Movie - Dance of the Dragon

My jaw kind of slammed into my keyboard when I read that homegrown Singaporean actress Fann Wong being awarded a "Best Actress" Hollywood (note the italics) award for her role in Dance of the Dragon, which incidentally also starred Korean hearthrob Jang Hyuk. The award was given at the inaugural West Hollywood International Film Festival (WHIFF). Apparently, Jang Hyuk also won the "Best Actor" award for his role in the film.

Being objective, I have to say that I did not watch the film, so I am not exactly in any position to comment if Fann and Jang deserved, or not, the awards. All I know of the movie is based on the short clip which I saw when watching another movie.

That short clip alone convinced me to give the movie a wide berth, i.e. avoid at all costs, with its cheesy lines and rather poor cinematography. Jang's presence could only do so much to rescue the movie. Think he should stick with Korean productions.

And here's the article that I saw which sorta hurt my lower jaw.

The Straits Times, 5 August 2008

Panned at home, Fann's movie wows US film fest

CELEBRITY Fann Wong, 37, won her first Hollywood award for Best Actress for her role in Dance of The Dragon at the inaugural West Hollywood International Film Festival (WHIFF), but was unfortunately also sick at the same time.

The MediaCorp actress was 'pleasantly surprised' when she heard news of her win, but jokingly lamented that she was 'celebrating in bed with dosages of medicine instead of champagne'. Local film critics were surprised as well, but for different reasons as most of them had panned the romantic movie that was directed by Australian John Radel.

Despite being a flop at the local box-office in Singapore, Dance of The Dragon took 10 awards at WHIFF, including Best Festival Movie, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. About 140 films from 20 countries around the world took part in the film festival, but most were little-known independent titles, documentaries and short films.

Singapore-based Easternlight Film Productions, which produced Dance of The Dragon, said in a statement that the film will also compete at the 12th Annual Rhode Island International Film Festival, the 5th Rome International Film Festival, the 14th Annual Temecula Valley International Film Festival and the 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival.