Nanako and Seung-heon star in "Ghost" remake

By Siewaun
Reference: nipponcinema

Popular Japanese actress Nanako Matsushima and Korean actor Song Seung-heon are starring in the Asian remake of Jerry Zucker's 1990 hit "Ghost", taking on the role originally played by Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze.

Nanako Matsushima became the highest-paid actress in Japan following her role in "Great Teacher Onizuka", and best known outside Japan for starring as Ryuji Takayama in 1998 horror "Ring". Korean actor Song Seung-heon, is best known for his roles in Korean dramas "Autumn Fairy Tale" and "Summer Scent".

Japanese longtime TV director Taro Otani ("Gokusen", "Zeni Geba") made his debut as a film director directing the remake titled "Love and Soul".

Japanese prolific producer Takashige Ichise, who is best known for producing the Japanese horror "Ju-on" and "Ju-on 2", and the Hollywood remakes "The Grudge" and "The Grudge 2", is producing "Love and Soul".

Paramount Pictures Japan, Shochiku and Korea's CJ Entertainment are co-producing. Paramount Pictures Japan and Shochiku will also handle distribution.

Shooting is completed, and will be released in November in Japan and Korea.

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Benny Chan promotes "Shaolin" with star-studded cast at Shanghai Festival

By Siewaun
Reference: english.cri.cn

On Monday, director Benny Chan led a star-studded cast of the "Shaolin" kungfu movie, comprising of Jackie Chan, Nicholas Tse, Fan Bingbing, Wu Jing, Yu Shaoqun and Bai Bing to the Shanghai International Film Festival. Andy Lau, however was absent.

At the press conference, announcement was made that the movie will be released at the end of this year during the New Year movie season, which is the Chinese box office's busiest season.

After releasing the trailer at the press conference, Benny Chan said that though the movie will be in line with the classic 1982 "The Shaolin Temple," which propelled Jet Li into stardom, the new movie is not a remake. He said, "Jet Li has acted in the best film about Shaolin. But I want to do a different story, my own story."

Benny Chan's version of "Shaolin" is set in the 1920s and about a warlord Hou Jie (Andy Lau), who is betrayed by his ex-friend Cao Man (Nicholas Tse), and gains a new understanding of life with the help of a Shaolin monk (Jackie Chan).

The movie has advantages over other Shaolin Temple themed movie, as shooting will be held in the Shaolin Temple which is located in Songshan, Central China's Henan Province, the first time shooting is allowed inside the temple since Jet Li's starred 1982 "The Shaolin Temple".

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Tatsuya Egawa directs 2nd live-action film titled "King Game"

By Siewaun
Reference: Tokyograph

Prolific mangaka or Japanese manga artist, Tatsuya Egawa ("Golden Boy," "Magical Taruruto-kun"), who made his directorial debut in 2006 feature "Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari", has just completed directing his second feature film titled "KING GAME".

Egawa wrote the original story for this suspense/horror themed movie, unlike his 2006 debut film, which was adapted from his manga work.

Movie centers a group of 10 men and women gathered together in a sealed room and forced to play the popular party game known as Ousama Game (King's Game). Each of them has been brought there by a secret contract. As their game goes on, they reach their limits and reveal their true natures, giving way to lust and violence.

Takuya Ishida ("Semishigure," "Oppai barê") and Sei Ashina ("Kamen Rider Hibiki," "Silk") are starring in the lead role as two of the group of ten, while supporting cast are Yoshino Kimura, Shunsuke Kubozuka, Ai Maeda, Keisuke Horibe, Koji Yamamoto, Nana Natsume, Jai West, Chiaki Sato, Yukie Kawamura and Jerry Fujio.

Phantom Film will handle distribution of the movie, which will be released on the 28th of August.

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"Mulan" received most nominations for Hundred Flowers Awards

By Siewaun
Reference: english.cri.cn

The People's Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Rooster Awards, which is considered the most prestigious film awards in China, has announced the initial nominations list for the upcoming award presentation ceremony yesterday.

The 30th Hundred Flowers Awards festival, which will be held October 12-16, 2010 in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, sees Jingle Ma directed epic movie "Mulan" receiving the most nominations. The movie received the six nominations including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress (Zhao Wei and Chen Kun), Best Supporting Actor and Actress.

"Mulan", known in Chinese as "Hua Mulan", and tells the Chinese folktale of Hua Mulan (Zhao Wei), a young heroine who dresses as a man to fight in the war in place of her old father. It opened on November 27, 2009 and made 80 million yuan (US$12 million) at the box office.

In total, ten films were chosen from 85 films with box office sales above 5 million yuan (US$0.7 million) to compete for the Hundred Flowers Best Film award, and they are "Mulan", "The Founding of a Republic", "Bodyguards and Assassins", "The Message", "Ip Man", "Confucius", "Painted Skin", "If You Are the One", "Tie Ren" and "Jing Tian Dong Di".

Other nominated actors including Donnie Yen who received three Best Actor nominations for "Bodyguards and Assassins", "Painted Skin" and "Ip Man", and Zhou Xun who also received three three Best Actress nominations for "Confucius", "Painted Skin" and "The Message". Wang Xueqi and Ge You received Best Actor nominations, and Alec Su receiving Best Supporting Actor nomination.

Final nominations will be announced by the organizing committee on August 31.

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Wilson Yip to make new version of "A Chinese Ghost Story"

By Siewaun
Reference: english.cri.cn

Wilson Yip, director of the critical acclaimed and box office success martial arts movies "Ip Man" and "Ip Man 2" has set his eyes on a ghost story for his next project.

Yip announced on Tuesday that he will direct the movie titled "A Chinese Ghost Story," based on the original story, written by 17th-century Chinese author Pu Songling, which tells the love story of a tax collector, Ning Caichen, and a ghost named Nie Xiaoqian.

"A Chinese Ghost Story" was famously brought onto big screen in 1987 by producer Tsui Hark, and won huge popularity for Leslie Cheung in Japan and raised Joey Wong's stardom for the lead role they played in the movie.

Yip said that his version will not be the sequel to the Tsui Hark one, but rather a completely new spin on the story, and will be enhanced with computer-generated special effects.

A production kick off ceremony will be held during the upcoming Shanghai International Film Festival (June 12 to 20).

No dates are mentioned as of when casting will begin.

I'm a huge fan of the Tsui Hark version, and I rather that they don't do any remake, but well, I trust Wilson Yip will make the new one even better after seeing his directing quality in "Ip Man." And of course, the star status of Leslie Cheung and Joey Wong will be hard to beat!

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Ang Lee authorized to make movie on Teresa Teng

By Siewaun
Reference: english.cri.cn

According to CRI, Chinese website M1905.com reports that the life story Taiwan super star singer Teresa Teng will be put on big screen.

Director Ang Lee revealed that he was given the authorization by Teresa Teng's family to make a movie about her life.

Mainland Chinese actress Tang Wei was choosen by Lee to star as Teng because Teng's family says Tang Wei has a very similar face and temperament to Teresa Teng, and they consider Tang Wei to be the only actress who could play Teng.

According to M1905.com, the family has signed a contract with the investment company Polybona, and will wait until Lee completes his other project before starting with this project.

There have been other works in memory of Teresa Teng, whose 15th death anniversary is coming up in four days, which is on the 8th of May.

"Comrades, Almost a Love Story," a 1996 Hong Kong film starring Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai, and directed by Peter Chan, is about how Teng's song made a young couple fall in love. Hong Kong singer Faye Wong has also made records of all Teng's songs, with approval by Teng's family.

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"Bodyguards and Assassins" dominates the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards

By Siewaun
Reference: en.wikipedia

At the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony last night, "Bodyguards and Assassins," a big-budget action-suspense feature with an all-star cast of Donnie Yen, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Leon Lai, Wang Xueqi, Simon Yam, Hu Jun, Eric Tsang, Fan Bingbing and Nicholas Tse, was the biggest winner, winning 8 of 19 awards, including Best Film and Best Director (Teddy Chen).

The movie also won 6 other awards, including Best Supporting Actor (Nicholas Tse), Best Cinematography, Best Action Choreography, Best Original Film Song, Best Art Direction and Best Costume and Makeup Design.

List of winners at the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards:

Best film: "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best director: Teddy Chen, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best screenplay: Alex Law, "Echoes of the Rainbow"

Best actor: Simon Yam, "Echoes of the Rainbow"

Best actress: Wai Ying-hung, "At the End of Daybreak"

Best supporting actor: Nicholas Tse, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best supporting actress: Michelle Ye, "Accident"

Best new performer: Aarif Lee, "Echoes of the Rainbow"

Best cinematographer: Arthur Wong, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best film editing: Kong Chi-leung, Chan Chi-wai, "Overheard"

Best art direction: Ken Mak, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best costume and makeup design: Dora Ng, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best action choreography: Stephen Tung, Lee Tat-chiu, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best original film score: Chan Kwong-wing, Peter Kam, "Bodyguards and Assassins"

Best original film song: "Echoes of the Rainbow" from "Echoes of the Rainbow," composer Lowell Lo, lyrics by Alex Law, performed by Aarif Lee

Best sound design: Steve Burgess, Wu Jiang, "Red Cliff II"

Best visual effects: Ng Yuen-fai, Chas Chau, Tam Kai-kwan, "The Storm Warriors"

Best new director: Cheung King-wai, "KJ: Music and Life"

Best Asian film: "Departures" (Japan)

Lifetime achievement award: Lau Kar-leung

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

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South Korean "Mother" won Best Film at the Asian Film Awards

By Siewaun
Reference: asianfilmawards

South Korean thriller by BONG Joon-ho, "Mother," won the Best Picture award at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong yesterday. "Mother" took home the most awards - Best Film, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenwriter, and Best Visual Effects.

But Hong Kong/China's "Bodyguards and Assassins" which has a total of 19 nominations took home only two awards - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

Let's take a look at the full winners list:

BEST FILM:

Mother (South Korea)

BEST DIRECTOR:

LU Chuan / City of Life and Death (China)

BEST ACTOR:

WANG Xueqi / Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)

BEST ACTRESS:

KIM Hye-ja / Mother (South Korea)

BEST NEWCOMER:

NG Meng Hui / At the End of Daybreak (Malaysia / Hong Kong / South Korea)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Nicholas TSE / Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

WAI Ying-hung / At the End of Daybreak (Malaysia / Hong Kong / South Korea)

BEST SCREENWRITER:

PARK Eun-kyo / BONG Joon-ho / Mother (South Korea)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER:

CAO Yu / City of Life and Death (China)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNER:

Alain-Pascal HOUSIAUX / Patrick DECHESNE/ LEE Tian-Jue / Face (Taiwan)

BEST COMPOSER:

LO Ta-Yu / Vengeance (Hong Kong)

BEST EDITOR:

Lee CHATAMETIKOOL / Karaoke (Malaysia)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

YI Zeon-hyoung / Thirst (South Korea)

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER:

Christian LACROIX / Anne DUNSFORD/ WANG Chia-Hui / Face (Taiwan)

The recipients of the special awards of the 4th AFA are:

The Asian Film Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema:

ZHANG Yimou

The Asian Film Award for Lifetime Achievement Award:

Amitabh BACHCHAN

The Asian Film Award for 2009’s Top-Grossing Film Director:

John WOO

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Newcomer Jing Tian is the female lead in "Warring States"

By Siewaun
Reference: english.cri

Chinese newcomer actress Jing Tian, whose acting credits include the lead role in a stage rendition of Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution," has been cast as the female lead in Chinese period war epic "Warring States."

Director Jin Chen was quoted by the "Straits News" that "casting a new face could avoid aesthetic fatigue."

Jing Tian will star as love interest of Sun Bin (played by Sun Honglei "A Simple Noodle Story"), while Francis Ng ("Infernal Affairs II," "Tracing Shadow") will star as Pang Juan. Kim Hee-sun plays Pang Juan's younger sister. Other cast includes Jiang Wu "The Robbers," and Japanese actor Kiichi Nakai "When the Last Sword is Drawn"

The story revolves around the confrontation of military strategists Sun Bin and Pang Juan. Wikipedia describes that Sun Bin and Pang Juan are sworn brothers serving the Wu state as military strategists, but later Pang became jealous of Sun, and framed him for treason. Sun Bin would later escape from the Wei state to the Qi state, and was appointed chief military advisor of Qi state.

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Kim Hee-sun to star in chinese period war epic "Warring States"

By Siewaun
Reference: english.cri

South Korean actress Kim Hee-sun "The Myth," who has not starred in any movie since giving birth to her daughter in 2007, has been cast in Chinese period war epic "Warring States."

Hee-sun will star alongside the leading cast of Sun Honglei ("Blood Brothers," "A Simple Noodle Story") and Francis Ng ("Infernal Affairs II," "Tracing Shadow"). Jiang Wu "The Robbers" also stars in the movie.

Honglei and Ng will portray the historical military strategists rivals Sun Bin and Pang Juan. Hee-sun's character has not been announced, and so is Jiang Wu's.

The story plot of the epic has not been revealed yet, but Wikipedia describes that Sun Bin and Pang Juan studied under Guiguzi. They became sworn brothers, but when Sun Bin enter the service of Wei state and he became Pang's colleague, Pang who was then a military general, was secretly jealous of Sun, and framed him for treason. Sun Bin would later escape from the Wei state to the Qi state, and was appointed chief military advisor of Qi state.

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Ronnie Yu casts top Asian actresses in "The Lady Generals"

By Siewaun
Reference: channelnewsasia

Director Ronnie Yu, famed for directing "The Bride With White Hair" series, is set to direct "The Lady Generals of the Yang Family," and has gathered top Asian actresses such as Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Tang Wei and Michelle Yeoh for the historical epic feature.

Orange Sky Golden Harvest Holdings Ltd and Japanese entertainment giant AVEX will fund the US$20 million movie.

The movie,which will be Yu's second mandarin spoken movie after Jet Li in "Fearless," tells the story of the women from the Yang family of Song dynasty who went to battle to avenge their warriors husbands that died while fighting the invading Xia army after being betrayed by a traitorous Song official.

According to CNA, the story will reportedly depart significantly from the series of novels it is based on and does not focus too much on the themes of loyalty. Instead, it will focus on the heroism of the titular Lady Generals.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in May, according to Orange Sky.

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"Little Big Soldier" leading Box Offices during Spring Festival

By Siewaun
Reference: CRIENGLISH

CRIENGLISH reports that China's box office earnings during the Spring Festival exceeded 220 million yuan (US$32.2 million) with Jackie Chan\Wang LeeHom's starrer "Little Big Soldier" taking the lead.

James Cameron's 3-D movie "Avatar" which was in its seventh week at Chinese box offices, dominated box offices in numbers of shows, viewers and tickets sold during the Spring Festival with 120 million yuan (US$17.6 million) earnings last week, with the total number of tickets sold on the Chinese mainland exceeding 1.2 billion yuan (nearly US$176 million).

"Little Big Soldier" which was released on the first day of Chinese New Year on January 14 is leading the domestic movies in the past six days.
Read more...

Click on these links for upcoming movie trailers!

Future X-Cops (2010) - Hong Kong RD: February 25, 2010
Bounty Hunter (2010) - USA RD: March 19, 2010
Season of the Witch (2010) - USA RD: March 19, 2010
Just Another Pandora's Box (2010) - Hong Kong RD: March 18, 2010
She's Out of My League (2010) - USA RD: March 12, 2010
Remember Me (2010) - USA RD: March 12, 2010
Green Zone (2010) - USA RD: March 12, 2010
Brooklyn's Finest (2010) - USA RD: March 5, 2010
Alice in Wonderland (2010) - USA RD: March 5, 2010
Read more...

Disney begins auditions for Japanese-language version of 'Toy Story 3'

Source: Japantoday.com

"TOKYO — Walt Disney Studios Japan on Thursday began auditions for the Japanese audio track for the Disney/Pixar movie “Toy Story 3,” which will be released July 10.

In “Toy Story 2,” protagonist Woody was played by actor Toshiaki Arasawa, 46, while Tokoro Joji, 55, took over the voice of Buzz Lightyear. For the public auditions, Disney said it will be searching for voice talents for the Green Army Men, and for three new characters, Peas-in-a-Pod. Disney said it wants “someone who can do a slightly stern and threatening voice.”


Disney also held Japan auditions for the 2006 film “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and the 2008 movie “Tinker Bell.” For “Toy Story 3,” Disney will be accepting applications for auditions on their mobile website, toy3.jp, until March 11. Anyone is able to apply, regardless of experience, age or gender.

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Horikita, Tamaki, Abe, Okura join Shibasaki, Ninomiya in "Ooku"

By Siewaun
Reference: Tokyograph

Kou Shibasaki and Arashi's Kazunari Ninomiya will be joined by Maki Horikita, Hiroshi Tamaki, Sadao Abe, and Kanjani8's Tadayoshi Okura in "Ooku," the upcoming feature adaptation of Fumi Yoshinaga's manga of the same title. Kaneko Fuminori "Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series" will be directing.

Movie is a gender-reversing historical fiction set in Edo-era Japan, which centers on women being the dominant members of society after a mysterious disease significantly reduces the male population.

Shibasaki is starring as female shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, while Ninomiya is starring as a young man named Mizuno, who joins the ranks of the "Ooku." Horikita plays O-nobu, the childhood friend of Mizuno who is in love with him.

Tamaki plays Matsushima, a high-ranking member of the elite O-chuurou class. Abe plays Sugishita, a long serving low-ranking member. Okura plays the expert swordsman Tsuruoka who is Mizuno's rival.

Movie is scheduled to be released on 1st of October this year.

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Ge You and Huang Xiaoming signed on for "Zhao's Orphan"

By Siewaun
Reference: CRIENGLISH

Award-winning veteran Chinese actor Ge You ("To Live," "The Founding of a Republic") and rising Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming "The Founding of a Republic" have signed on to star in Director Chen Kaige's upcoming historical feature "Zhao's Orphan," according to CRI.

Ge You will star as a rural doctor by the name of Cheng Ying, who sacrificed his own son to save the newborn baby of Zhao Dun, the chancellor of the Jin Kingdom (679 B.C. -403 B.C.) whose family of 300 members are executed because of political slander.

Huang Xiaoming will star as Zhao's adult orphan who seeks revenge and successfully avenges his family.

South Korean stars Jang Dong-gun and Song Hye-kyo is in talks to join the cast. Sun Honglei "A Simple Noodle Story" is also likely to join the cast.

Shooting is expected to begin in March.

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4th annual Asian Film Awards Nomination List

By Siewaun
Reference: HKIFF Society

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) announced last week the nominees in the 14 categories of the 4th annual Asian Film Awards (AFA) Presentation Ceremony, which will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 22nd March, 2010.

4th ASIAN FILM AWARDS NOMINATION LIST

Best Film:

Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)
City of Life and Death (China- mainland)
Lola (Philippines)
Mother (South Korea)
No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti (Taiwan)
Parade (Japan)

Best Director:

BONG Joon-ho (Mother - South Korea)
Asghar FARHADI (About Elly - Iran)
LU Chuan (City of Life and Death - China)
Brillante MENDOZA (Lola - Philippines)
SONO Sion (Love Exposure - Japan)
YONG Fan (Prince of Tears - Hong Kong / Taiwan)

Best Actor:

Tadanobu ASANO (Villon's Wife - Japan)
HUANG Bo (Cow - China)
Hitoshi MATSUMOTO (Symbol - Japan)
SONG Kang-ho (Thirst - South Korea)
WANG Xueqi (Bodyguards and Assassins - Hong Kong / China)

Best Actress:

BAE Du-na (Air Doll - Japan)
HUANG Bo (Cow - China)
KIM Hye-ja (Mother - South Korea)
LI Bingbing (The Message - China)
Takako MATSU (Villon's Wife -Japan)
CHANG Yung-yung (Yang Yang - Taiwan)

Best Supporting Actor:

Eita (Dear Doctor - Japan)
HUANG Xiaoming (The Message - China)
TOU Chung-hua (The Warrior and the Wolf)
Nicholas TSE (Bodyguards and Assassins - Hong Kong / China)
WONG Bin (Mother - South Korea)

Best Supporting Actress:

Sakura ANDÔ (A Crowd of Three - Japan)
Ryoko HIROSUE (Villon's Wife - Japan)
Gobi KIM (Breathless - South Korea)
Kara HUI (At the End of Daybreak - Malaysia / Hong Kong / South Korea)
YAN Ni (Cow - China)

Best New Performer:

Sonam KAPOOR (Delhi 6 - India)
KIM Sae-ron (A Brand New Life - South Korea)
LI Yuchun (Bodyguards and Assassins)
NG Menghui (At the End of Daybreak - Malaysia / Hong Kong / South Korea)
Oceane ZHU (Prince of Tears - Hong Kong / Taiwan)

Best Screenplay:

Asghar FARHADI (About Elly - Iran)
HONG Sang-soo (Like You Know It All - South Korea)
PARK Eun-kyo, BONG Joon-ho (Mother - South Korea)
PHAN Dang Di (Adrift - Vietnam)
WAI Ka-Fai, AU Kin-Yee (Written By - Hong Kong)

Best Cinematography:

CAO Yu (City of Life and Death - China)
CHENG Siu-keung (Vengeance - Hong Kong)
JEONG Jeong-hun (Thirst - South Korea)
LY Tah Dzung (Adrift - Vietnam)
Jake POLLOCK (Yang Yang - Taiwan)

Best Art Direction:

Yuji HAYASHIDA (Yatterman - Japan)
Alain-Pascal HOUSIAUX, Patrick DECHESNE,
LEE Tian-Jue (Face - Taiwan / Netherlands / Belgium / France)
Kenneth MAK (Bodyguards and Assassins - Hong Kong / China)
RYU Seong-hie (Thirst - South Korea)
XIAO Haihang, YANG Haoyu (The Message - China)

Best Original Score:

HOANG Ngoc-Dai (Adrift - Vietnam)
JANG Yeong-guy, LEE Byeong-hun (Running Turtle - South Korea)
LIU Tong (City of Life and Death - China)
LO Ta-yu (Vengeance - Hong Kong)
Kazuyoshi SAITO (Fish Story Punk - Japan)

Best Editing:

Lee Chatametikool (Karaoke - Malaysia)
KWONG Chi-Leung, CHAN Chi-Wai (Overheard - Hong Kong)
MOON Sae-kyoung (Mother - South Korea)
Kats SERRAON (Lola - Philippines)
TANG Hua, ZHANG Yifan, DU Yuan (Silver Medalist - China)

Best Visual Effect:

Takuya FUJITA, Koji NOZAKI (Goemon - Japan)
LEI Zhenyu, GUO Jianquan, ZHANG Fuzhi (Silver Medalist - China)
NG Yuen-fai (The Storm Warriors - Hong Kong)
Hiroyuki SESHITA (Symbol - Japan)
YI Zeon-hyung (Thirst - South Korea)

Best Costume and Make-Up Design:

Tina KALIVAS, Vaughan ALEXANDER (Goemon - Japan)
Christian LACROIX, Anne DUNSFORD, WANG Chia-Hui (Face - Taiwan / Netherlands / Belgium / France)
Dora NG (Bodyguards and Assassins - Hong Kong / China)
SHIM Hyun-sub (The Sward with no Name - South Korea)
Emi WADA (The Warrior and the Wolf - China)

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Idol Yumi Sugimoto to star in gore flick

Source: Tokyograph.com

"Gravure idol Yumi Sugimoto (20) is playing the lead in a new film project called "Sento Shojo." The movie, being produced by Nikkatsu, features directors Noboru Iguchi ("Machine Girl"), Yoshihiro Nishimura ("Tokyo Gore Police"), and Tak Sakaguchi ("Sakigake! Otokojuku").

"Sento Shojo" will be one continuous story in three parts, each handled by a different director. Plot details have not been revealed, but it is said that there will be plenty of gore.

Filming begins on February 1. No release date has been scheduled yet. The official English title is reportedly "The Mutant Girls Squad.""
Read more...

Click on these links for upcoming movie trailers!

Little Big Soldier (2010) - China RD: February 14, 2010; Hong Kong RD: February 25, 2010
14 blades (2010) - China RD: February 4, 2010; Hong Kong RD: February 11, 2010
Valentine's Day (2010) - USA RD: February 12, 2010
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) - USA, Canada RD: February 12, 2010
Read more...

64th Mainichi Film Awards: "Shizumanu Taiyo" wins grand prize

Sources: Tokyograph.com & Japan-movie.net

The presentation ceremony for the 64th Mainichi Film Awards has been scheduled for February 8. The winners were already announced on Tuesday, revealing that the Grand Prize is being given to Setsuro Wakamatsu's "Shizumanu Taiyo." The movie, starring Ken Watanabe (50), is based on the struggles of a real-life JAL employee in the aftermath of the Flight 123 disaster.



The complete list of awards is as follows:
Grand Prize: Shizumanu Taiyo (directed by Setsuro Wakamatsu)
Best Film: Tsurugidake: Ten no Ki (directed by Daisaku Kimura)
Best Foreign Film: Gran Torino (directed by Clint Eastwood)
Best Actor: Kenichi Matsuyama (Ultra Miracle Love Story)
Best Actress: Manami Konishi (Nonchan Noriben)
Best Supporting Actor: Ittoku Kishibe (Osaka Hamlet)
Best Supporting Actress: Kaoru Yachigusa (Dear Doctor)
Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award: Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima (both for Ai no Mukidashi)
Kinuyo Tanaka Award: Keiko Takahashi
Best Director: Sion Sono (Ai no Mukidashi)
Best Screenplay: Yozo Tanaka (Viyon no Tsuma)
Best Cinematography: Daisaku Kimura (Tsurugidake: Ten no Ki)
Best Art Direction: Yohei Taneda, Kyoko Yauchi (Viyon no Tsuma)
Best Music: Shigeomi Hasumi (Watashi wa Neko Stalker)
Best Sound: Kenichi Ishidera (Tsurugidake: Ten no Ki)
Best Animated Film: Summer Wars (Mamoru Hosoda)
Noburo Ofuji Award: Denshin-Bashira Elemi no Koi (Hideto Nakata)
Best Documentary: Annyeong Yumika (Tetsuaki Matsue)
Tsutaya Fan Award (Domestic Film): ROOKIES -Sotsugyo- (Yuichiro Hirakawa)
Tsutaya Fan Award (Foreign Film): Michael Jackson's This Is It (Kenny Ortega)
Special Awards: actor Hisaya Morishige, actress/producer Takiko Mizunoe

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