Deathnote movie - US Remake with Gaspard Ulliel to star as Light

The highly successful Deathnote movies are getting the Hollywood treatment. Handsome french actor Gaspard Ulliel will star as the power crazed Light Yagami.

Deathnote is a popular manga series about a powerful notebook that kills people whose names are written in it. This book was accidentally dropped in to Earth from a different world by a death god. Light, a uni student stumbles across this book and sees the instructions on how to use it. He doesn't believe it, he tests it out by writing a criminal's name and finds out the criminal dies from the news. He tests it out again and finally believes the Deathnote's power. Light become crazed and wants to create a new world with no crime. He starts killing people like crazy and the genius detective L is on his tail.

I always shudder when I hear Hollywood is remaking a Japanese anime/movie. The Japanese Deathnote movies were brilliant! From script to set design and casting. Everything was believable and intelligent. I thought Kenichi Matsuyama and Tatsuya Fujiwara were brilliant in this cat and mouse game. Hollywood hasn't got a good record with Japanese film remakes, look at Dragon Ball Z, Speed Racer...

But! With the announcement that Gaspard is playing Light, I have hope that this film might be just as good as the Japanese one. Gaspard is a brilliant actor (one of my faavourites). He absorbs himself in the role and takes his art seriously. I have loved every movie I have seen him in. Gaspard can play complex characters (e.g. Hannibal) so I think he will bring an interesting dynamic and darkness to Light Yagami.

Now I'm quite curious to find out who will be playing the oddball genius detective L. I have no idea who they should cast. Maybe Johnny Depp. That would be an interesting combination.

Production hasn't started yet but they plan to release this film in 2012.

Let us know what you think about Gaspard being cast as Light.

'What Women Want' The Hong Kong Adaptation starring Andy Lau & Gong Li

'What Women Want', the highly successful RomCom film released in the year 2000 starring Hollywood's most bankable stars (at the time) Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt IS getting the Hong Kong Make-Over! With superstars Andy Lau and Gong Li in the lead roles.

Now, when I search my memory I can't seem to remember a modern Hollywood Film getting adapted by Asian film makers before (thinking)... Usually it's the other way around! Hollywood has adapted many successful Asian Films in recent years like The Lake House (from Korea's 'Il Mare'), The Departed (from Hong Kong's blockbuster trilogy 'The Departed') and not to mention all the Japanese Horror films like The Ring, The Grudge. So it's particularly interesting that Hong Kong Film makers have taken a liking to this Hollywood RomCom film.

Being a RomCom walking encyclopedia, the premise for 'What Women Want' is quite original - Giving an alpha male who is clueless about women, the powers to hear ALL their thoughts. This power is highly desirable for men wanting to understand women... but do they really want to know what their ex- really thinks of them uncensored? Or what their daughter is getting up to with her boyfriend? That is dangerous territory...

Andy Lau the King of Hong Kong Cinema, whose movie career has spanned over 3 decades is the lucky guy who is bestowed with this telepathic power. We are accustomed to seeing him in dramatic & action roles, we tend to forget how brilliant he is comedically. The stunning Gong Li, whose film career is equally as impressive, plays his frenemy and love interest. Of all the Gong Li films I have watched, I actually have not seen her in a romantic comedy. This can't be her first romantic comedy? Well I am quite eager to see her in this film and see her lighter side.

It will be interesting to see if this film surpasses the Hollywood orginal!!

This film was released yesterday on Chinese New Year! In Melbourne you can catch it at the Chinatown cinema. For everywhere else, check your local guide!

Hallyu Star Jang Dong-Gun’s Hollywood Debut

Hallyu star Jang Dong-Gun will be making his long awaited Hollywood movie debut this December. The film ‘Warrior’s way’ was shelved away since 2008 when it finished production, the issue was they had trouble finding investors and distributors. The fate of the film looked dim until Relativity Media picked up the distribution rights to the 45 million dollar film in August this year. The film will finally see the light of day with its limited nationwide release in December.

Jang Dong-Gun is following in the footsteps of Rain, Lee Byung Hun starring in Hollywood Films! Rain has starred in ‘Speed Racer’ and ‘Ninja Assassin’. Lee Byung Hun has starred in ‘When the Rain Comes’ and ‘GI Joe’. It is exciting that Hallyu star Jang Dong-Gun is taking on Hollywood too. Reading the synopsis of ‘Warrior’s Way’ reminds me of Tom Cruise’s ‘The Last Samurai’ where there is a blend of two cultures. In ‘Warrior’s Way’ there is a clash between assassins and western cowboys. The film also stars Kate Bosworth and our Aussie Geoffrey Rush. No release date has been set for Australia. I think they want to see how it goes in USA first before they consider opening it up in other countries. Like Ninja Assassin, it did average in the US so in the end it wasn’t released in Australia and the film went straight to DVD. I hope it does well!