The Beginning

Again, this year Eric Tsang directed and produced a comedy film, I Love Hong Kong for Chinese New Year 2011.  I watched the movie on the first day of Chinese New Year. It mainly describes the neighborhood spirit in Hong Kong and how they help each other to get through hard time. Even though, I think the previous one, 72 Tenants of Prosperity is still better and more interesting, but overall this movie is very good to watch with your family.

Sypnosis:

A swindler, Long (Eric Tsang), who conned money from all the neighbors of the housing estate 30 years ago, has now become a property tycoon and he promises to pay each of the 30 odd families HK$100 million as compensation. The condition is that all the 30 odd families must each send a representative to return to the housing estate on the eve of Chinese New Year. A mad rush ensues as the old neighbors led by Ng Shun (Tony Leung) and his wife Shun-Soh (Sandra Ng) return to the housing estate on the eve of CNY to ensure they will not miss out on the bonanza!

故事简介:

屋村是香港人的集体回忆，也是香港奋斗精神的象征。吴顺（梁家辉饰）在屋村长大，是土生土长的香港屋村仔，但他已十多年未有踏足成长地。今天，他回到屋村探望别未见面的父亲，不是因为怀念，是因为他的事 业受到挫折，需要举家搬回屋村。吴顺乃厂佬一名，成家后已多年未有回家探望老父，这次回家，全因吴顺在东莞的厂房，因工潮而倒闭。吴顺与顺嫂(吴君如)，育有三个仔女。大仔吴明（李治廷饰）乃食环署职员、二女吴芝（林欣彤饰）则是终日发明星梦的少女、三女吴京（陈颖岚饰）则是一个武力高强的强悍少女。吴顺一家要重新出发，顺嫂与仔女娇生惯养，从未住屋村。回到屋村遇上各式各样的不便。这段时间，吴顺被迫重新住回公屋，才想起自己当日是如何成长。迫在一个小小的单位，与家人共对，也迫使他面对自己一直忽视的种种家庭问题。他一直没发现自己在食环署工作的儿子吴明，原来是如此羞于承认自己的工作。还有吴顺的二女吴芝，吴顺此刻才发现她整天发梦想做靓模，诸事不顺。吴顺此刻才有空间，好好的认识这个女儿。吴顺回到自己的起点，也发现屋村已变得人面全非，往日充满活力的社群，已不复见。一切都在改变中，因着加租，屋村规则的增加，大财团超市与连锁店的进占，让社区商店不断被迫结业……

一个曾经与吴顺称兄道弟的人物，他的回归，改变了屋村死气沉沉的面貌。这人外号托水龙（曾志伟饰）。三十年前，托水龙与吴顺本屋村双雄，向以助人为乐。但三十年前一个东华三院筹款夜，托水龙却将街坊的善款，全数盗走。当年为托水龙填数的，正是吴顺之父，吴通（冯淬帆饰）。吴顺想不到托水龙竟然会再度现身，还把当的债款还清。托水龙还与吴顺一起发动一个活化屋村计划，希望让众街坊都能在村中开设自己的店铺，因住户所需而经营，希望借此让屋村重新注入活力。众街坊听见托水龙的计划，也感到兴奋，大家也想要重建出属于自己的屋村。街坊们也乐于夹钱，发挥一如当年的东华精神，齐齐为活化计划出一分力。但没想到，大家一夹钱，托水龙竟马上失踪！托水龙居然在三十年后再骗钱走路。屋漏兼逢夜雨，大家被骗了钱，外国大型连锁店“窝麦”更收购了全数屋村商铺，众街坊钱铺两失。这是竟又发生久违了的十号风球。十号风球之下，尚要遇上其中一名大肚婆街坊临盘。好像所有的丧运都集中在一天爆发似的！

面对这个集体难关，大家的互助奋斗精神才真正被唤醒，这段屋村的日子，已让他们记起了，自己当年也是在这个地方打拼出去，也是在这个地方面对过各样困难，既然当日可以，为什么今日不可以？众街坊群策群力，顺利把大肚婆护送到医院生产，面对这场风雨，大家合力发挥拼斗精神，把难题一一克服！这时托水龙竟在再度现身。原来这段日子，他失踪了不是走路，而是安排收购“窝麦”的事宜。

Popularity: 4% [?]

Earth Hour – an annual event organized by WWF on last Saturday of March, in which households and businesses will turn off the lights and electrical appliances from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (local time). This is to raise the awareness towards the climate change.

And so happened that, I came across to this website which shows the before and after for some of the famous landmarks around the world. Visit the site now, as the fading effect is truly amazing. Watch some preview here… :-)

Hong Kong

 Forbidden City, Beijing

Toronto

 Las Vegas

 Sydney, Australia

Also, check out the Before and After Gallery from ecorazzi.com, some of the photos are quite cool as well

Popularity: 3% [?]

72 Tenants of Prosperity (72 家租客) is a Hong Kong comedy film, produced by Shaw Brothers Studio, TVB, United Filmmakers Organization, Sil-Metropole Organisation and Sun Wah Media Group. This film actually used one of the classic Shaw Brothers films, “The House of 72 Tenants”, as the blueprint. However, this story is a new creation even though some roles are identical. The whole story is actually centered at one of the happening streets in Hong Kong, Mong Kok-Sai Yeung Choi street.

Synopsis:

In 1970s Hong Kong, rapacious landlords try to evict 72 tenants but sworn brothers Ha Kung (Eric Tsang) and Shek Kin (Jacky Cheung) help the group of 72 defeat the landlord (Lam Ka Tung) and landlady (Charmaine Sheh) and coincidentally rescue Pinky (Anita Yuen) from a planned forced marriage. When both sworn brothers fall for Pinky and propose to her, she flips a coin heads or tails and Ha wins her hand in marriage.

The sworn brothers become sworn enemies and Sheks hatred fuels intense rivalry against Ha in business dealings ranging from the manufacture of plastic flowers to the selling of stinky bean curd. Even after 40 years they continue to clash and in 2010 they are in keen competition selling electronics appliances in Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mongkok, the busiest street in the city and still home to the 72 tenants.

In fiercely competitive Sai Yeung Choi Street high rents force businessmen to use every means to survive, with electronics shops employing pseudo models in sales promotion campaigns and comic shops offering foot-massage services by Lolita, etc. These ploys are minor compared with the tactics of the landlord (mainland actor) who threatens to close down the shops unless his demands for triple rental are met. Amidst this strife and struggle the street is hit by acid-attacks and in high spirits the 72 tenants unite and pledge to safeguard their home.

Against a background of fear and turmoil, with the old love triangle between Ha and Pinky and Shek still festering, the next generation of the Ha and Shek families embarks on their own heroic love affairs: MJ-style dancer Ha Junior (Bosco Wong) is fascinated by Sheks daughter (Stephy Tang) who is a Japanese AV culture fan; Has daughter (Linda Chung), a kung fu maiden, is pursued by Sheks love-struck son (Wong Cho Lam), the smart shortie. Affairs of the heart yet to be resolved.

故事简介：

這是一個關於大城市小市民、過去與現在、笑中有淚的故事……

七十年代，哈公（曾志偉飾）與石堅（張學友飾）兩結拜兄弟為幫助七十二家房客免遭逼遷，以及營救慘被逼婚的小桃紅（袁詠儀飾），同心合力與房客們智退了太子炳（林家棟飾）和包租婆（佘詩曼飾）。雨過天晴，兩兄弟同時對深愛的小桃紅求婚，小桃紅難以抉擇，只好以「擲銀仔」決定終身幸福。最後，小桃紅下嫁於哈公。

石堅一直難以嚥下被哈公橫刀奪愛的仇恨。從那天開始，石堅與哈公在生意上鬥過你死我活，由鬥穿膠花、鬥賣臭豆腐、鬥賣明星閃卡、直至今日鬥賣電器，由七十年代鬥至一零年代。今天，在這全城最熱鬧的焦點所在—旺角西洋菜街，二人大鬥法之餘，同時上演了七十二家租客有笑有淚的今日故事。

西洋菜街，商家必爭之地，商戶各出其謀鬥過你死我活，然而往往鷸蚌相爭，漁人得利，最大得益者還是背後的大業主（國內演員）。電器店出動靚模促銷、漫畫店增設Lolita腳底按摩等，但這一切商戶明爭暗鬥，卻都不及大業主一聲令下，大家便要貢獻上三倍租金，或是關門大吉。正值這非常時期，西洋菜街更出現鏹水狂徒，七十二家租客捍衛家園的熱血一時澎湃。

在這片風聲鶴唳之下，哈公、石堅與小桃紅的三角關係、哈堅二家的下一代：愛跳MJ舞的哈仔太郎（黃宗澤飾）與迷上日本AV的堅女（鄧麗欣飾）之轟烈愛情、以及矮仔多計的堅仔（王祖藍飾）與功夫女郎哈女（鍾嘉欣飾）的冤家之愛，都同時要來一個了斷！！

Official Website

Popularity: 30% [?]