Reel Deel: Reliving highlights from Hong Kong’s cinematic Golden Age

When the Cannes Film Festival, the behemoth movie-screening competition held annually in Cannes, France, announced that it would be joining forces with Hong Kong’s K11 Group to present six of this year’s film selections for a very special Festival de Cannes Film Week, the city’s cinephiles knew they were in for something of a treat. To say the selection of the Fragrant Harbour as the location for the festival’s first-ever international iteration came as a surprise is putting things mildly. After all, the days of Hong Kong’s cinematic Golden Age seemed all but behind it, shattered by the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and the subsequent rise of China’s own film entertainment industry, causing what was once dubbed the “Hollywood of the Far East” to sink into a sharp decline.

For three decades from the ’70s to the ’90s, however, Hong Kong was the world’s largest film exporter after Tinseltown and the darling of theatre-going audiences the world over. Not only did it produce some 400 movies each year, it spawned critically-acclaimed box-office hits – Wong Kar Wai’s Chungking Express and Jackie Chan’s Drunken Master to name but two – that remain beloved to this day. It could be precisely this illustrious history that prompted the people at Cannes to select the city for its upcoming film week. In a nostalgic tribute to this storied legacy, we revisit some of the most memorable Hong Kong movies ever made.

Way of the Dragon (1972) / Enter the Dragon (1973)

The history of Hong Kong’s filmmaking industry and the inexorable rise of kung fu movies are inextricably linked. After all, it was this very segment that catapulted the city to worldwide fame, enchanting theatre-goers in both the East and West with its blink-and- you’ll-miss-it action sequences and slapstick humour. Perhaps the most iconic of these is 1972’s Way of the Dragon, the only film to both star and be directed by legendary martial arts actor Bruce Lee. Produced by Raymond Chow, the movie was a box-office triumph, grossing HK$211 million worldwide, compared to a production budget of just HK$130,000. Its 1973 sequel, Enter the Dragon, performed even more admirably, netting a profit of US$90 million (or roughly US$508 million today).

Not only did these Lee-Chow collaborations spark an international interest in Chinese martial arts, it also engendered great pride for the ethnic Chinese globally, who had long been denied leading and heroic roles in Western cinema. Meanwhile, Lee’s portrayal revolutionised how American audiences would perceive Chinese up until the present day, redefining what it meant to be a hero who fights for justice.

A Better Tomorrow (1986)

The genre of heroic bloodshed, typified by stylised action scenes and dramatic themes of honour, duty, violence and redemption, was actually a Hong Kong cinematic invention. Perhaps the benchmark film of this category is the 1986 John Woo-directed A Better Tomorrow, which follows the harrowing journey of its Triad-member protagonist as he struggles to leave his life of crime behind in order to reconcile with his younger brother, an aspiring police officer. Showcasing a violence-ruled Hong Kong and complex characters on both sides of the law, this Triad-related feature was the breakthrough film that propelled its actors, Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung, to superstardom.

The otherworldly portrayals of violence and intensified emotional power of the picture struck a chord with international audiences, even leading it to be remade for Indian and Korean audiences. Meanwhile, the style of Chow Yun-fat in the film saw teenagers across the city stocking up on Ray-Ban sunglasses and trench coats to replicate the now iconic look of his character, “Mark Gor”.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Internationally acclaimed auteur Wong Kar Wai has built a storied career in creating films where Hong Kong is just as much a story’s central character as its protagonists. His art-house films enact stories of tragedy, alienation and angst-ridden individuals otherwise hidden within the metropolis. Known for his emotionally intense style, it’s Wong’s seventh film, In the Mood For Love (2000), however, that is arguably the most significant contribution to the genre of wenyi pai (romantic melodrama).

In the Mood for Love is a profoundly lush romantic drama set in Hong Kong that follows the tale of two neighbours seeking solace in one another as they discover their respective spouses are having an affair. Thanks to Wong’s long-established approach of mixing Eastern ‘practicality’ with Western motifs, the film resonated with Western audiences and critics alike, taking home the coveted Grand Prix de la Commission Supérieure Technique award, as well as the Best Actor accolade for Tony Leung. at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. It remains one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated cinematic achievements, having earned over 49 nominations and 44 wins to date.

Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

It’s no secret that comedies are often overlooked by critics for more dramatic fare, despite being arguably the most beloved by audiences. On rare occasions, however, comic effect is recognised and lauded in its own right, as demonstrated by Stephen Chow’s wildly successful martial arts comedy, Kung Fu Hustle (2004). Centring on two hapless martial artists who inadvertently become entangled with the notorious “Axe Gang” in the slums of ’30s Shanghai, it has been universally praised for its unique blend of cartoon special effects and CGI, a traditional Chinese soundtrack and high-quality wuxia fight sequences.

With this formula for success, the universally-appealing film yielded lucrative results, leading it to gross HK$61 million within the city and a total of US$102 million worldwide. It even went on to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at that year’s BAFTAs and Golden Globes, while also sweeping up six Hong Kong Film Awards and five Golden Horse Awards at the same time. Today, it still remains the third highest-grossing Chinese-language film in Hong Kong’s history.

No.7 Cherry Lane (2019)

Perhaps just when Hong Kong needs more love than ever before, Wuhan-born, Hong Kong-based director Yonfan emerged from the shadows of his 10-year filmmaking hiatus to release his first-ever animated feature this year, a self-proclaimed love letter to Hong Kong titled No.7 Cherry Lane. Putting paid to the notion that the city’s best cinematic days are behind it, the movie premiered to much acclaim at the prestigious 76th Venice Film Festival, where it went on to win the Best Screenplay accolade, before making its North America debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Utilising an animation style traditionally attributed to countries like Japan, No.7 Cherry Lane transports viewers back to the turbulent year of 1967 in Hong Kong. Amid the clashes between the government and pro-Communists, the story follows a young Hong Kong University graduate, Ziming, who finds himself trapped within a love triangle between a wealthy divorcee and her teenage daughter. Exploring such themes as nostalgia, social mobility and heartache, this dreamy animation film stands not only as a tribute to Hong Kong cinema but also as a beacon of artistic creativity to reinvigorate local directors and push them to new heights.

Text: Bailey Atkinson
Photos: AFP, Jet Tone Films, Yon Fan Studio

High Bourne: Matt Damon has taken his acting career to stellar heights

Imagine missing out on earning a cool US$250 million. That’s the nightmare that actor Matt Damon recently revealed to be his biggest career regret. The sizeable amount would have been his payout had he accepted the starring role in director James Cameron’s smash sci-fi hit, Avatar (2009), which held the record for being the highest-grossing film of all time for nearly a decade until it was dethroned by Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame earlier this year.

Speaking on this missed opportunity, Damon said: “Jim Cameron offered me Avatar. And when he offered it to me, he goes, ‘Now, listen. I don’t need anybody. I don’t need a name for this, a named actor. If you don’t take this, I’m going to find an unknown actor and give it to him, because the movie doesn’t really need you. But if you take the part, I’ll give you 10 percent…’”

Given that Avatar would go on to rake in a staggering US$2.7 billion, that 10 percent would have equated to a quarter of a billion dollars in the actor’s pocket. As fate would have it, though, he ultimately turned down this golden goose opportunity due to scheduling conflicts. However, massive payday aside, he had a bigger regret: “In having to say no, I was probably passing on the chance to ever work with him. So that sucked and that’s still brutal.”

While he may have missed out on this hugely-lucrative role, that’s not to say that Matt Damon is destitute by a long shot. In fact, as of 2019, his current wealth is valued at a respectable US$160 million, according to Forbes, which ranks him as one of Tinseltown’s highest-earning leading men. What’s more, the experienced 49-year-old thespian has enjoyed what few other of his ilk have managed – the perfect balancing act between Hollywood longevity and personal happiness.

But it seems big screen success was always in the cards for him. Matthew Paige Damon – as his birth certificate reads – was born on 8 October 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as the second son of Kent Telfer Damon, a stockbroker, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a professor of early childhood education. With his parents divorcing when he was just two and his subsequent inability to embrace his mother’s “by the book” child-rearing approach, the lonely youth saw acting as his sole reprieve. It was through his high school theatre productions that Damon finally found his true calling, while also meeting fellow thespian and life-long friend Ben Affleck in the process.

Soon thereafter, his scholastic aptitude saw him enroll at the prestigious Harvard University where, during his freshman year, the aspiring actor made his big screen debut with a bit part in the 1988 rom-com Mystic Pizza. When he was subsequently cast as Lieutenant Britton Davis in the 1993 Western Geronimo: An American Legend, Damon chose to drop out of university to pursue the role, deeming it a career-maker. Sadly, the film flopped at the box office, and it wasn’t until 1997 that he finally caught the attention of the world’s cinemagoers.

That was the year that Good Will Hunting – penned by Matt Damon and his childhood pal Affleck – hit the silver screen. The tale, which follows the journey of an MIT janitor-cum-mathematics savant (Damon) as he finds his place in the world, was to be his first taste of cinematic success, with the then-27-year-old receiving his first nominations for Best Actor, while also winning the accolades for Best Original Screenplay at both the Academy Awards and Golden Globes that year.

After that, his star was unquestionably on the rise, as he set about solidifying his reputation as a true Hollywood A-lister through a series of critically-acclaimed performances such as the eponymous protagonist in Saving Private Ryan (1998), a fallen angel in Dogma (1999) and the antihero in The Talented Mr Ripley (1999).

It was during the following decade, though, that he truly entered the big league, thanks largely to his participation in several big budget franchises. His first franchise role was in the heist movie, Ocean’s Eleven (2001), where he starred alongside such Hollywood luminaries as Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Andy Garcia. The movie’s blend of fast-paced action and charismatic dialogue was such a success that it spawned three more sequels.

But it was another franchise-starter that transformed the actor into a bona fide action star – The Bourne Identity (2001), the spy action film that saw Damon take on the mantle of Jason Bourne, a superspy suffering from amnesia who has to avoid assassins on his journey to regaining his identity. Another box-office hit, it spawned four sequels that collectively grossed US$1.6 billion worldwide.

Soon thereafter, following a series of high-profile romances with actresses like Minnie Driver, Winona Ryder and Rhona Mitra, Matt Damon finally found true love away from the limelight with Luciana Barroso, a bartender he had met while filming Stuck on You in Miami in 2003. The couple wed in 2005, and are now the proud parents of four daughters, including Barroso’s child from a previous relationship.

With the new insight gained from becoming a father, the actor discovered a passion for humanitarian work, particularly in the field of clean water initiatives. To combat this crisis, Damon co-founded H20 Africa Foundation, an NGO dedicated to providing clean water to the needy in Africa. The organisation eventually merged with another charitable body, WaterPartners, to form what is now known as Water.org in 2009, whose mission statement is to “pioneer market-driven financial solutions to end the global water crisis”. The big-hearted actor is also a keen supporter of other causes, including combating AIDS, poverty and war atrocities through a number of other organisations.

But that’s not to say that he’s allowed his onscreen career to languish. In the last decade alone, he’s garnered praise for such diverse roles as that of South African rugby team captain Francois Pienaar in 2009’s Invictus (which saw him nominated for Best Supporting Actor at both the Golden Globes and the Oscars), a Texas Ranger in the Coen Brothers’ 2010 Western True Grit, and a castaway astronaut in not one, but two sci-fi hits – Interstellar (2014) and The Martian (2015).

Next up, though, Damon will have his feet back on terra firma, appearing in the historic biopic Ford v Ferrari in the role of Carroll Shelby, the famed US car designer who, together with Henry Ford II of Ford Motors, aims for an underdog victory against Italian motoring marque Scuderia Ferrari at the prestigious Le Mans race.

After that, the A-lister looks set to reunite with his old pal Affleck to co-write a script 22 years after their previous effort, the afore-mentioned Good Will Hunting, catapulted both actors to superstardom. Their upcoming collaboration with producer-director Ridley Scott and Oscar-nominated writer-director Nicole Holofcener, tentatively titled The Last Duel, will see Damon travel not to the stars, but to the distant past this time – the 14th century to be exact – in a story of a ‘duel to end all duels’ between a knight and a courtier.

While there’s little concrete information on that particular project, the all-star power behind it suggests that something truly special could be in the making – one that will allow audiences worldwide to remember just what makes Matt Damon such a Bourne star.

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: AFP

Reel Deal: November movies hitting Hong Kong’s silver screens

While the action-packed, blockbuster season of summer is well and truly behind us, November still affords the city’s cinephiles with plenty of big-screen adventures. From the chilling sequel to The Shining and the suspenseful drama of The Good Liar to the latest reboot of Charlie’s Angels and the eminently child-friendly Frozen II, here’s a round-up of the most anticipated November movies hitting Hong Kong’s big screens.

Doctor Sleep – 9 November

While the chills and thrills of Halloween may be behind us, there’s still one more big-screen encore that looks set to up the scare factor – Doctor Sleep. This Ewan McGregor-starring sequel to Stephen King’s The Shining sees a now-adult Dan Terrance attempt to protect a young girl from The True Knot, a cult hell-bent on doing away with children who have the power of immortality. Perhaps best to give this a miss if the little ones are in tow.

The Good Liar – 14 November

The upcoming drama thriller The Good Liar, based on the novel by Nicholas Searle, follows the travails of a seasoned conman as he grapples with his newest underhanded scheme after growing infatuated with his latest mark, a recently-widowed millionairess. With seasoned big-screen veterans Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren leading the cast, this suspenseful drama will surely have you at the edge of your seats.

Charlie’s Angels – 14 November

While the original Charlie’s Angels TV show was a smash hit, its 2000 reboot met with less-than-stellar results. But perhaps the third time’s the charm, that is, if the franchise’s latest iteration – starring Kristen Steward, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinski and Elizabeth Banks as the beloved Bosley – can attain that perfect blend of jaw-dropping action, humour and character charisma that made the original such a cult classic.

Ford v Ferrari – 14 November

This period drama is truly ones for automobile aficionados, as Ford v Ferrari follows the trials and tribulations of US car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and racing driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as they battle corporate interests and personal demons to develop a car worthy of toppling Ford Motors.

Frozen II – 26 November

If you’re among the legion of Frozen fans who still love to sing such classics as Let It Go and Love is an Open Door, you’re in for a treat as its long-awaited sequel, Frozen II hits the silver screen this month. Follow the adventures of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven as they set out to discover the origin of Elsa’s power in order to save their snowy kingdom, while tapping your feet to the wonderful soundtrack along the way.

Marvel Movies: How will the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four unfold?

When Robert Downey Jr donned his now-iconic red-and-yellow armour in 2008’s Iron Man, few could have imagined that his successful portrayal of “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” Tony Stark would spawn a cinematic franchise the likes of which the world had never seen before. Indeed, since this opening instalment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – the massive movie franchise run by Marvel Studios, based off of characters from Marvel Comics – cinemagoers across the globe have fallen in love with Iron Man and his merry band of superhero friends, The Avengers.

Much of this ‘Marvel-lous’ world’s success lies in its deft ability to blend jaw-dropping action scenes, poignant storylines and irreverent humour, which have pretty much become the calling card of the Marvel movie-going experience, infecting even the most cynical critics with Marvel Fever and causing them to root for such out-of-this-world protagonists as a gamma ray-infused rage monster (The Hulk), an interchangeably-sized ex-con (Ant-Man), a talking tree (Groot of Guardians of the Galaxy), and everything in between.

It is precisely this magic formula that has allowed Marvel to far outstrip any studio competitor, leading it to spin one collective story across 22 movies and three separate phases in what is colloquially known as The Infinity Saga. This superlative success has also translated into lucrative financial gains, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe having grossed over US$22 billion worldwide to date.

However, now, with Iron Man dead, Captain America seeking post-retirement bliss and Spider-Man caught in a web of disputes that may see him exiting the MCU forever, it’s safe to assume that the recently-announced Phase Four line-up will be a very different beast from the 22-instalment saga that preceded it. While the films are almost all still in preproduction, Marvel fans the world over are already abuzz about what to expect. Kevin Feige, the franchise’s executive producer, has also added to the anticipation by dropping a few spoilers as well. So what, exactly, can we expect?

First, as confirmed by Marvel, we can expect nine different instalments – a mix of feature films and TV series – which will run from 2020 to 2022. The studio has already promised to bring back some familiar faces, including Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, in addition to introducing several brand new characters. There have also been less-than-subtle hints that this will be the most inclusive line-up in MCU history, with its first Asian superhero, first openly-queer character and first deaf superhero, all soon to finally get their fair share of the spotlight.

The most well-known of the next slate may well be Black Widow, set for release on 1 May 2020 as the debut Phase Four outing. Given that Natasha Romanov (aka the Black Widow) forfeited her life in the fight against supervillain Thanos, the upcoming prequel will undoubtedly indulge in Marvel’s penchant for time-travelling shenanigans, transporting audiences back to a time when she was hale and healthy. If rumours are to be believed, the movie will take place between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. A glimpse of the confirmed cast / character list, meanwhile, reveals that we will get a more in-depth look at the Red Room, the Russian superspy programme that spawned Romanov. Scarlett Johansson, reprising her role as the assassiness-turned-hero, will be joined by David Harbour (Stranger Things), and Academy Award, BAFTA and Laurence Olivier Award winner Rachel Weisz.

The God of Thunder also looks set to break with his traditional trope in Thor: Love and Thunder, the fourth instalment of the Thor series, which is slated for release on 5 November 2021. While the return of its star, Chris Hemsworth, and Ragnarok director Take Waititi were all but expected, the news that Natalie Portman (who acted as Jane Foster, Thor’s love interest, six years ago) would not only be reprising her role, but would take over the mantle of Thor from Hemsworth caused much uproar. Add to this the fact that Valkyrie, last seen becoming the new King of Asgard, will be looking for her Queen, and this is one movie that surely has everyone at the edge of their seats.

Meanwhile, the Sorcerer Supreme – ably portrayed by an American-accented Benedict Cumberbatch – is also set to return to theatres in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness (7 May 2021). While its plot is yet to be revealed, the movie presents an exciting opportunity to introduce the MCU to the multiverse – where many universes coexist simultaneously. However, in a marked shift from the norm, Marvel has already announced that this will be the franchise’s first-ever horror film, so expect a higher-than-normal dose of spine-tingling thrills, all courtesy of the main villain, the chillingly-named Nightmare.

From here, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Four line-up gets more murky, with little real information available as yet. What we do know, however, is that – come 12 February 2021 – Marvel’s first Asian superhero will be getting his very own feature film in the form of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring Simu Liu of Kim’s Convenience fame as the titular character. The superhero, also known as The Master of Kung Fu, is pegged to come up against the real Mandarin (portrayed by Hong Kong’s very own Tony Leung), the villain falsely embodied in Iron Man 3 by Ben Kingsley and Guy Pierce.

Another somewhat-new introduction is The Eternals, starring A-listers like Angelina Jolie, Selma Hayek and Kit Harrington. It also features the first deaf superhero, Makkari, to be portrayed by The Walking Dead’s Lauren Ridloff. While these mythical characters have been hinted at in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they haven’t been explicitly name-checked until now. According to the comic books, though, the Eternals are a race of superpowered beings created by a group of space gods called the Celestials. Thanos, the supervillain at the heart of the franchise to date, was an Eternal, and the upcoming movie will introduce others still.

Interestingly, nearly half of Marvel’s Phase Four line-up consists of small-screen series. While the studio has had TV outings before, they’ve never been a part of its cinematic universe so far. Now, though, thanks to a partnership with the newly-announced Disney+ video on-demand service launched by Marvel’s parent company, Disney, fans can expect several of their MCU favourites to hit the small screen post-Endgame. The first of these series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is set to release in the autumn of 2020, and follows the adventures of the new Captain America, Sam Wilson, and Bucky Barnes. Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s brother and the God of Mischief, will also get his own spin-off show, which follows his adventures upon escaping with the Tesseract to an alternate dimension. Two other TV shows, one featuring Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye and the other with Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany’s The Vision, round out the list.

In all, while Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will likely retain many of the facets that have made its movies such box-office hits, it is refreshing to see it move away from the tried-and-tested style of its predecessors. Be it through a wider array of characters or the use of mixed-media channels, it could be that this experimental style could yield even bigger profits for the studio. While it will be seven months before we can begin to see the results of this gambol, we can, in the meanwhile, contemplate the many Marvel-lous possibilities…

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: AFP

Mann of Action: Wu Assassins star Byron Mann on his Hollywood journey

Byron Mann, Hong Kong’s most promising export to Hollywood, talks to us about what it is like to be an Asian actor in Western films and his latest success story, Wu Assassins.

You studied law before turning to acting. When did you realise that films were your true calling?

Well, I figured out law wasn’t right for me during my first year of law school itself. I was interning at a law firm in Hong Kong over summer break, when my manager there suggested I pursue something else. He asked me what I would like to do instead and I told him that I used to like acting in high school. He was the one who suggested that I should try my hand at it, because the University of Southern California – where I was enrolled at that time – is in Los Angeles, just minutes away from Hollywood. And that is exactly what I did over the next few years of college. By my third year, I had already signed up for a movie. So even before I had graduated, I knew that I wanted to act for a living.

Did you go through the struggling actor period?

Not in the traditional sense. Having started young, I was quite excited about the prospect of acting. I couldn’t believe they were paying me to do it, I would have done it for fun. Fortunately, as I was already based in Hollywood, I didn’t have to struggle too much, I was landing roles pretty much from the start. I think, if there’s any struggle, it’s in keeping yourself fresh for any new challenge after you’ve been acting for 10 or 15 years.

Do you think that being an Asian worked in your favour?

I really believe that there are roles for everyone in Hollywood. And I’m talking about the mid-’90s, way before Crazy Rich Asians happened. Of course, the roles available to a Caucasian actor were more in number than those available to an Asian, but there were fewer Asians competing for those parts than Caucasians at that time.

What do you consider as a turning point in your career?

There have been several such moments actually, but none of them made an impact overnight. I did this film called The Big Short in 2015. During the production phase, it was a low-budget film and nobody knew anything about it. But after it came out, it got more and more popular. I started feeling its impact over a year later, when producers and directors approached me for roles because they had all seen the movie. They all said they loved how evil I was in that cameo role.

Is there any particular decision you made that you would like to go back and change?

If there’s anything that springs to mind, it’s that for the first 10 years of my career, I only wanted to do feature films. I had grown up watching such great movies as The Last Emperor, Schindler’s List and so on. As a result, I was quite focussed on only signing full-length films and not TV shows. If I had to do it all over again, I would surely consider acting in both mediums.

Do you think that Hollywood has become more sensitive to Asian cultures over time?

I definitely think that there’s more awareness in Hollywood now than there was 20 years ago. There are several reasons for that. First and foremost is, of course, easy access to the Internet. Researching a character’s background and culture has become much easier. Secondly, there’s the emergence of China and India on the global stage. These are huge markets and Hollywood studios definitely don’t want to rub them the wrong way.

How different is the experience of shooting a full-length feature film from doing a TV series?

I would compare a feature film to a sprint, whereas a TV series is like a marathon. In feature films, you have to tell the whole story in two or three hours, so the intensity is at a different level. Having said that though, I think the two experiences are becoming more and more similar now, thanks to streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. For example, I acted in Altered Carbon and more recently in Wu Assassins on Netflix. Let’s say there are 10 episodes in each series, with a budget of over US$15 million for each episode. Given the money involved, the production quality is very high – it’s like shooting 10 feature films of shorter lengths.

Do you think that streaming services will soon eclipse the theatre-going experience?

That’s already happening to an extent, but I don’t think streaming will completely overshadow the cinematic experience. There’s something unique about collective theatre-viewing. You can’t completely recreate that at home. But, thanks to streaming services, you can watch very high-quality productions at leisure in your own home, at own your pace, and there is definitely a place for that as well.

What are your thoughts on Wu Assassins’ popularity?

Wu Assassins’ popularity has really exceeded my expectations. As of 23 August, it was ranked the third most-watched show in the world. What has surprised me the most is how audiences worldwide have responded to some of the racism issues addressed in the show. There’s a scene in episode 7 where my character responds to a racist waitress by educating her about the history of Chinese people in America. That scene has gone viral worldwide and has been one of the main talking points for the show. That’s very gratifying for me.

What was it like playing Uncle Six, who had a huge character arc in Wu Assassins, so much so that the audience ends up rooting for the villain?

The character of Uncle Six that I played in Wu Assassins has been a highlight in my career – a rather unexpected highlight, I might add. I signed up for this show because I had worked with the creator / producer John Wirth previously on AMC’s Hell On Wheels. I had such camaraderie with John that when he asked me to do this show, I said yes without even knowing much about the character or the series.

But I am glad that I said yes. I had a good time getting into the skin of this character and creating a contrast between how he looks at present and how he looked like 15 years ago, and following him on his journey when he lost his fire power and became a mere human, particularly what he looked like and how he felt when he took a road trip with his adopted son in episode 7. It was important for me to play a real human being instead of a stereotypical Triad boss. That was the challenge for me.

Finally, who’s your favourite actor?

Ah, there are so many… Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Daniel Day-Lewis, Meryl Streep… I would like to compare acting to really good food. After you’ve tasted something delicious, you think about it even after the meal is finished. It’s the same with movies. After you watch a good movie, you walk out of the cinema hall and still think about it. That’s good acting there if it moves you and gives you pause for thought. All the actors I just named are the ones who have moved me deeply with their acting prowess.

Thank you.

Interview by: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Photos: Jack Law
Art Direction & Styling: San Wong
Grooming: Chris Yu @ Morphologique
Venue: The Fleming Hong Kong
Wardrobe & Accessories: Etro, BOSS, Jimmy Choo, Giorgio Armani, Chopard, Cerruti 1881

Web-Master: The best-loved Spider-Man ever, Tom Holland

While many kids may idly hope to one day encounter their favourite superhero, only a very special child would dream of actually donning their mantle. Tom Holland, the young Englishman who out-acted thousands of wannabe webslingers to be anointed the new Spider-Man, must have been a very special child indeed.

Following the recent release of Spider-Man: Far From Home – the highly anticipated sequel to his debut outing in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming – Holland is now, arguably, established as the world’s favourite rendition of this particular friendly neighbourhood superperson. It is a ranking no doubt boosted by his appearance (again as spiderbloke) in two of the biggest box office successes of all time – Avengers: Infinity War and the tear-jerking conclusion to the biggest superhero team-up of all time, Avengers: Endgame.

Tom Holland — Photo Credit: Walt Disney Televison

It is an acclaim that somehow managed to elude his two most immediate predecessors – Toby Maguire (three cinematic outings between 2002 and 2007) and Andrew Garfield (two between 2012 and 2014). Why, then, is Holland still doing whatever a spider can, when his fellow thesps took such a tumble?Well, for one thing, his take on the geeky youth infused with arachnid radiation is by far the most relatable. With living a double life as a troubled teen by day and a superpowered smiter of evil by night being no minor challenge, for many, Holland has been seen as ably embodying both the angst and the adrenaline experienced by his two alter-egos.

In just the first 20 minutes of his maiden outing, for instance, Holland accidentally outs himself as Spidey to a school chum, all but destroys the Staten Island Ferry and then forgets to turn his phone ringer off while silently stalking a superpowered evildoer. To put it bluntly, we’re not in Iron Man territory here. It is this very everyday vulnerability, though, that is at the very core of the Holland-era Spider-Man. He just does the best he can in very extraordinary circumstances, a characteristic that all but ensures the audience is always rooting for him.

Furthermore, it doesn’t take much investigation to establish that this is a role Holland was pretty much born to play. Just 19 when he first took on the part, he is by far the youngest big-screen Spidey to date (Maguire, by comparison, was positively pensioner-like at 27 when he first sported the red-and-blue cowl), an asset that only adds to the seeming authenticity of the geeky Queens borough teen that is the off-duty Spider-Man.

Brought up just outside London as the oldest of four boys, Tom’s own interests, veered towards gymnastics, free-running and ballet. It was the latter interest that saw him enrolled at the local Nifty Feet Dance School, a move largely made at the behest of his mother. Recalling this formative terpsichorean training, he says: “I didn’t really know what I wanted to be. My mum thought I could dance, however, largely because I used to jig along to a Janet Jackson song she used to play.”

With the backing of both parents, he continued to immerse himself in the world of dance, with his commitment eventually bringing him to the attention of Lynn Page, a local choreographer who went on to become a Broadway regular. While she put him forward for a number of musicals and stage plays, it would be another two and a half years before he got his big break. This saw him take on the role of Michael, the best friend of Billy Elliott in the West End musical of the same name, for the next two years.

His newfound big-screen success led to meatier roles – notably, top billing in How I Live and Edge of Winter, two highprofile Canadian cinematic offerings. It was not long after this that he was confirmed as the new, more teen-friendly take on Peter Parker / Spider-Man.

In a retrospective tweet, he later reflected: “Life was flipped upside down”. Making his first appearance as Spidey in Captain America: Civil War rather than in a solo movie, it was nevertheless enough to secure him a Guinness World Record as the Youngest Actor Ever to Play a Title Role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While it’s not exactly World’s Cleverest Man, it’s still something to stick in your CV.

Riding on the success of Civil War and still dealing with the only-recently-inverted nature of his world, Holland’s first solo Spidey outing was released two years later. Keen to improve his American accent and learn what it was really like to be an American teenager – something of a mystery to him as, up until then, he had spent his entire life in the UK – he managed to convince the Men from Marvel that it really would be best all around if he went undercover at an American high school. Soon after, he found himself clandestinely enrolled at The Bronx High School of Science, the actual establishment that any real-life Peter Parker would almost certainly have attended.

Aside from that, with Iron Man and the Black Widow dead, Captain America lost into time, the Hulk caught up in rights issues and the Mighty Thor requiring the services of a life coach, if all goes well between the studio honchos, it may be pretty much left to Spidey to head Marvel’s epoch defining, post-Avengers Phase IV. Given the multibillion-dollar shared universe he could be charged with sustaining, the comic book phrase that has defined Spidey since his inception way back in August 1962 – “With great power comes great responsibility” – may never have seemed more apt.

Text: Bailey Atkinson

For the full article, please find the latest issue of Gafencu’s print magazine or the PDF version on the Gafencu app. Download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Reel Deel: September movies hitting Hong Kong’s silver screens

From the latest instalment of the action-packed Rambo franchise and the nail-biting sequel to the Pennywise-starring clown horror flick It to the guaranteed kid-friendly Abominable and slapstick comedic antics of Stuber, here are the hottest September movies to hit Hong Kong’s cinemas next month.

Abominable – 26 Sept

If your little ones have the back-to-school blues, perhaps a trip to watch Abominable, the computer-animated adventure flick from DreamWorks, may be just the thing to cheer them up. Follow the epic escapades of teenager Yi and Everest, her magical yeti friend, as they embark on an action-packed quest to reunite him with his family at the world’s highest point.

Stuber – 19 Sept

Action, comedy and an epic bromance – these are the key ingredients that promise to transform Stuber into a truly hilarious buddy adventure. Starring Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Silicon Valley) as a sub-par Uber driver who is forced to chauffeur an off-the-rails LA cop (Dave Bautista of Guardians of the Galaxy fame) hell-bent on revenge against a notorious drug lord, ridiculous shenanigans unfold as he seeks his first-ever five-star rating.

Ad Astra – 19 Sept

Sci-fi flick Ad Astra, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, is one of our most anticipated September movies. With an all-star cast led by Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland and Liv Tyler, join astronaut Roy McBride (Pitt) as he ventures forth into the Final Frontier to search for his missing father, while simultaneously trying to ward off a threat to human existence.

Rambo: Last Blood – 19 Sept

Sylvester Stallone reprises his iconic role as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo in the fifth instalment of his wildly successful Rambo franchise. Expect all the jaw-dropping action sequences and gratuitous violence that made the previous movies such cult hits as Rambo travels to Mexico to save his friend’s daughter from the clutches of an evil Mexican cartel.

It Chapter Two – 12 Sept

When the now-classic horror film It first hit the big screen in 2017, it ensured that millions of viewers around the world developed a healthy dose of coulrophobia (fear of clowns). Now, It Chapter Two, one of the most eagerly-awaited September movies on our list, looks set to revive those fears as actor Bill Skarsgard reprises his eerie role as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, who reappears 27 years after the events of the first instalment to terrorise the town of Derry once more.

Reel Deal: July movies to watch in the theatres in Hong Kong

With the summer holidays in full swing, perhaps not surprisingly, most of the July movies are overwhelmingly kid-friendly, meant for the whole family to bond together. So grab your popcorn now, and settle down into those cushy chairs for a rollicking good time.

Toy Story 4

When a new toy called ‘Forky’ joins Woody and the gang, a road trip leads to unexpected twists and turns where Woody meets his long-lost friend Bo Peep and finds out how big the world can be for a toy.

Releasing on 11 July 2019

Crayon Shin Chan Movie 2019

In the 27th title of this popular comedy manga and anime series, Misae and Hiroshi go to Australia, but Hiroshi soon goes missing. Now the Nohara family has to use their wits to rescue Hiroshi and uncover a secret treasure.

Releasing on 18 July 2019

The Lion King

In this photo-realistic live action-styled remake of Disney’s classic tale, a young lion must overcome tragedy and betrayal to become the rightful king of Pride Rock.

Releasing on 25 July

Doraemon: Nobita’s Chronicle of the Moon Exploration

In this Japanese science-fiction anime film, Nobita sees the moon turned yellow but nobody in his class believes him. So Doraemon gives him the Doraemon gives Nobita the Opposite-Direction Badge and they go to the Moon. What they discover there leads to a whole new adventure.

Releasing on 25 July

Scarlett Johansson: What’s next for the Black Widow post-Avengers: Endgame?

Even well before Avengers: Endgame burst into cinemas across the world at the tail end of April, there was no doubt that this was going to be something of a game changer. After all, this was to be Marvel’s magnum opus, the epic conclusion to the staggering 22-movie-long narrative that had been the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) Infinity Saga. And, indeed, over just its opening weekend, the three-hour film’s total takings were said to be an eye-popping US$1.2 billion, the highest first-two-days figure for any movie ever.

While Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America may have been central to this success, an equally important element of its appeal is none other than Black Widow, portrayed to perfection by Scarlett Johansson ever since the character first high-kicked her way into the MCU in 2010’s Iron Man 2. Across the near-decade since then, Johansson’s stock has risen, if anything, faster and further than The Avengers, which is now very much the Marvel mothership. Indeed, last year, Johansson’s take-home pay was a very tidy US$40.5 million, making her the world’s highest-paid actress and bringing with it the acknowledgement that she now truly is among the pantheon of all-time greats.

Her current mega-success, though, is a far cry from her eminently humble beginnings. The Black Widow-to-be was born in a low-income household in New York on 22 November 1984, the daughter – and child three of four – of Karsten Olaf Johansson, a Dutch architect, and his wife, Melanie Sloan, a producer. Showing a precocious interest in acting, Johansson made her professional debut in a 1993 Late Night with Conan O’Brien comedy sketch when she was just eight years old. Her first stage appearance – in Sophistry, an off- Broadway play, which saw her star opposite Ethan “Training Day” Hawke – followed soon after. She was then cast in one of the title roles of Mannie & Lo, a 1996 dramedy telling the tale of two down-on-their-luck sisters.

It was in 2003, though, that Johansson finally landed the two roles that transformed her fortunes – Griet in The Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Charlotte in Lost in Translation, a critically-acclaimed 2003 romantic dramedy. The latter, it seems, was a role she was born to play, with this bittersweet May-December romance opening to near-universal acclaim, while also securing ScarJo – as she has been unwillingly christened by fans – a much-coveted Golden Globe nomination, as well as the Best Actress accolade at that year’s BAFTAs.

This acclaim set her on course for a slew of big-budget starring roles, including Michael Bay’s sci-fi thriller The Island (2005) and Woody Allen’s psychological drama Match Point (2005), as well as such rom-coms as 2007’s The Nanny Diaries, co-starring Chris Evans, the future Captain America.

It was in 2010, though, that she truly entered the big league. Not only did she receive a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Feature Actress in a Play for A View from the Bridge, her Broadway debut, she also won the role that saw her permanently seared into pop culture consciousness – Black Widow, Marvel’s enigmatic assassiness.

Her take on the former Russian spy-turned-superheroine saw her career go – largely – from strength to strength. There were, however, one or two missteps along the way, most notably her appearance in Ghost in the Shell, a 2017 adaptation of a Japanese manga series. The entire production proved highly controversial, largely on account of its almost all-Caucasian cast, with many of them playing roles that were originally written as Asian characters. This, said many, was Hollywood “whitewashing” at its very worst.

Her personal life, meanwhile, has also been subject to several ups and downs. Most notably, after a series of high-profile romances, in 2008, she married Ryan “Deadpool” Reynolds, a union that ended in divorce just two years later. She married again in 2014, this time to Romain Dauriac, a French journalist, with whom she has a daughter, Rose Dorothy Dauriac. Three years later, she was once again single.

Reflecting on these painful experiences, she mused: “While I think the idea of marriage is very romantic – it’s a beautiful idea and it can be a beautiful thing – I don’t think it’s natural to be monogamous.” Judging by her recent engagement to actor Colin Jost, though, she’s clearly had a change of heart.

Romantic entanglements aside, there is one particular role that she has already confirmed and which has the world even more intrigued – the return of the Black Widow. Those few of you yet to see Endgame should look away now as a key plot point is about to be discussed.

Given that Natasha Romanov – what the Black Widow calls herself while her lycra is at the dry cleaners – sacrifices herself in the battle to de-Thanos the known universe, how come her debut solo movie has been confirmed as part of Marvel’s Phase IV slate? Sequel, prequel or timey-wimey trickery? Whatever the score, we’ll be there, alongside countless other millions. Don’t forget the popcorn.

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Images: AFP

Reel Deal: Upcoming movies in June in Hong Kong

With the temperatures continuing to rise in June, it’s the perfect time to head to the theatre and escape the heat. Indeed, with a whole array of popcorn big-box office pictures hitting the big screen this month, it’s best to get your tickets early to ensure you don’t miss out. Here’s our roundup of the top movies in June to pencil into your calendar.

6 June

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

In the latest installment to the X-Men franchise the super mutants must face off against one of their own, Jean Grey. After being struck by a mysterious cosmic force, the telepathic-mutant’s powers are elevated and more concerningly her stability is put into a tale-spin. Unable to comprehend or contain her powers, the X-Men must find a way to save Jean’s soul and save the planet from the the aliens who wish to weaponise her.
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawerence

13 June

Men in Black: International

The latest film within the Men in Black series is making its way to the silver screen with a new cast in tow. Looking to rejuvenate interest since the last film hit theatres seven years ago, this time around the film will follow a London-based team of secret agents must stop a series of alien attacks.
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Liam Neeson

20 June

Toy Story 4

Nearly nine-years after the last Toy Story left audiences in tears as Andy said his final goodbye to his toys and gave them to Bonnie, the beloved Pixar series is back again this summer with a whole new crisis for the toys to fix. Now faced with the challenge of solving an arts-crafts toy’s existential crisis about being a toy, the other toys must help him understand how to be one. With ‘existential crisis’ being the driving factor to this installment’s plot, we’re sure this will be the animation picture of the summer that parents are all-but guaranteed to enjoy along with the kids.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Keanu Reeves

Rocketman

Perhaps the only film this month to not be a sequel or new installment to an already existing franchise, comes Sir Elton John’s biopic Rocketman a film that took nearly two decades to be developed and brought to the big screen. Following the legendary singer’s early days as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music to his musical partnership with English lyricist Bernie Taupin, and of course his struggles to find acceptance with his depression, substance abuse and sexual orientation.
Starring: Taron Egerton, Bryce Dallas Howards and Jamie Bell

27 June

Annabelle Comes Home

Horror fans can look forward to ending the month off with a truly frightening picture – the third installment to the Annabelle franchise, a series which tells the supernatural tale of a possessed doll. This time around, demonologists played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga must keep the spooky figurine from awakening other not-so-nice spirits who tend to target their daughter.
Starring: Madison Iseman and Vera Farmiga