Based on the true story of a gruesome double murder case, its nods include best film, best director and five nominations for performers including lead actors Mak Pui Tung and Yeung Wai Lun. The film has become Hong Kong...

Features include Golden Horse Awards nominee ‘Coo-Coo 42’.

Distribution Workshop, one of Asia’s leading film sales agents, is set to launch three features to buyers in Busan including Golden Horse Awards frontrunner Coo-Coo 43.

At the Asian Contents and Film Market (Oct 8-11), the Taiwanese company will also commence sales on two new dramas produced by China’s Bona Group: In Search Of Lost Time and Ordinary Hero. It marks first in-person market for the Taipei-based firm since the start of the pandemic.

Coo-Coo 043 is written and directed by Chan Ching Lin (The Island That All Flow By) and tracks the...

Today we have a handsome set of pastoral pastiche from the land of Chinese blockbusters. Derek Yee's In Search of Lost Time may have nothing to do with Proust, but it has plenty to do with one of many social crises of the 1950s. At the time, there were so many orphaned children that the government took several thousand children and 'embedded' them with the herders and farmers of Inner Mongolia. Designer Xin Yi Lian has done a lot of character-poster work for Chinese blockbusters, from Detective vs. Sleuths to The Chinese Pilot to The Battle of Lake Chang-Jin. Here, the tone of the film is set with a nostalgic collection of character images matched to beautiful, bucolic, landscapes. The text template fits all of the images cleanly,...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Other big winners were biopic ’Anita’ and noir thriller ’Limbo’.

Action thriller Raging Fire has won best film and best director for the late Benny Chan at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa). Other big winners were biopic Anita and noir thriller Limbo.

The event took place last night (July 17) as the Hkfa’s first in-person ceremony since 2019 and was well attended by stars and leading film industry figures.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Raging Fire, in which Donnie Yen plays a cop who clashes with a former protege, marked the final film of veteran director Chan,...

Developing Situation

New president of the Philippines Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday swore in a swath of new officials at government agencies. Among them, veteran actor Tirso Cruz III, was appointed as chair and chief executive of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (Fdcp). He replaces Liza Dino Seguerra who has held the post for the past four years. In a Facebook posting, Seguerra said that she had not been officially informed of her replacement, but that nevertheless she would ensure a smooth transition.

Commissions

The BBC has commissioned independent production company Zig Zag to make “Football Academy,” a soccer documentary series following the young players and staff of the academy at Southampton Football Club, which will air this fall in the countdown to the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar. The 15×30’ series, for Cbbc, was filmed during the 2021/22 season and will track the highs and lows of key characters at the academy,...

Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai is among the leading filmmakers to boost the region’s movie industry with a five-tier plan that totals $33.5 million U.S. dollars in funds. He’s joined by Derek Yee (“Drink-Drank-Drunk”) and Peter Chan Ho-sun (“The Warlords”) and more who support a government-funded revival initiative in response to political unrest, as well as the Hong Kong film industry’s erosion due to coronavirus and the shuttering of theaters.

Via the Directors’ Succession Scheme with funds from the Hong Kong Film Development Fund, the directors will pair up with one or two promising filmmakers to make a movie using $1.2 million. The filmmakers will also be joined by directors Gordon Chan, Mabel Cheung, and Alex Law, with the goal of turning out between 10 and 12 projects altogether.

The plan arrives just as the region was forced to close its theaters once again in the wake of a new...

Renowned filmmakers Wong Kar-wai, Peter Chan Ho-sun and Derek Yee are among the top directors who have pledged to pass on their skills and experience to the young generation. They are part of a $12.9 million (Hk$100 million) government-funded initiative to boost Hong Kong’s film industry, following damage from the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing political turmoil.

Under the new Directors’ Succession Scheme funded by the Hong Kong Film Development Fund, each of the directors, together with Gordan Chan and duo Mabel Cheung and Alex Law, will team up with one or two young filmmakers to produce a film that uses a $1.2 million (Hk$9 million) government subsidy. Around 10 to 12 projects are expected to be realized this way.

The program is among the five measures totalling $33.5 million (Hk$260 million) rolled out on Monday. Commerce secretary, Edward Yau said local film production and investment have shrunk over the past year, hit by the...

Three

Stars: Louis Koo, Wei Zhao, Wallace Chung, Siu-Fai Cheung, Suet Lam, Hoi-Pang Lo, Michael Tse, Adrian Wong, Kathy Wu | Written by Ho Leung Lau, Tin Shu Mak | Directed by Johnnie To

When a cop, a wounded crime boss and a doctor are thrown together in the hustle and bustle of an emergency room, a hospital descends from a pristine sanctuary to an explosive battleground. Bullets fly in a when the crime boss’s gang turn up to try and rescue him, and the cop must prevent innocent lives from being caught in the crossfire.

Johnny To’s hospital-set thriller is a Die Hard-esque tale that instantly recalls the John Woo classic Hard Boiled and yet is in no way similar in story and action. Like a number of his films before this, To takes his time building his film – introducing his characters, exploring their motivations etc. – before finally getting...

I recently watched Derek Yee and Tsui Hark’s Sword Master, a remake of Death Duel (1977). Even though I have not seen the original, I loved this one. They put a spectacularly modern twist on an obvious classic. I also watched it dubbed. What was I thinking, right? I don’t know. Blame it on anime. Anyway, I am happy to say that not only were the dubs tolerable, they were as close to natural as dubs can get.

Sword Master is down right cool to me. The premise is about a war-weary swordsman whose fire is just about out. Somehow it became more about the guy that’s become his self-proclaimed nemesis. Too often the bad guys are just bad with very little substance, but not in Sword Master. Kenney Lin plays assassin Yen Shisan, who is also an arrogant jerk with unmatched martial arts skills. Despite being an absolute savage,...

In the beautifully shot wuxia epic Sword Master, a powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others. Weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his murderous past refuses to let him go quietly. The master swordsman must regain the ability to wield his sword and fight those disrupting the peace he so desperately craves. Director Derek Yee joins forces with producer Tsui Hark to bring this classic story of a master swordsman to life.

Check out this exciting trailer for Sword Master:

Now, you can own the Sword Master Blu-ray. Wamg has three copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie with the word ‘Master’ in the title? (mine is Master Of The World...

2010’s In my previous article there was a comment regarding a film that I had left out. I apologise in advance if there are any films that I miss out. This may be due to me simply forgetting or just not seeing a particular film. After the Forbidden Kingdom, Jackie Chan would return to Hong Kong to work on Director Derek Yee’s Shinjiku Incident (2009). A total change of pace for Chan, with a purely dramatic role, it seemed it was a step in the right direction for the ageing action star. Unfortunately Chan’s next leading role would be in the family movie The Spy Next Door (2010), which is not only Chan’s poorest American made film, but one of the poorest of his career....

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Journey To The West director is one of China’s most bankable filmmakers.

This year’s Asian Film Awards (Afa) will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to iconic Hong Kong director, producer and screenwriter Tsui Hark.

Tsui most recently directed Journey To The West: The Demons Strike Back, produced by fellow Hong Kong filmmaker Stephen Chow, which was one of the top-grossing releases in mainland China over the Chinese New Year holiday period. His other recent China blockbusters include Young Detective Dee: Rise Of The Sea Dragon (2013) and The Taking Of Tiger Mountain (2014).

Starting with his 2011 hit Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, Tsui has made all his films as a director in 3D and has become one of the region’s most effective filmmakers in the use of 3D technology.

Although currently one of China’s most bankable filmmakers, Tsui’s career stretches back some 40 years. In 1984, he founded Film Workshop with Nansun Shi, through which he...

No one is safe in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Chris von Hoffmann’s upcoming “Drifter.” Seriously, no one. In von Hoffmann’s first feature film, two brothers find themselves crossing paths with a family of psychotic cannibals when they get stuck in a desolate town at the end of the world. Relatable.

Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: Bleecker Street Picks Up ‘Megan Leavey,’ Imagination Worldwide Buys ‘Paint It Black’ and More

In our exclusive clip, things are appropriately mysterious and terrifying as Vijah (Monique Rosario) is forced by the head cannibal in charge, Latos (Anthony Ficco), to tie Miles (Aria Emory) down to a couch and then watch, terrified, as his brother is thrown in the middle of what looks to be a large dirt circle made of garbage. They’re both bruised and bloodied, and von Hoffmann doesn’t make it easy on the audience by cutting away, but...

The last time we checked in with Thor, the hammer-wielding hero helpfully answered the question on everyone’s mind: While we know the rest of his Avengers team was battling it out in “Captain America: Civil War,” what was the Asgardian God of thunder up to? In a short released last summer called “While You Were Fighting: A Thor Mockumentary,” directed by Taika Waititi, who is also at the helm of the upcoming “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor invited the world into his new home in Australia where he lives with his long-suffering roommate Darryl. He dubbed them Team Thor, and thus a new iconic Marvel duo was born.

Now, a follow-up to the short has been released, along with the promise of more of Thor’s Earthly adventures on the Blu-ray edition of McU entry “Doctor Strange,” which hits shelves on February 28.

Read More: ‘While You Were Fighting:...

Even a master swordsman isn’t safe when it comes to Derek Yee’s wild wuxia adventure, appropriately titled “Sword Master.” In the new martial arts extravaganza, a once-powerful swordsman turns his back on his own violent nature and formidable talents to live a quiet and humble life away from the world. It’s the kind of great and understandable pursuit that is, of course, totally thrown for a loop by outside forces.

Read More: Exclusive: Trailers For Janus Films Re-release Of King Hu’s Wuxia Classics ‘A Touch Of Zen’ And ‘Dragon Inn’

Per the film’s official synopsis, “A powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others. Weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life of a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his violent past refuses to let him go quietly.

“Ghost of New Orleans,” written by Gerald Dipego and Justin Dipego, offers up a New Orleans-set thriller with a supernatural twist. Directed by Predrag Antonijevic (“Savior”), the film stars Josh Lucas, Terrence Howard, Lake Bell, Sharon Leal and Cary Elwes.

Read More: Kirsten Dunst to Star in AMC Dark Comedy Series From George Clooney and Yorgos Lanthimos

As the film’s official synopsis states, the film follows “a disgraced detective (Josh Lucas) [who] has a supernatural encounter which leads him to investigate the murder of a beautiful cellist (Lake Bell) that unlocks the truth behind her mysterious death.” Creepy.

Read More: Casey Affleck to Write and Star in Supernatural Thriller ‘Villain’

In our exclusive clip, witness the mysterious allure of Drag Hammerman (Howard) as he playfully woos Molly (Deborah Ann Woll), a waitress at a bar with aspirations for greater things (perhaps even of the supernatural variety).

Check it out below.

On the surface, Rafael Kapelinski’s feature debut “Butterfly Kisses” looks to fit neatly into a certain subset of angsty teen dramas set against the backdrop of London’s drab housing estates, but something far darker — and, admittedly, much more complicated — looms just below the surface of the filmmaker’s dramatic offering.

“Butterfly Kisses” premiered last week at the Berlinale and stars a young and up-and-coming British cast, including Theo Stevenson (“Humans”), Rosie Day (“Outlander”) and Thomas Turgoose (“This is England”). The film was shot entirely in black and white, and it appears to earn all the moodiness that such a style implies.

Read More: The 2017 IndieWire Berlinale Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival

Ostensibly concerned with a pack of teen friends goofing about around their council estate home, the film follows a trio of dudes — Kyle, Jarred and Jake — as they navigate such relatable themes as boredom,...

The swords, and the performers, fly fast and furious in Derek Yee’s Wuxia epic remake of 1977’s Death Duel. Produced and co-written by Hong Kong filmmaking legend Tsui Hark, Sword Master is a visually opulent if narratively confusing martial arts extravaganza that should well please the genre’s many fans, even if American audiences have unfortunately been denied the opportunity to see the film in 3D.

The convoluted storyline revolves around several principal characters, including Xiaofeng (Kenny Lin), the “Third Master” who, traumatized by his violent past, gives up his sword, spreads false rumors about his death and goes to...

Nearly 40 years after Chor Yuen launched his acting career in the Shaw Brothers classic Death Duel, director Derek Yee returns to Gu Long’s source novel for a ravishing new adaptation. With Tsui Hark producing and action choreography from Yuen Bun and Dion Lin, Sword Master is a shamelessly old-fashioned swordplay romance that pays homage to the legacy of studio-bound wuxia dramas, while simultaneously embracing cutting-edge new technology. CGI backdrops and immersive 3D photography combine seamlessly with balletic wirework and an age-old story of duty and heroism that should delight audiences around the world. Yee casts Kenny Lin Gengxin in the role that made him a star back in 1977, as Third Master Hsiao Feng, proclaimed throughout the land as the greatest living swordsman....

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Exclusive: Hong Kong-based sales agent has picked up latest action thriller from Ringo Lam, starring Daniel Wu and Zhang Jingchu.

Hong Kong-based Distribution Workshop has picked up international rights to Ringo Lam’s latest action thriller, Sky On Fire, starring Daniel Wu.

Currently in post-production, the film also stars Joseph Chang Hsiao-chuan, Zhang Jingchu and Amber Kuo. Chang also starred in Lam’s last film, hit action thriller Wild City, which marked his return to directing after a seven-year hiatus.

Wu recently starred in Us TV series Into The Badlands, which AMC has renewed for a second season set to air in 2017.

Produced by Skyman Development, Sky On Fire tells the story of a security guard (Wu) who becomes embroiled in a battle to protect stem cell research, which can potentially cure cancer, from falling into the wrong hands.

The film is currently in post-production and is scheduled for release in China on November 25, 2016.

Distribution Workshop’s Busan...

Starring: Marco Johnson, David Luptak, Kimberly Bowden, Anthony Scanish, John Legrand

Directed by: Robert Samuels

Written & Produced by: Robert Jefferson

executive producers: Alan Goldberg, John Deblasio

Stunt and Fight Choreography by: Manny Ayala

R4 Films in association with Action Magazine

A Samuels/ Jefferson Film

Beast: The Chronicles Of Parker, is simply a 17 minute rollarcoaster of a ride. From the opening credits, we get some heart thumping music mixed with fantastic fight choreography until the last second. Beast centers around the character “Parker” (Marco Johnson) and “Osiris”, played by Kimberly Bowden.

They are searching for “Mr.David” (David Luptak), who may be holding a dangerous toxin and time is starting to run out. So Parker and Osiris track him and his fighers down and with help 15 minutes away, Parkour is in no mood to wait.

Marco Johnson is Parker

Plot

Agent Robert Parker is hot on the heels of a...

Shanghai International Film Festival unveils 2016 line-up.Scroll down for full list of awards

Longman Leung and Sunny Luk’s Cold War 2 [pictured], the sequel to Edko Films’ hit 2012 action thriller, will open this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (June 11-19).

Meanwhile, Werner Herzog’s Salt And Fire, Bruce Beresford’s Mr Church and Cao Baoping’s Coke And Bull are among the films selected for the Golden Goblet Awards (see full list below).

As previously announced the competition jury is headed by Emir Kusturica and also includes Atom Egoyan, Daniele Luchetti, African filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Timbuktu), Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden (Tharlo), Hong Kong actress Karena Lam and Chinese writer Yan Geling.

Japanese filmmaker Kazuo Hara will oversee a separate jury for documentaries, while Swiss animation director George Schwizgebel heads the jury for animated films.

Siff also unveiled nominations in six categories for the Asian New Talent Awards, which has a jury headed by Hong Kong filmmaker...

Werner Herzog’s thriller Salt And Fire will have its world premiere at the festival.

Longman Leung and Sunny Luk’s Cold War 2 [pictured], the sequel to Edko Films’ hit 2012 action thriller, will open this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (June 11-19).

Meanwhile, Werner Herzog’s Salt And Fire, Bruce Beresford’s Mr Church and Cao Baoping’s Coke And Bull are among the films selected for the Golden Goblet Awards (see full list below).

As previously announced the competition jury is headed by Emir Kusturica and also includes Atom Egoyan, Daniele Luchetti, African filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Timbuktu), Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden (Tharlo), Hong Kong actress Karena Lam and Chinese writer Yan Geling.

Japanese filmmaker Kazuo Hara will oversee a separate jury for documentaries, while Swiss animation director George Schwizgebel heads the jury for animated films.

Siff also unveiled nominations in six categories for the Asian New Talent Awards, which has a jury...

The ceremony broadcast was banned in mainland China, reportedly due to the nomination of the politically-charged dystopian drama.Scroll down for the full list

Port Of Call emerged as a big winner with seven prizes from the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards, while controversial local independent production Ten Years was declared best film and The Taking Of Tiger Mountain’s Tsui Hark took best director.

Port Of Call, which came into the night with the most nominations at 13, pulled off a clean sweep of all the acting prizes: best actor for Aaron Kwok (his first Hkfa win), best actress for newcomer Jessie Li, best supporting actress for Elaine Jin, as well as best new performer and best supporting actor, both of which for Michael Ning.

The crime thriller also won best screenplay for writer-director Philip Yung and best cinematography for Christopher Doyle.

However, the biggest award of the evening went to Ten Years, which beat heavyweights...

Cast: Kenny Lin, Yiyan Jiang, Mengjie Jiang, Edward Gu

Derek Yee is back, a Shaw Brothers Veteran who is remaking a classic that he starred in “Death Duel” back in 1977. The movie is listed in most peoples Top 10 Shaw Brothers movies and rightly so, i just hope they do a good job on the remake.

Kenny Lin will play the role Derek Yee played in 1977 and derek even mentioned that Kenny plays the role better than he did all them years ago (That is to be seen).

Derek Yee appeared in many great flicks throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, here are a few:

Sentimental Swordsman, Return Of The Sentimental Swordsman, Jade Tiger, Legend Of The Bat, Shaolin Prince, Pursuit Of Vengeance and many more.

Plot:

The Third Master (Erh Tung Sheng aka Derek Yee) is considered to be the greatest sword master of the day. His displays of skill and...

Exclusive: Well Go USA has acquired North American and UK rights to Derek Yee’s highly-anticipated martial arts epic Sword Master 3D.

Distribution Workshop is handling sales on the film, which is produced by Tsui Hark and Yee’s Film Unlimited for Bona Film Group.

Tsui previously directed and produced 3D hits such as Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate and The Taking Of Tiger Mountain.

Starring Lin Gengxin (The Taking Of Tiger Mountain) and Peter Ho (The Monkey King), Sword Master 3D is based on Gu Long’s 1975 wuxia novel The Third Master’s Sword. The film is in post-production for delivery summer 2016.

http://asianmoviepulse.com/2016/01/40-ti-lung-movies-enjoy-part-12/2/ – Part 1

Ti Lung is known for his awesome catalogue of movies, over the years he was a leading star at The Shaw Brothers Studio and appeared in well over a 100 movies. I have put together a list of movies, which i have enjoyed over the years. *This is not a Top 40 list.

21.Anonymous Heroes (1971)

Cast:David Chiang, Cheng Li, Cheng Miu, Wong Chung

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Lau Kar Leung, Tong Gaai

22.All Men Are Brothers (1975)

Cast:Chen Kuan Tai, David Chiang, Wong Chung, Bolo Yeung, Danny Lee, Ku Feng

Director:Chang Cheh, Wu Ma

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Lau Kar Leung, Lau Kar Wing, Chan Chuen

23.Clans Of Intrigue (1977)

Cast:Yueh Hua, Li Ching, Nora Miao, Ku Feng

Director:Chu Yuan

Fight Choreographer:Wong Pau Gei, Tong Gaai

24.Heroic Ones (1970)

Cast:David Chiang, Lily Li, Chan Sing, Chan Chuen, Ku Feng, Bolo Yeung

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Lau Kar Wing,...

Ti Lung is known for his awesome catalogue of movies, over the years he was a leading star at The Shaw Brothers Studio and appeared in well over a 100 movies. I have put together a list of movies, which i have enjoyed over the years. *This is not a Top 40 list.

1.Have Sword, Will Travel (1969)

Cast:David Chiang, Li Ching, Ku Feng, Cheng Miu,

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Yuen Cheung Yan

 

2.The Duel (1971)

Cast:David Chiang, Yeung Chi Hing, Yue Wai, Ku Feng

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Yuen Cheung Yan

 

3.Blood Brothers (1973)

Cast:Chen Kuan Tai, David Chiang, Cheng Li, Cheng Miu, Tin Ching

Director:Chang Cheh

Fight Choreographer:Lau Kar Leung, Tong Gaai

 

4.The Sentimental Swordsman (1977)

Cast:Cheng Li, Yueh Hua, Derek Yee, Ku Feng, Fan Mei Sheng

Director:Chu Yuan

Fight Choreographer:Tong Gaai, Wong Pau Gei

 

5.The Retuen of The Sentimental Swordsman (1981)

Cast:Fu Sheng, Derek Yee,...