The characters of C.S. Lewis' fantasy come to screen again in this newest
installment of the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince
Caspian.
The adventure continues as producer/director Andrew Adamson teams up with
screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to tell the tale of the
dashing Prince Caspian who sets out to defeat a tyrannical king who has
overtaken Narnia, and secure his rightful place on the throne. One year has
passed since the events of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe, and now the kings and queens of that land have returned to make a
shocking discovery.
By the childrens' calendars, it has been only 12 months since their last
voyage into Narnia, but they are aghast to realize that 1,300 years have passed
in the wondrous alternate universe. The Golden Age of Narnia has come to an end,
and now the malevolent King Miraz rules over the land without mercy or
compassion.
Miraz is determined to ensure that power remains in his bloodline, even if
that means killing his nephew Prince Caspian so that Miraz's own son will be
next in line for the throne.
The 2008 New Zealand Film Festival opens in Beijing this weekend, giving
Chinese audiences a great opportunity to know more about the Pacific nation. The
festival will feature 10 pearls of Kiwi cinema, including HBO comedy Eagle vs
Shark, family drama No. 2 and Out of the Blue. The latter is based on New
Zealand's most horrific shooting case in which 13 innocent people were killed.
A delegate from the New Zealand Film Commission said the festival would not
only act as a bridge between Chinese and Kiwi people, but also allow New Zealand
to promote its movie industry worldwide. The commission is also discussing joint
film ventures with Chinese producers, the official said.
Golden couple Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey are reunited in the
treasure-hunting romantic comedy Fool's Gold after their 2003's cooperation in
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Directed by Andy Tennant, this adventure story is
full of eye candy such as white sand beaches, blue waters and beautifully-tanned
stars. A good choice for a summer date at the weekend.
D-War, or Dragon War. In a film reminiscent of Ed Wood's oeuvre, Imoogi, an
unknown and terrible creature, returns to destroy the planet. It is opposed by a
reporter and a girl with a mysterious illness, in this action flick based on a
Korean legend.
Run Papa Run is Taiwan director and veteran actress Sylvia Chang's first try
at a male-oriented story. The joint production between Jackie Chan's movie
company JCE Movies and EEG Movies marks Sylvia's return to the director's chair,
following her success with 20, 30, 40 in 2004. Featuring Louis Koo of Hong Kong
and Taiwan actress Rene Liu, Run Papa Run works as both a gangster and a family
comedy.