L.O.R.D. Legend of Ravaging Dynasties (Movie)

It's unlikely to follow Ice Fantasy without catching wind of L.O.R.D. 爵迹, an upcoming CGI animated film starring an ensemble cast led by none other than the reigning queen of c-cinema, Fan Bing Bing (Empress of China). 

Both adaptations are the brainchild of Guo Jingming who authored the novels that have turned into classic fantasy literature. In an attempt to do justice to the story, Guo Jingming was heavily involved in the making of L.O.R.D. as writer and director.

Motion capture is a technique often seen in Hollywood, think Avatar, Gollum and the Hulk's man-cancelling suit as stated by Mark Ruffalo himself. L.O.R.D will be the first of its kind for the Chinese entertainment industry, generating much hype due to the magnitude of its ambition. 

However, it is undeniable that most of the buzz has to be from its extremely high-profile cast that include Fan Bing Bing, Kris Wu (EXO), Chen Xue Dong (Tiny Times), William Chan, Amber Kuo (Tiny Times), Lin Yun (The Mermaid), Kevin Yan Kuan, Roy Wang (TF Boys) as well as special appearances by Yang Mi and Aarif Rahman. Each and everyone of them will be acting via motion capture that it has become a test of wit to try and identify who is who.

L.O.R.D. is scheduled to hit theaters on Sept 30, 2016 in 3D.

Source: YXDown

First Look: Lucky Tianbao

Set during the Ming Dynasty, Lucky Tianbao 吉祥天宝 proves to be outrageous to the core from outlandish costumes to its ridiculous storyline. I reckon that heavier stuff will follow later on in the series, though I think I'll pass on this one.

Episode 1 begins with a standard introduction that is present in nearly every historical drama except this time around, the big bad is Wei Zhong Xian, a eunuch commanding two powerful agencies, Dong Chang and Jin Yi Wei, both of which are more than willing to do his biddings.

Wei Zhong Xian orders the mass killing of prisoners except for one who breaks and spills the name Wang Wen Yan after being threatened with the death of his family members. 

Meanwhile, Yang Ruo Lan (Zhao Li Ying) armed with a cracking whip is wrecking havoc inside a brothel. Pleading for her to stop, the head mistress tells Ruo Lan that she should give punishment where it's due since there is an even bigger brothel operating in the city.

Sure enough, Zhu Tianbao (Kim Ki Bum) makes his grand entrance amidst a shower of confetti where he engages in a 4-way no holds barred duel. He wins the title of biggest evil man for the second year in a row, thanks to an enormous amount of foul play.

Just before Tianbao meets his harem, Ruo Lang barges in to declare her intention to become a contender. However, Tianbao blows her cover instantly and Ruo Lan vows to destroy all brothels so that Tianbao will remain by her side.

Insinuating that it's been done many times before, Tianbao turns her down again and reiterates that a good girl like Ruo Lan is better suited with his older brother, Zhu Tianxiang (Zhao Zi Xiao), who at the very moment is devising a plan to save Wang Wen Yan and expose the atrocities of Wei Zhong Xian.

First Impressions: Girl likes boy and boy doesn't, which begs the question of whether or not Zhao Li Ying really is the female lead? She gets ample screen time to say the least but Tianbao keeps raving about a girl in his dreams, who happens to be a real person and once they meet, it's practically guaranteed that they will end up together as most drama tropes go.

Ok I couldn't help it so I just sneaked a peak at the ending and my lips are sealed. For more synopsis, cast and ratings, see my 2016 Chinese historical drama listing. 

Once Upon A Time (Movie)

Not to be confused with the drama, Once Upon A Time 三生三世十里桃花 has released movie posters starring Crystal Liu and Yang Yang where they look ravishingly ethereal as the star-crossed lovers clad in matching white robes. 

Crystal Liu takes the cake as the resident actress in ancient dramas due to her traditional yet exquisite features that is practically made for the genre.

While Yang Yang has not yet amassed an equally expansive resume, he along with co-star Crystal Liu certainly possess an otherworldly aura that befits their respective roles as immortals. 

The onscreen couple's stills together are eye-catching to say the least and the very literal symbolism using the peach blossom, dragon and fox offer a nice touch. Filming for the movie wrapped last March and the premiere is expected to be some time next year.

The source novel titled Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms aptly belongs under sadistic romance aka depressing beyond words and because I was that curious, I scoured the net for enough information to know that horrific things happen in the story.

On another note, I was recently made aware by an anonymous commenter that the writer Tangqi Gongzi is actually riddled with plagiarism claims that are too obvious to ignore (see comparisons made here). 

It's ridiculous how blatant the similarities are that it feels right to shed light on the controversy that might otherwise be overlooked due to the intense hype on the drama and movie adaptations of the same.

Source: Ent163, CNWNews

First Look: The Flower in Prison

In spite of a story about something as desolate as prison and a name as overtly dramatic as Flower in Prison 옥중화, it manages to come across as hopeful and pleasantly engaging, especially after 15-year-old actress Jung Da Bin's appearance, making for one of the rarer moments where I seriously wouldn't mind that she stay on, though it would be weird opposite a much older Go Soo.

Episode 1 depicts the harsh realities of prison. A man and a woman caught meeting in secret are severely beaten until one of their cellmates, Jung Nan Jung (Park Joo Mi), heedlessly confronts the abusive chief. 

As it turns out, Jung Nan Jung is the head mistress of Sosoru, the most famous gisaeng house in Hanyang and she is released shortly after the incident. As a thank you to warden Ji Chun Deuk, Nan Jung extends an invitation to Sosoru, which he heartily accepts.

Somewhere in the distance, a pregnant woman and her companion are chased by men in uniform. Her companion sacrifices his life in a last ditch effort to buy time while the pregnant woman begs anyone and everyone for help.

She collapses into Ji Chun Deuk's arms leaving him no choice but to take her in. Unfortunately, the pregnant woman's injuries prove fatal as she draws her final breath upon giving birth to a baby girl.

First Impressions: Oddly enough, seeing a young Ok Nyeo (Jung Da Bin) go about her seemingly mundane activities is plenty entertaining, converting a cold hard prison into a homely abode. 

Her adoptive family may be unconventional but their quirkiness certainly creates an interesting dynamic with Ji Chun Deuk as the father figure lacking in ways made up for by his sensitivity. 

There is also the renegade scholar serving as Ok Nyeo's literary teacher, thieves that share tips of their trade and female wardens who are both strict and motherly. But of course, Ok Nyeo steals the show as the most captivating character bringing a level of complexity to an otherwise innocent and cheery persona.

I'm a few episodes in and Flower in Prison doesn't seem to be the type of drama that keeps you at the edge of your seat, meaning I don't feel compelled enough to finish all 50 episodes but for what it's worth, it is a decent production.

As for the one-dimensional bad guy who will stop at nothing to kill Ok Nyeo, my bet is that he is her father or uncle because clearly, there has to be some connection there.

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 k-drama listing.

Lucky Tianbao

Lucky Tianbao 吉祥天宝 is a 30-episode Chinese drama starring Kim Ki Bum, Zhu Zi Xiao and Zhao Li Ying. Kim Ki Bum plays Tianbao, the happy-go-lucky youngest son of a prominent family who earns the irate jealousy of his elder brother, thereby causing a multitude of soap opera-ish drama for everyone involved.

The series will premiere as a QQ web-drama on Jun 6, 2016. Its quality and execution is miles away from what I've come to expect nowadays with scenes so over-the-top and tacky with exorbitant colors to boot. For some inexplicable reason, I still want to check this out anyway, especially since it is one of Zhao Li Ying's earlier dramas filmed in 2013.

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 c-drama recommendations.