A small slowdown

There's a bit less news than yesterday, which is good, because it's taking longer and longer to write this thing everyday lately.

First, round-up from Hong Kong Filmart:

- A new production company has been unveiled, and it's Big Media, backed mostly by sometimes-film producer but mostly video distributor Mei Ah. The company has announced that it will produce 100 movies in 5 years, which means I better get those screenplays written STAT! It's too bad the films they've announced so far are creatively-drained pseudo-sequels like "Young Man Suddenly in Black" and "Another Better Tomorrow"

- A seminar on talent management of Asian stars crossing over into Hollywood finds a "let's please everyone" answer of "we need to network.....and network some more."

- The Digital Forum was also held today in light of the upcoming release of TMNT, which was produced by Hong Kong firm Imagi. The goal of increasing Asian computer animation is apparently telling Asian stories with Western storytelling. What if they can just capture audiences again with simple 2-D animation that the West has chosen to abandon?

- Professor Bordwell has also wrote a new entry, including his experience of watching Twins Mission (why oh why that one movie), getting free stuff from the Korean Film Council (man, I need to get that type of connection....even if it means some 30 years of film scholarship), meeting the incomparable Grady Hendrix and HKMDB's Ryan Law, and also previews his visit to Johnnie To's set of his portion of "Triangle" (can't.breath.due.to.jealousy!!!!!!!!!!).

In other news:

- Ryuganji now has even more details about Kantoku Banzai, the latest from Takeshi Kitano (or Beat Takeshi, I guess). Apparently it'll be a film more from his comedian side than his art side. My favorite quote? When asked whether the film will be submitted to the Cannes Film Festival, Kitano says, "Well, bits of it are are little embarrassing..."

- "Triangle," which I thought has finished shooting, actually hasn't because I saw the report of an opening shooting ceremony and Johnnie To joking that Ringo Lam took too long to shoot his portion on Ming Pao yesterday. Variety Asia has more details on the highly-anticipated project, including who's gonna be distributing it in China (an HK film being approved for China, to me, is like the HK film version of watering down a movie to PG-13 in America).

- Asian Film - While on the Road has a review of two Kadokawa idol films - Sailor Suit and Machine Gun and The Young Girl who Conquered Time, starring two different idols that actually look quite alike and still do solid work in Japanese films today. It's too bad I have seen neither, I almost bought Sailor Suit and Machine Gun on my last day in Hong Kong, but thought I already had too many DVDs to bring back. Shame.

- There's still hope that Jet Li won't be in Mummy 3! Official reports state that he's still "in negotiations" to play the main villain in the Rob Cohen-directed cash-milking sequel. Even the original stars haven't agreed to appear yet!

Of course "in negotiations" in Hollywood means he already said yes, he's just holding out for more money.

- The problem that the Chinese government has with those idol music shows such as "Supergirl" is the entire idea behind the winners chosen is based on votes. You basically tell your viewers that you may not be able to vote on say, who leads your country or the direction your country is going, but at least you can choose who'll become rich and famous!

Apparently, that's not the only problem they have. They can't seem to get over the fact that the word "super" is used for someone that's democratically voted, as in someone that is actually liked by the people instead of telling the people who they should like, because "super" has powerful connotations.

So this season, the word "super" is out......so is the word "girl." Now it'll be named "Happy Boy" instead. D'oh.