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While the Taiwanese genre scene has seen plenty of stellar and high-end success recently in the wake of titles like “Mon Mon Mon Monsters” or “The Sadness,” Taiwan first emerged on the zombie market with this effort from genre director Joe Chien back in 2012. Keeping things straightforward for this first go-round toying with the genre, not only would Chien improve on this style later on in his career but so did the rest of the country with later genre efforts advancing nicely from what was started with this one.

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Following a viral outbreak, a radiation leak from a nuclear power plant spreads a mutated virus across Taipei which starts to turn the populace into flesh-eating undead. The government tries to prevent the spread of the zombie plague by creating a quarantine zone and sending in Swat teams to evacuate civilians and wipe out the ghouls.

A handful of holdover confirmed their resilience on what was otherwise a deathly quiet weekend at the mainland China box office.

Chinese crime actioner, “Go for Broke” (aka “Chong Sheng”) earned RMB35.4 million ($5.0 million) between Friday and Sunday, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. That lifted it to first place in its fourth weekend of release and gives it a cumulative of $53.4 million.

“Alien Romulus,” which had topped the chart for the previous three weeks, fell to second place. It earned $4.5 million and became only the second Hollywood import title this year to earn more than $100 million in Chinese theaters (Behind “Godzilla x Kong”).

“How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies,” the Thai-produced comedy drama, saw its week-on-week takings decline, but its chart rank improve. The film earned RMB18 million ($2.5 million) in third place, compared with $3.3 million and fifth place a week earlier. Since releasing in China on Aug.

“Alien: Romulus” has become Hollywood’s second biggest film of the year at the mainland China box office, following a strong second weekend hold.

The film picked up RMB140 million ($19.7 million) between Friday and Sunday in China, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. That compares favorably with its $26.2 million opening weekend and gives it a cumulative of RMB523 ($73.7 million) since releasing on Aug. 16.

Among Hollywood import titles in 2024, the running total is beaten only by (Chinese-backed) “Godzilla v Kong” which amassed $134 million.

In less than two weeks, “Alien” has jumped ahead of a cluster of Hollywood’s other franchise titles and the $50 million ceiling that most have been stuck beneath. “Kung Fu Panda 4” earned $52 million in China. “Despicable Me 4” earned $56 million. “Dune 2” earned $49.7 million. “Inside Out 2” earned $48 million.

Imax reports that, of the latest weekend gross figure, the film earned $2.75 million on its screens.

Mumbai, April 16 (Ians) The Taiwanese film ‘Demon Hunters’, which stars Indian actor Arjan Bajwa, is heading to Cannes Film Festival.

The film is an action-comedy, and its first look will be unveiled at the French Riviera next month. The film is headlined by Arjan Bajwa and Jc Lin.

It is directed by Mei-Juin Chen, who is known for her work on ‘The Gangster’s Daughter’, and has camera handled by veteran cinematographer Tony Cheung. Tony is known for his work on films like ‘Dragon Blade’ and ‘Hidden Strike’ starring Jackie Chan and John Sena.

With a stellar international cast and crew, including Regina Lei and seasoned actor Jack Kao, known as Al Pacino of the South East and Harry Chang from the popular Netflix Series Gatao, the film is set to captivate audiences worldwide.

Arjan Bajwa said: “Being a part of ‘Demon Hunters’ has been an incredible experience. The opportunity...

Demon Hunters At Cannes.

Whenever two different film industries come together to produce a movie or a series, there’s always an excitement to know how the final product will be. Demon Hunters is one such movie, where artists from different cinematic worlds have come together. It’s a joint production by Indian and Taiwanese artists. Directed by Chen Mei-juin, a glimpse of the movie will soon be made available to the world.

Demon Hunters Cast

The cast of the action-horror comedy includes Arjan Bajwa, J.C. Lin, Regina Lei, Jack Kao, and Harry Chan. Chen Mei-juin’s movie is jointly produced by Taiwan’s Light House Productions and India’s Kleos Entertainment Group. Tony Cheung has worked as the film’s DoP.

Trending The Sympathizer Review: Robert Downey Jr. & Park Chan-wook Combine Forces In A Powerful Spy-Thriller From A24 This Bridgerton Star Allegedly Being Eyed To Lead The New Jurassic World...

The first footage from India-Taiwan co-production “Demon Hunters” will be unveiled at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.

The action-horror-comedy film is directed by Chen Mei-Juin (“The Gangster’s Daughter”) and produced by Light House Productions (Taiwan) and Kleos Entertainment Group (India), with the backing of the Taiwan government.

The cast is headlined by India’s Arjan Bajwa (Prime Video series “Bestseller”) and Taiwan’s J.C. Lin (“Breaking and Re-entering”) and also includes Regina Lei (“Antikalpa”), Jack Kao (“Seven Killings”) and Harry Chan (“A Boy and a Girl”). The DoP is Hong Kong veteran Tony Cheung (“Hidden Strike”).

Cindy Shyu of Light House Productions said: “‘Demon Hunters’ is a testament to the power of collaboration. We are thrilled to bring this unique blend of action and comedy to the global stage, and Cannes provides the perfect platform to showcase our vision.”

Gayathiri Guliani of Kleos Entertainment Group added: “‘Demon Hunters’ embodies...

In 1995, Hou Hsiao-hsien directed the last of the ”Taiwanese History” trilogy, which was his first film to be chiefly produced by a Japanese production company, Team Okuyama, although some Taiwanese companies also contributed. “Good Men, Good Women” won the Golden Deer for Best Director from the Changchun Film Festival, which was the first Chinese festival to accept entries from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Furthermore, the movie netted awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound Recording from Golden Horse and was screened in Cannes in the competition section, among numerous other festivals around the world.

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The film is based on the autobiography by Chiang Bi-yu. The complex script unfolds in three intermingling axes. In today's Taipei, Ching Liang, is a young actress preparing to shoot a movie (sharing a title with the actual movie), in which she plays Chiang Bi-yu,...

Taiwan cinema has presented some of the best entries in the realistic/arthouse gangster film genre, with movies like “Dust of Angels”, “The Great Buddha+” and “Godspeed” highlighting the fact quite eloquently. Another standout of this approach is definitely “Goodbye South, Goodbye” a film, however that was the last of the Taiwanese auteur that was not successful.

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Gao, an entrepreneur/gangster, rides the train to Pinghsi to set up an illegal gambling parlor, along with his friend Hsi. Also with them is his acolyte Flatty and his girlfriend, Pretzel, who works in a nightclub. Ying, Gao's girlfriend works in the same club but she does not like the people he associates with, considering them dangerous. Gao has already agreed with Hsi to open a nightclub in Shanghai but Ying pressures him to stay in Taiwan, to open a restaurant together.

“The last thing I hate is that life always forces us to keep moving forwards.”

In the aftermath of the New York Film Festival, reporter Vincent Canby wrote an article about the films of the festival he aptly named “Why Some Films Don't Travel Well”. Works such as Zhang Yimou's “Red Sorghum”, Andrei Konchalovsky's “Asya's Happiness” and Hou Hsiao-Hsien's “Daughter of the Nile” are mostly relevant thanks to their “sociology factor” Canby begins his article, an aspect that these works are and have been applauded for around the world while as films themselves they are not that interesting. Hou Hsiao-Hien, one of the most popular directors of Taiwanese New Cinema along with Edward Yang, was still trying to find a cinematic language for his films, one which strongly resembled the works of Yasujiro Ozu in terms of style and content, the sense of resignation, as he writes...

After such works as “A City of Sadness” Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-Hsien, member of the Taiwanese New Wave, was looking for new topics, also outside his home country. Eventually he stumbled upon a novel by Han Ziyun, translated into Mandarin by Eileen Chang, about the Shanghai flower houses, their relevance to urban life in the early 1900s and before, as well as their hierarchy. The work inspired “Flowers of Shanghai”, in they eyes of many cinephiles and critics his most artful feature, which was nominated for Best Film at Cannes Film Festival in 1998 and won the award for best Art Direction and the Jury Award at Golden Horse Film Festival.

Flowers of Shanghai is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema The Spark is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema

The story takes place during the 1880s, and covers many characters and their encounters in...

“A City of Sadness” is a critically acclaimed historical drama directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. It was awarded numerous times, notably at the Venice Film Festival and the Golden Horse Film Festival. It is also worth mentioning that “A City of Sadness” was the first Taiwanese movie to win the Golden Lion. Moreover, it was chosen as Taiwan's submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 62nd Academy Awards, though it did not get a nomination. In 2023, the restored version of the film was released in cinemas in Taiwan and Hong Kong, among others.

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The story, written by Chu T'ien-wen and Wu Nien-jen, shows the consequences of political change in Taiwan in the 1940s by delving into the tales of two families living near Taipei. In the first one, the eldest of four sons (Chen Sung-young) owns a restaurant and a trading company.

Back in 1999, producers from Hong Kong and Japan had an idea of bringing together Leslie Cheung, then at the apogee of his career, and Takako Tokiwa, widely known as ‘Queen of Serial Drama' for her roles and awards on TV, in order to present a movie that moves between the romantic drama and the crime film, probably in an effort to capitalize in terms of commercial success. The result was not exactly masterful, but there are definitely enough elements here to make the movie worth watching. Let us take things from the beginning though.

Hitomi is a Japanese girl who is about to get married to her fiance Tetsuya and move to Hong Kong with him. However, a tragic car accident ends up with him dead and her in Hong Kong trying to find some sort of solace from her ongoing grief. Kar-bo is an undercover policeman, who has put...

Actor Arjan Bajwa, a pan-Indian actor who has appeared in Hindi and South films, has secured a prominent role in an international production titled ‘Demon Hunters’. Talking about the gig, Arjan said that he was absolutely thrilled to be chosen.

Detailing his selection process, the ‘Rustom’ actor said: “It’s an exhilarating character, and I’m thrilled to have been chosen to portray a computer geek seeking vengeance for his grandfather’s death.”

He added: “The casting team reached out to me about six to eight months ago. They carefully reviewed my body of work, and after meticulous and detailed meetings, things fell into place. We engaged in workshops and training before the shoot, which was an amazing learning experience.”

A power packed-action-comedy feature, the venture is helmed by director Mei-Juin Chen (‘Gangster’s Daughter’) along with celebrated director-cinematographer Tony Cheung. ‘Demon Hunters’ is produced by the global company Light House Productions.

Actor Arjan Bajwa, a pan-Indian actor who has appeared in Hindi and South films, has secured a prominent role in an international production titled ‘Demon Hunters’. Talking about the gig, Arjan said that he was absolutely thrilled to be chosen.

Detailing his selection process, the ‘Rustom’ actor said: “It’s an exhilarating character, and I’m thrilled to have been chosen to portray a computer geek seeking vengeance for his grandfather’s death.”

He added: “The casting team reached out to me about six to eight months ago. They carefully reviewed my body of work, and after meticulous and detailed meetings, things fell into place. We engaged in workshops and training before the shoot, which was an amazing learning experience.”

A power packed-action-comedy feature, the venture is helmed by director Mei-Juin Chen (‘Gangster’s Daughter’) along with celebrated director-cinematographer Tony Cheung. ‘Demon Hunters’ is produced by the global company Light House Productions.

San Sebastian premiere ‘A Journey in Spring’ takes on the nature of life, say debuting Taiwanese directors Tzu-Hui Peng and Ping-Wen Wang.

“I have a very close relationship with my family. They ground me. Losing them is my deepest fear, but it’s birth and death, come and go,” admits Wang.

Peng adds: “We can only learn how to cherish things after we experience regrets.”

Such melancholic takes echo their protagonist’s experience as well: an older man who lives with his wife somewhere in Taipei. When she passes away, he tries his best to ignore it – also by hiding her body in an old freezer. But when his estranged son finally returns home, with his new partner, Khim-Hok has to acknowledge her death.

Jason King, Kuei-Mei Yang, Wei-Hua Lan, Shu-Wei Chang, Chiasui Chen and Jack Kao act in the film, produced by Being Film and Art Co.

“I never...

From the mid-1980s to the end of the 20th century, Hou Hsiao-hsien emerged as a kind of national historian, exploring Taiwan’s colonial history and attendant identity crisis across his work. Though his dramas of this period dealt with individuals and families, they tended to adopt a distanced, objective camera perspective with an emphasis on groups of people dwarfed by their physical and political surroundings. Eschewing close-ups, Hou ignored individual perspective to better study the tides of change playing on the characters as the accumulated weight of centuries of occupations shaped their sense of self and frequently alienated notion of belonging.

Hou took an opposite approach with 2001’s Millennium Mambo—that is, with a literally close-up portrait of an individual, Vicky (Shu Qi), navigating on-again, off-again romances with Hao-Hao (Tuan Chun-hao), the failed DJ and drug-using petty criminal with whom she shares an apartment, and Jack (Jack Kao), a kindly older gangster.

By Kun-Yu Lai

Reviewing Taiwanese Cinema history, everyone refers to the masters of Taiwanese New Wave, like Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Wan Jen and Wang Toon. However, seldom people had ever mentioned another great director who made, possibly, the greatest gangster film in Taiwan: Hsu Hsiao-ming. Only some audience has seen his “Dust of Angels”, which is underrated all the time.

“Dust of Angels” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival

The story is about two teenagers, A-Guo and A-Douzi, who use drugs and hang around with gangster all day. During the 1990s, Taiwanese economy had reached its highest point, and the society changed faster than any periods in history. The economic boom gave gangsters opportunities to gain their power in business and politics. Teenagers like the main characters were easily absorbed and became part of it. After getting involved in a homicide event in their home town, A-Guo...

Metrograph Pictures is thrilled to celebrate a record-smashing two-week straight sold-out run of their newly released 4K restoration of Hou Hsiao-hsien‘s 2001 Cannes Palme d’Or nominee Millennium Mambo following its theatrical launch on Friday, December 23. Playing exclusively at Metrograph theater in Manhattan and online on Metrograph At Home, additional screenings have been added for the widely lauded restoration release for the month of January due to overwhelming demand.

A stylish and seductive submersion into the techno-scored neon nightlife of Taipei, Hou’s much-misunderstood marvel stars Shu Qi (The Assassin) as an aimless bar hostess drifting away from her blowhard boyfriend and towards Jack Kao’s suave, sensitive gangster. Structured as a flashback to the then-present from the then-future of 2011, it’s a transfixing trance-out of a movie, drenched in club lights, ecstatic endorphin-rush exhilaration, and a nagging undercurrent of ennui. A Metrograph Pictures release.

Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Millennium Mambo premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001 to, sadly, so little enthusiasm outside the highbrow crowd that it didn’t finally land in North American theaters until three years later. Initially mystifying even to fans of Hou for being so “minor” after a number of historical dramas, it’s had a second act—seemingly earning the mantle of the director’s most popular film, at least judging by Letterboxd-logging stats. It’s curious to reflect on the reason for its elevated reputation, yet easy to recognize why it’s a particular favorite to aging millennials who serve as our chief tastemakers. And now on the occasion of a new 4K restoration, the film has the chance to be experienced theatrically for the first time by many of its biggest admirers, where its hypnotic rhythms and neon world can be better appreciated than on a...

Slowly but surely the works of one of the greatest directors in cinema history are getting restored. On the heels of the recent Flowers of Shanghai revamp, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s 2001 masterpiece Millennium Mambo has recently undergone a 4K restoration and is now arriving just in time for Christmas. Ahead of the theatrical release at NYC’s Metrograph and digital release on Metrograph At Home this Friday, December 23, the new trailer has arrived.

Led by Shu Qi in one of the most mesmerizing performances of this young century, she plays a bar hostess stuck in an unfulfilling relationship with her loser DJ boyfriend and gets caught up with a gangster, played by Jack Kao. I had a chance to get an early look at the 4K restoration and, as the trailer hints, it’s quite something to behold––from the already-iconic opening shot to the neon-lit clubs to Shu Qi’s...

Inter-generational family dramas always come with great promise, as they offer the chance to further explore the ties that bind us over the years. This case is no different with Huang Yu-Shen’s 1990 film, “Peony Birds”, which follows the evolving relationship between mother and daughter over some 20 years. Unfocused in areas and a little long in the tooth, Huang’s tale of love and loss is still one worth exploring for its humanistic approach.

“Peony Birds” is screening at Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh

Ah-Chaun (Su Ming-Ming) is in an unhappy marriage until tragedy befalls her husband. Some years later, her daughter, Shu-Chin (Vivian Chen), finds herself dealing with relationship troubles of her own as she tries to make her way in the world. Outside of the men in their lives, though, the two struggle to move on from the past, both living in bitterness with ideals of what could have been.

Asian cinema is developing rapidly and it has always been in the spotlight of the cinema. In this article, we will review one of the most notable representatives called The Conman.

King (Andy Lau) is one of the best card cheaters that were born. He is constantly improving and is almost ready to challenge the best player – Macau Mon (Jack Kao), but in the ongoing game is caught in a scam. Defending himself, he kills his opponent and is sentenced to five years in prison. His wife and unborn child are lost during this time, and when King finally goes free, he decides to complete what he did not have time for, and with the help of the disciple dragon (Nick Cheung) and his sister (Athena Chu) return to the big game.

Wong Jing, for all the commercial nature of his movies, did a lot for Hong Kong cinema, giving...

Gambling movies are one of the most popular movie genres worldwide. The high-octane, drama-filled genre has given us some of pop culture’s most influential and memorable films. The inherent drama, risk, and fast-paced storytelling that comes with gambling-themed movies have made them a fan favorite worldwide.

Gambling movies have become globally popular, mostly due to Hollywood’s take on the genre. Movies like Ocean’s Eleven, Rounders, and Casino Royale have gained international recognition and have given fans some of Hollywood’s biggest classics.

While Hollywood seems to have perfected the making of gambling-themed movies, the Asian movie industry has also contributed to the genre’s success on the big screen. Gambling movies have grown in popularity over the years in Asia, and the genre has given the industry some of it’s best and most critically acclaimed movies.

Let’s take a look at the four of the very best Asian gambling movies.

By Shikhar Verma

Taiwanese documentary filmmaker Chen Mei-juin’s “The Gangster’s Daughter” is her first narrative film. Showing a great eye for both the rural and urban lifestyle, her film follows the life of Shaowu (Ally Chiu), a rebellious teenager who has just lost her mother only to be reunited with her estranged father, who also happens to be a renowned gangster.

The Gangster’s Daughter is screening at Asian Pop-Up Cinema: Taiwan Cinema Online

Shaowu, which also translates to ‘dance’, is not the usual teenager. When living in Kinmen Island with her grandmother, she spends most of her time in her secret bunker and watching gangster films (also imitating them). When asked about her hobbies at her new school in Taipei city, her unusual reply of collecting ‘bullets & guns’ worries us. Thankfully, Mein-Juin’s film doesn’t follow the conventional gangster films. While guns, bullets and gang violence...

By Kun-Yu Lai

Reviewing Taiwanese Cinema history, everyone refers to the masters of Taiwanese New Wave, like Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, Wan Jen and Wang Toon. However, seldom people had ever mentioned another great director who made, possibly, the greatest gangster film in Taiwan: Hsu Hsiao-ming. Only some audience has seen his “Dust of Angels”, which is underrated all the time.

The story is about two teenagers, A-Guo and A-Douzi, who use drugs and hang around with gangster all day. During the 1990s, Taiwanese economy had reached its highest point, and the society changed faster than any periods in history. The economic boom gave gangsters opportunities to gain their power in business and politics. Teenagers like the main characters were easily absorbed and became part of it.

After getting involved in a homicide event in their home town, A-Guo and A-Douzi are forced to flee to Taipei to find shelter.

For the most part, Taiwanese film industry is well known for its romantic films, dramas or comedies. Maybe only a handful films, if that, from the country would come to mind when thinking about entertaining action films that could stand toe-to-toe with its other continental cousins. Director Hung Tzu-hsuan, with his debut feature film “The Scoundrels”, aims to rejuvenate the Taiwanese action genre.

“The Scoundrels” is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

Hot-headed Liao Wen-jui used to be a popular basketball player considered to be the next big thing in the sport. After a massive brawl at a game that effectively ended his career and resulted in a fan being hospitalised and Liao being stuck with the massive hospital bills as compensation, he has a phenomenal fall from grace, which forces him to take on any jobs to make ends meet. He soon finds himself working for a carjacking gang led by Hsiao-hei,...

By Shikhar Verma

Taiwanese documentary filmmaker Chen Mei-juin’s “The Gangster’s Daughter” is her first narrative film. Showing a great eye for both the rural and urban lifestyle, her film follows the life of Shaowu (Ally Chiu), a rebellious teenager who has just lost her mother only to be reunited with her estranged father, who also happens to be a renowned gangster.

“The Gangster’s Daughter” screened at the New York Asian Film Festival

Shaowu, which also translates to ‘dance’, is not the usual teenager. When living in Kinmen Island with her grandmother, she spends most of her time in her secret bunker and watching gangster films (also imitating them). When asked about her hobbies at her new school in Taipei city, her unusual reply of collecting ‘bullets & guns’ worries us. Thankfully, Mein-Juin’s film doesn’t follow the conventional gangster films. While guns, bullets and gang violence does...

“Cities of Last Things,” an award-winning Taiwanese black drama where the story is told in reverse chronological order, has been acquired for streaming by global online giant Netflix. The film is expected to be available on the platform from July 11.

The film opens with images of a man hurling himself to his death off a multi-story apartment building. It goes on to reveal the man’s experience of three eras, three seasons, and three nights, compacted into one single night in the same city, and told in reverse chronological order.

Directed by Malaysian-born, New York-educated Ho Wi Ding, the film had its premiere at the Toronto festival in September last year. There it won the prize for best film in the experimental Platform section. Toronto festival director and CEO Piers Handling described the film as “a very twisting interior tale of a man trying to exorcise his demons.”

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With plenty of genre efforts already made, it would seem very few original ideas are left in the ground to unearth for zombie films yet the concept of mixing together ‘The Raid: Redemption’ with ‘Fight Club’ is certainly an intriguing mixture. Nowhere near as unique or creative as it could’ve been but still highly enjoyable nonetheless, this mashup from emerging Taiwanese genre director Joe Chien has a lot to like due to that.

Arriving at an ordinary apartment building, police officer Andy and his team, Captain Ma and Li Wei find the rumors are true in that they’ve been unleashed into a zombie outbreak. Trying to fight their way through the horde of zombies inside, several other survivors Jenny and David also manage to stay alive inside the building and together fight their way to safety, only to see several years later that the zombie...

First feature of Matt Wu pays homage to several European directors and movements, and shows some important talents – among them the talents to tame Aaron Kwok, and not to become a slave of inspirations and models. In “One Night Only”, he offers a world, where the story of two strangers in the night works smoother and better than its script suggests. That makes the film an overall entertaining experience, despite all its ups and downs.

Gao Ye (Aaron Kwok) is a gambler, he is very very late with his rent, and in general, he is out of luck. Suddenly, a knock on his door changes not only the course of that night, but also his life. Momo (Yang Zishan) introduces herself as a prostitute hired by/for Ye and forces herself in. After a while, she lets Ye to all the money she has on her, and...

Ho Wi Ding’s noir-tinged triptych details three nights in the life of troubled Taiwan police detective Zhang Dong Ling, as his turbulent personal life repeatedly triggers eruptions of murderous violence. Winner of the Platform Prize at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Cities of Last Things is an imperfect but consistently intriguing new work from the director of Beautiful Accident, Pinoy Sunday and Respire. Opening in a near-future setting, each of the film’s subsequent segments jumps further back in time, offering more explanation as to Zhang’s personality and behaviour. He is also portrayed by a different actor in each chapter, respectively Jack Kao, Lee Hong Chi and Hsieh Chang Ying, each of whom puts a new spin on the character while retaining his tortured...

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

“The last thing I hate is that life always forces us to keep moving forwards.”

In the aftermath of the New York Film Festival, reporter Vincent Canby wrote an article about the films of the festival he aptly named “Why Some Films Don’t Travel Well”. Works such as Zhang Yimou’s “Red Sorghum”, Andrei Konchalovsky’s “Asya’s Happiness” and Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s “Daughter of the Nile” are mostly relevant thanks to their “sociology factor” Canby begins his article, an aspect that these works are and have been applauded for around the world while as films themselves they are not that interesting. Hou Hsiao-Hien, one of the most popular directors of Taiwanese New Cinema along with Edward Yang, was still trying to find a cinematic language for his films, one which strongly resembled the works of Yasujiro Ozu in terms of style and content, the sense of resignation, as...

The peppy exhortation to “live every moment as if it were your last” has always been a source of annoyance, not least because it’s so redundant: Every moment we experience is our last — as in, the latest in a long line of moments that terminates in the present with only the chirruping crickets of an unknown future ahead. With his fifth feature, Malaysian-born Taiwanese filmmaker Ho Wi Ding has basically made a hymn to that observation, in the form of the seamy, secretive, sorrowful “Cities of Last Things” — winner of the Toronto film festival’s juried Platform section — a fatalistic film noir that uses a non-chronological structure to invoke the elusive idea that every encounter is an abandonment and that all we are is the sum total of all those last things.

And so it begins with an end — while an incongruously cheerful, old-fashioned Chinese doo-wop song plays, a...

"Let's run away together." An official festival trailer has arrived for a sci-fi drama titled Cities of Last Things, a Taiwanese production. It sounds intriguing and looks crazy cool. This is a story about a common man who has extraordinary events in his mundane life. The film depicts the protagonist's turns of events in three eras, three seasons, three nights, in the same city, as told with reverse chronology. It just premiered at Tiff this month, though not too many reviews are around yet. "Spanning generations, Cities of Last Things builds a seering, non-preachy portrait of societal and political change through the lens of an emotional drama. Reminiscent of the early work of Wong Kar-wai, it finds its heartbeat in the pulse-pounding rhythm of the underbelly of the unnamed city." Starring Jack Kao, Li Hong-Chi, Louise Grinberg, Ding Ning, Stone, Huang Lu, Liu Rui-Chi, Hsin Yin, Liu Juei-Chi, and Shin Yin.

Exclusive: Here’s the first-look trailer from intriguing Toronto Film Festival entry Cities Of Last Things. From director Ho Wi Ding, the sci-fi-fi drama is told in reverse-chronological order, revealing one man’s fraught inner world and the circumstances that led to a life-altering decision. A Taiwan/China/France/U.S. co-production, it’s running in the Platform section on September 8.

Filmed in Taiwan, the movie stars Hong-Chi Lee (Long Day’s Journey Into Night), Louise Grinberg, Jack Kao, Lu Huang and Stone (of the Taiwanese band Mayday).

The film, set in the pulse-pounding rhythm of the underbelly of an unnamed city, opens with the image of a man hurling himself to his death off a multi-storey apartment building. The story follows Lao Zhang, a depressed, ex-police officer pining for a lost love and fighting with his unfaithful wife about their long-soured relationship. But Lao intends to finally act, with a calculated fury,...

Sales agency, Wild Bunch has boarded “Cities of Last Things,” a mind-bending Asian drama that has its premiere next month at the Toronto Film Festival.

Written and directed by Malaysian-born, Taiwan-based Ho Wi Ding the film opens with the images of a man hurling himself to his death off a multi-story apartment building. It goes on to reveal the man’s experience of three eras, three seasons, three nights, compacted into one night in the same city, and told in reverse chronological order. Tiff director and CEO Piers Handling described the film as “a very twisting interior tale of a man trying to exorcise his demons.”

The film stars Lu Huang (aka Lulu Huang) rising Chinese actor and Golden Horse winner Hong-Chi Lee, seasoned Taiwanese actor Jack Kao and French actress Louise Grinberg.

Taiwan-based Changhe Films co-produced the film with China-based Hymn Pictures, Singapore’s MM2 Entertainment, the U.S.

Wild Bunch has come aboard to handle worldwide sales on Cities of Last Things, Ho Wi Ding’s new film that is world premiering next month in the Platform section of the Toronto Film Festival. The international sales outfit will rep sales for North America, Japan and most of Europe. Excluded is France, Taiwan, China and other Asian territories for the co-production that counts partners from Taiwan, China, the U.S. and France.

It bows in Taiwan October 26 with a Chinese release likely to follow in November.

The pic centers on one man’s fraught inner world and the circumstances that led to a life-altering decision. It opens with the image of a man hurling himself to his death off a multi-story apartment building and is told in reverse-chronological order. Hong-Chi Lee (Long Day’s Journey Into Night) stars with Jack Kao, Louise Grinberg, Lu Huang and Stone (of the...

Malaysian director Wi Ding Ho’s non-linear relationship drama to premiere in Platform section.

Wild Bunch has acquired world sales rights to Taiwan-based director Wi Ding Ho’s drama Cities Of Last Things ahead of its premiere in Toronto’s Platform section next month.

The Paris-based international sales powerhouse will handle most territories including North America, Japan and Europe but excluding France, Taiwan, China and additional Asian territories.

The non-linear drama revolves around an ordinary man’s relationships with three women, focusing on one night with each of them which resulted in a life-changing event.

“Only in film and literature,...

The pan-Asian co-production stars Taiwan’s Lee Hong-Chi and French actress Louise Grinberg.

Malaysia-born, Taiwan-based filmmaker Wi Ding Ho has wrapped his latest feature, Cities Of Last Things, starring Lee Hong-Chi, Jack Kao and French actress Louise Grinberg (The Class).

The film tells the story of a man and his relationships with different women through three vignettes told in reverse chronology.

Lee Hong-Chi won best new performer at the Golden Horse Awards for 2015 drama Thanatos, Drunk, while Kao is a veteran Taiwanese actor with credits including The Assassin and One Night Only. Lu Huang (Blind Massage) and Stone of Taiwanese...

Chicago – Opening Night of the fifth season of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema is Wednesday, September 20th, 2017, and the first film is a doozy. “The Gangster’s Daughter” is a different take on the popular Taiwanese mobster movie, a relationship film as much as the pure crime. At the helm is director Mei-Juin Chen, with her first narrative film.

“The Gangster’s Daughter” is about the relationship between Keigo (Jack Kao) and Shaowu (Ally Chiu), as a father who practices organized crime in Taipei (the capital of Taiwan) is forced to take in his rebellious teenage daughter after her mother dies. The move creates a different direction for the gangster, and allows him to reassess his entire life of crime. Shaowu, in the meantime, is flexing her adolescent freedoms, which includes a deep Daddy Complex. This clash disrupts both paths for the father and the daughter.

‘The Gangster’s Daughter,’ Directed...

It’s a given that their Main Slate — the fresh, the recently buzzed-about, the mysterious, the anticipated — will be the New York Film Festival’s primary point of attraction for both media coverage and ticket sales. But while a rather fine lineup is, to these eyes, deserving of such treatment, the festival’s latest Revivals section — i.e. “important works from renowned filmmakers that have been digitally remastered, restored, and preserved with the assistance of generous partners,” per their press release — is in a whole other class, one titanic name after another granted a representation that these particular works have so long lacked.

The list speaks for itself, even (or especially) if you’re more likely to recognize a director than title. Included therein are films by Andrei Tarkovsky (The Sacrifice), Hou Hsiao-hsien (Daughter of the Nile, a personal favorite), Pedro Costa (Casa de Lava; trailer here), Jean-Luc Godard (the rarely seen,...

The Gangster’s Daughter Review The Gangster’s Daughter (2017) Film Review from the 16th Annual New York Asian Film Festival, a movie directed by Mei-Juin Chen, starring Jack Kao, and Ally Chiu. The Gangster’s Daughter was a film that took more time to build its settings, characters, and conflict, than most any other film, with ‘Gangster’ [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: The Gangster’S Daughter: A Good Catch, Whatever the Pond Size [Nyaff 2017]...

Even with box office growth in China leveling off last year, there’s every reason to believe a movie like Taiwan’s The Gangster’s Daughter could find an audience there. Budgeted at $1 million and starring Hou Hsiao-Hsien regular Jack Kao, the new movie opened in Taipei on March 10 in 25 theaters. But despite its star power and promising reviews, its chances in the massive mainland Chinese market remain slim.

Kao stars as Keigo, a fading Taipei gangster who takes custody of his estranged teenage daughter, Shaowu (Ally Chiu), who’s been living on Kinmen Island, a Taiwanese county lying closer to...

For 10 years, Five Flavours Film Festival has been presenting the best cinema from Asia, its meanings and contexts. Initially, the Festival focused solely on Vietnamese films, but it evolved to become a yearly review of the cinema of East and Southeast Asia, the only such event in the country.

The 10th edition is held in Warsaw, on November 16-23 (Muranów and Kinoteka cinemas), and in Wrocław on November 18-24 (New Horizons Cinema).

This year’s edition of Five Flavours is the biggest in history – it presents over 40 productions. The program combines artistic and commercial cinema, allowing the audience to experience the best Asian films have to offer. On the one hand, there are the intimate stories with a social angle, on the other – fresh, innovative blockbusters, filled with the sheer joy of cinematic creation, attracting millions of viewers in their homelands.

Three

This diversity is already visible in the choice...

Similar to something you'd see in The Governor-led town of Woodbury, Zombie Fight Club pits humans against the living dead in a sinister sport. Ahead of the movie's home media release next Tuesday from Scream Factory, we've been provided with three Blu-ray copies to give away.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Zombie Fight Club.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject "Zombie Fight Club Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on February 5th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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From the Previous Press Release: Brace yourself for a gritty, zombie apocalypse action film that delivers non-stop action, edge-of-your-seat thrills, bloody...

Blood-spattered fists fly in the Blu-ray clips and trailer for Zombie Fight Club, hitting home media February 2nd from Scream Factory.

From the Previous Press Release: Brace yourself for a gritty, zombie apocalypse action film that delivers non-stop action, edge-of-your-seat thrills, bloody violence and gore in equal measure. On February 2, 2016, Scream Factory™ is proud to unleash Zombie Fight Club on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as being made available on digital entertainment platforms. This much-anticipated film premiered overseas and at numerous film festivals to great audience enthusiasm. Zombie Fight Club is a must-have for action movie fans, zombie terror enthusiasts and movie collectors.

Pre-order now at:

http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Fight-Blu-ray-Jessica-Cambensy/dp/B0182YFYRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1451939090&sr=1-1&keywords=zombie+fight+club

In a corner of the city, in a building riddled with crime... there is an outbreak of zombies. When one young woman (Jessica C,...

Similar to something you'd see in The Governor-led town of Woodbury, Zombie Fight Club pits humans against the living dead in a sinister sport. Fists fly and teeth gnash in the film's official trailer.

Scream Factory will release Zombie Fight Club on Blu-ray and DVD beginning February 2nd:

Previous Press Release: Brace yourself for a gritty, zombie apocalypse action film that delivers non-stop action, edge-of-your-seat thrills, bloody violence and gore in equal measure. On February 2, 2016, Scream Factory™ is proud to unleash Zombie Fight Club on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as being made available on digital entertainment platforms. This much-anticipated film premiered overseas and at numerous film festivals to great audience enthusiasm. Zombie Fight Club is a must-have for action movie fans, zombie terror enthusiasts and movie collectors.

Pre-order now at:

http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Fight-Blu-ray-Jessica-Cambensy/dp/B0182YFYRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1451939090&sr=1-1&keywords=zombie...

Sometimes the best weapon a person can utilize against the living dead is their martial arts training. Viewers can expect to see fists of fury going up against rotted flesh in Zombie Fight Club, and with the new action-horror film hitting home media February 2nd from Scream Factory, we have a look at its cover art and list of special features:

Press Release: Brace yourself for a gritty, zombie apocalypse action film that delivers non-stop action, edge-of-your-seat thrills, bloody violence and gore in equal measure. On February 2, 2016, Scream Factory™ is proud to unleash Zombie Fight Club on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as being made available on digital entertainment platforms. This much-anticipated film premiered overseas and at numerous film festivals to great audience enthusiasm. Zombie Fight Club is a must-have for action movie fans, zombie terror enthusiasts and movie collectors.

Pre-order now at:

http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Fight-Blu-ray-Jessica-Cambensy/dp/B...

Stars: Andy On, Jessica Cambensy, Michael Wong, Terence Yin, Abby Fung, Jack Kao, Han Chang, Heng-yin Chou, Sharon Hsu, Philip Ng, Chi Zhang, Kwok Cheung Tsang, Candy Ka-Man Yuen | Written and Directed by Joe Chien

A sequel to Joe Chien’s zombie horror-cum-torture porn flick, Zombie 108, Zombie Fight Club sees Andy (Andy On) and Jessica (Jessica Cambensy) – real originality in naming your characters there – escaping a zombie overrun apartment block in the corner of near-future devastated Taipei city (as seen in the original film). In the midst of this zombie holocaust, with all social structures on the brink of collapse, contaminated drugs cause hordes of rappers and strippers to become infected and join the aggressive flesheaters. When a Swat team arrives on the scene, it seems the cavalry have arrived, but they only want the stash of drug cash…

2012′s Zombie 108 was something of a cause célèbre within the horror community.

Hong Kong filmmaker Ringo Lam has been an active fixture among action movie fans since his debut in 1983, working with the likes of Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan, and Jean-Claude Van Damme on movies in both Cantonese and English. With films such as Maximum Risk and Twin Dragons under his belt, many were interested to learn that he was in the midst of working on a new feature, marking Lan’s first foray back into feature-length filmmaking since the release of In Hell and Looking for Mister Perfect in 2003. Titled Wild City, Lam’s newest film is once again in Cantonese, as he takes on both directing and screenwriting duties, working with a cast that includes Louis Koo, Shawn Yue, and Jack Kao. Variety describes the film as follows.

The big-budget action movie is a Cantonese-noir, with bystanders caught up in a maelstrom of gangsters, greed and betrayal.

Release dates for...