Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Jeremy Lin Throws First Pitch At Dodgers Game



This past weekend, Jeremy Lin threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game. Los Angeles is welcoming Jeremy Lin with open arms. The two Los Angeles baseball teams are both headed for the post season. I would love to see a freeway series like they've had in New York and San Francisco.

Jeremy Lin's pitch made it over the plate and to someone he used to coach basketball to in Joc Pederson. Awesome weekend!

Links:
Jeremy Lin first pitch at Dodger Stadium (09/27/14)
Jeremy Lin: 'I never thought I was going to play college basketball'

Monday, September 29, 2014

Taiwan Box Office - September 28, 2014 - 台灣票房榜


Weekend of September 28, 2014
Rank Film Title Weeks
1 The Maze Runner (移動迷宮) 3
2 Before I Go To Sleep (別相信任何人) 2
3 Chef (五星主廚快餐車) 3
4 共犯 (Partners In Crime) 1
5 神劍闖江湖2:京都大火篇 (Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno) 1
6 Good People (鎖命橫財) 1
7 等一個人咖啡 (Café.Waiting.Love.) 7
8 The Purge: Anarchy (國定殺戮日:無法無天) 2
9 軍中樂園 (Paradise In Service) 4
10 KANO 20
11 This Is Where I Leave You (愛在頭七天) 2
12 Lucy (露西) 6
13 永遠的0 (The Eternal Zero) 3
14 聖鬥士星矢:聖域傳說 (Saint Seiya: Legend Of Sanctuary) 1
15 渴望 (The World of Kanako) 3
16 The Boxtrolls (怪怪箱) 3
17 超能對決 (Monsterz) 1
18 As Above, So Below (忐忑) 4
19 God Help The Girl (戀夏小情歌) 1
20 Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery (蘇富比偽畫大師) 3

Source: Yahoo! Movies Taiwan - retrieved September 29, 2014

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Divergent - 分歧者



Divergent (分歧者) is a 2014 film. The movie stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James. The supporting cast include Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Tony Goldwyn, Maggie Q, and Kate Winslet. The movie is an adaption of an young adult book of the same name.



In a future Chicago, the city is split up into 4 fractions in order to keep the peace. The city is walled off as the rest of the world seems to lay in waste Shailene Woodley plays Tris, who's about to choose her fraction as she comes of age. Along the way, she's challenged and has to overcome a life that's foreign to her. Her main trainer and her start to display signs of being Divergent, someone who doesn't fit into the 4 fractions. Divergents are eliminated. Tris fights back and now has to choose a life of hiding now.



The movie was pretty entertaining. I love these dystopian fiction in general. Because the worlds it creates isn't bound by the laws of our current world. Things happen and it can because its a different world! In this case, we have a world that seems to have destroyed enough of civilizations that they have to create a big wall and go into military rule.

The story or Tris and how she starts a revolution is interesting as this film does the set up. It starts with skills training and halts in the middle of a coming of age story. I am looking forward to the sequel.



Saturday, September 27, 2014

Jeremy Lin Does ... Lindorsements



It's hard being a super star. People think you live like a king and have a entourage. Well, that all takes money. And you've heard of the epic failures of major stars with huge entourages that are now bankrupted. Jeremy Lin goes the opposite direction. Jeremy Lin is Mista Frugal. And the products that he endorses is for the common man.

So many pop culture references in this video it makes yo head hurt.

Welcome to your birth city Jeremy Lin, you're second home away from your NoCal roots.



Friday, September 26, 2014

Hong Kong Box Office - September 21, 2014 - 香港票房榜

Hong Kong Box Office - Week Ending: September 21, 2014


Weekend of September 21, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 The Maze Runner (移動迷宮)
2 A Walk Among The Tombstones (亡命救參)
3 男人唔可以窮 (Golden Brother)
4 Begin Again (一切從音樂再開始)
5 等一個人咖啡 (Deng Yi Ge Ren Ka Fei/Café.Waiting.Love.)
6 The Expendables 3 (轟天猛將3)
7 Magic In The Moonlight (情迷月色下)
8 浪客劍心:京都大火篇 (Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno/Rurôni Kenshin: Kyôto Taika-hen)
9 The Purge: Anarchy (國定殺戮日:全民瘋殺)
10 戀上春樹 (Wood Job!)
... ...
13 爭氣 (My Voice My Life)
... ...
14 一生一世 (But Always/Yi Sheng Yi Shi)
... ...
17 失戀急讓 (Temporary Family)
... ...
21 閨密 (Close Friends/Girls)
... ...
23 黃金時代 (The Golden Era)
... ...
28 大宅們/大宅男 (My Geeky Nerdy Buddies)
... ...
30 看見台灣 (Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above)
... ...
31 分手100次 (Fen Shou 100 Ci/Break Up 100)

Source: Box Office Mojo and WMOOV - retrieved September 24, 2014

Thursday, September 25, 2014

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty - 白日夢冒險王



The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (白日夢冒險王) is an 2013 film. The movie stars Ben Stiller. The supporting cast include Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, and Sean Penn. The movie is a remake of a 1947 film of the same name. The story is modernized for the 2010s.



Walter Mitty is the head negative assets manager at Life magazine. Walter lives a pretty mundane life and day dreams a lot. So much so that he literally freezes up and people throw things at him. When a famous photographer sends a negative that he cannot find, the search is on to find it. However, the search takes Walter really really out of his comfort zone.

This movie was pretty amazing visually. The movie makes pit stops in Greenland, Iceland, and to the Himalayas. In all cases, the visual aspect of each location is amazing. I don't think they green screened those, but actually goes to those locations. The movie does have a lot of Ben Stiller. Even in your 40s, you can make a coming of age movie. The day dreaming parts are pretty ridiculous, but I think it could only happen in the movies.

If you're looking for a middle aged coming of age story with great acting and stunning locales, this movie is for you. I also like the translation of "Day Dream King".



Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Zhong Guo Box Office - September 21, 2014 - 中国票房榜

Zhong Guo Box Office - Week Ending: September 21, 2014


Weekend of September 21, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (猩球崛起:黎明之战)
2 The Expendables 3 (敢死队3)
3 Non-Stop (猩球崛起:黎明之战)
4 Into The Storm (不惧风暴)
5 一生一世 (But Always)
6 触不可及 (One Step Away)
7 Divergent (分歧者:异类觉醒)
8 绝密跟踪 (Cold Eyes)
9 Beauty And The Beast (美女与野兽/La Belle Et La Bete)
10 女生宿舍(Inside The Girls)

Source: Ent Group - retrieved September 22, 2014

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Godzilla - 哥吉拉



Godzilla (哥吉拉) is an 2014 film. The movie stars Godzilla! The supporting cast include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Bryan Cranston. The movie's Godzilla is based on the Japanese character of the same name. You may call this an US reboot.



The story starts in 1999 when a couple of scientist visit a mine in the Philippines to discover two chrysalises. The cave was wrapped around what appears to be a large dinosaur skeleton. At the same time, 1999, in Japan, a nuclear plant explosion is triggered and kills some people. Fast forward 15 years to the present day, the same plant in Japan becomes active again to reveal a giant monster with wings that seems indestructible by modern weapons. They figured out that the winged monster is a male on its way to mate with the female monster. They are set to converge upon San Francisco. Godzilla appears to try to take them down. To restore order to the world.



This movie held on to suspense as long as possible. The movie was presented as both an action film and as great acting. In general, the acting was pretty spot on and very very believable. The "secrets" were kept to a minimum and we felt like we were along for the ride. I didn't think Aaron Taylor-Johnson's role would be as big as it was, but it was on par with Godzilla himself.



As a popcorn movie, I might not have liked. But as a rental in the comfortable surroundings of home, it was a good watch. I grew up watching terrible English dubbed Godzilla movies and the Thanksgiving marathons. This did not bring that nostalgia feeling back. But its ok, the recent Japanese Godzilla movies have not had success in bringing back those nostalgic feelings.



Monday, September 22, 2014

Taiwan Box Office - September 21, 2014 - 台灣票房榜


Weekend of September 21, 2014
Rank Film Title Weeks
1 The Maze Runner (移動迷宮) 2
2 Before I Go To Sleep (別相信任何人) 1
3 Chef (五星主廚快餐車) 2
4 The Purge: Anarchy (國定殺戮日:無法無天) 1
5 等一個人咖啡 (Café.Waiting.Love.) 6
6 軍中樂園 (Paradise In Service) 3
7 Lucy (露西) 5
8 This Is Where I Leave You (愛在頭七天) 1
9 渴望 (The World of Kanako) 2
10 永遠的0 (The Eternal Zero) 2
11 The Boxtrolls (怪怪箱) 2
12 As Above, So Below (忐忑) 3
13 Sex Tape (愛愛上雲端) 3
14 The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared (百歲老人蹺家去) 1
15 Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery (蘇富比偽畫大師) 2
16 The Giver (記憶傳承人:極樂謊言) 4
17 三分之一:逆轉賭局 (One Third) 1
18 一生一世 (But Always) 3
19 KANO 19
20 哪啊哪啊 - 神去村 (Wood Job!) 5

Source: Yahoo! Movies Taiwan - retrieved September 22, 2014

Sunday, September 21, 2014

American Hustle - 瞞天大佈局



American Hustle (瞞天大佈局) is an 2013 film. The movie stars Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Amy Adams. The supporting cast include Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro. The movie had a nice run during the 2012 movie awards season.



Christian Bale and Amy Adams play a couple that are running scams in the New Jersey area during the late 1970s, Irving Rosenfeld and Sydney Prosser. Even though they were a couple, Irving was married to Rosalyn Rosenfeld, played by Jennifer Lawrence whom came to the marriage with a boy the Irving adopts and treats like his own son. Bradley Coopers character, Richard "Richie" DiMaso, is an FBI Agent that bust Irving and Sydney. In exchange for leniency, they help Richie bust dirty government officials. Enter Mayor Carmine Polito, played by Jeremy Renner. The set up a sting to bring him down and those he has connections to. Let the hustle begin!

This movie was a trip. The 1970s was only a decade away, but it was constantly on TV and movies during my childhood that I feel that I know it. Shows like Charles Angels, Three's Company, 6 Million Dollar Man, and Hulk got me really into era as a kid. These days, the 1970s are still looked back to fondly in the media. American Hustle does it the same, nostalgia at its core. But the story was the main driver.

The STORY was a trip. You better have your thinking cap on. There's a main storyline that intersects with many others ones. And the movie has flashback moments. Its no wonder that it did well at the box office. Its an excellent film due to the story, great acting, and period its set in.



Saturday, September 20, 2014

Friday, September 19, 2014

Hong Kong Box Office - September 14, 2014 - 香港票房榜

Hong Kong Box Office - Week Ending: September 14, 2014


Weekend of September 14, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 The Expendables 3 (轟天猛將3)
2 Sex Tape (春光乍網)
3 等一個人咖啡 (Deng Yi Ge Ren Ka Fei/Café.Waiting.Love.)
4 The Purge: Anarchy (國定殺戮日:全民瘋殺)
5 Begin Again (一切從音樂再開始)
6 一生一世 (But Always/Yi Sheng Yi Shi))
7 恐怖在線 (Twilight Online)
8 戀上春樹 (Wood Job!)
9 If I Stay (如果我留下)
10 The Hundred-Foot Journey (米芝蓮摘星奇緣)
... ...
12 失戀急讓 (Temporary Family)
... ...
17 閨密 (Close Friends/Girls)
... ...
21 大宅們/大宅男 (My Geeky Nerdy Buddies)
... ...
26 同桌的妳 (My Old Classmate)
... ...
31 看見台灣 (Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above)
... ...
33 分手100次 (Fen Shou 100 Ci/Break Up 100)

Source: Box Office Mojo and WMOOV - retrieved September 17, 2014

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Outcast - 絕命逃亡 - Upcoming



Outcast (絕命逃亡) is being released in Zhong Guo the following weekend. The movie stars Crystal Liu, Hayden Christensen, Nicolas Cage, Ji Ke Jun Yi, and Andy On.

Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen but make their way to Zhong Guo after suffering guilt as warriors in Briton's involvement of the Crusades. Crystal Liu plays a princess with the named heir to the throne being chased by Andy On as their throne stealing older brother.

From the trailer, looks like the Asian actors all speak English. Crystal Liu and Andy On both spent many many of their education years in the United States.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Zhong Guo Box Office - September 14, 2014 - 中国票房榜

Zhong Guo Box Office - Week Ending: September 14, 2014


Weekend of September 14, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (猩球崛起:黎明之战)
2 The Expendables 3 (敢死队3)
3 一生一世 (But Always)
4 Divergent (分歧者:异类觉醒)
5 Into The Storm (不惧风暴)
6 Beauty And The Beast (美女与野兽/La Belle Et La Bete)
7 女生宿舍(Inside The Girls)
8 龟兔再跑 (Tale Of The Rally)
9 Delhi Safari (动物也疯狂)
10 How to Train Your Dragon 2 (驯龙高手2)

Source: Ent Group - retrieved September 15, 2014

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Revenge Of The Green Dragons - 青龍復仇 - Trailer Released



Revenge Of The Green Dragons (青龍復仇) is an upcoming film helmed by acclaimed Hong Kong director Andrew Lau and Andrew Loo. The cast includes Justin Chon, Harry Shum, Jr., and Kevin Wu (KevJumba). The films is based in 1989's New York Chinatown.

I am a fan of both Harry and Kevin and see this as great opportunity for them. Given that they both do not have many options in hollywood for regular roles, they are playing gangsters, and Asian gangsters like what Hollywood expects. The film has Martin Scorsese as a producer too.

I am a bit conflicted. I am sure this is a valid slice of Asian life in the US and very exciting to watch. However, it does continue to perpetuate the Asian gangster stereotype. The faux FOB accents were a bit distracting too. If you're gonna go FOB, do it as good as Russell Peters.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Taiwan Box Office - September 14, 2014 - 台灣票房榜


Weekend of September 14, 2014
Rank Film Title Weeks
1 The Maze Runner (移動迷宮) 1
2 軍中樂園 (Paradise In Service) 2
3 Lucy (露西) 4
4 等一個人咖啡 (Café.Waiting.Love.) 5
5 Sex Tape (愛愛上雲端) 2
6 As Above, So Below (忐忑) 2
7 渴望 (The World of Kanako) 1
8 Chef (五星主廚快餐車) 1
9 The Giver (記憶傳承人:極樂謊言) 3
10 永遠的0 (The Eternal Zero) 1
11 The Boxtrolls (怪怪箱) 1
12 Beltracchi: The Art of Forgery (蘇富比偽畫大師) 1
13 KANO 18
14 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (忍者龜:變種世代) 6
15 一生一世 (But Always) 2
16 閨密 (Girls) 7
17 Are You Here (人生大逆轉) 1
18 哪啊哪啊 - 神去村 (Wood Job!) 4
19 印度總舖師 (Jadoo) 2
20 愛的放題 (Love's Whirlpool) 1

Source: Yahoo! Movies Taiwan - retrieved September 15, 2014

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Hong Kong Box Office - September 7, 2014 - 香港票房榜

Hong Kong Box Office - Week Ending: September 7, 2014


Weekend of September 7, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 The Expendables 3 (轟天猛將3)
2 一生一世 (But Always)
3 等一個人咖啡 (Deng Yi Ge Ren Ka Fei/Café.Waiting.Love.)
4 恐怖在線 (Twilight Online)
5 Begin Again (一切從音樂再開始)
6 失戀急讓 (Temporary Family)
7 22 Jump Street (囧探出更)
8 The Hundred-Foot Journey (米芝蓮摘星奇緣)
9 Into The Storm (颶風中心)
10 Lucy (Lucy: 超能煞姬)
... ...
11 閨密 (Close Friends/Girls)
... ...
18 四大名捕大结局 (The Four 3)
... ...
25 分手100次 (Fen Shou 100 Ci/Break Up 100)
... ...
31 看見台灣 (Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above)

Source: Box Office Mojo and WMOOV - retrieved September 9, 2014

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Ariel Hsing Plays in China's Table Tennis Super League



Ariel Hsing made history at the start of summer by becoming the first American-born player in the China Table Tennis Super League, playing for the Zhejiang Jinhua Bank team.


Friday, September 12, 2014

Zhong Guo Box Office - September 7, 2014 - 中国票房榜

Zhong Guo Box Office - Week Ending: September 7, 2014


Weekend of September 7, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 The Expendables 3 (敢死队3)
2 Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (猩球崛起:黎明之战)
3 一生一世 (But Always)
4 How to Train Your Dragon 2 (驯龙高手2)
5 四大名捕大结局 (The Four 3)
6 临时同居 (Temporary Family)
7 龟兔再跑 (Tale Of The Rally)
8 Delhi Safari (动物也疯狂)
9 Metegol (挑战者联盟)
10 床下有人2 (Under The Bed 2)

Source: Ent Group - retrieved September 9, 2014

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Jeremy Lin Pranks Wax Museum Guests



Jeremy Lin's statue was unveiled at the San Francisco Madame Tussauds Was Museum a couple weeks ago. Madame Tussauds released a prank video of Jeremy Lin pretending to a wax figure and also jumping out and dunking on patrons.

Things like this make liking a sports star so easy. So easy.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Taiwan Box Office - September 7, 2014 - 台灣票房榜


Weekend of September 7, 2014
Rank Film Title Weeks
1 Lucy (露西) 3
2 軍中樂園 (Paradise In Service) 1
3 等一個人咖啡 (Café.Waiting.Love.) 4
4 Sex Tape (愛愛上雲端) 1
5 As Above, So Below (忐忑) 1
6 The Givers (記憶傳承人:極樂謊言) 2
7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (忍者龜:變種世代) 5
8 一生一世 (But Always) 1
9 大宅們 (My Geeky Nerdy Buddies) 3
10 Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (萬惡城市:紅顏奪命) 2
11 閨密 (Girls) 6
12 The Expendables 3 (浴血任務3) 4
13 印度總舖師 (Jadoo) 1
14 Guardians Of The Galaxy (星際異攻隊) 6
15 水男骸 (The Swimmers) 3
16 哪啊哪啊 - 神去村 (Wood Job!) 3
17 KANO 17
18 Deliver Us From Evil (惡魔刑事錄) 4
19 神奇寶貝電影第17部(Pokemon the movie XY 破壞之繭與蒂安希) 2
20 Words and Pictures (字畫情緣) 1

Source: Yahoo! Movies Taiwan - retrieved September 9, 2014

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The Walking Dead - Maggie and Glenn On Cover Of Entertainment Weekly



The Walking Dead Season 5 premieres on Sunday, October 12, 2014. The last we saw at the end of Season 4 is that our beloved characters are trapped at Terminus from what appears to be cannibals.

From the trailer, leaks, teases, etc., the upcoming fifth season promises to be the most brutal. The love relationship between Maggie and Glenn has been played up. As the cover suggest, lots of fighting coming up.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Hong Kong Box Office - August 31, 2014 - 香港票房榜

Hong Kong Box Office - Week Ending: August 31, 2014


Weekend of August 31, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 等一個人咖啡 (Deng Yi Ge Ren Ka Fei/Café.Waiting.Love.)
2 失戀急讓 (Temporary Family)
3 22 Jump Street (囧探出更)
4 Into The Storm (颶風中心)
5 Lucy (Lucy: 超能煞姬)
6 The Hundred-Foot Journey (米芝蓮摘星奇緣)
7 閨密 (Close Friends/Girls)
8 蒙羅麗莎之瞳 (All-Round Appraiser Q: The Eyes of Mona Lisa/Bannô kanteishi Q: Mona Lisa No Hitomi)
9 游魂惹鬼 (Fak Wai Nai Gai Thoe/The Swimmers)
10 Guardians Of The Galaxy (銀河守護隊)
... ...
12 四大名捕大结局 (The Four 3)
... ...
17 分手100次 (Fen Shou 100 Ci/Break Up 100)
... ...
30 看見台灣 (Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above)

Source: Box Office Mojo and WMOOV - retrieved September 5, 2014

Friday, September 5, 2014

Kung Fu Jungle - 一個人的武林 - Teaser Trailer



Kung Fu Jungle (一個人的武林) starring Donnie Yen, the strongest man in the universe, is getting released during Halloween this year across Asia.

From the trailer, seems like a hannibal type story with a revenge subplot. Other familiar faces from the HK movie landscape show up. Making it seem like a retread in a since. But that's how its been recently, for many years now. Taiwan is even more guilty of re-casting the same people over and over again in movies.

I am interested. I will look to see this.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Zhong Guo Box Office - August 31, 2014 - 中国票房榜

Zhong Guo Box Office - Week Ending: August 31, 2014


Weekend of August 31, 2014
Rank Film Title
1 Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (猩球崛起:黎明之战)
2 四大名捕大结局 (The Four 3)
3 How to Train Your Dragon 2 (驯龙高手2)
4 临时同居 (Temporary Family)
5 Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants (昆虫总动员)
6 反贪风暴 (Z Storm)
7 Pompeii /Apocalypse Pompeii (庞贝末日)
8 白雪公主之矮人力量 (Snow White The Power of Dwarfs)
9 床下有人2 (Under The Bed 2)
10 Tarzan (丛林之王)

Source: Ent Group - retrieved September 1, 2014

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Taiwan Box Office - August 31, 2014 - 台灣票房榜


Weekend of August 31, 2014
Rank Film Title Weeks
1 Lucy (露西) 2
2 等一個人咖啡 (Café.Waiting.Love.) 3
3 The Givers (記憶傳承人:極樂謊言) 1
4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (忍者龜:變種世代) 4
5 大宅們 (My Geeky Nerdy Buddies) 2
6 Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (萬惡城市:紅顏奪命) 1
7 閨密 (Girls) 5
8 水男骸 (The Swimmers) 1
9 The Expendables 3 (浴血任務3) 3
10 Step Up All In (舞力全開5) 5
11 Guardians Of The Galaxy (星際異攻隊) 5
12 Deliver Us From Evil (惡魔刑事錄) 3
13 蠟筆小新電影:大對決!機器人爸爸的反擊!(Crayon Shin-chan: Serious Battle! Robot Dad Strikes Back!) 4
14 神奇寶貝電影第17部(Pokemon the movie XY 破壞之繭與蒂安希) 1
15 Planes: Fire And Rescue (飛機總動員:打火英雄) 3
16 哪啊哪啊 - 神去村 (Wood Job!) 2
17 Turning Tide (逆轉風帆) 1
18 Jacky in Women's Kingdom (女子漢的顛倒性世界) 2
19 Into the Storm (直闖暴風圈) 4
20 Words and Pictures (字畫情緣) 1

Source: Yahoo! Movies Taiwan - retrieved September 1, 2014

Monday, September 1, 2014