Zhou Xun

Zhou Xun and Yann Arthus Bertrand Launch Chinese Version of "Home"

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:32:00 +0000

Shanghai (China), 5 July 2010 - Chinese actress Zhou Xun and French film director Yann Arthus-Bertrand on Monday launched the premiere of the Chinese version of HOME at the Shanghai Expo.

Using the stunning aerial footage that is Mr. Arthus-Bertrand's trademark, the film - shot in more than 50 countries - makes an urgent appeal for our planet in peril and all its treasures.

The Chinese version of HOME has been dubbed by Zhou Xun, one of China's leading actresses and a highly recognized environmental advocate. She was named a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador for China in 2008, with a special focus of promoting environmental sustainability, won UNEP's Champion of the Earth award this year and is the Green Ambassador for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

"I have been nurturing this film for more than fifteen years. What I saw and learned as I flew over the Earth has changed me forever," said Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who is also a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador. "We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, to avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate. The stakes are high for us and our children," he warned.

The film depicts how humans have disrupted the fragile balance on which the Earth has existed for four billion years. Global warming, a shortage of resources and endangered species are threatening the very existence of human beings. By the end of the century, the film predicts, current consumption patterns will have exhausted almost all the Earth's natural resources and only changing the way humans live can reverse the trend.

Said Zhou Xun: "I suggest people take the nearly 100 minutes to watch this film called HOME. Let us pay more attention to this crisis that might happen on this Earth in the future."

The film first premiered globally on World Environment Day in 2009 and has been seen in more than 108 countries and territories.

Mr. Arthus-Bertrand, a photographer as well, is renowned as one of the world's strongest advocates for protecting nature and insisting on the need for sustainable development. His 'Earth Seen From Above' exhibit of large-scale aerial photography explores the link between humans and nature and encourages viewers to think about the challenges the planet faces. The exhibit, which started in Paris in 2000 has since travelled to cities around the world and has reached over 130 million people. Most recently, his film '6 Billion Others', which is currently showing in the UN Pavilion in the Shanghai Expo, captures the testimonials of the lives of 6,000 people facing the challenges of climate change in more than 65 countries.

Zhou Xun also regularly promotes 'tips for green living' through Our Part, a campaign she runs jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The popular actress encourages people to reduce their carbon footprint through simple changes in lifestyle, something that can make a huge difference in a country with the challenges of a large population such as China.

Source: http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=630&ArticleID=6639&l=en

Zhou Xun breaks down upon hearing news of old flame’s demise

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:28:00 +0000

Forty-three-year-old actor Jia Hong Sheng had a blooming career back in the 80s as one of China's most well-known actors.

His meteoric fall from grace began when he fell into the drug trap and was the first Chinese celebrity to admit to taking drugs. He was admitted into a mental institute in 1995 and managed to kick the addiction afterwards.

In the subsequent years, Jia struggled in his career, with a few sporadic appearances in plays and movies. He was said to be thinking of making a comeback recently. But that ended when he jumped from a building on July 5.

Jia used to date acclaimed actress Zhou Xun briefly for a year. Back then Zhou Xun was still relatively unknown and Jia had tried to help her by bringing her to audition for a role in a major production. The pair split when Zhou Xun left him for someone else.

According to Jia's close friend, Zhou Xun has been crying over tragedy. The close friend also revealed that Jia did not display signs of depression and had even met up with him to discuss his comeback over a meal.

Zhou Xun did not respond to questions and her manager spoke to the media on her behalf.

"This is truly shocking and saddening news. I believe what Jia Hong Sheng needs now is peace so I hope everyone can respect him and his family."

Source: http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4206762

Asia’s 25 greatest actors of all time

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:02:00 +0000

As the Oscars approach, CNNGo celebrates the top Asian legends of the silver screen

In the history of the Academy Awards (airing on March 7th), only two Asians have ever taken home a Best Actor or Actress statue (we don't count Ben Kingsley as true Asian). Yet Asia has produced incredibly talented thespians that have changed the course of their nation’s cinematic history. In anticipation of Oscar night, we’ve narrowed the list of greats to 25. Roll the credits…

China: Zhou Xun

The seductive Zhou Xun is arguably the most adept of China’s “Four Young Dan actresses.” She’s certainly the most dedicated: Xun confessed to CNN that she showed up on the set of “The Message” intoxicated, in order to get into the mind of her hard-drinking character. Her accolades include multiple Best Actress awards for “The Equation of Love and Death” and “Perhaps Love.”

Best Role: In “Suzhou River,” a 2000 film noir directed by Lou Ye, Xun enthralled audiences as the femme fatale star of a mermaid show.

The list of 25 great actors:

China: Gong Li, Ruan Lingyu, Zhou Xun
Hongkong: Leslie Cheung, Josephine Siao, Tony Leung
Japan: Toshiro Mifune, Tomisaburo Wakayama, Takeshi Kitano
India: Guru Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan, Pran, Nargis, Meena Kumari
Pakistan: Mohammad Ali, Zeba
Sri Lanka: Malini Fonseka
Korea: Ahn Sung-ki, Shim Eun-ha
Singapore: Ng Chin Han, Fann Wong
Thailand: Petchara Chaowarat, Mitr Chaibancha
Malaysia: P. Ramlee
Cambodia: Kong Som Eurn

Source: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/asias-25-greatest-actors-all-time-223697

Zhou Xun: angel in the world

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:52:00 +0000

Zhou Xun, China's Hangzhou-born leading actress who is on the Forbes list of "powerful Chinese celebrities", was interviewed by CNN's Talk Asia host Anjali Rao in Shanghai for the premiere of her new movie Confucius in Hong Kong.

The 35-year-old "Star of the Year", selected by Cine Asia, is in two much-awaited movies this year – a biopic on philosopher Confucius and Yuen Woo Ping’s action flick True Legend.

Zhou was brought into the spotlight with her roles in Suzhou River, Perhaps Love and The Banquet. Zhou's ability to pull off various roles makes her a favorite with Chinese directors and won her the reputation of "Angel in the World" among the audience, but she has never had professional acting training. "I was born in a very small town in Hangzhou. I used to play in the only cinema in our town where my father worked, but movies still seemed far from me. I never expected to become an actress until I was spotted by a director at a dance academy where I enrolled."

Acting for 18 years, the smart veteran has never been bothered by the Chinese government's infamous censorship of the film industry. In her eyes, "being an actress in China is actually no different from being an actress elsewhere. It all comes down to being a good person, and acting responsibly".

Zhou is not only a successful actress, but also an enthusiastic public servant. Last year she was appointed by the United Nations as its first Chinese goodwill ambassador with a special focus on the environment.

"The environment has become a global issue. The Chinese government is sparing no effort to change environmental conditions in China," said Zhou.

All actors and actresses in the world are troubled by paparazzis. Zhou is no exception, but she can't do anything about it. Anyway, "I try not to let it bother me too much," she said.

By Xie Fang
Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/hangzhou/e/2010-01/28/content_9393462.htm

Kung Fu movie "True Legend" premieres in Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0000

The highly-anticipated martial arts film True Legend has premiered in Beijing. The film is directed by Yuen Woo-ping, and employs 3-D techniques. It's aiming to take a big slice of China's movie market during the China's new year season.

Major cast members Jay Chou, Zhou Xun and Vincent Zhou joined Director Yuen, at the premiere.

True Legend is regarded by critics as one of the most stunning flicks Yuen has ever directed. Many of its scenes were shot in breathtakingly dangerous places, like the Hukou Waterfall at the Yellow River in North China's Shanxi Province.

Jay Chou plays two separate roles in the film. When asked about how he switches the roles with such ease and grace, Chou had this to say.

Jay Chou said, "The two roles I played in the film are very different characters. And they have diverse Kungfu styles. I think this is a great challenge for me. I really enjoyed myself during the shooting and I think I fulfilled the roles."

Mainland actress Zhou Xun, who plays Yuan Ying in the film, says sometimes filming took extra effort.

Zhou Xun said, "There was a scene shot on a mountain slope, where I was required to climb up the mountain hauling a wooden cart. I felt filming the scene is like a mission impossible, for the cart is too heavy and I could hardly make any steps upward along the slope."

Although director Yuen Woo-ping is known for his Kung Fu choreography in movies, the film also has a softer side. There are emotional relationships between family members, lovers and siblings.

True Legend is set for release across the country on February 9th.

Source: http://www.china.org.cn/2010-02/01/content_19345249.htm

[Video] Zhou Xun on CNN's chat show, Talk Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:47:00 +0000

Enjoy video of Zhou Xun on CNN's chat show, Talk Asia.

Download: http://ht.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/international/2010/01/28/talk.asia.zhou.xun.cnn_640x360_dl.flv

Online:
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/0qw7T47-aRw/?is_rec

Credit: cpy @ zhouxun.tv
Reupload: mylove @ zhouxun.chungta.com

Zhou Xun appeals Chinese society to rally for Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:21:00 +0000

By Zhu Shanshan

Chinese actress Zhou Xun Tuesday called on Chinese society and the private sector to help people in Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck the country on January 12.

As the National Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nation Development Program (UNDP), Zhou revealed she will take part in more public activities to promote the aid to Haiti and she also donated money to help people trapped in Haiti earthquake.

“Disasters have no mercy, but humans do. In Wenchuan Earthquake, we received helps all over the world. So when Haiti is confronting this disaster, I hope we can pass our love to the people in Haiti,” said Zhou in UNDP’s press conference Tuesday morning.

Chinese government has already provided substantial bilateral support to Haiti including medicines, food, shelter and other urgently needed supplies. China’s Ministry of Commerce donated $2.6 million to the UN Flash Appeal.

In private sector, Chinese Olympic gold medalist Li Ning who is the founder of Li Ning Company Limited, has donated 1 million yuan ($146,500) to pay for 5 humanitarian flights to send food and other relief materials to Haiti.

The 7.3-magnitude quake which struck Haiti on January 12 has killed more than 170,000 people and 3 million have been affected by the earthquake.

Source: http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2010-02/502987.html

Up close with Zhou Xun

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:49:00 +0000

CNN’s Talk Asia joins Zhou Xun (pic), one of China’s leading actresses who is on the Forbes list of “powerful Chinese celebrities”, in Shanghai and for the premiere of her new movie Confucius in Hong Kong.

The 35-year-old CineAsia “Star of the Year” is in two much-awaited movies out this year – a biopic on philosopher Confucius and Yuen Woo Ping’s action flick True Legend.

Zhou’s ability to pull off various roles makes her a favourite with Chinese directors, but she has never had formal acting training. “I was born in a very small town outside of Hangzhou and even though there was a cinema in our town, movies still seemed very far away to me. I didn’t know the production process at all, so I never expected to become an actress.”

The young Zhou was always interested in singing and dancing, and was once enrolled at a dance academy. She got into acting when a director spotted her at the dance academy.

When asked for her take on the Chinese government’s infamous censorship of the film industry, the veteran of 18 years shrugs off the sensitive subject.

“Being an actress in China is actually no different from being an actress elsewhere. It all comes down to being a good person, and acting responsibly.”

On actress Tang Wei who was banned from working on the mainland for three years as a result of her onscreen nudity in Lust, Caution, Zhou says: “I think you don’t really worry about all those things before shooting. ... But I don’t think I can ever be completely unclothed in front of the camera.”

Zhou was brought into the spotlight with her roles in Suzhou River, Perhaps Love and The Banquet. She was appointed by the United Nations as its first national goodwill ambassador with a special focus on the environment.

“I think the Chinese government is very determined to change environmental conditions in China. This is a not a movie. This is a real threat, ” says Zhou.

The actress also discusses with Talk Asia host Anjali Rao her constant efforts to keep her private life private.

“This is what I’m trying hard to adjust to because I don’t like being followed when I’m not working. But I can’t do anything about it. So I try not to let it bother me too much.

“But this adjustment process takes quite a long time and this type of paparazzi culture in China is getting more severe as well.”

ZHOU XUN MAKES A MOVIE AS A SALUTE TO YUEN WOO PING

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Just completing TRUE LEGEND (SO HAK YI)'s Beijing press conference, Zhou Xun rushed to the television station at night to record the premiere celebration. Playing a mother and a wife for the first time, Zhou Xun's performance was full of real emotions. Speaking of working with "Lord Eight", director Yuen Woo Ping, after 2006's THE BANQUET, they had much more chemistry. TRUE LEGEND heated up before its release, not only has it been invited to participate in this year's Berlin Film Festival but also a variety of film festivals at home and abroad. Zhou Xun expressed that this film was a salute to Lord Eight. She praised Lord Eight was a director who is worthy of respect and represents the martial art film golden age. Working with Lord Eight was the collective memory of an era.

Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Source: http://hktopten.blogspot.com

Actress Zhou Xun Croons for "True Legend"

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:23:00 +0000

Popular Chinese actress Zhou Xun has lent her voice to the theme song for director Yuen Woo-Ping's upcoming kung-fu drama, "True Legend", starring Zhou and Vincent Zhao.

"True Legend", which will be rolled out in Chinese cinemas on February 9, is a biopic about 19th-century martial artist Su Can. Vincent Zhao plays Su Can, with Zhou Xun as his supportive wife.

Zhou Xun is hailed as one of China's four most popular actresses, together with Zhang Ziyi, Zhao Wei and Xu Jinglei.

Aside from her critically acclaimed acting skills, Zhou Xun is also a singer, having released a couple of studio albums and been featured on the soundtracks for a long list of her films.

"True Legend" boasts a strong supporting cast that includes actress Michelle Yeoh, singer-turned-actor Jay Chou, and director-actor Feng Xiaogang. It is also one of the last films featuring "Kill Bill" star David Carradine, before he passed away last year.

A 3-D version of the special effect-rich "True Legend" will be screened at the Berlinale Special section during the 60th Berlin International Film Festival between February 11 and 21.

Source: http://english.cri.cn

Clip source: tudou
Reupload: mylove @ zhouxun.chungta.com

Biopic of Confucius to open with record prints

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:21:00 +0000

BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The biopic of the life of the ancient Chinese philosopher and educator Confucius starring Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat is set to premiere on Jan 22.

"'Confucius' will open with 2,500 prints, breaking the record set by 'The Founding of a Republic'," said Liu Rong, general manager of Beijing Dadi Century which produced the film, on Thursday.

The latter, which was made to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), was released with 1,450 prints in September.

"The record figure means people will be able to watch the film in every cinema in the country," said Liu.

The film's director Hu Mei said the biopic was an effort to promote the great philosopher's life and thoughts, and the Chinese culture.

Chow said in an early interview that he had taken the role because in the film Confucius was portrayed as a man with much human interest.

The film, which cost about 150 million yuan (about 21.9 million U.S. dollars) to make, focuses on the great philosopher's life experiences from 51 to 73.

Confucius (551 BC-479 BC) was born in the ancient Chinese state of Lu, today's Qufu city in Shandong Province. He was a great educator, philosopher, a renowned politician and the founding father of Confucianism.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com

Confucius fails to impress critics

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:19:00 +0000

Confucius is widely considered as representative of Chinese culture and philosophy, having influenced generations of scholars and thinkers at home and abroad. Shooting a biopic of the great sage can be paralleled to Mel Gibson attempting The Passion of the Christ (2004), requiring more talent than courage.

Weak media reviews followed Confucius' prescreening last week, director Hu Mei's interpretation of the almostholy figure labelled as a show of courage, but not necessarily one of great talent.

The two-hour film, reflecting the life of Confucius from age 51 to his death at 73, is clearly divided into two parts, each an hour long. The first hour focuses on his political life and achievements, during which he led several "big-scene" wars. The second half of the fi lm starts with his dismissal and emphasizes his travelling life and spreading his philosophy among the people.

According to many film critics attending the pre-screening, the first half of Confucius is dramatic with exciting scenes and complicated character relationships, while the second is comparatively boring.

"This is the real life of Confucius. You cannot expect the film to be 100 percent exciting," the film's screenwriter Chen Han told the Global Times after Confucius' premiere in Beijing Thursday. Chen also wrote blockbuster Red Cliff for John Wu in 2008.

However, despite Chen's vision of sticking with reality, most of the audience said that they were not satisfied with the second half of the film, during which Confucius wanders from country to country, without any concrete dramatic conflicts. "The hour's more like a travel log, instead of a real film," commented Yang Lianjie from Beijing Morning Post.

The film has aroused several controversies since it was launched in early 2008, from casting Chow Yun-Fat as Confucius, to trailers that revealed action scenes during which Confucius exhibits Chinese martial arts and a love affair with Nan Zi (played by Zhou Xun) unfolds. Carrying high expectations, the final-cut of the film was disappointing with the much-anticipated action scenes deleted and most of the controversy removed.

"I did write and we did shoot the part where Confucius fights enemies with his walking stick, but after discussion we decided to take the scene out," Chen said. He explained that with the style conflict between the two halves of the film, adding such action scenes would have made continuity even worse.

Earlier hype about Confucius' love-life was also unwarranted, with Zhou's Nan Zi only making a brief appearance in the film and the relationship between her and Confucius shifted from love to simple admiration between student and teacher.

"This is the most important scene of the film. We changed the script many times and finalized their current relationship," Chen said.

Although different from what audiences are expecting from the trailers, the scene when Nan Zi meets Confucius is still the most dramatic and well-interpreted of the fi lm, according to critics. Much of the credit goes to the chemistry created between Chow and Zhou. Chow's performance is of the few more-memorable parts of the film.

"It has been a while that we have seen Chow paying so much attention and efforts to his acting," commented Sun Lingling from The Beijing News. After Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000, Chow has opted for less serious roles, none as sophisticated as Confucius and he produced a panned performance in Dragonball: Evolution. Chow's selection to play Confucius met with much public criticism as the actor is from Hong Kong and not well educated. Critics and filmlovers questioned his ability to play such a cultural and traditional role. In this aspect, the film succeeds, with Chow portraying a strong and multifaceted image of Confucius, from the way he speaks and acts, to his complicated inner world.

"He has convinced the audience that he is Confucius," Sun added in her review.

Set to hit cinema screens across China on Friday, Confucius has already made Chinese film history, with 2,500 copies distributed across the country. In comparison, the largest distribution of a Chinese film with 1,450 copies was The Founding of A Republic, which was also a box office champion in 2009.

Confucius' director Hu refused to make a box office prediction for the film that is facing stiff competition against the exceedingly successful dominating film Avatar.

"We have tried our best for the film. I have faith and confidence, but the rest is left for audiences to determine."

Source: Global Times
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/6871144.html

Zhou Xun: China's queen of quirk

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:11:00 +0000

(CNN) -- Chinese actress Zhou Xun is a face recognized by millions, but so far, little known outside of China.

The self-effacing 33-year old has recently graced the covers of China's editions of Harper's Bazaar and Elle magazines, but bringing her face to an audience away from China's mainland remains elusive.

Zhou is demur on the topic of international acclaim, preferring only to say that she hopes to become a better actress rather than rival Zhang Ziyi as the face of Chinese cinema abroad.

Her latest film is "Confucius" also starring Chow Yun Fat, but Zhou made her breakthrough on the big screen in 2000 appearing in "Suzhou River," and was soon hailed by the Chinese media as one of the country's four best young actresses along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei and Zhang Ziyi.

Since then Zhou has taken on a number of alternative roles -- from a nerdy lab technician in "All About Women" to an alcoholic spy in "The Message" -- that have marked her out from her peers and attracted plaudits from critics and fans.

She won best actress awards at the Paris Film Festival in 2000 and numerous awards in China for her role in 2005 film "Perhaps Love" and more recently, "The Equation of Love and Death."

Coming from a middle class family, she was a young girl at a dance academy when spotted by a film director and encouraged to become an actress.

"Being an actress in China, I'm actually a very lucky actress... Especially now that Chinese movies are becoming more diverse with more viewers overseas," she told CNN.

"I think it's the same to be an actress anywhere because the profession is about attitudes towards events -- it is a process to try to understand life. I think this is the case for actors across the world.

"It all comes down to how you try to be a good person, and act responsibly."

Acting responsibly, that is, except when the role demands it. Her clean-cut image was tarnished, on-screen at least, when she took a method approach to her part as a hard-drinking spook in "The Message." She admits to turning up on the set intoxicated in order to get into character.

Even though she lends her face to a number of products and high-end brands, she's honest enough to admit she has her flaws in real life as well.

"I think there are many faces to everyone. I also have my bad sides. Also I think everyone is trying to improve their shortcomings to become more wholesome. I have a lot of shortcomings, so it's 50-50," she said.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com

CineAsia to honor Zhou Xun

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:25:00 +0000

HONG KONG – Chinese actress Zhou Xun will be honored as the "star of the year" at next month's CineAsia exhibition and distribution convention in Hong Kong.

Zhou's claim to the honor lies with her starring role in three of the biggest Chinese films of the year: recently released hit "The Message," and upcoming "True Legend" ("Su Qi Er") and "Confucius."

The 33-year-old is an 18-year-veteran of the film industry having achieved a breakthrough with her starring role in "Suzhou River." She has since collected acting prizes from most of the available Chinese-language awards series. These include China's Hundred Flowers Awards, the Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong's Golden Bauhinia Awards, Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards and the regional Asian Film Awards.

"It is very exciting for us to recognize Ms. Zhou and we look forward to following her career in the years to come," said Robert H. Sunshine, managing director of the event.

The prize will be presented to her on the last night of the CineAsia convention (Dec. 8-10) at Hong Kong's Convention and Exhibition Centre.

CineAsia and The Hollywood Reporter are both part of the Nielsen Business Media group.

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

'The Message' Trilogy on Agenda

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:24:00 +0000

Spy thriller "The Message", China's first commercial espionage flick, is to have a prequel and a sequel following its ever-improving box office performance since its premiere in Chinese cinemas on September 29.

The movie's investor, mainland entertainment giant Huayi Bros, has declared an ambitious plan to extend The Message into a trilogy with an unlimited budget after the film scooped 195 million yuan on the mainland in its first two weeks. Hong Kong and Taiwan theaters will also run the spy drama from the end of October.

According to Huayi, stories for the prequel and sequel will be based around some of the more obscure characters from this installment, but the production crew and cast will remain the same for the upcoming two installments.

As announced last week, The Message scored six nods at the Golden Horse Film Awards, a much-coveted honor in the Chinese film industry. Lead actresses Zhou Xun and Li Bingbing were both nominated for the award of Best Actress in a Leading Role. This year's Golden Horse ceremony will take place in Taipei on November 28.

Source: http://m.cri.cn/681/2009/10/17/66s25031.htm

The Message review (6)

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:20:00 +0000

A fortnight has barely passed and The Founding of a Republic is, amazingly, no longer even the month’s most ludicrous Chinese blockbuster to rouse our nationalistic spirit. Directed by Chen Kuofu (Double Vision) and Gao Qunshu (Old Fish), The Message has been billed by its local distributors as “the first billion-dollar budget Chinese-language spy movie in sixty years”. One gets the sense that the sky’s the limit if that budget had been halved – considering how the stylistic overkill of its digitally animated sequences has distracted from the actors’ genuine performances in this otherwise hugely satisfying mystery thriller.

The year is 1942, and five officials working in traitor Wang Jingwei’s puppet government – among them an expert code-breaker Li (Li Bingbing), her close friend and feisty associate Gu (Zhou Xun), and violent military captain Wu (Zhang Hanyu) – are summoned and held captive for interrogation by Japanese colonel Takeda (Huang Xiaoming), with one in the group believed to be a resistance infiltrator codenamed Phantom. On the other side of the battle, the unidentified, fiercely patriotic mole has to get word outside to abort a misconceived mission, the execution of which will likely spell the end of the resistance force.

Set largely within the walls of a spooky castle on a cliff by the seaside, which looks about as realistic as Xanadu in Citizen Kane, The Message quickly ditches its larger historical backdrop and reveals itself to be an excellent spin of the traditional country-house whodunit. Without resorting to gadget-flashing actions, this espionage film does nonetheless have its fair share of eye-openers, featuring sadistic methods of torture and humiliation in its interrogation scenes that would be equally at home in your average exploitation flick.

What impresses most, however, is the film’s collectively outstanding cast, many of whose roles are rendered with complex psychological shadings. It’s hard not to be touched by the lengths that the resistance fighters are willing to go to, all in the name of loyalty to their cause. Bearing in mind that this is a Mainland Chinese production set at the height of the Sino-Japanese War (which is a way of saying that we all know who the story’s ultimate winner will be), it’s all the more remarkable how The Message, with its gripping character drama, still manages to thoroughly engage and fascinate.

Edmund Lee

Source: http://www.timeout.com.hk

[Clip] Zhou Xun in 27th Golden Rooster Award

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:37:00 +0000

Zhou Xun on red carpet
http://v.sohu.com/20091017/n267451452.shtml
http://video.sina.com.cn/ent/m/c/2009-10-18/021055187.shtml?opsubject_id=ent-826

Zhou Xun received "Best actress" award
http://v.sohu.com/20091017/n267452433.shtml
http://video.sina.com.cn/ent/m/c/2009-10-18/001555169.shtml

Interview after Zhou Xun received "Best actress" award
http://video.sina.com.cn/ent/m/c/2009-10-18/012555175.shtml
http://video.sina.com.cn/ent/m/c/2009-10-18/012755176.shtml
http://video.sina.com.cn/ent/m/c/2009-10-18/065355219.shtml
http://v.sohu.com/20091018/n267452889.shtml
http://v.sohu.com/20091018/n267468113.shtml

Clip on Sohu, Sina - credit: cpy @ zhouxun.tv
Re-up: mylove @ zhouxun.chungta.com

Zhou Xun Celebrates 35th Birthday and Best Actress Award

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:46:00 +0000

Actress Zhou Xun celebrated her 35th birthday on Sunday by winning the Best Actress award at the Golden Rooster Film Festival in Nanchang, capital city of east China's Jiangxi province, the New Express reports.

Zhou's contract agency, Huayi Bros., threw a big birthday party for her in suburban Nanchang on early Sunday morning just after the awards ceremony ended. The celebration marked Zhou's birthday as well as the six awards won by the company's artists and productions.

Famous directors, actors and actresses including Huang Jianxin, Zhang Hanyu, Deng Chao, Sun Li, Ren Quan and Dong Xuan attended the party hosted by actor-director Zhang Guoli.

As the celebrities posed for a group photo, fireworks exploded for more than 10 minutes. Zhou was onstage addressing the guests when her mobile phone rang. Upon the request of the host, she held her phone in front of the microphone so all could hear her boyfriend, real estate heir Wang Shuo, wish her a happy birthday.

Source: http://english.cri.cn

The Message review (5)

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:37:00 +0000

HONG KONG -- Extravagantly produced to exude an abundance of period elegance, danger and intrigue that sparks associations with "Lust, Caution," "The Message" is a '40s Sino-Japanese spy thriller that's replaced lust with torture as the porn. Co-directing with Taiwan's Chen Kuo-fu ("Double Vision"), who also supplies the elaborate screenplay, China's Gao Qunshu turns his craft at mounting suspense from events set in a tight space and time frame (exemplified by his bomb-detonation thriller "Old Fish") to a more psychological rather than situation-driven level.

Although showy visual effects and cinematography strain the moviemaking, these bells and whistles were designed to impress the target mainland audience, who gave their seal of approval by filling cinemas on opening National Day weekend.

Overseas audiences may feel ambushed by the flurry of characters and historical facts that the film rushes through, although essentially the set-up is a variation on an Agatha Christie whodunnit. In 1942, five personnel in the intelligence unit of Wang Jingwei's traitor regime are confined for five days in a villa in the suburbs of Beijing. Three of them are central figures: Morse code expert Ningyu (Lee Bingbing), mailroom staffer Xiaomeng and army captain Wu Jinguo (Zhang Hanyu). One of them is an infiltrator code-named Phantom.

To unmask Phantom's identity, Japanese colonel Takeda (Huang Xiaoming) and his collaborator Wang play the suspects off each other, crushing them mentally and physically with cruel means. Phantom must be equally ruthless to survive and get a message out to resistance leader Magnum.

The mind games, not particularly subtle, are effectively twisted, but the torture scenes are what this film will be remembered for. They are choreographed to abet imagination of unspeakable pain and horror without showing anything really graphic (thus getting around censorship). The sensational array of instruments and methods makes "Hostel" and "Martyrs" seem like one-trick ponies. This rarefied depiction of torture as a sophisticated art form makes one shudder more at the sick minds behind it.

Of the three central figures, Zhou and Li perform with the expressive grace of silent movie heroines. Even as a coquettish rich girl, Zhou hints at inner depth. As the less worldly Ningyu, Li displays poise where one expects hysteria when navigating perilous situations. The male leads don't stand up to them. Huang is especially wooden, and squanders the chance to develop a role already attributed with complex motives. It also is awkward to see Zhang play a collaborator with the same upstanding dignity as the Communist officer in "The Assembly."

Some of the production's heaviest investments are its most glaring aspects, like the CGI overkill, and the ostentatious cinematography by Jake Pollock. The villa is never framed without the fly-cam swooping and fluttering around it, making it look like one of those those haunted castles in Roger Corman movies. Even when the female leads are having a tete-a-tete, the camera swivels and sweeps around them so much you want to shoo it away so as concentrate on the ensemble acting.

Venue: Pusan International Film Festival -- Closing film

Sales: Huayi Brothers Media Corporation Ltd.
Production: Huayi Brothers Media Corporation Ltd, Shanghai Film Group Corp.
Cast: Zhou Xun, Li Bingbing, Zhang Hanyu, Huang Xiaoming, Su Youpeng
Directors: Gao Qunshu, Chen Kuo-fu
Screenwriter: Chen Kuo-fu
Based on the novel by: Mai Jia
Producer: Wang Zhongjun
Executive producer: Feng Xiaogang
Director of photography: Jake Pollock
Production designer: Xiao Haihang
Art director-costume designer: Tim Yip
Music: Michiru Oshima
Editor: Xiao Yang
No rating, 120 minutes

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

"The Message" review (4)

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:36:00 +0000

Golden Age Hollywood meets Chinese period melodrama in "The Message," a full-bore WWII spy whodunit that plays like an Asian cross between "Clue" and "Now, Voyager." Laden with homages to classic Warner Bros. dramas and tips of the hat to mystery writers like Agatha Christie, this star-laden monster-mash will prove too rich a mixture for most Western palates. But for those prepared to go the distance (and fans of popular Asian cinema), it's an exhilarating, intensely cinematic ride. The reportedly $7 million pic swamped Chinese theaters Sept. 30 and took a hefty $10 million in its opening weekend.

Script by Taiwanese writer-director Chen Kuo-fu ("Double Vision," "The Personals"), who co-helmed with bright mainland Chinese talent Gao Qunshu ("Tokyo Trial," "Old Fish"), is liberally adapted from the 2007 Mai Jia novel that formed the last in a trilogy of stories about WWII code-breakers. Aside from its star-heavy cast and fine production values, the pic undoubtedly benefited locally from Mai's recent fame with a successful TV adaptation of the second book in the trilogy.

Opening reel -- which starts with an aerial swoop-down on October 1942 Nanjing, where the invading Japanese have set up a puppet Chinese government to draw support away from the official KMT one -- contains a mass of information and character introductions that's hard to digest on a first viewing. In short order, a puppet-government lackey (Duan Yihong) is shot by a female rebel (Liu Weiwei), who's later caught and tortured for info.

Col. Takeda (Huang Xiaoming) discovers there's a rebel mole inside his own counterinsurgency center. The mole could be one of five people, all of whom he invites to a remote mansion in the mountains for what becomes a classic locked-room whodunit.

The suspects are cool but foxy decoding department head Li Ningyu (Li Bingbing), the best code-breaker in the business; administrative officer Gu Xiaomeng (Zhou Xun), a spoiled rich girl who arrives with a massive hangover; military office section chief Wu Zhiguo (Zhang Hanyu), a tough, battle-scarred soldier; officer Bai Xiaonian (Taiwan's Alec Su), a flamboyant homosexual; and section chief Jin Shenguo (comedian Ying Da), a bluff, portly vet.

The host of the meeting is Commissioner Wang (Wang Zhiwen), a half-psychotic Chinese turncoat. But it's Takeda who's the real host, telling the five suspects that no one is leaving until the mole, codenamed Phantom, is unmasked.

The subsequent hour, entirely set in the European-style baronial residence and its adjoining torture chamber, is a classic potboiler mystery-thriller, as the suspects quarrel, scheme and are picked off one by one by Takeda. Labyrinthine plot is both clever and highly unlikely, but realism is hardly the issue in what is basically an old-fashioned multistar vehicle in which the thesps strut their stuff.

Pic is billed locally as China's first wartime spy movie, which is not exactly true. But it's certainly the first done in such a lavish style, and with so many cross-cultural cinematic references.

Some auds may be troubled by the copious torture sequences, which, though they rely more on suggestion than graphic visuals, are especially squirm-inducing in the case of the women. Their dramatic overdrive harks back to a whole tradition in Chinese cinema (both mainland and offshore) of Japanese nasties doing horrid things to Chinese patriots.

The petite Zhou brings her usual gravel-voiced vampiness to the character of Gu, but Li, as the cool codebreaker, quietly trumps her in the acting stakes. Hot new star Huang, speaking slightly accented Mandarin, is excellent as the sadistic, increasingly desperate Takeda, while the experienced Zhang and Wang face off among the older male players.

CG effects, done in China, are smoothly showy, deliberately evoking a '30s/'40s look, and costuming by Hong Kong ace Tim Yip ("Red Cliff," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and Wu Baoling is as rich as the score by Michiru Oshima and lensing by Taiwan-based Jake Pollock ("Yang Yang").

Reportedly, Gao handled most of the actual direction while Chen focused more on script and producer duties. Pic has no overriding visual style, swinging between sweeping crane shots and handheld closeups -- disappointing, given the rich production design, but adding to the film's restless energy.

Huayi has promised a three-hour version on DVD, which could help to fill in some of the backstories -- including that of Gu's lover (Natori Masayuki), only referenced in some confusing flashbacks. Chinese title literally translates as "The Sound of the Wind," but also means "rumors" or "information."

Camera (color, widescreen), Jake Pollock; editor, Xiao Yang; music, Michiru Oshima; art director, Xiao Haihang; costume designers, Tim Yip, Wu Baoling; sound (Dolby Digital), Wang Danrong; visual effects, Wonder Star VFX; visual effects supervisor, Hu Xuan; assistant director, Zhang Lidong. Reviewed at Megabox 8, Beijing, Oct. 6, 2009. (Also in Pusan Film Festival -- closer.) Running time: 114 MIN.

Variety is striving to present the most thorough review database. To report inaccuracies in review credits, please click here. We do not currently list below-the-line credits, although we hope to include them in the future. Please note we may not respond to every suggestion. Your assistance is appreciated.

Source: http://www.variety.com

'Message' takes $22 mil in 10 days

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:34:00 +0000

By Jonathan Landreth
Oct 9, 2009

BEIJING -- "The Message," a period Sino-Japanese spy thriller starring actress Zhou Xun, earned 150 million yuan (US$22 million) in its first 10 days in Chinese theaters, independent film production company Huayi Bros Pictures said Friday.

Released across China on 2,000 screens on Sept. 29 after a 13-city press tour, "The Message" will close the ongoing Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea on Oct. 16.

The film, co-directed by Taiwan screenwriter Chen Kuo-fu ("Double Vision") and China's Gao Qunshu and made for $10 million, will be distributed in Taiwan by Disney and the Emperor Group in Hong Kong.

Set in Japanese-occupied Nanjing during WWII, "The Message" also has sold to Skycity in New Zealand, to Pt. Teguh Bakti Mandiri in Indonesia, to Scorpio East Pictures for Singapore and Malaysia, and to an as yet named distributor in Thailand, Huayi said.

Zhou previously starred in the 2008 hit "Painted Skin" and is best known outside Asia for her roles in films such as "The Emperor and the Assassin," (1998), "Suzhou River" (2000) and "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" (2002).

"The Message" also stars Zhang Hanyu, the male lead in the 2007 PIFF opener "Assembly," also from Huayi, actress Li Bingbing ("The Forbidden Kingdom") and actor Huang Xiaoming ("The Sniper").

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

“The Message” Tops the Box Office during China’s National Holiday Week

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:31:00 +0000

The Message (Feng Sheng) topped the coveted national holiday week, with 150 million RMB (22 USD) which is really, really high to the point of raising eyebrows. Either way, the film has done what Hua Yi has out to do – be a blockbuster, and showcase some of its finest actors, which has been accomplished with both main actresses nabbing Golden Horse nods. Actor Huang Xiaoming also got to show off his improvement singing, by performing the theme song live rather impressively (though not enough for me to want another album from him). Li Bingbing and Alec Su look like they’re enjoying the performance too.

Meanwhile together with The Founding of a Republic’s high returns, this has become the higest grossing weekend in Chinese box office history, and Founding of a Republic broke the 360 million yuan mark.

Source: http://cfensi.wordpress.com

Zhou Xun is nominated for "Best actress" in the 46th Golden Horse Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:22:00 +0000

Nominations for the 46th Taiwan Golden Horse film awards were released in Taibei Xihua Hotel on Wednesday, October 7th 2009. Due to the role Gu Xiao Meng in the movie "The Message" Zhou Xun is nominated for "Best actress". "It is very good that many island actors are nominated this year. "The Message" is a wholehearted movie. I was fortunate to be accepted. Many thanks to director who gave me this role. The prcocess of filming is baptism of body and mind for me. Thanks to Taiwanese audiences who continue to support to me. Thanks to everybody" said Zhou Xun after the nomination list had been announced.

"The Message" also received 6 nominations: Best actress (Zhou Xun and Li Bing Bing), Best Screenplay Adaption (Chen Kuo-Fu & Zhang Jialu), Best Visual Effects (Hu Xuan & Xiao Yang), Best Art Direction (Shi Haiying & Yang Haoyu)and Best Makeup & Costume Design (Ye Jingtian).

The movie "The Equation of love and death" received 2 nominations: Best Original Film Score (Dou Wei & Bi Xiao Di) and Best Supporting Actor (Zhang Han Yu).

Awards ceremony will be held on November 28th in Taipei.

Source: http://www.zhouxun.tv/bbs/viewthread.php?tid=16852&page=7#pid222421
E-trans: mylove @ zhouxun.chungta.com

Zhou Xun and Li Bing Bing deliver The Message

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:47:00 +0000

11:37 September 30 2009

The Message, a thriller based on Mai Jia's novel of the same name, is set to dominate the Chinese box office during the National Day golden week. Directed by Gao Qunshu (The Tokyo Trial) and Chen Kuo-fu (The Personals), The Message has a star-studded cast including Zhou Xun (Painted Skin), Li Bingbing (The Forbidden Kingdom), Zhang Hanyu (Look for a Star) and Huang Xiaoming (The Sniper).

Touted in the media as "one of China's best commercial films," The Message tells the story of a Japanese official and the puppet government attempting to find an undercover agent among five suspects during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The film is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of New China and those who sacrificed their lives for the country.

"I will not reveal anything about the plot," laughed Li Bingbing, who plays one of the suspects, "it will totally kill half the fun of watching this thriller."
The crew signed a confidentiality agreement during shooting. "Chen, who also wrote the script, kept changing it. We did not even know how the film would end halfway through shooting," Zhou Xun told the Global Times.

Zhou said that she hopes the audience will get involved in guessing who the undercover agent is, which is the best part of watching the thriller. "You probably won't get it right. Chen's script is really smart," she added with a triumphant smile.

Zhou said that the biggest challenge for her was that the directors asked her to act naturally. "We had to forget about being actresses and completely devote ourselves to the roles."

Such devotion is best reflected in the film's climax, a 13-minute scene that Li and Zhou shot in one take. Zhou said Li's performance amazed her. "As Li had always been quiet and precise, I did not expect such a strong outburst of emotion from her. I had to put myself more into my role to match her."

"The secret is that I drank some alcohol before shooting," Li confessed. She said that she seldom drank before, but she was told to forget about herself completely.
"Zhou and I were both so devoted to our roles that I could not feel the cameras and crew around us, we were immersed in the scene, just the two of us."
"Few actors get the opportunity to perform in a one-take scene with such length. I'm really lucky and I enjoyed the process," Li added.

Li also shot her first nude scene. She chose not to use a stand-in because she wanted to deliver a strong performance.

"Still, it was my first time to be half naked on screen, I of course had my worries and concerns," Li said. "Luckily when the cameras started to roll I forgot about my concerns and simply went with how my character should feel and react. Besides, Huang is really professional. Acting with him was comfortable, even though he had to strip my clothes off."

Zhou commented that working with two directors was beneficial. "Chen and Gao shared the same understandings about this film, but they looked at and communicated with me about my acting with different approaches, which helped me create the role more completely."

Zhou said that Chen focused more on the script while Gao was more involved in the shooting process and Chen is more strict and solemn than Gao. "But they are both good at making actors feel at ease and performing to their best potential."
"They knew exactly how to shoot the film and understood every role deeply," commented Li. She said that the two directors gave her valuable feedback.

The relationship between Zhou and Li is complicated in the film. "I'm her supervisor at work, but we are also close, like sisters," Li explained, "but at the same time, we keep our secrets from each other." Zhou added that media speculation about their characters becoming intimate was untrue.

As two of China's leading actresses and signed by the same agency, Zhou and Li's relationship also appears complicated in real life. There have often been rumors in the media about the two being on bad terms. Li clarified them by saying that Zhou was like her younger sister.

"We were not so close before because we are both busy and have little time to get along," she added. Li said this film gave them more time to get to know each other. "She even cooked sweet soup with pears when she found out that I was not sleeping well."

Source: http://life.globaltimes.cn/entertainment/2009-09/473652.html

The Message: Spies world

noreply@blogger.com (Mylove) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:43:00 +0000

Stars of espionage thriller The Message Zhou Xun and Li Bingbing prove that besides their beauty, they have the acting abilities to boot
October 02, 2009

ZHOU XUN
She has received one of the highest compliments a director can shower on acast member.

In a recent interview with Chinese news portal Sohu.com, Chen Kuo-fu, the director of espionage thriller The Message, told reporters: 'When it comes to acting, Zhou Xun is in a league of her own, she's an alien from another planet, simply incomparable to the other ordinary actors out there.'

Indeed, the 32-year-old Chinese actress has proven herself to be one flexible chameleon on the silver screen.

From a cabaret singer in the musical, Perhaps Love (2005), to a lovelorn girl pining for her prince in The Banquet (2006), to a fiery mob lady in arthouse action flick Ming Ming (2006), she has turned in natural, convincing performances.

In The Message, set against the backdrop of a 1940s Japanese-controlled China, Zhou Xun plays a mailroom staff member of the Japanese-backed Anti-Communist Command.

She and her squad mates become the main targets of torture of the Japanese Imperial Army, when they are suspected of being moles for the Chinese resistance movement.

'The most difficult part about playing Gu Xiaomeng (her character) is the fact that she's terribly repressed,' said Zhou Xun, in an e-mail interview with The New Paper.

'She is very careful about revealing her true self and is always secretly making plans.

'I had to play her with subtlety and it was only towards the end that her emotions explode.'

Liking your character is the first step to portraying her well.

Zhou Xun loves the inner strength Gu Xiaomeng possesses, but admits that in real life, she is a different person altogether.

'Xiaomeng's thoughts and feelings are too complicated,' she said.

'Beneath her sunny exterior, there's an intricate maze in her heart. As for me, off screen, I'm actually simpler and definitely less rational than her.'

After filming The Message, Zhou Xun has come to admire the men and women who lived through the war.

'A few characters in the film never fail to put nation before self, they have no qualms giving up their lives for their country. It's an amazing act of selflessness.'

Prior to working on The Message, Zhou Xun was last seen as a kooky lab researcher in director Tsui Hark's comedy All About Women (2008).

Was the change from laugh-out-loud comedy to heavy, dramatic material too hard to handle?

'Both films were challenging. I had never done comedy before All About Women, so it wasn't easy at first. I had to learn how to laugh in different ways,' said the two-time Hong Kong Film Awards winner.

She bagged Best Actress for Perhaps Love in 2005, and Best Supporting Actress a year later for her role in The Banquet.

'There was a year's break in between the two movies, so coming onto the set of The Message, I had already adjusted my emotional state.'

The serious actress then brushed away the much talked-about scene in The Message, where she attempts to distract a security guard in her sexy nightwear.

'People bring that up because it grabs their attention, but I don't feel it's so important that I should keep talking about it,' she said.

'We shouldn't put our focus on that scene alone. The film is more than that.'

Source: http://tnp.sg/show/story/0,4136,215671,00.html