"Forever Young" with Zhang Ziyi set for release

If Zhang Ziyi had to wait much longer for the release of her film Forever Young she might wish the title referred to her in real life. Written seven years ago and filmed five years past, it has been sitting on the shelf since 2012.

 Zhang Ziyi, Huang Xiaoming, Leehom Wang, Chang Chen and Chen Chusheng attended a press conference on Wednesday in Beijing to announce the release date as Jan. 12 next year. The story covers four generations spanning a hundred years of modern Chinese history since World War II.

Her next film is Godzilla: King of Monsters. It is due out in 2019 or possible 2026.
A couple of stills from the film:

And the poster:

Global Times  China Daily

Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung in “Dangerous Liaisons”

Setting Dangerous Liaisons in Shanghai during the 1930s and opening it out slightly to include glimpses of the social and political unrest of the time and place was an interesting and not altogether successful decision by its creators. One of the reasons that the 330 year old French novel remains such a rich source for cautionary tales of amorality, libertinage and emotional cruelty is the confined hothouse atmosphere the characters inhabit in Paris and in various chateaux. While Les Liaisons dangereuses was set seven short years before the storming of the Bastille, Choderlos de Laclos, its author, was secretary to Louis XVI’s cousin and hardly one to bring the Paris mob into his account of aristocratic licentiousness.

So making Du Fenyu the widow of a hero of the struggle against the Japanese and the warlords, including having her make an impassioned fundraising pitch at an haute-bourgeois party was a distraction—it also telegraphed to the audience that she would still be around when the closing credits rolled. Zhang Ziyi was excellent as Du Fenyu, gliding through most of the movie on a cloud of moral superiority while helping activists who were her husband’s students escape the police and rebuffing the advances of the cad Xie Yifan until she finally succumbs to him.

Zhang Ziyi as the too good to be true Du Fenyu

I feel that Jang Dong-Gun played Xie Yifan much too broadly with constant smirks and knowing leers as he stalked his prey, planning to seduce Du Fenyu to win a bet with the imperious and beautiful Mo Jieyu. Du Fenyu neither knows nor understands the level of his duplicity although he underlines his amoral behavior whenever given a chance.

One would not want to be on the wrong side of Mo Jieyu, perfectly portrayed by Cecilia Cheung. She is more than a match for any of the men around her is obviously the strongest although most repellent character onscreen. One hated Madame Mo while marveling at Cecilia Cheung’s pure talent and screen presence. In on short, memorable scene she essentially seduces the lingerie clad Beibei when convincing her to model for Dai, setting in motion her plan to use the innocent, convent raised Beibei to hit back at Beibei’s new fiancé, a wealthy businessman formerly Madame Mo’s suitor.

Cecelia Cheung as the formidably evil Mo Jieyu

The opulent interiors and elegant costumes were very well designed and rendered as was the evocation of Shanghai in the late 1930s. There are a lot of notable parts to” Dangerous Liaisons” but they don’t really add up to a compelling film.

Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi are all smiles in Cannes

It may have been Monaco; I recognize neither the Beaux-Arts pile, complete with a battery of cannons, in the background nor the guy in the blue suit that both Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi seem to be happy to see. The absence of a crowd of photographers following them around also indicates the setting isn't the film festival.

No matter what part of the Riviera they graced, both of them looked exquisite wearing outfits that could be called casual only in a place where evening dresses and dinner jackets are worn at 11:00 AM. Together, looking as if they are about to do a grip and grin:

Sina

More from Cannes: Angelababy out and about, Jane Zhang sings, Zhang Ziyi hobnobs.

Angelababy showed up at a number of Cannes venues--at the opening of "How to Train Your Dragon II" on the arm of Mark Chao:

There were some photoshoots using the Cannes beachfront as a completely generic backdrop, pictures that could have been taken anywhere that has some sand and an ocean:

Jane Zhang sang for her supper (or at least her flute of Champagne) and headlined China Night at the festival, wearing a dress with a huge panda appliqued or embroidered on it:

A typical scrum of reporters and photographers pins Jane Zhang against a backdrop:

Zhang Ziyi had her hand kissed by Spanish director Pedro Almovodar and got a side hug from queen of all she surveys Cate Blanchett, who seems taller than most people she encounters on a movie set:

One more of Cate Blanchett with her co-star:

Sina; xinhuanet; xin.msn

Zhang Ziyi in Hollywood (again) for "The Grandmasters"

Zhang Ziyi has been touring for the past year in support of "The Grandmasters" for which she won her first Golden Horse award last month. From snowy Berlin in February, Busan in June and New York City in August, she was part of the traveling circus that is necessary for international film promotion for a movie that isn't based on comic book characters.

Most recently she touched down in Hollywood to appear with cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd at a Weinstein Company screening followed by a Q & A with Justin Chang, chief film critic for Variety:

While not exactly the Long March, it has been quite a tour with plenty of other stops not listed here--this is her third appearance in Tinseltown for example to generate some Oscar buzz. One of the ways that film actors earn their money is by treating a question asked the 100th time (How did you train for the martial arts scenes? How do you like working with Wong Kar Wai) as if she is hearing for the first time and is delighted to to have the chance to answer such a trenchant inquiry.

Zimbio

50th Golden Horse Awards from Taipei

Taipei knows how to throw a party and welcomed the world's entertainment press to record beautiful people looking beautiful while celebrating another year of the domestic film industry in Taiwan surviving the Hollywood juggernaut, perhaps not unlike the ROC facing the unstoppable force across the Taiwan Strait. Winners in the big categories came from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan itself.

A lot of our (or at least my) favorites were there as nominees, presenters, jury members or red carpet walkers including Maggie Cheung, accompanied by Andy Lau, handing out the Best Actress award. There was a bit of by-play as Maggie Chueng had some flirtatious fun with someone offstage while Andy Lau kept his title of the most elegant man in the world:

Brigitte Lin, in a dress as red as the East, set off perfectly with opera length gloves and Lau Ching Wan broke each other up while presenting the Best Actor award:

After looking very serious while posing for the figures on top of a wedding cake a bit earlier:

Zhang Ziyi, who was in no danger of becoming the Chinese Susan Lucci, picked up the Best Actress statuette on her fourth nomination for her portrayal of Gong Er in "The Grandmaster" and thanked director Wong Kar-wai "for allowing me to encounter Gong Er at the most difficult time of my life and for encouraging me to be brave and believe in myself."
She gave the award the expect from actresses kiss:

Then did a quick change for more statuette cuddling:

Before knocking back a glass of Champagne from a sponsor:

Yeo Yann Yann who is Malaysian according to the press in Kuala Lumpur and who hails from Singapore when mentioned in "The Straits Times", won Best Supporting Actress for her work in Ilo Ilo. The award smooch:

Simple and very sexy:

MTS (Model turned starlet) Guo Shu-Yao who hasn't won anything, showed up to be photographed and succeeded by leading with her strength:

Xinhua; Sina slide; Straits Times

Mogul to build huge new studio in China; Zhang Ziyi, Zhao Wei, Ady An, Jing Tian help celebrate.

Wang Jianlin, billed as China's richest man by the Hurun Report in Forbes, announced a mega-studio in Qingdao; or as Variety put it he unveiled plans for global domination. Whatever the size of Wang Jianlin's fortune, he isn't short of the ready, having just picked up the AMC cinema chain for $2.6 billion. Lots of Hollywood stars and execs turned out along with enough Chinese onscreen talent for a few blockbusters. There will be year round activity at the Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis which will have seven (!) hotels, an indoor theme park (of course), an IMAX research facility and for those who just want to spend money, a yacht trading center.

Among the actresses were Zhang Ziyi who seemed to be dealing with an incipient wardrobe malfunction:

A rueful smile tells us that everything is OK:

A bit earlier in the day:

Vicki Zhao Wei wasn't having any difficult with a beautifully draped cape over a dress whose pattern looks a lot like the one worn Zhang Ziyi:

Showing versatility--a half wave using either her right or left hand:

Ady Ang Yi-Xuan and Jing Tian were among the young veterans of the screen, both looking as demure as one can while wearing evening dress in the middle of the afternoon:
Ady Ang Yi-Xuan

Jing Tian

L.A. Times; Variety; Sina