Takeshi Koike - director of animation "Samurai chanpurû" (a samurai animation with scratch music!!) and once crafted another short animation in Animatrix with segment "World Record" (I cannot forget the twisted face world record runner).

His latest work "REDLINE" just finished it's world premiere at 62nd Locarno, join the crazy ride with it's 5 minutes long trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFkkNxXuqQ0

Redline demostrates another level by mixing 2D and 3D animation altogether, with really really perfect sound matching of music and sound effects, original style, as crazy as it gets! Look out for it's official release in Japan at Spring 2010.

Cast/Staff:
Director: Takeshi Koike – Animatrix “World Record”
Screenwriting: Katsuhito Ishii – “Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl”, “A Taste of Tea”
Yoji Enokido – “Evangelion”
Yoshiki Sakurai – “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Aline Complex”
Original Story:Katsuhito Ishii
Animation: MADHOUSE – “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”

Story:
The most dangerous and exciting car race in the universe is held only once every five years. And that’s tonight. The competitors are line up at the starting block. In his vehicle, JP, the most daredevil driver on the circuit, is ready for the green light. Female driver Sonoshee, with whom he is secretly in love, is also on the starting line. She will stop at nothing to get on that podium. In this race, not only is anything possible, but also anything is allowed. In fact, their adversaries modified their vehicles to equip them with highly destructive weapons; with such paricipants, it is hardly surprising that Redline is forbidden by the authorities, who will try anything to halt the proceedings. These speed addicts have to put themselves in mortal danger to achieve their aim: eternal glory for those who finally mount the podium.

Currently I'm doing some research for my new work, I found this game called "System Shock" back in 1994, during time I didn't notice this game, as I'm too busy playing Doom 2.

The poster of System Shock reminds me the other game "Out of this world" during the same period, it's the good old times...

20th Century Fox Hong Kong proundly brings us the 1st taste of ground breaking AVATAR in 21st August 2009, I'm really really wants to watch it, but the problem is how can I get the ticket at the freaking Friday morining?? Any one here can give me a hand?? :(

The summer blockbuster - Terminator Salvation reminds me Terminator 3: Rise of the machines and the missing director Mr. Jonathan Mostow. What I should say JM did a decent job with T3, although it's totally not original and some bad jokes in the movie, but I think the movie still live up with the mood of T series (not the deep thinking of course).

Then after 6 years, Jonathan Mostow is back in good shape with his latest graphic novel adaptation- "Surrogates". 
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Plot:
The year 2017 is a future in which humans live in near-total isolation, never leaving the safety and comfort of their homes, and only communicating with their fellow man through remotely-controlled robotic bodies that serve as "surrogates", designed as better-looking versions of their human operators. Because people are safe all the time, and damage done to a surrogate is not even felt by its owner, it is a peaceful world free from fear, pain, and crime.

Bruce Willies is an FBI agent who enlists the aid of his own surrogate to investigate the first murder in years, of the genius college student who invented the surrogates. The case grows more complicated, however, when several humans are murdered as their surrogates are destroyed. The withdrawn detective discovers that in order to actually catch the killer he will have to physically venture outside the safety of his home for the first time in many years, and enlists the aid of another agent in tracking his target down. 

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Plot of surrogates sounds like a Ghost in the Shell (Classic Japanese Animation no the afterward TV series) mix up with Strange Days (1995), after viewing it's trailer, I think this should be another ultra-entertaining sci-fi of 2009:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGwQ74cH5O0

Looks like fun huh?

I'm so excited to see another director's vision on our future. But once again, hope can see it in HK cinemas soon... (Where is my District 9?)

P.S.: Please check AVATAR first teaser in 2 days and counting...

Some of you might know, back in time at the end of July and beginning of August my crew 85up2 been to Malaysia for 2 very special live performance, the first one was beach party at Redang Island and the second one was the MANROOM launch party.

After returned to Hong Kong, I immediately went into another theatre performance production to direct one half of this show called 新天新地與冷酷異境 (so far I don't have it's english name so.) This is the 1st time I co-direct a theatre play with another director - Mr. Hui Shuning (許樹寧).

I'm happy Mr. Hui Shuning giving me this opportunity, Mr. Hui is one of the most innovative theatre director in Hong Kong. He love combines live digital / video with theatre performance, so as this show we are working on. If you are intesested, please come to support!

《新天新地與冷酷異境》
一次恐怖襲擊，叫一位才剛成名的鋼琴家，失去了一切。
在她的生命喪失希望與方向、信仰備受挑戰之際，
一名被逮捕的恐怖份子要求向她贖罪。

忿怒、傷心、絕望，將如何影響她的抉擇？
香港藝術中心麥高利小劇場
21-23.8.2009（五至日）8pm
22-23.8.2009（六至日）3pm
26-30.8.2009（三至日）8pm
29-30.8.2009（六至日）3pm

監製：劉健文｜燈光設計：陳佩儀｜錄像設計：盧榮
舞台監督：周鏡福｜執行舞台監督：張少媚
創作演員：張滿源｜鐘凱瑩｜何嘉華｜馬可欣

more info: http://www.shuning.org.hk/whatsnew/newsky/index.html

p.s. the name 謝國明 on the flyer is me hahaha chinese name revealed!