Sunday, September 9, 2007
The Straits Times, 7 Sep 2007
Do these stars make the grade? 
FANN WONG, 36
Most visible role: The butt-kicking Chon Lin in Shanghai Knights (2003) alongside Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan and comedian Owen Wilson.
The purported sequel Shanghai Dawn, which would have reunited the above cast, has yet to see the light of day.
Meanwhile, the MediaCorp actress is putting on her dancing shoes for a lead role in Dance Of The Dragon. She plays a ballroom dancing teacher whom Korean heart-throb Jang Hyuk and American actor Jason Scott Lee tussle over.
Dragon will be shot and produced in Singapore by Easternlight Film Productions, the Asian production arm of Los Angeles-based Arclight Films. The $4-million film is due out next year.
Reception: Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post called her 'an enchanting new film presence' in Shanghai Knights and said she 'combines a dancer's grace with a fighter's speed, and looks great standing still or whirling'.
Joe Leydon, the reviewer for Tinseltown trade publication Variety, allowed that in the same film, 'Fann is easy on the eyes and quick in her moves, which is all her character requires'.
Grade: A-
QI YUWU, 30
Most visible role: Joe, an illegal immigrant whom a nightclub singer (Joan Chen) falls for, in The Home Song Stories (2007).
Qi will be pitting his gongfu and acting skills against China-born action hero Donnie Yen in the period action flick Painted Skin.
The US$10 million (S$15 million) film is a China-Singapore co-production. It will be directed by Hong Kong's Andy Chin and Wilson Yip. The latter had also helmed last year's martial arts movie Dragon Tiger Gate.
Reception: Variety's Richard Kuipers said of The Home Song Stories: 'Singapore-based thesp Qi (shows) more than just good looks.'
Grade: B+
NG CHIN HAN, 37
Most visible role: A 'significant role' in the upcoming The Dark Knight, with Christian Bale returning as Batman and Heath Ledger as his arch-nemesis, The Joker.
You can't get more visible than this but time will tell if this can be parlayed into other roles.
Reception: Not yet.
Grade: B
LIM KAY TONG, 53
Most visible role: Down-and-out taxi driver Harry Lee in Singapore-born film-maker Djinn's Perth (2004).
Lim has amassed a sizeable number of credits on the website Internet Movie Database but seems destined to remain a journeyman, remembered for small roles in movies like Brokedown Palace (1999) and Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993).
He will be appearing in Dance Of The Dragon in the role of Jang Hyuk's father.
Reception: Variety's Derek Elley's review of Perth did not actually critique Lim's performance though he found the director promising.
Grade: B-
PAULYN SUN, 32
Most visible role: As the wife of a gangster (Tony Leung Ka Fai, in the thriller Island Of Greed (1997), she got a nomination for Best Actress at the 1998 Hong Kong Film Awards.
That was the high point for Miss Singapore- Universe 1994. She went on to strip for Takashi Miike's ultra-violent Ichi The Killer (2001) under the name Alien Sun.
Reception: Variety's Elley said Sun 'shows surprising range' in Island Of Greed.
Grade: B-
GWENDOLINE YEO, 30
Most visible role: A supporting role in Robin Swicord's The Jane Austen Book Club, which opens in the United States on Sept 21.
Probably best known for her stint as Chinese maid Xiao Mei on the hit soap Desperate Housewives.
Reception: Not yet.
Grade: B-
GURMIT SINGH, 42
Most visible role: A lowly technician in Jack Neo's body-swapping comedy hit Just Follow Law (2007 with Fann).
He will be seen next in Malaysian film-maker Afdlin Shauki's Sumolah, which was released across the Causeway in May.
The story is about an association of sushi restaurants in Kuala Lumpur that holds an underground sumo wrestling tournament. He plays the ex-boyfriend of the protagonist's love interest.
Reception: MTVAsia.com said Just Follow Law had 'a strong cast of Singaporean talent'. However, it was Fann who was singled out for praise for her comic turn.
Grade: C+
MAIZURAH HAMZAH, 35
Most visible role: She was nominated for Best Actress at the Malaysian Film Festival for her starring role in the 1999 Malaysian romance Nafas Cinta (Breath Of Love).
She has done a few TV dramas in Malaysia since but has been keeping quiet the past few years.
Reception: In 1995, at the 12th Malaysian Film Festival, she walked away with the Most Promising Star award for her debut starring role in Jimi Asmara (Romantic Jimi).
Grade: C+
EDMUND CHEN, 43
Most visible role: As geeky Dr Wu who falls for Gigi Leung's character in the Hong Kong-Singapore romantic comedy Turn Left, Turn Right (2003).
He has a supporting role in the Vietnamese film Saigon Eclipse (2007), based on the classic Vietnamese epic poem, Story Of Kieu.
Reception: LoveHKFilm.com said he 'plays Leung's would-be suitor with the subtlety and debonair charm of a rabid pitbull'.
Grade: C-
From MTVAsia.com
Another Singapore production effort by homegrown director Jack Neo, this time it's about the Singapore government's culture and how the business organization chart works, which are hilariously and sometimes realistically portrayed by a strong cast of Singaporean talents. Fann Wong is engaging in her character, a deviation from her usual roles of waif-like characters to a foul-mouthed gangster-like employee. It's definitely an eye-opener for fans of hers to watch her shed her usual prim-and-proper appearance.
http://www.mtvasia.com/Review/Movie/M20070209001518.html