“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.
Only the most desperate colonists dare to make Hellhole a home. The planet is a dumping ground for undesirables and charlatans until an exiled general turns Hellhole into a place of real opportunity. If only these inhabitants knew the dangers that lie beneath the surface of the planet. Learn more about the book here: http://bit.ly/hdewk9 and its authors here: http://bit.ly/eYVSYZ and http://bit.ly/dJo6Sp Science Fiction
New York Times bestselling authors, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have created characters and adventures expanding the epic DUNE novels of Frank Herbert that have been acclaimed by critics and readers alike. SISTERHOOD OF DUNE, a fascinating novel about the formation of the DUNE universe, and especially the Bene Gesserit, is the newest addition to this amazing legacy. Learn more about this book here, http://bit.ly/SisterhoodDune and its authors here, http://bit.ly/DuneNovels Science Fiction
ABC of Sales offers eight secrets for consistently reaching high sales levels and lays out in clearly understandable language what it takes to be a Sales Superstar. The ABC of Sales is a guide for professionals who want to soar in sales, revive their sales careers, or position their companies among the elite. Learn more about this book and its author here, http://www.ABCofSales.com Non Fiction
Drive for Innovation is an initiative presented by UBM Electronics in partnership with Avnet Express, the e-Commerce engine for Avnet Electronics Marketing, an operating group of Avnet, Inc. The first-of-its kind media project is designed to showcase electronics innovation and automotive system design with a cross-country journey in a Chevrolet Volt. The 12-month initiative will celebrate innovative people, products and places in electronics and technology.
EE Times Editorial Director Brian Fuller will visit innovation hubs across America, interviewing engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators, students and “mad scientists” – all while blogging and posting video about his experiences. Fuller will highlight inspiring stories and detail electronics innovation behind the Volt and the future of plug-in electric cars.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/51004-drive-for-innovation/
Newly formed entertainment company The Mogue Collective announces the launch of Dance2LAX: a non-competitive dance workshop featuring eight classes by world famous choreographers Brian Friedman (X-Factor; Britney Spears), Laurie Ann Gibson (Lady Gaga), Gil Duldulao (Janet Jackson) and UK based Sisco Gomez (So You Think You Can Dance), also boasting celebrity host Carmit Bachar from the original Pussycat Dolls. The two-day intensive event will be held for the first time in London at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Monarch Ballroom, April 7th and 8th 2012. A live showcase performed in a pop concert atmosphere and an exclusive VIP party at Minako at the Met will round out the weekend.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53793-dance2lax
Hell Is Real motivates Christians who have grown complacent in their view of hell. Jones believes that the reason most Christians don’t tell their friends about Jesus has nothing to do with not knowing how-it’s because they don’t think they need to. Learn about the book here, http://bit.ly/nQxWOG Learn about this author here, http://www.brianjones.com/ Spiritual Formation
A new survey from the nonprofit Gout & Uric Acid Education Society (GUAES) highlights an alarming awareness gap among Americans regarding the risk factors for gout, a chronic, potentially disabling form of arthritis which now affects an estimated 8.3 million Americans. Among the survey findings are that only one in 10 Americans correctly cited cardiovascular disease as a risk factor for gout, while only one in three Americans correctly reported that obesity is a risk factor, and less than one in five reported that diabetes and kidney disease are risk factors. GUAES released the survey findings in advance of its annual Gout Awareness Day on May 22.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/gouteducation/49664/
FREE DOWNLOAD: http://soundcloud.com/brian-fraze/golden-years Brian Fraze **Golden Years** feat' Jocelyn Buchanan [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO] Want to know more about Brian Fraze? Check out his Twitter page here... http://twitter.com/brianfraze
FedEx -- Behind The Scenes. In preparation for his upcoming role as a FedEx Express courier, actor Brian goes behind the scenes of FedEx in Memphis, TN to learn what it takes to deliver millions of packages each day. This behind the scenes look shows real FedEx team members teaching Brian how to lift, push, pull, drive, scan and deliver on time.
After watching the trailer, be sure to check out each of the FedEx -- Behind The Scenes chapters to see Brian's complete experience.
