“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.
The latest from the American Idol judge-hunting drama: Mariah Carey is reportedly upset when she found out that producers are seriously considering Nicki Minaj as another judge. Though it was in no way final, Carey must have been annoyed if she really was led to believe that she will be the only female judge in the panel.
Every dog has his day. And yesterday, Atlanta-area dogs sure had theirs, as its first Dream Dog Park was unveiled by Beneful® brand dog food in Johns Creek, Ga.
The entire Johns Creek dog-loving community has awaited this day since last September, when their community dog park was awarded a $500,000 renovation from the Beneful® brand after local resident Pat McNeely and his Siberian Husky Koda were named Grand Prize Winner in the Beneful® WagWorld® Dream Dog Park Contest. Since then, Pat and Koda’s dream ideas have served as inspiration for the renovation that was managed by the Beneful Dream Team, led by TV personality and design expert Jason Cameron and pet expert and bestselling author Arden Moore. The Dream Team duo have worked together to transform the Newtown Dog Park into an enviable adventure destination for dogs and owners. Some of the park’s most interactive and unique elements include a giant bone-shaped ramp with tunnels, two water splash pads and a running trail, all of which were put to good use yesterday as local dogs and their best buddies turned out to celebrate at a special unveiling event.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/benefuldreamdogpark/50201/
Rhiannon Connelly is on a mission that leads her to Scotland. Once there, she finds a secretive group of people led by a tall, dark and handsome stranger. Cameron Tapaire is an alpha wolf. Wary of his visitor, things get complicated when she turns out to be much more. Learn more about this book http://bit.ly/BeneathBloodMoon and author http://amandajayde.com/ Paranormal Romance
With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaching, a coalition of individuals, not-for-profit organizations and corporations, has joined together to create Action America: a not-for-profit, open-source brand designed to unite and activate Americans everywhere to turn the events of 9/11 into positive action. Led by Marquis Jet founder Kenny Dichter and AOL chairman and CEO Tim Armstrong, the coalition currently includes AOL, Boy Scouts of America, New York Says Thank You Foundation and The Council of Fashion Designers of America, among others. In addition, the Action America initiative is a principal partner in the federally recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, led annually by the 9/11 nonprofit MyGoodDeed in partnership with many leading national nonprofit groups.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51814-action-america
Christina’s quest for love and acceptance makes her a victim to the eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia. With the two eating disorders as her guide, Christina is led down a life of severe starvation, binging and purging, drugs, depression, suicide attempts, and a host of other tragic problems, and she documents it all in her trusty journal. Learn about the book and about this author here, http://www.keishaburton.com/ YA
Avon celebrated the brand’s latest innovation, ANEW Clinical Pro Line Eraser Treatment, with flash mobs coast to coast in five cities, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles. Professional ballroom dancer Karina Smirnoff led the moves and wowed the crowd in Los Angeles. Avon Representatives in all cities joined in on the flash mobs and distributed tens of thousands of samples of ANEW Clinical Pro Line Eraser Treatment, which launches this month across the country.
“I can never turn down an opportunity to dance—especially when it’s celebrating such an exciting new innovation like Pro Line Eraser Treatment,” says Smirnoff. “I’m so thrilled to be a part of this big moment for Avon and spending time with the Representatives and fans.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52897-avon-anew-clinical-pro-line-eraser-treatment-skincare-dermatology
Austin-based Tocquigny, an award-winning, nationally recognized interactive agency, was named a finalist for a 2011 SXSW Interactive Award in the Kiosk/Installation category for projects that live outside the standard browser experience.
Tocquigny is being honored for its work on Teradata Partners “At the Moment” Video Wall, a groundbreaking multi-platform video installation project developed for the 2010 Teradata PARTNERS Conference in San Diego. Tocquigny designed At the Moment as a real-time data visualization platform to exemplify The Socialization of Data (www.socializationofdata.com), a forward-thinking methodology Teradata uses to demonstrate the power of fusing non-traditional business data with traditional data. To illustrate this concept, Tocquigny created a video wall comprised of 52 LED monitors and three 77
Men and women are biologically different – and so are their skincare needs. This premise fueled the development of the Artistry® brand’s latest scientifically advanced skincare collection, Artistry® Men.
Artistry® scientists’ findings and expertise led to this customized collection, which targets men’s two primary skincare needs – oil control and hydration – to reveal healthier-, younger-looking skin in men of all ages and ethnicities.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/72394510-amway-artistry-skincare-for-men/
It’s not just external factors, such as UV exposure and free radicals, that cause our skin to age, there are also processes within our bodies that contribute to skin aging. The scientists at the ARTISTRY Center for Skin Health Research have dedicated countless hours researching extrinsic and intrinsic combatants of the skin. Their findings have led to a new understanding of how skin ages and the production of a crème that can help skin act up to 15 years younger. So after decades of trying to find the fountain of youth, ARTISTRY® Skin Care and Cosmetics may have done so with the creation of Crème LuXury!
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/amway/43318/
Five international apprentices visited global construction and mining equipment manufacturer XCMG's headquarters in Xuzhou, China for a one-week immersive XCMG Apprentice Program from January 18 to 24.
The program was the company's first time bringing global apprentices to China; five apprentices from the United States, Brazil, Russia, Kenya and Pakistan stood out from a global selection.
The participants came from different backgrounds but shared the same interest towards the construction and machinery industry. In addition to the comprehensive tour led by XCMG employees that included visits to the crane assembly factory and Asia's largest vibration and noise lab, as well as engaging activities like operating excavators, the apprentices also acted as their mentors' assistants, learning about the state-of-the-art technologies in construction machineries through a day's work.
"XCMG has a keen focus on cultivating talents and encouraging communication through educational programs like XCMG Apprentice, which has introduced XCMG's technological and innovational achievements to the international community," said Wang Min, chairman and president of XCMG.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7764851-xcmg-apprentice-program/
