CYF and Michelle together again!

Reports are enthusiastic about Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh who worked together in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (shown here in front of a sign advertising it) being in the movie Children of Huang Shi (Chinese title: The Bitter Sea). The movie will begin filming the middle of November, but the two actors will probably not join the company until the latter part of the month. There were rumors that the two of them might be in a version of Hua Mulan, but that project has been delayed so long that the two are no longer connected to the project playing the original roles

UPDATE: 10/31/06 "The Australian" reported that the child leader role went to a 16 year old Sydney school boy, Guang Li, who speaks both English and Mandarin. He will spend more than three months with his mother in mainland China for the filming. Shooting locations include Lanzhou (Gansu Province), the Gobi Desert, Shanghai, the Hengdian World Studios (Zhejiang Province) and, next year, Melbourne" From Michelle Yeoh Web Theatre: Top pictures are Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Radha Mitchell stars of the movie.

UPDATE: Final resting place

Laid to rest
IT WAS a poignant homecoming of sorts for actor Chow Yun-Fat’s late father-in-law when the latter’s family brought his ashes back to Singapore two days ago.
Jack Tan, a retired businessman, died of a heart attack on Sept 27 in Hong Kong. He was 71.
He was in the bungalow home of his daughter Jasmine, 47, and her husband Chow, 51, in the expensive Kowloon Tong district.
The couple had asked him and his wife Helen Chong to move to Hong Kong about two years ago so that they could take care of them.
Chow Yun-Fat’s Singaporean father-in-law, Jack Tan, passed away of a heart attack on Sept 27. The heart-shaped wreath was sent by Chow and his wife, Jasmine.Tan Hui Li, Jasmine’s younger sister, who is in her 40s said that her father had been unwell for more than 30 years, since he had his first bypass operation due to heart problems.
Tan was watching TV when he had the fatal heart attack. He was taken to the hospital immediately, but could not be revived.
He was cremated in Hong Kong, followed by a funeral attended by family and friends.
Chow and Jasmine sent a heart-shaped wreath made of white roses to the memorial service.
Tan leaves behind his wife, four sons, two daughters and nine grandchildren.
In past interviews with the Hong Kong media, Tan had praised Chow for being a great son-in-law.
The actor was known to drive out specially to buy Tan’s favourite roast duck and char siew (barbecue pork).
Hui Li said that Chow loved giving his in-law surprises.
He would call Tan regularly to find out how he was. When Tan was living in Singapore, Chow would call to say that he was in Hong Kong, only to appear a few minutes later in person.
Hui Li said: “My brother-in-law may be a star, but to us, he is just an ordinary man with a big heart.” – The Straits Times Singapore / Asia News Network

UPDATE on the new featurette on "Curse" website

Thanks to Marla's post of the 28th on Admiring Gong Li forum you can download the featurette to your own GOM player. Whether you can play it on another player you will have to find out. I could not show it on my Windows Player. Easy to download the GOM Player and it's free. It has been one of the best players I have.

New blog for pop star RAIN

This is to announce an associate blog to Chow Yun-Fat of Hong Kong Fan Site and News blog. It is Move On With Bi Rain the pop star and actor. Riding the entertainment wave of Korea, Rain by the name of actor Jeong Ji Hoon is about to become more of an International star as he performs 2 concerts in December in Las Vegas and throughout Asia. Though this is not his first concert in the U.S., it will be his most ambitious to date, and is a precursor to formally announcing his entrance into the American music market. An actor in popular TV dramas and a new movie, he has also been mentioned as a possible actor to play the role that made CYF famous in A Better Tomorrow remake in Korea. This 24 year-old performer is certainly someone to watch as he continues to rise to super-star status even outside of his home in Korea.

Curse of the Golden Flower website has new featurette

The picture is the original screen of the Curse of the Golden Flowers English website on which can be viewed two trailers. They have added a featurette for the movie. Above the screen now are numbers, and when they are clicked there are shown segments featuring Zhang Yimou and the stars of the movie. Good luck reading the subtitles, but the narration and CYF comments are in English. (The official Chinese website)

Officially confirmed that Chow Yun-Fat will film The Bitter Sea aka Children of Huang Shi

UPDATE: It's officially confirmed by "Variety" - both Michelle and Chow Yun-Fat will star in Children of Huang Shi (Chinese title: The Bitter Sea), along with Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Australian actress Radha Mitchell. Meyers will play a British journalist who helps an Australian nurse rescue a group of orphaned children during the Japanese invasion of China in 1937. Filming is set to begin on November 13 in the western province of Gansu, the studios of Hengdian in south-east China, and Melbourne, Australia. Hyde Park Intl., Sony Classics and Dendy Films will distribute the Chinese/Australian/German co-production. From Michelle Yeoh Web Theatre

Curse of Golden Flower will screen one week earlier

2006-10-26 14:58:23 CRIENGLISH.com
Shanghai Youth Daily reports that Zhang Weiping, head of the New Picture Company, confirmed that Zhang Yimou's "Curse of Golden Flower" will push its screening date in China one week earlier than scheduled to 14th December. 　
Zhang said that the change was made as a result of earnest urging from audiences and cinemas. Also, it will allow the film more time to take in higher box office yields before the end of the year. 　
As a big-budget blockbuster with a stellar cast, the film's screening date will decide the destiny of other relatively small films.
Four other Chinese movies, which planned to screen in December, are considering pushing forward or delaying their screening dates in an effort to avoid competition with "Curse of Golden Flowers" and the resulting box office losses. 　　
Only Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's new film "Confession of Pain" plans to weather the storm--it will begin screening on 8th December with the hope that it will attract bigger audiences.

The Postmodern Life of My Aunt receives 3 nominations

Reported from Monkey Peaches: The nominees of the 43rd Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards have been announced today. Claimed as the Chinese Oscar, the awards were traditionally dominated by Hong Kong movies and Hong Kong filmmakers. Since the door has been opened for the mainland China, more and more movies from the other side of the straight are showing up at the awards. This year, Perhaps Love, a musical about a love-triangle made primarily by Hong Kongers with full participation from the mainland Chinese film industry, takes twelve nominations, including Best Feature Film, Best Director and Best Leading Actress; After This Our Exile, a Hong Kong made drama about a father and his infant son, takes seven nominations; Silk, a horror flick and the most expensive movie ever made in Taiwan, takes five nominations; mainland Chinese produced Hamlet inspired The Banquet also takes five nominations but none of them is from the art categories; Crazy Stone, a mainland low-budget dark comedy, Exiled, Johnnie To's latest crime thriller, and Re-Cycle, a Hong Kong horror, each takes four nominations.

A list of the nominations were shown on the official website of the awards. The Postmodern Life of My Aunt received 3 nominations: Best Leading Actress, SIQIN Gaowa - Best Supporting Actress, ZHAO Wei - Best Screenplay Adaptation, LI Qiang.

Cherie Chung attends service for Jasmine Chow's father

UPDATE: Cherie Chung former co-star and long-time friend of Chow Yun-Fat and his wife Jasmine attends the cremation service for Jasmine's father. Video from Cherie Chung. com

The Bitter Sea to film

Updates on Children of Huang Shi (Chinese title: The Bitter Sea) as reported on Michelle Yeoh Web Theatre: It is being reported that Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Australian actress Radha Mitchell have landed the lead roles of this film, based on the true story of British journalist George Hogg, who rescued scores of children during Japan's 1937 invasion of China and who led them on an arduous trek to safety (previously, when the filming was scheduled to start a year ago, it was announced that Brendan Fraser would play the main lead). Roger Spottiswoode (director of Tomorrow Never Dies) has been preparing the film for years and finally it's ready to go. Earlier reports said Michelle and Chow Yun-Fat would also star in the film. On a recent phone interview Chow Yun-Fat told reporters that the official contract hasn't been signed yet but very likely he will be joining the shooting next month in China. Chow said he will only play a supporting role in the film, "not much screen time. But the script is very good and the director really wants me. So I considered accepting it. I have time now." According to Chinese media, Chow will play the leader of a guerrilla force which is fighting against the Japanese. Michelle will star in the film as a village woman who helps the children escape from the Japanese, and she will also have a relationship with Chow in the film. The co-production of Australia, Germany and China is scheduled to start next month in China and Australia with a release next year. The budget is about US$50 million.

New teaser poster for Curse of the Golden Flower

As shown on Monkey Peaches

"Curse" among favored movies for Academy Award nominations

Foreign film entries announced
Old favorites and new faces enter Oscar race.
Mark Olsen, The Envelope

October 19, 2006
A record 61 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category, AMPAS announced today. Included in those countries submitting films is new entrant Kazakhstan, which submitted "Nomad" by directors Sergei Bodrov, Talgat Temenov and Ivan Passer. (No "Borat" jokes, please.)Many of these films have been circulating on the fall festival circuit, and among the submissions possible favorites for a nomination must include "Water" (Canada, Deepa Mehta), "Curse of the Golden Flower (China, Zhang Yimou), "After The Wedding" (Denmark, Susanne Bier), "Avenue Montaigne" (France, Daniele Thompson), "The Lives of Others" (Germany, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck), "Pan's Labyrinth" (Mexico, Guillermo de Toro), "Black Book" (The Netherlands, Paul Verhoeven) and "Volver" (Spain, Pedro Almodovar).Finland submitted "Lights In The Dusk" by renowned director Aki Kaurismaki but withdrew it at the filmmaker's request. If the director changes his mind it may still be included in the competition. - L A Times

CYF to attend concert in Taiwan

Jay-Z, dubbed the "George Lucas of Hip-hop," will be the first Western hip-hop artist to perform at the Taipei Arena, according to the organizer of his concert.
Jay-Z is considered to be the most influential and powerful hip-hop singer in the music industry nowadays.
While his song "Encore" is always played at New York Yankees' baseball games, Wang Chien-ming -- the Yankees star pitcher -- said that he loved to listen to Jay-Z's songs in his leisure time.
Jay-Z, five-time Grammy Award winner, has collaborated with may famous singers, including Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Snoop Dogg, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
However, Jay-Z announced his retirement in 2003. After his retirement, he became president of Def Jam Records and created his own clothing brand and sports bars. But he still works behind-the-scenes with many outstanding musicians and his influence is undeniable.
According to the organizer, True Color, Jay-Z will perform for at least one and half hours in the Taipei concert. The organizer said it has invested NT$10 million in sound systems for the concert.
As part of his 2006 world tour which includes stops in Europe, Africa, Thailand, Korea, and Taiwan, the Taipei concert is the only one held in the Greater China area. Many famous Chinese stars, such as Cecilia Cheung and Chow Yun-Fat, will fly to Taiwan for the Jay-Z concert, the organizer said. - China Post

Chow Yun-Fat's costumes were heavy

To create the lavish imperial family, over 3000 costumes were made, costing over US$1.3 million. Seven set of costumes were handmade for Chow Yun-Fat, who plays the emperor. It took over 80 members of the costume department over a month to make just one golden robe. It is sewed with gold lines and decorated with gold plates (18k). It is worth about US$156,000 and weights about 80 pounds. His golden armor is made of some metal plated with gold. His helmet even weighted about 100 pounds. Everyday Chow Yun-Fat had to spend two or three hours to put on the golden armor, with help from over a dozen crew members. - Monkey Peaches

In The Postmodern Life of My Aunt" critic says CYF gives "memorable performance"

'Postmodern Life of My Aunt' failed by conflicting signals, despite Chow Yun-fat
The Associated Press SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2006-->Published: October 14, 2006
BUSAN, South Korea

Despite the star power of Chow Yun-fat and a solid performance by veteran Chinese actress Siqin Gaowa, Hong Kong director Ann Hui's "Postmodern Life of My Aunt" fails because of too many conflicting signals.
In the early stages of the movie, Hui sets up the film, currently screening at the Pusan International Film Festival, as a comedy, showing single, retired government worker Ye Rutang's (Siqin) encounters with a series of swindlers in Shanghai and her fling with someone Hui leads the audience to believe to be a con-man (Chow).
Yet late in the movie Ye's estranged daughter appears and Ye eventually moves back to the industrial area where she lived with her husband and daughter before she abandoned them.
Ye trades her glamorous job tutoring English to a boy from a wealthy family for hawking boots in the freezing cold.
It's a boomerang twist of events and change of tone that leaves viewers confused as to what the movie is about.
Is it a quirky story about a middle-aged woman's second spring, as the entrance of Chow's character suggests? Or is it about a cosmopolitan, modern woman wannabe who's haunted by the family that she left behind and ultimately returns to (hence the "postmodern" title)?
Hui never makes it clear.
She also bogs the story down by introducing Ye as an aunt through visits by her nephew, which don't seem to serve much narrative purpose.
The nature of Chow's character, Pan Zhichang, is also never made clear. Is he a con-man or not? Hui has Pan lead Ye into a scam, then keep vigil with her when she's overwhelmed with shock after she discovers the fraud.
Chow, however, delivers a memorable performance as a garishly dressed — think dark turtleneck beneath a jacket and striped shirt — suave, mustached lady's man who never stops charming Ye. It's a refreshing break from Chow's more action-driven roles in Hollywood.

NOTE: You might want to take a look at another review in a post of August 29, 2006 which gives another side to this movie: "The Postmodern Life of My Aunt is endowed with an engaging refinement. Its bold commentary on contemporary China is as sharp as a razor blade."

AFI Fest to feature Curse of the Golden Flower

Closing the 2006 AFI Fest (Los Angeles) is Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower, which was recently announced as China’s official selection to the 79th Oscar® Best Foreign Film category. This historical epic begins on the eve of the Chrysanthemum Festival when the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) returns unexpectedly with one of his sons to visit the ailing Empress (Gong Li). Aside from fairy tales you can’t have a palace without political intrigue, so the royal family's secrets begin to untangle against the grandeur of the festival. - laist.com

Reunited once again with the remarkable Gong Li, his muse in many of his earlier films, Zhang Yimou also takes full advantage of the legendary Chow Yun-Fat, cruelly handsome here as the Emperor, and brimming with evil cunning. The most expensive film yet made in China, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER spins an intriguing tale and is a feast for the senses. - AFI Fest

The tickets for the viewing of "Curse" on November 12 are already sold out at $75.00 a ticket.

A loving husband comforts his wife

This picture was taken yesterday at the cremation ceremony for Jasmine Chow's father. There were many other pictures taken outside of CYF and Jasmine, but I am not sure if he was happy to have them taken (I could only try to have the articles accompanying them translated). So I have only chosen to show one picture of him comforting his wife. We have always enjoyed sharing his happy times in life, and in a small way we would like to share in his grief as well.

Some of the plot of Curse of the Golden Flower

Admiring Gong Li forum has obtained part of the plot for Curse of the Golden Flower, so if you wish to read some of the spoilers highlight the text below:

CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER SYNOPSIS (US English) CHINA, 7TH CENTURY, TANG DYNASTY. On the eve of the Chong Yang Festival, golden flowers fill the Imperial Palace. The EMPEROR (CHOW YUN FAT) returns unexpectedly with his second son, PRINCE JIE (JAY CHOU). His justification is to celebrate with his family. This seems disingenuous given the chilled relations between the Emperor and the ailing EMPRESS (GONG LI). For many years, the Empress and CROWN PRINCE XIANG (LIU YE), her stepson, have had an illicit liaison. Feeling trapped, Prince Xiang dreams of escaping the palace with his secret love XIAO CHEN (LI MAN), the Imperial Doctor’s daughter. Meanwhile, Prince Jie, the faithful son, grows worried over the Empress's health and her obsession with golden chrysanthemums. Could she be headed down an ominous path? The Emperor harbors equally clandestine actions. The IMPERIAL DOCTOR (NI DAHONG) is the only one privy to his plans. When the Emperor senses a looming threat, he relocates the doctor’s family from the Palace to a remote area. While they are en route, mysterious assassins attack them. Xiao Chen and her mother, JIANG SHI (CHEN JIN) are forced back to the palace. Their return sets off a tumultuous sequence of dark surprises. Amid the glamour and grandeur of the festival, ugly secrets are revealed. As the Imperial Family continues its elaborate charade in a palatial setting, thousands of golden armored warriors charge the palace. Who is behind this brutal rebellion? Where do Prince Jie's loyalties lie? Between love and desire, is there a final winner? Against a moonlit night, blood spills across the Imperial Palace.

May he rest in peace

As was previously reported Jasmine Chow's father died of heart trouble. Yesterday they held his funeral. Ann Hui the director of CYF's movie The Postmodern Life of My Aunt attended the funeral along with CYF, Jasmine and their families. There were many flowers sent by friends such as Andy Lau. The remains were cremated, and they will be returned to Singapore to be scattered over the sea. There was a sign posted: "Dearest Dad, enjoy and be restful in our heavenly father hands always dearly cherished."

Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End wins an award

Spike TV announces the "Scream Awards" 2006 winners:
THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN AT WORLD'S END" (which will have Chow Yun-Fat in it as Capt. Sao Feng)
BEST FANTASY MOVIE: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST"
BEST SEQUEL: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST"
MOST HEROIC PERFORMANCE: JOHNNY DEPP, "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST"
BEST F/X: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST"

Wallpapers now on the website

Tequila a CYF fan from Germany was nice enough to contribute 8 great wallpapers to the Chow Yun-Fat of Hong Kong website. The wallpapers are listed on the Picture Galleries page. Tequila is also a fan of the TV program NCIS (I'm a viewer too) and she has a NCIS website. All of you that can read German will enjoy taking a look at the site. Thanks Tequila!

Posters for Curse of the Golden Flower

New posters for Curse of the Golden Flower that are showing in China and Taiwan as shown on Admiring Gong Li forum

The Postmodern Life of My Aunt shows at the Vancouver International Film Festival

This was the notice for the showing of the film on October 4 and 5 at the Vancouver International Film Festival: The Post-Modern Life of My Aunt Yima de Houxiandai Shenghuo Dragons and Tigers-->China, 2006, 110 min, 35mm Directed By: Ann Hui PROD: Er Yong CAM: Kwan Pun-Leung, Yu Likwai ED: Liao Ching-Song MUS: Hisaishi Jo Cast: Siqin Gaowa, Chow Yun-Fat, Vicky Zhao Wei, Lisa Lu, Shi Ke, Guan Wenshuo Fairchild Radio Am 1470, Fairchild TV and Fairchild Media Written by Li Qiang (Peacock) from a novel by Yan Yan, Ann Hui’s excellent new film charts the tragi-comic downfall of a middle-aged woman, left behind by the changing times and the new materialism. Mrs. Ye (Mongolian star Siqin Gaowa) leads a frugal and "proper" life in a shabby old apartment in Shanghai, still clinging to the ideals of honesty, decency, selflessness and social responsibility that the Communist Party inculcated back in the 1950s. But she clashes with her nephew Kuan-Kuan when he’s parked on her to convalesce from a broken leg, not to mention her "airs and graces" neighbour (Lisa Lu) and her hated cat. And her occasional other-worldliness leaves her wide open to con artists, such as Pan Zhichang (Chow Yun-Fat), a charming fraud who seduces her with poetry, romances her--and leads her into a costly graveyard-plot scam. Only when Mrs. Ye’s blowsy and resentful daughter (Vicky Zhao Wei) shows up in an emergency do we hear some home truths which put her life and attitudes into a very different perspective...Larger meanings are there for the finding all the way through this story, but Hui sensibly plays it first and foremost as domestic comedy-drama and gets maximum emotional value from her high-powered cast. It’s her best made-in-China film yet.