Archive for March, 2008
Additional Info on The Legendary Ren Jia
Genre: Costume series, Tang dynasty political intrigue/mystery case
Cast: Kent Cheng, Lee Heung Kam, Bernice Liu, Sunny Chan, Sonija Kwok, Leila Tong, Wayne Lai, Rebecca Chan, Lam Yi Kei, Raymond Cho, Claire Yiu, Matthew Ko, Lawrence Ng, Mimi Chu, Lai Kai Fong, Stephen Wong Ka Lok, Eric Li Tin Cheung, Stephen Huynh, Queenie Chu, Tracy Ip, Kwong Chor Fa
Leila Tong as Shuangguan Wan’Er
Comments. I am actually very excited about this film due to the fact that it takes place during the Tang Dynasty. However, whether it’s about the political intrigue during Empress Wu’s reign or a series involved in mystery cases is still unknown as far as I know. Personally, although I prefer to see something with politics since TVB haven’t produced something like that in ages, it is more likely that it’s about mystery cases. Simply because TVB tends to produce many of these serials these days. Honestly, TVB’s ancient mystery cases aren’t really interesting (I prefer modern more). The Gentle Crackdown is a good example with predictable cases. In the past, I think Witness to a Persecution is quite good, but I want to see something for a change. Furthermore, the series stars many historical figures such as the famous Empress Wu and her loyal subject, Shuangguan Wan’er. Of course, there is also one of Empress Wu’s official Di Ren Jia.
The cast does not look very strong, but there seems to be many people in this series and the costumes and hairstyles are fresh and original, they are elaborate and exaggerated. I do not like the flowers on the concubines/empresses dresses. It makes the attires look horrible, not royal to me. I wonder what happen to the silky royal attires TVB use to make in the 80’s.
Will there be a Princess Taiping since she is quite an important character under Empress Wu’s reign?
Add comment March 7, 2008
D.I.E.
English Title: D.I.E.
Chinese Title: 古靈精探
Cantonese Title: Koo Ling Ching Taam
Casts: Roger Kwok, Sonija Kwok, Kenneth Ma, Margie Tsang
Length: 25 episodes (Cantonese) // 19 tapes (Vietnamese)
Release Date: March 2008 (Canto) // May 2008 (Viet)
Genre: Modern Drama/Investigation/Crime
The Sypnosis
Falling into a trance-like state
helps him crack case in mystery
The “Death Investigation Extension (D.I.E.)” in the police force was established to accommodate those who have been sent away by their supervisors. As everybody knows, members of the Extension are to investigate unsolved cold cases. YUE CHI-LONG (Kwok Chun On), who has cracked a large number of difficult cases by extrasensory means, is assigned to the D.I.E. believing that he will get promoted soon. Later LONG finds out that his supervisor still has a long way to go before he reaches retirement age. Hoping to leave the Extension as soon as possible, he gets to solve a lot of intriguing cases. New appointee YING CHING-CHING (Kwok Sonija) is a good-looking girl but she means to act tough and sassy in front of others. She takes an uncompromising stand over every case she deals with, which leads her into constant quarrels with LONG. The relationship between the pair is deteriorating day after day.
LONG’s elder sister, YUE CHI-CHING (Tsang Wah Sin), has been living with him. While investigating an old case, LONG gets to find his long-lost father YUE TAI-HOI (Leung Ka Yan). Through close collaboration with LONG, CHING-CHING has gradually developed affection for him. As she is still torn between LONG and her two-timing boyfriend SHING KA-TSUN (Ma Kwok Ming), LONG has started to try to avoid her without rhyme or reason. Feeling so confused about what is happening, CHING-CHING decides to do some probing and is shocked to discover that LONG has been dogged by a female ghost called SIU SIN (Yuen Kitty).
Comments. I have been looking forward to this drama since like forever simply because Margie is one of the actresses. Haven’t seen her in a while. Unfortunately, according to the sypnosis, her character doesn’t sound as singficant as I thought it was going to be. At first I thought Margie and Roger will play a couple, but it sounds like they will only be brothers and sisters. Anyway, does Margie even look older than Roger since she will play his ELDER sister? I mean in real life Roger is one year older than Margie if I have my dates correctly. Anyway, so does that mean Kenneth and Margie will play a couple instead or will she be single? I cannot really imagine them playing a couple despite the rumors because Margie will obviously look older than Kenneth. I just hope that her character will have more to do with the story and not just another typical character in the plot.
Sonija’s character here is quite similar to the tough Madam she played in On the First Beat. I didn’t really like her character and her acting is still kind of weak. I don’t like it when she yells. As for Roger and Kenneth, I am looking forward to their performances. I hope Kenneth will have an interesting character because he was really good in Survivor’s Law II.
Credits Astro on Demand
Add comment March 1, 2008
