Saturday, April 29, 2006

A report from the front lines - The 49th San Francisco International Film Festival

Excerpt from Original URL: http://www.cinematical.com/2006/04/29/a-report-from-the-front-lines-the-49th-san-francisco-internati/

Posted Apr 29th 2006 7:00PM by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Filed under: San Francisco International Film Festival

Perhaps Love
An underrated director of high romantic swells and deep emotional eddys, Hong Kong director Peter Chan has so far graced us with Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1996) and his American debut The Love Letter (1999), but Perhaps Love -- his first feature in 6 years -- feels a bit too eager to please. Like a whirlwind All That Jazz, the musical Perhaps Love tells the story of a director (Jacky Cheung -- who sings several numbers with an incredible set of pipes), an actor (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and an actress (Zhou Xun) who have known each other for years, have always worked together and who pull at each other's heartstrings. Chan flashes back to the story's beginning while flashing forward to the film in production as well as the film's finished scenes. It's all a bit much, like being whacked in the face by a pinwheel. Chan grasps hold of several heartfelt moments, but the film is as exhausting as it is moving.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Facing the Musical

Original URL: http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/04/19/entertainment/entertainment_30001960.php

Wed, April 19, 2006 : Last updated 23:46 pm (Thai local time)

'Perhaps Love', a film within a film, looks at the complexities of falling in and out of love
In his latest film, "Perhaps Love", director Peter Chan is facing the music. But, the Hong Kong director says he's never been too fond of musicals.

"I thought it would drive me nuts", says Chan, adding that the idea of making a musical started as a joke. "I was asking myself what I could add to a love story that would make me feel more nervous and insecure on the set because I believe insecurity is the cornerstone for creativity".

The answer turned out to be a film within a film, one featuring a pan-Asian cast that includes Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jacky Cheung, Zhou Xun and Ji Jin-hee, the lead actor of the Korean hit TV series "Daejunggeum".

The film tells the story of acclaimed director Nie Wen (Cheung), who casts his girlfriend Sun Na (Xun) in a musical about a love triangle between the lead actress played by Sun Na, her ex-boyfriend Lin Jian-Dong (Kaneshiro) and a circus director performed by Nie Wen himself. What Nie Wen doesn't know is that Sun Na and Lin Jian-Dong were actually involved 10 years ago and the entire plot is eerily close to life. As the film unravels, history and reality mix with touches of fantasy added by Monty (Ji Jin-hee) as the story's muse.

"A musical needs a host. I needed someone like Joel Grey in 'Cabaret'," says Chan of the Monty character.

Chan says he chose to do a musical because it helped him avoid dealing with a script that had an overly emotional dialogue.

"The Chinese are very introverted people. They don't even say I love you," he explains. "I use music, song and dance to tell the story and to express the unsaid feelings they keep bottled up inside."

Moviegoers who've seen "Moulin Rouge" or "Chicago" may experience similar vibes with "Perhaps Love" though the lyrics are in Mandarin Chinese.

Members of the big-name cast were selected as much for their marketing appeal as for their talent.

The director says he's always wanted to work with Kaneshiro, but the actor's teen idol aura has stood in the way. Chan's movies are for people in their late twenties and early thirties, so Kaneshiro was a bit too young. But as the director was developing the script, he finally found a perfect vehicle for him.

"I think his eyes are so fierce without being angry but at the same time hurt. In the press conference scene, his eyes are breathtaking. He always looks very sad, like a hurt wolf," says Chan.

Yet despite the director's praise and his considerable experience in films, the actor confesses that some things are still difficult for him.

"Crying is difficult," Kaneshiro says. His character does a lot of crying in the movie. "When I was working with Zhang Ziyi and Andy Lau on 'House of Flying Daggers', I was amazed at how easy it was for them to cry."

Viewers may think Ji might be better at shedding tears given the number of Korean movies and series that seem to depict a crying competition between the male characters - think "Autumn In My Heart", which has Won Bin and Song Seung Heon bawling throughout the series.

But he doesn't like it.

"It's really annoying. But luckily I don't have to cry in my movies," says Ji, whose role as the narrator and fantasy element requires him to play a reporter, a noodle vendor and a chauffeur.

And Ji doesn't only play the story's muse, he's apparently also a source of inspiration for the film.

In any case, the actor, who plays the role of warm-hearted civil servant Min Jung Ho in "Daejunggeum", thinks he is more a boy-next-door type than a kung-fu master.

Andy Lau was originally supposed to play Monty, but had to drop out due to contractual problems.

When Ji was chosen, he was big in Hong Kong because of "Daejunggeum" but it was the very beginning of the Korean phenomenon. A month before the film was released in China, he became a big star there but no one knew him in Thailand. However, the opening in Bangkok has been timed perfectly because he's huge here now.

"It's like he's actually working with our release schedule," laughs Chan.

Other than Ji, who does songs in Mandarin, lyrics of which he had to learn by heart, Cheung has the lion's share of the dancing and singing. Dubbed the best singer of the group Four Heavenly Kings (the other three are Leon Lai, Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok) by the Hong Kong media, Chan says Cheung is the only player able to pull off acting and singing so well.

And Zhou, to Chan, is the only Chinese actress able to fit in a contemporary setting without looking or feeling out of place. "She looks like a young Maggie Cheung. She looks like she could be in Paris. She could be anywhere."

There is also one significant extra - a concierge - played by Chan's own father.

"I couldn't find anyone and he was visiting on set so I asked him to go change. He was okay with it but I was nervous," says Chan. "I hoped he wouldn't screw up. I had like a hundred people on set. What if my father screws up?"

It's been 10 years since Chan's last Mandarin language film, "Tian Mi Mi" ("Comrades: Almost a Love Story"). It was considered one of the most popular Asian love stories of all time, and Chan says that "Perhaps Love" is still very much his kind of film, except it's slightly darker.

It's not a happy movie, but it isn't a scam either.

The director says he was partly inspired by the bittersweet love affairs in "Gone With the Wind" and "Casablanca", films that which he refers to his as sensibilities and roots. Foreign film critics often say that Chan's films are reminiscent of old Hollywood.

The musical novelty aside, Chan says "Perhaps Love" has been a fun experiment and sums up everything he wanted to talk about but couldn't ever do in motion pictures today.

In a way, "Perhaps Love" and "Tian Mi Mi" are remakes of "Casablanca", especially with the theatrical line at the end. "Like when Humphrey Bogart in 'Casablanca' says, 'We'll always have Paris', I could actually have the actor say 'Don't forget Beijing'," he muses.

"It's a very satisfying process."

"Perhaps Love" opens tomorrow at theatres nation-wide.

Kreangsak Suwanpantakul

The Nation

Monday, April 17, 2006

The music makes the movie

Original URL: http://english.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20060417/101116.shtml

Source: CCTV.com
04-17-2006 11:44

When it comes to musicals, it's the music we remember the most. With this year's biggest winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards, the movie musical,"Perhaps Love" could be the start of a new trend for films in China. In today's "Spotlight", we review film as well other musical blockbusters and the scores that made them famous.

Anyone who saw "Perhaps Love" was enchanted by the eye-catching intro. South Korean actor Ji Jin-Hee's debut song and dance aroused passion and imagination. It's a pity that the handsome Korean doesn't understand the Chinese lyrics that he sings. Oh well... he can read the translation.

Mainland actress Zhou Xun was perfectly comfortable in her role. She was a pub singer before becoming an actress. And her early career is mirrored somewhat by the film. A near flawless job won Zhou "Best Actress" at the HK Film Awards. Pop music giant Jacky Cheung must feel confident after the success of "Perhaps Love". His performance earned the film "Best Original Song" honors in Hong Kong.

Believe it or not, insects can do musicals too! "Joe's Apartment" stars 40 thousand cockroaches. They think, talk, sing and dance. So don't look down on your many-legged friends! Effects house "Blue Sky Studios" created the bugs for MTV's first feature production. Dances between roaches and real people highlight the film. Haven't seen it yet? Hurry up to the cinema, but leave your pesticide at home.

"That Thing You Do" is written and directed by Hollywood veteran Tom Hanks. Set to a 1960s' score, the film is a sunny look at a one-hit wonder pop band. The movie shows money and drugs to be alluring, but not compared to pretty girls. It borrows from The Beatles story. Hanks had 9 songs recorded for the film. And the music is the strength of the production. "That Thing You Do" is a delight to the ears.

The 1996 Woody Allen flick "Everyone Says I Love You" has a star-studded cast. And they all had to sing! Edward Norton showed pop star potential, but Julia Roberts couldn't quite pull a tone of that wide mouth. Woody Allen said, "It's not the voice itself that moves you, it's the singer's emotion behind that voice."

Biopic "Farinelli" follows the life of a famous castrato in the 18th century. Of course there were no true castratos available for the role. So a synthesis of soprano and tenor voices was used. The story tells of a singing prodigy infatuated with his own androgynous beauty. But the sacrifice of masculinity leads to anguish and regret. Each lovely aria leaves behind a deep, deformed sorrow.

"Evita' chronicles Eva Peron's incredible path from farm girl to Argentine hero. The lavish musical is based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber play. Madonna changed outfits eighty five times for her role as Peron. She and her co-stars sing from start to finish. The acting may be average, but magnificent musical arrangements make this a movie worth going to.

Musicals are an effort to drag the operatic stage onto a screen. And they've been more than successful. Motion picture technology combined with great songs makes for some unbelievable films.

Editor:Chen

Monday, April 10, 2006

Winners List of 25th HK Film Awards

Original URL: http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/349/2006/04/10/44@75158.htm

2006-04-10 09:24:04 Monkeypeaches.com

Winners of the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards have been announced in Hong Kong. This is a night of Johnnie To's Election vs. Peter Chan's Perhaps Love.

Gangster drama Election collects four heavy-weight awards - Best Film, Best Director for Johnnie To, Best Actor for Leung Kar-Fai and Best Screenplay.

Meanwhile Perhaps Love wins in six categories, more than any other movie does. Mainland Chinese actress Zhou Xun is named the Best Actress for her role in Perhaps Love, a big screen musical.

Anthony Wong is selected as the Best Supporting Actor for portraying a tofu store owner in Initial D and Veteran player Teresa Mo is presented with the title of Best Supporting Actress for her performance in 2 Young.

Best Film - Election

Best Director - Johnny TO - Election

Best Screenplay - YAU Nai-Hoi and YIP Tin-Shing - Election

Best Actor - LEUNG Kar-Fai - Election

Best Actress - ZHOU Xun - Perhaps Love

Best Supporting Actor - Anthony WONG - Initial D

Best Supporting Actress - Teresa MO - 2 Young

Best New Performer - Jay CHOU - Initial D

Best Cinematography - Peter PAU - Perhaps Love

Best Editing - YAU Chi-Wai - Divergence

Best Art Direction - YEE Chung-Man and Pater WONG - Perhaps Love

Best Costume and Make Up Design - YEE Chung-Man and Dora NG - Perhaps Love

Best Action Choreography - Donnie YEN - S.P.L. / Sha Po Lang

Best Original Film Score - Peter KAM and Leon KO - Perhaps Love

Best Original Film Song - "Perhaps Love" - Perhaps Love - performed by Jacky Cheung

Best Sound Design - Kinson TSANG - Initial D

Best Visual Effects - Victor WONG, Eddy WONG and CHEUNG Chung-Wah - Initial D

Best New Director - Kenneth BI - Rice Rhapsody

Best Asian Film - Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (China)

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Jacky hates his family's handed-down bad habit of gambling, will not pay for his brother's debts no matter how rich he is

Original URL: http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/2006-04-05/09371039219.html

http://ent.sina.com.cn 5th April 2006 09:37

Jacky was interviewed by Ming Weekly magazine the day before. When asked about his gambler brother, Jacky revealed that they had not met each other for quite a few years until recently, but he insists in not giving him any kind of financial support.

Gambling habit was handed-down

Jacky said: "Due to the fact that my dad loves to gamble, be it on dogs or horses, we had to help him buy lottery tickets since we were very young. When I grew up, I also secretly went to gamble myself. We used to be very poor, so I thought that gambling could win me money. However, after joining the entertainment circle, I realised that I can earn alot of money if I work hard, I don't have to gamble! That was when I stopped gambling. But my brother became a gambling addict, he made up alot of lies just to go gambling & just couldn't control himself."

"If only I was the elder brother"

Jacky said that he would not help his brother with his debts again. "I have already helped my brother repay over HK$10 million in debts, I can't help him anymore. Actually, if my brother is willing to work, even if it's digging mud, he won't have any problems with eating regular meals & having a place to live in. But he just doesn't want to, that is the problem. I have always thought that my brother is in alot of stress because of me. I have no reason to ask him to follow me here & there, it just doesn't make sense. Sometimes I'm wondering, if only I was the elder brother."

Helping him repay debts is harming him

Jacky said: "However, when I saw him again recently, I have gotten over it. I feel that this is his personal choice. I used to think that I had the responsibility to help him repay his debts. I later realised that doing this actually harmed him. He went into hiding these few years & I had wished that he had repented & become good. But I saw that he hadn't changed, he was still the same as before."

Still feeling sorry

Jacky still thinks that his brother had helped him & looked after him when he just joined the entertainment circle. His brother had lent him money when he didn't have enough. His brother even became his 'assistant' later, it must have been hard on him! Jacky still feels sorry towards his brother.