Latest news with #SoiCheang
South China Morning Post
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
3 of Twilight of the Warriors director Soi Cheang's early horror films that show his gift
Long before the success of the Hong Kong action blockbuster Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In , Soi Cheang Pou-soi made his mark directing innovative low-budget horror films. We recall three of the director's notable early releases. 1. Horror Hotline … Big Head Monster Cheang had garnered some attention with the idiosyncratic, ultra-low-budget horror film Diamond Hill in 2000, but it was 2001's Horror Hotline … Big Head Monster that made his name. Play It impressed Hong Kong critics because it was a straight-up horror that did not feel the need to mix genres. There was no romance and, most noticeably, none of the distracting comedy often used between scary scenes. Taking his cue from US horror films like The Blair Witch Project, which he frequently references, Cheang's only aim was to shock. 'Beneath its cheesy title, there lurks one of the most inventive Hong Kong psycho-thrillers of recent years in Horror Hotline … Big Head Monster, one of the very few to come close to replicating the clammy chills of late 90s Japanese pics like The Ring ,' Derek Elley wrote in Variety. In spite of the strange goings on, the film takes its cue from an urban myth surrounding a mythical mutant baby with a massive head that was allegedly concealed from the Hong Kong public by British colonial authorities.
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Part of the old Kowloon Walled City has reappeared in its original location
Hongkongers' fascination for the old Kowloon Walled City is still going strong, fuelled by the popularity of Soi Cheang's martial arts epic Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. There is now a massive movie set exhibition of the 2024 film that has been constructed where the Kowloon Walled City actually used to sit, within what is now the Kowloon Walled City Park. The 'Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey' exhibition recreates key scenes from the film and is Hong Kong's largest-scale movie set exhibition to date. If you've seen the film or been to the previous Twilight of the Warriors exhibitions that were held in the airport or the Airside mall, you'll recognise iconic locations such as the No.7 Restaurant, the barbershop, the dental and bone-setting clinics, the grocery store, repairshop, and more. There will also be some new sights including a fishball factory, a communal well, and a plastic-moulding workshop. Care has also been taken to reconstruct the old precinct's narrow alleyways, with floor tiles repurposed from old buildings and a bustling street market that has been set up to present an authentic taste of the Walled City in the 80s. From the moment visitors step past the ceremonial flower board and through the iron arch designed to reference that period in history. The vibes are also enhanced by large-scale projections that display life in the Walled City through the day and night, accompanied by low-flying planes roaring over the area like they used to do in the past when Kai Tak Airport was still in use.
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The 5 Hong Kong movies to watch if you liked ‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In'
Earlier this week, the martial arts thriller Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In was confirmed to be one of Hong Kong's most popular movies as it almost swept the board at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, taking home nine trophies. While definitely visually stunning and boasting fantastic action sequences, anyone who is familiar with Hong Kong cinema will know that triads, bloody fights, and the themes of loyalty and brotherhood have long been a prominent part of our film culture. Here are some other local movies to watch if you enjoyed Soi Cheang's post-heroic bloodshed drama. Long Arm of the Law (1984) This may be a pretty old movie, but Johnny Mak's Long Arm of the Law is a classic that can be seen as an ancestor of the various crime and gangster films that were to follow in Hong Kong cinema. Five men from mainland China cross into Hong Kong hoping to strike riches with a jewellery heist, but nothing goes according to plan as betrayal, car chases, murder, and spectacular violence plague the group. The film's final 15 minutes are actually filmed in the old Kowloon Walled City, in a famous chase sequence and climatic showdown that shows how indiscriminately violent the police are as well, and remains one of the best finales in Hong Kong cinema. Limbo (2021) Before Twilight burst onto our screens, Soi Cheang had already directed Limbo, also an action thriller but much more dark – literally, as the film is in stark black and white. If you thought the Kowloon Walled City looked bleak, the Hong Kong in Limbo is even more claustrophobic and dank, with the rain cascading down onto both piles of trash and discarded people alike. Violent beatdowns, gang crime, dismemberment, weary cops: this urban noir film has got them all. It's not an easy watch, but Limbo shows a Hong Kong that is as aesthetic as it is depressing. Chasing the Dragon (2017) This action crime drama by prolific Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Jing is a remake of To Be Number One (1991), and tells the story of the real-life gangster Ng Sik-ho. Donnie Yen plays the illegal immigrant from mainland China who makes his way into 60s-era Hong Kong and transforms himself into the drug lord called Crippled Ho, while Andy Lau reprises his role as police officer Lee Rock from the Lee Rock film series. But things are not that clear cut, as Crippled Ho is portrayed as a half-decent dude, while Lee Rock is a half-corrupt cop, and they both meet halfway in the grey middle while getting revenge. Paradox (2017) The third film in the Sha Po Lang film series, Wilson Yip's Paradox has parallels with Twilight as it was Cheang who co-produced it, with Sammo Hung doing the action choreography and Louis Koo starring in the leading role. The neo-noir action flick follows Koo's police inspector who searches for his missing daughter in Thailand, which leads to the discovery of human trafficking, corrupt officials, awful truths, and plenty of death and destruction. Thai martial artist and actor Tony Jaa also stars as Lee's detective friend, so you can expect the action sequences to be spectacular. Koo also won multiple Best Actor awards for this film. I'm Livin' It (2019) While on the surface very different to the dramatic action of Twilight and the other triad movies on this list, Danny Wong's directorial debut I'm Livin' It also deals with poverty, the fringes of society, and how a bunch of people down on their luck can band together for survival. Aaron Kwok's character is a former finance bro incarcerated for embezzlement and has since become a McRefugee – a homeless person who spends the night in 24-hour McDonald's branches. He meets a group of similarly disadvantaged people, including a teenage runaway, a has-been singer, a street artist, an old man with dementia, and more. Wong takes care not to exploit or fetishise the true circumstances of McRefugees, instead weaving together harsh, humanised, and nuanced stories.
Time Out
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
‘Twilight of the Warriors' dominates at Hong Kong Film Awards, while Sean Lau wins Best Actor
The 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) took place at Tsim Sha Tsui's Hong Kong Cultural Centre on April 27, honouring the best of local films and our city's cinematic talents. A total of 17 Hong Kong films and 5 Asian Chinese-language films were nominated for awards, and if you've kept an eye on our city's movie industry and reviews over the past year, then it should come as no surprise that Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In was pretty much the runaway winner. Soi Cheang's martial arts epic was nominated in 14 categories at the HKFA 2025, and ended up winning nine awards, for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume & Makeup Design, Best Action Choreography, Best Sound Design, Best Visual Effects, as well as the top prize of Best Film. This action thriller set in the old Kowloon Walled City of the 80s is one of Hong Kong's most successful pictures in recent years, attracting at least 1.59 million box office views since premiering in May 2024, was chosen to represent our city in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, and was also shown in the Midnight Screening of the Cannes Film Festival 2024. The Last Dance was also a firm favourite for many, receiving the most number of nominations at this year's HKFA at 18 categories. This drama about a Taoist priest and a wedding planner who team up to run funeral services won a total of five awards, including Best Screenplay, Best Original Film Score, and Best Original Film Song. Notably, Michelle Wai won Best Actress for her work in this film, while Tommy Chu took home the Best Supporting Actor award, winning against other established talents such as Louis Koo, Paul Chun Pui, Siuyea Lo Chun-yip, and Philip Ng. The Last Dance is Hong Kong's highest-grossing film. Meanwhile, the honour of the Best Actor award went to Sean Lau for his role in the gripping and heartwrenching drama Papa. Other nominated actors in the category include Raymond Lam for Twilight of the Warriors, Neo Yau Hawk Sau for The Way We Talk, Michael Hui for The Last Dance, and Aaron Kwok for Rob N Roll. This marks Lau's fourth win in this category of the HKFA, and just last month, he also won Best Actor for this movie at the 18th Asian Film Awards. In total, Papa clinched three wins last night, including Jo Koo for Best Supporting Actress and Dylan So for Best New Performer. Other notable awards handed out at the HKFA include Robin Lee winning Best New Director for Four Trails, which documents endurance runners taking on one of Hong Kong's most daunting athletic challenges. The Taiwanese film Old Fox by Hsiao Ya-chuan was also awarded Best Asian Chinese Language Film. Finally, veteran Hong Kong filmmaker Tsui Hark and his long-time professional and romantic partner Shi Nan Sun were both honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for their work in the Hong Kong film industry since the 80s.
