#Kwok Wai Chung

[tactile-vedic-math]

[panicinthestudio]

Further reading:

HKFP: Defence slams prosecution for shifting ground as sedition trial against Hong Kong outlet Stand News nears end, June 28, 2023

HKFP: Verdict in sedition trial against Hong Kong outlet Stand News set for October, almost a year after trial began, June 29, 2023

[chinemagazine]

Un tribunal hongkongais condamne deux journalistes prodémocratie pour «sédition»

Deux anciens rédacteurs en chef de Stand News, Chung Pui-kuen et Patrick Kam, condamnés pour conspiration et sédition

Le juge Kwok Wai-kin a reconnu coupables deux anciens rédacteurs en chef de Stand News, Chung Pui-kuen et Patrick Kam, de «conspiration en vue de publier et de reproduire des contenus séditieux». Stand News était un site d’information en ligne gratuit à but non lucratif basé à Hong Kong. Fondé en décembre 2014, il succédait à House News et se concentrait sur des questions sociales et politiques à…

[ulkaralakbarova]

A mysterious woman, known as Madame M, kidnaps forty pre-teen girls and transports them to a remote island to train them as the most deadly assassins. CIA operative Jack Chen follows the case for 6 years with no leads, but when a series of assassinations begin to occur, Jack suspects that Madame M is back in business. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Katherine: Anya Charlene Ching: Maggie Q Jack Chen: Daniel Wu Jing: Jewel Lee Faye Ching: Cheng Pei-pei Madam M: Almen Wong Pui-Ha Ryuichi: Andrew Lin Student murdered in Cage: Monica Lo Tattooed Yakuza boss: Benny Lai Chun Mr. Chan: Dennis Chan Kwok-San Drillmaster: Augustin Aguerreberry Little Jing: Chia-Li Mo Young Charlene Ching: Renee Nichole Rommeswinkel Little Katherine: Karine Kwok Fiona Birch: Marit Thoresen Crime Boss (uncredited): Mark Aldred CIA Agent (uncredited): Brian Banowetz CIA Agent (uncredited): Michael Clements Yakuza boss’s bodyguard: Marc Redmond VIP assasinated at Dragon Boat Rac: Johnnie Guy VIP Bodyguard #1: Matthew Sturgess VIP Bodyguard #2: David John Saunders VIP Bodyguard #3: Carl Ng VIP Bodyguard: Ho Chung-Wai VIP Bodyguard: Eddie Che Wai-Yin VIP Bodyguard: Vincent Chi Mo-Chun Fighter (uncredited): Jude Poyer Crime Boss (uncredited): Tullio Antiga Film Crew: Editor: Angie Lam Original Music Composer: Comfort Chan Kwong-Wing Fight Choreographer: Tony Ching Siu-Tung Costume Designer: Lee Pik-Kwan Executive Producer: John Chong Original Music Composer: Ken Chan Ka-Yip Director of Photography: Choi Sung-Fai Writer: Wong Jing Martial Arts Choreographer: Lau Chi-Ho Movie Reviews:

[brody75]

Royal Warriors (1986)

[fyeahcindie]

New MV from 光影 Instinct of Sight!  This is on their new album, Blended Abstract.  Definitely a lighter touch on this song than on others I’ve heard by the band; no screamo-voc from the bass player, but it’s still got plenty of power. Nice!  =D

Vocal-Jacey Po, gtr-Sze Wai Chan, gtr-Chung Wing Kwok, drum-Kin T. Poon, bass-Elvis Law

Jacey also directed the MV.

The release show was on March 9th at Music Zone @ Emax:

Excellent photo gallery at fb HERE.

[eesirachs]

hey im crazy interested in theology but my environment has never rlly fostered it and ive really only gotten as far as the book of revelation. do you have like an extensive list of stuff you've learned about/read/are interested in?? like the real historical deep dives? i know the basics but i want to really learn the details and the fringe stuff but i don't even know what im looking for. just like. anything to do w theology especially catholic. if you have the time though of course so np if not!! thank you either way:))

i am happy to make a list! below i've condensed an mdiv and half a doctorate in theology. if you need any particular recs, any pdfs, or any syllabi on a subject, dont hesitate to pm me. ofc some of these broad categories overlap. i've tried to keep this to books and not articles because that would overwhelm me

tanakh

coogan & chapman historical & literary intro to the hb; trible god & the rhetoric of sexuality; christine hayes' yale divinity school lecture series; bellis & kaminsky jews, christians, and the theology of hebrew scripture; near eastern archeology (journal); ex audito (journal); robert alter (translations); walter brueggeman; anchor bible series; john barton critical companion to hb

early christianity

(primary sources): gnostic texts; irenaeus; ignatius of antioch; eusebius; ambrose; jerome; augustine; nestorius; cyril of alexandria; capadocian fathers; dionysius; bede; meister eckhart; aquinas (secondary sources): norris christological controversy

martyrs & mystics

(primary sources): perpetua & felicity; blandina, queen pulcheria (read of her from nestorius); julian of norwich, hildegard von bingen; macrina; quintilla & priscilla (montanists writ large); theresa of avila (secondary sources): mandelker & powers pilgrim souls; beverly lanzetta womens body as mystical text; patricia donahue-white reading divine maternity; estelle jelinek tradition of women's autobiography; bernard ginn the varieties of vernacular mysticism; anne jensen god's self-confident daughters; peterson handamiden's of the lord; peter brown the body & society; epstein & schraub body guards: the cultural politics of gender ambiguity; gilliam clark the female man of god; herbert musirello the acts of christian martyrs; taylor petrey resurrecting parts; many will also recommend caroline bynam holy feast & holy fast and rudolph bell holy anorexia--i do not recommend these but they may be essential context

feminist, womanist theologies; asian theologies, mujerista theologies, disability theology, ecotheology

(keep in mind that some of these are first and second wave feminsim and do not reflect theological standards of inclusivity) rosemary ruether sexism and god talk; elizabeth johnson she who is; delores williams sisters in the wilderness; monica coleman making a way of out no way; m. shawn copeland enfleshing freedom; melanie harris ecowomanism; mary daly beyond god the father; jacquelyn grant white women's christ and black women's jesus; elizabeth johnson women, earth, creator spirit; katie canon katie's canon; marit trelstad cross examninations; monica coleman ain't i a womanist too?; virginia fabella & sun ai lee park we dare to dream; ada maria isasi-diaz en la lucha, daphne hampson on autonomy and heteronomy; kwok pui lan introducing asian feminist theology; elizabeth schussler-fiorenza in memory of her; phyllis trible texts of terror; eboni marshall turnman towards a womanist ethic of incarnation; lai ling elizabeth ngan ways of being, ways of reading; kelly brown douglass the black christ; chung myun kyung struggle to be the sun again; carol christ rebirth of the goddess; sallie mcfague models of god; mayra rivera decolonizing epistemologies; crscy john we dare to dream; karen baker-fletcher sisters of dust, sisters of spirit; sharon v betcher spirit and the politics of disablement; darby kathleen ray deceiving the devil; rita nakashima brock & rebecca parker proverbs of ashes: violence, redemptive suffering, and the search for what saves us; readings in ecology and feminist theology; elizabeth johnson ask the beasts; kwon pui-lan postcolonial imagination & feminist theology; kelly brown douglas sexuality & the black church; marcella althaus reid indecent theology; monica r. miller in ain't i a womanist too?; the oxford handbook of theology, sexuality, and gender; isasi-diaz in our own voices: latino/a renditions of theology

critical theory and carnal hermeneutics

richard kearney carnal hermeneutics; emmanuel falque the metamorphosis of finitude; jean-luc marion god without being; elaine scary the body in pain: the making and unmaking of the world; bataille eroticism: death and sensuality; thomas lacquer making sex; jean-luc nancy on being; emmanuel falque the wedding feast of the lamb; noel carrol the philosophy of horror; monster theory; jean-luc nancy corpus; lacan's fifth seminar; jean-luc nancy being with the without

horror

the medusa reader; richard kearney stranger's gods and monsters; gerard loughlin alien sex; barbara creed the monstrous feminine; daniel stephen hey the malady lingers on; julia kristeva powers of horror; yi fu tuan landscapes of fear; jacques derrida the animal that i am; elizabeth klaver images of the corpse; foucault the abormal; rene girard violence and the sacred; adams christ and horrors; kristeva stabat mater; philip johnston shades of sheol

queer theory

pak su yon coming home/coming out; gloria anzaldua speaking in tongues; tina beattie queen of heaven; dale b martin sex and the single savior; joseph marchal bodies on the verge: queering pauline epistles; rhiannon graybill are we not men? unstable masculinity in the hebrew bible; queer theology: rethinking the western body

appetites

t&t clark handbook to early christian meals in the greco-roman world; peter-ben smit fellowship & food in the kingdom; pitre brant jesus & the last supper; mary douglas food & the social order; mary douglas deciphering a meal; panayotis coutsoumpos, paul and the lords supper; reta halteman finger of widows & meals; hal taussig in the beginning was the meal; david grummet material eucharist

aesthetics & art

bal mieke contemporary art, preposterous history; jo cherylo exum between the text and the canvas: the bible and art in dialogue; richard taylor how to read a church; david gordon finding beauty where god finds beauty: a biblical foundation of aesthetics; rosalind hackett art & religion in africa; steven pinker on mentalese; thames & hudson the reenchanment of art; elizabeth grosz chaos, territory, art: deleuze and the framing of the world; griselda pollack psychoanalysis and the image; john berger ways of seeing; james elkins the object stares back; james elkins pictures & tears; helene cixous stigmata; gaston bachelard the poetics of space; james elkins on the strange place of religion in art; theodore adorno aesthetic theory; gilles deleuze pure immanence; david morgan the sacred gaze

sacraments

(primary sources): hans boersma heavenly participation; calvin institutes; hubmaier balthasar; luther; edward schillebeeckx christ the sacrament of the encounter of god; alenxander schmeman; tertullian de baptismo; aquinas summa contra gentiles; zwingli (secondary sources): gustaf aulen eucharist & sacrafice; r swanson unity & diversity in the church; john behr the trinitarian being of the church; paul f bradshaw (prolific in this subject); yngve brillioth eucharistic faith & practice; clifford dugmore the mass & english reformers; gayle felton this gift of water; j fisher christian initiation; edward kilmartin the active role of christ and the holy spirit in the sanctification; jack lewis baptismal practices of 2nd and 3rd century church; andrew mcgowan is there a liturgical text in this gospel?; john mckenna eucharistic presence; frank meige sacramental semiosis; kyle pasewark the body in ecstasy; h. m. riley christian initiation; herman sasse this is my body; e. j. yarnouth anaphoras without institution narratives; kimberly belcher hope efficacious engagement; brightman the english rite

[twilightronin]

Hard Boiled (1992)

[audreydoeskaren]

Which dramas or film have accurate costuming based on the time period/era?

Hi, thanks for the question. I will make a list of period dramas I find accurate or have heard good reviews about. I will be going in reverse chronological order of the time setting. Just to clarify, the accuracy of costuming has nothing to do with whether a drama/film is good or bad, I’m just being pedantic.

Feel free to add to this list!

In the Mood for Love (2000) 花样年华

Movie | dir. Wong Kar-wai, costume design Zhang Shuping

Set in 1962 Hong Kong. In this classic Wong Kai-wai movie, Maggie Cheung wears a whole wardrobe of 60s Hong Kong cheongsam that are both accurate and stunning. I could find very few problems with the costuming in this movie.

Everlasting Regret (2005) 长恨歌

Movie | dir. Stanley Kwan, costume design Zhang Shuping

Traces the story of the female protagonist through multiple decades, from the end of the 1940s to the 1980s. The 1940s costumes in this movie are SO GOOD they restored my faith in humanity. It shows that Zhang is actually capable of pulling off very accurate and beautiful designs, and he really doesn’t shy away from elements of the period that might appear outrageous to us today, like the shoulder pads and thoroughly curled hair. The cut, fabrics and details of clothes are all very well considered. This is a great example of costuming that does not rely on the guzhuang tradition whatsoever. The costumes for the later decades are unfortunately more of a hit and miss, likely because of widespread misconceptions about Mao era fashion.

Lust, Caution (2007) 色，戒

Movie | dir. Ang Lee, costume design Lai Pan

Set in 1937-42. Display of late 30s and early 40s cheongsam on actress Tang Wei. The costuming in this movie is not without its problems (especially with accessories) but overall it's pretty solid.

My review of In the Mood for Love and Lust, Caution.

Center Stage (1991) 阮玲玉

Movie | dir. Stanley Kwan, costume design Lai Pan

Set in the early 30s. Story about the life and death of iconic 30s silent movie actress Ruan Lingyu, featuring Maggie Cheung in cheongsam that were mostly accurate to the time and Ruan's personal style.

My review of Center Stage

The Great Magician (2011) 大魔术师

Movie | dir. Derek Yee, costume design Yee Chung-man, Jessie Dai

Set in the 1910s, one of the only and most accurate portrayals of that decade. The women’s aoqun costumes are true to the era, nicely tailored and aesthetically coherent. The hairstyles and accessories are great too. I’m not an expert on military uniforms but I find it very commendable that they attempted to recreate actual pre-WWI style European dress uniforms for the male characters instead of using stereotypical “Republican era” uniforms which are a staple in guzhuang.

Story of Yanxi Palace (2018) 延禧攻略

Drama | dir. Hui Kaidong & Wen Deguang

Set in the 1740s, also known as the 1850s, in the Qing Dynasty. The costume design got the era entirely wrong and recreated the mid 19th century instead, but if you pretend that the story is set in the mid 19th century it would be very accurate. Because the story takes place in the court, most of the costumes are Manchu court dress with occasional elements of Han fashion thrown in (sometimes incorrectly). Still infinitely better than most other Qing court dramas that dress their court ladies in Republican era Manchu fashion :3 The materials and fabrics used for the costumes are also very cool and realistic looking. From a tv history point of view, this was the first Qing drama and second overall drama (after Imperial Doctress) to put effort and money into accuracy and got somewhere, so I think it deserves a place in the cdrama costuming hall of fame.

My review of Story of Yanxi Palace

Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty (2019) 梦回

Drama | dir. Lee Kwok Lap

Legitimately the best Qing costuming you will ever see, I do not care that the plot is trash. Set in 1706, the Manchu costumes tend to drift toward the later parts of the 18th century, though overall the costuming in this drama reached ground breaking levels of accuracy. The attention to details, like season appropriate fabrics and patterns, differences between Manchu and Han dress and the construction of the clothing is simply *chef’s kiss* perfection. Because the plot and production were so bad, this drama did not generate much clout, which is a serious shame considering how fabulous the costuming was. This was a product of the post-Yanxi Palace climate of Qing costuming, where producers became aware that accurate costuming was appreciated and profitable. Despite all its problems, this is definitely the drama I would recommend for everyone interested in 18th century Chinese fashion. I honestly experienced historical costumer euphoria watching this.

My review for Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty

Song of Youth (2021) 玉楼春

Drama | dir. Gao Han

Set in the Longqing era (1567-72) in the late Ming Dynasty. The costuming here does have a ton of problems, but it’s still the best Ming Dynasty costuming I’ve seen in a long time, perhaps since forever. At least you can tell that it’s the Ming Dynasty, I’m not asking for more. I have to mention that the creator/writer for both this drama and The Story of Yanxi Palace are Yu Zheng, who is infamous for using costuming to promote his shows. While the fact that he is paying more attention to costuming in recent years is great, the way he markets the costuming is highly questionable and ignorant. He made bots or something pretending to be Koreans making claims on social media about Ming Dynasty clothing "plagiarizing” Korea (which is a bogus and Orientalist idea) so he could get back at them to gain publicity. Please do not fall for this kind of marketing gimmick.

My review of Song of Youth

The Imperial Doctress (2016) 女医明妃传

Drama | dir. Steve Cheng, Lee Kwok Lap

You might be wondering why I added this tacky drama from five years ago into this otherwise aesthetic list, this was actually the OG cdrama with historically accurate costuming. I’m including it for narrative purposes and to pay respect. Prior to this show, nobody in Chinese television had entertained the idea that they could try to make historically accurate costuming for period dramas and use that as a selling point (or maybe some did but failed to make anything remotely legitimate).The costume designers for this show actually looked for fashion history resources and recreated historical looks, with varying degrees of success. Set in the Zhengtong era (1435-49), it featured costumes sourced from all over the Ming Dynasty and even the Qing Dynasty and was an all round mess (which became a recurring problem in recent years). The reason why the costuming in this drama was so revolutionary in its day was because it finally showed a way for drama costuming to break free from guzhuang and take influence from fashion history and popular hanfu styles instead (Ming style hanfu rose to prominence around this time). While many of the costumes in this drama now look badly made, tacky or obsolete, this show was iconic and left a positive legacy. We were only able to get Yanxi Palace, Serenade of Peaceful Joy and Longest Day in Chang-an because of this show.

Serenade of Peaceful Joy (2020) 清平乐

Drama | dir. Zhang Kaizhou

Set in the Renzong era (1022-63) in the Song Dynasty. Apparently the plot isn’t great, but the costumes are relatively solid. In fact, the costuming is pretty groundbreaking in terms of historical accuracy, especially the menswear. For once the costumes actually attempt to resemble the Song Dynasty. The womenswear seems like a miss though. I’m not an expert on anything before the Ming Dynasty so I can’t comment on exactly how accurate the costumes in this drama are but they sure look satisfying.

Longest Day in Chang’an (2019) 长安十二时辰

Drama | dir. Cao Dun

Set in the Xuanzong era (713-56) in the Tang Dynasty. I read that the costumes are more accurate to a different era within the Tang Dynasty but overall the materials, patterns and cut look very authentic and beat 99% of Tang Dynasty dramas that came before it. I, for one, really enjoyed the Central Asian patterns and men’s headwear representation. This was, to my knowledge, the first Tang drama that made breakthroughs in historical accuracy, so we have to acknowledge its historical importance too. The show itself is also very well written and entertaining in my opinion so I will highly recommend this drama.

Court Lady (2021) 骊歌行

Drama | dir. Hui Kaidong, Wen Deguang

Set in the Taizong period (626-49) of the Tang Dynasty. Apparently the costumes are pretty good, though probably also accurate to a different period within the Tang (why is time travelling within a dynasty a recurring issues??).

[beardedmrbean]

Hong Kong —  Two former chief editors of a now-shuttered media outlet in Hong Kong went on trial Monday for publishing "seditious" content, the latest prosecution of journalists in the business hub.

Sedition, a once little-used hangover from the British colonial period, has been embraced by prosecutors alongside a new national security law as China cracks down on dissent after democracy protests three years ago.

Chung Pui-kuen, 52, and Patrick Lam, 34, were jointly charged alongside Stand News' parent company Best Pencil Limited, of "conspiracy to publish and reproduce seditious publications."

The two journalists, who have been detained for the last 10 months, have pleaded not guilty and face up to two years in jail if convicted.

Stand News was a popular online news portal that provided detailed and often sympathetic coverage of Hong Kong's democracy protests and the clampdown that followed.

National security police raided its offices late last year and froze HK$61 million (US$7.8 million) of the company's assets.

Stand News folded soon afterwards and deleted its content.

Prosecutors accuse Chung and Lam of "inciting hatred" against authorities with 17 articles and three videos published on Stand News.

The trial is being overseen by Kwok Wai-kin; a District Court judge handpicked by the government to try national security offences.

Sedition was wielded by Colonial Britain against pro-China leftist newspapers in the 1950s and 1960s during periods of social unrest.

It fell into disuse for decades afterwards until police dusted the law off in the aftermath of 2019's huge and sometimes violent democracy rallies.

More than 220 people — the bulk of them activists, former elected lawmakers, unionists and journalists — have been arrested on national security charges since Beijing imposed the sweeping law in mid-2020.

About one-fifth of those arrested have been hit with charges of sedition.

Recent jailings under sedition include a group of unionists who published a series of children's books about the democracy protests, two people who applauded and shouted slogans and a court hearing and an online radio host who broadcast fiery criticisms of the government.

National security charges, including sedition, were also brought against Apple Daily, a popular pro-democracy tabloid that also folded when its assets were frozen.

Senior executives, including its jailed owner Jimmy Lai, are set to go on trial in December.

Critics say Hong Kong's national security campaign has eviscerated freedoms and begun transforming the city's legal system.

Beijing says order has been restored in the wake of the demonstrations.

Earlier this year, Hong Kong plunged 68 places in an annual press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders to 148th, sandwiching the business hub between the Philippines and Turkey.

In RSF's first report in 2002, Hong Kong had some of the freest media in Asia and ranked 18th worldwide.

[365days365movies]

January 9, 2021: Kung Fu Hustle (2004) (Part 1)

OK, before we even get started: watch this movie. This movie is a HELL of a lot of fun, holy shit. I’ll gladly go into it, in another two-poster, but you really should watch this movie.

BUT, before you watch it, you also need to know what to expect from it. And so, let’s talk about kung-fu movies.

I’ll actually be going to martial arts films as the next sub-genre of action, so this is a great primer for it. But I’m a big fan of the genre, even though I haven’t seen a lot of it. If you’ve seen Kill Bill, especially Part 1, then you have an idea of how martial arts films work, from an American lens. However, kung-fu movies are one of China’s big contributions to the action genre. The tropes are recognizable, as are the directorial flourishes and themes. And, of course, there are the fights.

OHHHHHH, THE FIGHTS. Glorious, crazy, over-the-top, dramatic, engaging, just...I love the fights in martial arts films, so very much. So, how do you balance that with comedy? Enter Kung Fu Hustle, and I’m just gonna jump right in. I’m excited to talk about this movie.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! You’ve been warned.

Recap

The Axe Gangsters have taken over Shanghai, in the year 1940! Their leader, Brother Sum (Danny Chan Kwok-kwan), rules the city with an iron fist. All except for Pigsty Alley, which is lorded over by the Landlord (Yuen Wah), and his wife, the Landlady (Yuen Qiu), who watches an otherwise peaceful settlement. She’s...

...something, alright.

Visiting Pigsty alley are two thugs, named Sing (Stephen Chow) and Bone (Lam Chi-chung). The former is a schemer, claiming to be a part of the Axe Gangsters. They try to blackmail a barber to providing a free haircut. This leads to Sing challenging anybody in the village to a one-on-one fight. He challenges this short man...

...and then a child.

That eventually leads up to him facing the Landlady herself, which goes as well as you’d think. 

He grabs a firecracker and throws it, claiming that it will summon the Axe Gang that he’s definitely in. Instead, he accidentally throws it at one of the Axe Gang, and manages to convince them that someone in the Alley threw it. The Landlady retreats from the challenge.

OooooooK. The gang threatens the barber from earlier, and is IMMEDIATELY DESTROYED. But not by the barber, I don’t think. That shot’s a little misleading. Anyway, they call for backup using an axe firework, and the Axe Gang invades Pigsty Alley. Just as the leader’s about to set a woman and her child on hire, a guy pops up and starts kicking ass.

And then, as this scene’s happening, a thug gets into a laundromat, where a kindly tailor from earlier…

Yeeeeeessss...

WHAT. YES. MORE.

YEAH BABY LET’S GO

I, uh...I’m a sucker for kung-fu fight scenes. They’re cool. They’re REALLY cool.

When the dust literally clears, standing together are our three martial artists, Coolie (Xing Yu), Tailor (Chiu Chi-ling), and Donut (Dong Zhihua). Awesome. More please.

Might get it, as the two guys from earlier, Sing and Bone, are captured by the Axe Gang. Turns out, yeah, they aren’t members of the gang after all, and just posed as such with a desire to join them. Sing’s also an expert lockpick, freeing them both before they’re executed by axes. Brother Sum tells that they may join if they kill someone, although he doesn’t seem to be on the up-and-up. 

The guys scheme to take revenge on the Pigsty Alley residents, with Sing claiming that he’s a natural kung-fu genius, something he’s believed since childhood when a guy on the street told him he was a natural. This is obviously a scam, which is hilarious. But he took it seriously, and used the pamphlet to train himself.

It didn’t go well.

Apparently, this event drove him to desiring a life of crime. And stolen ice cream. 

The surprise kung-fu masters are berated by the Landlady for bringing trouble to the Alley, but the villagers appear to appreciate it. Also, the tailor is pretty heavily queer-coded. And I didn’t mention it earlier, even though it’s shown, but...let’s just say the way they treat that fact didn’t age well. Like...at all. Remember, this is in 2004. Even in China, there was a certain...style of joke.

Anyway, uncomfortable elephant in the room addressed, Sing and Bone arrive, resulting in Sing getting stabbed by three separate knives and bitten by cobras. I refuse to reveal how that happens, because it’s amazing. They’re discovered by the Landlady, who…

This is a cartoon, huh. A literal live-action cartoon. I can dig it.

That brings something up, by the way. There’s a surprising amount of CGI in this film, and it didn’t age amazingly, sorry to say.

Sing heals from the stabbing and the bites VERY quickly, much to my (and his own) surprise. Meanwhile, Brother Sum hires a couple of guys who are top killers, setting them against Pigsty Alley’s three fighters. Speaking of the fighters, they’ve been kicked out of the Alley. But as they’re getting ready to leave, they decide to test each other. By fighting.

I might get more, as Coolie passes the two killers, one of whom is playing a guanzheng, a traditional Chinese harp. Unfortunately for me, however, the harp appears to be magical, and kills Coolie with its melodic rhythm, beheading him. Tailor goes up against them shortly after, where we see that the harp seems to create invisible mystical swords, fists, and force. WHICH IS RAD AS HELL

Tailor and Donut go against them, and the Harpists both work together to take them on and…

I...just...it...they…

Well, never mind, since the last two martial artists are down for the count at this point. Damn. That was a VERY cool scene, holy shit. It was legitimately awesome, and I can’t wait for the

...The Landlord and Landlady are martial artists, too. WHAT. YES. HOLY SHIT YES.

And while the effects certainly aren’t the greatest here, I don’t care. LOOK AT THIS SHIT.

Then, when I think the action can’t get any cooler...the comedy comes back with a vengeance.

This movie. This movie rules. AND I AM ONLY HALFWAY IN GODDAMMIT

Speaking of, let’s break this up into two parts! Part 2 later today!

[palicoffeehk-blog]

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[fayewonglibrary]

Faye Wong’s 18 best songs (2020)

from Cantopop to grunge, Chungking Express to Final Fantasy VIII – Hong Kong’s ultimate 90s diva

From her Chinese-language covers of The Cranberries, Tori Amos and Cocteau Twins to her iconic statement album Di-Dar, Pledge and 100,000 Whys, Faye Wong left an enduring mark on the Asian music scene – from alternative Western styles to big balling ballads, and embracing Cantonese before returning to her native Mandarin

Faye Wong was the ultimate Hong Kong diva of the 1990s. Her nightingale voice, artistic persistence, indifference to fame and unmistakable style made her one of the city’s most singular celebrities.

While most of us might know her for that cover of The Cranberries’ Dreams, or providing the vocals to Eyes On Me, the ending theme song for Final Fantasy VIII , Wong didn’t hit the big time until her fourth studio album “Coming Home”. After a modelling stint and coming third in a singing competition, Wong had been signed by Cinepoly and came under the tutelage of Tai See-chung, who also trained Hong Kong megastars such as Anita Mui, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai.

Her original name Wang Fei was considered too mainland-sounding for the Hong Kong market and her record label gave her the name Shirley Wong. However, given the mediocre success of her first three albums, she was sent to New York to undertake vocal training and as a cultural exchange. It was in the Big Apple where the artist found herself, saying in an interview:

“I wandered around, visited museums and sat at cafes. There were so many strange, confident-looking people. They didn't care what other people thought of them. I felt I was originally like that too, independent and a little rebellious. But in Hong Kong I lost myself. I was shaped by others and became like a machine, a dress hanger. I had no personality and no sense of direction.”

It was this realisation that led to her becoming the idol that she is today, a performer who gradually transitioned from Cantopop love ballads to composing alternative tunes for her own albums. While she has taken a step back from the limelight since her second marriage in 2005, here are our favourite songs by the Cantopop queen turned alternative musician.

Vulnerable Woman

In 1992, Greed of Man was TVB’s big budget show of the year and is still lauded as one of the network’s best dramas. Faye Wong’s Vulnerable Woman was the music played when the heroine tragically died. The song immortalised the scene in the hearts of viewers all over Hong Kong.

No Regrets

“No Regrets” was the follow up album to “Coming Home” and it didn’t disappoint. The eponymous single was a huge hit.

Monsoon

Another hit from the “No Regrets” album. A mellow Cantopop number that resounded in the halls of karaoke lounges for years to come.

Summer of Love

“100,000 Whys” is the album where many see Wong coming into her own. Shedding her stage name Shirley, Wong went back to using her given name – Wang Fei – in Chinese and changed her English name to Faye. Her album brought grunge to the Hong Kong public’s consciousness as well as adopting other bold style experiments of the time. Summer of Love was a small step away from the string of ballads she was known for and appealed to her younger fans.

Cold War

A cover of Tori Amos’ Silence of the Year with lyrics beautifully adapted by Albert Leung. Amos’ vocals weren’t easy to replicate and Wong was able to apply her style while staying true to the original.

Pledge

The Beatles’ “White Album” was considered to one of their best as well as being one of their more experimental. For Wong’s fans, her choice to issue the “Random Thoughts” album in white with the words embossed in cream, came to feel similarly pivotal. Covering two songs by the Cocteau Twins, this album was Wong’s first move into alternative rock. Pledge is the first song she wrote alongside her then partner and eventual husband Dou Wei and was the first original Mandarin song to be featured on tracklists.

Dream Lover

Wong’s cover of The Cranberries’ Dream is a landmark due to the fact that she adapted lead singer Dolores O'Riordan’s vocal style of keening and yodelling thereafter. The song was featured in Wong Kar-wai’s much acclaimed feature film, Chungking Express, which Wong also starred in, catapulting her into the international spotlight.

Sleepwalk

This song showcased Faye Wong growing into her adopted style, using a slight yodel in the intro to this original score by C.Y. Kong.

Honeymoon

The next album, “Please Myself”, while not as much of a commercial success as “Random Thoughts”, included this hit single, and also the title track and Exit on the tracklist, all self-penned by Wong.

Angel

The year 1994 was a prolific one for Wong as not only did she release two Cantonese albums but a Mandarin one as well, with translated works and a few original scores. Angel continued Wong’s experiment with alternative music and was also the theme song of the fantasy film, Mermaid Got Married.

Brink of Love and Pain

The ballad that anchored the “Please Myself” album was one of the last conventional Cantopop songs by the pop diva and began the divide between her own musical style, and commercial and mainstream tastes.

Di-Dar

Di-Dar was featured number 27 in Ming Pao Weekly's list of “40 Classic Cantopop Albums of the Last 40 Years” in 2008. Music journalist Fung Lai-chee described it as “the best psychedelic and bestselling avant-garde work in Cantopop, with songs that are self-centred, ignoring [the] market and others' work.”

Ambiguous

This ballad was written to appeal to the mass market and is a favourite among Wong’s fans.

Anxiety

Considered one of the riskiest albums of Wong’s to date, this album falls squarely in the alternative category. Many of the songs didn’t include proper lyrics – a cardinal sin in the age of karaoke – and it wasn’t well-received by the mainstream market at the time. However this album scores high in listenability and deserves more of an audience.

Eyes on Me

It was a matter of national pride when Wong provided the vocals for the ending theme for arguably one of the most popular RPG games of the 1990s, Final Fantasy VIII. It was the era just before streaming took off and YouTube even existed so scores of fans forged ahead to finish the game, solely to arrive at the end credits to hear the song.

Hundred Years of Solitude

The “Lovers & Strangers” album was one of Wong’s bestselling albums and after its release in 1999, Guinness World Records declared Faye Wong the best selling female Cantopop artist of all time. It was also the beginning of Wong’s departure from prioritising the Hong Kong market and releasing more and more songs in Mandarin, her mother tongue.

Chanel

Wong established herself more clearly as a songwriter by penning five of the songs on the tracklist of the “Fable” album. Her singing style had matured and moulded itself to her style of songwriting while she pushed at the boundaries of popular music.

Withered Flower

“To Love”, released in 2003. was the last of Wong’s studio albums to date and Withered Flower the last Cantonese song she has presented to her Hong Kong fans.

by: Lisa Cam

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SOURCE:  SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

[liuxiang]

BOXFUL 儲物最到家 from SEESAW on Vimeo.

Director : Oggy Cheng Producer : Hui Wai Sim DOP : Chung Chi Ming Barry Gaffer : Wing Mak Asst. director : Kay Li Chung Hin Production Manager : Sang Leung Post Production : Seesaw Post Production Ltd. Offline : Saifai Kwok @ Seesaw TC : Allen Cham @ Seesaw Online : Hui Yuen @ Seesaw CG : Lewis Chan @ WeWah Music : Giggle Music Ltd. Agency : The Gate

[brody75]

Seven Warriors (1989)

[fyeahcindie]

Waaa so heavy!  0_0

This is the newest single from Hong Kong Alt rock/metal group 光影 Instinct of Sight.  =D

Voc-Jacey Po aka Jacey Leung (啊寶 Ahpo), gtr-Sze Wai Chan, gtr-Chung Wing Kwok, drum-Kin T. Poon, bass/screamo-Elvis Law.  Jacey & Elvis both also work as tattoo artists.

Music: Wai, Lyricist: Jacey, Arranged: Instinct of sight, Produced: Kin 

They came over to play Legacy Taichung with Flesh Juicer 血肉果汁機 last month, there’s a gallery at facebook. Here’s a great shot (photos by @葉豐堯):