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Stars: Louis Koo, Michelle Ye, Stanley Fung, Lam Suet | Written by Szeto Kam-Yuen, Nicholl Tang Nik-Kei | Directed by Soi Cheang

Accident opens on a seemingly innocuous occurrence, as a short-tempered man worries that he will be late while stuck behind a car with a flat tyre. As the man takes drastic action to drive around the car, the unfolding scene results in a chain reaction that ends with his death. What may seem like an accident for the man – revealed to be a Triad elder – is actually a carefully orchestrated assassination courtesy of the Brain (Louis Koo).

With a team made up of the voice of reason known as The Woman (Michelle Ye), the increasingly forgetful Uncle (Stanley Fung), and the unfortunately nicknamed Fatty (Lam Suet), the Brain has built a career from making his hits look like unfortunate accidents. Director Soi Cheang showcases the planning process in fascinatingly methodical ways,...

"No one will survive the bloodythirst beast!" Iqiyi in China has released on streaming a fun creature feature called Sharktopus, another of these dumb shark concepts. This Chinese remake is riffing on the 2010 SyFy channel movie also called Sharktopus, produced by Julie and Roger Corman as one of the first low budget shark-mania movies. This new version is already out for streaming in China, though no info yet on when it will show up in other countries. This film tells the story of Fan Jingya (starring Michelle Ye), who devoted herself to researching a cure for Motor Neuron Disease to save her son. However, her boss, Mr. Chen, used her research to create an Octoshark, a highly intelligent hybrid of octopuses and sharks. And this caused a disaster. Trapped on a cruise, Fan Jingya and her old flame, Lu Fei, have a battle of wits against the Octoshark. Also starring Luo Li-Qun,...

Before Sharknado took the world of pop culture by storm, producer Roger Corman unleashed Sharktopus in 2010, a Syfy original movie featuring a monster that was half shark and half octopus. The film ended up spawning two spinoff movies – Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda in 2014 and Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf in 2015 – and now a remake is on the way?!

Yes, Sharktopus is getting a Chinese remake here in 2023, thirteen years after Syfy unleashed their hybrid monster. And the official trailer has arrived this week. Check it out below.

Directed by Xu Shi-Xing and Hu Dong-Sheng, this particular take on Sharktopus looks to be heavily inspired by The Meg, which itself feels like a big budget Corman production.

No word yet on the remake’s international release strategy. Stay tuned for more.

Michelle Ye, Luo Li-Qun, Chen Wen-Jun and Lemon Li star in Sharktopus (2023).

The post ‘Sharktopus’ Remake Trailer – Chinese Creature Feature Brings the Roger...

Back in 2010, legendary producer Roger Corman and his wife/producing partner Julie Corman teamed up with the late director Declan O’Brien – who is best known for making several of the Wrong Turn sequels – to bring the world the creature feature Sharktopus, which is about exactly what it sounds like it would be about. A shark/octopus hybrid that goes on a man-eating binge. That film received two sequels, Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda and Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf… and now it has been given the remake treatment. In China! A trailer for the Chinese remake of Sharktopus can be seen in the embed above.

Scripted by Mike MacLean and Stephen Niver, the original Sharktopus had the following synopsis: Aiming to create the U.S. Navy’s next hyper-weapon while fiddling with shark and octopus DNA, the visionary geneticist, Nathan Sands, comes up with a nightmarish prototype: the genetically enhanced “S-11” hybrid. However, after a...

ITN Distribution has debuted a trailer for the epic Chinese disaster flick Restart the Earth where sentient plants take over life as we know it!

Synopsis:

To fight desertification, human beings develop special drugs to promote the reproduction of plant cells. In the process they accidentally awaken the plants' intelligence, soon creating a global green tide which threatens to end human life on Earth.

The Chinese disaster film stars Mickey He, Mi Luo, Michelle Ye, Li Ning, Li Ruoxi, Ye Xinyu and Huang Kai-Lun and is directd by Zhenzhao Lin.

Check out the epic trailer below:...

Distribution Workshop just dropped a cache of marketing materials for Insanity, the Derek Yee-produced psychological thriller written and directed by David Lee Kuan Yew. We first reported on the project when it was announced back in October 2013. Lee apparently spent five years developing the script to meet his producer's expectations, which pits Huang Xiaoming's hotshot psychiatrist against Lau Ching Wan's intelligent psychopath. Nina Paw, Alex Fong, Michelle Ye and Michelle Wai also star and the film is slated for an April 2015 domestic release, which places it as a likely target to premiere at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in March. Below you can find the film's poster, together with a selection of stills portraying the principals - Paw in particular - embodying the...

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

Listen up Hollywood. Over the past few years we have had to endure some of the most ill advised, money grabbing, logic defying, tiresome, pointless and downright shoddy remakes ever committed to film. Isn’t it about time you gave us something back? From Soi Cheang, the director of Shamo and Dog Bite Dog, comes the new suspense thriller, Accident. Louis Koo (Overheard) takes on lead duties as a paranoid hitman who designs his hits to look like freak accidents. The film co-stars Michelle Yip, Lam Suet and Stanley Fung, with Johnnie To acting as producer. It’s a sombre affair, measured and moody. A courtly approach, intricate and contemplative. Soi Cheang sets his dominoes up in methodical fashion and Accident is blessed with some memorable set pieces, set-ups enhanced by the director’s laboured approach. As with the Final Destination series, guessing how events will play out is half the fun.

King of Mahjong to be directed by Adrian Teh.

Singapore’s Clover Films is to produce comedy feature King Of Mahjong, directed by Adrian Teh (The Wedding Diary), will star Chapman To Man-Chat, Mark Lee and Michelle Ye (a.k.a. Ye Xuan).

King Of Mahjong is about a legendary mahjong master’s two top disciples – Huang Tian Ba, played by Singaporean comedian/actor/director Mark Lee (Money No Enough), and Ah Fatt, played by Hong Kong actor Chapman To (Infernal Affairs, Golden Chickensss).

The rivals go up against each other after 20 years apart when Huang kidnaps the retired Fatt’s wife to force him to compete for the title of International Mahjong King.

Teh said: “I have always enjoyed mahjong-themed movies and I’m excited to finally director one myself, and what more with an ensemble cast like this.

“Mahjong is a game enjoyed by people of all ages and any language, so I believe...

Motorway finds Soi Cheang (Accident) once again teaming up with producer Johnnie To for the latest Milkyway production. Which can only mean one thing, it’s time for another bout of adrenaline-fuelled cool. Realism is the name of the game in Soi Cheang’s latest thrill ride, with exhilarating car chases and jaw-dropping stunts shying away from Bruckheimer style and sheen. You’ll actually feel like you’re part of the action when the pedal hits the metal, alongside Initial D stars Shawn Yue and Anthony Wong, no strangers to unadulterated racing action. Yue and Wong play elite traffic cops in a secret police unit that upholds the law in unmarked police cars. Gordon Lam, Barbie Hsu, Michelle Ye and Josie Ho are along for the ride, not to mention some really fast cars and an icy cool exterior long associated with the Milkyway brand. Available to buy in the...

Drug War Contest Giveaway Sweepstakes. This Drug War Blu-ray contest, giveaway, sweepstakes illustrates Drug War‘s release on DVD and Blu-ray on October 15, 2013. Johnny To‘s Drug War / Du zhan‘s stars Sun Honglei, Louis Koo, Honglei Sun, Michelle Ye, and Yi Huan. Drug War‘s plot synopsis: “Captain [...]

Continue reading: Contest: Drug War (2013) Blu-ray: Sun Honglei Tracks Drug Criminals...

From Johnnie To (Life Without Principle, Election), master of the Hong Kong crime thriller, comes the critically-acclaimed, action-packed drama Drug War, debuting on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD October 15th from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film stars Louis Koo (Triple Tap, Accident), Sun Honglei (A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop), Michelle Ye (Motorway, Once a Gangster), Huang Yi (Legendary, Romancing in Thin Air), Wallace Chung (Forever Young), and Li Guangjie (Motorway, Romancing in Thin Air). When our friends at Well Go asked if we wanted to give away a few copies of the new Drug War Blu-ray to our loyal readership, we were more than happy to jump on the opportunity. For your chance to win a Drug War Blu-ray: Follow @SLSS_Tweets on Twitter, then retweet any tweets that you see about this giveaway. We will randomly choose the winners from anyone who follows @SLSS_Tweets and retweets this giveaway on Twitter.

Johnnie To takes his unique brand of action filmmaking to Mainland China with Drug War, his latest collaboration with writer Wai Ka Fai. A breathless game of cat and mouse between an elite anti-narcotics team and a conniving drug dealer trying to save his own skin, Drug War is a thrilling and surprisingly violent ride that offers an eye-opening look at China's drug trade and the methods Chinese law enforcement agencies use to bring it down. Starring Sun Honglei, Louis Koo, and an assortment of Milky Way regulars including Lam Suet, Eddie Cheung, Gordon Lam, Lo Hoi Pang, Michelle Ye, Philip Keung and Berg Ng, Drug War is available to buy in the U.K. from 28 October 2013. You can check out the trailer below, along with Chris Sawin's review of the movie. We're nice like that... Synopsis: After losing control of his car and crashing into a local restaurant, a...

Johnnie To takes his unique brand of action filmmaking to Mainland China with Drug War, his latest collaboration with writer Wai Ka Fai. A breathless game of cat and mouse between an elite anti-narcotics team and a conniving drug dealer trying to save his own skin, Drug War is a thrilling and surprisingly violent ride that offers an eye-opening look at China's drug trade and the methods Chinese law enforcement agencies use to bring it down. Starring Sun Honglei, Louis Koo, and an assortment of Milky Way regulars including Lam Suet, Eddie Cheung, Gordon Lam, Lo Hoi Pang, Michelle Ye, Philip Keung and Berg Ng, Drug War is available to buy in the U.K. from 28 October 2013. You can check out the trailer below, along with Chris Sawin's review of the movie. We're nice like that... Synopsis: After losing control of his car and crashing into a local restaurant, a...

Title: Drug War Well Go USA/Variance Films Director: Johnnie To Screenwriter: Wai Ka-fai, Johnnie To Cast: Louis Koo, Sun Honglei, Crystal Huang, Wallace Chung, Gao Yunxiang, Li Guangjie, Guo Tao, Li Jing, Lo Hoi-pang, Eddie Cheung, Gordon Lam, Michelle Ye, Lam Suet Screened at: Review 2, NYC, 7/2/13 Opens: July 26, 2013 In China the penalty for selling more than 50 mg of methamphetamine is death, which may not be the best idea. If you’re about to be caught, what would stop you from trying to kill the cops? You can’t be executed twice! That idea fuels the “Drug War,” Johnnie To’s movie said to be the first actioner to [ Read More ]

The post Drug War Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Director: Soi Cheang. Review: Adam Wing. Motorway finds Soi Cheang (Accident) once again teaming up with producer Johnnie To for the latest Milkyway production. Which can only mean one thing, it’s time for another bout of adrenaline-fuelled cool. Realism is the name of the game in Soi Cheang’s latest thrill ride, with exhilarating car chases and jaw-dropping stunts shying away from Bruckheimer style and sheen. You’ll actually feel like you’re part of the action when the pedal hits the metal, alongside Initial D stars Shawn Yue and Anthony Wong, no strangers to unadulterated racing action. Yue and Wong play elite traffic cops in a secret police unit that upholds the law in unmarked police cars. Gordon Lam, Barbie Hsu, Michelle Ye and Josie Ho are along for the ride, not to mention some really fast cars and an icy cool exterior long associated with the Milkyway brand.

Drug War Trailer, Du Zhan Trailer. Johnny To‘s Drug War / Du zhan (2012) movie trailer stars Sun Honglei, Louis Koo, Honglei Sun, Michelle Ye, and Yi Huang. Drug War‘s plot synopsis: “Captain Zhang (Sun Honglei) and his team will stop at nothing to track down drug criminals. When drug lord Timmy Choi (Louis [...]

Continue reading: Drug War / Du Zhan (2012) Movie Trailer: Johnny To, Sun Honglei...

Directed by: Soi Cheang

Written by: Kam-Yuen Szeto, Lik-Kei Tang

Starring: Louis Koo, Richi Ren, Shui-Fan Fung, Michelle Ye, Suet Lam

Ho, a.k.a. the Brain (a haunting Louis Koo), is part of a professional hit organization with a diabolical modus operandi. Ho and his team create intricately crafted Rube Goldberg-like occurrences that end up killing their targeted victims. It’s the perfect crime as their hits appear on the surface to be unfortunate accidents. His motley crew consists of a beautiful unnamed woman (Michelle Ye), the lackadaisical Fatty (Suet Lam) and the aged Uncle (Shui-Fan Fung).

Though their personal connections are vague, it appears that the older and heavily medicated Uncle may be related to Brain. Even though his poor memory and cigarette addiction nearly compromise one of their “accidents,” Uncle remains an integral part of the group. They form a somewhat dysfunctional family, but one that...

Accident Directed by: Pou-Soi Cheang Written by: Kam-Yuen Szeto and Lik-Kei Tang Starring: Louis Koo, Richie Ren, Shui-Fan Fung If you wanted to get away with murder, then wouldn't it make sense to make the person's death seem like a bizarre accident? And if you could get away with murder, then wouldn't being a high paid assassin seem like a reasonable lifestyle? This is the intriguing premise for the movie Accident. This movie goes further though by depicting what could happen if you were almost killed in an accident, and began suspecting someone was out to get you! In 2009, "Accident" was selected to be shown at both the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals. I understand that the director, Soi Cheang, is acquiring a solid reputation for his directorial style with ample backing from this film's producer, Johnnie To, who has a directing reputation of his own. Despite these credentials,...

It seems like forever since director Soi Cheang and producer Johnnie To began work on their underground racing thriller, Motorway, with the first proper trailer surfacing almost exactly a year ago to the day. Well, now the chequered flag seems to be in sight as Media Asia has released a new trailer and announced that the film, which stars a host of familiar faces, including Shawn Yue, Anthony Wong, Barbie Hsu, Michelle Ye, Gordon Lam and Guo Xiaodong, will make its debut in China this coming June. The story focuses on Sean (Yue), a cocky police officer who goes undercover in a special tactical unit designed to take down secret underground racing gangs, and by the looks of the trailer, the production shot in some of...

Indomnia Releasing has released the trailer for Fire of Conscience. The film was directed by Dante Lam and stars Leon Lai and Richie Ren. Go inside the Hong Kong underworld in this action-thriller that has will keep you on the edge of your seat. As a huge fan of Hard Boiled, Infernal Affairs and Reservoir Dogs, this film looks awesome. 

 

Synopsis:

Esteemed investigator Captain Manfred (Leon Lai, Bodyguards and Assassins) is at a crossroads in life when he's assigned to the case of a lethal car accident and the death of a prostitute. Working with him is aggressive Inspector Kee, who's determined to rise in the fast-paced world of Hong Kong law enforcement. Opposites in every way, Manfred finds himself in the unexpected position of defending his partner when he's linked to the crimes, and he's soon swept up into a shadowy world of dirty politics, graphic murders and dangerous secrets.

Fire of Conscience is hitting DVD on October 25th and it is absolutely one of the most exciting new action thrillers hitting the format this year. So check out the synopsis and clip below or click the cover art to preorder your copy now.

In the tradition of Hard Boiled, Infernal Affairs and Reservoir Dogs comes this hard-hitting action-thriller from director Dante Lam. Esteemed investigator Captain Manfred (Leon Lai, Bodyguards and Assassins) is at a crossroads in life when he’s assigned to the case of a lethal car accident and the death of a prostitute. Working with him is aggressive Inspector Kee, who is determined to rise in the fast-paced world of Hong Kong law enforcement. Opposites in every way, Manfred finds himself in the unexpected position of defending his partner when he’s linked to the crimes, and he’s soon swept up into a shadowy world of dirty politics,...

If you’re a fan of “Asia-noirs,” you might want to check out the latest entry into the genre, “Fire of Conscience.” Starring Leon Lai, Vivian Hsu, and Michelle Ye and directed by Dante Lam, the film is an intense look at the life of an investigator who has to take on a case involving a car accident and a prostitute’s death: “In the tradition of ‘Hard Boiled,’ ‘Infernal Affairs’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs’ comes this hard-hitting action-thriller from director Dante Lam. Esteemed investigator Captain Manfred (Leon Lai, Bodyguards and Assassins) is at a crossroads in life when he’s assigned to the case of a lethal car accident and the death of...

If our Us readers haven't already rushed out at bought their copy then don't forget you can check out Pang Ho-Cheung's 'Dream Home' now on DVD thanks to IFC Midnight. 'Dream Home', not to be confused with the Jim Sheridan movie 'Dream House', stars Josie Ho, Eason Chan, Derek Tsang, Lawrence Chou, Juno Mak and Michelle Ye. Check out the plot and the poster below....

Rank the week of August 9th’s Blu-ray and DVD new releases against the best films of all-time: New Releases Paul

(DVD & Blu-ray | R | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #764

Win Percentage: 55%

Times Ranked: 7626

Top-20 Rankings: 22

Directed By: Greg Mottola

Starring: Simon Pegg • Nick Frost • Seth Rogen • Jane Lynch • Sigourney Weaver

Genres: Adventure • Comedy • Road Movie • Science Fiction • Sci-Fi Comedy • Adventure Comedy

Rank This Movie

Super

(DVD & Blu-ray | R | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #2200

Win Percentage: 54%

Times Ranked: 2471

Top-20 Rankings: 11

Directed By: James Gunn

Starring: Rainn Wilson • Ellen Page • Liv Tyler • Kevin Bacon • Michael Rooker

Genres: Action • Action Comedy • Black Comedy • Comedy • Comedy Drama • Comic-Book Superhero Film • Drama • Satire • Based-on-Comics

Rank This Movie

Jumping The Broom

(DVD & Blu-ray | PG13 | 2011)

Flickchart Ranking: #16475

Win Percentage: 32%

Times Ranked: 46

Top-20 Rankings: 2

Directed By: Salim Akil

Starring: Angela Bassett • Paula Patton • Meagan Good • Laz Alonso • Julie Bowen

Genres: Comedy • Comedy Drama • Domestic Comedy • Drama

Rank This Movie

Your Highness

(DVD & Blu-ray | R...

Director: Raymond Yip and Manfred Wong. Review: Adam Wing. Young Bruce Lee takes us back to the early days of a martial arts legend, seen through the eyes of his younger brother Robert. Robert Lee participated in the production of the film, which focuses primarily not on the fighting, but on the Lee family growing up. Produced by Manfred Wong (The Storm Riders) who also co-directed with Raymond Yip, Young Bruce Lee casts Aarif Lee as the legend-to-be. Aarif is no stranger to success either, having taken home the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer for his scene-stealing debut in the period drama Echoes of the Rainbow. He is joined by the likes of Tony Leung, Christy Chung, and Jennifer Tse (Nicholas Tse's sister) appearing in her big screen debut. Bruce Lee was still a baby when his famous father, Cantonese opera artist Lee Hoi Chuen (Tony Leung...

Soi Cheang's previous collaboration with producer Johnnie To, Accident, is a big favourite around these parts and by the looks of the trailer to his new film, Motorway, he's sticking to the same style.Starring a host of familiar faces, including Shawn Yue, Anthony Wong, Guo Xiaodong, Gordon Lam, Barbie Hsu, Josie Ho, Michelle Ye, Li Haitau and LiGuangjie, with action direction from Chin Ka Lok, Motorway is an old school pedal to the metal racing thriller that features some audacious sequences through the very heart of Hong Kong's Central district. There's no word yet on when the film will be released, but we'll be keeping a very close eye on this one.Synopsis:Sean is an overconfident rookie in the Stealth Riders, a secret police unit consisting of...

After the much anticipated preem for Don’t Go Breaking My Heart and Quattro Hong Kong 2, it was Yuen-Leung Poon's Hi, Fidelity’s turn to shine --- and without a doubt, veteran actress Pat Ha is the film's highlight and that's not to say that fellow thesps Carrie Ng and Michelle Ye didn't offer noteworthy takes either. Deemed a “chick flick” from the get go, this tells the tale of middle-aged women cheating on their husbands -- but as the plot soon thickens, it appears to be a lot more complex, much more of a relationship thriller than just a pure romantic film. Alongside the exploration of women’s midlife crisis and their yearning for the lost times, there are plot twists followed by more plot twists, essentially I’m not sure if it plays off so well and this despite the film's big revelation that certainly has the...

Dream Home

Stars: Josie Ho, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Eason Chan, Michelle Ye, Norman Chu | Written by Ho-Cheung Pang, Kwok Cheung Tsang | Directed by Ho-Cheung Pang

Darker than Satan’s pencil case, Dream Home serves up a healthy hammock full of blood, guts and gore. All of which had me laughing, wincing and most importantly, enjoying for the full 96 minute duration.

If you aren’t familiar with Asian cinema then know this. I love it and Dream Home further exacerbated my enthusiasm for it. Directed by Pang Ho-cheung, Dream Home is the story of Cheng Li-sheung who is a young, upwardly mobile professional that is finally ready to invest in her first home. However, when the deal falls through and after years of saving and searching for her ‘dream home’ she is forced to keep her dream alive, even if it means utilising some household products in the most malicious fashion imaginable…...

As a mature, successful and supposedly independent woman, what would you do on discovering that your husband had been fooling around? If you're anything like Alice (Pat Ha), Jo Jo (Michelle Ye) or Pinky (Carrie Ng), you'll surrender to the timeless adage: "If you can't beat them, join them" and head over the border to Shenzhen for a little no-strings-attached pleasure of your own. Alice is a reserved, conservative and well-respected member of the community (some might even go so far as to say a little repressed), but when her husband is accidentally caught on camera cavorting with a much younger woman, her friends Jo Jo (the wife of a mid-level triad) and Pinky (who is struggling to raise a young son without her...

Hong Kong's first slasher film 'Dream Home' (Aka 'Wai dor lei ah yut ho'), is certainly high on the radar lately. Pang Ho-Cheung's new blood-thirsty feature is looking more and more awesome day by day. A massive batch of new stills from the movie have been released and are particulary gruesome. Take note that these baby's are not safe for work (Nsfw) and do include the sight of a hot topless Asian chick with a large bit of wood being inserted in her (oo-er!). 'Dream Home' stars Josie Ho, Michelle Ye, Lawrence Chou, Eason Chan, Kwok Cheung Tsang, Norman Chu, Hee Ching Paw and Lap-Man Sin. Check out the stills below....

Pang Ho-Cheung's 'Dream Home' (Aka 'Wai dor lei ah yut ho'), not to be confused with Jim Sheridan's new mystery thriller 'Dream House' starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts, is coming to VOD. And to celebrate this fact a new international one-sheet has popped up featuring a nasty looking set of keys. Josie Ho, Michelle Ye, Lawrence Chou, Eason Chan, Kwok Cheung Tsang, Norman Chu, Hee Ching Paw, Lap-Man Sin all star in the slasher flick. Check out the new one-sheet below....

 

                                                  

This is the new international poster for director Pang Ho-Cheung's Dream House. The Hong Kong slasher flick stars Josie Ho, Michelle Ye, Lawrence Chou and Eason Chan. There's still no word of an official U.S. release from IFC Midnight who acquired the film back in October but should be sometime this Spring.

Plot:

Cheng Li-sheung is a young, upwardly mobile professional finally ready to invest in her first home. But when the deal falls through, she is forced to keep her dream alive - even if it means keeping her would-be neighbors dead.

Dream Home (Wai dor lei ah yut ho)

Stars: Josie Ho, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Eason Chan, Michelle Ye, Norman Chu | Written by Ho-Cheung Pang, Kwok Cheung Tsang | Directed by Ho-Cheung Pang

Darker than Satan’s pencil case, Dream Home serves up a healthy hammock full of blood, guts and gore. All of which had me laughing, wincing and most importantly, enjoying for the full 96 minute duration.

If you aren’t familiar with Asian cinema then know this. I love it and Dream Home further exacerbated my enthusiasm for it. Directed by Pang Ho-cheung, Dream Home is the story of Cheng Li-sheung who is a young, upwardly mobile professional that is finally ready to invest in her first home. However, when the deal falls through and after years of saving and searching for her ‘dream home’ she is forced to keep her dream alive, even if it means utilising some...

"Although brutal and unnervingly realistic at times, Dream Home is full of inventive deaths and comical touches..."

Acclaimed Hong Kong Director, Pang-Ho-Cheung picked up film festival awards for 2006's Isabella and 2007's Exodus and after a three year break returns with the comically gory and socially relevant, Dream Home.

Struggling to survive and desperate to live at Victoria Place overlooking the harbour, Sheung works in Jetways bank and has a second store job. Supporting her ex-builder father (who inhaled asbestos and now needs expensive medical treatment and life insurance) isn't easy when he's so ungrateful and smoking/drinking away any chance of survival. With her mother dead and her brother dependent, Sheung's only support is an unsympathetic cheap-skate lover with his own family.

The government in Hong Kong have formed an alliance with property developers causing widespread unrest. Surrounded by signs of despair, Sheung's situation is clearly not unique -...

IFC acquired the North American rights to the thriller Dream Home . Directed by Pang Ho-Cheung and starring award-winning actress and rock star Josie Ho, Anthony Wong, Eason Chan, Michelle Ye Suen, Lawrence Chou, Derek Tsang, Juno Mak, Sin Lap Man, and veteran actors Wong Ching and Lo Hoi Panground off the cast. IFC Midnight will release the film theatrically and on VOD in early 2011. Dream Home was filmed entirely in Hong Kong and tells the story of a young woman who goes over the edge when she discovers that she can no longer afford the home of her dreams. She has to work hard at two full-time jobs, and she even goes as far as stealing customer data to sell to other companies. However, no matter how much she toils, she cannot earn enough to keep up with the...

This is the seventh film review in the coverage of Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival. Although I've seen other great films, this is, by far, the best film I've seen this year at Fantasia. In fact, like other films from this century, Pou-Soi Cheang's Accident adds itself to the world's great list of audacious crime thrillers.

The "Brain" (Louis Koo) - a cold man obsessed with details - leads a group of professional assassins who are specialized in staging murders that, in actuality, look like accidents. His team is made up of these assassins: an old man nicknamed Uncle (Shui-Fan Fung), a pretty woman (Michelle Ye) and Fatty (Suet Lam). The group's assassination method is so groundbreaking that even their clients nor the victims haven't seen any of the assassins. Besides, to top it all, Hong Kong's police has never catched the four assassins, because their "accidents", in the first place,...

After the success of his much praised “The Beast Stalker”, director Dante Lam continues his quest to prove himself the leading purveyor of hardcore Hong Kong thrills with “Fire of Conscience”. The hard hitting film certainly pulls no punches when it comes to violent action, with choreographer Chin Kar Lok taking the same kind of gritty yet explosive approach he did with Derek Yee’s “One Nite in Mongkok”. The film has an impressive cast, headed up by popular stars Leon Lai and Richie Jen, with support from Michelle Ye (who recently won Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Soi Cheang’s “Accident”), Taiwanese actress Vivian Hsu (“The Knot”, “Hot Summer Days”), Mainland actor Wang Baoqiang (“Equation of Love and Death”), and Liu Kai Chi (also in Lam’s “The Beast Stalker”). Leon Lai takes on the role of rough, tough detective Manfred, known for his...

The Hong Kong Film Awards which honor film productions from, you guessed it, Hong Kong were held this week. I preface this post that way because there are other major Asian awards, most notably the Golden Horse which includes all Chinese language cinema rather than just Hong Kong productions. The Golden Horse nominations are announced in the fall I believe and we may see some of the same films honored. The big winner for Hk was the action extravaganza Bodyguards and Assassins (Shi Yue Wei Chang) which took home eight prizes including Best Picture. It was nominated for 19 awards. Can you imagine?! I am a sucker for movie advertisements that introduce the cast of characters and both the posters and the trailer here label their characters. Is the movie worthy of this major a statue grab? Readers who've seen it, speak up! The film apparently has a Canadian/UK distributor...

Best film: Bodyguards and Assassins Best Asian film: Departures (Japan) Best director: Teddy Chen, Bodyguards and Assassins Best new director: Cheung King-wai, Kj: Music and Life Best actor: Simon Yam, Echoes of the Rainbow Best actress: Wai Ying-Hong, 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 screenplay: Alex Law, 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 [...]...

Director: Soi Cheang. Review: Adam Wing. Listen up Hollywood. Over the past few years, we have had to endure some of the most ill advised, money grabbing, logic defying, tiresome, pointless and downright shoddy remakes ever committed to film. Isn’t it about time you gave us something back? From Soi Cheang, the director of Shamo and Dog Bite Dog, comes the new suspense thriller Accident. Louis Koo (Overheard) takes on lead duties as a paranoid hitman who designs his hits to look like freak accidents. The film co-stars Michelle Yip, Lam Suet and Stanley Fung, with Johnnie To acting as producer. Hitman Fai (Louis Koo) engineers the perfect murders, carefully choreographing his killings in a similar style to the death designs from the Final Destination series. One failed mission however, leaves a member dead and the team in disarray. Was it an accident, or has someone beat them at their own game?...

With Hong Kong director Johnnie To having long been admired as an auteur by French film critics, his desired collaboration with European talent has been a much mooted and anticipated possibility. Finally, it arrives in the form of “Vengeance”, which sees To teaming with legendary French singer Johnny Hallyday for a thriller written by Milkyway regular Wai Ka Fai. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the film is heavily reminiscent of two of the director’s signature works, namely “The Mission” and “Exiled”, not least since its cast includes the likes of Anthony Wong, Lam Suet, Gordon Lam and Simon Yam, with support from other familiar faces including Michelle Yip, Eddie Cheung, Maggie Shiu, Felix Wong, Berg Ng, and Stanley Fung. Despite underwhelming some critics, the film played in competition at Cannes 2009, with To being nominated for the prestigious Golden Palm Award. All things considered, the narrative is pretty much standard fare for To and Wai Ka Fai,...

They do love a good cop thriller in Hong Kong and it seems local helmer Dante Lam loves directing them, as his next film after the recent hits ‘Beast Stalker’ and ‘Sniper’ will again be a police action-thriller called Out Of Leash (English working title) aka Fire Dragon (Chinese title). Leash stars Leon Lai and Richie Jen - working alongside co-star Michelle Ye - as two cops, one of whom is being investigated by Internal Affairs, for the suspected murder of a hooker. The suspect man must head into Hong Kong’s seedy underworld, to enlist the help of a local narc to prove his innocence. Sounds great, but once Lam has finished with this he can finally get onto the project we are really waiting for. His remake (along with veteran producer Peter Chan) of the Shaw Brothers’ martial arts movie classic, about a team of deadly assassins The Flying Guillotine.

• #26. Accident Director: Soi Cheang Cast: Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Lam Suet, Michelle Ye, Feng Tsui FanDistributor: Rights Available. Buzz: Also playing in Venice, just like Soi Cheang, I know nothing about the film or the filmmaker, but the reviews from Italy and the synopsis have made me extremely curious about the pic. The Gist: A self-styled “accident choreographer,” the Brain is a professional hitman who kills his victims by trapping them in well crafted “accidents” that look like unfortunate mishaps but are in fact perfectly staged acts of crime. Perennially plagued with guilt, he is also suspicious and morbid by nature. The recent avalanche of memories of his lost wife does not make things any easier. Tiff Schedule: Click here for screening times ...

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Now here’s a handy bit of timing: Just over a week away from the film taking its bow at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, the first six minutes of Soi Cheang’s Johnnie To-produced crime thriller Accident has been posted online. There are no English subtitles, unfortunately, but they’re not particularly necessary to understand what’s happening. Verdict? I think it looks stellar and the inside word from those few who have seen it is that Accident is absolutely stellar, the film that should push its director to widespread international recognition. Here’s how Tiff describes it:

It is no hyperbole to say that Accident is one of the finest Hong Kong crime dramas since Infernal Affairs. Director Soi Cheang, known more for his gritty and violent cult films such as Dog Bite Dog and Shamo, has graduated to the master class with this gripping, smartly constructed and psychologically fascinating thriller.

An English subtitled trailer has just hit the web for ‘Dog bite Dog,’ ‘Shamo’ director Soi Cheang’s latest thriller, Accident. Produced by Johnnie To, the film was originally titled (the catchier) Assassins but was later re branded to the new title. Cheang at the helm, To producing and stocked to the rafters with an A-list cast including Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Michelle Yip. It doesn’t get much better than that. Depending on which Hong Kong Cinema chains website you look at, Accident is due for release late September, early October. Synopsis: A self-styled “accident choreographer,” the Brain is a professional hitman who kills his victims by trapping them in well crafted “accidents” that look like unfortunate mishaps but are in fact perfectly staged acts of crime. Perennially plagued with guilt, he is also suspicious and morbid by nature. The recent avalanche of memories of his lost wife does not make things any easier.

Born in China, raised in the Us and now an established name in Hong Kong, Michelle Ye is hardly your typical Chinese actress. After starring in a decade’s worth of hugely successful TV series, including comedies, romances and even martial arts serials, Michelle signed with Media Asia and dived headlong into Hong Kong’s film industry, and in just a couple of years has worked with some of the city’s finest directors and gone head to head with a string of Mainland and Taiwanese wannabes. On the eve of Vengeance’S Hong Kong premiere, Michelle very graciously let me buy her lunch and we discussed working with Johnnie To, Alan Mak and Pang Ho Cheung, being in-competition at Cannes and the general state of the local industry. Beware - here be Spoilers!