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Prolific filmmaker Herman Yau is no stranger to Hong Kong cinema who has directed bold films that touched on sensitive themes since the 1990s. Films like the Category III rated “The Untold Story” and “Ebola Syndrome” are famously explicit in violence, sex and gore. Most of all, he tells the real stories of Hong Kong through his raw and complex characters. Nonetheless, Yau would move on to direct big budget action films mostly financed by China like “Shock Wave” (2017), “The White Storm” series and “Moscow Mission” (2023) during the last decade. Filmed in different locations, “Customs Frontline” is such a film.

A young hotshot but principled Chow Ching Lai (Nicholas Tse) works for the Hong Kong Customs Department as an assistant superintendent. Fortunately, he has a sympathetic boss Cheung Wan Nam (Jacky Cheung), a senior superintendent there who gives him guidance throughout his career. One day while on a routine patrol,...

A scene from Hong Kong action crime film Customs Frontline. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

In Customs Frontline, Hong Kong delivers plenty of high-octane, large-scale action in this subtitled contemporary cop adventure. The protagonists are the city’s harbor patrol, charged with stopping maritime smuggling. They learn a major international arms dealer that no one in law enforcement has ever seen may be routing heavy-duty weaponry through their waters. The case begins with their boarding an inbound ship with all its crew having been murdered. The retirement benefits for employees in that “industry” seem severely lacking. No union? No perks.

The harbor police teams with reps from Interpol in the pursuit. Our heroes are two guys leading the way. Cheung (Jacky Cheung) is the grizzled veteran. Lai (Nicholas Tse) is his adoring disciple. The story is complex, with scenes occurring in multiple countries, on land and sea, keeping lots of balls in the air,...

Veteran Hong Kong director Herman Yau has assembled a top-notch cast for “War Customised,” a high-octane action thriller that is one of the highest-profile commercial productions to emerge from the territory in the past couple of years.

The cast is headed by Jacky Cheung and Nicholas Tse, along with Karena Lam and Francis Ng.

The supporting cast includes Liu Yase (“Limbo”), Michelle Wai, Angus Yeung (“Raging Fire”), Melvin Wong (“Above the Law”), Ben Yuen, Amanda Strang (“Final Romance”), and Brahim Chab as the villain of the piece.

Production, now underway, is by Emperor Motion Pictures, with principal Albert Yeung named as producer. Emperor is also handling international rights licensing.

The “War Customised” screenplay is by Erica Li. Plot details have been withheld.

In addition to playing the lead, Tse will also act as the film’s action choreographer.

Yau is a veteran of the action, martial arts and comedy genres...

Chicago, Il Hong Kong New Talents program, initiated by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiffs) with financial support by Create Hong Kong, has been on tour since June this year in Europe is making its first stop in North America at Asian Pop-Up Cinema, Chicago.

A special touring program post Covid-19’S disruption to the film industry’s ecosystem, Hong Kong New Talents program introduces and promotes Hong Kong’s new generation of filmmakers to international audiences. The selection of exhilarating new films highlights the strong creativity and artistry of the emerging filmmakers, giving the global film community a glimpse of the refreshing landscape of Hong Kong cinema.

Asian Pop Up Cinema’s upcoming Season 13th will feature five 1st & 2nd time directors’ work, screening from September 15 – October 6. They are:

Drifting (Jun Li), The Dishwasher Squad (Shum Shek Yin), Just 1 Day (Erica Li), Time (Ricky Ko), and Hand...

Chicago, Il – – Asian Pop-Up Cinema: Season 13 will present 30 films at an in-person and drive-in festival, with select titles available for online streaming. The festival opens September 15 and runs through October 12, 2021, at AMC River East 21, The Davis Theater and ChiTown Drive-In.

The programming celebrates the best Asian-centric cinema, with new work made by filmmakers from China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the U.S. and Canada. This season will highlight women in film, stories with humanitarian themes and action thrillers, including four restored martial arts classics.

Season 13 opens with Jessica Kingdon’s Ascension, a documentary observing China’s growing class divide through labor, consumerism, and wealth. Structured in three parts, the film ascends through the levels of the capitalist structure and examines how the contemporary “Chinese Dream” remains an elusive fantasy for most.

Centerpiece film The Fable: The Killer Who Doesn’T Kill is Japanese director Kan Eguchi’s action/comedy follow-up to The Fable,...

Erica Li is an eclectic screenwriter who has collaborated with directors of the like of Herman Yau and Stephen Chow, on scripts ranging from comedy to action. Her directorial debut “Just 1 Day” is a very personal project as the script is adapted from her own novel.

“Just 1 Day” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival

The film immediately introduces one of the two protagonists, Angelfish (Charlene Choi), a banker in her thirties and in a pretty typical relationship with a married man who eternally swears he will leave his wife but never keeps the promise. Angelfish is an incurable romantic and deeply misses little sweet gestures like watching the sun rising on Hong Kong with her lover, but unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be a possibility with him. Her old school girlfriends have opposite situations, one being a free and easy air hostess, the other a perfect-marriage paradigm.

After the 2020’s online Edition, this yer Udine Far East Film Festival will run a “hybrid” edition from 24th of June to the 2nd of July. Withe a public online press conference the Programme has been unveiled.

Festival’s directress Sabrina Baracetti has opened the press conference with a heartfelt mention to young producer and filmmaker Ma Aeint recently arrested and detained by the military regime in Myanmar. Far East Film Festival wants to add its voice to those of the others protesting and shouting out loudly for Ma Aeint’s freedom.

After a sincere tribute to the sponsors and the local authorities that have helped Feff since its start, Baracetti has revealed the line-up that includes 63 titles from 11 countries, 10 female directors, 6 world premiere, 11 international premiere, 22 European premiere and 21 Italian premieres. Zhang Yimou’s Chinese Spy Thriller “Cliff Walkers” will open the Festival on the 24th of June, while Herman Yau...

Stars: Andy Lau, Ching Wan Lau, Ni Ni, Kwan-Ho Tse, Ron Ng, Tak-Bun Wong, Philip Keung, Chun Kit Chang | Written by Herman Yau, Erica Li, Eric Lee | Directed by Herman Yau

After suffering life changing injuries in the line of duty, bomb disposal officer Poon Shing Fung turns his back on the police. But when a devastating series of bombings sweep Hong Kong, the police suspect their former ally may be involved after he is found unconscious at a crime scene. Now faced with memory loss and recalling only fragments of his former life, Fung sets out to uncover the truth and find out who he really is.

Opening with the massive destruction of Hong Kong airport, complete with flesh burned off skeletons, and a blast of the nuclear variety, Shock Wave: Hong Kong Destruction kicks off with a literal bang. This is no sequel to the original though. Oh no.

Get ready to be carried by a shock wave in Herman Yau’s explosive stand-alone sequel to his big commercial success from 2017, with Andy Lau slipping in the role of Poon Shing Fung, a former good guy seemingly turning a bad guy to be rehabilitated again. In this spectacle of collisions and bomb attacks, Yau returns to his domain of entangled stories turning into attention-grabbing, adrenaline-pumping thrillers. More precisely, while the original had a more linear narrative with a clearer structure, “Shock Wave Hong Kong Destruction” strays from the straightforward storytelling in favor of more action. If some things remain unclear, and other a dash illogical, the story rolls its way, not giving a damn about such trifles. The same happens with the viewer – the realization about the missing link in the main protagonist’s transition from Hong Kong Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau’s hero to a super-baddie might hit...

Newcomer Hong Kong director Jun Li decided to begin his career in feature movies with a “bang” and a big pink wig on the head of one of the most recognisable Hong Kong actors. What a way to start! Aided by seasoned scriptwriter Shu Kei and Herman Yau’s regular collaborator Erica Li, Jun Li has co-scripted and directed “Tracey”, where he frankly introduces a transgender character and follows her struggle on the path to happiness and self-discovery.

Tracey is streaming on Focus Hong Kong

Tung Tai-hung (Philip Keung) is a quiet fifty-something man, a gentle but somehow distant middle-class husband and father of 2, and an earnest optometrist with his own shop. Fond of his sweet memories of adolescence and his school-time inseparable trio, Tung has always been a loyal friend to Jun (Eric Kot), a brash and jolly womaniser and Ching, talented and passionate war photographer, who has long...

In today’s Global Bulletin, the U.K. selects James Newman for Eurovision 2021, Ringside and Newen close scripted deals in the U.K., BBC commissions a young men’s mental health doc with Roman Kemp, and the New Voice Awards announces its 2021 short lists.

Eurovision

BBC, BBC Studios and BMG have confirmed that Brit Award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter James Newman will represent the U.K. at 2021’s Eurovision Song Contest after the 2020 edition was postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 65th Eurovision is scheduled for May and will take place in Rotterdam.

Newman’s original entry will be revealed at a later date, and the BBC and BMG will collaborate on the track’s release with BMG handling publishing. BBC Studios will produce the U.K.’s coverage of Eurovision 2021.

Among Newman’s catalog of original songs are “Waiting All Night,” performed by Rudimental and Ella Eyre; “Lay it All on Me,...

The two studios plan to co-produce and co-distribute ten Hong Kong feature films over the next two years

Two of Hong Kong’s biggest studios, Emperor Motion Pictures (Emp) and One Cool Film Production, are joining forces on a slate of Hong Kong films, to help revitalise the local industry, which has been badly affected by the Covid-19 coronavirus.

The two companies plan to co-produce and co-distribute ten Hong Kong-produced feature films over the next two years. The ten films will mainly be filmed in Hong Kong with local crews in an attempt to support the local industry and nurture new talents.

Stars: Anthony Wong, Gillian Chung, Jordan Chan, Eric Tsang, Marvel Chow, Chuchu Zhou, Timmy Hung, Luxia Jiang, Anita Yuen, Hung Yan Yan | Written by Erica Lee | Directed by Herman Yau

In postwar Hong Kong, Ip Man is reluctantly called into action once more, when what begins as simple challenges from rival kung fu schools, leads to him becoming face to face with the dangerous underworld of the Triads. To defend himself and those he cares about, Ip Man must stand and fight one last time. This masterful biopic proves essential viewing for anyone familiar to the Ip Man saga, encasing sensational action sequences within a compelling drama.

Ip Man: The Final Fight comes from director Herman Yau, who previously helmed Ip Man: The Legend Is Born, the prequel film released inbetween Ip Man 2 and 3. And like Yau’s previous Ip Man movie, this sequel, which follows on from the...

Exclusive: Martial arts drama has been picked up by Hong Kong outfit Golden Scene.

Hong Kong’s Golden Scene has picked up international rights to martial arts drama The Empty Hands, directed by and starring Chapman To [pictured].

Produced by To and Tang Wai But, the film tells the story of a young girl whose only wish is to sell her father’s karate dojo when he dies, but discovers that 51% of the business was left to one of his worst pupils.

Currently in post-production, the film is scripted by To and Erica Li. To also stars with Stephy Tang, Yasuaki Kurata and Stephen Au.

Golden Scene is also selling Amos Why’s second feature, Napping Kid, basedon Mann Shin’s novel about the kidnapping of a confidential computer file. Currently in post-production, the film stars Cecilia So, Ng Siu Hin, David Siu and Candy Cheung.

Other titles on Golden Scene’s Filmart slate include Wong Chun’s award-winning...

Exclusive: Martial arts epic also sold to Germany and several Asian territories.

Hong Kong’s Universe Films Distribution has sold North American rights to Benny Chan’s Call Of Heroes to Well Go USA.

Well Go has also taken UK rights to the $32m martial arts epic in partnership with the UK’s Trinity Film.

Germany’s Splendid Film has acquired rights for German-speaking territories and Benelux.

Call Of Heroes, which revolves around a plucky group of villagers standing up to a cruel young general, has also sold to a raft of Asian territories including Singapore (Clover Films), Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam (Gsc Movies), Taiwan (Sky Films Entertainment) and Indonesia (Pt Teguh Bakti Mandiri).

Starring Sean Lau Ching-wan, Louis Koo and Eddie Peng, the film is in post-production. Sammo Hung is on board as action choreographer.

Universe is also teaming with Bona Film Group to co-produce Herman Yau’s Shock Wave, starring [link=nm...

David Oyelowo (Selma) has joined the cast of Peaky Blinders director Otto Bathurst’s feature debut Three Seconds opposite the previously announced Luke Evans (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies). Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Shine Pictures' Ollie Madden are producing with Kevin Frakes and Raj Singh of PalmStar Media financing. Erica Lee is exec producing. Alex Walton’s Bloom is handling international sales, with CAA and Wme jointly repping domestic rights. The…...

Luke Evans (the Hobbit trilogy) will star in Otto Bathurst’s Three Seconds. Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Shine Pictures’ Ollie Madden are producing with Kevin Frakes and Raj Singh of PalmStar Media financing. Erica Lee is exec producing.

Alex Walton’s Bloom will handle international sales at the upcoming Efm in Berlin. CAA and Wme are jointly repping domestic rights. Principal photography begins in Spring in New York. The film is based on the best-selling book by Swedish writers Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom. Matt Cook has penned the screenplay.

Three Seconds follows the story of a man forced undercover in prison as part of a FBI operation, who then has to escape on his own after his is abandoned during the mission.

Bathurst, who directed Peaky Blinders, and Evans are both repped by Wme.

Luke Evans will star in the Thunder Road and Shine Pictures thriller that Alex Walton is introducing to buyers in Berlin.

PalmStar Media is financing Three Seconds, which is based on Anders Roslund and Borge Hellström’s Swedish thriller about an undercover FBI agent who gets abandoned in a prison.

Otto Bathurst of Peaky Blinders fame directs. Thunder Road chief Basil Iwanyk is producing alongside Ollie Madden of Shine Pictures and Kevin Frakes and Raj Singh of PalmStar Media. Erica Lee serves as executive producer.

CAA and Wme are jointly represent Us rights.

“We are looking forward to presenting this fun and fast-paced script to buyers in Berlin,” said Walton.

“It’s a great package — an immensely commercial project with a talented and seasoned team between Otto, Basil and Kevin.”...

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 75 pairs of advance-screening IMAX movie passes up for grabs to the highly anticipated epic action/adventure “Seventh Son” starring Ben Barnes, Julianne Moore and Jeff Bridges!

Feb. 2, 2015 update: Due to popular demand, we have

increased this giveaway from 25 pairs to 75 pairs!

“Seventh Son,” which opens on Feb. 6, 2015 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Djimon Hounsou, Alicia Vikander, Olivia Williams and Jason Scott Lee from director Sergey Bodrov and writers Charles Leavitt and Steven Knight based on the book series “The Last Apprentice” by Joseph Delaney.

To win your free “Seventh Son” IMAX passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing...

With the New Year just days away, Universal Pictures has released brand new photos, storylines and dates for some of the most anticipated movies in 2015.

First up is Ted 2.

Hitting theaters on June 26, 2015, Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and voice star of Ted 2, Universal and Media Rights Capital’s follow-up to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time.

Joined once again by star Mark Wahlberg and fellow “Ted” writers Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild, MacFarlane produces the live action/CG-animated comedy alongside Bluegrass Films’ Scott Stuber, as well as John Jacobs and Jason Clark.

http://www.tedisreal.com

Photo Credit: Tippett Studios/Universal Pictures © 2015 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

(L to R) Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite for Sisters

Sisters – December 18, 2015

Genre: Comedy

Cast: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, John Leguizamo, Dianne Wiest, John Cena and James Brolin

Directed by: Jason Moore

Writer:...

Like a phoenix rising very slowly and wearily from the ashes, fantasy adventure Seventh Son will soon land in theatres. After a very lengthy stint on the shelf following the Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures divorce, its new owners, Universal, have cobbled together an international trailer. The question is, though, will it outshine the somewhat hit and miss efforts of the last preview?

Early talk surrounding the epic, which is directed by Sergei Bodrov, has revolved around its addiction to genre conventions. Warriors, CGI monsters, dodgy accents, and dingy clothing are a few of the typical fantasy tropes that the pic is harnessing to ensnare audiences. If we’re to throw this international trailer into that mix, it seems Universal are attempting to capitalise on the success of Game Of Thrones. But without the cunning, genius or creativity.

To be honest, it’s a damn shame these teasers don’t seem...

“An order of noble knights combatting the forces of darkness. It says here that there are a thousand of you.” “They’ve all died.” Jeff Bridges plays a sole survivor of mystical warriors in Seventh Son, a film crawling with colossal creatures. A Legendary Pictures movie due out this winter from Universal, Seventh Son features otherworldly elements that are explored in a new trailer, poster and photos.

“In a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order (Oscar® winner Jeff Bridges) travels to find a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son (Ben Barnes). Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish a dark queen (Julianne Moore) and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.

Sergei Bodrov directed Seventh Son...

After a few release date shuffles, and one really fun looking trailer, marketing for Seventh Son is finally kicking back in. Today brings an all new trailer for the fantasy film, along with a poster to boot. Come inside to check them both out!

About this time last year, marketing on Seventh Son began in earnest and people were preparing themselves for the sword and sorcery film in October 2013...Then the film got pushed to January 2014. No big deal, but then all of a sudden Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. parted ways. The film was in flux and it was pulled from the release schedule (because no one knew what to do with it). Along came Universal Pictures who became Legendary's new partner and the film was given a new release date of February 6, 2015.

Many fans were disheartened by the fact the film was being pushed back by over a year and,...

Legendary has granted us a new trailer and one-sheet for its upcoming release of Seventh Son, and we have the whole enchilada right here for you to chew on. Read on for the eye candy and details.

Seventh Son Release Details

Starring Oscar® winner Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, and Julianne Moore and based on the book series The Last Apprentice by Joseph Delaney, Seventh Son arrives in theaters February 6, 2015.

In a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order (Bridges) travels to find a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son (Barnes). Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish a dark queen (Moore) and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.

Sergei Bodrov directed Seventh Son from a screenplay...

Josh Brolin has joined Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt in the Denis Villenueve-directed Sicario. Lionsgate has worldwide distribution and Black Label is financing. The movie is set against the backdrop of the border wars between the cartels in Mexico, and the Americans trying to stem the violence from coming over the border. Brolin plays Matt, a CIA guy who runs the task force that recruits Blunt’s character from a Swat squad out of Tucson. Del Toro plays a mysterious and lethal character who is working with Matt’s team to take out a powerful cartel figure. Basil Iwanyk is producing with Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, Thad Luckinbill and Ed McDonnell. Taylor Sheridan wrote the script and Erica Lee and John Starke are exec producing.

China Film Co has put money into its first Hollywood films, paying what is believed to be in excess of an eight-figure equity investment in the pair of Legendary projects.

The deal is pursuant to the May 2013 framework agreement between Legendary East and China Film Co outlining the partners’ vision of producing commercial films for the global market.

Should the films get approval from state censors, China Film Co will distribute in China with distribution and marketing support from Legendary East and global distribution partner Universal Pictures.

China Film Co will be credited on the films and its equity recouped on a worldwide basis. China Film Co is the largest producer and distributor of Chinese content.

“These investments are an important step in the evolution of our partnership with China Film Co, Ltd,” said Legendary Entertainment founder and CEO Thomas Tull.

“China Film Co, Ltd has been paying close attention and great devotion to expanding its overseas...

Universal Pictures has released a bunch of new release dates for some of their upcoming films.

Duncan Jones' Warcraft was changed from December 18th, 2015 to March of 2016. They didn't want to compete with Star Wars.

Their Mummy reboot will be released on April 22nd, 2016.

There's an Untitled Michael Mann cyberthriller that's been set for for January 16th, 2015.

Jeff Bridges' fantasy action thriller Seventh Son comes out on February 6th, 2015.

Here's the press release with more details on these film.

About Untitled Michael Mann Project

Set within the world of global cybercrime, Legendary’s Untitled Michael Mann Project follows a furloughed convict and his American and Chinese partners as they hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta. Directed and produced by Michael Mann, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Tang Wei and Wang Leehom, and it is written by Morgan Davis Foehl and Mann.

Stars: Dennis To, Fan Siu-wong, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, Huang Yi, Rose Chan | Written by Erica Lee | Directed by Herman Yau

Review by Baron Fortnightly

The Legend is Born: Ip Man is a 2010 Hong Kong semi-biographical martial arts film about the early life of Ip Man (also spelled as Yip Man) and his journey to becoming a Wing Chun master whilst resisting the influence of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, aims to dominate China and secure its vast raw resources. Ip is probably most famous in the West as the teacher of legendary martial arts actor Bruce Lee.

The film starts with a montage of images and banners from the early 1900s, of the increasingly nationalistic Chinese resisting pressure from Japan who in 1915 issued the Twenty-One Demands to extort political and commercial privilege from China after the First Sino-Japanese War. This won’t mean much to casual viewers, but even...

Ip Man: The Final Fight

Witten by Erica Lee

Directed by Herman Yau

Hong Kong, 2013

In the span of only a few years, the series of Ip Man films have wooed martial arts movie fans around the globe. What impresses even more so is the number that have been produced and the frequency of their release. For the sake of discussion, if one wishes to include Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster (which is not really an entry in the series given that it reportedly pays no heed to any of the films specifically entitled Ip Man) there will have been five films about the legendary founder of Wing Chun since 2008. After two adventures starring Donnie Yen (2008 and 2010) and then an unofficial prequel (2010), now arrives Ip Man: The Final Fight, from director Herman Yau, inspired by Ip Man’s latter years in the late 1940s, 50s and early 60s.

Beginning...

Director Herman Yau and screenwriter Erica Li were in New York this past month to attend the North American premiere of their film Ip Man: The Final Fight. Our own Diva Velez was fortunate enough to sit down with them to discuss the life of the legendary martial artist and how it varies from the Wilson Yip/Donnie Yen series. [ed. Ben Umstead]-----   Twitch: "Ip Man: The Final Fight" is very different in tone to the first two Donnie Yen films which are much more action-driven.  What were the challenges in creating the prequel and ending chapter to his life after those critically acclaimed movies and were you asked to keep certain aspects of those films?   Herman Yau: Of course we had to add some...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Last spring, we reported Jeff Bridges’ casting in Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ big-screen adaptation of Joseph Delaney’s young adult series The Last Apprentice (aka The Wardstone Chronicles in the UK). Now, we have official news from Warner Bros. Pictures that production has begun on this project, titled The Seventh Son, which also stars Julianne Moore and Ben Barnes and have a first look at concept art for the film.

Check out the official press release and concept art below!

[Click Image To Blow Sh!t Up]

This concept art gives us an idea of the scale of what they’re going for in this adaptation. It is indeed a good sign for an epic battle against good and evil!

Production Begins on “Seventh Son” for Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures

Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore and Ben Barnes Lead the International Cast

Burbank, Calif.– Principal photography is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ fantasy action adventure “Seventh Son.

Well, okay, not really, but it is hard to not get that kind of vibe after seeing the latest sliver of concept art for Legendary and Warner Brothers' upcoming adaptation of The Spook's Apprentice known as The Seventh Son.

From the Press Release

Principal photography is under way on Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ fantasy action adventure Seventh Son. Shooting began on March 19th under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Sergei Bodrov, director of the Oscar®-nominated foreign language films Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan and Prisoner of the Mountains. Seventh Son stars Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart, Iron Man), Oscar® nominee Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven, The Hours), and Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia films).

The film’s international cast also includes Alicia Vikander (The Crown Jewels), Antje Traue (Pandorum, upcoming Man of Steel), Olivia Williams (Hanna) and Kit Harington (HBO’s “Game of Thrones...

Well it's finally official. Filming of Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' The Seventh Son has commenced, and we have the latest for you right here. Read on for the official synopsis and more!

From the Press Release

Principal photography is under way on Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ fantasy action adventure Seventh Son. Shooting began on March 19th under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Sergei Bodrov, director of the Oscar®-nominated foreign language films Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan and Prisoner of the Mountains. Seventh Son stars Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart, Iron Man), Oscar® nominee Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven, The Hours), and Ben Barnes (The Chronicles of Narnia films).

The film’s international cast also includes Alicia Vikander (The Crown Jewels), Antje Traue (Pandorum, upcoming Man of Steel), Olivia Williams (Hanna) and Kit Harington (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”).

Bodrov is directing the...

Principal photography is underway on Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ fantasy action adventure “Seventh Son.” Shooting began on March 19, under the direction of award-winning filmmaker Sergei Bodrov, director of the Oscar®-nominated foreign language films “Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan” and “Prisoner of the Mountains.” “Seventh Son” stars Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart,” “Iron Man”), Oscar® nominee Julianne Moore (“Far From Heaven,” “The Hours”), and Ben Barnes (“The Chronicles of Narnia” films).

In a time long past, an evil is about to be unleashed that will reignite the war between the forces of the supernatural and humankind once more. Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges) is a knight who had imprisoned the malevolently powerful witch, Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), centuries ago. But now she has escaped and is seeking vengeance. Summoning her followers of every incarnation, Mother Malkin is preparing to unleash her terrible wrath on an unsuspecting world.

Exclusive: Dancing with the Stars has given tube time to some former movie stars, but who knew the show would be so good at launching movie careers? Derek Hough, who as a regular dance partner has cut the rug with three winning contestants (Nicole Scherzinger, Brooke Burke and most recently Jennifer Grey) will star in Cobu 3D. The film will team him with BoA, a top recording artist and performer in Asia. Duane Adler, who wrote Save the Last Dance and Step Up, will direct his screenplay. The film will be produced by Robert Cort, who worked with Adler on Save the Last Dance. Korea's Cj Entertainment and Sm Entertainment will start principal photography in Toronto and New York this spring, while Hough is on hiatus from the show. BoA and Hough will play dancers from different worlds whose Romeo & Juliet-like romance is threatened by the dangerous rivalry between their...

The Legend Is Born: IP Man

Guest Review by Baron Fortnightly

Stars: Dennis To, Fan Siu-wong, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, Huang Yi, Rose Chan | Written by Erica Lee | Directed by Herman Yau

The Legend is Born: Ip Man is a 2010 Hong Kong semi-biographical martial arts film about the early life of Ip Man (also spelled as Yip Man) and his journey to becoming a Wing Chun master whilst resisting the influence of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, aims to dominate China and secure its vast raw resources. Ip is probably most famous in the West as the teacher of legendary martial arts actor Bruce Lee.

The film starts with a montage of images and banners from the early 1900s, of the increasingly nationalistic Chinese resisting pressure from Japan who in 1915 issued the Twenty-One Demands to extort political and commercial privilege from China after the First Sino-Japanese War. This won’t mean much to casual viewers,...