"Rigor Mortis" - A Hong Kong Horror Movie To Get Excited About

I think most people would agree that western horror has been failing for decades now, having lost sight of what actually makes a movie scary (With a few exceptions). What is defined as 'horror' these days involves movies that are filled with cheap 'startle' scares and recycled concepts that come out during Halloween to turn a quick buck. As a result I've found myself looking abroad for something fresh, and Hong Kong seems intent on delivering that with Rigor Mortis by fledgling director Juno Mak.

While the trailer is filled with tropes we've been accustomed to, I have to say that the 'cultural horror' aspect of the film might be a draw. Within a two minute trailer we're given a glimpse into Chinese ghost and vampire (Jiangshi) mythology, which are miles away from the ones that we've grown accustomed to in the west. This comes from Mak's wish to resurrect a dormant genre of Hong Kong horror that was prevalent in the 80's and 90's with franchises like Mr Vampire, that were incredibly popular at the time.

Aside from the stellar box office numbers abroad, the movie seemed to get quite a warm reception at the various festivals it was screened at internationally (Tokyo, London, Toronto and others), so we're genuinely excited about catching a screening when the movie premieres in the US on June 6.

"VIRTUS" - Hong Kong Takes A Stab At Scifi

Hong Kong based FX house Fat Face seems intent to throw their hat into the independent scifi project with VIRTUS, a proof of concept film that might become a reality relatively soon. It's a rare treat to see scifi projects emerging from Chinese territories, which seem to be more enamored with exporting historical and fantasy projects abroad more than anything.

With the small taste that the trailer seems to offer, we're given a glimpse of what appears to be a heavy duty factory robot going berserk, at which point a special squad is sent in to take care of the issue. The quality of the visuals in the trailer was cinematic and impressive, and after looking at the robot designs it became pretty clear that they probably came from the mind of one of China's most influential concept artists.

Hong Kong In Miniature

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These photos of exquisite miniatures were taken at the Kowloon Bay miniatures exhibit that took place earlier this month at Telford Plaza, showcasing some of the best custom miniature work from the entire Asian hobbyist and professional market. Centered around capturing some of Hong Kong's most iconic stores and locations from the past and present (Like the now demolished 'Forbidden City,' pictured above) in miniature.



Local blogger Trevor Mingkei had a chance to attend the event, which he captured in film set to the tunes of Natalie Cole's L-O-V-E, which mirrors the way I feel about miniature making in general. The attention to detail is just stunning in these sets, with no detail spared in the making of. Check out some more photos of the Hong Kong In Miniature exhibit after the break.

The Art Of Little Thunder

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Having had a chance to live in a few third world  countries, Hong Kong included..I've come to know what Dettol is. Not exactly something you'd want to drink, which lead me to delve deeper into the strange world of Little Thunder, a Hong Kong based female illustrator with too many styles to count. Going through her portfolio I was left wondering if this was the work of a collective, like HonkFu or Massive Black, but after a little bit of research this wasn't the case.

Whereas her work is on the most part playful and colorful, you might notice some subtle indicators of some personal unrest in her work, or jabs at negative personal experiences. A smiling girl with a bruise on her face? That swirly drinking straw heading into a bottle of antiseptic? These little details all tell a story that are up to you to interpret. Check out more of her work after the break.