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MULAN
What it’s about:
First to set the record straight that there was no such dragon called Mushu in the classic tale is director Jingle Ma. His take on the legend of the heroine who disguises herself as a man to enlist in the army in her ailing father’s place stars Vicki Zhao Wei in the titular role as Hua Mulan. Joining Zhao Wei in yet another big-budget period war epic from China is Hu Jun, Chen Kun, Jaycee Chan and Russian pop singer Vitas.
We Say:
We did a double take when we first saw Vicki Zhao Wei in “Mulan”- doesn’t she look like she just walked off the set of “Red Cliff” and onto the set of Jingle Ma’s new film? Jingle Ma has said that he was dismayed when he saw the apparent similarities between Zhao Wei’s characters in both films. But he’s also said that what similarities are pure coincidence and Zhao Wei’s earlier gig in “Red Cliff” was a good thing. According to Ma, it helped her better immerse herself emotionally in the character of Hua Mulan.
Although it seems that the big-budget period war epic is fast becoming a bastion of fire for every famous Hong Kong director looking to step into the lucrative China market, when the sounding of the horn, the thunder of hooves and the clashing of swords begins, we’re still a sucker for large-scale battle scenes the likes of “The Warlords” and yes, “Red Cliff”.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
What it’s about: Think The Polar Express or Beowulf and you’ll get an idea how this Robert Zemeckis adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel will look like. Continuing his obsession with the motion-capture technique, Zemeckis has partnered Walt Disney Pictures to film this long-awaited tale of Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come.
In not one, not two, not three, but four roles is Jim Carrey- the comedian playing the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and the three Ghosts that Scrooge meets on a journey of self-redemption one fated Christmas Eve.
We Say: The technology was criticized for the lifeless, ghost-like eyes of the little boy in The Polar Express, but as Beowulf and advance footage of A Christmas Carol has shown, Zemeckis has vastly improved the realism of the motion-capture with each successive film. If what we have seen of the movie is anything to go by, Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol is likely to retain the dark overtones of its source material- which is a good thing, since this promises to be much edgier than earlier adaptations.
Cast-wise, you probably can’t find another more physically expressive comedian than Jim Carrey. If there’s anyone who can play multiple roles in motion capture, it’s probably got to be Carrey. That’s not all- Zemeckis has also assembled a star voice cast including the likes of Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn and even Michael J. Fox. We’re gleefully awaiting the tune this Christmas Carol will bring.
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
What’s it about: From the creators of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin" comes a modern twist on a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again and a fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana.
We Say: It has been more than a decade since Disney’s last hand-drawn animation. The Mouse House returned this December with the veteran team of animators John Musker and Ron Clements at the helm in this musical fantasy with the lead character being the first African-American princess for Disney. For the younger generation who grown up on CG animations, we say bring the kiddos to the theaters and show them animation can be done by just pencils and inkling other than pixels and computers.
THE TREASURE HUNTER
What’s It All About - In the northwest desert where countless prosperous dynasties have flourish and fallen, there is rumour of a buried treasure of unbelievable riches. A group of mysterious guardians have kept the map to the location of the treasure safe, until a fierce rivalry erupts. A notorious international crime group, The Company hunt down the map keepers and before they manage to secure it. The keeper passes the map to a young chivalrous man Ciao Fei.
We Say – Before mega popstar Jay Chou shows off his chops in his Hollywood debut, The Green Hornet next fall, Chou reunites with his Kung Fu Dunk’s director Kevin Chu and Taiwanese model, Lin Chiling in this Indiana Jones’ inspired action adventure, “The Treasure Hunter”. Shot on a US$12 million budget and with action choreographer Tony Ching on board, no expenses are spared in this mega production co-produced by Taiwan and Singapore. With Jay Chou’s strong fanbase in Asia, “Treasure Hunter” is definitely going to end the year with a bang!
THE STORM WARRIORS
What it’s about:
Eleven years after “The Storm Riders”, Wind and Cloud return in a sequel that sees them up going against an evil Japanese warlord, Lord Godless (Simon Yam), who intends to conquer China. Based on the popular comic by Ma Wing-Shing, both Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok will be reprising their roles as Wind and Cloud respectively. Instead of “Infernal Affairs” director Andrew Lau, “The Eye” directors Danny and Oxide Pang are behind the camera of what is the first Chinese film to be shot in blue-screen.
We Say:
It’s a long time to wait eleven years for a sequel- especially since talk of this second installment began almost immediately after the regional success of “The Storm Riders”. There’s no denying that Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok clearly look older than they were in “The Storm Riders” but hey, it’s better late than never.
Based on the 15-minute preview reel we have seen (yes, the marketing folks behind it were clearly inspired by what Fox did for “Avatar”), the CG-proficient Pang brothers are clearly at the top of their game here. Like how “The Storm Riders” was praised for its level of technical wizardry back in 1998, this could be the next groundbreaking CG effort for the flagging Hong Kong film industry- think of it as Hong Kong’s answer to Hollywood’s “300”.
And by the way, if you’re wondering why this isn’t titled “The Storm Riders 2”, it’s because the producers wanted to be careful to avoid any copyright disputes (since it was the producers of the first film who came up with the title rather than the literal comic book name “Wind and Cloud”).
BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS
What it’s about:
Producer Peter Chan (of “The Warlords” and “Perhaps Love”) teams up with director Teddy Chan (“The Accidental Spy” and “Purple Storm”) in this US$23 million historical epic set in Hong Kong in the 1900s. The story is the fictional account of a group of bodyguards who set out to protect Chinese revolutionary leader and Kuomintang founder Sun Yat-Sen from an assassination attempt on his life. “Bodyguards and Assassins” is also the debut feature of new production house Cinema Popular, a joint venture between producer-director Peter Chan, producer Huang Jin-xin’s We Pictures and China’s Polybona International.
We Say:
If you believe director Teddy Chan, this movie has been ten years in the making (yes, this is yet another movie that has had a long gestation period). But that’s because he never did find the money to finance this lavish historical epic. We already know where most of the money has gone to- building a full scale set of turn of the century Hong Kong that has never been done before in the history of Hong Kong cinema.
We’re also betting that another chunk of this production budget has gone to the paychecks of its star-studded cast that you probably won’t find in another movie in the near future, including (are you ready) Donnie Yen, Wang Xue Qi, Eric Tsang, Tony Leung Kar Fai, Fan Bing Bing, Wang Po-Chieh, Simon Yam, Hu Jun, Zhou Yun, Nicholas Tse and Leon Lai. Whew! That’s just about as impressive as the lineup of cameos in China’s “The Founding of a Republic”.
It appears though that all the work into building the set and coordinating busy schedules of the ensemble cast has paid off- from its trailer, “Bodyguards and Assassins” looks set to be one grand action-packed epic that will leave you breathless with excitement.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
What it’s about: Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story comes to the big screen courtesy of “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation” director Spike Jonze. “Where the Wild Things Are” is the story of a rebellious little boy called Max who escapes from the reality of his world by creating his own of a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures with Max as their ruler. By the way, if you don’t already know, the book is also famous for its illustrations and its brevity- it contains a total of ten lines.
We Say: It’s no secret that “Where the Wild Things Are” had a troubled four-year production in which studio Warner Bros had thought that Jonze’s adaptation was going to be too dark and alienating for young audiences. But Jonze stuck to his guns and the result has been praised as a uniquely compelling vision that is a film for adults about childhood- less so a children’s film.
What has also gotten us all excited is the fantastic cast and voice cast behind the movie- the ensemble of Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Forest Whitaker and Chris Cooper. It’s suffice to say that we’re all ready to be thrilled and delighted as we journey to where the wild things are.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS 2
What’s it about: David Seville and chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, return in the sequel to lay waste to Seville's surroundings and sing in three-part harmony. The sequel movie introduce the Chipmunks' female counterparts, the Chipettes.
We Say: The furry, high-pitched creatures are back in this cheekily titled the squeakuel to the 2007 hit (It was made on a modest budget of US$55 million and it happened to be the highest-grossing movie for Fox that year). Just when you thought the boys finally had the chance to settle down quietly with David Seville, they met a new competitor in the form of The Chipettes. And yes, find themselves falling head over heels in love as well.
Featuring additional new cast members such as Anna Faris, Christina Applegate and Amy Poehler, the Chipmunks are bound to charm the little ones this festive season. Those people who can’t stomach a moment of ‘kawaii-ness’ are strongly encouraged to stay away.
If you missed the first half of our fantastic fall movie guide...
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