D.I.E. (Death Investigation Extention)

Cast:
Roger Kwok
Sonija Kwok
Derek Kwok
Kenneth Ma
Margie Tsang

Story:
After being hit by lightning, Roger, a policeman, found himself with an unusual ability. He can communicate with the dead! If someone is murdered and has grievance, he or she is able to send certain signals to Roger. However, these signals are usually very brief and vague. Hence Roger has to use his detective skills to find the real murderer…

Meanwhile, a new department D.I.E. is formed. The department, which comprise Roger and Sonija, is made up of rather capable people. But due to various reasons, they cannot work well with people, and got ‘exiled’ to D.I.E. All unclosed cases are sent to the D.I.E. Roger then uses his special ability to solve all these cases, making D.I.E. more and more famous…

Love Factors:

Sonija Kwok
I thought Sonija can only play the ‘beauty’ character. In the end she plays the boyish character very well. Some of her funny expressions are great. Her action stunts are also nicely done. I’m starting to respect Sonija more and more as an actress. Ever since Land of Wealth and On the First Beat, and now D.I.E, I’m liking Sonija more and more.

Derek Kwok (Righteous)
What a cute character! Derek’s name is ‘righteous’ in this series, and indeed, he lives up to his name. His idol is bruce lee. He dresses and fights like him. Righteous is one of the best supporting characters of the year!

Mimi Lo
Mimi plays a very vain character who only cares about her looks and marrying a rich guy. I have no idea how she managed to become a policeman. But I soon realized that she is actually quite smart! Mimi’s comedy performance is wonderful. Her expressions are hilarious. Every time she appears, it brightens up the screen.

The entire D.I.E.
Every person in the department is very funny. They are so cute together. Their chemistry is sparkling.

Can’t help but notice Stephen Hyunh
Stephen plays a pathologist. He is very cool, very professional, but also very cute. It is just a small character, but I can’t help noticing Stephen. His acting improved, and he is really cute in this series!

The Story
I think the story is great! Sure enough, there are ridiculous and unbelievable parts, but in all the story was highly entertaining. The cases are refreshing and exciting, just that sometimes it is too complicated, I get a little lost…

Dislike factors

The ending…
A rushed marriage, an abrupt death, a surprise baby… all these happened way too fast!


How Come factor
The producers did not explain, how come Roger’s powers failed in the very last case? What happened?

The little ghost Siu Yee, why does she look the way she looks? Isn’t she supposed to look younger?

Funny Factor
‘Big Mouth Ying’
There is this guy Sonija is chasing from episode 1 to episode 25, but he still hasn’t gotten caught. This guy is very lucky! It’s funny how Sonija chased him SO MANY times but failed. It’s also annoying seeing Sonija rushing to chase him without even thinking!


The Performance
Roger shines in any performance as usual. He looks so young and handsome it amazes me. Kenneth Ma is not bad, first time seeing him play such a high-ranking role. But tje high ranking policeman is weak in love, unfortunately. Derek Kwok is the best supporting actor. Sonija Kwok… she is not the best, but for some reason I just enjoy watching her so much, I am going to become her fan soon. Mimi Lo is the best supporting actress. It is great to see Margie Tsang come back. Her performance was unnatural at first, but got warmed up soon enough. She is very pretty!

Worth Watching?
This is a very original story, with unique settings and characters. I think this series is totally worth watching. It is a very refreshing change from the usual TVB cop series. The style is SLIGHTLY similar to To Catch the Uncatchables.

The Drive Of Life- Review

Cast:
Damian Lau- Hua Wen Han
Liao Jing Sheng- Hua Wen Hong
Michael Miu- Hua Wen Shuo
Joe Ma- Wei Yong Biao
Raymond Lam- Hua Zhen Bang
Feng Shao Feng- Hua Zhen Min
Ng Wai Kwok- Wei Tian Xing
Ron Ng- Xi Jie Qiang

Charmaine She- Rong Xiu Feng
Sheren Tang- Wang Shao Fen
Jessica Hsuan- Hua Qing Yu
Myolie Wu- Fang Bing Yi
Toby Leung- Hua Qing Lin
Gigi Wong-
Chan Mei Kei- Wei Chang Ping
Chiu Ngor- Qian Qian

Note:

This review is really hard to write as it is simply too long and there are too many characters!Please note i'll miss out on many details...

Story:
This is a story that spans from 1994 to 2007, about a family’s dream, national pride, and the China car making industry. The Hua family has dreamt about creating local motor cars, that are safe, durable and affordable for the Chinese. It is about taking the future into your own hands, it is about pride, it is about driving on your own path with your own car. For many years, there wasn’t much breakthrough, until the generation of Damian Lau and his two brothers. The 3 of them, with the help of many other members of the family, set up ‘Hua Zhe’ to realize this dream. While embarking on this long journey, they inspired many people around them to make a contribution. Meanwhile, there are the good people, the bad people, and those struggling between good and bad. There are relationship problems, misunderstandings, and tragic events. The characters learn from these challenges. They grow up as a person, and their relationships only become stronger.

The Characters/Performance:

Actors
Damian is definitely the best actor of this series. His performance is so solid! He is an amazing father and leader, and his air and expressions totally show the power he has. At the beginning, he is also very stubborn. He assumes everyone should live the way he thinks is right. Of course, all that changed later on. All in all, it was a stellar performance. Liao Jing Sheng has a very gentle and refined disposition. I liked his performance very much. Michael Miu is such a charming and handsome actor. His portrayal as the young and fun ‘small uncle’ was charismatic. I don’t like his mad or emotional scenes though. Raymond Lam and Michael Miu’s characters are a little similar. Sometimes he is a man, sometimes he is a little boy. I think Raymond did a wonderful job. The tears he shed are heartbreaking, and I find Raymond specially handsome in this series. Joe Ma is the character to hate. Before Joe Ma killed Ng Wai Kwok, Ng made a very insightful description of Joe Ma’s character: He is a petty and stupid man. Someone (Damian) treats you a bit well, you become so loyal to him. Someone (Damian) rejects you, you bear such a heavy grudge. This statement made me understand Joe Ma’s character a lot better. Besides being petty and stupid, Joe Ma is very evil, and he only cares about himself. He doesn’t know how to love at all. He can even risk the life of his own wife and child! Such a man does not deserve to be forgiven, but he was, and there is nothing I can do. Feng Shao Feng is cute, not much comments. Ron Ng’s character is small, but he is very cool(when driving) and likeable (he is a very good person). Ng Wai Kwok’s villain performance also stood out a lot. It is great having him back. Look forward to more great performance from him!

The Actresses
Jessica Hsuan is always likeable, but I still feel slightly disappointed that Jessica’s character is stupid. Jessica suits the smart image much better. Charmaine She stood out the most among the female leads. Her character was full of spice and excitement. Her eyes are full of spirit. Her chemistry with Raymond is sparkling. Myolie Wu is likeable once again. I like her gentle and caring character, and subtle facial expression. Her usual characters are too active, it makes me a bit tired watching. Sheren Teng is another one who stand out. Her character matured so much from the beginning to the end! I love watching the changes. And I love her character at towards the end. Gigi Wong is the number 1 disappointment. Her character is petty and stupid, her hairstyles (all of them) are bad, and her performances were mediocre. Her performance in ‘Golden Faith’ was much better. I totally do not understand why Damian chose Gigi over Chan Mei Kei. Toby Leung is the number 2 disappointment. Firstly, I do not understand why Toby must act so emotional over her parents quarrel. She is already a grown-up girl. Secondly, I find it very hard to find any enjoyment in watching Toby act. Chan Mei Kei Charmaine’s mother, Damien’s old lover, a very refined, beautiful woman with a dark past. Her death was the turning point of the whole series. I really love her character, but I also pity her a lot. I like how she loves Damien so wholeheartedly, and is willing to sacrifice anything for him. I also like how she is so refined, so kind, and so forgiving. Unfortunately, she does not have a good life, and she had to suicide. Her past is very pitiful. No wonder Charmaine took so long forgive the Wah family… I liked Chiu Ngor’s innocent, eager-to-learn character at first, but soon she becomes an annoying girl who is weak in love and easily cheats on her boyfriend. Her character adds very little to the series.

Chemistry Factor

The Chemistry of the Hua Family
Very close-knitted family. Very sweet to watch. I see the most chemistry among the 2 kids and their father Damian. I especially like the father and son relationship between Raymond and Damian. It stood out a lot to me.

Michael Miu and Sheren Teng
I am surprised to be putting them in the love factor list. Before watching this series, I didn’t really pay much attention to this couple. At the beginning, I even hated their scenes together, because their marriage was very screwed up. But I didn’t know that a great story was unfolding. Michael and Sheren learned from their failed marriage. They started afresh from friends. They learned to improve on their own weakness and accept the weakness of each other. They learned to understand and care about each other. Finally, Michael is trying to win back the heart of Sheren. The process is so sweet. In the end, Michael and Sheren became one of my favourite couples in this series.

Charmaine She and Raymond Lam
What awesome chemistry! At the beginning, Raymond and Charmaine like to challenge each other on their wits, then they became partners and think of ways to earn money together. Soon they became attracted to each other, because they found each other smart and charming. However, because of 1 recession, Raymond disappointed Charmaine and they separated. After some time, Raymond changed from a playboy to a responsible man. He tried to convince Charmaine that he truly loved her and can give her happiness. From then their relationship became built on love. After that, Charmaine’s hatred for Raymond’s family and the loss of their baby drove them apart. Raymond was shattered. When he finally picked up the shattered pieces of his heart, Charmaine came back to cause more trouble, and they started going against each other. That was so painful to watch. Finally, it was selfless Myolie who made them realize that they still love each other very deeply, and brought them back together. From then on, you know nothing can separate the two of them anymore.

Myolie Wu and Feng Shao Feng
What a refreshing chemistry! This couple only started developing towards the end, but it was a pleasant surprise. Myolie and Feng were both withdrew from their relationships because their partners love someone else. They confided and sought each other for comfort. They became the perfect company for each other. Finally, they fell in love and found happiness in each other. How wonderful!

Joe Ma and Jessica Hsuan
I don’t enjoy their chemistry. 1 is selfish, 1 is blind, I don’t want to say more

Ron Ng and Toby Leung
Ron’s character is very cool and nice. Sometimes he is cute with Toby. Sometimes I don’t really care because of Toby’s poor performance.

Damian Lau, Chan Mei Kei, Liao Jing Sheng
A beautiful love triangle, which lasted many years. I hate Damian Lau the most in this love triangle. He is so cruel to Mei Kei! Mei Kei loves Damian so deeply, even after so many years, until she decided to marry Liao Jing Sheng, until the moment she died, she only loves Damian. Liao Jing Sheng loves Mei Kei in the same unconditional way. He forgave Damian eventually. I admire his broad heart.

Raymond Lam, Ellesmere Choi, Myoli Wu

The 3 of them are very cute together. Ellesmere's character is surprisingly cute! Myolie is a great girl for Raymond, unfortunately, Raymond's heart has no room for a second girl other than Charmaine...

The Story

Despite its length, the story of TDOL was barely boring. This is because there are many characters and relationship, so we need more time to develop each part properly. From the beginning till the end, we can feel the changes and growth of the characters. The story has its emotional, funny, and exciting moments. It is a wonderful mix. All in all, thumbs up!

The Performance

Besides Gigi Wong and Toby Leung, I have no complaints on the acting. All the performance was great! I just hate Joe Ma's character too much, I don't even care about his performance anymore

Worth Watching?

YES! One of the best series of the year!

The Seventh Day- Review

Cast:
Kevin Cheng Ka Wing- Yau Chi Wing
Niki Chow Lai Kei- Leng Ka Yan
Bosco Wong Chung Zak- Don
Natalie Tong Sze Wing- Sasa


Story:
This is the story about 2 men, Kevin and Bosco, who are born on the same day, 7th of August. They have completely different characters, and lead totally different lives. Kevin appears aloof and indifferent, while Bosco is witty and sweet-tongued. Kevin does not care about wealth and prestige, while Bosco is a money-hungry man. However deep down, both have very warm hearts. Kevin and Bosco met their loved ones, Niki and Natalie respectively, on the same day. Each couple has a very different destiny, yet at many points of time, their experiences are aligned. Both couples go through many ups and downs, putting their faiths into test. At the end, both love stories turn out beautiful. Like the narrator said, as long as we know how to treasure the people around us, life naturally becomes very beautiful…


Comments

Kevin and Niki
Before watching this series, I was having reservations against this couple, because many reviewers found them boring. To my surprise, I love this couple so much! Kevin and Niki are simply awesome together. From Hard Fate (2004), Under the Canopy of Love(2006), and to this series(2008), their acting improves, and their chemistry rocks more and more. True enough, some parts of their story are tiring to watch, but as a whole, it was a beautiful love story, and a sparkling chemistry.

Chemistry aside, I actually liked the love story between Kevin and Niki. At first glance, the story looks too typical. Parental objections, third wheels, deadly disease… but this is okay, because the script for the story is appealing. The producers put a lot of heart into the dialogues and other little details, to bring the best out of a typical story. They managed to convince me that Kevin and Niki seriously love each other, and their strong faith in the relationship really touched me. It’s hard for me to describe, you must feel it for yourself. Basically, this is a really moving love story.

Favourite parts:
- somewhere at the beginning, Kevin never expresses his thoughts, yet he expects Niki to understand him, never caring about Niki’s feelings. It was great to see Niki get mad. I love it when Niki scolded Kevin, because everything she says makes sense. But their faith is strong. At the end of episode 5, they finally got together under the wishing tree J
- When Kevin’s father took Niki’s money… Kevin was very angry and scolded Niki. There was one scene, Kevin borrowed money from all his friends to return to Niki (even though it was obviously not enough). Niki was very upset that Kevin was so concerned about the money, and she started crying, so did I. But Kevin merely does not want Niki to be harmed, he is protective of Niki, but does not know how to express it, and ends up losing his temper. At the end of a confrontation, they hugged and Kevin told Niki not to cry. That was such a sweet scene!
- When Niki learned about Kevin’s past from Kevin’s grandmother. Niki thought to herself, ‘Kevin is a filial man. My mum once told me, a man who loves his mother will definitely love his wife as well.’ I love that quote, and I suspect it is true!
- Most of the time when Niki writes on her online diary… I enjoy reading what she writes
- The whole part when Niki tried to break up with Kevin because of her disease. It is very tiring watching her do that. But it was also very touching to watch Kevin refuse to give up. His faith is very strong, he simply cannot believe that Niki does not love him anymore, because that is impossible!
- Kevin sends Niki an email with the blue print of their ‘dream house’. The email was so touching that I cried with Niki. Kevin loves Niki so much!
- Niki finally accept Kevin back again, that is in episode 18. Kevin’s crying broke my heart. I love that scene, it was my favourite scene in this entire series. 1 line I remember the most, was when Kevin said, ‘Don’t keep thinking about your disease. We cure it once, we’ll take it as passing 1 obstacle. Then, I’ll bring you to a beautiful place, eat something really nice, do something we have never done before’. I can’t forget that scene!


Bosco and Natalie
I hated their relationship at the beginning. It was ridiculous! Their ‘motives’ of dating each other is unbelievable. I mean, Bosco is young and capable and clean, why would he even think about getting close to a rich girl to get rich? Isn’t that what jerks do? But Bosco doesn’t look like such a jerk! And Natalie… She wants to date someone to get inspiration for her comics because she ‘ran out of ideas’. But she was the one who came up with all the weird ideas to make a fool of Bosco. Why can’t she just draw the stories out directly? It is so unnecessary to play all the tricks on Bosco! Both of them indeed go to the extreme to attain their goals, it is so unbelievable!

Thankfully, Bosco and Natalie’s chemistry did improve, ironically that happened after they ‘broke up’. I started seeing the ‘human’ and ‘sane’ side of both characters. They started realizing their feelings for each other, and started missing each other. I wonder HOW those feelings got developed but they did anyway. It was nice seeing the emotional side of Bosco and Natalie. BUT I hated how Bosco dealt with his relationship with Natalie and Charmaine. He ended up hurting them both. In the end, they got back together because of a baby, what a stupid reason…

The 3rd Wheels
For Kevin and Niki, we have Selena. I have nothing against Selena. Her life is too tragic. She loves Kevin as deeply as Niki does, but it will never be reciprocated…

For Bosco and Natalie, the third wheel is Charmaine Lee. Charmaine was a very sweet girl at first. I do not know what she sees in Bosco. She ended up doing many stupid, selfish and degrading things for Bosco, it changed my impression of her character completely… The writers just had to make her do all these stupid things, otherwise Bosco and Natalie’s story cannot continue to episode 20. Haha…


The Supporting characters
The family members of the four leads are all nice to watch. Niki’s father is annoying, but he does love Niki a lot. In this series, Bosco and Natalie also each have a clique of friends. Their chemistry is okay…

The Story
There are stupid scenes, stupid events you don’t care about. But generally I still like the story. It is artsy and charming in its own way.


The Performance
I did not like Kevin’s character at first because he is so cold and has a bad temper. But very soon I saw his warm heart and I can ignore those flaws. Kevin is the best actor of the series. His crying took me by surprise. It improved so much, especially at the scene where he got back together with Niki. Niki did her trademark lovable character, it is hard to not like her. But sometimes I don’t really like her crying. She whines instead of cries. Bosco’s performance is forgettable, and I do not like his hair at all! Natalie is the most improved actress. She was never bad to begin with, but this is her first leading role. It is the first time she gets to showcase her ‘inside emotions’.

Worth Watching?
Kevin and Niki fans can NOT miss this series. If you’re not a fan to begin with (like me), I still think this series is worth watching. For me, I enjoyed it very much, and I will remember Kevin and Niki’s story for some time.. If you are not a sentimental person or not very much into romantic films, then this series is not for you, and you will be extremely bored…

the master of tai chi- 1st thoughts

Tai Chi was my most anticiapted series of 2006 and 2007, yet it did not get aired in both years. Finally 2008 came and the series was released, but I only got to watch it today. I do not care about the reviews. The cast looks great, the trailer looks awesome, and the scenery is breathtaking. I have watched 9 episodes. So far, I'm sad to say that this series is NOT living up to my expectations.

Love Factors

Fighting scenes

This is the number 1 selling point of the series. Real fighting- no computer effects. I am impressed by the fighting. Every character (who knows how to fight) in this series is convincing because they really know Kungfu (some know more than the others). They look like martial artists inside out. The fighting scenes are so fast, and so beautifully done. This is 1 aspect Tai Chi did not let us down on.

Vincent Zhao - Wu Ma, Melissa Ng- Sang Qing, Guan Shan Yue

Wu Ma is such an interesting character. From a cynical and violent man whom everyone shuns, Wu Ma slowly changes to become peaceful and more understanding. He learns to love and care for people around him. All thanks to 2 people, Wu Ma's teacher Guan Shan Yue and Melissa Ng's character Sang Qing. At first Wu Ma looks very violent. But in front of his teacher and Sang Qing, he shows his innocence, just like a little boy. His teacher wants to help him attain the highest level of Tai Chi, and to do that , he must help Wu Ma let go of his hatred and attain peace. His love for Wu Ma is so unconditional and touching. Wu ma and his teacher have a very unique relationship.

Sang Qing is Wu Ma's confidant and soulmate. She cooks for him and helps him in his practice. She works together with the master to help Wu Ma succeed. Sang Qing is such a selfless and kind girl. I love her character and her chemistry with Wu Ma.

Basically the life these 3 people live is very nice. In a secluded, peaceful and beautiful place. Everyday Wu Ma and his teacher practise Tai Chi, while Sang Qing cooks great food for them. The idea is very appealing. :) I love watching the 3 of them together.

Dislike Factors

Myolie Wu- Yan Zi Gui

I don't know whether to blame the director, the writer, or Myolie herself. Myolie's character is very frustrating to watch. Her expressions are too exagerrated. Sometimes they look unreal, sometimes they are simply unappealing. She yells and screams most of the time. Her costume and hair are not pretty at all. Basically, I do not enjoy watching Myolie's character and acting at all.

The weak story

Up till now there is nothing in the story that captures me. The pace is too slow and the story is typical. The only reason why i'm continuing to watch is to see if it gets better.

Useless Factor

Beautiful Scenery, Great cast.

Tai Chi reminds me a little of Land of Wealth. Beautiful scenery, great cast... but all these cannot save a weak story. I really hope the story of Tai Chi improves!

credit: pictures from http://tvb.windy-goddess.net/

每当变幻时 (Hooked On You)

This story, spanning 10 years, describes the life journey of a rather average hongkong girl, Ah Miu. Ah Miu was born and bred in the wet market. She reluctantly works there for many years to clear her father’s gambling debts. Deep down, she believes that she is meant for a higher station of life. She has 2 wishes, to leave the wet market by the age of 30, and to find a ‘good’ man.

Miu meets “Yu Lo” (Eason Chan), another fishmonger, whom she became soulmates with. Miu and Yu went through many ups and downs together, getting conned, ‘upgrading’ the wet market so that it won’t lose its edge over the supermarket etc. They came a long way.

Yu starts to pursue Miu. Miu realizes she is falling for him, but she sees a future she doesn’t want with Yu. On the last day of 1999, Miu finally left the wet market, and broke all ties with Yu and everyone else in the wet market. (Her father has died by then) On the same day, the wet market was shut down by the state, leaving Yu totally shattered.

After 6 years, Miu has become a renowned make-up artist. She has found a good career, but has yet to find a good man. At this time, she recalled Yu, and realized, Yu is her key to real happiness. Miu and Yu finally reunited after the long parting. Nothing seemed to have changed. Their chemistry was still sparkling like it used to be. Just when Miu was about to express her feelings, she realized Yu is already married with a family. Yu was just a simple man who wants a stable job and a caring wife. Miu was simply gone for too long…

Oblivious to Miu’s feelings, Yu walks away with his wife and daughter, while Miu stares at their backs, with a tinge of regret and emptiness. Like how she has always been trying to find her ideal wallet, ‘a Gucci which looks like Prada’, she spent 10 years searching for the wrong ‘happiness’, which may not even have existed, and simply let the best slip by.

This story makes you hooked on it, thinking, where does your happiness lie? What are you looking for in your lifelong partner? It is not only the journey of Ah Miu, but the changes of the other supporting characters as well. Using the history of hongkong as a backdrop, it also tugs the heartstrings of many hongkongers.

With a strong sentimental script and a perfect cast, (leading and supporting), Hooked has come to become my favourite movie of 2007 and in fact, one of my all-time favourites. It is one of the most underrated movies of 2007. The Hongkong film industry needs to produce more films like that rather than slapslick comedies or war epics that are merely empty spectacles.

Finally...

After months of Hiatus, I've finally decided to do a little TVB update today. My don't know how many readers I have left after all these months of disappearance, but rah, I'll still blog.

What I have watched... (very short comments)

The Price Of Greed

If there is 1 series I have to recommend from year 2006, then TPOG is definitely it. Because of all the bad reviews, I am surprised by how grappling and exciting and charming this series turned out to be. Performance wise, Bosco and Sammul are perfect for their roles. Kate is not as unbearable as in Brink of Law and On The First Beat, Shirley is okay. Story wise, I enjoy every moment of it, especially after Sammul comes back in episode 8. Basically, in comparison with all recent TVB productions, POG is an original and successful master piece. I still don't understand why is POG warehoused, and why crappier series are being aired...

Best Bet

Due to lack of time/interest, I skipped quite a few episodes of this series while it was airing on tv. To tell you the truth, that is extremely fine because BB doesn't really have a story for us to follow. Nevertheless, I always came back to watch BB whenever I had enough time/interest because it is pretty good entertainment. The 'no gambling' message is cheesily and cornily espoused for countless times throughout the series. But it is cute. The jokes are so silly that I can describe them as 'retarded', but I still laughed nevertheless. BB is a series for stressed up individuals like me to enjoy (= (Skip the first few episodes though, they were quite boring)

Dicey Business

I was so in love with DB for the first 20 episodes or so. Bobby is the number 1 love factor of DB. His character is so cute, so strong, and his unconditional love for Bosco his brother is so poignant, and moving. If this series was aired a little earlier, Bobby should have just taken home the 2006 best actor award. The Bobby and Jessica chemistry also shines. Now i'm on episode 27. Though this series is still good, it is getting a little tedious, looking at Michael being evil, and looking at Bosco's sheer apathy towards his brother's feelings. Nevertheless, DB is still a good series to watch. Perhaps 30 episodes instead of 35 will suffice...

The Building Blocks of Life

For Tavia's sake, I had to watch this series regardless of what reviews I hear. After watching the first episode, I thought 'I am so going to love this series'. The architectural theme, and the refreshing chemistry between Tavia and Alex is very captivating. I am at episode 6 now and holding on. This series is becoming relegated to some random office drama and Alex's performance is going downhill. He is simply not pulling off the 'passionate architect' role well enough. I will press on to continue enjoying Tavia's performance. She's such a great actress!

Land Of Wealth- my final thoughts

After 6 interminable weeks, I finally finished the series Land of Wealth. Remember some time ago I gave quite a positive review about the first 10 episodes of LOW? Well, I guess it's time for me to turn the tables against this series which has one of the most major disapointment of the year.




Don't leave, read on to find out more



If you have read Metal's review before, he mentioned that it was only after 18 episodes when "LOW wakes up and realises that it has a story to tell". That is SO true. I liked the first 10 episodes because they managed to trick me into thinking that 'everything is just building up' and that 'more excitement is ahead'. Unfortunately after the next 8 episodes I was going to switch off my television. But I still pressed on.


For the next 14 episodes, things did get more exciting. Not only exciting, but also messed up, and screwed up. I feel like the producers are still in control of the story line. That's a good thing. But I do not understand why did they choose to mess up the story line like that.



I couldn't make myself love the story. The political and banking parts are not exciting enough. The love parts were messed up, vexatious, and left the audience with lots of regrets. It was so twisted, everyone married the person they do not love, no one gets to be w/ someone he or she truly loves. Couples are ripped into pieces and the pieces are thrown everywhere and anywhere.



ok I'm exagerating, but i'm just trying to show my disappointment.


It could be a masterpiece


Look at the grand costumes, the gorgeous scenery, the upbeat themesong and themevideo, four lovely main characters, and the awesome performances from the leads and supporting cast. All these is useless if the story line sucked, but it's also a waste of money and resources to create these beauty. LOW could have been the best series of the year, but because of the lousy story, it has become one of the worst series of 2006. (Not as bad as War and Destiny which I gave up on after 8 episodes... at least i made it thru 32 episodes of LOW)


The perfect couples broken up

I wasn't paying much attention to Moses and Sonija as a couple but soon realised that they were very much the focus of the series. I started to like them tgt quite quickly, especially because Sonija's character was so energetic and cute, all the way up till episode 22 or 23, when a stupid misunderstanding changed their relationship so badly without any turning back. It just made me miss those days of their innocent and cute interaction.

Steven and Tavia were the number one reason why I wanted to watch LOW, but also the number one disappointment. Their chemistry was definitely present, and it really rocked. But the scenes with them are really WAY TOO LITTLE. In fact MANY of their scenes were cut. It gives me a feeling that the producers hate them tgt. Also, in the end the story got really twisted as well. Another stupid misunderstanding break them apart. Tavia marries Moses and all of a sudden does not seem to love Steven anymore. Steven gets tagged by a not very pretty girl called Erica Yuen. Tavia dies, and I don't even see Steven at her funeral...

the scenes which got cut:

- the snow storm scene which looks totally gorgeous got so truncated. I still enjoyed it, but it was WAY too short!

- The scene where Tavia and Steven were getting buried alive by horse thieves. I saw the filming of it and I cried, but in the actual series it got cut...

- Steven standing at the side looking and crying when Tavia dies. In the version I watch, there is no Steven at all when Moses carries Tavia out of the prison

Give me those scenes! I want to watch them so badly...

In the year of 2006, the costume dramas looked the most promising, but also turned out the most disappointing. Watching LWOLAP, DOP and LOW gave me quite similar feeling. It made me thinkg 'Why can series look sooo awesome from the outside but turn out to be just a beautiful empty shell?' This can make u feel very dejected and upset. Of course, among the bunch, LWOLAP was a much much better series, with awesome characters and a story which kept me very much interested, unlike DOP and LOW which i was watching half-heartedly most of the time.

The Verdict

My suggestion, give this series a cursory glance, don't skip it totally. You need to have a feel of teh grandness and beauty of Land Of Wealth. It's cinetography is one of the best in recent years. However, don't pay too much attention to the story, it can make u very vexed. Like I said, performances rocked but the story sucked. Browsing and watching selected scenes where ur favourite actors and actresses perform is more than enough.

Maiden's Vow- the Review

Finally completed this series! Here is my long review... pls enjoy (:

This review is really hard to write, because this series is made up of 4 different stories and 4 different sets of characters. Maiden’s Vow is a story which lasts 4 generations, showcasing how the gender concepts and Woman’s social status have changed over the past century.

Dai Sze Ga (Charmaine She) narrates the story right from the first generation, that is, the story of her great-great grandmother Ngai Yu Fung (Charmaine She), who lives in the Qing Dynasty. At that time, women had no say at all in their marriage. Their happiness was always put last, everything else was more important. Yu Fung and Yu Ci fell in love from young, but to save the Ngai family, Yu Fung had no choice but to marry into the Wong Family. Wong Yue Lam (Sammul Chan) is Yu Fung’s terrible husband. He is very stupid, unreasonable, and only knows how to squander away his family’s wealth. Yu Fung had to suffer a lot in the Wong family. Thankfully, Yu Ci, who became a cook in the Wong family, was there to be her guardian angel. After the downfall of the Wong, Yu Fung and Yu Ci started the ‘Phoenix Restaurant’ together to support the useless people in the Wong family. From a small teahouse, the restaurant became bigger and bigger, and even the Empress Dowager patronized their restaurant. Finally, all the struggles are over, Yu Fung and Yu Ci can finally be together. Yet at this time, tragedy struck and both of them died together in a bomb incident…

The second generation is the story of Sze Ga’s great grandmother Wong Ji Kwan (Charmaine She), the daughter of Yu Fung and Yue Lam. She is a passionate, patriotic teenager, who loves to study. Ji Kwan also believes in ‘freedom in love’. Everyone thinks she is very rebellious, but she only wants to be with the one she truly loves. Ji Kwan falls for her teacher Lei Kat Cheung (Joe Ma). However, due to their teacher and student relationship, everyone objected to their relationship, and they had to elope. Kat Cheung was also a revolutionist. Eventually, he became a spy who works for the country. The couple had to go through a lot of separations and reunions. In the end, Kat Cheung had to escape, and never came back, leaving Ji Kwan and her unborn child…

The third generation features Sze Ga’s mother, Bak Wai Zan (Charmaine She), who is Ji Kwan’s granddaughter. Wai Zan and Doi Lap Yan (Joe Ma) were a happy married couple. However, there are some problems. Lap Yan believes that the man should go out and work and the woman should only stay at home and complete the chores. Hence he does not allow his wife to go out to work, even though she is very smart. Wai Zan decides to go out to work secretly, and ended up having to opposite Lap Yan. This whole story then became an office battle between men and women. Meanwhile Wai Zan and Lap Yan’s relationship became worse. At the end, Wai Zan realizes that the Phoenix restaurant is her family’s business and decides to take over it and save it from closing down. While combining efforts to do so, Wai Zan and Lap Yan finally made up. Lap Yan also realized that his chauvinistic ways were unacceptable and changed for the better.

The story fastforwards to the 21st century. Sze Ga and Ah Zan (Sherming Yiu) are best friends. Sze Ga believes in true love, but not marriage. She thinks that marriage is just using a certificate to tie each other down, and they can file for divorce any time, any day. Ah Zan is a more ‘promiscuous’ girl. She goes out with multiple guys and toys with feelings, but she is still a nice girl. Fong Ka On (Joe Ma) is Sze Ga’s cohabiting boyfriend, but they broke up due to misunderstanding. After Ka On leaves, Sze Ga finds herself pregnant with Ka On’s child. Sze Ga decides to be a single mother, with the support of ah Zan and ah Kat (Sammul Chan), her ex-boyfriend who turns out to be homosexual. Meanwhile, they were all working together to reopen the Phoenix restaurant. In 2 years, Sze Ga transformed from a nameless beer promoter to a top famous successful business woman. At this time, Ka On comes back. After many twists and turns, all the misunderstandings finally come to an end and the two are reconciled. Ka On proposes to Sze Ga, however, Sze Ga knows that marriage is not the best option for her…


Love Factors

Charmaine She- the last generation Doi Sze Ga
I have to say this is the character which stands out the most in the entire series. From the first episode, you start to hear her voice already, and look forward to seeing her, wanting to know what Sze Ga’s character is like. When her character first appears, you may be very surprised to see that Sze Ga is a very wild and ‘not-so-good’ girl. But soon enough, you’ll find that she has a very warm heart, she is strong, and she has a very uniquely likeable character.

Charmaine She- the best actress
I don’t know if any actress can be as versatile as Charmaine. I have to say that Charmaine’s performances are AMAZING. She is able to make all 4 characters shine, and prevent us from getting bored with her performances (unlike Joe Ma). Her tears were tragic in the first generation. In the second generation, acting as her very own daughter, she convincingly acted cute and youthful (really loved her in here). Her comedy expressions were very successful in the 3rd generation, and I don’t need to say anymore about the last generation. In a way you’ll feel that this series was specially made for Charmaine to win the Best Actress award.

Sammul Chan- the best supporting actor
Sammul only appeared in the 1st and last generation, but both times his appearance took me by surprise. In the first generation, I was surprised by how thrashy his character is. This is the first time I see Sammul play such a completely hate-able character. He was definitely convincing, and I really felt like slapping him. In the forth generation, I was surprised again when Sammul’s character turns out to be gay and falls in love with Joe! Oh my god… Despite that, this unique character turns out to be another success. I loved ‘Ah Kat’. I loved how he supports Charmaine as a friend. He is the greatest friend you can ever hope for.

So-So Factor

Joe Ma
I cannot say Joe’s performance is bad, but to me it was just plain. I only liked Joe in the 2nd generation (his teacher look was very refreshing) and the last generation, where he is the rich and high-class accountant. I think Joe Ma suits high-class educated characters the best. His ‘innocent’ character in generation 1 and his ‘funny’ character in generation 3 just wasn’t the best…

OVERALL COMMENTS

The Story
All in all, the story wasn’t bad, although I found the last part of the 2nd generation boring and most of the 3rd generation flat. The rest of the story was a laudable effort. The last story was the highlight of the entire series, and also my favourite. I was able to enjoy it from the beginning to the end without feeling bored at all.

The Chemistry

Charmaine and Joe
I cannot say they don’t have chemistry, but I also cannot say that their chemistry rocked. But after seeing them for so many episodes in so many different stories, I must make myself believe that they do have chemistry…

Charmaine and Sammul
100%- match-able, whether they are ‘sisters’ in the last generation or ‘hardworking wife and useless husband’ in the first generation. I love their chemistry together!

Sherming Yiu and ‘Pang Pang’
I don’t know who this actor is, but the two of them were quite cute in the last generation.

The performance
Charmaine She gets the best actress award, I don’t have to say more. Joe Ma is good, but Charmaine is better. Sammul is the ‘most improved’ and ‘best supporting’ actor. He is a good actor. Sherming Yiu can be the ‘best supporting actress’. Her performances were great, even though her character was too mean. I would also like to mention Elaine Yiu. I know she sucked in Safe Guards, but this time her character in the 2nd generation was very comfortable to watch. Let’s hope to see more improvements from her (but no more leading roles please)

The Verdict
If you are a Charmaine or Sammul fan, you can NOT miss this series. If you’re not, you should still watch this series, but you may want to get your fast forward button ready for the 3rd generation.