A bunch of out of focus pictures of Karen Mok in concert.

From a recent concert in Guangzhou. Not the sharpest but they will have to do for the Mok-starved masses.

Some of her hard working dancers.

Loyal fans

Sina slideshow

Maggie Cheung and Zhang Ziyi in "Hero"

“Wow—I didn’t expect THAT!” were my exact words while watching the scene in “Hero” in which Flying Snow kneels, leans the dead body of Broken Sword, her lover, against her own and lifting a sword high above her head drives it through the body of Broken Sword and into her own. I was so taken with this movie, so caught up in the story and characters that I was literally living in the moment—its moment, as each moment was created on the screen. I had no idea what would be coming next nor did I care to know. “Hero” is a wonderful movie. The story is simple and powerful; its universal themes are how unconditioned love of one person for another is both transcendent and destructive; that complete devotion to one’s country can blind a patriotic person to the needs of humanity generally, including his own needs; and that death and destruction are necessary prerequisites for the unification of a great nation.

It is hard to imagine a better cast in better roles. Jet Li is the stoic, silently intense and extraordinarily skilled killer. His brooding good looks and ability to hold himself almost unnaturally still is perfect for “Nameless”. Tony Leung Chiu Wai is a true movie star. He can carry movies, can immerse himself in an ensemble, can do comedy, romance, action, drama—you name it. As Broken Sword he once again shows his ability to take on all the parts of a character so that you don’t see Tony Leung—he is the character, whether rebuffing the advances of the lovestruck Moon in their gorgeously designed house or trading sword cuts with Flying Snow in the desert, each trying to keep the other from going into a battle that can only result in his or her death. Donnie Yen, given the relatively thankless role of Sky, acquits himself well. Yen, whose greatest fan I am not, shows the martial arts skill, the craftiness and guile and the nascent heroism so that he is a worthy opponent for Nameless.

Maggie Cheung disappeared within Flying Snow, becoming the character in a way that many strong, talented and internationally renowned actresses find difficult. Often one is more aware that one is watching the actress than the character she is playing. This is not confined to film, of course. Having seen Natalia Makarova as Odette/Odile in “Swan Lake”, Glenda Jackson as Lady Macbeth and Jane Eaglen as Isolde—all extraordinary artists at or close to the height of their powers—one is aware of how easy it is for the artist to dominate the role, no matter how well drawn the character is. While this is also something which has happened more than once in lesser movies, here is seemed that Maggie simply immersed herself in the features, disposition and words of Flying Snow.

Zhang Ziyi was impressive especially since Moon was not that well developed. She was the ingénue/student/neophyte, almost a stock character. Zhang did as much as she could with this underwritten role. Chang Diy Ming as Qui Emperor was terrific. It was obvious (but only in retrospect) that Nameless, no matter how cunning his approach, how enthralling his story or how deadly his kung fu, would be successful in killing the emperor. Leaders in martial arts movies, especially relatively young and fit leaders, are often their own best defenders and Chang was very much in this mold. He deployed the silk baffles that obscured the killing ground, he was quick and skilled with his sword and he made is clear that his life would be sold very dearly.

The narrative was exquisite. Different and shifting points of view showed us that none of the characters can be trusted. Someone may be lying or he may be telling as much of the truth that he knows but each of them presents only what he knows or wants other characters (and the audience) to know. The flashbacks and changing accounts of the same incidents worked because the story they were telling was clear and simple. The final outcome—the unification of China through conquest—seems to have fit the reality as seen and lived by the current rulers of the Mainland. However, this “reality” is undermined by the unstable structure of the movie that contains it, since the audience knows it cannot trust any perspective, even an one that seems omniscient.

Christopher Doyle’s camera captured the bleak beauty of the desert. The shoot itself must have been difficult for all the actors and technical people but possibly more so for Doyle and his camera operators. They covered themselves with glory, producing shot after breathtaking shot.

Anonymous wet starlets in their underwear

Here at "Favorite Hong Kong Actresses" we are always pushing the boundaries of tastelessness and striving to set the bar for acceptable content ever lower. With that in mind, here are some pictures from from CRI. As closely as I can tell they are pictures of the finalists for the 2011 Super Girl contest. While it is a singing competition, looking good in the plainest of plain lingerie is apparently no bar to success.

CRI

Kwai Lun-Mei goes to Paris; fashionistas are not amused.

Kwai Lun-Mei was in Paris for the fall couture shows. Here she is standing next to Karl Lagerfeld.

On the set of the Chanel show.

Waiting for the show to start. The camera caught a few "who is that?" or perhaps "who does she think she is?" looks from those around her. The two highlighted below seemed outraged--understandable since the one on the left with the glasses took the trouble of wearing a pair of slacks that could take her straight from the fashion show to the hog barn.

Another not too happy denizen of the front row. The woman behind her is either horrified or just has a catatonic look about her.

Interviewed by French TV. With her degree in French literature from Tamkang University, Taipei and graduate study at the University of Lyon, Kwai Lun Mei probably handled it pretty well.

Sina through Roast Pork from a Rusty Cleaver that has a link to the "good" slide show at Sina, not the one with the crummy pictures that I always find when trying to navigate that site.

Fan Bingbing for (and with) Dolce & Gabana

Fan Bingbing dropped in on Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana; Chenman was there with her cameras.

From Chenman (I can't find this set of pictures there but Chenman's site is always worth looking at) through Beijing is Chic.

The Grimaldis invite several hundred of their closest friends to a wedding, including Michelle Yeoh

When we last heard from Michelle Yeoh she was shaking the dust from Burma/Myanmar from her boots after being deported on the same day she arrived in Rangoon. She was on her way to see Aung San Suu Kyi who Yeoh plays in the biopic "The Lady", and had visited her in December, just days after Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest. The movie, scheduled for release in October, was shot in England, France and Thailand.

She and fiance Jean Todt dropped in at the most recent European royal wedding, this one involving the House of Grimaldi in Monaco. They probably had a good seat at the ceremony since Todt heads of FIA which runs the Monaco Grand Prix and most motorsports outside of the U.S.

The American fashion blogs were not kind their assessment of Michelle Yeoh's look, going so far as to ask, "Who wears peep-toe ankle boots to a royal wedding?" The only answer I can think of is, "someone who gets invited to royal weddings and who owns peep-toe ankle boots."

As usual no one commented on the appearance of Jean Todt who actually looked presentable for a change. Generally his suits seem poorly cut, the wrong size (short and chubby is tough to fit) and ridiculously wrinkled.

On the way into the Mass

In a green ball gown for the reception

Sina showed them getting into their car, pixilating both the license plate and the BMW logo for some reason.

While ifeng led with Prince Laurent of Belgium falling down on the red carpet. They should have called a fork lift and been done with it.

Plenty of cake for everyone.

Zimbio, Red Carpet Fashion Awards, ifeng, Sina