The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies
The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies |
| Posted: 05 Feb 2013 01:23 AM PST Malaysian comedy Once Upon A Time takes viewers on a journey through time and space. THERE is something innately heart-warming about the phrase: "Once upon a time." These simple words evoke images of valiant swordfights and dashing heroes, and set the mood for the fantastic stories in far-off places and in eras bygone. This magic is precisely what Malaysian comedy, Once Upon A Time seeks to capture in its plot. Jointly produced by The Film Engine and Astro Shaw, and distributed by RAM Entertainment, the movie is a fully local-made film that boasts a 1,000-strong cast and crew members, and a budget of over RM4.5 mil. With a story originating from Lim's popular radio show, Wong Kung Can Lan (Palace Stories), the Cantonese film is set in the kingdom of Wa-Lei-Wa-Lei-Har-Mo-Nei-Onn-Phat-Si-Fu-Lan (or, "A very, very harmonious and peaceful land"). Six thousand years ago, there lived a lazy and gluttonous emperor (Jack Lim) who has so many wives and kids that he can barely recognise them all. He is also obsessed with finding the secret to immortality. Obviously, our emperor in question is no King Arthur; and despite his many wives, he is no Don Juan either (Lim, with his strident features and raggy beard, looks more like a chubby Captain Jack Sparrow on the verge of a very comfortable retirement). To make things worse, none of his people seem to like him very much. In contrast to his excessive lifestyle, they live in poverty thanks to his incompetence. His ministers, among them the intelligent and cunning Lord Turtle (Jeff Chin), are all too aware of this fact and practically run the kingdom on his behalf. Unsurprisingly, a rebellious group soon attacks the palace in an attempt to overthrow their selfish emperor. Amidst the fracas, Lord Turtle tries to protect the emperor by hiding him in a forbidden room at a palace, where it is rumoured that a concubine from a previous dynasty had mysteriously vanished in a few hundred years ago. Predictably, the bumbling emperor too, vanishes behind the room along with his faithful eunuch and his servant, only to emerge from a time-portal into 2013 Kuala Lumpur! Once Upon A Time capitalises on the time travelling concept by relying heavily on fish-out-of-water scenes. The vibrancy of modern-day Kuala Lumpur comes through effectively in this film, with the day-to-day Malaysian-Chinese experience especially pertinent in its delivery. Lim certainly is a larger-than-life presence both onscreen and off. In person, the actor, filmmaker and radio deejay from Ipoh is as exuberant as his reel life royal persona. He showcased his playful side at a press event in TGV Sunway Pyramid when halfway into a group interview session, the entertainer abruptly climbed atop a table, and jumped off it! However, there is also a sensitive side to his otherwise raucous character, and he admitted that the emperor's misdoings and excessive life feels hauntingly resonant of his own life. "I've realise that I've have been so fixated with work and chasing after material wealth, that I sometimes end up neglecting my family and friends. Most of my friends and even my parents have stopped calling me, because they know I will be busy with work," an emotional Lim recalled in Cantonese, before tearing up midway through the press conference. In his quest to make the kingdom of Wa-Lei-Wa-Lei-Har-Mo-Nei-Onn-Phat-Si-Fu-Lan look as authentic as possible, Lim built the set of the ancient Chinese palace at the iconic Ipoh limestone hills in Perak, complete with a throne, ancient chandeliers and bamboo flooring. The vivacious cast, made up mostly of popular personalities from the local Chinese radio industry, certainly adds to the film's appeal. Radio deejays Vivian Tok and Gan Mei Yan add a sprinkle of fun to the film - Tok plays a eunuch with breasts, while Gan makes a very visually-pleasing imperial servant. Charming radio personality Chin is equally captivating in his performance as the faithful Lord Turtle. During the press conference, the rapport between the cast members was palpable, with the common aim of bringing up the local film industry seemingly playing a part in inspiring the sense of solidarity. Invariably, moderation and humility are values that are central to Once Upon A Time; and with a title like that, we already know how the story will end - with a happy ending. However, as clichéd as it sounds, it is not the destination, but the journey that matters, and Once Upon A Time certainly takes the viewer through a rather fun and exciting one. > Once Upon A Time opens on Feb 7. |
| Meet the cast of I Love Hong Kong 2013 Posted: 04 Feb 2013 02:03 AM PST The cast of I Love Hong Kong 2013 loves Malaysia too! Well-loved veteran comedian Eric Tsang and co-stars Michael Tse, Joyce Cheng and Koo Ming Wah will be in the country on Wednesday and Thursday to promote the upcoming Chinese New Year movie. I Love Hong Kong 2013's storyline runs through the 1970s until the present day. It centres on families happily preparing and welcoming the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. Don't miss your chance to meet the cast of I Love Hong Kong 2013 on Wednesday in the Klang Valley. They will be attending meet-the-fans sessions at 1 Utama (new wing), Petaling Jaya, Selangor (7pm) and Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur (8pm) before heading to the gala premiere of the movie at GSC Mid Valley. Then, they will head to Penang on Thursday for meet-the-fans sessions at Queensbay Mall (7pm) and Sunway Carnival Mall (8.30pm). You can also tune in to Star RFM 988, the official radio station at 5.30pm on Wednesday for a live interview with the stars; or catch The Making Of... I Love Hong Kong 2013 on Astro Wah Lai Toi at 3.30pm on the first day of Chinese New Year (Feb 10). I Love Hong Kong 2013 is distributed by GSC Movies and presented by Hotlink. For more information, visit gscmovies.com.my or facebook.com/gscmovies. |
| Win A Good Day To Die Hard goodies Posted: 04 Feb 2013 01:02 AM PST Take-no-prisoners cop John McClane, for the first time, finds himself on foreign soil after traveling to Moscow to help his wayward son Jack - unaware that Jack is really a highly-trained CIA operative out to stop a nuclear weapons heist. With the Russian underworld in pursuit, and battling a countdown to war, the two McClanes discover that their opposing methods make them unstoppable heroes. A Good Day To Die Hard opens in cinemas 7 February. Thanks to 20th Century Fox we have movie tickets and premiums to give away. To win, answer these questions. 1. To which country does John McClane go to in this movie? 2. John thinks he's helping his good-for-nothing son, but Jack is actually working for ….? a. The FBI b. The Russian mob c. The NYPD d. The CIA Email your answers with your details (name, address, IC number and contact number) to ecentralcontest@gmail.com by 8 February 2013. Title the subject A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD. Winners will be notified by email. Prizes to win: 1 X shoulder bag + playing cards + poster + 2 double movie passes 1 X Russian doll USB drive + t-shirt + poster + 2 double movie passes 1 X t-shirt + poster + 2 double movie passes 1 X short glasses + Russian doll USB drive + poster + 2 double movie passes 1 X phone card wallet case + poster +2 double movie passes Rules & Regulations 1. The contest is open to all Malaysian residents residing in Malaysia only. 2. To qualify for a prize, contestants must include relevant personal details (full name, address, new IC number, contact number). Email your answers to ecentralcontest@gmail.com 3. Contestants may submit only one entry each. Multiple entries will be disqualified. 4. One prize is allowed per contestant. 5. Prizes are not exchangeable for cash and the organizer reserves the right to exchange the prize with that of a similar value without prior notice. 6. Staff of The Star Publications (Malaysia) Berhad, sponsors and their immediate families are not allowed to participate. 7. Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained. 8. Judges will be from The Star Online. 9. For enquiries, please e-mail ecentralmy@gmail.com 10. I hereby expressly consent to the collection, collation, use and/or disclosure of all my personal data by Star Publications (M) Berhand for the purposes of the Good Day To Die Hard Contest. 11. Winners will be notified by email. |
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