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“East Palace, West Palace” is a landmark for Chinese cinema for a number of reasons, not all entirely positive. To begin with, it was the first mainland Chinese film to explicitly explore a homosexual theme. The film was shot in the spring of 1996 and was smuggled out of China for post-production in France. As a result, its selection at Cannes created significant controversy: Zhang himself had his passport confiscated when returning to China from Hong Kong on April 10, and to punish the festival, Beijing authorities also forced the withdrawal of fellow Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s new movie, “Stay Cool”, from competition at a late stage. It is also worth noting that the title derives from the two parks near the Forbidden City, the East Palace and the West Palace, whose public washrooms were well-known as nighttime gathering places for homosexuals.

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Despite its global box office dominance, “Top Gun: Maverick” never had a wide release in China due to its unreserved celebration of American military might. Ironically, that propagandistic streak is what would have probably made the Tom Cruise blockbuster a hit with Chinese audiences; it has many of the same elements that have defined the country's recent string of slick actioners designed first and foremost to stir up nationalism. So, it was no surprise when China's own answer to the jet pilot phenomenon, “Born to Fly”, wrapped production last May, the same month that “Top Gun” hit cineplexes. More unexpected was the announcement later in the year that the release had been postponed, with speculation being that the studio was worried about negative comparisons to its American equivalent. Now, more than half a year later, the finished product has finally been unveiled. Early box office numbers have been great, but...

Patriotic action film “Homecoming” dominated cinemagoing in China over the weekend with a nearly 60 million haul. But the National Day holiday season is in a deep slump compared with recent years.

Directed by Rao Xiaozhi, the film is yet another tale of a heroic rescue of Chinese citizens in danger in foreign lands. In this instance, two Chinese diplomats must return to war-torn 2011 Libya to save 125 people who have been left behind.

The film opened on Friday and garnered an impressive 59.3 million (RMB421) according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. It accounted for a thumping 67 market share. Imax reported that the film had been shot with Imax-certified cameras and that 3 million of the total came from its screens in China.

While the Friday-Sunday nationwide aggregate of 88 million was an impressive leap from the theatrical doldrums of the previous two weekends, the numbers were in reality a continuation of the box...

Our Ben Stykuc reviews the epic “Bodyguards and Assassins”, a 2009 Hong Kong historical action film, directed by Teddy Chan, with a stellar cast including Donnie Yen, Wang Xueqi, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Nicholas Tse, Hu Jun, Eric Tsang, Simon Yam, Fan Bingbing, Zhou Yun and Leon Lai.

In 1905, revolutionist Sun Yat-Sen visits Hong Kong to discuss plans with Tongmenghui members to overthrow the Qing dynasty. But when they find out that assassins have been sent to kill him, they assemble a group of protectors to prevent any attacks. (IMDb)...

Shadow U.S. Trailer Yimou Zhang‘s Shadow / Ying (2018) U.S. movie trailer stars Chao Deng, Li Sun, Ryan Zheng, Jun Hu, and Qianyuan Wang. Shadow‘s plot synopsis: “With Shadow, director Zhang Yimou once again pushes the boundaries of wuxia action to create a film like no other, masterfully painting a canvas [...]

Continue reading: Shadow (2018) U.S. Movie Trailer: Hero & House Of Flying Daggers’ Director Yimou Zhang Creates Another Wuxia Epic...

Starting in just a few weeks, Hollywood will attempt to continually up the ante each summer weekend to deliver popcorn-munching thrills. While a certain third chapter of a franchise will hopefully deliver the goods, one need not look much further the rest of the season for excitement than the first weekend of May, when Zhang Yimou’s wuxia epic Shadow will arrive in theaters.

A mystic thriller that takes place during medieval China and tells the story of a king and his people’s struggle for their rightful land–all told through the perspectives of the king, his sister, his commander, the entrapped women of the palace, and a commoner–this ensemble features Ryan Zheng, Xiaotong Guan, Chao Deng, Li Sun, Qianyuan Wang, Jun Hu, Lei Wu, and Jingchun Wang. Ahead of the U.S. release, Well Go USA has now released the U.S. trailer.

Leonardo Goi said in his review,...

"A duel between our chief commanders... means war." Well Go USA has debuted a brand new, official Us trailer for Zhang Yimou's latest film, a historical fantasy drama titled Shadow - originally Ying in Chinese. This premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals last fall, and also stopped by Fantastic Fest, Busan, and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. The film is a re-imagining of the classic Three Kingdoms story from Chinese history, and is another martial arts epic. The story is about a king and the people's struggle for their rightful land, as told through the perspectives of the king, his sister, his commander, the entrapped women of the palace, and a commoner. It's filmed in a unique "Chinese watercolor" style with a muted style resembling a B&W look (though it does have some color). The cast includes Ryan Zheng, Chao Deng, Qianyuan Wang, Jun Hu, Xiaotong Guan,...

Get your first look! An international teaser trailer has debuted for Shadow, the latest film from acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou. The film is a re-imagining of the classic Three Kingdoms story from Chinese history, and is yet another martial arts epic. The story is about a king and the people's struggle for their rightful land, as told through the perspectives of the king, his sister, his commander, the entrapped women of the palace, and a commoner. It's filmed in a unique "Chinese watercolor" style and is both Zhang Yimou's return to his roots as a filmmaker and a bold new beginning. The cast includes Ryan Zheng, Chao Deng, Qianyuan Wang, Jun Hu, Xiaotong Guan, Lei Wu, Li Sun, Jingchun Wang. This is only a teaser, but I'm already interested. The footage in here looks cool - can't wait to ...

I've got a fantastic first trailer here for you to watch for a new supernatural martial arts thriller called Shadow. The film comes from director Zhang Yimou who has previously brought us films such as Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower, Matt Damon's The Great Wall and the Christian Bale's The Flowers of War. He's going back to his roots with this new film and it looks like it could be stunning!

I absolutely love what I'm seeing in this first trailer. It looks like it was beautifully shot and there's sure to be some incredibly cool fight choreography. On top of that, the story looks intriguing!

The film is set during China's Three Kingdom's era (Ad 220–280) and it tells the story of a king and his people’s struggle for their rightful land. That story is told through the perspectives of the king,...

While Zhang Yimou has recently collaborated with Hollywood stars in the Matt Damon-led The Great Wall and the Christian Bale-led The Flowers of War, he’s returning to his roots with his next feature, the period martial arts epic Shadow. Ahead of a release in China later this year, the first trailer has now arrived.

As suggested within the nature of the title, Shadow is a mystic thriller that takes place during medieval China and tells the story of a king and his people’s struggle for their rightful land – all told through the perspectives of the king, his sister, his commander, the entrapped women of the palace, and a commoner. This ensemble will feature Ryan Zheng, Xiaotong Guan, Chao Deng, Li Sun, Qianyuan Wang, Jun Hu, Lei Wu, and Jingchun Wang.

Check out the first trailer and posters for Shadow below via Cinemaldito.

It may not have made much of a splash here, but Zhang Yimou‘s The Great Wall has made nearly $330 million worldwide, and now he’s already started shooting his next project. Variety reports the director has begun production on Shadow, a historical epic that takes place in the Three Kingdoms era around mid-200s Ad. Unfortunately, no details are revealed beyond that, but the cast includes Deng Chao, Zheng Kai, Wang Qianyuan, Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong, Wu Lei and Wang Jingchun. With production underway, hopefully we’ll see it by next year.

In other news, Chris Evans has found the rare non-Captain America role. Deadline reports he’ll be leading Red Sea Diving Resort, a new drama from longtime Homeland writer-producer Gideon Raff. The film will follow Evans’ character, Ari Kidron, and his ragtag team’s involvement in rescuing Jewish people from Ethiopia and transporting them to Israel...

Details announced for new film from the director of Hero and The Great Wall.

Zhang Yimou has started shooting his new feature, Shadow, starring Deng Chao, Zheng Kai and Wang Qianyuan, in China today (March 18).

Village Roadshow Pictures Asia (Vrpa) and Le Vision Pictures are co-producing the film, which also stars Hu Jun, Guan Xiaotong, Wu Lei and Wang Jingchun.

Vrpa said in a statement that further cast announcements will be made soon.

Zhang’s last feature was $135m monster movie The Great Wall, in which Le Vision was a minority investor alongside Legendary East and China Film Group.

More to follow.

Sammo Hung's 'My Beloved Bodyguard' - A Huge Disappointment !Action45%Story43%2016-05-2744%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (2 Votes)69%

Right, let me first prefix this by saying that I am and always will be a big fan of Sammo Hung.

But I’m also a fan of quality movies and If I come across a movie that really leaves a bad taste in the mouth then there is no way I can sugar-coat how bad it is ! ( I did the same with Jackie Chan’s incredibly poor ‘Chinese Zodiac’ ) , and let me tell you this My Beloved Bodyguard is bad. !

My Beloved Bodyguard aka ‘The Bodyguard’ is the latest film from one of the most pivotal figures in Martial Arts / Action Cinema.

The film features an all star cast including Andy Lau ( Infernal Affairs, House of Flying Daggers , Shaolin ) , Eddie Peng (Rise of the Legend ), Tsui Hark , Jun Hu ( Let The...

The Bodyguard – Sammo Hung, Andy Lau, Pei-yan Chen, Jiayi Feng, Qinqin Li, Shaofeng Feng, Yuchen Zhu, Eddie Peng, Jun Hu, Tsui Hark, Carl Maka, Tean Shek, Jia Song, Yuen Biao, Qiu Yuen, Wah Yuen, Yuen Bo

Synopsis –The Bodyguard follows a retired bodyguard (Hung) who has settled in the dark and unknown corner of the world where China, Russia and North Korea meet. Suffering from the beginnings of dementia, the bodyguard is befriended by a young girl whose life is threatened when her father (Lau) falls in with the local crime world. When the girl and her father disappear, the bodyguard must call upon his long forgotten skills to save the life of his young friend.

English subbed trailer also available via Filmsmash

Source : Filmsmash...

Last Updated: Dec 17, 2015 @ 3:10 Pm

2016 is shaping up to be a classic year for fans of martial arts / action movies. All of the big names are back , Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Sammo Hung and lets not forget Jean Claude Van Damme.

So you don’t miss out , we’ve compiled a list of stand out movies which we think you should not miss.

So without further delay here are Amp’s Best Martial Arts Movies to look forward to in 2016

Note: Bookmark this article as we will keep this updated with more news, pictures, posters, trailers as we get them.

ContentsThe Best Martial Arts Movies To Look Forward To In 2016Ip Man 3 (Donnie Yen) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon : Sword of Destiny (Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh)Kickboxer: Vengeance(Jean-Claude Van Damme)The Deadly Reclaim (Wu Jing)The Monkey King 2 (Aaron Kwok)Rail Road Tigers (Jackie Chan)Kung Fu Yoga...

A team of dedicated Hong Kong fire-fighters battle an out-of-control blaze that threatens to plunge the city into catastrophic darkness! Yes, As Light Goes Out is blazing (ehem) onto Us Blu-ray and DVD. Written and directed by Derek Kwok (Journey to the West), the action-packed suspense disaster flick stars Nicholas Tse (Shaolin, The Stool Pigeon), Shawn Yue (The Guillotines, Infernal Affairs trilogy), Simon Yam (Ip Man, Election), Hu Jun (Firestorm, Let the Bullets Fly), William Chan (Triad), Bai Bing (The Viral Factor, Shaolin), Andy On (Special ID, White Vengeance) and a cameo by the legendary Jackie Chan (Rush Hour franchise). As The Light Goes Out goes; digital, DVD and Blu...Nov. 18, from Well Go USA Entertainment. Synopsis: It's Christmas Eve in Hong Kong, and while the residents prepare to celebrate, a dedicated band of brothers - the fire-fighters of Pillar Point Division (Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Andy On) – are dispatched to a warehouse fire.

Hong Kong action icon Andy Lau stars in director Alan Yuen's action-packed crime thriller Firestorm, igniting on Blu-ray&#8482, DVD and Digital on September 23 from Well Go USA Entertainment. A hardboiled police inspector (Lau) must confront, and cross, moral lines in order to hunt down a crew of seasoned criminals. We have an exclusive clip, which teases some of the intense action sequences in this can't-miss thriller for lovers of Hong Kong Cinema.

A storm is heading toward the city of Hong Kong, threatening the lives of everyone in its path. As citizens scramble for cover, a crew of seasoned criminals stage a series of armored car heists in broad daylight, showing no mercy to anyone who gets in their way. Hardboiled police inspector Cao Nam (Andy Lau) has had enough. He vows to take back his city, but quickly learns that regular police tactics are no match for the thieves' unmerciful brutality.

Firestorm A.K.A Fung Bou (2013) Review Script60% Directing82% Acting77% Photography82% Score70% Action75%PositivesUnrelentingImaginativeNegativesToo much post-proA little overwrought74%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (2 Votes)61%

‘Firestorm‘ is a story about law and justice. Or, maybe, about justice or law. While justice is almost nothing more than a moral sense, law must be somehow “material”, predictable, replicable… so it need rules. Whatever has rules is a game, and there isn’t any more efficient way to win a game than to break the rules, if you can get away with it. If the game is “cops and robbers”, the latter have an obvious advantage, because they aren’t even supposed to follow any rules. That’s until, maybe, some fed up cop decides to play the law game no more and finally get some justice. No, ‘Firestorm’ isn’t a Bronson’s movie remake (though it’s high time for some to come, don’t you think?...

Hong Kong action icon Andy Lau stars in Director Alan Yuen’s (Princess D) action-packed crime thriller Firestorm, and it lands on U.S Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Sept. 23. Rounding out the cast are Michael Wong (Triple Tap), Ray Lui (Transformers: Age of Extinction), Ka Tung Lam (Drug War, IP Man), Jun Hu (Bodyguards & Assassins), Chen Yao (Caught in the Web), Vincent Sze (Vengeance), Chi-yin Wong (Life Without Principle) and Shing-Ban Lam (Young and Dangerous: Reloaded). Cop dramas are bread ‘n’ butter to the Hk film industry, and something they always do well. Add to that Mr Lau presence, and we reckon you’ve got a sure “fire” (ahem) on your hands here! Synopsis: A storm is heading toward the city of Hong Kong, threatening the lives of everyone in its path. As citizens scramble for cover, a crew of seasoned criminals stage a series of armoured car heists in broad daylight,...

The Pang Brothers failed to set the world on fire recently with Out of Inferno, so forgive me for not getting too excited about the upcoming Hong Kong DVD and Blu-Ray release of As the Light Goes Out, a big-budget disaster thriller from Gallants director Derek Kwok. Okay, so that's maybe brightened my evening a little bit. Sharing the screen for the first time since Dragon Tiger Gate, Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue co-star as two fire-fighters whose friendship is tested in the face of great calamity. Two more reasons to get excited then. Co-starring Simon Yam, Hu Jun and Andy On, As the Light Goes Out topped the Hong Kong box office for four consecutive weeks and earned eight nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards. It's available to buy from May 22, 2014. Synopsis: Christmas Eve, Hong Kong. Temperature is at an all-time high, and so is the tension between...

The Pang Brothers failed to set the world on fire recently with Out of Inferno, so forgive me for not getting too excited about the upcoming Hong Kong DVD and Blu-Ray release of As the Light Goes Out, a big-budget disaster thriller from Gallants director Derek Kwok. Okay, so that's maybe brightened my evening a little bit. Sharing the screen for the first time since Dragon Tiger Gate, Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue co-star as two fire-fighters whose friendship is tested in the face of great calamity. Two more reasons to get excited then. Co-starring Simon Yam, Hu Jun and Andy On, As the Light Goes Out topped the Hong Kong box office for four consecutive weeks and earned eight nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards. It's available to buy from May 22, 2014. Synopsis: Christmas Eve, Hong Kong. Temperature is at an all-time high, and so is the tension between...

A storm is heading your way, but fear not, we're not entering large-scale disaster movie territory here. Not in the way Switch was at least. Andy Lau's latest action thriller does involve a huge storm heading to the city, but that's only part of the problem, the main destructive force is caused by a crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun). Armed with high-powered weapons, and we're talking a lot of high-powered weaponry, Nam pulls off another violent armoured car heist on a busy street in broad daylight. There is no mercy. In fact, limbs are blown off left, right and centre; Firestorm pulls no punches when it comes to onscreen violence. Andy plays a senior police inspector, the kind of guy who does everything by the book. Or at least, that's how thing used to play out before he came up against Nam. Extreme crime demands extreme justice,...

A storm is heading your way, but fear not, we're not entering large-scale disaster movie territory here. Not in the way Switch was at least. Andy Lau's latest action thriller does involve a huge storm heading to the city, but that's only part of the problem, the main destructive force is caused by a crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun). Armed with high-powered weapons, and we're talking a lot of high-powered weaponry, Nam pulls off another violent armoured car heist on a busy street in broad daylight. There is no mercy. In fact, limbs are blown off left, right and centre; Firestorm pulls no punches when it comes to onscreen violence. Andy plays a senior police inspector, the kind of guy who does everything by the book. Or at least, that's how thing used to play out before he came up against Nam. Extreme crime demands extreme justice,...

A storm is heading your way, but fear not, we're not entering large-scale disaster movie territory here. Not in the way Switch was at least. Andy Lau's latest action thriller does involve a huge storm heading to the city, but that's only part of the problem, the main destructive force is caused by a crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun). Armed with high-powered weapons, and we're talking a lot of high-powered weaponry, Nam pulls off another violent armoured car heist on a busy street in broad daylight. There is no mercy. In fact, limbs are blown off left, right and centre; Firestorm pulls no punches when it comes to onscreen violence. Andy plays a senior police inspector, the kind of guy who does everything by the book. Or at least, that's how thing used to play out before he came up against Nam. Extreme crime demands extreme justice,...

Cast:

Nicholas Tse

Simon Yam

Hu Jun

Bai Bing

Shawn Yue

Plot:

The firemen of Hong Kong’s Pillar Point division are expecting a quiet night on Christmas Eve to see off their retiring chief when a fire breaks out. The fire is small but it is in an alcohol warehouse next to a nearby power plant and threatens to plunge Hong Kong into darkness. To save Hong Kong from a total black out, retiring workaholic team chief Sam must manage his team of Chao, Pei, Hui and Ocean as well as deal with politics, rivalry and very questionable decisions from his superiors.

source:topchinesemovies...

Plot takes a backseat to pyrotechnics and spectacle as Andy Lau squares off against a gang of ultra-violent thieves in Alan Yuen's absurdly over-the-top crime thriller.Following a string of domestic hits with homegrown thrillers like Nightfall and Cold War, Edko Films' latest offering is an outlandishly bombastic action flick that eschews almost everything in favour of staging never-before-scenes of carnage on the streets of Hong Kong. However, the over-reliance on computer-generated effects and the almost total absence of plot or characterisation, make Firestorm an incredibly loud, yet hollow experience.Andy Lau plays by-the-book Senior Police Inspector Lui, who becomes increasingly obsessed with taking down Cao (Hu Jun) and his gang of thieves after yet another audacious and bloody armoured car heist. When Lui's efforts to place...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

A hard core Hong Kong acton thriller, starring Andy Lau. Yes please!? And how about some new (ish) character posters, into the bargain. Why not! Firestorm opens in Hk Dec19. All in all the answer to the questions a big hell yes. Synopsis: A storm is heading to the city, and with it comes another occurrence so destructive, it vows to bring down everything it touches. A crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun), armed with high-powered weapons, pulls off another smooth and violent armoured car heist in broad daylight in a crowded street. Whoever tries to get in their way, they will show no mercy. This puts the police force to shame and humiliation. A hardboiled senior police inspector Lui (Andy Lau), hot on the trails of Nam and his tight crew, determines to put an end to this madness that causes the lives of innocent people.

A third trailer has been released for the new Hong Kong-based action thriller Firestorm

Firestorm will be the latest film written and directed by Alan Yuen and stars Andy Lau, Hu Jun, Yao Chen, Ray Lui, and Gordon Lam.

Andy Lau stars as tough police inspector Lui Ming Chit, who is hot on the heels of a group of notorious criminals lead by Cho Nam (Hu Jun) after they pull of a violent heist in daylight on a crowded street.

Inspector Chit soon discovers that normal police tactics aren’t going to work to stop this particular gang of criminals, and so takes a risk and crosses his own moral line in order to catch Cho Nam and his crew. However he soon discovers that his decision comes at a price.

Firestorm will be released in Hong Kong in December, and the trailer can be viewed here:

Source : fareastfilms.

Hong Kong star Andy Lau leads the charge in upcoming Hong Kong crime thriller Firestorm, playing (once again) a hard driven cop in pursuit of even harder criminals who realizes that to have a chance he needs a man on the inside.A storm is heading to the city, and with it comes another occurrence so destructive, it vows to bring down everything it touches.A crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun), armed with high-powered weapons, pulls off another smooth and violent armored car heist in broad daylight in a crowded street. Whoever tries to get in their way, they will show no mercy. This puts the police force to shame and humiliation.A hardboiled senior police inspector Lui (Andy Lau), hot on...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

The latest in a string of big budget all-star thrillers from Hong Kong's Edko Pictures, Firestorm stars Andy Lau as a senior police inspector determined to bring down a violent gang of robbers responsible for a string of violent heists across the city. Hu Jun plays the leader of the gang, and Gordon Lam and Cheung Siu Fai also star.Written and directed by Alan Yuen, best known for his script work in Benny Chan's New Police Story, Connected and Shaolin, Firestorm looks pretty spectacular from this first action-packed trailer, that promises "all-out war" on the streets of Hong Kong when it hits cinemas this December. Check it out, together with a couple of new posters below! ...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Variance Films has released the first trailer and the second poster for the Chinese action drama Let the Bullets Fly, which hits theaters March 2. Click on the video player below for your first look at director Wen Jiang's new movie starring Chow Yun-Fat, You Ge, and Carina Lau. You can also take a look at the second poster below the trailer.

Click to watch Let the Bullets Fly Trailer!

In the lawless land that is rural China in the 1920s, legendary bandit "Pocky" Zhang (Wen Jiang) and his gang stage a train robbery. They are quite unhappy to discover that instead of silver, the only thing left on the train is the con man, Tang (You Ge). Desperate, Tang explains that he's on his way to Goose Town, where he's bought himself a governorship. If allowed to live, he will help Zhang assume the governorship in his place... where...

Donnie Yen and Mma fighter Cung Le star in Bodyguards and Assassins, a gripping martial arts blockbuster set in the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong in 1905. The revolutionary movement has spread throughout China, but the corrupt Qing dynasty will do anything to hold on to its power. As Sun Yat-Sen prepares for a historic meeting that will shape the future of the country, a motley crew of men and women are entrusted to protect him from a group of deadly assassins who will stop at nothing to kill him. We have an exclusive clip from the Bodyguards & Assassins DVD, which is in stores now. Check it out below.

Click to watch Exclusive: Simon Yam!

Sun Yat-sen is on the verge of merging the provinces to rise up against the Qing Dynasty. A secret planning meeting in the city of Victoria is set to take place, but it will all be...

Indomina Releasing will be dropping their DVD issue of Teddy Chen's Bodyguards And Assassins on to Us shelves on July 26th. As a bit of a tease for the upcoming release they have just launched a behind the scenes interview piece with lead villain Hu Jun, commander of the titular assassins."5 hours, 13 blocks.To save a nation's future, they must protect one man from its past."1905, City of Victoria (British Colony of Hong Kong)In the distance of thirteen blocks, the one man who holds a nation's fate must survive relentless attempts on his life with only eight bodyguards to protect him. Against hundreds of assassins, these men must put their courage to the test in order to protect the hopes of millions in this...

Indomina Releasing proudly announces that its debut home entertainment release, Bodyguards and Assassins, (Best Film Award, Hong Kong Film Festival), will be available on DVD July 26th. Bodyguards and Assassins tells the story of a motley group of ordinary men turned revolutionaries in an epic, action-packed, historical drama. Teddy Chan (Black Mask) directs and global superstar Donnie Yen (Blade 2, Ip Man) stars in Bodyguards and Assassins, available on DVD through Vivendi Entertainment.

We have four exclusive photos from this hard-hitting action epic, featuring Donnie Yen, which you can check out below.

Sun Yat-sen is on the verge of merging the provinces to rise up against the Qing Dynasty. A secret planning meeting in the city of Victoria is set to take place, but it will all be for naught if they can't get him in and out of the city in one piece. Word of his presence in the British Colony of Hong Kong,...

And finally it started! The 67th Venice Film Festival, one of the most prestigious, and, by the way, the oldest film festival in the world, kicked off tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the Palazzo del Cinema featuring impressive Opening ceremony, hosted by the Italian actress Isabella Ragonese.

Black Swan made its world premiere as the opening film, bringing the American director Darren Aronofsky back to the Lido, where he won the top Golden Lion prize with The Wrestler (2008).

Of course, we already have some interesting reviews to share with you, for example this one (that comes from Variety):

“A wicked, sexy and ultimately devastating study of a young dancer’s all-consuming ambition, “Black Swan” serves as a fascinating complement to Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” trading the grungy world of a broken-down fighter for the more upscale but no less brutal sphere of professional ballet.”

Let us remind...

Along with the list of films playing in-competition, the Venice Film Festival has announced which films are playing out-of-competition this year. The movies include Ben Affleck’s The Town, Casey Affleck’s Joaquin Phoenix documentary I’m Still Here, Martin Scorsese’s Elia Kazan documentary A Letter to Elia, John Turturro’s Passione, Julie Taymor’s The Tempest as the closing night film, and Robert Rodriguez’ Machete as the opening night film. It’s an eclectic bunch of flicks and they’re just a small sampling of the movies playing out-of-competition. Hit the jump to check out the full list.

The 67th Venice Film Festival will run from September 1 – 11th.

Ben Affleck – The Town

USA, 120′

Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively

Casey Affleck – I’M Still Here

USA, 108′ (documentary)

Joaquin Phoenix

Marco Bellocchio – Sorelle Mai

Italy, 110′

Alba Rohrwacher, Donatella Finocchiaro, Elena Bellocchio, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio

Piergiorgio Gay...

This is the eighth film review in the coverage of Montreal's 2010 Fantasia International Film Festival. The least we can say is that Teddy Chen's Bodyguards and Assassins announces us that gone is the time when Hong Kong didn't know how to make good blockbusters.

In October 1905, four days before Sun Yat-Sen, a Chinese revolutionary, arrives in Hong Kong, Chinese empress Cixi had sent assassins. They are led by General Yan Xiao-Guo (Jun Hu) and their job is to kill Sun, because his opposition to the monarchy makes him a "traitor". While he has always financed Li Yue-Tang (Xueqi Wang), the owner of a pro-revolution newspaper, decides to openly declare his full involvement in the revolution. In fact, the British authorities in Hong Kong closed his newspaper, the China Daily and his revolutionary friend, professor Chen Xiao-Bai (Tony Leung Ka Fai), got captured by the assassins.

Moreover, before the arrival...

From Wen Jiang, the director of “The Sun Also Rises”, comes the period action/comedy “Let the Bullets Fly”. All you need to know is that it stars Jiang and Chow Yun Fat as badass men doing badass stuff in 1949 China, and those stuff apparently involves guns and swords and people bleeding. Or at least, that’s according to these two posters (via 24Fps). The plot for the film is typically cryptic, but it goes something like this: Bandit chief Jiang Wen, imposing as a mayor, meets tyrannical gentry Chow Yun-fat in a deadly battle of wit and brutality. The film co-stars Carina Lau, You Ge, and Jun Hu, and is currently being shopped around Cannes. Look for it in Chinese theaters later this year, and for you non-Chinese types, you’re probably looking at a 2011 DVD import release. The first poster is admittedly a little bland and generic, but...

Chicago – When moviegoers think of John Woo, the first image that comes to mind isn’t legions of ancient armies fighting each other with bows and arrows, but rather two men holding each other at gunpoint (as in his 1992 classic “Hard-Boiled”). His best action set-pieces are the most intimate, with gunplay and bloodshed taking on an almost balletic grandeur.

Yet at age 61, Woo was clearly ready to venture out into new terrain, and tackle a project he had been dreaming up for nearly two decades, based on Guanzhong Luo’s 14th century historical novel, “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” It’s reportedly the most expensive film ever made in China, and certainly one of the most audacious. Unfortunately, like many epic films aiming to reach an international audience, the picture has been butchered for mass consumption.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

“Red Cliff” was originally a five-hour epic released theatrically in two parts...

Director: Teddy Chan. Review: Adam Wing. Judging by the trailer, you might think that Bodyguards and Assassins is Donnie Yen’s latest testosterone heavy action blockbuster. Think again, the phrase ‘a game of two halves’ has never felt so fitting; instead Teddy Chan successfully blends period drama with action city sensibilities. Bodyguards and Assassins brings together an all-star cast for a retelling of significant events in modern Chinese history. Westerners probably wont be familiar with it but that’s not really a problem, the assassination attempt on Sun Yat-sen's life in 1906 is given plenty of room to breathe. Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Nicholas Tse and NBA basketball player Mengke Bateer are just some of the big name cast along for the ride, Hu Jun plays the leader of the Qing assassins, while Eric Tsang, Simon Yam, and Fan Bingbing take supporting roles. Then there’s Zhang Hanyu,...

Director: Jingle Ma. Review: Adam Wing. Otherwise known as ‘the one without the red dragon’, Mulan is directed by Jingle Ma (Butterfly Lovers) with Vicki Zhao taking centre stage as the gender-bending heroine Hua Mulan, the filial daughter who famously adopts male guise to take her father's place on the battlefield. Mulan grows into a great warrior while working hard to keep her true identity secret, Aloys Chen (Painted Skin) plays the token love interest and Hu Jun brings pantomime sensibilities to the table as a ruthless leader. Jaycee Chan makes up the numbers as a free-spirited soldier, with CJ7 child actress Xu Jiao, Korean-American Mando-pop singer Nicky Lee, and Russian singer Vitas offering diverse supporting turns with mixed results. I’ve always been a big fan of Vicky Zhao, and she’s probably my first choice of leading lady for this 2009 update. Well, other than Hilary Swank, but I...

The biggest Hong Kong event film of the last couple of years arrives in the form of “Bodyguards and Assassins”, the latest blockbuster from director Teddy Chan and producer Peter Chan. A historical piece revolving around Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen’s visit to Hong Kong in 1906, the film features a top drawer cast playing bodyguards assigned to protect him from killers sent by the Qing government, including Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Nicholas Tse, Golden Horse Best Supporting Actor winner Wang Xueqi, Taiwanese actor Wang Bo Chieh (recently in “Winds of September”), along with NBA basketball player Mengke Bateer and pop idol Chris Lee turning their hands to acting. As if this wasn’t enough, the film also features Hu Jun (“Mulan”) as the head villain, and Eric Tsang, Simon Yam, Fan Bingbing, Zhang Hanyu, Jacky Cheung, and Michelle Reis in supporting and cameo roles. The plot...

Hong Kong directors Peter Chan and Teddy Chan’s period action drama “Bodyguards and Assasins” (known as “The October Siege” in Asia) with an all-star cast has garnered more than 270 million Rmb since release, making it one of the New Year’s most popular movies. The cast includes mega stars, Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Leon Lai, Hu Jun, and etc. The film takes place in October of 1905 in Victoria City, which is today’s Hong Kong, and tells the story of half a dozen anonymous heroes’ courageous attempt to protect the then revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen from the Qing and British government. These heroes are all ordinary people: a street vendor, a beggar, a rickshaw driver, a Chinese opera singer, and a gambling addict. Viewer discretion is strongly advised as the film has a heavy dose of violence and blood gore. The film’s popularity is not only shown in...

Although predictably (or, better, inevitably) replaced by Mao's legacy as the main melody-themed rush towards the 60th anniversary began in full force, for a good while the favorite piece of Chinese historiography of many a film director and TV producer was the pomp and circumstance of the Tang Dynasty, with leading lights like Li Shimin and Wu Zetian carrying the flag of such exciting and culturally abundant times's glorification. For instance, the honor of essaying Tang Taizong for a second time on CCTV-1's 2007 flagship historical drama, the fascinating 贞观长歌 (The Zhenguan Era), went to Tang Guoqiang, who made a career out of playing legendary figures like Mao Zedong - last in line in the exalted flag-waving douchebaggery of 建国大业 (The Founding of a Republic) - the Three Kingdoms' Zhuge Liang and Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing.

An irresistible mix of John Wayne-like macho posturing, sparks of unyielding youth...

Killer Imports [1] is a regular feature on Film Junk where we explore foreign-language films from around the world that haven’t yet had their chance to shine. Kung Fu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction opens with a promising title sequence. On a plain white background befitting a technologically sterile environment, a headless robotic body performs various human movements like training on a Wing Chun dummy and playing an erhu, a Chinese musical instrument. Unfortunately, the rest of the movie was rather disappointing although it does have a certain amount of charm. I had not heard or seen anything about this movie when I noticed its clunky title on the DVD cover. Since the images on the cover were rather indistinct, I imagined either a martial arts Terminator wreaking havoc or an Ultraman-like hero dispatching evil-doers. What I got instead were Transformers in a meandering mess of a plot meant to please everyone.

[Updated with five minute version. Mo' minutes, mo' action (kind of).]

Oh mommy.

First one to set the mood, second one to tell a story, third one... I haven't seen it. But the fourth trailer is certainly for the action fan who's been asking himself if Hong Kong still has it, and it should answer the question pretty explicitly. Of course the action takes center stage, but the Hk replica set is truly stunning both in detail and artistry.

Releasing on December 18, the film is set in 1905 Hong Kong, as a group of bodyguards attempt to protect Sun Yat-Sen from an onslaught of, well, assassins. Directed by Teddy Chen, this bad boy stars a who's who of Chinese cinema, from Leon Lai to Donnie Yen, Eric Tsang, Fan Bingbing, Hu Jun, Nicholas Tse, Simon Yam, Tony Leung Ka-Fai and even Jacky Cheung (cameo, I suppose?). The $23 million action blockbuster did well at the recent Afm, selling to the UK, Canada, Middle East and Korea.

Check out a slick exclusive clip courtesy of Yahoo movies from John Woo's critically-acclaimed "Red Cliff." The film is sent out by Magnolia Pictures on December 17th and stars Tony Leung, Chen Chang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tong Jiang, Jun Hu and Yong Ho. Written by Wang Hui-ling, Lang Xiaolang, Zou Jingzhi and Wang Qian, Woo produces alongside Terence Chang. Also called "Battle of Red Cliff" and Chi bi," the film runs for a big 150 minutes and is rated R for sequences of epic warfare. The film opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush two troublesome warlords that stand in his way, Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). As the expedition gets under way, Cao Cao's troops rain destruction on Liu Bei's army, forcing the latter to retreat. Liu Bei's...

Red Cliff is the Chinese-produced feature film, based on the 'Battle of Red Cliffs' and events during the end of the 'Han Dynasty', prior to the period of the 'Three Kingdoms' in ancient China. The film was directed by John "Face/Off" Woo, starring actors Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Hu Jun, Lin Chi-ling and Zhao Wei. With an estimated budget of $80 million, Red Cliff is considered the most expensive Asian-financed film to date. The film opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General 'Cao Cao' (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush troublesome warlords 'Liu Bei' (You Yong) and 'Sun Quan' (Chang Chen). "...As the expedition gets under way, Cao Cao's troops rain destruction on Liu Bei's army, forcing the latter to retreat. Liu Bei's military strategist 'Zhuge Liang' (Takeshi Kaneshiro) knows that their only hope for...

John Woo's "Red Cliff" has had some images added. The epic actioner stars Tony Leung, Chen Chang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tong Jiang, Jun Hu and Yong Hou. Legendary action cinema master John Woo and international superstar Tony Leung reunite for the first time since the 1992 classic Hard Boiled with this epic historical drama set based on a legendary 208 A.D. battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. Red Cliff opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty...

This Teaser Trailer for Bodyguards and Assassins (aka Dark October) isn’t exacly brand new but since I haven’t seen it on any niche news site and I noticed that I haven’t typed a single word on director Teddy Chan and producer Peter Chan’s latest project I thought I should post it anyway.

The film is set on October 15th 1905 with the father of the Chinese Revolution, Dr. Sun Yat-sen visiting Hong Kong for negotiations. During his one-day stay, forces from the collapsing Qing Dynasty send out assassins to get rid of the politician and only the brave bodyguards coming from the streets of Hong Kong can prevent it…

[See post to watch Flash video] Like in (or maybe because of) Jian Guo Da Ye (The Great Cause of China’s Foundation/Founding of the Nation), Peter Chan managed to lure in a truck load of stars like Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Eric Tsang,...