Cesium Fallout Review: Disaster with a Touch of Tong Yao

#TongYao #童瑶 #HongKongCinema #FilmReview #CesiumFallout #焚城 #AndyLau #劉德華 #BaiYu #白宇 #KarenMok #莫文蔚

I’ll admit, my main reason for watching Cesium Fallout was Tong Yao—I’m working through her entire filmography. A friend who reviewed the movie warned me that her screen time would be limited. Even before his warning, I suspected as much when I saw her credited as a guest star in a disaster film. That usually signals a brief but pivotal role.

Hong Kong movie: Cesium Fallout 焚城 release announcement

 #TongYao #HongKongCinema #CesiumFallout #焚城 #AndyLau #BaiYu #KarenMok

Tong Yao’s management officially announced via Weibo today that she will be making a guest-starring appearance in the film.

The trailer actually looks more than decent, which makes me hopeful that it might be a fun movie to watch. I’m likely to watch this in the cinema simply because Tong Yao is in it. She hasn’t appeared in a film in years, and there is no clear indication that she’ll make a return to it. So I wouldn’t want to pass on an opportunity to see her on the big screen.

The Night Belongs to Us 属于我们的黑夜 - 对立面 Face's a Verb short film anthology - update

#TongYao #童瑶 #SongYang #宋洋 #ZhouYiwei #周一围 #MarkChao #趙又廷 #TheNightBelongsToUs #属于我们的黑夜 #FIRST训练营影片 

I was wrong, #对立面 (Face's a Verb - click me to read why I have decided to go with this English title for now) is not region locked, at least Singapore isn't locked out.  This makes things easier because it means that you don't need a VPN to watch this short film anthology.  I took some time out two nights ago to figure out if I can buy a ticket to watch this anthology and I managed to do it.  It did take me some time to figure it out but it also means that it's not impossible.  I encourage those of us who are interested in Tong Yao, Song Yang and short films to buy this ticket if this is within your means and if you can figure it out.  It's just 12 RMB unless you have a VIP membership for iQiyi's China site which would make this cheaper by 6 RMB. 

The Night Belongs to Us - released as part of 对立面 short film anthology

#FIRSTFilmFestival #FIRST训练营影片 #TongYao #童瑶 #SongYang #宋洋 #ZhouYiwei #周一围 #对立面 #ShortFilm #TheNightBelongsToUs #属于我们的黑夜

(amend: I was unwilling to call this anthology by the English title "Face's a Verb" since I wasn't sure if I was reading it properly but it seems like some websites are calling it that so I will too for now.  I might change this in the future if this turns out to be the wrong title.)

  

The FIRST International Film Festival released a trailer promoting the debut screening of an anthology of short films a few days ago (21st June). This anthology of short films, titled 对立面 (literal translation: Opposites), consist of a collection of films from the 15th FIRST Training Camp. The films were first screened at the festival last year but will not be released for public screening till 29th June this month.

#TongYao #童瑶 #ZhangXincheng #张新成 #WeWillGrowOldTogether #爱情回想 - review

I finally got around to doing this one too.  This approximately 10 minute short film was released as part of a series of short films by #VogueFilm China near the end of 2021.  Titled We Will Grow Old Together, it's scripted and directed by Wen Ye. 

It's a nice short film.  It won't be winning any awards but then it wasn't made for that.  If you're a fan of either star or if you like films and/or short films, you won't be wasting ten minutes of your time to watch this.  Happily Vogue China has made this available on their YouTube channel and they have provided English subtitles too.  So now you have no excuse not to watch it. :)

#TongYao #童瑶 #TheNewYearEveofOldLee #过年好 - Film - short review

The New Year's Eve of Old Lee - 过年好

I finally got around to watching this in part to see if it's any good and in part to check out Tong Yao's cameo in this film.  It's not bad but it's also not great.  It's merely a relatively generic story about an elderly man, Mr. Lee, who's suffering from Alzheimer's disease.  His daughter Yang Duo just found out about it and returns immediately with her daughter Julie in tow to celebrate the Spring Festival.  Several simmering grievances surface during this short visit leading to several tense moment but given that this is a Lunar New Year film, you can expect a happy ending.  Which means, in a film like this, the journey is more important than the conclusion.

Documentary (极境所在) ~ behind-the-scenes of 属于我们的黑夜 The Night Belongs to Us

#TongYao #童瑶 #BoHanxiong #薄汉雄 #TheNightBelongsToUs #属于我们的黑夜 #FIRST #TrainingCamp

(For capsule reviews and links to other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please CLICK ME)

NOTE: Edited 22nd June 2022 to reflect the name change of the official English title from Night Night to The Night Belongs to Us.

At first, I thought that I would just do a short write-up of some bits but I ended up translating most of the interview in this video.  😅 

I think the reason why the production company Bobosnap called this a documentary rather than just a regular behind-the-scenes video is because they proposed a “thesis question” so to speak and are attempting to answer it. They are trying to answer this question by documenting Tong Yao as she participates in the making of the short film The Night Belongs to Us.

Review ~ Fearless (2006) #霍元甲 (#孙俪 #SunLi)

This is #SunLi 's debut film, although by the time she did this film, she's already had a few drama series under her belt.

I actually watched Fearless back in 2006 when it first screened which is why my memory of Fearless was a little hazy till I recently re-watched this for Sun Li's sake.  I thought that I liked this film enough but after watching it a second time, I realized that I probably didn't like it as much as I remembered which is why it's one of the few Jet Li films I have never watched again till recently.  This has nothing to do with Sun Li or even Jet Li.  I think I just didn't like the story that much.

I get what this pretty inaccurate biopic of Huo Yuanjia (霍元甲) is trying to do and say but I don't know if it really works that well.  The fighting scenes were cool but maybe I'm tired of the "man makes massive error → falls into depression and self destructs → only to have his soul saved after he is physically saved by native tribe / simple kindhearted girl / simpler way of living etc → thus finds redemption by the end of the film" type of story-line.  I think the story is pretty simple and kind of cliche to the point that I'm not really bothered about possibly giving any spoilers away because I don't think it's that hard to guess what would happen next. 

Psycho Pass movie to screen in Singapore in June 2015

I'm going to be very brief because I need to scoot off to work very soon.

But just when I wondered whether they were really ever going to screen the Psycho Pass movie in SG, here's a tease from Aniplus HD's FB stating that they intend to screen it in June in SG only.

A little something for our Singapore audience. :)
Posted by ANIPLUS HD Network on Thursday, 28 May 2015

Arrrrrgggghhhh... I'm away in Japan for two weeks in June.... please, please please, please still have it be screening in Singapore when I get home!!!!

Over The L’Arc-en-Ciel ~ Singapore screening details released

Post by Golden Village Mr Popcorn.

Really quick post... really busy.  If you're a Laruku fan residing in SG. Take note of the screening dates for their documentary in SG. :)

cheers

Attack on Titan live action film to screen in Singapore

Encore Films announced early this morning that the Attack on Titan films will screen in Singapore! :)

Many happy Japanese film / anime fans in Singapore now. :)

Post by Encore Films.

Psycho-Pass film to screen in Singapore!!!!!

Ok... I lied... I forgot that I wanted to post time up too before I sleep because I'm super excited about this. :)

Post by ANIPLUS HD Network.

The Psycho-Pass film will screen in the cinema in SG.  OMG!!!!! Sooooooo happy!!! Things keep looking better and better for anime fans in SG!!!! :)

AFA this year has so far been GREAT!!!!!!!!!  And Lantis Festival next year, AAA next year, Psycho-Pass film next year.... Idol Master film, Anohana film, Madoka Magica: Rebellion film in cinemas now.... Initial D film, Doraemon film.... pretty awesome, yah? :P

Okay..... now..... I will sleep......zzzzzzzzzzz......

Aniplex Movie Festival ~ Idol Master, Anohana, Madoka Magica: Rebellion movies to screen in SG

source

It's going to a pretty awesome month for anime fans in Singapore.  The Anime Festival Asia 2014 is coming up this weekend and I wanted to write about it but I didn't have time to.  Maybe just a little in the post after this... but for now... check this out. :)

Aniplex will be running a movie festival at the Golden Village chain of cinemas in Singapore from the 5th-14th December.  Yeah, some of those days will clash with AFA which will be from 4th Dec (Thursday night) to 7th December. But the Idolmaster Movie: Beyond the Brilliant Future will run well into next week so Idol Master fans can still watch the film next week without having to miss AFA.

Lupin the Third is set for a 25th Sept opening in Singapore. :)

Just a really quick post before I really go into overdrive at work.

Encore Films have announced that Lupin the Third will open in Singapore on the 25th Sept.

Check out the trailer below. :)

cheers

K: Missing Kings ~ Singapore general screening

source

First, Selamat Hari Raya to all my muslim friends who to check out the blog.   :)

Next, anime movie screenings often slip quietly under the radar in Singapore.  So as far as I can, I try and highlight it to whoever may be interested in them on the blog.  Although, my readership isn't very high, still I hope to be able to contribute somewhat to the growth of anime, Japanese pop culture and music etc in Singapore.....

..... So guys!!! If you missed the world wide premiere of K: Missing Kings, it looks like Cathay has scheduled a general screening to start in September.  The film did very well on premiere day in Singapore.  It started sales with 4 screenings and Cathay kept adding to it till there were screenings late in the night too.  Unfortunately, I didn't keep count so I can't say how many more screenings they added to it, suffice to say, it was several times more than the initial 4. :)

So if anyone else wants to catch the screenings, keep an eye out on Cathay's webpage.... CLICK ME. :)

Detective Conan: Dimensional Sniper ~ to screen in Singapore

source

Looks like Cathay and Odex are bringing in more anime films into Singapore.  (I think I'm beginning to forgive Odex with every anime film they bring to the big screen :P )

The next one up is Detective Conan: Dimensional Sniper (名探偵コナン 異次元の狙撃手).

This film which opened in Japan in April of this year is scheduled to begin screening in Singapore from the 7th Aug.  It also looks like they'll be giving out movie premiums with each ticket purchased.  Also, it looks like they looking to screen this movie for more than a week since the premiums will change every week.  I guess they were pretty happy with the box office returns of the previous Detective Conan movies screened in Singapore. :)

I might go for this screening depending on how busy I am.  Lately, it's been crazy... I've been busy both at work and after work because I've been working on another project at night.... it's been tiring but kinda fun and I'm thinking of starting more personal projects after work because I'm beginning to really enjoy doing my own personal stuff again.... feels like my film student days and I really miss those days. :)

Anyway, more anime movies please!!! I would like AnoHana and Patema Inverted just to name a few. :)

Working today too.... off to check a render. :)

Lupin III live action will screen in Singapore :)

Post by Encore Films.

This announce by Encore Films was made last week but I was too busy to write it up.  But rejoice fans of Japanese films and anime.  The live action version of Lupin III will screen in Singapore. :)

I'm looking forward to watching this movie too.  I actually enjoyed the Kuroshituji live action movie.  So am hoping this one is just as fun. :)

Rurouni Kenshin sequels will screen in Singapore :)

Post by Warner Bros. Singapore.

Yay... it's confirmed.  The Rurouni Kenshin's sequels will be screened in Singapore. :)

Tokyo Kyoudai (Japanese film) / ost by Kajiura Yuki - listed

Ahhhh... something interesting popped up on CDJapan today.  They just listed Tokyo Kyoudai DVD for sale.  This is a 1995 film that Kajiura Yuki scored.  Hmmmm.... It's an award winning film too....I'm interested to watch it now.  Unfortunately, no English subs. :(

For those who are interested in the listing.... CLICK ME.

Otona no Kagaku vol. 40

This post isn't about Kajiura Yuki, FictionJunction or Kalafina. :)  Instead, this will be about the Otona no Kagaku magazine which I am a big fan of too.  Although I really like this magazine, I have to budget how I spend my money and Otona no Kagaku often takes second place to my obsession with Kajiura Yuki's music and anime.  Hence, although I would love to buy a ton more of these, I only have bought 3 of them, including this volume.

This volume looks incredibly cool and does touch on one of the great loves of my life...cinema. :)  Although I am not a Tokusatsu fan, I grew up watching Godzilla and Ultraman type films and they were great.  Vol.40 of Otona no Kagaku is about filming miniatures and I'm not a graduate from film school for nothing.  I was immediately filled with a burning desire to try and shoot something on this camera and shoot silly low budget monster movies of my own.  I'm sure the quality of this camera won't be amazing but what I like about it is how small it is and the way it is constructed.

It is selling in Kinokuniya in Singapore for about SGD66 but since I'm going to Japan, I ordered it from CDJapan and have instructed that it be shipped to my hotel.  I would like to do an unboxing of this item actually because Otona no Kagaku isn't exactly the most popular magazine out there and not many people seem to have done too many unboxings of this awesome mook.  It usually gets more popular when it is offering one of the put-it-together plastic cameras and that was how I found out about this magazine.

I will try and do an unboxing post after I get back from Japan.  I'll have a ton of stuff to work on for the blog...hopefully I will get to them all.  I often fail these days, we really are extremely busy at work, but I'll try nonetheless, because I enjoy doing them. :)

Anyway... for more photos on this item, head over to Amazon Japan... click me.  If you rather shop through CDJapan, click me for the direct link to the product page.

cheers