Hong Kong Film Festival, Toronto 2004

(Here you are Stella!) From the Arts NoteBook in todays Globe and Mail, I see that a Hong Kong Film Festival is showing at the ROM Theatre of the Royal Ontario Museum from OCT 2nd to 8th, 2004.

All films, subtitled in English, are being shown in the Calgary International Film Festival Sept 24 to Oct 2, before comming to Toronto.

Info for all this is carefully guarded on ROM's web site, in case someone actually found out, but I've braved the nav links and found the info buried treasure like on the ROM's calander of events for Oct

prices are very good: Tickets: Adult: $6.50 Senior/Student: $5.00 ROM Mbr: $5.00.

I've screen scrapped much of the stuff from the ROM site, reformed it and added reviews, but double check since "Information Subject to Change".

Box Office: ROM Information Desk www.rom.on.ca 416-586-8000
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto www.cccgt.org 416-292-9293

Oct 2/04

Magic Kitchen (4:00 pm)
Director: Lee Chi-ngai;Cast: Sammi Cheng, Jerry Jan, Andy Lau

Chef/owner of a restaurant has successful career and empty love life. All changes when she meets an old flame during her appearance on the popular Japanese TV show “The Iron Chef”.

Review by LoveHKFilm.com. I am such a sucker for Sammi Cheng.

Floating Island (7:00 pm)
Director: Carol Lai; Cast: Karena Lam, Elkin Cheng, Liu Ye

Haunted by the death of her lover, heroine struggles to accept a new life in this touching romance.

I finally found a review of this movie with the english name "The Floating Landscape" as reviewed by LoveHKFilm.com.

Oct 3/04 Golden Chicken 2 (7:00 pm)
Director:Samson Chiu; Cast: Sandra Ng Kwan-yu, Leon Lai Ming,Kacky Cheung

82 yr old wise man meets teenager who is abusing the “Forget Love Pill” and schools him to find happiness and good memories.

It's worth noting that this is a sequal to the award winning Golden Chicken from 2002. Ask your Cantonese speaking friends to explain what "chicken" is slang for.

Oct 4/04 Running on Karma (7:00 pm)

Director: Johnny To, Wai Ka-fai; Cast: Andy Lau, Cecilia Cheung

Bodybuilder, stripper and former Buddhist monk with psychic powers helps rookie cop track down dangerous criminals.

Review by LoveHKFilm.com. Looks better than you would expect.

Oct 5/04 Lost in Time (7:00 pm)

Director: Derek Yee Tung-sing; Cast: Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, Sean Lau Ching-wan, Louis Koo Tin-lok.

Heart wrenching drama about star crossed lovers.

Review by LoveHKFilm.com. I've see this one and it's very good (but now even more afraid of HK mini-buses, a.k.a. “suicide buses”!) Sean Lau Ching-wan is Elicia's Favourite (after me), and is very good.

Oct 6/04 Heroic Duo (7:00 pm)

Director: Benny Chan Muk-sing; Cast: Ekin Cheng Yee-kin, Leon Lai Ming,Francis Ng Chun-yu, Karena Lam

Member of elite G4 force enlists the assistance of psychologist to track down stolen gems in this cat and mouse thriller.

Reviewed by LoveHKFilm.com

Oct 7/04 Elixir of Love (7:00 pm)

Director: Riley Yip;Cast: Richie Ren Yan-qi, Miriam Yeung, Kenny Bee

11th Century storybook princess plagued by unfortunate curse is rescued from isolation by unexpected suitor who becomes her royal consort.

Reviewed by LoveHKFilm.com

Oct 8/04 20:30:40 (7:00 pm)

Director: Sylvia Chang; Cast: Sylvia Chang, Rene Liu, Angelina Lee

Tale of three women ages 20, 30, 40 are woven into a single story as they tackle the complexity of modern relationships.

Reviewed by LoveHKFilm.com