“A TENSE AND RIVETING PIECE OF ACTION CINEMA… IMPRESSIVE FIGHT SEQUENCES… BONE-CRUSHING VIOLENCE.” – TWITCH.
Winner of eight honours at the prestigious Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Action Choreography, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume and Make-up Design and Best Original Film Score, and the winner of the Best Actor (Wang Xueqi) and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholas Tse) prizes at this year’s Asian Film Awards, the epic, period action movie Bodyguards And Assassins is a dramatic fictionalized retelling of the suspenseful events of 1906 that eventually led to the 1911 Xinhai Revolution and the founding of the Republic of China.
Directed by Teddy Chan (The Accidental Spy) and featuring an impressive cast of Hong Kong and China’s biggest stars, including Donnie Yen (Ip Man; Kill Zone), Leon Lai (An Empress And The Warriors; Seven Swords), Xueqi Wang (Forever Enthralled; Warriors Of Heaven And Earth; The Red Suit), Tony Leung Ka Fai (Missing; The Myth), Nicholas Tse (Dragon Tiger Gate; New Police Story; The Medallion) and Simon Yam (Ip Man; Triangle), Bodyguards And Assassins is a sumptuously staged, action-packed blockbuster, full of political intrigue, tragedy and drama that will appeal as much to lovers of quality cinema as it will to martial arts aficionados.
On October 15th 1906, the man destined to become the Father of Modern China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, is due to arrive in the British Colony of Hong Kong to discuss plans to overthrow the corrupt Qing Dynasty with a group of leading anti-Qing revolutionaries. Aware of Sun’s intentions, the Qing Court dispatches an elite army of assassins to the port where Sun is due to arrive, with orders to see to it that he never makes it to his appointment and does not leave the colony alive.
Receiving news of the proposed assassination, a newspaper editor and a local tycoon, both sympathetic supporters of the revolution, take it upon themselves to protect Dr. Sun at any cost. To help ensure his safety they recruit a motley band of fellow sympathisers, friends and acquaintances, all skilled in martial arts combat to act as Sun’s bodyguards. Additionally, they devise a risky plan to secretly replace the assassins’ target with a human decoy in an attempt to lead the killers away from their quarry.
As Sun arrives on the fateful day, the stage is set for a bloody confrontation in which a small group of selflessly courageous men and women will risk their lives fighting against hundreds of adversaries in a conflict that will determine the fate of millions.
Cleverly taking his time to establish his characters, their back-stories, motives and sub-plots in the deliberately paced first half of the film, director Chan expertly unleashes a barrage of non-stop, action set-pieces in a final hour that will leave viewers breathless.
Among the many standout sequences in a film that manages to be as emotionally involving and moving as it is exciting are a brilliantly directed sequence that echoes Brian De Palma’s homage (from “The Untouchables”) to Eisenstein’s famous Odessa Steps sequence from “Battleship Potemkin”, an extended free-running duel involving Donnie Yen and Cung Le, and a ‘man versus horse’ confrontation that is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
Bodyguards And Assassins will be released on DVD (£12.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by E1 Entertainment on 31st May 2010.
Hurricane Katrina’s deluge was Biblical. When it hit Louisiana and Mississippi the morning of August 29, 2005, the storm caused fearsome destruction. Then the disaster grew worse. The levees – the man-made walls built to protect New Orleans from the water surrounding it – failed. Their collapse flooded 80 percent of the city. By the time the waters receded and the survivors regrouped, Katrina, and then Hurricane Rita, had claimed more than 1,400 lives and the dreams of hundreds of thousands.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/louisianamuseumfoundation/44381/
Katie Rousonelos of Madison, WI has been named Grand Champion in the first ever Duncan Hines Red Carpet Cupcake Challenge for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards. Selected from hundreds of recipe entries, Katie’s Red Carpet Glamour has earned the prestigious baking title.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/duncanhines/45446/
Meet Tia Stanton, a Greenwich gal with too much money and too much magical power. She struggles to rein in her power and use it for the forces of good. There are literally hundreds of big, bad nasties after her. They want to possess her magic. But the one who scares her the most is an ancient demon who is forcing her to fight. Tia is determined to stand on her own two feet. That means finding answers without getting caught. It’s all about control, and whether good or evil will win. Destiny is a choice. Power up! Learn more about this book: http://bit.ly/cTR07A Learn more about this author: http://www.anneelizabeth.net Paranormal Graphic Novel/Comic
What's The Secret To A Lasting Relationship? Going The Distance.
Going The Distance with Match Affinity follows Mike & Alanna's epic journey in a motorbike and sidecar. They aim to answer the question, 'what's the secret to a lasting relationship'. On the way they meet hundreds of couples to find out what has made their relationship last. Join Mike and Alanna on the latest leg of this incredible journey to discover the secret to a lasting relationship in the UK.
For the first time in their lives, hundreds of Tanzanian school children living in the country’s remote northern region will be going home with photographs of themselves when the South African-based Memory Foundation visits the region next year.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/kef/47545/
LifeWave executives, company ambassador/best-selling author/health advocate Suzanne Somers and hundreds of its distributorship leaders and members recently gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Laguna Niguel, California to usher in a new era in anti-aging with the global launch of the new Y-Age Aeon patch.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/lifewave/48201/
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) in partnership with The PlowShare Group has launched a series of new public service advertisements aimed at raising awareness and enlisting support of the needs of injured service members of the nation’s armed military. Over 40,000 of our nation’s armed forces have been physically wounded during the current military conflicts. Hundreds of thousands more are estimated to be recovering from invisible wounds of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). WWP assists wounded warriors and their families through a holistic approach to their recovery. Whether through caregiver retreats, combat stress programs, career and education services, or adaptive sporting opportunities, WWP empowers warriors with the tools essential to not just survive their injuries but to thrive and achieve personal and professional success.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/woundedwarriorproject/48587/
U.S. President Barack Obama will receive the warmest of Irish welcomes when he visits the Emerald Isle this week. Hundreds of thousands of well wishers will line the streets as the President makes his first visit to Ireland - home to some of his ancestors. Mr. Obama’s heritage has been traced to the village of Moneygall in Co, Offaly. There is a great sense of pride in this tiny picturesque village located at the very center of the island, where preparations are in full swing.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/tourismireland/50368/
