A Happy Memorial Day to all the American readers out there.  I know many people have issues with the military and its political masters but many of us rise and sleep under the blanket of freedom that the veterans and troops have provided.  Sometimes, you just got to put all the grievances aside and say “thank you” then go on your way because, as Colonel Jessop said on the stand, most of us probably can’t handle the truth.

BECAUSE I’M NOT ON TWITTER:

- The promo cast pics for BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS look cool — especially the ones for Nic Tse and my other cousin Tony.  The only one that looks kind of cheesy, sadly, is Leon Lai as a beggar.  It looks like “Leon Lai is going to a Halloween party as a Rastafarian” more than anything.

- Toss Up: Who looked hotter at the Cannes closing ceremony: Shu Qi or Zhang Ziyi?  Shu Qi.  Hard to resist a girl who shows a little tongue.  It’s also hard to like a girl whose lips eschew the simple pleasure of instant noodles.  (See below for relevant links)

- Why I need surgery to remove the foot from my mouth:

“Sanney, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Sabrina.”

“Ah, Sabrina, like the teenage witch …”

Think it might have gone better if I had said: “Ah, Sabrina, like the chaffeur’s daughter … “

Probably not.

* * * * *

From the comments on News Links: Mother’s Day 2009:

glenn writes: Wow, you have a thing for Karena Lam! Or you are more infatuated with her than previously.

No, no, I don’t have a thing for Karena Lam. It’s just that she’s now the boss’s wife so proper respect must be paid.

laicheukpan writes: Since when did Karena Lam become Mrs. Kozo? 

Kozo recently told everyone that he went to “Italy” for a “film festival” but, c’mon, look at the picture of Kozo with Nick Cheung.  Was that really taken in Italy?  Or was it taken in the lobby of the Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel where Nick Cheung was the best man at Kozo’s wedding to his secret girlfriend of twenty years?  Look outside the window behind Kozo’s shoulder, isn’t that one of the Petronas Towers in the background?

Enough nonsense, let’s get to the links …

JOHNNIE TO AND VENGEANCE AT CANNES:

Hollywood Reporter Q&A: Johnnie To

Two Johnnies bid for Cannes glory

Johnnie To leads Asian charge at Cannes

Reviews:

• The Hollywood Reporter
  
• David Phelps for The Auteurs
• Cannes’09 Diary-Day 5: Johnnie To’s Vengeance
  
• Roger Ebert blogs about VENGEANCE (scroll down, appears near the middle of the entry)
  
• Mike D’Angelo for The A.V. Club (scoll down, appears near the bottom)
• Positive blurb from Manohla Dargis of The New York Times (scroll down to paragraph 6)

Johnnie To poses with cast members at the VENGEANCE premiere

• Sina.com photo gallery featuring Michelle Yeoh, Anthony Wong, my cousin Tony, Simon Yam, Michelle Ye and others
• ‘Vengeance’ Photocall At Cannes Film Festival
• Vengeance Premiere - 2009 Cannes Film Festival
  
• Johnnie To Receives Award - 2009 Cannes Film Festival
  

VENGEANCE star Michelle Ye Enjoys Cannes

MORE CANNES:

Asian directors show realism of gangland violence

Asian cinema gains traction as Hollywood takes a tumble

Ang Lee Partnership Gives Him Broad Film Focus

Ang Lee is `Taking Woodstock’

Taking Woodstock scenes really marijuana inspired

Ang Lee’s 10-minute standing ovation

Asia’s dark pics make a splash at Cannes

Cannes’ red carpet is blood-soaked

Cannes wrap-up:

• Lush images, audience walk-outs as Cannes winds up
• Unhappy ending in Cannes, best film hard to call
• Veteran auteurs dominate Cannes
• ‘White Ribbon’ wins Palme d’Or

Sina.com slideshows of Cannes closing ceremony:

• Shu Qi
• Zhang Ziyi

More Shu Qi and Zhang Ziyi:

• Cannes Closing Night
• Bringing Sexy Back 
• Photos and video of Shu Qi

Oops! Be Careful with Your Lipstick, Ziyi!

Chinese media continue to show their love for Zhang Ziyi

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS premiere: Michelle Yeoh, Shu Qi, Zhang Ziyi

IN PRODUCTION:

Decipher Confucius’ Alleged Romance

More Production photos:  Sina.com, Oriental Daily News via Xinhua

John Woo: Fox in Chinese production with ‘Ransom’

‘Sophie’s Revenge’ nabs buyers (Zhang Ziyi’s new romantic comedy)

Photo of Fan Bingbing from SOPHIE’S REVENGE

BODYGUARDS AND ASSASINS:

• Basketball-Playing ‘Bodyguard’
• More promo pics and trailer
• Trailer from CRI English

DETECTIVE DEE promo logo released

Jiang Wen Will “Let the Bullets Fly”

Fortissimo picks up international rights to Yonfan’s Prince of Tears

RELATED: Art house pic ‘Prince of Tears’ finds home

Retired Actress Brigitte Lin Returns to Martial-Arts Film

There’s no new news in the article.  Same old speculation based on Yip Chun’s rambling.  Nothing official yet.

FEATURES:

Simon Yam: Breaking The Boundaries

Malaysia Star feature on Tony Leung Ka-Fai and I CORRUPT ALL COPS

Variety’s Hong Kong Cinema at 100 feature

• China central to Hong Kong’s film future 
• Spotlight: Hong Kong talent (Isabella Leong?  Immense screen potential?  Really?)
  
• Hong Kong cinema timeline 

Vanishing history `robs city of movie magic’

Carina Lau: Nude photos my lowest point

More Carina Lau: Actress Carina Lau ready for motherhood

Surviving a blacklist brought Tsai Chin new found freedom

MOVIE REVIEWS:

HK Magazine reviews NIGHT AND FOG

Taipei Times reviews TRUE WOMAN FOR SALE

GENERAL NEWS:

‘Red Cliff’ to Hit North America

Did Aaron Kwok accidentally expose himself during a concert?

Maggie Cheung Okay with ‘Basterds’ Cut

Director Chu: Lin Chi Ling is more than empty vessel

Charlene Choi: $100,000 for screen kiss

Wedding bells for Miriam Yeung?

Air stewardess complains about Zhang Ziyi’s arrogance

Apparently, Zhang Ziyi does not eat instant noodles.

Faye Wong’s shampoo advertisement exposed

Ad photos courtesy Sina.com

Taipei Times Pop Stop: Jay Chou, Lee-Hom Wang, Stefanie Sun, Faye Wong

Fann Wong marries Christopher Lee

• Straits Times
  
• CRI English

Zhang Yimou’s Turandot Fervor a Riddle for Critics

Zhang Yimou honoured

JACKIE CHAN:

Jackie Chan plays the underdog

RELATED: SHINJUKU INCIDENT review

Jackie Chan takes on media “toughies”

Big Brother Jackie in South Korea:

• Jackie Chan Returns to Korea 
• Jackie Chan to Volunteer in Tongyeong for 3 Days 
• Jackie Chan to bring ‘gift of hope’

OPINION: Jackie Chan, Gao Zhisheng, and the True Meaning of Bravery

PHOTO GALLERIES:

Nic Tse performs in Shanghai

Maggie Cheung, Simon Yam and Qi Qi, Kathy Chow Man-Kei, others

On May 21st, Louis Vuitton opened their “A Passion for Creation” exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art

Fan Bingbing graces Elle Magazine

Lynn Xiong (aka Aaron Kwok’s secret girlfriend, actress who played Ip Man’s wife)

“Guest Editor in Chief” Zhou Xun

RELATED: Photos courtesy Sina.com

Takeshi Kaneshiro wants you to buy Sapporo Beer

Ruby Lin in New Ad

Vivian Chow promotes Elyze Body Rejuvenation Centres

Big S and Little S pose for P Style Image Studio

Karen Mok sells shampoo in Shanghai

• Xinhua
• Sina.com

Louis Koo promotes Pepsi

Fan Bingbing, Tian Shin, others promote Forevermark diamonds

AMERICAN MASTERS HOLLYWOOD CHINESE:

A Chinese Legacy in Tinseltown

Asians still waiting for equality in film roles

Image credits: Kozo Entertainment Group (Kozo/Nick Cheung), Agence France-Presse (Shu Qi)

This entry was posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 4:20 pm and is filed under News Links, Reader Interaction, The Life and Opinion of the Webmaster Sanney. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.