We Just "Gone Shopping"

We have just gone shopping with the cast and crew of the latest local movie, "Gone Shopping" starring our favourite TV host Kym Ng and funnyman Adrian Pang and a host of local talents. Watch out for our coverage of the press conference and more on moviexclusive.com! We leave you with one of the many beautifully designed poster to whet your appetite in the meantime..

Our "Gone Shopping" movie page

July is Local Female Directors Month

If you're asking me why I am stating the gender, it's because the year to date have seen Kelvin Tong, Jack Neo, and if you want to stretch it a little, Max Makowski and Graham Streeter debut their latest films on the big screen in commercial releases. I'm leaving out the festival and one off screenings, otherwise we'll have Jasmin Ng for Pink Paddlers and Lynn Lee (together with James Leong) for Aki Ra's Boys. (You can view the 2007 lineup here)

So for the month of July, we make up for the surplus in testosterone, and we have Tan Pin Pin presenting her follow up documentary to Singapore GaGa entitled Invisible City, and Wee Li Lin making her narrative feature film debut with Gone Shopping, starring Adrian Pang and Kym Ng.

Gone Shopping will have a press conference that is open to the public, this Thursday 4pm at Marina Square Atrium, and a Charity Gala Premiere on 24th July 07. The movie opens on 26th July 07.

Invisible City will be screening at the Arts House from 22 July to 12 Aug 07. Tickets have already gone on sale.

Here are the respective website links, teasers and theatrical trailers. Enjoy, remember those dates, and get your tickets!

Invisible City - Tan Pin Pin, 19 Jul
Trailer

Trailer


Gone Shopping The Movie - Wee Li Lin, 26 July
Teaser 1

Teaser 2

Teaser 3

Trailer

BECOMING ROYSTON to be released at The Picturehouse

FULL LENGTH VERSION OF INTERNET CULT FILM GETS THEATRICAL RELEASE WITH THE PICTUREHOUSE
"Becoming Royston" the first film from local production house Originasian Pictures gets its Singapore release on 2 August 2007, one week before Royston Tan's new film - 881. Having garnered over 350,000 hits their website since the short version of the film was release free to view June last year.

BREAKING NEW GROUNDS
"When we started the website, we broke break new grounds in gaining a cult status online almost instantaneously, where we knew where most of our audiences are spending their time, by offering for free the short version of "Becoming Royston" (about 30 minutes in length). There was overwhelming support coming from the internet community all over the world and people were writing in with suggestions on plot developments and what they wished to see happen to our characters." says executive producer and art director Randy Ang. "We then managed to secure more funding to produce the full length feature which has brought more than 50 minutes of unseen material for the theatrical release. It was a fresh approach to the filmmaking process, as it involves the audiences from all over"

STORY SYNOPSIS
This story is a coming of age tale of Tan Boon Huat (ALVIN NEO), the child of a prawn farmer whose family resides on an island town and whose adolescence was one filled with much oppression. Boon Huat eventually leaves the island with the help of his friend and confidant, the island boatman (TAY KAY CHIN) and on the mainland, he meets a girl (OON SHU AN) while working in a video shop. Boon Huat starts to discover his dream of becoming a filmmaker with the help of his newfound love. "In some sense, it is rather autobiographical for me. I could only tell stories I knew, much like Boon Huat. Life, is meant to be lived, not to be understood. You can't learn about life in the classroom or a textbook and even if you could learn the theories, you have to pretty much mess up a few times to get it right. I think we are obsessed with doing everything right the first time that we forget about living at all." Says first time director Nicholas Chee.

FESTIVALS AND AWARD NOMINATIONS
"Becoming Royston" was nominate in the 2nd Asian Festival of First Films for three(3) awards for BEST SCRIPT - Nicholas Chee and Terence Teo, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER - Ken Minehan and a BEST ACTOR nomination for the film's leading man, first time actor Alvin Neo. Oon Shu An, also a first time actress, who plays Alvin's love interest, also received rave reviews from the festivals in Europe. "The story speaks of very common characters and relationships in Singapore. Also because Singapore already has an international appeal, in fact by showing the non-conventions of Singapore, the film worked better," says director, Nicholas Chee. The film was also in the main competition at the CINEASIA FILM FESTIVAL in Germany, up against productions like "Paprika" by Satochi Ken (which is also slated for release by The Picturehouse) and Zhang Zimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower". The film has just received a direct invitation from Berlin's ASIAN HOT SHOTS FESTIVAL, held in 2008 in January. The festival aims to "explore new avenues for frequent projection of Asian films besides annual film festivals, to enhance western perception and appreciation of Asian themes."

MARC FORSTER TO DIRECT BOND 22

Marc Forster will direct the 22nd James Bond adventure, it was announced today by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the James Bond films, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

Forster is the acclaimed director of the highly anticipated motion picture The Kite Runner, adapted from Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel. He also recently directed the comic hit Stranger Than Fiction for Sony Pictures. Previously, Forster directed the award-winning and critically acclaimed films Finding Neverland, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture, and Monster's Ball, for which Halle Berry won a Best Actress Oscar®.

Forster will commence work shortly with screenwriter Paul Haggis on a draft of the screenplay by Neil Purvis and Robert Wade.

Daniel Craig will reprise the role of James Bond in the as-yet-untitled Bond 22 production, which follows Casino Royale, the highest-grossing film so far in the most successful franchise in motion picture history.

With nearly $600 million in worldwide box-office receipts, Casino Royale was also regarded by critics as one of the best Bond films yet. Bond 22 will begin filming at Pinewood Studios, London, in December 2007. Columbia Pictures will release the film worldwide on November 7, 2008.

Wilson and Broccoli said, "We are delighted that Marc Forster, with his exceptional talent and unique vision, has agreed to direct our next James Bond film."

Forster said, "I have always been drawn to different kinds of stories and I have also always been a Bond fan, so it is very exciting to take on this challenge. The new direction that the Bond character has taken offers a director a host of fresh possibilities and I look forward to working with Daniel Craig, Barbara Broccoli, and Michael Wilson, as well as the team at Sony and MGM on this new film."

Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, added, “We had a great experience working with Marc on Stranger than Fiction and we are excited to be working with him again. He’s an actor’s director; he approaches material with intelligence and taste. What makes him the perfect choice for Bond 22 is that he will bring to this film all the elements Bond audiences expect – action, humor, suspense, and thrills."

"The Bond franchise is one of MGM's most treasured legacies," added Harry Sloan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MGM. "We share Michael and Barbara's confidence in Marc Forster's directing talents and support him in his efforts to continue the evolution of the Bond story for today's filmgoers."

[On Location] Yasmin Ahmad's Muallaf

The Mukhsin set visit was a blast last year, being fortunate to visit on the first day of principal photography in the wide outdoors of Kuala Selangor, with its vast padi fields under the clear blue skies. This year's visit to the Muallaf set was quite opposite in contrast though, with its predominantly dark night / night time scenes, dim indoors and being on the last 18 drizzling hours of the film shoot which culminated in that scene so talked about in the Malaysian press the last few days. Much have already been said about Sharifah Amani "taking it all off" (the hair on the top of her head lah), and the surprising backlash that came almost immediately after from some sections of society, and from the detractors of both the director and actress.

Sharifah Amani's New Look
I'd like to say that from what I know of the story outline, from that scene shot which I had observed, and through quick discussions with Yasmin, being controversial or doing it for the sake of a cheap publicity stunt is probably the furthest thing away from the truth. No doubt the scene will raise eyebrows, but it's integral to the Muallaf storyline conceived by the storyteller, and if a publicity stunt is what is after, then permission would have been granted to the press to observe the barber in action when shaving Nani's hair, and of course, coupled with pictures of the process for the papers the next day, and videos for primetime television.

But no, that's not part of the script, and with the photographs already released, that's all there is to it. The scene will probably be no longer than 2-3 minutes(?), but I tell you it packs its fair share of an emotional punch even on standalone (though I credit this to Nani's younger sister - Aleysha), and I bet that watching it in context to the flow of the narrative, would come across with more impact.

11 June 2007 1900hrs


It was a relatively long bus journey from Singapore to Ipoh, taking approximately 10 hours door to door, from home to the Hotel Majestic where the cast and crew were staying, and which also doubled up as one of the sets in the movie. We found ourselves staying next door to The Visitor, and with our rooms being a connecting one, it made shuttling to and fro a blast, such that we had a deluxe suite of sorts lol.


We had to go to Ipoh Parade to stock up on some groceries and for dinner, before adjourning back to hear that the schedule calls for a 0100hrs wake up. For some reason, we chose instead to watch the erm, best bits of Van Wilder and Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, before realizing that time flies fast when you're having fun, and it's midnight. One hour left to hit the shower and grab that all needed quick snooze.

12 June 2007 0110hrs
It's assembly at the Hotel driveway for a ride to the set. The cast and crew had already made their way, and I joined madam director, Visitor, as well as an NST reporter for a short journey to the dark outdoors...

0130hrs
It was a small dimly lit street with a row of shophouses on one side, and while every shop on the row was closed for business, lights were radiating from Sid's Tavern Pub and Cafe, where it the only one bustling with activity by the film crew setting the stage, both outdoors for the scene, and inside the pub, fixing up the lighting, cabling and such for scenes to be shot indoors later.

And here I was again, in the company of Yasmin's excellent film crew who went about doing their own thing like clockwork. It's pretty amazing that time is not wasted idling around, everyone knew what they needed to do, and got them done. But my eye caught someone else instead. Earlier in the day, the Visitor was raving about a certain "Yan Yan", and here, she's was rehearsing a scene while waiting for the film to roll, and my jaw dropped.

Guys and Girls, Yeo Yann Yann is in Yasmin Ahmad's Muallaf! Yet another reason to watch the movie I'd bet!

Yann Yann got almost a unanimous vote of agreement (from my fellow moviexclusive columnists) that her performance amongst the ensemble cast of Singapore Dreaming was one of the best, and to be able to see her in action was nothing short of amazing. I do have to apologize for the lack of photographs here, but my camera is a dud when shooting at night, even though I can do some manual controls or switch it to night mode. But that would mean taking out some of the fun when you do see Yann Yann in character as Cindy the bar maid. The on set rehearsals took a while, but almost each rehearsal had something tweaked, especially the dialogue. Her role here is nothing we've seen before in her earlier movies (Singapore Dreaming, High Cost of Living), perhaps quite similar to that cameo bit in One Last Dance (blink and you miss though), so fans of hers will be in for a real treat!

It's almost definite she's not one of the main characters, but I guess her supporting role here's a bit of a joy to watch. And I couldn't imagine that this morning's filming was centric on her, in that one location, right up until 0600hrs. While I won't be damned to reveal just what was shot - you have to watch the movie yourself to find out - but suffice to say that she's a brilliant actress in her own right. When Madam Director cued for certain emotions to be tried out, sometimes a glint in the eye was just what's needed for Yann Yann to effect just what the director wanted. Unbelievable stuff, something you just have to be there to observe first hand! Makeup too was perfect, as is its role in the other scene to be shot later that morning.

If my count was correct, some 6 scenes were shot in and around Sid's Tavern, and as the morning drew on, the number of cast members on set dwindled for their much needed rest. A number of extras had been hanging around waiting for their parts to be shot, and you could tell they were definitely thrilled to be part of the movie.


Arrived back at the Majestic at about 0620hrs, and slept like a log until almost 1000hrs.

1100hrs

Totoro Inside!
We made our way to the final shooting venue for the day, a huge red-white bricked bungalow with a huge garden, where tents were set up for lunch, as well as for the press to hang around while the crew got busy with getting everything in order for the final scene to be shot. Furniture deliveries were made too!


Almost every mainstream Malaysian press (and some from Star TV too) was represented on site today to get the scoop on Sharifah Amani's "hair today gone later" moment, but there were sighs of slight disappointment when they heard that they cannot witness the shaving process, in which case I think does not appear in the movie.

The Yasmin and Nani Interview - Note Her Chic Short Hair!
Who's Got Shorter Hair?
Nonetheless the press were kept busy with interview opportunities with Yasmin, Nani and Brian. From the photos, he looks like a Tibetian monk, or some say like Taiwanese actor Chang Chen. Up close, and during the interview, you can't help but feel a sense of zen like calm in his presence. Unfortunately for me he has already shot all his scenes, so I have to wait for the movie to see him in action. However, if you visit Yasmin's blog the past few days, based on the movies stills, somehow his character, also called Brian, comes across as always in deep contemplation. We shall see, once the movie's released!

Brian as Brian

I didn't hang around the bungalow itself, as it seemed that during this time some coda was being filmed and though I could have inadvertently heard what it was about, I didn't want to know any more than I should!

1445hrs

We were huddled at the ground floor of the bungalow, where a video feed has been set up for everyone to catch a glimpse of the action being shot upstairs. As you can tell, every was eager to witness THE scene which the press was here for. We can't see it with our very own eyes because (later as I found out as we adjourned upstairs) there just wasn't enough space, having the scene shot in a room, a track set up, and the remaining space used by other essential equipment necessary to capture the scene onto film, and not forgetting cast and crew too.

After the rehearsals and setting up of equipment, we were waiting for quite a while as the barber went about doing his job. You can't believe the air of anticipation and impatience around as almost everyone can't wait to see the actual scene being shot. In the meantime, Sharifah Aleysha was dropped by the ground floor and the press kept themselves occupied by fielding her some questions with regards to the particular scene, amongst others.

Interviewing Aleysha
And finally when it's time for the actual shoot, everyone without prompting became glued to the monitor, as the camera slowly panned across the room, and revealed in what I thought was time freezing itself, to that emotional scene between the on/off screen sisters. Like I mentioned earlier, it has an emotional punch even when viewed by itself, and with young Aleysha all teary eyed, you can't help but to go "Awww....". Watching the scene in context will no doubt be more meaningful.


Once the scene was shot and completed, everyone rushed upstairs, eager to talk to Nani to get from her first hand how she felt about the scene, and what went through her mind that whole afternoon. You could see that the official stills photographer was sniffing, and a couple of crew members were too. I guess it's hard not too, especially when you're witnessing the scene unfold in front of your very eyes.

1640hrs

And It's A Wrap! Cheers and plenty of smiles went round, to wrap up what was an 11(?) day shoot. It's a cause for celebration, but you realize that hey, there's still the post-production stage to get everything else together, and Yasmin did hint though that the first cut would probably be ready by early July. From the few scenes I've seen so far, it is without a doubt an interesting movie to look forward to, especially when Yasmin has now broken away from the Orked storyline, and venturing into new ground, stories and characters, while retaining her signature brand of storytelling and the exploration of human emotions.


What's There?
I can't wait for the movie, and I'd bet her fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the cinematic debut of Muallaf!

Say Cheese!

Do visit Yasmin's blog for more details and some beautiful movie stills and behind the scenes pictures of her latest movie offering!