Movie Bugz

I have MOVED to AngelstarChristy.com

2016-04-02T05:25:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

Thanks for following my blog all these years.

I would like to announce that I have already moved to my new domain; which will host ALL my blogs on one site where I will blog about all sorts of topics.

Thank you for reading and sharing your comments with me, and I look forward to keep in touch and to welcome you to my new site :)

Please update your bookmarks, it's now Angelstarchristy.com

See you there!~

Love,
Christy

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My Favorite Christmas Movies

2013-12-23T05:00:00.001-08:00

The holiday seasons are here, and as we are busy decorating our homes (and hanging the ornaments on the Christmas tree), there is so much cheer and joy to share around and of course, the time to enjoy a little rest from work. An idea of relaxation would not exclude the comfy couch with a remote in your hand and picking your favorite movies to watch (not a very healthy picture for the everyday life, but hey, this is a holiday and you get to spoil yourself a little once in a while, even if it means being a temporary couch potato).
The best thing about this is the countless movies produced with the Christmas theme; thus spoiling us with endless choices as we flipped through channels and videos to pick the movie to start with.
(And we end up with long hours on the couch, until food knocks us out of our senses, that is. Sounds familiar?)

I love the Christmas season, for all the reasons; the triumphant birth of our Saviour, the joy and spirit of the season, the family reunion, the holidays and everything that the season just has to offer.
It has been this way ever since I was a little girl, and guess the old traditions just do not die.
Movies just add to that list of favorite things for the holidays season, and I can't begin to decide on my one and only favorite movie to watch as the list is just too long.
However, I have decided to compile a list of some of my personal favorites; which are just the classic and evergreen ones which I just will not get tired of watching at all anytime...
Hope you enjoy the following selection; you may not be unfamiliar with some of them as they are just so popular, but if you do have any to recommend to me, do feel free to drop me a note :-)

1. The Holiday (2006)

I love this movie; light-hearted and romantic but not dazily so.
The four main protagonists lent their charm to making this a great choice for a holiday movie.

2. Santa Clause

Tim Allen has to play Santa Claus when a mishap occurs, and just with that in mind, need I say more?

3. Home Alone 1 and 2

This has got to be one movie that most of us have grown up with, and enjoyed a hearty laugh over Kevin's (McCaulay Culkin) big-eyed innocence and creativity in surviving on his own without adults and taking on the bandits. The Part 1 was definitely the best, and while the second part took on the same notion from the first part, the repeated jokes did not do the trick as much as the first. The winning part? The hotel setting and how he enjoyed himself in the suite with marshmallows and chocolates....this boy sure knows how to pamper himself!~
(How on earth does a Mother loses her child TWICE; TWO years in a row???)

4. A Christmas Carol

I have always loved Charles Dickens' books and this is one of my favorite stories from the classical author due to its deep meaning yet enlightening message of Christmas. It makes one ponder on the values one should focus on and the importance of the people in our lives.
It brings a different meaning to me each time I watch it, but I have to say, this never fails to wrench some tears from the corners of my eyes each and every time, leaving me to reflect and pray for spiritual fulfillment and to understand the value of giving and love. This is definitely my personal favorite, and the BEST movie for me, for Christmas :-)

5. The Polar Express

This is one of the very first motion capture animated children film, which just impressed and touched me as the train and characters were brought to life. I loved everything about this movie, and it is just so Christmassy :-)

6. The Nutcracker Prince

One of my childhood animation movies; and I just loved the Sugar Plum Fairy by Tchaikovsky which played repeatedly in my mind. I loved the Christmas tree, the atmosphere created in the animation film as it was all just so enchanting, just like the fairy tale depicted.

7. A Mom for Christmas

A girl who lost her mom got her wish in a wishing well granted when a mannequin was brought to life and became her mom. It was touching and beautiful, and depicted the magic and miracles of Christmas.

I remembered how the television would always be putting on all those interesting movies as we were getting ready for our Christmas Eve celebration mass every year, and we tore our eyes away to get ready and leave for the church. Nowadays, they don't show movies like these anymore, and besides, technology made things easier to catch up on movies missed.

Do you have any personal favorite Christmas movie?

Enjoy the movies, and if you have more, do let me know...I have watched countless Christmas movies, but these simply are just my personal favorites :-)

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!~

Startling By Each Step/Scarlet Heart (步步驚心)(2011): Ruoxi and the Princes

2012-07-10T00:11:00.003-07:00

The relationship between Ruoxi and the princes is definitely the central theme of the series and somehow the whole story just fall into or revolve around this part as Ruoxi, the main female lead in this drama is the main character after all and her time travel back to the Qing Dynasty period during Kangxi's reign was the main plot of the story by the author and inevitably, her status as the daughter of a aristocrat would draw her to the palace, whether she like it or not and her bubbly personality attracted the attention of the princes during that era; and since it was Kangxi's period, she was about to meet and be involved with the most notable historical figures of time in Chinese history.

I would go by the order where she meet them or get involved with each of them; and of course, the best for last, so do be patient ya ;-)

Ruoxi and Yin'e (10th Prince)
Relationship: Puppy Love, Infatuation and Friends
Yin'e sees Ruoxi as: Potential Wife, best friend and source of entertainment, then turned to be her protector
Ruoxi sees Yin'e as: Best Friend and fun company

Surprisingly, this is the first prince whom Ruoxi encountered when she found herself in the Qing Dynasty although she was supposed to be staying in the home of the 8th Prince, as she had thought to herself. Yin'e, the 10th Prince, as Ruoxi had known was the simple-minded and naive guy and was even perceived to be dumb in Ruoxi's own interpretation and her first impression of him was just that. He was cheerful and straightforward and is a guy easy enough to decipher as his facial expressions and body language say and act the way he was thinking/feeling and Ruoxi felt comfortable when she is with him. She does like him due to his simple mind, but she considered him only as a friend and not in a romantic way. Yin'e, on the other hand seemed to take an immediate liking to Ruoxi when he met her and was extremely fascinated with her antics and playful ways. It was also perhaps due to the fact that Yin'e mentioned that they grew up together and have known each other since childhood, and also their age gap? Their personalities are rather similar although Yin'e is even more simple-minded compared to Ruoxi. The two are still playful and jovial, and Yin'e never did think ahead. It was proven from the fact that although he liked Ruoxi, he did not approach the Emperor ahead to ask for her hand, or maybe because he wanted to wait to be sure if Ruoxi liked him the same way? Anyway, his sincerity and goodwill in trying to wish his father during their Mooncake festival celebration in the palace led him to catch the attention of the Emperor (his own father) and stirred his memory that Yin'e is one of the princes who had reached the age of marriage and yet he is still unmarried. Well, I guess it was meant to be, although I would say Yin'e brought it unto himself as the Emperor, realizing that fact, decided to arrange for his marriage rightaway, and with the help of his mother? who was recommending a lady of noble background directly to Kangxi. The candidate was Gorolo Mingyu, the younger sister of the 8th Prince's first wife and who has close ties to the royal family due to their maternal connections. It was funny when the name of Gorolo Mingyu was mentioned, all the princes just bowed their heads and they looked a little disheartened; haha, I guess Mingyu was really a little too popular with her demanding ways? Yin'e, not to say the least, was shocked and petrified and tried to turn down the offer, but at the risk of incurring the Emperor's wrath had it not been for the 8th Prince who quickly stood up to help him and urged him to thank the Emperor for his arrangement. Ruoxi was surprised, and at the same time enraged with the whole incident, and while everyone thought she was angered by that arrangement because she was in love with Yin'e, Ruoxi was actually pissed that the life and fate of the princes or those noble aristocrats were not in their own hands, but rather, to be decided and ordered by the Emperor. She could not comprehend that reality, nor does she wants to and remains inconsolable, thus leading everyone to believe that Ruoxi was truly upset over Yin'e's betrothal to Mingyu and when the 8th and 14th Prince tried to console her, she denied their assumptions and even lashed out that she could not accept that their fates are to be decided by the Emperor who seemed to hold ultimate authority (well, the Emperor is considered to be sent from Heaven so it was their culture at that time but Ruoxi just would not have it that way, at all). Her words of anger surprised Yinsi and Yinti (8th and 14th) and Yinsi warned her never to utter those words ever again or face the risk of punishment by death which would involve even her own family. Ruoxi was then sent to console and pacify Yin'e so that he would prepare for the wedding day, as it was all set and like it or not, Yin'e had to just go with the arrangements and the flow; to marry Mingyu on the date set by the Emperor as well.
Yin'e admitted his feelings for Ruoxi, and even asked her for her thoughts on him; whether she liked him in return. Ruoxi's answer disappointed him as she refused to lie to him and told him that she only liked him as a good friend and also a person she is comfortable to be around with because of his sincerity and directness. It was then that Yin'e also confessed that he suspected this was the case, and that was the real reason he never dared to ask Ruoxi about her feelings for he fears the truth. On the other hand, even if Ruoxi did like him, Yin'e would not be able to make his own decision.
I felt this relationship was a one-way in romantic terms, but definitely two-way when it comes to friendship. Ruoxi liked Yin'e because he was just so simple, jovial and happy-go-lucky and he is the type who does not even think ahead and just go with the flow. His simplicity in thoughts made him approachable and Ruoxi did not ever feel like she needed to worry about his real thoughts. She mentioned that she could laugh, cry or just be herself around him and not worry about the code of conduct around a prince which made her at ease. Ruoxi, I can see, also pitied Yin'e for being constantly bullied or chastised by his brothers for his simplicity, but at the same time, he did not ever thought of getting back at them nor wanting to compete for anything. He is definitely not ambitious as he knew his own capabilities and he is just content with whatever he had.
Yin'e, on the other hand, probably liked Ruoxi as a friend initially, but her enthusiasm and optimistic character attracted him and can we blame him? He is born as a prince and his life is confined to all the rules and regulations set in the palace and although he is still carefree, he knows that he does not own total freedom either to his own fate and that was the part that he admired about Ruoxi. Also, like Ruoxi, he just felt comfortable around her and he enjoyed having her in his presence and her antics caught his attention that he was constantly trying to be around her because he was just so happy being with her. I don't really think that Yin'e was deeply in love with Ruoxi, or that his feelings for her reached the level of love yet but it was more of an infatuation. He had a strong crush on her and wanted to be with her, but he did not think that far ahead and I think it was also due to the fact that they were still young and Yin'e just knew how to enjoy himself and have fun. He did not realize that he was just merely attracted to her and that it was not really that serious although I think he did think it was serious. It was more of a puppy love, but I guess Yin'e did not know how to differentiate between infatuation and real love yet at that time. He had to give up on Ruoxi as Ruoxi turned down his offer to take her as his concubine and he realized that he is only a friend and he will never enter her heart as her partner.
The two then maintained a friendship and I liked it how they still talk to each other as though nothing ever happened and that, to me, is letting go and that is true happiness. A rather simple and friendly relationship, these two, and I liked the fact that they cared about each other as a friend and would help each other in need, even when Yin'e had loved his wife and Ruoxi loved Yinzhen, but their relationship had transitioned from romantic to platonic and that was a really nice thing.

Ruoxi and Yintang
Nature of Relationship: Distant, Cold, Hatred
Yintang sees Ruoxi as: Trouble to their ambitions
Ruoxi sees Yintang as: Cold, Evil and dangerous

The 9th Prince, Yintang was the only prince who was not involved with Ruoxi at all; be it romantically or in friendship. In fact, he never even cared about her at all and just merely saw her as presence and not just that, he was also constantly pissed with her (actually he's pissed most of the time anyway) and blamed her for some of their misfortunes or when their plans failed. He saw Ruoxi as a deterrent in Yinsi's ambitions and for that, he was never too pleased with her around. Yintang also never really trusted Ruoxi and he was constantly suspicious of her and I believe his suspicions increased after Ruoxi broke up with Yinsi and then later ended up with Yinzhen. To be honest, I do feel that Ruoxi and Yintang are extremely opposites which probably made their relationship seem like two ends of a magnate.
He is the type of guy who believed a man should focus on his ambitions and a woman is only a pond or not even supposed to be there in the first place, while Ruoxi, with her modern thinking, never wanted to depend on a man in anything and that women could also achieve success on her own. Though she never wanted to be in the way of a man's ambition, and in this case, history, she inadvertently contributed to the history by shaping the intense rivalry between the 4th and 8th Prince and then she tried to soothe things out to help all the princes whom she cared about. Like Yintang who did not give a damn about her, neither did Ruoxi cared about him and she was even more angered with his actions when she found out that Yutan, her best friend whom she treated as her sister was actually a pond sent by Yintang to spy on Yinzhen and in the process, lost her own life. Ruoxi wanted Yintang to feel guilty for all the sacrifices made by Yutan although he appeared with a blank expression and she left it for the last laugh by sending him that blood letter before his death so that he would be consumed with guilt over Yutan's love for him. Between the two, it was clear that Ruoxi had the last laugh and even Yintang admitted that Ruoxi was indeed like the 4th, cold and ruthless beneath that cheerful facade and that she would hit him at his most vulnerable point. So, yeah, there was no love but only an exchange of wit and hatred between these two.

Ruoxi and Yinreng (Crown Prince)
Nature of relationship: Lust, Power-driven
Yinreng sees Ruoxi as: Someone who can help him with his ambitions due to her connections (father, Emperor and Mongols)
Ruoxi sees Yinreng as: Pitiful, devious
There was nothing much between this two except that exciting part when Yinreng suddenly asked for Ruoxi's hand in marriage in Episode 18 and this evoked the anxiety of all the other princes who were desperate to save Ruoxi from this predicament. Actually, Yinreng was known for his philandering ways and in the earlier episode when Ruoxi was presenting her self-designed cups to the Emperor and the princes while they were at camp, it seemed that Yinreng already casted a rather dirty look at her after the Emperor praised her and when she was handing him his cup. Then he did try to talk to her a few times at the camp and also her connections to the Mongol royalties caught his attention, or rather fit his bill for his own succession. Furthermore, Ruoxi was in Kangxi's favour and to ensure that Yinreng would have a smooth succession, Yinreng knew that having Ruoxi would be a sure win situation because he would have Kangxi's trust and at the same time, the Mongols to back him up. I find this rather despicable because he is not really in love with her, but only more interested in her sexually and also politically. Ruoxi? Needless to say, she feared him and also did not want to have anything to do with him although she did pity him because she knew his fate as the Crown Prince would not be for long as history stated that he would be deposed twice and he never made it to rule the kingdom. I think Ruoxi was more worried about her own fate and was definitely thankful that her popularity among the princes saved her from the almost political marriage, but she should also thank Kangxi who hesitated before deciding (unlike the betrothal for the 10th Prince).

Now, we come to the main four princes who were directly, emotionally, physically and mentally involved with our female lead character and they were also the key players in her life; be it romantically or friendly.

Ruoxi and Yinxiang (13th Prince)
Nature of Relationship: Platonic, Confidantes, Soulmates

As Yuan Hong (the actor who played this prince) mentioned during their interview, this is the simplest relationship as Ruoxi and Yinxiang's involvement with each other was purely platonic friendship and there was no romantic interests involved at any point. I liked this friendship, mainly because I always believed in the fact that there is always the existence of platonic relationship between a guy and a girl, although I am also aware that it is extremely rare and I am sure that it is even more so during that era. That is why this relationship is well-liked among the viewers, as it was just so pure and natural that it was desirable. Ruoxi and Yinxiang could just talk about anything under the sun, or in their case, the stars and it was impressive that a prince like Yinxiang, who could have had any woman, was just so noble towards her. He was loyal to Luwu, and Ruoxi was like his sister and also confidante. It was different from his relationship with Yinzhen, whom they were more of sworn brothers/allies. With Ruoxi, Yinxiang just felt matched his own personality because he was perceived as the carefree and daredevil and Ruoxi's quick mind was such a perfect complement. They are like soulmates and they would have been a perfect match if they were to be romantically involved, but then again, their relationship was so strong in faith that had there been romantic interest, it would probably kill their relationship straightaway. Ruoxi never had to be careful around him, because she just trust him, and in a way, she trusted him even more than the simple-minded 10th Prince, because she knew Yinxiang would never do anything to harm her nor others. Yinxiang was the same, his care for her was brotherly and he would never allow her to be hurt at any time and it was not based on romantic interest.
I loved how they are always there for each other, and how they would go all the way out to help each other in dire times of need and even Yinzhen had to depend on Yinxiang to console Ruoxi when she was upset yet Yinzhen never felt threatened by Yinxiang. There was a point when Yinzhen was surprised that Ruoxi never did develop feelings for Yinxiang because they were just so compatible but then it was just that. This is truly an admirable and desirable friendship, and they had the best relationship because it lasted all the way, and should I say, unbreakable.

Ruoxi and Yinsi (8th Prince)
Nature of Relationship: Admiration, Infatuation/Love
Yinsi sees Ruoxi as: Potential wife
Ruoxi sees Yinsi as: Good husband material, caring guy

Yinsi is the man who captured Ruoxi's interest in the beginning as she was impressed with his demeanour and capabilities, and also his gentle kindness and caring ways towards her sister Ruolan. She was attracted to his charms and it was understandable considering that she was only a teenage girl at that time (in that era) that she would be easily impressed with the suave style of her closest male model in her life; and in this case, Yinsi, who was her brother-in-law.
Ruoxi was supposed to be sent to stay with Ruolan to prepare her for the Imperial harem selection which placed her in the official home of the 8th Prince, Yinsi.
Although he was not the first man she met when she awoke, she was still nevertheless in awe of this man who treated her sister with tender loving care and her initial impression of Yinsi was positive that she found herself succumbing to his charms. She was excited to be around him and also in corresponding through letters with him, and her heart skipped a beat every time she sees him.
Was it love? She had her doubts when accepting her love; which was her sister and also her knowledge of his fate in history.
The debate: Did Ruoxi really love Yinsi?
To be honest, I did not really think that Ruoxi was really deeply in love with Yinsi, and vice versa. It was more of an instant attraction when they met, and Yinsi had described it as love at first sight.
Ruoxi was attracted to his gentle and caring ways towards ladies; and I also believe her admiration for him was based on her knowledge of him in history (Yinsi was known as the Virtuous Prince, or Ba Xian Wang in Chinese and was popular among the ministers and also the people).
However, it was also this fact that made her wary of being too involved with Yinsi. Ruoxi had had her own reservations when she first met Yinsi, and she had also known about it but she still could not help being swept away by his charms. Somehow she just developed strong feelings for him; which she could not really decide whether it was of admiration or love and that made her held back from accepting his love. The incident where Yinsi was injured during one of their outings with the Emperor was where she finally took the plunge although she still wondered whether it was the right thing to do.
That is where I see that Ruoxi was not truly in love with him, but more of a strong infatuation because she was constantly debating between right and wrong when it comes to her feelings for Yinsi, and there is never really a right or wrong in love; only whether she loves him or not. She held back because she knew he would not really meet a good end, and tried to warn him to evade the grave consequences without realizing that her predestination paradox could have inadvertently shaped history and Yinsi still ended up in his situation as stated in history, and in this version, it seemed that Ruoxi contributed to it.
Despite her warning and caring for him, Ruoxi finally still decided to let go of the relationship and left Yinsi perplexed with her conditions and decision. (She asked Yinsi to choose between his ambition and her; which Yinsi could not understand as he did not see why he could not have the best of both worlds).
Ruoxi gave up on the relationship when it had just started because she did not want to go through the hardships and also mental stress, knowing that their romance would be short-lived when Yinsi and Yinzhen fight for the throne. Was it truly selfish on Ruoxi's part?
While many would debate that it is Ruoxi's fault, I don't really think she should be blamed for the fate of the relationship. She did not really mean to hurt Yinsi, and she did gave him a choice; which was more of an opportunity to redeem himself from his sad end but Yinsi did not take it up. She wanted to save Yinsi, but it was not her fault that she could not change history although I think that she made a mistake by trying to change history. She cared for Yinsi, even after the breakup and all the way until the end of the series, which she did the same for all the princes.
Perhaps she did wanted to be involved with Yinsi, but then why did she have so many doubts? Was it truly because of her knowledge of history; although it was a major part, but I think it was also mainly because she was not sure whether she wanted to go through his hardships with him. Yes, Ruoxi may have chosen Yinzhen because he was about to be the next Emperor, but Yinzhen did not have that easy of a path either and she had not foreseen his falling out of favour with the Emperor and then despite knowing that she would offend the Emperor, she still chose to defy her arranged marriage to Yinti and then suffered for many years in the laundry department. Even when Yinzhen became the Emperor, he was still facing many threats and also issues, yet Ruoxi did not mind that.
Furthermore, it was not like Yinzhen was about to reign for a long time and Ruoxi was definitely aware of that, so with Yinsi, she could have had chosen him because he would still become Prince of Lian. Secondly, Ruoxi often harboured hopes that she could return to her own era although she would not know when, and therefore she already knew that her time would be indefinite and maybe even short, so being with Yinzhen or Yinsi would probably be the same anyway, but she did not want to take that risk to be with Yinsi. Was it because of her selfishness? Or because she just did not love Yinsi enough to want to go through his trials and tribulations? It was a combination of both.

Yinsi, on the other hand, was attracted to Ruoxi immediately and it did seem like he was really in love with her, based on his affections and attention to her. However, I personally felt that Yinsi was more in love with the idea of being in love with her, and the prospects of being able to be with her. Also his status as her brother-in-law also made him confident of his own chances of winning her love, but he was often perplexed at Ruoxi's hot and cold behaviour towards him. When he finally managed to gain her love at the outing camp, he was pleased with himself and made no effort in hiding his pride by telling Yinti (14th Prince) that he could finally address Ruoxi as his sister-in-law; thus putting his claim on Ruoxi and a way of telling his brothers that she was his. However, when Ruoxi rejected him, he was initially bewildered but then he was angered because she made him choose between his ambitions for the throne and her. Yinsi could not understand it and being the complacent guy he is, as portrayed in the series, could not accept why Ruoxi could not see the fact that he could have the best of both worlds. He withdrew from Ruoxi although it could be seen that he still cared for her and tried to protect her from harm, by joining forces with Yinzhen to foil the Crown Prince's plans to marry Ruoxi.
Yinsi was unhappy when he suspected that Ruoxi could have fallen for Yinzhen, and tried to warn her to stay away from Yinzhen who would be his biggest nemesis in competing for the throne. (It was perhaps due to the competition for the throne and also Ruoxi which led to the competitive struggle between these two princes, as it seemed from this story).
Yinsi just could not accept that Ruoxi had moved on after breaking up with him, and that showed his obsessive and possessive streak; and he seemed to be so intent on winning, it seems to me.
To me, Yinsi did not truly understand the meaning of love as he felt that to love is to possess and to be with the person and he just could not bear that Ruoxi moved past him and had fallen for someone else (although it was also his stepbrother). Had Yinsi not thought of whether Ruoxi was happier with Yinzhen? He just wanted her so badly that he was blinded by his own wants and needs that Ruoxi's heart mattered nothing at all?
I just find myself a little perplexed at Yinsi as well; for how could he claimed he loved Ruolan so deeply yet could still want Ruoxi? Is that still love, or did he not care about Ruolan's feelings? It is just plain weird. Then did Yinsi not care about the effects it could have on the sisters' relationship, which would just become more complicated as the sisters would both be competing for one husband. Perhaps it was his intention as well that he wanted Ruoxi so that he could have Ruolan at the same time (Ruoxi could coax her sister into accepting him?). How about his first wife, Minghui? She had done nothing wrong and she did not deserve his hot and cold behaviour towards her; he is only nice to her when he needed her help due to her family background. That just made him look like a casanova.
To me, Yinsi is a guy who loved himself above others; and he is just too intent on having the whole world to himself and I could not really blame him either as I watched his own background and facing neglect from his own father due to his mother's background which evoked his fighting spirit to fight for everything he really wanted in his life.
However, he was a pitiful guy and I still admire his kindness towards Ruoxi throughout the series and even until the end; although he was angry over his wife's death, he never really blamed Ruoxi and even wanted Ruoxi to live happily with Yinti and told her to forget everyone including himself as she exits the Forbidden City. He is still not that bad of a guy who loved Ruoxi, after all, although at the end, it was more of a friendly and brotherly love he had for her.

Ruoxi and Yinzhen (4th Prince) - * My Favourite Couple*
Nature of Relationship: True Love
Yinzhen to Ruoxi: Yinzhen is Ruoxi's one and only true love; the man she would stand by at all times despite knowing that he would be the future emperor of the dynasty.
Ruoxi sees Yinzhen as: Dangerous, cold, fearsome, pitiful, compassionate and not fully expressive

I wanted to leave this for the last; but then again, according to the order of Yinzhen's position among the brothers and also in Ruoxi's heart, Yinzhen had to be moved up to the top of the list.
Well, Ruoxi and Yinzhen did not get off to a good start as Ruoxi's first impression of him was more of fear and intimidation rather than even the mere feeling of like and it is not hard to understand why as Ruoxi, being someone from the future had already known the future and Yinzhen was to be the next Emperor; Yongzhen and based on the history that she knew, his succession to the throne would be one of major dispute and he had been portrayed as someone who was stern and also ruthless in achieving his ambition. I could understand why Ruoxi tried to stay away from him and yet made sure she did not offend him as much as possible. Knowing that he will be the future emperor put Ruoxi on her guard against him, and she initially tried to avoid him but knowing that she will need to be in the palace, she took precaution to treat him well and also to make sure he is happy by taking his special likes, dislikes and needs into consideration. However, little did she know that her minor gestures which was meant to protect herself against future danger but she had also inevitably attracted the attention of the 4th and also all the other princes who perceived her little actions as affections towards the 4th Prince.
From what I observed, I guess Yinzhen had also noticed her from the first time they met (Episode 1, yes, they met really early, right from the start of the story) and I should say that there are a few stages in this relationship; from the time they met until the deep involvement, romantically, of course

Stage 1: Curiosity vs Fear/Intimidated

When Yinzhen first saw her, it was more of surprise and curiosity as Ruoxi's running to the streets and stopping his horse while Ruoxi never, in her wildest imagination thought that she would be encountering the grim Yinzhen, whom she knew would be the next Emperor; Yongzhen. Hearing her maid Qiaohui telling her that the man on the horse was the 4th Prince Yinzhen made her wary of his presence and that she had just blocked the way of a future emperor and remembering her historical facts, Yinzhen was often portrayed as one of fearsome personality and his disputed succession to the throne added to the common perception that he is brutal and cold in his ways. Ruoxi wanted nothing to do with him, if possible at that time upon learning his identity while Yinzhen, found himself curious about this young lady who was related to his 8th brother as she was his young and bubbly sister-in-law. Yinzhen was probably curious about her but I guess, his personality and careful nature kept him at bay from approaching her further although he wanted to know the reason she was trying to seek death at such a young age that made him constantly approaching her to find the truth. However, he was a man of composure and realizing that she would not be saying much, he left her at that and decided not to pester her further. Her popularity with his other brothers did stirred up more of his curiosity but being the elder one and also I guess it was in his inner personality that he never liked to reveal his thoughts/emotions on his face, he tried to act cool in front of everyone and no one ever suspected that he had the slightest interest in her. I think I am not wrong if I were to say that everyone probably thought that the 4th was just like the 9th Prince, who did not care about Ruoxi's existence as well. At the same time, he knew that his brothers were all in some way or another interested or involved with her and also her rumors with 10th Prince made him just stay away from her although you could see that he was still keeping an eye on her most of the time whenever she was around. He was already fascinated with her antics, just like all his brothers although unlike them, he never publicly showed it. When he thought that she was just a fascinating character who was quite unique among their required formality, then her actions in finding out about his likes and dislikes through his confidante, the 13th Prince and then serving him his favourite tea and designing a cup based on his favourite magnolia flower compared to the other princes, he was again piqued with interest by her and he started wondering whether Ruoxi had feelings for him. So, I would say at the earlier stage, the 4th was constantly curious about Ruoxi and wanted to know what she was actually thinking; from the reason she wanted to commit suicide to her bold thoughts and actions and then to her real feelings for him as she was constantly doing things for him as even the 13th Prince who was close to Ruoxi chided her for never bothering to find out about his interests while she asked about the 4th and then did everything according to his likes. It did appear like she cared about him a lot compared to the other princes and the 4th could not help but formulate the impression that she could be interested in him more than the rest of his brothers.
Ruoxi, on the contrary, was afraid of him the moment she knew his identity during their first encounter and tried to avoid him as much as possible, although he was constantly appearing around her and asked for her reason that she rushed to the streets. Although she was scared, she engaged in small chat with him out of formality and also of politeness and I guess, she also wanted to hear what an intelligent person would say to her situation or at least shed light on a solution. When she was to report to the palace and then served the Emperor, she was also constantly in the presence of the princes whom would engage in official matters with the Emperor and she knew that she could not escape from meeting all the princes. As she did not know the duration she would be stuck in that era, she had to go with the flow and since she was fearful of the events that would eventually occur to create what she had learnt in history, she tried her best to maintain a distance from the 4th Prince and yet avoid offending him as much as possible although it was a little difficult. Knowing his future that he would ascend the throne and become one of the famous Qing emperors, Ruoxi then made it a point to please him so that she could be safe and unharmed in the future when he ascends the throne as she had done nothing to offend him. Also, Ruoxi was quite intimidated by the cold exterior of the 4th Prince compared to the other princes who can also be rather stern with her and she just did not feel comfortable around him. Her knowledge was probably the contributing factor because she knew he is not that simple of a guy and there must be many plans or plots running through his mind to achieve his ambitions.
So, it was more of like a chess game initially between these two where Yinzhen was trying to approach and find out, while Ruoxi was trying to retreat and stay low and kept their relationship as simple as possible.

Stage 2: Distant vs Distressed
Despite his initial demeanour as a composed and calm person, Ruoxi was taken aback by his willingness to teach her riding lessons in replacement of the 13th Prince and then his aggressiveness in forcibly kissing her. She must have thought to herself then, "Gosh, is he going to take things further?" and must have been extremely petrified that she did her best to fend off his advances by biting his lips to stop his actions there and then. Of course, at that time, she liked the 8th prince and so she had no interest in the 4th whatsoever and she was also unhappy and shocked that he would kiss her so suddenly. Pushing him away, she left the 4th Prince perplexed as to her real thoughts/emotions for him but I like that he was a gentleman and he let her go immediately and even mentioned that he would not resort to force to win her heart because he wanted things to take its own nature rather than pushing the limit but the poor 4th must have been bewildered that his assumptions were incorrect and he could not understand the reason she is treating him in a special way compared to the rest and yet she is pushing him away at that moment. The 4th also mentioned that he thought that was what she wanted at that time but he knew to leave her alone after that and even told the 13th that he would leave her matters to him and he would no longer meddle in things regarding her. He kept his word and also his distance at that point, although it was just for a short while.
Ruoxi, at that point, was not just petrified by his actions but also shocked when she was told by the 13th that her actions were rather obvious signs of affections for the 4th and that the 4th was also interested in her already. She denied her feelings for him and started to worry about the outlook of her actions and whether the 8th Prince would have the same assumption as she did not want to mislead him since her interest was in the 8th Prince at that time. Therefore, there was this period of time where Yinzhen was distant while Ruoxi was distressed at the outcome of her own actions which was supposed to protect herself from future harm while Yinzhen was left wondering at his own assumption as he had prided in his own wits and intelligence and yet it was wrong.

Stage 3: Action vs Avoid
Despite Yinzhen's initial plan to keep his distance, I guess his interest in her and also his intent to win her heart got the better of him and he started to make his first move towards her. However, it was a bold and subtle attempt at the same time as he sent her gifts and letters. It was also due to Yinzhen's calculated confidence and also his wisdom (remember that Yinzhen is older than Ruoxi?), that Ruoxi definitely did like him and she had not realize it that made him decide to make a move towards her. Yinzhen is not a guy who acts rashly and takes calculated moves; it is just in his nature and I can see that he will not do anything unless he is more than half assured that it will work and he told Ruoxi that since she had started it unintentionally, it is not up to her to call it quits and he would not give up. It showed his confidence and maybe a little arrogance? that he could win her heart eventually. Ruoxi, however, wanted nothing to do with the future emperor nor to be entangled in the brothers' political struggles that she tried to keep away from Yinzhen and also she was still attracted to Yinsi instead of Yinzhen; where she saw the former as a more gentle and loving type while the latter is dangerous beneath his calm. Therefore, again, this stage returns to the chess game where Yinzhen made the move and Ruoxi just wanted to retreat.

Stage 4: Attraction and falling in love
Yinzhen was gradually developing feelings for Ruoxi who impressed him with her wit and enthusiasm and perhaps also her bold and unique way of thinking compared to people of their era. Ruoxi was also slowly getting drawn to his character and this development was also thanks to their middle man, Yinxiang (13th prince) from whom they both received information about each other and Ruoxi, from observing the way Yinzhen behaved realized that he was not as bad as he seemed from her assumption. In fact, Yinzhen is a rather reserved and also extremely cautious person besides being perceptive. He is also not one who trusts people easily until he knows them or studies them in and out, and that was really obvious from the way he behaves around people. However, Ruoxi, as she starts to know him in person found herself fascinated and even impressed with his ability to stay calm and also composed at all times and that he is also not as ruthless as he seemed to be depicted in history but rather, deep down inside, he is also like everyone else, as he had admitted to her. It is not like that he had no feelings, but his upbringing and also his status as an older prince had led him to behave like one who had to be calm and composed at all times and that was also the reason he find it hard to express his inner feelings or emotions. He was brought up under the strict governance of his mother, Consort De and he was taught to be a role model to his younger brother, the 14th, and with such rules, it is no wonder he developed such a formidable character. He never learnt to love, or to trust anyone easily nor does he have that much fun and in my opinion, Yinzhen must have had quite a tough childhood, the poor guy. Ruoxi's cheerful and bubbly character which initially fascinated him also started to impress him. I guess it was because Ruoxi could do and say things in the ways that he wished he could yet he could not, and for that, I think he was jealous, impressed and in awe of her for being so bold. He slowly learnt to let go a little especially around her, and he also learnt to trust her and I believe that part was influenced by 13th Prince. You see, Yinzhen trusted Yinxiang, and he knew that Yinxiang's impression could not be that bad and Ruoxi and Yinxiang seemed to get along so well, that Yinzhen just wanted to be part of that equation. Yinzhen slowly fell for her and it was beautifully depicted in the drama, and perhaps he did not realize that he had moved towards the love stage, or maybe he was just too afraid to admit it (remember that Yinzhen is never one who could openly admit his own feelings), but he knew the reality when he started seeing her performing although it was Princess Minmin at that time and he knew that Ruoxi had crept into his heart. Ruoxi also found herself thinking of him despite liking Yinsi (8th Prince), and it was obvious as she was even thinking of him when Yinsi tried to kiss her for the first time. Like Yinzhen, she tried to push the thought out of her mind, but she found that Yinzhen's presence start to make her feel different compared to fear initially and she also started to enjoying sharing light banter with him.

Stage 5: Love, Trust and Sacrifice
The most beautiful yet moving stage as the two started to move towards each other in their mind and heart yet physically, they acted cool before each other; or rather, on Ruoxi's part because she was aware of the future which awaits all the princes. She had her doubts in Yinzhen but yet her heart told her otherwise and she found herself impressed with his subtle moves to win her heart and deep down inside, she had started to accept him although she did not want to admit it yet. She enjoyed his gifts and the light moments/glances shared with him in the presence of others and she found herself fascinated with his little jokes and also his way of showing his affection, yet she just did not want to admit it herself. When Yinzhen hinted to her about her lack of control of her own future/fate/marriage, especially with her growing popularity before the Emperor, she retorted back that she would not allow anyone to decide for her and Yinzhen told her that she would need to be prepared to kill herself and also dragging her innocent family members into the same predicament because of her mistake. Maybe she was trying to play hard to get, or also she did not care that much until tragedy strikes; which was the Crown Prince's forward request to ask for her hand in marriage directly from Kangxi that she realized that she was truly helpless. Her fear and anxiety caused her to fall sick and it was then that Yinzhen showed his true feelings of care and concern, and of course love, when he turned up at her room through his own tactics to check on her. I believe that was the point when Ruoxi truly started to decide to leave her fate to him; partly because she knew that he was the most dependable since he would be the future emperor and also because she already start to realize her feelings for him.
Yinzhen was initially disappointed when she answered that there was no one she could consider marrying or depend on but when Ruoxi asked him to marry her after the Crown Prince issue, it was obvious that he seemed elated although he tried to hide it from being too apparent. I liked how Yinzhen slowly transitioned from someone who was grim and stern with Ruoxi to being affectionate, caring and gentle towards her and sometimes even playful while Ruoxi matured from being a girly and childish young lass to a more understanding and stable lady. She may have asked him to marry her because she knew he would be her safest bet based on history, as compared to the other princes, but then when she tried to test him on his intentions, she was surprised that he was just so open with her and told her a truth directly and it was something that he did not even tell his best confidante, Yinxiang. As mentioned in her final letter to him before her death at the end, that was the turning point when he had unlocked the key to her heart and she found herself trusting him and he had truly established a place in her heart. Ruoxi started to enjoy being with him and even Yinzhen no longer intimidate her, as he was a totally different person with her; obvious when Yinzhen did not even get angry despite her playing a prank on him. Their fun and happiness was shortlived as the battle of the princes soon began shortly after in the series and Yinzhen was pulled into a web of lies where he was framed of resorting to tactics to depose the Crown Prince and it was all set up by Yinsi. This was when their love blossomed into true love as they each felt pain for Yinxiang, yet they were also tugged towards each other in their hearts as they were both separated. Yinzhen could no longer ask for her hand in marriage due to his falling from his father's favor, and Ruoxi did not ask him for more and yet tried to save both him and Yinxiang, although she also had to tread on her paths carefully. They could no longer be with each other physically and I think it was this brutal period which forced them to grow up and mature; especially for Yinzhen who had so much on his mind and I could understand his helplessness in not being able to stand up for his best buddy and confidante and also the love of his life; the two most important people in his heart. There was just so much pain in him and he was even more pained when he realized Ruoxi did not even hate him yet was understanding enough to accept his will without the need for him to explain to her in words, at all. Their love was put to the test when they were further torn apart; with Yinzhen backing from the official court matters and Ruoxi being demoted to the laundry department for defying the Emperor's orders to marry Yinti. This was the part where their love was really proved in its faith and endurance, as Ruoxi, despite knowing that she could die for defying the Emperor, still chose to do it at the risk of incurring the wrath of Kangxi just because she simply could not accept marrying someone she did not love. It was probably because Ruoxi did not want to hurt Yinti, because she simply did not love him and it would be unfair to him if she were to just marry him. It is a modern thinking but Ruoxi is from our era, anyway. However, the ultimate reason was because she loved Yinzhen too much and she wanted to wait for him because she knew he would be the final victor although it would mean years (she knows the year he would ascend the throne) and she is aware of that fact, yet she is willing to suffer unknowingly washing clothes to be with Yinzhen, or maybe never end up with him. It was something she did not know, but yet she was willing to do it and give up the only way to escape the Forbidden City and it was purely out of her love for Yinzhen. That was true love at that point, and even Yinzhen was moved by her sacrifice, which made him even more determined to save her, at all costs. It shaped history, and as according to this drama, perhaps it was also one of the reasons why Yinzhen decided to put his plans in action and ensure that he could be the ultimate authority figure so that he could protect his loved ones.
I find their love for each other really moving because unlike her romance with Yinsi, this truly lacked actions, gestures or even intimacy yet it was so strong that we viewers could just feel it and we would cry when they are apart and be happy when they are together. Yinzhen and Ruoxi just proved to us that true love does not mean or need being together all the time or physically, but rather, emotionally and also being linked in their minds and hearts. Yinzhen need not explain yet Ruoxi knew what he was going through and also why he did things in the way he did, while the whole world misunderstood him. Even Yinzhen admitted that she knew him best, besides Yinxiang, and he never had to worry whether she was angry with him because he knew, that Ruoxi, being Ruoxi, would never abandon him and for that, he was determined to make sure she had a happy end. Their love, although subjected to the harsh fate of the Emperor's decision and favour towards Yinti, was unfailing and Yinzhen knew that. Ruoxi never demanded him for anything nor pressured him to save her immediately, but rather, waited patiently in the background and she even started supporting him blindly out of her love for him. Yinzhen did not know how long he had to succeed yet he was impressed with Ruoxi's determination and silent support, even when he could no longer assure her of his plans or whether he could rescue her. Well, Yinzhen did not know Ruoxi know, but honestly, when Ruoxi was subjected to the laundry department, it meant demotion and lots of hard work and she still strived through it and subject herself to harsh conditions for years; and for a woman, it meant all her years of beauty and youth were spent in a lowly department. She could escape with Yinti, and hope to return to the future era, but she did not want to, because she cared about Yinzhen and she wanted to be with him. She could not enjoy luxury when Yinzhen was suffering and being abandoned. There were simply no words of exchange but only their occasional meeting and also their endearing thoughts and images of each other and that was just simpy so moving and beautiful, in my opinion. Ruoxi's only request is that Yinzhen should never forget her, or at least before she had forgotten about him and that was also directly telling him that she could never put him out of his mind and how could Yinzhen not be moved by that? Ruoxi was not the only one who sacrificed as Yinzhen risked his own life to save her from the arrow because he did not want to see her hurt, and Ruoxi was just truly touched by him. Theirs was true love, and I think Yinzhen truly loved Ruoxi, as compared to his wives, whom he married because of his father's arrangement.
Somehow I felt that Yinzhen would never truly have felt loved or have loved because like all the princes, they did not choose their wives but rather had to marry just because their father, the emperor said so and maybe Yinzhen thought that marrying would mean love until he met Ruoxi. Maybe it is not wrong to say that Yinzhen loved Ruoxi the most, but then again, this man had my respect as he showed that he was not one to toy around as despite his love for Ruoxi, he did not want to abandon his wives and that is one responsible man. His wives stood by him in times of distress, and he did not want to hurt them even when he wanted Ruoxi so badly. This is a true gentleman.

Stage 6: Unconditional Love vs Betrayal and Endearment
Ruoxi, despite knowing history, also knew that Yinzhen's succession was probably staged by Longkodo, yet for her love, she went along with him and blindly supported him thus backing out of her loyalty for Kangxi and her mentor Eunuch Li. At that point, I could feel that Ruoxi did not care about the truth but rather to help Yinzhen ascend the throne only. It is no wonder Yinzhen would love her so deeply even when he had ascended the throne to become Emperor Yongzhen. He tried to fulfil everything for her; besides dethroning/divorcing his own wives, and he was totally open and down-to-earth with her despite his status of ultimate power. He was himself with her, and there were no reservations. However, this is where things start to be sad, because Ruoxi started to withdraw from him but not only because of fear for this historical figure but also because she loved him too much and did not want her feelings to upset him. Yongzhen was starting to take revenge towards those who framed him, which include even his own princes and this was when Ruoxi was inevitable thrown into the dilemma and political struggle, because although she loved Yongzhen, she could not turn her backs on the other princes whom she cared about and this was where conflict starts. Yongzhen still tried to protect her feelings and kept things from her so that she would not be torn in-between and also to ensure that she would not be involved in the men's matters of conflict. Ruoxi, on the contrary, could not help knowing the truth and the appearances of the wives of the princes made her realize the truth and became miserable which angered Yongzhen more because it would affect her health. Yongzhen was also furious because they were dragging Ruoxi into their battle and he would not have her hurt or suffer again, and that made him plot against them more. As he had mentioned to Yinxiang, whom he sought to help advise Ruoxi, Ruoxi cared about everyone else except herself but he only cared about her and the fact that Ruoxi's failing health which subjected her to only a decade left to live made Yongzhen even more anxious and it triggered him to unleash his anger unto them. Ruoxi should have realized that, but she then learns the brutal truth when Minghui, Yinsi's wife, under the influence of 9th Prince revealed to her that she had indirectly caused the misfortunes of Yinxiang and Yinzhen back then due to her warning to Yinsi to be wary of Yinzhen and his allies (she gave him a list of names). Ruoxi suffered a miscarriage then and could no longer bear children anymore, and Yongzhen was even more angry and punished Yinsi severely by ordering him to divorce Minghui, who was the culprit but led to Minghui killing herself after losing Yinsi as her husband as she is deeply devoted to Yinsi. When Mingyu approached Ruoxi to plead for her favor to help the 10th Prince, Ruoxi then revealed to Yongzhen the truth which made him felt totally betrayed and he started to give her the cold shoulder. Their relationship probably suffered a crack then and Ruoxi could no longer tolerate the mental stress of being ignored by her loved one, and also whether her presence would also lead to the tragic fates of all the other princes that she opted to leave and had Yinxiang deliver a word to Yinti who came to ask for her hand in marriage based on Kangxi's edict which was issued when he was still alive. Yongzhen, although was unwilling, then suffered another blow to his pain of betrayal when Yinsi told him about his romance with Ruoxi at one point and Yongzhen's heart could no longer take it. Actually while everyone thought Yongzhen was pissed at Ruoxi (even Ruoxi thought so), he let her go because he loved her too much, in my opinion. He knew she was so unhappy, and although he was disappointed that there were so many things Ruoxi hid from him and also dealing with his anger, he knew he could never make her happy and to ensure that she could live on without having to witness his cruelty towards his brothers, he knew he had to let her go. Yinxiang assured him that Ruoxi and Yinti's marriage would only be in name, but even if Yinxiang did not tell him, Yongzhen did know that fact. Yes, their love had grown so strong and stable that despite feeling betrayed, Yongzhen still had faith in Ruoxi's love for him. His gesture to have spies in Yinti's house was more to learn about Ruoxi's antics, because he still truly cared for her although he was upset again when it was reported that they held hands. I was impressed that despite the years apart and also their distance from each other, they still loved each other so much. They are the best example of "Distance makes the heart grow fonder".
Ruoxi, although initially wanted to run away from the palace still could not get over her love, and as she neared her death, she wanted so badly to see him for one last time and bid him farewell although she was afraid that he would still be angry with her. Sadly, due to a misunderstanding, Yongzhen never turned up and Ruoxi died with her memories of him and hoping that he would forgive her while Yongzhen had to live with her last words and memories of her. I feel really sad for them both, because it seemd like throughout their relationship, they were rarely together in person and they are still separated at death. Their love story is just so moving yet so emotionally-provoking that I felt myself grieving for them and I could not help feeling sorry and miserable for Yongzhen, who had to live with the guilt for not being able to see her/fulfil her last wish and knowing that she never stopped loving him. That, I think would be worse than death.

Through all the stages, Yinzhen was definitely Ruoxi's true love and the only one, and there is no way to compare to Yinsi and her relationship. Yinzhen and Ruoxi's love is not like any ordinary relationship but one that is deeply moving and pure that I was just so impressed and saddened at the same time, but they made love so beautiful in their relationship as despite not being able to be with each other all the time, there was still such intensity of their romance in the air that their love showed that you do not need actions alone but silence and subtlety are just so wonderful.
Therefore, there is no reason to doubt why I would love this couple so much; and I am not the only one, along with all the millions of fans out there who are all vouching for Ruoxi and the 4th Prince.

Ruoxi and Yinti (14th Prince)
Nature of Relationship: Friends, Infatuation, Love, Dependence
Yinti sees Ruoxi as: Interesting, Brave, Admirable, Potential Spouse
Ruoxi sees Yinti as: Rash, Temperamental, Dependable Confidante/Benefactor

These two started off as just acquaintances based on their mutual connections to the 8th Prince; Ruoxi was his sister-in-law while Yinti was his brother and ally, although it was mentioned by Yinti that he also grew up with Ruoxi, like all the other princes. Yinti was a staunch supporter of Yinsi and knew of his relationship with Ruoxi, and he even helped to ask his mother, Consort De, to take Ruoxi's name off the Imperial consort selection list. He supported Yinsi's pursuit of Ruoxi and even encouraged her to accept him; constantly pestering her to make her decision and even wondered her doubts in Yinsi especially taking note of Yinsi's care towards her. He can be quite annoying towards Ruoxi, as sometimes I wonder, what has that got to to do with him; whether Ruoxi wanted to be with Yinsi or not. He did not have a good impression of Ruoxi and thought of her as one who was toying with Yinsi's feelings, especially after Ruoxi broke up with Yinsi. He then badgered her for her decision but yet at the same time, he was also torn between his gratitude for her help in risking her own life to save him from the Crown Prince during their outing. Yinti then was confused with his feelings and thoughts of Ruoxi, but after watching her closeness to Yinxiang and how they were friendly with each other, he found himself yearning to earn Ruoxi's trust and friendship. Slowly, Yinti developed more than friendly feelings for Ruoxi, but he kept them hidden out of respect for Yinsi although he was still anxious to help her whenever she was in trouble.
Ruoxi saw Yinti as a mutual acquaintance, and then as someone who was just plain troublesome as he constantly came after her with questions and accusations. However, she still tried to help him when he was in trouble or whenever she could, although she could not compare her friendship to him to that of hers and Yinxiang. She was grateful for his help and intervention whenever she was in trouble, but that was just that. She could not have any more feelings for him and that was the part where Yinti is truly pitiful. In terms of friendship, he could not have that like Yinxiang. In love, he could not have Ruoxi like Yinzhen and in terms of admiration, he could not have that of Yinsi.
Yinti was truly like someone who was neglected around Ruoxi, but in terms of parental love, he had no lack of it compared to all the other princes as he was loved and spoilt by his own mother and even earned the favour of the Emperor, ahead of all the princes when the Crown Prince was deposed. He was even the prospective candidate for the next heir to the throne.
However, in love and with his relationship with Ruoxi, he was truly pitiful as he never earned her love like Yinzhen nor did he earn her trust like Yinxiang; which was why he offered her himself as her dependent should she need any help in the future and that was probably the reason why he was willing to marry her although she did not love him and only needed him as a place to escape from the Forbidden City. Based on that fact, I believe Yinti loved Ruoxi and it is definitely no lesser than Yinzhen as he was willing to subdue his feelings and only cared for her happiness. Unlike Yinsi, he never really cared if he could have her by his side, and was content to support her in all her decisions and her choice of the man she loved. He even offered to be her backup if things fail with her loved one, and that is absolutely such an admirable act and I could not help but be impressed with him towards the middle of the series as his character slowly matured.
Yinti's love for Ruoxi was unconditional as well, and somehow, I just felt that he was just like Yinzhen; although they did not realize it, but the two blood brothers did share something similar after all; and that is in their devotion to love which is respectable.
Ruoxi also cared and respected him but that was the most she could offer Yinti, and though it was selfish, she still asked for his help to escape from her misery in the palace and it is indeed a little cruel that she even begged Yinti to send message so that she could see Yongzhen for the last time.
The relationship between these two; is more of a one-way though unconditional one and it was still touching with Yinti's devotion to Ruoxi.

To be continued with more reviews...

Startling By Each Step/Scarlet Heart (步步驚心)(2011): Relationship between the Emperor and the Princes

2012-07-05T01:09:00.002-07:00

Relationship Analysis/Review for Startling By Each Step

This is going to be another long review which may take several parts, as I will going into the main and also the interconnected relationships panned in the series.

Yes, I am addicted to this drama and it is obvious from my exceptionally detailed review which had been lasting for several posts! I do so love this drama so much and I just find it unjust to just do my normal one post review for this series as there is just so much to write about and to share on my opinions and I think most of the fans of this drama series share my sentiments.

However, be warned for the relationships between the characters can be rather complex as they are all interwoven and I have even read reviews which mentioned that they get a little too complicated. I personally think that it is quite realistic as in our real life, we do have relationships/friendships and connections which branched out everywhere as well, so therefore, it just takes a little time to delve deeper into their emotions and also the relevance of the connections to understand the whole drama and its plot.

I am not going to start with the main 4th Prince and Ruoxi/8th Prince with Ruoxi this time, but rather, the fundamental of the drama; which is the Imperial Family and the first part I want to draw focus to is the Emperor Kangxi himself and his relationships with his sons.

Emperor Kangxi and his sons

The Emperor Kangxi is no stranger in the Chinese history; with his ascension to the throne at the tender age of 8 (he was just a child!) and facing the threats of Oboi. He was deemed as one of the greatest and probably longest reigning emperors in the Qing Dynasty and his popularity had piqued the interest of many filmmakers who have spun many dramas and movies based on his story. Perhaps one of the most famous is The Duke of the Mount Deer which was based on his relationship with an eunuch and also his efforts in battling Oboi. There are also many adaptations which focused on the rule of Kangxi, but in this drama, there is finally focus on his prime and older age and also his role in bringing up his sons and selecting the heir to his throne.

Kangxi probably had the most number of sons; and although there was a bunch who died young, he still had about 20 sons who survived into adulthood and I like it that this drama did show a few more princes besides the main characters such as the 4th, 8th, 13th and 14th, who were undoubtedly more significant in history due to their roles and battles for the throne.
The drama focused on the selection of the heir and also the actual will of Kangxi which had made it to become one of the "Four Greatest Mysteries of the Qing Dynasty".
It appeared that initially Kangxi had already made up his mind long ago, as he had already selected the heir who was Yinreng, the 2nd Prince born to his first spouse, Empress Xiaochengren. The Empress was said to have died during childbirth and thus Kangxi, who loved his first wife dearly, made it a point to bring this son up personally and showered with the extra attention and care as a way to compensate his son's misfortune in losing his mother at birth. Kangxi's love for his son (and also the Empress) was shown in his decision to make the 2nd Prince the Crown Prince at a young age of 2, which was also a sign of his devotion to his first wife, as he skipped the first prince and made Yinreng (who was born second) the Crown Prince.
(Technically, in Chinese/Han culture, the firstborn(son) is always the immediate successor but the definition of firstborn also follows a precedence of the child's background. For instance, the firstborn son to a concubine would definitely lack in status compared to the firstborn son of an Empress, who is perceived as the legitimate wife of the Emperor, even if her son is far behind the other sons of the concubines. In Yinreng's case, he was only the second and furthermore, his mother's favored position as Kangxi's beloved wife and also her noble status as the Empress definitely steered in his favor to be considered to succeed the throne).
Kangxi placed utmost importance on the upbringing and education of all his sons which he assigned to the best teachers and also nannies; but with Yinreng, Kangxi personally saw to his upbringing and education which he spent time with to ensure that Yinreng received nothing but the best which was an obvious sign of favouritism towards this particular son. Perhaps it was also this which contributed to Yinreng growing up being arrogant as he thought of himself higher above his other brothers due to his birthright and background and was bolder in making decisions based on his father's doting on him. At the same time, it was also the factor which stirred the jealousy and dissatisfaction among the other brothers towards Yinreng whom the princes did not consider as suitable for the Crown Prince as most of them surpassed him in their own achievements. The most dissatisfied, as depicted in this drama would be the first prince, Yinzhi, born to Consort Hui. It made perfect sense, didn't it, that the eldest brother would be unhappy when he was not even considered nor given an opportunity and yet was never really gained the trust/attention of his father.

Kangxi and Yinzhi 胤禔 (First Prince)
Though it was not really mentioned in history, it would not be wrong to make assumptions as in this story that Yinzhi was not really favored despite him being the first male born to Kangxi. Perhaps it was due to his mother's status as a consort, or because of Kangxi's obvious affections towards his first spouse. Either way, I just felt that Yinzhi was really pitiful and misjudged as he did not really ask to be born this way and yet, he was never really attended to no matter how good he was. It was obvious from the scene when Kangxi praised Yinreng who shot the arrow but when Yinzhi made a better shot, Kangxi just walked away without even a word to Yinzhi, and it was in front of all the other princes who were the younger brothers of Yinzhi. Imagine, being humiliated or neglected before your siblings especially when you are the elder one; and not just older but also the eldest brother of all. I could truly imagine the hurt and pain felt in Yinzhi's heart at that moment and also his anger and hatred must have been accumulated over the years towards Yinreng. He could not hate his father; after all, he is the emperor and he could only direct his anger at Yinreng. Can we blame him? He also mentioned that he was far more competent; and like all the other brothers as well, who could all be better candidates to be the Crown Prince or the successor to the throne which made him even more dissatisfied with Yinreng's position which he deemed was unjust and only based on favouritism.
Yinzhi was definitely just unlucky, and his whole life was probably spent on working hard to impress his father and to prove his own capabilities yet he was neglected again and again and was even blamed for Yinreng's wrongdoings as Kangxi ordered for a search and found him using voodoo against Yinreng. In this drama, it was mentioned that Kangxi was only looking for a reason to forgive Yinreng after his mistake in offending the allies and to restore Yinreng as the Crown Prince to appease the ministers and public. So Yinzhi ended up being the scapegoat and voodoo was used as the reason for the Crown Prince's misbehavior. The poor Yinzhi was stripped off all his titles and was even demoted to pheasant status and was ordered to be put under house arrest. However, his burial and funeral after his death was performed as what was deemed fit for a Beizi.
Of all the princes, I believe that the most pitiful is still Yinzhi, for I do understand his struggles and emotions with the question, "Why not me?" and "Why am I not loved/not good enough?"

Kangxi and Yinreng 胤礽 (2nd Prince/Crown Prince)
Obviously, as mentioned earlier, Kangxi definitely doted on this son whom he placed so much attention and care since he was born compared to all his other sons. It was due to his love and devotion to his first spouse and also the Empress who was the biological mother of Yinreng, but Kangxi had also favoured him so much that Yinreng was consumed with pride and arrogance and believed that he could anything he want and that Kangxi would allow him. Yinreng never showed much respect towards Yinzhi, who was his elder brother, or I guess, not even his other brothers. He was extremely complacent of his own birthright and constantly placed all his other brothers below him as he touted them to be of lowly backgrounds since they were all born of consorts and never at the same level as him. His position as the Crown Prince made him even more confident of the fact that he is their master and that they would always bow to him. Kangxi's affections for him probably led him to become bold in doing all sorts of things; including engaging their allies in pledging support for him, getting involved with the high ranking officers to attain the throne as soon as possible (even if it is through illegal ways), beating and killing his own reports, corruption and he even dared to seduce and engage in sexual misconduct with the emperor's concubine; which was deemed as highly disrespectful and also incest. Yes, he was just that bold and he thought that he was above the law and even when he was reported, Kangxi still tried to defend him and even covered up for him which made him even more confident that he could get away with anything at all, and he even had his own party; led by Songgotu who pledged their full support to him as the Crown Prince and aimed to help him ascend the throne as soon as possible. Yinreng was even said to be a paedophile in some of the history texts.
He had the support of his 4th and 13th brother; Yinzhen and Yinxiang whom he never really took any precaution against and perhaps, he only trusted them due to their loyalty towards him. However, he slowly realized that all his brothers were equally as unsatisfied with his behaviour and his incompetence and that they were plotting to dethrone him but yet, he was arrogant. Perhaps his complacence also caused his downfall and I do find Yinreng rather lacking in wit and intelligence, as depicted in this drama for all his misconducts and also being dethroned was all his own doing (and maybe Kangxi's).
I mean, come on, he is already the Crown Prince, why go to all that trouble to do so much things and throwing his weight around rather than just waiting to succeed to the throne? It is no wonder that he lost his favor and position and perhaps a good thing too, for he did not seem like a ruler's material.
I guessed from the drama, he did deserve his end for he had been given two chances; seriously, he was restored as the Crown Prince and he was still not remorseful. I guess he never learnt the meaning of the saying, "Once bitten, twice shy". Although this was also partly due to Kangxi's doing for his obvious favouritism, Yinreng should have also been wiser with the amount of education he received. So, too bad for Yinreng.

Kangxi and Yinzhi 胤祉 (3rd Prince)
Not much focus on this prince; although he seemed to be trusted by Kangxi in major assignments, or maybe it was due to his position as the next son in hierarchy? However, it was also mentioned that this prince also had his eyes on the throne, which I don't think is a surprising thing at all as most of the princes definitely harboured their own ambitions and seriously, who would not want to have ultimate power, wealth and authority? Furthermore, the Emperor was almost like God to the people back then and therefore, it is a position which is very much desired by almost everyone and what more, if you are born of royal birthright and were even more destined/qualified to fight for the throne.
The third prince is more subtle in his approach, and probably not as aggressive as the other princes. I think it was the same with the 5th Prince as well.

Kangxi and Yinzhen (4th Prince)
Yinzhen appears to be the most neutral prince and also rather calm and composed when it comes to political matters. It was probably his calm composure and his obedience towards his father and the Crown Prince that somehow made him a prince of a rather low profile and that no one ever suspect or even imagined that he would be the next heir to the throne (or even plotting to his own succession to the throne). Most of the princes were not wary of his ambitions except the 8th Prince, who seemed to a more alert and suspicious type and perhaps, he know that "Still water runs deep". In the drama, the 4th Prince definitely was portrayed as the wisest one; in my opinion, as he knew when to act and when to retreat and that to me, is the smartest move. He never posed himself as a threat to anyone and went with the flow most of the time. Yinzhen was also portrayed to be a thinker, and also an extremely cautious person besides being reserved and he makes every move with a calculated risk to avoid trouble. His only confidante and ally was Yinxiang, the 13th Prince, surprisingly, and not his own biological brother, Yinti, the 14th Prince. It also seemed that Yinzhen did place importance on his brotherly relationships as he tried to avoid conflict with them as much as possible; as can be seen in the drama where he showed his support for the Crown Prince (respect for 2nd Prince and also Kangxi) and when he was ordered to assist in the corruption cases in the court, he tried to help the Crown Prince and the Yintang, the 9th Prince as well although Yintang did not heed his warning. He planned his every step so carefully, and perhaps right from the start, he planned to be made the Crown Prince but he was just so subtle as he showed his support for the Crown Prince first to appease his father and probably also to reduce his father and brothers' suspicion towards him? When the Crown Prince was deposed, he still tried to help him as he was aware of his father's affections for Yinreng. Kangxi never really showed much favor towards Yinzhen until towards the middle of the series, but then again, Kangxi also never showed dislike for this son. It was obvious from Kangxi's move to assign Yinzhen in a lot of major tasks which showed his trust in this son. When Yinsi staged the misunderstanding to lead Yinzhen away from Kangxi's favor and also in deposing the Crown Prince, Kangxi was enraged and totally believed in the whole story that he started to suspect Yinzhen of harbouring intentions towards the throne. Although Yinzhen could not be proved as the culprit, Kangxi seemed to start to doubt Yinzhen's sincerity from then on. However, I believed that Kangxi still do like him for his calmness and at a point, he did care for this son whom he believed was more composed and he even blamed Consort De for Yinzhen's cold character as he was getting older. Kangxi did like Yinzhen for his capabilities, and also probably due to his biological mother, Consort De, who was one of Kangxi's favourite concubines and was to be the next Empress (Empress Xiaogongren). Yinzhen also constantly tried to please his father, and sometimes I do feel that he is also another sad character for no one really appreciated him besides Yinxiang. He is capable but his own mother never really loved him the same way she loved his younger brother, Yinti, and his father, despite knowing his style and character, still chose to believe rumours of his intentions to depose Yinreng. Perhaps he had wanted to ascend the throne using the way of convincing the Emperor, but when he realized that the Emperor had Yinti in mind, his plan came to work. His plan is not one that was made overnight, but I did not think it was to be put into action unless necessary which showed Yinzhen obvious intelligence and wisdom in ensuring that his ascension to the throne a success, leaving no room for mistake. Perhaps Kangxi's biggest mistake was not to have trusted this son, whom I believed could have done much more for the kingdom had he been given equal opportunity. However, whether he is Kangxi's real heir or not no longer matters, for I feel that Yinzhen had the right qualities to become a king and anyway, it is history and Yongzhen is one of the strongest and most hardworking emperors in the Qing Dynasty; maybe it was all meant to be?

Kangxi and Yinsi (8th Prince)
Like the eldest prince, Yinsi is probably another unfortunate prince who did not have the glorious birthright as he was born to Consort Liang, who was one of the lower status concubines of Kangxi and it was probably that fact which made Kangxi never really paying much attention to this son. Yinsi is another capable prince, with his intelligence and wit, and he had one more advantage compared to Yinzhen; which was his popularity with everyone. It seemed to me that Yinsi was quite good in his interpersonal relationships as he did not only managed to get support from the ministers but also he had the support of three brothers; as compared to Yinzhen who only had Yinxiang. Yinsi had the 9th, 10th and 14th Princes to support him in his ambition to ascend the throne, but I guess that was also the main revelation to his strong ambitions before Kangxi. The Emperor never really seemed to like this son; and believed that he was overly ambitious with all the support from the ministers and princes which Kangxi knew was his Yinsi's doing in the background. To me, Yinsi may have been competent and highly capable as well; as even Yinxiang and Yinti believed that he was the equal competitor to Yinzhen and that these two could have made a strong alliance if they were to work together for what Yinsi lacked in calm, Yinzhen surpassed in wit and vice versa. However, I did observe a few points which were what foiled Yinsi's attempts in ascending the throne. For one, Yinsi was much too aggressive and overly ambitious and the biggest mistake was that he made it too apparent and I believed he also acted too hastily before ensuring the actuality of the situation. Secondly, Yinsi also did not calculate his steps properly and like I said, he lacked the wit of Yinzhen who made a perfect plan to ensure a smooth transition but Yinsi, was just too busy trying to depose the favors of his other brothers that he overlooked the plans for his own succession. Furthermore, he made the biggest and should I say, the most vital and fatal mistake in not taking military support to ensure his succession. He may have depended on Yinti, but that, to me, is a mistake from the start, because has Yinsi forgotten that Yinti is also another prince and that he had equal rights to compete for the throne? Yinsi may have trusted too much sometimes. Another thing which stirred my curiosity was the fact that Yinsi seemed to have a rather positive image as he was also known as the 8th Virtuous Prince/Prince of Virtue (Ba Xian Wang) which meant that he was a caring and compassionate soul, but then, why would he not take compassion and brotherhood into consideration when he plotted and planned each step to depose first the Crown Prince then Yinzhen? Is that an act of virtue? Is Kangxi truly wrong in judging Yinsi? I don't think so, because an overly ambitious, aggressive and one who would resort to manipulating his brotherly relationship to achieve his ambitions cannot be respected as a king in the future.
That being said, I did feel that Yinsi became like that because of his dissatisfaction at not being regarded with importance despite his hard work and efforts and to be frank, that was really unjust in my opinion too, as Kangxi's favouritism did contribute to moulding all his princes to turn out the way they were.

Kangxi and Yintang (9th Prince)
Not much focus on the relationship here; as I think Kangxi just regarded them as merely his sons although he was well aware of their relationship with Yinsi, so he may have also be on guard with this son as well.

Kangxi and Yin'e (10th Prince)
Yin'e did appear to be liked by Kangxi, as shown in the earlier episodes where he was quite happy with the antics of the prince and maybe because Yin'e did know how to make his father happy. Yin'e's naivety was his biggest saviour I guess, as he was just too straightforward and simple that there was really nothing to suspect him of, despite his support for Yinsi. Yin'e is not one who understands things immediately like all his own brothers and even he himself realized that he lacked way behind his brothers; even his younger brothers and since he never really fought for the throne, Kangxi was probably neutral with him as well.

Kangxi and Yinxiang (13th Prince)
The Emperor perceived this son as the most carefree and happy-go-lucky son, and I think he did like him to certain extent for he never really gave him much trouble. However, I was a little sad to see the harsh punishment impeded to Yinxiang when he admitted that he stirred the rumors (staged by Yinsi) in his attempt to help Yinzhen clear his name off the allegations. I think Kangxi jumped too soon to believe the stories and not spend another minute to think of Yinxiang's character; or perhaps his affection for Yinreng just blinded his judgement. Kangxi just perceived him as a troublemaker then and just wanted him out of his sight; by sentencing him to house arrest for 10 years. However, had Kangxi totally not cared about Yinxiang, he would not have finally succumbed to Yinti's request to have Luwu accompany him during his house arrest as he did realize that he had been too harsh and that his punishment would only kill the carefree Yinxiang. Therefore, despite his initial protests that Luwu was not of decent background (she was an artistic courtesan), he still caved in and allowed her to accompany him. Maybe it was due to his affections for Yinti, but I believed that Kangxi still did care about Yinxiang as well.

Kangxi and Yinti (14th Prince)
Although it seemed that initially Kangxi was angered by Yinti's defiance when he defended Yinsi from Kangxi's decision to strip Yinsi off his title, Kangxi slowly grew to love and trust this younger son compared to the others after he deposed the Crown Prince. It could be due to Yinti's humility and also his care for his brothers (first Yinsi, then Yinzhen and Yinxiang) as he is often the one who spoke up to help those in trouble that attracted Kangxi towards him as he is seen as one who focuses on brotherhood and family relationships, which was exactly what Kangxi had wanted his sons to focus on. After Yinreng lost the favour of Kangxi, it seemed that Kangxi slowly turned towards Yinti and it was obvious that he trusted and saw him capable when Kangxi placed Yinti in military campaigns. Yinti was then believed to be the next successor to the throne for most of the rulers would need to gain military support to attain the country's stability. Kangxi decided to select Yinti as his next successor; and surpassed all the other elder princes which showed his absolute favour for this son. Whether Yinti was the actual heir selected by Kangxi remains a mystery in history, but it appeared so in this drama.

Kangxi's overall behavior towards his sons

It was said that of all the emperors and succession to the thrones, this was probably the one which raised the most ambiguities; Kangxi and his sons; as to who did Kangxi really wanted to succeed him.
Some said that Yinti was supposed to be the rightful heir, while there are also those who supported that Yinzhen was the successor, but I guess only Yinzhen, Kangxi and God knows the truth. However, did you ever wonder how come out of all the many successions (emperor after emperor), only this era (Kangxi's) raised so many questions?
There are some sources which said that perhaps Kangxi, was the main source of it all, and the one who created all these issues due to his treatment towards his own sons.

Look at it this way, Kangxi, be it in history and in this drama, did tend to show obvious favouritism towards certain sons and I don't think that is really something a parent should do, although I will not comment on him as the Emperor (out of respect for this great ruler). From the parent's perspective, I remembered my parents used to say that a parent need to be equal and fair in their love and affections towards their children.
It is funny to me that Kangxi constantly emphasized on the importance of brotherhood and strong family ties but yet, he did not realize that his particular preferences towards one or two sons created the jealousy and dissatisfaction among his sons as they started to compete to vie for his attention and also, in other words, his position as well. At the same time, Kangxi encouraged his sons to do well in studies and also in all the fields which was meant to train them to be capable princes but at the same time, he was encouraging definite competition between the brothers as they all wanted to do better than the other to gain respect and attention. To the princes, to be capable is not just an achievement but a prospect to be considered the next heir and it is no wonder that they are constantly trying to depose the Crown Prince. I mean, let's put it this way, if the Crown Prince was really capable and strong, did you think that the other princes would try so hard to depose him? He would have at least gained a little bit more of respect from his brothers, don't you think, compared to having all his brothers not supporting him. The numbers definitely did say something, and there were even evidences that supported the Crown Prince was responsible for a long list of misconducts and crimes in the country and seriously, is such an individual fit to be the next king?
Furthermore, putting someone as the Crown Prince based on his position and not considering his capabilities posed the problem of not gaining the respect of the other princes. Yes, he is the eldest and also a legitimate heir but he should also prove his capabilities.
Anyway, at least the first Crown Prince was deposed on valid grounds but when it came to selecting the next Crown Prince, Kangxi tried to put it aside by purposely announcing that he will put it in a will and only announce upon his death. However, the mistake is that Kangxi again started showing favour towards some of his sons; such as Yinzhen and Yinti, again because of their birth as they were the sons of Consort De, his favourite concubine after his first wife (Yinreng's mother) whom he installed as his second Empress; Empress Xiaogongren. His affections for Yinti was more obvious and somehow, I felt that Yinti's prospects to be the next heir was doomed from the start. Why?
Based on his position, he was the 14th Prince and making him the next successor would mean surpassing his elder brothers; which were more than 10 in total (excluding the eldest and 2nd Prince)!
Isn't that a little ridiculous; never mind the capabilities, for Yinti is the youngest among all the contenders and do you seriously think that 11 princes would let it slide and kowtow to their younger brother? Furthermore, if you were to take into consideration about the birthright and also disregarding the remaining princes, how about his own elder brother, Yinzhen (the 4th Prince)??
I mean, after the first and 2nd Prince, it would be the third or the 4th and 5th right? According to Chinese culture, they always follow the hierarchy unless the elder ones are really incapable or are so bad that the younger ones have outshone them. Also, look at history, didn't it show you that having a younger one to succeed the throne only meant trouble??
I just felt that it was really not the right move, and even if the 3rd, 4th and 5th are not considered, you still have 13th (since Yinsi was not favoured at all due to his background).

Kangxi, I believe, still care about all his sons, as Yinzhen mentioned in one episode when Kangxi wanted to kill Yinti, that "even ferocious tigers do not eat their own offsprings" (a famous Chinese saying), although he did tend to sway towards favouring some of them more compared to the others. It may not be really all wrong as Chinese also used to say that it is common as even our fingers on our hand are of different lengths; indicating that we will tend to have our favourites and dislikes too. However, as a parent, perhaps favouritism need to be shown at a more subtle level because all the children would want equal attention and love as well.

Relationship of the Princes/Between the Brothers

Boys will be boys; they had their happy and carefree moments when they were much younger and back then, the question of power and ambition had not even surfaced as depicted in the earlier episodes of the series. As we all know, guys are those who do not really care nor do they let emotions get in the way of their relationship/friendship or blood ties with each other and furthermore when we are talking about a bunch of well-bred and cultured royal princes.
Guys are all born to be ambitious in nature, although there is also a minority who are content with a simple life; for instance, Yin'e, the 10th Prince. Due to his own lacking in intelligence, he lived with simple thoughts and only happiness mattered to him. Then again, Yin'e is probably the only prince who thinks that way as the rest of his brothers are all equally intelligent and competent and their pride and achievements made them more confident of their own capabilities. Faced with the prospects of ultimate power and authority made them lust for more, and stirred their discontent with the brother whom all deemed inappropriate in his own conduct and also lacking in competence as compared to each and every one of them. It was normal, right, to have respect for a highly capable candidate although there could be envy compared to having to report to someone who could not even surpass your own level?
The Crown Prince, although was feared and falsely respected due to his status and also for the sake of their father, Kangxi, was not really honoured by all his brothers; despite them being younger than him of age and not just because of his incompetence or misconducts, but also his constant arrogance in throwing his weight around everyone around him and insulting people to his own liking. His disrespect and disregard for others eventually led to hatred and anger towards him, and everyone lost their patience with him. Yes, so Yinreng was the Crown Prince and he had a lot of power to do whatever he liked because of his favour with the Emperor, but he seemed to have forgotten that power lies in numbers and he is standing alone against all his other brothers.
That was the reason why Yinsi and Yinzhen's collaboration to expose his crimes and depose his title was a success as they gained support from the ministers and even the other princes. Of course, it was not that hard to gain access to his criminal records as the arrogant Yinreng did not care about leaving his marks behind everywhere and his reputation with the officials not in his support group just led them readily offering their support to the two princes.
Among the brothers, although they were torn by their ambitions and aims, most of them had one target in mind and that was the Crown Prince Yinreng, obviously. (the poor guy)
Therefore, putting their personal ambitions aside, one of their biggest or earliest aim was to depose Yinreng of his Crown Prince title.

After the Crown Prince is deposed, it was then battle among the remaining princes to be the next Crown Prince and ultimately, the heir to the throne. Among the princes, there are three main candidates; 4th, 8th and 14th, although the 14th came much later on as he supported the 8th Prince to be next potential heir, yes, over his own brother, the 4th Prince but I will come to that later.
However, in the much earlier stage, I should also include the 3rd Prince, who was also one of the potential candidate as he is the next one in line after the 1st and 2nd Prince, if you look at the hierarchy.
The 3rd Prince, as mentioned above, is much more subtle and perhaps also because the strongest competition lies in the two princes; the 4th and 8th who each had their own support groups and were also deemed as the most strategic and popular princes based on their capabilities and intelligence.

Yinzhen, the 4th Prince was deemed the most potential candidate based on his birth as his mother was Consort De, Kangxi's favourite concubine and also the next Empress and that made him ever more suitable to be considered as a possible heir to the throne. It was perhaps due to this fact which made Yinsi, the 8th Prince, consider Yinzhen his biggest threat in competition and Yinsi is often wary of Yinzhen's moves and was often suspicious of him even when Yinzhen seemed to appear to try to help his gang. The misunderstanding between the two brothers deepened; or it was more from Yinsi, it appeared in this drama due to Ruoxi's affections towards Yinzhen. Anyway, taking Ruoxi out of the equation, Yinzhen and Yinsi were the strongest competitors against each other in history as they had their own alliances and support in the Imperial Court.
Yinzhen and Yinsi both had their own support from their own brothers as well; yes, interestingly, some of the princes are not interested in the throne for themselves but pledged their support for the brothers whom they felt would be better candidates.

Let's look at the groups and also the battle among the princes:

Yinsi, Yintang, Yin'e, Yinti (The 8th Prince Gang)

Yinsi, the 8th Prince had the support from three brothers; the 9th, 10th and 14th because they admired him for his qualities and capabilities. It was said that Yinsi bribed some of the officials in court to support him as well, but again, Yinsi did seem to be quite popular, gaining him the reputation of being the 8th Virtuous Prince/Prince of Virtues (Ba Xian Wang) even during Kangxi's reign which showed his popularity among the people. Maybe the support from the ministers were works of his brothers who helped him to form the alliance to ensure that he could succeed in his ambitions to ascend the throne?
The impressive part is how he had so many brothers to support him and one of them is even the biological brother of Yinzhen; Yinti who pledged his support for Yinsi instead of Yinzhen. However, there are questions that arise in my mind as I was studying the relationship and also this group and one of the biggest question is, if Yinsi had a larger group to support him and also the ministers in the court, how on earth did he still fail to compete against Yinzhen? This led me to believe that my theory is right, that Yinsi still lacked in his wit and strategies and not just that, he did not know how to place his ponds very well nor does he know how to utilize the resources in hand. For instance, Yinti was his ally and he should have planned for Yinti to help him out in military but no, he could lose to Yinzhen's allies; Longkodo and Nian Geng Yao when he himself had Yinti, who was a prince and a potential candidate to the throne who had control of the army as well. Perhaps it was his own failing health, as shown in the series and also Yinti rising in his influence that made Yinsi retreat and turned to pledge his support for Yinti instead.
The four brothers were rather close to each other and they are constantly helping each other and even to the extent of helping Yinsi to depose any potential threats; including Yinzhen although Yinti was rather reluctant in that aspect. However, Yintang was a rather corrupted prince himself which was one of the factors which dragged Yinsi down while Yin'e was too simple to be able to help him to strategize. Yinti, on the other hand, was a rather shaky ally as he was often caught between his loyalty to Yinsi and also his relationship to Yinzhen and thus, as you can see, Yinsi is really without much strong support despite him having the numbers. Also, this gang was constantly trying to make things difficult for Yinzhen and I even find that their tactics were of lowly status as they resort to frame Yinzhen of something he did not do, just to depose him of the potential to be considered as a Crown Prince, and that is their biggest mistake. Okay, maybe I was being biased in this case, but then again, why sink so low when there are many other methods to do this? Despite being close to each other, there were times when they had their differences; for instance Yintang's corruption case made Yinsi retreat and having Yintang to surrender himself, while Yinti was also being suspected of betraying Yinsi for his own good and I guess, they lacked the trust and bond with each other as compared to Yinzhen's gang?

Yinzhen and Yinxiang (4th Prince Gang)

I liked this pair very much because it was much less complicated due to Yinxiang, the 13th Prince's carefree style and also Yinzhen being the total opposite; as the reserved and extremely cautious type. However, there was just so much mutual trust and understanding that they do not need words but they already knew what each other had on their minds and that to me, is definitely the highest level in a relationship. It is unique how the two of them could be so close to each other when they are not even born of the same mother, nor are they close in their age gap but Yinzhen did mention that he and Yinxiang grew up together and perhaps it was also due to Yinxiang's straightforward and carefree style which made him less threatening to the already cautious Yinzhen? Besides, Yinxiang was also the happiness machine to Yinzhen as he often tries to soften Yinzhen's stern outlook by his own casual and playful ways, yet at the same time, he always stood by Yinzhen in times of need; and he does not even care whether it was right or wrong. It was more of an unquestionable loyalty where "When Yinzhen needs me, I will be there" and it was proven through the touching scene where he stepped forward to take the blame and clear Yinzhen of the allegations although they both did nothing at all, but in that situation, Yinxiang already knew that it would be hard to rid Yinzhen of the suspicion and someone needs to admit to avoid further complications or involve more princes, and he just stood forward to admit it. Besides his undying loyalty to Yinzhen, Yinxiang was also trying to save all the other princes to avoid anyone being subject to their father's anger and suspicions and he just decided to sacrifice himself for one and for all. A true hero, I'd say to that and I am impressed with his courage. He is truly a brother in need, and his actions moved me to tears for that was indeed a very noble sacrifice indeed. If there was one who cared about brotherly love, Yinxiang would definitely be one of them and Kangxi should be proud of him. Yinzhen, at the same time, was also the same although he was often misunderstood as cold and unfeeling, but you could see the pain in his eyes which he tried to hide when Yinxiang was sentenced to 10 years of house arrest. However, Yinzhen's display of affections differ from Yinxiang; mainly because Yinzhen was also more reserved and withdrawn in nature and at the same time, he was also the more strategic guy who knew that he needed a plan and power to be able to save his brother and also to maintain their safety and that was the turning point when he fought for the throne, silently behind everyone's eyes. Yinxiang never doubted him and stood by him even when he became the Emperor and meted out cruel punishments to the people who betrayed him. The best part about this relationship is besides their mutual and unspoken understanding for each other, they are also direct and transparent with each other yet know the line to respect each other.
This is definitely the best brotherhood compared to the rest of them.

Yinzhen and Yinti (Biological Brothers)

Though born of the same mother, these two somehow just never seemed to get along well with each other and the way they behaved around each other seemed rather awkward as well. I guess there were a few factors which contributed to their distant relationship with each other:
1. Age gap: Yinzhen was born the 4th while Yinti was the 14th and that would mean at least 10 brothers in between the two of them. Furthermore, Yinzhen may appear like the stern and serious elder brother which made Yinzhen a little unapproachable to Yinti?
2. Consort De's different treatment towards both sons: Their mother was definitely one of the key factors as she was more strict with Yinzhen which she attributed to her intention to make sure that Yinzhen would make a good role model to Yinti as the elder brother while with Yinti, she was doting and also loving. I felt that Yinzhen must have been very pitiful to have to watch her mother showering his younger brother with care and love while with him it was all about rules and regulations and the right way to behave. Perhaps, he lacked in experiencing maternal love which made me cold towards things and people around him?
Yinti was also constantly cautious around Yinzhen and it seemed that Yinti always suspected his brother hiding a lot of intentions and he never learnt to trust his own brother. Perhaps the fact that Yinti grew up with Yinsi and also they may be of closer age gap which made him steer towards Yinsi more compared to Yinzhen. Sometimes I also felt that Yinti, despite being suspicious of Yinzhen, was also found to have the same character as he is also hard-headed and can be quite persistent although, Yinti did come across as a little spoilt sometimes too. I wonder whether it is also because Yinti was jealous of Yinzhen's friendship with Yinxiang, while Yinzhen was jealous of his mother's attention on Yinti. There must have been more misunderstanding or even the lack of, which made them uncomfortable of each other. However, one thing which irked me is Yinti's lack of respect for his own brother. It does not matter whether he liked him or not, but the very least, to have that basic respect for your elders. If he can do it for Yinsi, why not his own brother, who, may I mention is even elder in position compared to Yinsi? It is just a little complex in understanding the brotherhood between the two; I mean from the biological point of view. If I want to say Yinti was merciless towards Yinzhen, it is not accurate either for Yinti was seen to be defending Yinzhen in times of trouble; when Yinzhen was framed and also Yinti even tried to make a deal with Yinsi, that in case Yinsi ascends the throne, can he spare Yinzhen from agony? I find myself swinging from being impressed to frustration sometimes when Yinti just lashes out at Yinzhen for not being the good elder brother (remember the part when Yinti blamed Yinzhen for not defending him when Kangxi threatened to kill him?)
Towards the end, their brotherhood was further wrecked with the presence of Ruoxi between them when Yinti tried to ask for Ruoxi to be his wife using the edict issued by Kangxi to take Ruoxi out of the palace, and angering Yinzhen at the same time. Perhaps, from the moment Yinti was said to be the next heir, there was no longer hope to revive their brotherhood, but then Yinzhen also did not harm his own brother even in history and he was allowed to live although he kept him under house arrest to mitigate the risks of threats from Yinti who once had control of the army. Again, the reason for their disharmony lies in their parents, I think, and it is a pity.

Yinxiang and Yinti (13th and 14th Prince)

This is another neutral pair; despite both of them pledging their allegiance to different brothers but yet this did not affect their brotherly relationship with each other and I think that is due to the fact that they are both people who knew their stand and roles. Both are equally straightforward and also similar in their carefree style, and somehow they could just get along fine. In fact, Yinti probably trusted Yinxiang more than Yinzhen himself and of all the brothers in Yinsi's support group, Yinxiang also found himself trusting Yinti only as the least threat to Yinzhen, simply because Yinti was more compassionate and maybe also because Yinti was the youngest among all of them. These two princes are probably the best of all as they did not really plot or fight for anything and only stood there to support the one they believe in when they are needed. I like the fact that they did not let their support for Yinsi and Yinzhen affect their brotherhood and could still share a casual and light conversation with each other without involving the plans of the brothers they support respectively and that to me, is the right way gentlemen should behave. I am impressed by their ability to sort that out, and to be honest, if Yinsi and Yinzhen had the potential to be the next emperor, these two had the same qualities as well but they just decided to take the backstage although Yinti was then pushed forward as Kangxi started to develop liking for him and eyed him as his potential successor. Even when Yinzhen had ascended the throne, Yinxiang still stood to be the mediator between Yinti and Yinzhen and that showed that Yinxiang was never one who lets power get in the way of brotherhood.

Yinzhen and Yinsi (4th and 8th Prince)

These two were born to compete with each other; with both being the two most capable princes among all the princes and the two are aware of each other's presence and their respective capabilities which made them want to fight for the throne for themselves. I mean, they were destined to try for the throne the moment they were born in the royal family and as sons of the Emperor. Furthermore, their capabilities surpassed that of the then Crown Prince which made them even more confident that they could win the battle with their careful planning and strategy and furthermore, everyone had equal chance to the throne before the Crown Prince is made the emperor right? The two princes both had their own advantages although Yinzhen definitely had the better advantage enhanced with his birth compared to Yinsi. Comparing the two of them, they were equally as good although as mentioned above, I do tend to prefer Yinzhen more over Yinsi due to his subtlety and also extremely careful planning and if you look at it carefully, his strategy was detailed and he covered all the aspects to ensure definite success while Yinsi depended too much on external factors and also his support from his brothers and ministers and he overlooked the most important factor, which was military power to help him attain and secure his position. Yinzhen succeeded in this part which ensured his ascension to the throne and at the same time, minimized the risks of rebellion. He used military power to stabilize his position; so Yinzhen planned for the before and after parts and there is little wonder that his plan was a huge success. Even when Yinsi thought of rebellion and overthrowing Yongzhen, there was little left for him to plan as Yongzhen had already secured the military and had the support of Nian Gengyao, Longkodo who helped him in ascending the throne. As Ruoxi had said, he had planned so meticulously that every detail was considered; from having his ponds outside the palace to inside the palace and also at specific areas in the country and even in magistrate. He slowly knocked Yinsi's support outside the palace and Yinsi did not even realize that he was in action. There was basically no room for Yinsi to recuperate when Yinzhen ascended the throne, but to accept defeat.
Yinti had also mentioned that these two princes were both equally good and had it been in a different situation where they were not competing against each other, they would have been a good pair as they complemented each other in each of their strengths and weaknesses and they would be the best combination which would be hard to defeat. Unfortunately, it is also due to their respective strengths and ambitions that they would not be able to tolerate the existence of each other as Yinsi had mentioned when Yinti tried to ask Yinsi to spare Yinzhen should he ascend the throne and Yinsi said that Yinzhen would never spare him should he ascend the throne as well. The reason is simple; they are each other's biggest threat and for that reason alone, they can never exist at the same time. Anyway, when you have such calibre people, they can never cooperate as their ambitions would always get in the way. Furthermore, in this drama, besides their contest for the throne, they were also competing for Ruoxi's affections which deepened their hatred or misunderstanding for each other. Yinsi's previous attempts to contend for the throne and also his mistake in framing Yinzhen made Yinzhen hate him all the more and there was definitely no way of Yinzhen having him as an ally. However, Yinsi's popularity also led Yinzhen to plan properly to ensure that he could gain the full support from the ministers and also the public and therefore Yinzhen still granted him the title of Prince Lian of 1st rank and had him assist him in court matters; which was a smart move as he wanted to utilize Yinsi's competence to help him yet at the same time, attain respect from everyone in his ability to control his competitor and also respect capabilities. While Yinzhen had never really planned to do anything drastic towards Yinsi, as shown in the earlier part of the series, Yinsi, on the other hand, had never trusted Yinzhen especially as they grown older. Even before Ruoxi warned him, Yinsi had already kept the lookout for Yinzhen's every move and was agitated with his pledged support for Crown Prince Yinreng and somehow, I just could not accept that Yinsi stooped so low to frame Yinzhen to get him out of the way. It seemed to me that Yinsi never really trusted anyone, besides himself, and it is weird, because the more I look at it, Yinsi and Yinzhen was rather similar in their character as well although they appeared to be total opposites physically but deep down inside, they are both pitiful souls who could not find room to trust anyone around them and maybe that is also a trait in strong and successful people?

The Princes in General

As mentioned earlier, I have believed that there is always a certain connection no matter what, as they are all still born of the same father and they are all brothers which was depicted in the scene when they pleaded with Kangxi for Yinxiang's release and also in the earlier scenes when they were supposed to be much younger where they got along so well with each other.
People grew up and perhaps they were born to such a destiny where they were to compete for ultimate power from the start, and it is hard not to let ambitions get in the way especially when the man had such strong egos back then where their career meant everything and we are talking about the throne.

Had it not been for the throne, I think they would have been great with each other as brothers as they had such great chemistry and guys are always just so simple with their wants and dislikes.
But then again, life is not that simple either, right?

To be continued with more relationships analysis....Ruoxi and the princes....stay tune...

Startling By Each Step/Scarlet Heart (步步驚心)(2011): Characters Analysis/Review(part 2)

2012-07-04T01:56:00.000-07:00

Annie Liu as Ma'ertai Ruolan/2nd wife to 8th Prince

She is the probably one of the saddest characters in the drama; with her loyal undying love for a man and yet was forced to marry another. To add to the complications, the man she married ended up being the indirect reason for the death of her true love and she could never forgive him for that.
Ruolan was the eldest daughter of the Ma'ertai General and is the elder sister of Ruoxi, who was married to Yinsi, the 8th Prince as his second wife. She was unwilling as she was in love with another general working for her father, but due to political reasons, her father arranged for her marriage to Yinsi, who also had his eyes on her. Yinsi claimed that he fallen for her at first sight and had always wanted to find out about her and was extremely happy when he found that his second wife granted by the emperor was Ruolan. However, Ruolan appeared to be miserable on their wedding night which stirred Yinsi's curiosity about the man in her heart and as he tried to find out about him, his actions led to Ruolan's father trying to hide the truth to avoid trouble and thus sent Qingshan (Ruolan's true love and childhood sweetheart) to war which led to his death. Upon knowing about his death, Ruolan, then pregnant with Yinsi's child suffered a miscarriage and then turned cold towards Yinsi. She could never forgive him for Qingshan's death and kept her distance from him. Besides Ruoxi with whom she seems to be more warm and caring, she treated the rest with a graceful subtlety which made her the epitome of grace and feminity in the whole drama. However, one can see the sadness behind her eyes all the time.
Acting Skills
I have always liked Annie Liu since I watched her performance in the Taiwanese drama I Do, and I was surprised to see her in this drama as it is a first to see her in a period role but thumbs up for her convincing performance in playing that pained damsel in distress who is always waiting to be reunited with her loved one. I feel sad for Ma'ertai Ruolan, as she lived her whole life waiting and hoping to reunite with a dead lover and worrying about whether she can get off her title and connection to Yinsi and Aisin-Gioro family (back then, they believed that when you are married to the family, your soul also belong to them after your death). It was finally a happy ending for Ruolan when Yinsi agreed to divorce her and thus granting her the freedom she had always wanted.
She never loved Yinsi and I think Annie Liu managed to carry that part really well. Maybe it was because of her natural facial expression as well and I could not think of anyone else to play this role besides her. Annie is definitely a believable ladylike daughter of a general who was brought up in a noble background, she is just so charming that it is no wonder anyone could fall for her at first sight!

Shi Xiaoqun as Gororo Minghui/8th Princess Consort

The first wife of Yinsi, and also a woman who came from a very respectable family background which made her such a suitable candidate to be a prince's first wife. She appeared to be a rather jealous and domineering character in the beginning, but slowly, it was obvious that all she was doing was out of her love for Yinsi. She is one who truly loved and gave him her all; starting from her sister, Mingyu who mentioned that she fell in love with Yinsi at first sight and had decided to dedicate her entire life to him by marrying him and no other. Her love was pure and strong, although she was constantly jealous of Yinsi's affections for Ruolan and that was the reason that she believed that Ruolan was constantly playing tricks to win Yinsi's love. In her relationship with Yinsi, she was definitely the giver and she sacrificed almost everything for him including her own life in the end. Although she loved him unconditionally, she did realize that Yinsi never reciprocated her love in full and that he was treating her more with respect than love but it did seemed like Yinsi was starting to learn to cherish her towards the end of the series. Undoubtedly another sad female character (why are all the women in the past so sad???), and I was impressed with her loyalty and devotion despite her hatred towards Ruolan because she was just a poor woman in love and desperate for her husband's attention.
Acting Skills
Amazing performance from Shi Xiaoqun; and this is my first time seeing this actress but she did a great job seriously in portraying the conservative devoted wife who fights for her husband's attention and is willing to sacrifice for her husband's life. I loved this actress and her effortless subtlety in playing the well-educated and cultured lady/first wife of a prince.

Liu Yuxin as Gororo Mingyu/10th Princess Consort

Mingyu is the younger and more temperamental sister of Minghui who was always jealous and at loggerheads with Ruoxi but it was all because of her concern for her elder sister, who was competing with Ruoxi's sister, Ruolan for Yinsi's affections. She was rather spoilt due to her noble status and also her family's connections to the royal family, and rather arrogant too, especially towards Ruoxi and Ruolan. When she was betrothed to Yin'e by the Emperor, she was a little upset as Yin'e did not seem to want her as his wife but then she accepted it as a sign of victory over Ruoxi whom Yin'e seemed rather infatuated with; thus beginning her life as the first wife of the 10th Prince.
She was always suspicious of Yin'e's relationship with Ruoxi and it was also her jealousy which led to the endless fights between her and Yin'e and even stirring up rumors about them as she is constantly said to hit her husband. She slowly mature throughout the series and it was apparent especially after the fight where Yin'e almost divorced her that they realized they loved each other the most. Like her sister, she was content to devote her life to her husband and was willing to sacrifice for Yin'e.
Possibly one of the happier characters around who had a better end compared to the rest.
Acting Skills
I heard that Liu Yuxin is a rather new actress as well, but she did well as the demanding and bratty girl who slowly grew up through the series. I just can't help enjoying her performance and her appearance often lighten up the mood of the series especially towards the middle when it starts to get rather dramatic and moody. Love her scenes with the 10th Prince!:-)

Cristy Guo as Princess Min Min

She is a rather childish yet cute princess; daughter of Prince Suwan-Guwalgiya who had a serious crush on the 13th Prince, Yinxiang. She was just so bubbly and sweet that it was impossible not to like her, but her dubbed voice did tend to get a little annoying at times. When she found out that Yinxiang did not like her in the way she liked him, she was extremely upset but she found comfort in Ruoxi who helped her to get over Yinxiang and she soon found her true love in Prince Irgen-Gioro Zuoying whom she ended up marrying. She is also a bold, defiant and loyal friend who stood up for her friends and could not stand being betrayed. This is a lovable character who seemed to be rather carefree and simple compared to the drama faced by all the other female characters in the series.
Acting Skills
Christine Guo is just cheerful and enthusiastic enough to play this gullible and naive princess and she made Minmin likeable!

Dai Chunrong as Empress Xiaogongren/Consort De

The biological mother of the 4th and 14th Prince, but she seemed to gravitate towards the 14th, Yinti in her affections and I just felt that she can be so biased as a mother. She claimed that her style in being stern towards Yinzhen (the 4th) was to ensure that he could be a role model as the elder brother to Yinti, but did she realize that she was stripping Yinzhen of his right to a happy childhood and also the feeling of being loved? It was just so obvious her affections for Yinti and she rarely looked at Yinzhen even when they were both talking to her, that like Yinzhen, I found myself wondering the same question whether Yinzhen was her real son as well? I just dislike her character, because as a mother, there should never be a display of favouritism as it would only lead to disharmony between the children, and she still had to wonder why her two sons are so cold towards each other. Did she even realize that she was the real root cause of it all?
Acting Skills
What can I say of a veteran actress? But I do have to say, Dai Chunrong, why do all your characters just seem to end up making others miserable; especially the emperor's children? In HZGG, I can understand since Little Swallow and Zi Wei were not her own children but in this drama, Yinzhen was her own son! Still, great job in playing that biased and annoying mother whom everyone cursed because of her obvious preference in the younger son.

Zhang Lei as Crown Prince Aixin Gioro Yinreng
I couldn't find photos of this guy (will probably post a screen capture later).
The crown prince, who, in history was supposed to have lost his mother at birth and was then living off his father's obvious favor of him; thus leading to him being arrogant and complacent as he believed that only he can inherit the throne. His mother's position as the then empress further attributed to his confidence in owning the throne. Unlike the crown prince in Palace (another drama), this is a very believable crown prince who was ambitious and cautious yet at the same time, lack in his own wits and tend to just appear as aggressive.
Acting Skills
A good actor to play the arrogant Crown Prince, and I could not think of anyone else!

Ye Qing as Yutan

The sweet and devoted palace maid who was also Ruoxi's best friend. I am impressed with the honor of this character who, although was faced with Ruoxi's obvious popularity among the princes did not cave into jealousy, envy and hatred to do anything to harm Ruoxi and maintained loyal to her. She was one of the best and most noble characters, in my opinion as she never harbored any ill feeling towards Ruoxi and did not even scheme to take over her position when Ruoxi lost the favor of the Emperor and she was the one assigned to take Ruoxi's position at that time. She just kept waiting for Ruoxi to return and even helped her secretly in the laundry department. A true friend indeed who never forsake her in times of need. Many questioned whether Yutan was still sincere to Ruoxi when she stayed by her side as Yintang's spy when Yinzhen became the Emperor, I do think that she never intended to harm Ruoxi at all in any way and just kept her work discreet from Ruoxi as she knew that Ruoxi was in love with Yongzhen and she did not want Ruoxi to be torn between her and Yongzhen. She was devoted to Yintang, the 9th Prince, who was her saviour and benefactor and therefore, she just wanted to repay his favor although she was also deeply in love with him. Another sad female character who just gave and gave and yet never received anything in return and even met with a tragic end, but the thing is, at least there was only Ruoxi who never doubted her even when she knew that she worked for Yintang.
Acting Skills
I like the subtlety and sweet appearance of Ye Qing, and like all the actors in the series, she is perfect for the role and did an excellent job as well.

Cao Xinye as QiaoHui

If there was ever an award for the best and most loyal servant girl/maid, Qiaohui would definitely win it! She is one of the best in the drama, yes, even surpassing Yutan as she was just so devoted to her mistresses. I just pitied her for having to go through the deaths of all her mistresses and even master; from Ruolan to Ruoxi and then the 13th Prince who left her to care for his daughter Cheng Huan.
She never left their sides and just kept serving and serving and for that, I am truly impressed with the loyalty of this lady.
Acting skills
Not too bad, I find her very subtle and natural and I love her character who was always there for her mistresses in times of need.

To be continued with the next part; Relationships Analysis and review...stay tune!

Startling By Each Step/Scarlet Heart (步步驚心)(2011): Characters Analysis/Review

2012-06-21T01:28:00.000-07:00

Startling By Each Step/Scarlet Heart (步步驚心)

Characters Analysis/Review Main Cast/Characters
Alright, as usual, for complex dramas like these, I would usually draw an analysis or a review of all the characters and do bear with me, for this is a drama loaded with plenty of important characters/actors who deserved a mention.

Cecilia Liu Shi Shi as Zhang Xiao/Ma'ertai Ruoxi

Starting with the main character and also the lead actress role in the drama, Cecilia plays modern day Zhang Xiao who was involved in an accident which brought her back to the ancient times set in the Qing Dynasty in the year of Kangxi's reign and she assumes the identity of Ma'ertai Ruoxi, the second daughter of a Manchu aristocrat.
As Zhang Xiao
She was confused as to whether she was dreaming initially, and I don't blame her as seriously, how many of us could imagine being knocked unconscious and when you open your eyes to wake up, you are a different person altogether let alone in a different era, and we are talking about three centuries ago! I felt Cecilia really brought out the confusion and surprise of a modern woman, Zhang Xiao very well and how she was adamant to return to her lifestyle and refused to be known as Ma'ertai Ruoxi and made several attempts although she had no idea whatsoever on how to achieve that. When she finally decided to play along and adapted her new identity gradually while waiting to return to her era, she included that modern thinking of a 21st century woman into her identity and became a rather stubborn yet free thinking girl in the era. Therefore it is no surprise that her style and carefree attitude attracted the attention of all the royal princes who were brought up in a rather conservative environment and restricted to all the protocols required of their status.
As Ma'ertai Ruoxi
It was funny to see how a modern woman like Zhang Xiao trying to fit into an old-fashioned and supposedly graceful lady (she is of aristocrat family, don't forget that) and Cecilia did have quite a challenging role in the beginning but I see that she was slowly losing that modern thinking slowly as the drama progresses as she realized that nothing is to be determined by herself in that era and that being in the favor of the one who decides everything; the Emperor only meant that she totally had no control over her own life, at all, and all the princes cared about her enough to warn her about it. Perhaps it was this realization that threw her into the submission mode as she could no longer do anything about her own fate and if she were to insist, that would only bring trouble to her own family and loved ones, that we see modern day Zhang Xiao truly transformed into the reserved and conservative Ma'ertai Ruoxi. This was probably the first thing that Ruoxi had to deal with when she assumed the identity.
Secondly, besides worrying about her own destiny, she also had to deal with the rivaling affections of the princes who were competing for her and then it narrows down to the 4th, 8th and the 14th; all of whom were contending for the throne at the same time. Yes, talk about headaches! Ruoxi was close to them and thus became the object of their interests as they vie for her affections.
She treated 13th Prince as her best friend and confided in him in almost everything. She never really liked 10th Prince and only saw him as a fun guy to befriend; and though she was upset with his arranged marriage, it was because that she realized they had no control over their own lives.
She fell for 8th Prince but gradually fell out of love, and to me, I don't think she loved him enough to be able to let go just because he would not agree to her condition to give up the throne.
She had always had this feeling for the 4th Prince; which she assumed was fear and respect for the future emperor but at the same time, she slowly realized that his character had captured her heart right from the start; just as she had done the same to him. Her heart longed, ached and cared for the 4th Prince, and the fact that he was about to be the Emperor she had heard of in history and feared due to the many disputes and rumors regarding his rights to the throne, it was no longer a matter she cared and in her eyes, the 4th prince is only a man in her heart whom she loved and would do anything for him. It was evident when she helped him to declare him as the Emperor, and even sacrificed her years of beauty and youth to stay in the laundry department to turn down the marriage proposal to the 14th prince which was the only way out of the palace at that time. While many may think she is confused about her own feelings, but I think from the start, she only has the 4th Prince and he was all that mattered to her.
She cared so much for a guy yet she was hurt by how he had turned out to be when he became the Emperor; and though she loved him, her fear of him returned like in the beginning but she became so fearful of him that she did not want him to be caught between his feelings for her and in dealing with his subjects. She cared about Yongzhen not as an Emperor, but also as the man she wanted to see not to be unfairly judged by the future generation and also her care for the other princes also led to her not wanting them to be hurt because of her and because of that, she had to make the decision to leave Yongzhen. It was not because of fear or hate, but rather because she loved him too much and was very afraid that her presence could destroy his humanity and that very compassion he still had in him.
It was the hardest thing she had to do, but she just could not bear to stay and watch him lose his senses and become more and more cruel towards his own brothers and even people around her. Another reason was also due to her being over consumed by her own guilt which stemmed from the realization that her mere warning due to her experiencing the predestination paradox led to her shaping history towards what was seen in the present though she wanted to help the 8th Prince in the beginning. Knowing that her words to 8th Prince led to the damage and consequences which befell the 13th Prince (her best friend) and also affected the 4th Prince (her true love), she could no longer bear to stay beside him for knowing that she was the cause of their fates and how Yongzhen turned out to be. She knew that she loved Yongzhen deeply, yet she could not face him after what she had done, and the hurt she had brought unto him which made her firm in leaving him although she suffered immensely in her own pain and guilt until the day she died. That, and all her actions, thoughts and words were truly symbolic of her love for Yongzhen. As mentioned in her final letter, she only loved Yinzhen; the 4th prince and there is no place in her heart for the Emperor.
As Zhang Xiao again
When she returns to the present after her death in the Qing Dynasty, she became a more subdued character and emotional. Though there was not much of a focus on Zhang Xiao as it was the last scene, but comparing to her earlier Zhang Xiao, she did seem like she has absorbed the personality of Ma'ertai Ruoxi into her modern self.
Acting Skills
It was quite a tough transition for Cecilia, in my opinion to have to change her expressions before each Prince but it was quite a good job done by this sweet actress. She could really cry and I enjoyed her acting through the drama as she was just bubbly and can be quite expressive as well. She also portrayed the different stages of Ma'ertai Ruoxi really well; from the playful young girl to a woman searching for her identity and one who was truly madly and deeply in love to someone who gave her all for love and then to one who was in pain to see the changes in the one she loved and finally mature through the love and life she went through.
This is a character which truly saw the changes through the drama's progress and there were stages of maturity through the ups and downs experienced and there is no reason why she is not well-liked by almost everyone in the drama and those watching the drama.

Nicky Wu Qi Long as 4th Prince Aixin Gioro Yinzhen/Prince Yong/Emperor Yongzhen

Besides Ruoxi, this is my Favorite character in the entire story and it does help that Nicky Wu is my favorite idol since, like a long time ago (yes, I have always liked Nicky Wu and his Little Tigers gang; especially Nicky). Never mind that he is playing the disputed role of one of the greatest Qing Emperors whose ascension to the throne was constantly being talked about.
As the 4th Prince, he was excellent with his calm and expressionless demeanor, and Nicky showed that an actor does not need express through his actions/gestures or any form of facial expressions to be able to show his emotions. In this drama, Nicky's stares, eyes and his faraway look along with his clenched fists which spoke far more than the dialogues that he spoke. He did an excellent job in portraying the exceptionally calm yet careful planner of the 4th Prince who did not even display his real intentions from the start until the end. Had we not been in the present who knew of history like Zhang Xiao, it would have been hard to predict that this would be the future Emperor or someone who was rumored to have plotted to take the throne from his own brother. Yinzhen actually could be seen to pay attention to the bubbly Ruoxi right from the start (yes, from the stares at the balcony and also his care for Ruoxi's fate in the Imperial selection), and his love for her just grew gradually along the series which just became more and more immense that it just touched the bottom of our hearts. His anger, his love were all not publicly displayed nor physically shown but rather expressed through his eyes when he looked at Ruoxi and also the way he smiled when her name was mentioned or when she does something in front of them. This is also one of the breakthrough roles for Nicky Wu as we see him in a rather serious and stable role; and he played the charismatic prince extremely well, definitely deviating from his previous roles which were rather of a boyish or stereotypical type. He is definitely one of the reasons which drew me to this drama but he proved that I was not wrong.
As 4th Prince Yinzhen
Yinzhen, the 4th Prince, as depicted in this drama just had me yearning for him and is the epitome of the charm and suave intelligence of a gentleman during that century, who could have all the women fall at his feet. He did not have to openly declare his love for Ruoxi, nor were there any explicit sexual scenes between them and the only scene was of him forcibly kissing her, but that was it and yet I could sense the growing intensity of their love/romance for each other especially in Yinzhen as he was constantly doing things for her. He hid his emotions yet he was honest with Ruoxi because he wanted her to be completely honest with him too. The character of Yinzhen in this drama, besides the romance part was quite pitiful in my opinion. His own mother showed obvious favoritism towards his younger brother, Yinti, and he could only trust Yinxiang, the 13th Prince. Perhaps he is not one who trusts anyone simply, and this was depicted through his only confidante who was Yinxiang, but at the same time, can we really blame him? (All his brothers seemed to be plotting against each other and the throne is always at question) To me, I think that Yinzhen never really learnt about love; his own mother did not really love him as much as his brother, his father treated his brother better too, and he probably married Nian Gengyao's sister not out of love but for the sake of Nian Gengyao's backup (I am deducing from the drama alone). The only people who made him feel loved was Ruoxi, Yinxiang and maybe his first wife, Lady Ulanara who would later become his Empress (this is a good wife who was really kind and even open to the existence of Ruoxi in her own husband's heart to compete for his love). He probably wanted the throne to himself, but he did not show that he was going to extricate his own brothers out of the feud; or at least, not as ruthless as the 8th Prince but he was definitely pushed towards that direction when he and Yinxiang were being thrown into the situation staged by Yinsi who wanted them out of the picture totally. Therefore, he vowed revenge to save Yinxiang and Ruoxi; the two people he really loved and he may have been a little harsh, but I don't really blame him for the things he did to his brothers and all those who betrayed him when he became the Emperor. He was a very sad character really, and my heart goes out to him in pain and grief when he realized that Ruoxi was once in love with the 8th Prince and that she never told him; even the part when she warned Yinsi of him. When he hears of her death, his grief was realistic and Nicky Wu played that scene extremely well with his tears and dark circles under his eyes (maybe that was not really intended). He is and remained my favorite character from the start until the end; even when he no longer could remember Ruoxi in the modern day.
As Emperor Yongzhen
He ruled with an iron fist, and as I have mentioned in my first part of the review, I could not really blame him considering his past and his lack of love by his parents and even his own brothers. It was probably due to all these factors which made him cold and bitter towards them for they forced him towards that extent when they threw him into the scandal which caused him to lose favor and arouse the suspicion of the Emperor and also dragged the 13th prince along with him. That was the turning point that made him clench his fists and also his heart towards the cold-blooded guy who no longer cared about the rest of the world but the ones who loved/cared about him. When he ascended the throne, he had to bear tons of responsibilities and at the same time, protect his own throne and the ones he loved. The continuity of the threats from the 8th Prince's gang bothered him and he hated the fact that Ruoxi was caught between their feud for he wanted her to be happy after he became the Emperor; thus pushing him to pick on them to get them out of the picture and to leave Ruoxi alone. It was not purely for her alone; but also due to their ambitions which he simply had to subdue. Come on, let's be honest, no one would want to lose something they fight for and had it been the 8th Prince, I believe that he would be just as cruel (or more) towards the 4th and 13th if he was to ascend the throne.
Towards the woman he loved, he was really kind and compassionate and he was pissed that his brothers, in their continued efforts to seize the throne from him manipulated Ruoxi and that led him to take swift actions to extricate them from his court before they could do anything. Well, I guess he learnt his lesson the bitter way. He was cold and I still pitied him when he was still working so hard as the Emperor (no wonder the historians referred to him as the most hardworking Emperor) to clear the mess in the administration and even to the extent of neglecting his own health (this is in historical facts). Though his rule was for a short period, his actions were swift and effective in paving the path for an easier rule for his successors as he really did cleaned up the mess in the court. It just made me respect this Emperor more.
From his personal life, as depicted in this drama, he was still quite pitiful and though some may chide him for including his personal life as the reason for using his authority against his brothers, it was not really his fault that he had to do so because his brothers were the ones who also used Ruoxi to pit against him; especially when their wives would not stop pestering Ruoxi to plead for their husbands. Maybe it was not the princes' faults, but rather the love their wives had for them that led them to seek Ruoxi for help but Yongzhen just had it at that to protect the woman he loved.
Ruoxi never thanked him for all that he had done and was often mad at him for resorting to violence and even taking her loved ones away from him (he killed her foster sister, Yutan by steaming her in a large hot pot) and did it in the most cold-blooded way. As if being misunderstood by his own mother and brother was not enough (his mother refused to acknowledge him as the Emperor), his worst pain came when Ruoxi cruelly told him that she was the one who caused his and the 13th Prince's downfall due to her warning to the 8th Prince to be careful of him when he was the 4th prince. Then another arrow pierced through his heart when the mean 8th Prince came forward to reveal the explicit and intimate details of his romance/relationship with Ruoxi which was really the final straw for Yongzhen. He felt betrayed, hurt and cheated again and again by the woman whom he loved so deeply, and to me, he is really the most pitiful as he did not have anyone beside him anymore towards the end after all he had done and he was just so lonely and even had to watch his loved ones die before him (13th Prince and Ruoxi).
The best scene was when he showed his grief and pain when he heard of Ruoxi's death; a brilliant part played which showed the depth of his love for Ruoxi and how he just could not cope with the news and still harbored hope that she was alive or even if she has gone back to her era, as she had constantly told him.
Acting Skills
One word; SUPERB!
This is one side of Nicky Wu we have yet to see, and as I have said over and over again, it is probably one of his breakthrough roles. Of course many would see that he maintained that cold and expressionless face from the start to the end, but I could sense and see the transition of his character throughout the series; in between the blank and unpredictable face to that affectionate and simply-could-not-resist to smile when in front of Ruoxi who was just his soft spot. Though he was supposed to maintain the blank expression most of the time, he did explain in one scene to Ruoxi that the more fear one has in his heart, the more they have to keep the expressions off their faces. Others would never dare to do anything towards you if they could not tell from your facial expressions what you were thinking of and how you were feeling and I feel that Nicky did a wonderful job in expressing his emotions only through his eyes and stare. There were many scenes when I could just tell how he was feeling just from the way he looks at others; and one of the best would be when he gave the 8th prince that cold stare and he made me feel that if looks could kill, the 8th Prince would have definitely been a dead man by then. I just love the acting and character portrayed by Nicky Wu.
Awesome job!

Kevin Cheng Ka Weng as 8th Prince Aixin Gioro Yinsi/Prince Lian

Not to be outdone by Nicky, Kevin is also one of the good HK actors selected to portray the role of the famous 8th Prince involved in the battle for the throne among Kangxi's sons. Exceptionally expressive, Kevin did not have the audience guessing his emotions or thoughts at all and he just knows how to exude that charm through his eyes and actions and I would say he did a great job in expressing the aggressive 8th Prince.
As the 8th Prince
He is also another pitiful prince and was unfairly judged based on his mother's lowly background which was the main reason he was never the object of affection/favor of his own father who never saw his potential and capabilities to succeed the throne. He is definitely ambitious, but that is just the basic instincts of man, and especially a man like him who knew of his own capabilities and strengths and even his brothers and officials hold their strong support for him. After all, how can so many people be wrong, right? It may be this reason that the 8th Prince often thought highly of himself, but he could be a little too rash and aggressive and at the wrong timing, as depicted in this drama. Also, I think he lacked in terms of luck and he just seems to rush things through; unlike the more subtle 4th Prince. He was just as capable to rule the country; with his supporters and the way people just liked him and he is definitely the strongest competitor for the 4th Prince as they were both exceptional in their own ways and even their brothers thought the same way. Had they worked with each other, they would be an undefeated team but because they knew of their strengths, they both competed for the throne for their own. Due to their strengths also, they became the fiercest of the competitors and in this drama, the 8th Prince was constantly plotting against the brothers who were not in his group; especially the 4th and also the Crown Prince whom he wanted to overthrow right from the start. Unlike the other brothers, he never took the 4th Prince lightly and was often vary of his actions; which showed the wisdom of the 8th Prince.
Of course, in this drama (not in historical facts), the 8th Prince was also against the 4th Prince in competing for Ruoxi's affections and he was just adamant that he should not lose to the 4th Prince in both love and war, but he still did. To me, the 8th Prince is just never content with what he had and seemed to be want more and that is just plain greed. Besides his own background, he is far more popular than the 4th Prince, as shown with the number of brothers who supported him and his capabilities are often acknowledged by everyone around him as well, which was the reason the Emperor was constantly suspicious of his intentions. Then he had a wife who was just so dear and loyal to him, but he still wanted Ruolan, who was clearly in love with someone else, and the part which irked me about this guy was that he claimed to love Ruolan so much but yet he still could not help feeling attracted to Ruoxi; who was Ruolan's sister. Do you call this loyalty and true love? I doubt he really loved anyone except himself, and somehow, he comes across as a very self-centered character to me as I felt that the only person he cared about is himself and of course, the throne which was again, all about himself. It was when he finally lost everything that he realized the love of Minghui and how much he had neglected her. This is a man who only learns to cherish when he had lost everything, but when he had everything, he wanted even more and that was why he was described as an extremely ambitious man. Had he been the Emperor, I doubt he would be less cruel than the 4th Prince either despite him being termed as a popular guy. I did not really want to comment on how ruthless and despicable he is compared to the 4th Prince for pulling that stupid act to overthrow the Crown Prince and also the 4th Prince's favor in front of the Emperor and though he was successful, he also dragged the innocent 13th prince into it and yet, unknown to him, even caused more harm to him than before as the Emperor knew that his appetite is just becoming more evident.
However, was he truly without feelings or care for his own brothers, despite earning the nickname of 'Ba Xian Wang'? (A man of caliber and compassion) I would not say so either, for he still cared enough not to go all the way to harm his brother and it was evident when he found out that the 13th Prince was imprisoned for 10 years and the 14th Prince knelt before the Emperor to allow Luwu to serve him during his imprisonment and he brought along his other brothers to kneel along to plead for the 13th Prince. As Ruoxi had said, they were the ones who caused the fate of the 13th Prince but yet they were the same group who tried to help him and that to me, is a point which showed that the 8th Prince never intend for such a consequence, especially in dragging an innocent 13th Prince to their battle. Another part was when he confronted Yongzhen to reveal the details of his romance with Ruoxi, and while many thought that he was just being mean, but in fact, Ruoxi revealed that he did not do so to hurt Yongzhen due to hate but rather, to force Yongzhen to give up on Ruoxi and that was when even the 13th Prince realized that he was a man of deed and honor.
Acting Skills
What can I say about an actor who used to come from TVB? Kevin is extremely expressive in my opinion, and somehow that became something I was getting quite used to although I do find it a little annoying at times because he just seems to carry those similar expressions throughout every single role he played. I even find some of his expressions a little over-exaggerated at times, but most of the time, he is still doing a good job at displaying his emotions. On his own, he is definitely a good actor, but when compared to others, he did seem to have taken a backseat; or maybe I was just biased towards Nicky? :-P
Kevin does have his own style in acting and also the way he portrayed his charm towards the ladies was just one of his strengths in acting; as his eyes can be rather expressive especially when displaying his affections towards the women he loved. It was not exactly an easy job for Kevin; and I don't know why, perhaps the rumors of him being associated to so many women in real life did affect a little of my impression for him as he was once again thrown into a role where he seemed to be switching from one woman to another and Kevin would need to show his different feelings for each of them. From respect to love for the 8th Prince's 1st wife, he had to portray himself as a man who treated his arranged wife with the style due for a woman of honorable nobility. Then Kevin also had to show that he longed for the love and attention of the 2nd wife, and was bothered that she never gave him a second glance at all and moving onto the appearance of her younger sister who seemed to have captured his interest that he wanted to marry her. It was all an apparent show of affections and to have to switch and balance his emotions to differentiate the extent of his feelings for the different women, I would say that Kevin had gotten himself quite a role too, so to be fair, quite a good job by this guy too!~

Yuan Hong as 13th Prince Aixin Gioro Yinxiang/Prince Yi

The carefree style and playful traits were naturally displayed by the actor who brought out the character of a prince who cared for nothing but freedom and justice, not to mention love.
As the 13th Prince
Despite not being born of the same mother, Yinxiang and Yinzhen forged an exceptionally close brotherhood as compared to the other brothers, or even between Yinzhen and Yinti who were actually biological brothers by birth. From what I know of this prince, he was said to have been raised by Consort De; who was Yinzhen and Yinti's biological mother and would later become Empress Xiaogongren, and perhaps that was the reason Yinxiang was close to Yinzhen. It was quite funny at the same time, that he could be so close to Yinzhen, because according to age, he should be closer to Yinti, but I deduce that it was probably due to Yinzhen playing the elder brother role who protected and cared for him that he remained so loyal to him.
If you were to search the Internet, you would find that many were fans of this Prince, and it is not hard to understand why; for if you were to watch this drama, he was probably the only Prince who never really gave the throne a thought (besides 3rd and 5th prince, that is). He pledged his support for the 4th, but yet never really went against the other brothers openly and was as subdued as Yinzhen. He tried not to be involved in the feud between the brothers and chose to enjoy his life by drinking and going anywhere he wanted at anytime and it was probably due to his lack of ambition that made him less of a threat to the 8th Prince's gang although they were vary of him due to his close relationship to the 4th. To me, he is truly a man who cared for nothing; ambition, power, wealth but the only thing he truly cared for was love.
His love for the 4th Prince was unshaken and that was indeed admirable; and I am sure many would agree that he won everyone's hearts when he stepped forward to help his 4th brother when he was being accused of ambitious in court. Then his love for the rest of his brothers, though were not as strong as that compared to his loyalty for the 4th was still apparent when he pleaded with Yongzhen not to continue to harm them and it seemed that his 10 years of imprisonment did not make him hate any of them at all, and that is indeed a very respectable trait I see in a true gentleman.
As a friend, he cared for Ruoxi in a way that may seemed non-existent at that time; for they were purely platonic friends and he was constantly on the lookout for Ruoxi because of the 4th Prince and when he realized that they had feelings for each other, he was just there for them and the best part is, none of them even admitted to him that they were already in love and their relationship had started. He just could read through their minds and expressions, and that was just such a beautiful friendship, in my opinion.
His love for LuWu was true, and it was apparent when he was in such pain over her sudden disappearance and though he never really knew the truth, I think he guessed as much and yet he could never get over her leaving him although he never blamed her but rather, he blamed himself for not being able to protect her or make her feel safe beside him. This is definitely one of the best princes; who showed his might and qualities while others fight to death for the throne.
Acting Skills
This is my first time watching Yuan Hong; although he is quite a prominent actor in Mainland China, as I know but I must say I am impressed and like many, I also like his portrayal of the carefree 13th Prince very much for he was just expressive, playful and a real joy to have around whenever he appeared on the screen and I can imagine why anyone would love to have a brother/friend like him. His expressions, though were subtle still managed to convey the image of this respectable prince and for that, Yuan Hong is an awesome actor and I hope to see him in more dramas in the future!

Lin Gengxin as 14th Prince Aixin Gioro Yinti

Said to be the rightful successor to the throne after Kangxi, the 14th Prince Yinti was indeed one of the most discussed/disputed historical figures when it comes to the issue of him being betrayed by his own brother for the sake of the throne.
As 14th Prince
I did not really like this prince that much; especially in the beginning for he was always so brash and harsh towards Ruoxi and it was all because of him being angered by the way she is not reciprocating the love of the 8th Prince, although seriously, I do not see how is it that is any of his business. He was constantly after Ruoxi, demanding explanations, warning her and reprimanding her; the poor girl and yet he thought it was just the right thing to do and that seriously annoyed me. He was also pleased with the affections from his mother, and neglected his own brother's feelings; just because he was on the side of the 8th Prince. Like Hello, the 4th Prince is your biological brother and you would rather help your stepbrother to harm your own brother? He seems to think that he is right, and does not seem to understand things before he takes actions which gave me the impression that he is just a no-brainer who rushes into things just because he deemed it right. Unlike Yinzhen, I find Yinti having a much happier life, with the love of his mother and even his father who seemed to see him as the potential heir to the throne; surpassing that of all his other elder brothers. I mean, there are 13 princes before this guy and he is more suitable? History states that Yinti is a great General who have fought and won many battles and that the reason he was put in charge of the army was that Kangxi was paving the way for him to be his next successor (all the rulers must hold command of the army, it makes sense, right?). Despite the many great and positive images painted of Yinti in history, in this drama, I do not see much of him besides running after and badgering Ruoxi for Yinsi and then even acting to inform Yinsi while he was away and risking his own life. At the same time, he claimed to be loyal to Yinsi and yet he could not help falling for Ruoxi and sometimes his affections even surpassed that of Yinsi and yet he was furious with Yinzhen. Why? Because Ruoxi liked him? Well, too bad then.
This is just a poor guy who was brainwashed to believe that the 8th Prince is good and his own brother, the 4th Prince is bad and I just feel pity for him that he could not learn to tell for himself. He helped Yinsi so much and even to the extent of dragging Yinzhen and Yinxiang into trouble, and frankly, I just felt like giving this guy a good slap in the face to wake him up but then he proved his worth when he tried to help Yinxiang by begging his father and even kneeling in the rain. Okay, that was when I changed my perception of him and that he could really be a good guy when he wanted to, or when he came to his senses.
The part when he asked Yongzhen to marry Ruoxi, I just could not help feeling annoyed with that smirk on his face, and it made me wonder, did this guy ever thought of the 4th as his own brother, at all? It was rather confusing, from my viewpoint.
Acting Skills
Given that this is Lin Gengxin's first drama, he deserves a break and not too much criticism and to be fair, he did fairly a good job too in displaying the emotions although I am sure he can slowly improve along the way. For a first timer and being placed in a heavyweight role in history like this, I could imagine the pressure he had when portraying Yinti and I felt he was getting better towards the end; whether it was the character development or even in Lin Gengxin's acting. Keep it up, and hope to see him in more dramas too.

Damien Lau as Emperor Kangxi

Credits to the veteran and I do not have much to comment on his portrayal of Kangxi Emperor which was quite fitting for the role and his persona.
As Kangxi Emperor
This is one of the famous Qing Dynasty Emperors; due to his ascension to the throne at a young age and also facing threats from Ou Pai. At the same time, this is the start of the legendary saga from his own reign to the battle of the throne among his sons until the glorious reign of his grandson who was the well-known/liked Qianlong Emperor. Kangxi was also rumored to have indirectly caused the feud among his sons as he was promoting them to compete to be the best; perhaps as a father, he wanted to raise the competency level in his sons but inadvertently caused them to pit against each other in their hungry quest for the throne. Honestly, in this drama, I do feel that Kangxi was depicted to be stern and constantly instill the values of brotherhood among his sons but yet at the same time, his actions were contradicting his intentions as he seemed to be showing favor towards some of his sons, which raised further issues of jealousy among them. Right from the start, it was obvious his favoritism towards the Crown Prince and though I can understand that he raised this son and that he was born of the Empress but his prejudice towards the 8th Prince was just a little biased, in my opinion. Maybe it was his background, or his ambitions, but either way, the Emperor, as a father, should never display so much displeasure towards one son and so much favor towards another in front of his other sons. Also, whether the dispute in history was true or not; regarding the rightful successor of Kangxi which was supposed to be the 14th Prince Yinti; I must say that in this drama, it was shown that Kangxi favored the 14th over the 4th and that made me wonder, how could he overlook the fact that having the 14th would mean surpassing 13 sons who are all older than him and seriously, won't that be inviting the possibility of a rebellion? Did the Emperor really think that all the elder sons would just accept that their younger brother is right for the throne compared to all of them and not feel unjust/unfair? To me, that is just simply ridiculous and does not make sense; furthermore, I thought they usually go by the age and also their seniority to maintain that just selection. After all, haven't history proved that most of those who are younger and succeeded the throne are overthrown by rebellion in the end? It just didn't really make that much of a sense to me, at all and for that, I felt that he failed as a father towards showing his love for his sons.
As an Emperor, he certainly had that charisma and stern voice required to rule his country but as the head of the family, he failed in my opinion. He did constantly instill fear among the brothers and warned them against pitting against each other for the throne, but isn't he at fault in the first place? That being said, his firmness in keeping his son's intentions at bay did work, and he did it to ensure a smooth transition for his intended/selected successor and many version stated that he had wanted Yinzhen and sent Yinti away from the capital to ensure Yinzhen's smooth ascension to the throne but that was not portrayed in this story as Tong Hua took the version where Yinti was believed to be Kangxi's choice.
Acting Skills
Need I say more about a veteran who came from TVB? Excellent performance by Damien although he was not the main focus in the story, but he created that environment where he controlled his sons and was trying to subdue all the feud among them to ensure a smooth transition for his selected successor. Damien did not have say much, his expressions spoke all, and somehow I am impressed with actors who only used their expressions to portray their character. I could not think of a better candidate to play this Emperor besides Damien, so a good choice for this role.

Supporting Characters:
Ye Zuxin as 10th Prince Aixin Gioro Yin'e

One of the characters that helped to lighten the mood with his naivety and also his innocence directly displayed on his face all the time.
As the 10th Prince
This is also one of the rather cool and carefree prince; although not as carefree as the 13th Prince for he was such a staunch supporter of the 8th Prince that he can be so blunt at times towards the 4th Prince whom they were dead set against and presumably because of his support for the Crown Prince rather than along with their gang to support the 8th Prince. Despite his silly ways, he can be quite loyal to the 8th Prince but his directness in forwarding his words can be rather annoying at times and sometimes, he just seemed to come across as silly to me. Even Ruoxi was found to be saying that he was just a dumb guy who knew nothing and blindly follow the 8th Prince, and not even wary of his surrounding and the fact that any of the strong princes could end up being the Emperor; especially when he was constantly chiding the 4th Prince. He is quite a happy-go-lucky character and somehow, it is hard not to believe he is dumb for he invited trouble and attention to himself when he presented himself to the Emperor in the earlier episodes which made the Emperor notice that he was yet to be married and he ended being arranged to marry Gororo Mingyu to be his princess consort; although he did not really have a good impression of her and even thought of her as an unreasonable woman despite coming from a noble background and relations with the royal family. However, he slowly learnt to love her and his end was not really featured that much, but it seemed that he was the only one in the group of 8th Prince's supporters who had a less miserable end.
Acting Skills
Cute, funny and hilarious; this guy could just pull the comical expressions on his face especially when dealing with Ruoxi and his own wife. Love the part when he was upset that he was to marry Mingyu and also when he fought with her. I just enjoyed his appearances so much which just brought the light and happy moments to the drama so definitely a good job to make me enjoy it so much!:)\

Han Dong as 9th Prince Aixin Gioro Yintang

This was another of the 8th Prince's supporters, and also known as one of the more ruthless princes in history.
As 9th Prince
He was cold and barely showed much emotions; although there were certain light-hearted scenes where all the princes were gathering that he showed as much as a smile or a laugh on his face. He is definitely a very bold and staunch supporter of the 8th Prince, and also the most defiant of the lot. He was also the only prince who was unmoved by Ruoxi's cute personality nor was he attracted to her at all, and it just makes you wonder if this guy even has warm blood running through his veins. He didn't seem to give a damn about whatever was going around him; and instead was constantly seen to be pissed at the 4th Prince; again a blind move to show his support for the 8th Prince. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who showed compassion and kindness to the young Yutan and although it seemed like he was unnerved or unaffected by her untimely death, he did finally showed his emotions as he cried for her and proved me wrong for a moment, for I thought he was just a guy who used Yutan based on her feelings for him.
Everything about him was clearly depicted in the drama as according to history; including his end.
Acting Skills
Despite his minor role and screen time (he did appear quite a bit along with the 8th prince gang), I have to take my hats off to this actor who did a marvelous job in playing the cold and bitter 9th Prince accurately and was really believable. While most people would just hate his appearances on the screen, I am quite taken and impressed by the way he pulled off this character in an almost effortless or flawless manner and to a certain extent, I felt that he was better than Kevin Cheng in some of the parts too! Great job by this actor, really amazing and a perfect complement to the differing personalities among the princes.

To be continued to the other supporting female roles....

Startling By Each Step/Scarlet Heart (步步驚心)(2011)

2012-06-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2011

Adaptation from a novel by Tong Hua
Director: Li Guoli
Producer: Karen Tsoi
Production Company: Chinese Entertainment Shanghai
Country of Origin: China
Language: Mandarin

Theme Song/OST: Startling By Each Step
Composer: Raymond Wong
Opening Theme: A Persistent ThoughtYinian Zhizhuo (一念执着) performed by Hu Ge and Alan Dawa Dolma
Ending Theme:
1. Silver Paradise- Sancun Tiantang (三寸天堂) performed by Yan Yidan
2. Waiting for Your Season - Dengni De Jijie (等你的季节) performed by Cecilia Liu

No. of episodes: 35 (or 40 in some versions)

Main Cast:
Imperial Family
Damien Lau as Emperor Kangxi
Dai Chunrong as Empress Xiaogongren (Biological mother of Yinzhen and Yinti)
Liu Jie as Consort Liang (Biological Mother of Yinsi)
Zhang Lei as Crown Prince Yinreng
Chen Jingyu as 3rd Prince Yinzhi
Wang Xiaodong as 5th Prince Yinqi
Nicky Wu as 4th prince Yinzhen/Prince Yong later Emperor Yongzhen
Kevin Cheng as 8th Prince Yinsi/Prince Lian/Ba Xian Wang
Han Dong as 9th Prince Yintang
Ye Zuxin as 10th Prince Yin'e
Yuan Hong as 13th Prince Yinxiang
Lin Gengxin as 14th Prince Yinti

Cecilia Liu Shi Shi as Zhang Xiao/Ma'ertai Ruoxi
Annie Liu as Ma'ertai Ruolan (elder sister to Ruoxi and 2nd wife of Yinsi)
Shi Xiaoqun as Gororo Minghui (first wife of Yinsi and elder sister to Mingyu)
Liu Yuxin as Gororo Mingyu (younger sister of Minghui and first wife of Yin'e)
Guo Zhenni as Lu Wu (love interest of Yinxiang)

Palace Maids/Eunuchs
Ye Qing as Yutan
Cao Xinye as Qiaohui (Ma'ertai family maid)
Kang Mingtong as Yunxiang (maid along with Yutan)
Deng Limin as Li Dequan (Kangxi's personal eunuch attendant and mentor to Ruoxi)
Zhou Yancheng as Wang Xi
Hu Zhonghu as Gao Wuyong (Yongzhen's personal eunuch attendant)
Gao He as Li Guangdi
Lian Teyue as Imperial Physician He
Chai Wei as Chenghuan (Yinxiang and Luwu's daughter)

Others:
Cristy Guo as Princess Min Min
Ba Sen as Prince Suwan Guwalgiya
Zhang Kai as Irgen-Gioro Zuoying
Ma Tianyu as Huang Di

Synopsis/Plot Storyline:
The story starts in the period of Qing Dynasty where a lady (Cecilia Liu) wakes up with a bandage around her head and she seemed to have lost her memory of everything as she was pursued by her maid in waiting to lie on her bed and rest. She then tried to recall and her flashbacks bring us to the modern times where she was Zhang Xiao, and she was having an argument with her boyfriend, Huang Di (Ma Tianyu) whom she caught cheating with another girl and their fight intensified in front of a billboard promoting a historical exhibition on Qing Dynasty. As she was trying to push her boyfriend's hand away, she ended up being hit by a truck which flung her towards the big billboard and that was where her memory ends.

Zhang Xiao now wakes up and finds herself in a different place where the accident took place and not just that, she was dressed in ancient costumes and was lying in a room which did not seem like that of hers. She was waited by maids around her who kept calling her "Second Miss" and she kept thinking that it must have been a bad dream. She then tried to ask her maids of her real name, which shocked the maids as they worried about the consequences of her concussion following her fall from the staircase in the residence. She found that her name was actually Ma'ertai Rouxi and is the younger daughter of a general and she is staying with her elder sister who is the wife of the 8th Prince. Curious, she pestered her maid with more questions and found that she is now in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of the famous Kangxi Emperor. Her knowledge of historical facts (since she came from the future) allowed her to link that her brother-in-law must be the famous and ambitious 8th Prince, Yinsi. Though she was baffled as to how she ended up in this era, she concluded that it must be time travel and tried to figure out a way to get out by trying to reenact the sequence of events which led to her fall, but was foiled by her maid.

She then meets her sister, Ma'ertai Ruolan (Annie Liu) who was the second wife of the 8th Prince and that she clearly models the epitome of grace and beauty of the women in that era; soft-spoken, gentle and intellectual. Though it seemed that Ruolan must be happy being married to a prince, it appeared that Ruolan was not really that happy, as deduced by Ruoxi. She then meets the 10th and 14th Prince who were visiting her brother-in-law and who seemed to have taken a liking to her straightforward character.
Assuming the identity of Ruoxi, she then slips out of the house and runs to the street to look for the solution to return to the 21st century by reenacting her accident in the beginning (hit by the truck on the streets) and it was then she spotted a scurrying eunuch who resembled the man who was putting up the billboard in the beginning and rushed towards him to ask about her boyfriend, Huangdi; which shocked the eunuch immensely (for the name of Huangdi in Chinese has the phonetic sound similar to 'Emperor').
Zhang Xiao fell on the streets and was almost knocked by the horse ridden by a man; whom her maid referred to as 4th prince, Yinzhen (Nicky Wu) and she recognized him as the future Emperor Yongzhen.

As she returns to the 8th Prince's residence, she met Gororo Minghui (Shi Xiaoqun), the first wife of the 8th Prince and presumably her sister's love rival for the affections of the prince. Apparently, she was not on good terms with Ruolan and further picked on Ruoxi. Ruoxi's episode of running out to the streets from the house angered Ruolan who warned her not to do so ever again as she is of honorable nobility and she is tarnishing her own image and of her family. As she adapts herself to her new identity, she is perplexed by their culture of putting on layers of clothing which was adding heat to her body. Her playful character also ignited the interests of the princes; 9th, 10th and 14th, especially the 10th Prince, Yin'e (Ye Zuxin), as they frequented the house to visit the 8th Prince whom they have allegiance with. Ruoxi finally meets her brother-in-law, the 8th Prince, Yinsi (Kevin Cheng) and her admiration for him grew due to his good looks, background and kindness with which he treated her sister with though at the same time she could not see the link between his character with his depicted ambitious personality in history.

Still determined to return to her era, she slips out of the house for a second time in an attempt to kill herself so that she could leave this era and automatically transported back to her era. As she runs to the streets, she is again held by the horse of the 4th Prince and this time, he was accompanied by the 13th Prince, Prince Yinxiang (Yuan Hong). Due to her failed attempt for the second time, she made them promise not to tell her sister. At the same time, the 4th Prince had already noticed her intention to commit suicide which she denied and even stated that the reason for her in doing so is to survive although he could not yet fathom her words at that point. Left with no choice, she has to take on the identity of Ma'ertai Ruoxi and to learn to adapt to the lifestyle and culture of the era then.

Ruoxi then learns that she is to be sent into the palace soon for the Imperial harem selection; which was requirement for most of the young ladies of noble backgrounds at her age in which they could end up as either a consort or a lady-in-waiting in the palace. Her fate would be determined by the role she ended up in as she could either be released from the palace when she was 24 if she was placed as a maid-in-waiting in certain places or eternal confinement in the palace until her death if she was a consort or a direct royal maid-in-waiting.

Ruoxi met all the princes at the 8th Prince's residence when they gathered to celebrate the 10th Prince's birthday and was delighted to see their seemingly close relationship with each other and wished that they could remain this way as she recalls each of their fate from what she had learnt in the historical facts. Her bubbly personality also attracted all the princes' attention; with the exception of 1st, Crown prince, 9th Prince, 3rd and 5th Prince, as they enjoyed her company, and thus, when the time came for her to enter the palace, the princes worked together to try to exclude her name off the Imperial Harem list so that she would not end up as the Emperor's consort, by approaching the 4th and 14th Prince whose mother was Consort De (Dai Chunrong) and was the Imperial Noble Consort next to the Empress at that time.
(The princes were worried as Ruoxi had caught the attention of the Emperor during the celebration of the Mooncake festival in which she entered the palace with her sister to celebrate the festival with the Imperial family. Her defiance and stubbornness had also earned her the nickname of 13th Prince's sister whom they compared to as both would go all the way out to fight for justice and love).

Ruoxi's name was indeed taken off the list but due to the requests from two concubines to have her as a lady-in-waiting (one of which was Gororo Minghui's aunt), the Empress placed her as the tea lady to serve the Emperor directly which meant that Ruoxi would be confined to stay in the palace forever. This piece of news, though comforted the princes that Ruoxi would not be a concubine, also angered Yinsi for he knew that this was a result of his wife, Minghui's tactic in approaching her own aunt who was a consort to keep Ruoxi away from the Emperor so that Ruolan's position would not waver hers and as a result, Ruoxi was subject to lifetime confinement in the palace. Yinsi was upset as he had intended to marry Ruoxi as his third wife after her serving contract ends in the palace and thus, he ignored Minghui out of anger.

Ruoxi then began her life in the palace; by serving tea to the Emperor and the princes and her straightforward character earned her the favor of the Emperor very quickly and she soon became one of his favorites; along with his personal attendant, Eunuch Li Dequan.
However, Ruoxi's knowledge of the history made her avoid the 4th Prince, Yinzhen whom she knew would become the next Emperor and made it a point to stay on his good side but her gestures in her exceptional care towards the 4th Prince aroused the suspicion of the princes that she liked Yinzhen, as she constantly tried to find out his likes and dislikes. She denied the rumors and also the advances of the 4th Prince as her fondness of the 8th Prince who was caring towards her grew. On one of the Emperor's outings, in a twist of event, she was supposed to learn horse-riding from the 13th Prince with whom she is best friends with but ended up in an awkward situation where the cool 4th Prince turned up. On the second night when she tried to leave, the 4th Prince forcefully kissed her as he believed that Ruoxi liked him but let her off when she denied her feelings for him.

Ruoxi was perplexed to the way things turned out as she believed herself to fear the 4th Prince whom she referred to as Ice-Face due to his cool and expressionless demeanor.
Though she rejected his advances, the 4th Prince starting sending her gifts, along with the 8th Prince who had been taking special care of her with his presents and letters which Ruoxi seemed to be pleased with the attention. Although Ruoxi told Yinzhen that she will return his gifts, he told her that although she may not intentionally started the whole thing, she does not have the right to end things whenever she wants.

The princes were starting to fight for the throne; or rather, the position of the Crown Prince through the active investigations especially by Yinsi's gang who wanted to depose the Crown Prince and have Yinsi in that position instead. The Crown Prince was angered by this decision and confided in the 4th Prince, whom it seemed was a supported of the Crown Prince, or so it seems, but we know from history that he is not.
The Crown Prince, in an act of retaliation, convinced the Emperor to leave the 8th Prince and his gang in charge of the administration while they are away on their outing which Yinsi believed was a trap to expose his ambitions and also putting his capabilities to the test in which his every move would be monitored or subject to the jurisdiction of the Emperor as influenced by the Crown Prince and Yinsi also knew that this idea was from the 4th Prince. During the Emperor's absence, Yinsi handled things on a rather subdued note but was confronted with a major issue which was the worsening illness of the young 18th Prince in which he had to decide whether to call for the Emperor's return. Though there were objections from some of the officials who perceived it as a weakness and also as a form of disturbance to the Emperor's diplomatic moves with their allies, Yinsi decided that the Emperor had to be informed of the the young prince's illness.
When the 18th prince succumbed to his illness, the Emperor was in grief and Yinzhen sought Ruoxi to console his father due to her close relationship with the Emperor.

The Crown Prince's defiance and pride soon cost him his title when he offended the Mongols during the outing and the Emperor threatened to depose him. However, upon returning to the palace, the Emperor had investigations carried out and it was revealed that it was indeed the 1st Prince who had placed a hex on him and also instigated the incident which led to the Crown Prince committing the mistake. Ruoxi realized that it was just the Emperor's affections for the Crown Prince, who was his favorite son which led to him finding a scapegoat to reinstate the Crown Prince's position and thus, tried to warn Yinsi from approaching the matter aggressively at the moment. She stopped herself, as she knew that there is no way she could change history or may face severe consequences but when she finally wanted to inform the 8th Prince, it was too late.
Emperor Kangxi was furious with the many letters from the officials stating their support for the 8th Prince to be named the next Crown Prince and accused the 8th Prince for being overly ambitious and reckless towards his own brothers and stripped off his title; demoting him instantly. Howver, when the Crown Prince was reinstated, the Emperor granted 3rd, 4th and 5th Prince to Princes of the First Rank; and Yinzhen was now Prince Yong of the First Rank while 9th, 10th, 13th and 14th were granted the titles of Beizi and the 8th Prince was restored to his title of a Beile. Though it seemed that things have returned to normal, but it was apparent that the Emperor had lost his trust for Yinsi especially when he included him in the next outing to visit the Mongols; to which Ruoxi deduced that Kangxi no longer trusted Yinsi to handle the kingdom and fears his ambitions/revolution when he is away.

During this second outing, Yinzhen was left behind to take care of the administration and his move in reshuffling the cabinet startled the 14th Prince, Yinti who fears for the future of Yinsi and tries to inform him of this event. Yinti was ordered to stay back as well; under the orders of the Emperor in his efforts to cripple the influences of Yinsi but he decided to risk it by traveling to the camp to meet up with Yinsi although that meant defying the Emperor's orders and could result to severe punishment. Yinti sought Ruoxi at the camp, but his presence had been detected by the Crown Prince who was on the lookout since Yinsi's attempt to overthrow him and the Crown Prince wanted to capture or kill him using the excuse of persecuting a trespasser. Ruoxi then hid him in Princess Min Min's camp; whom she was close to, using the excuse that Yinti was her lover to gain the trust of the Mongolian princess who agreed immediately as she thought she was helping Ruoxi out. Yinsi was injured as well when meeting up with Yinti, and had to stage a performance before the Crown Prince to avoid his suspicion by having his own attendant pour boiling hot tea over him to cover his wound (pierced by an arrow). It was then that Ruoxi admitted her affections for Yinsi and the latter was happy that she indeed does love him and their relationship blossomed into romance.

Due to Ruoxi's knowledge of the future, Ruoxi knew the end of Yinsi and thus tried to take matters into her own hands by making Yinsi choose between her and the throne with the hope that she could save his life without altering history which perplexed Yinsi. He could not let go of the throne for Ruoxi and she ended their relationship, much to the displeasure of Yinti who accused her of toying with Yinsi's feelings. Though broken up with Yinsi, Ruoxi still wanted to protect Yinsi from harm and tried to warn him to be careful of Yinzhen, Nian Gengyao and Longkodo; the names of whom were in Yinzhen's gang who would seize the throne in the future. (At that time, Yinsi were not aware of the intentions Yinzhen had nor does the other princes except the 13th Prince and thus he was confused with Ruoxi's warning).

Back at the palace, Ruoxi continues to receive gifts from Yinzhen but she tried to end things with the two princes by returning their gifts respectively; to which Yinzhen found amusing while Yinsi was brokenhearted.
Ruoxi also learns that she could not choose her own future and her fate from the 4th, 8th and 14th prince as they all warned her of her destined fate which only lies in the Emperor's hands as she is the direct trusted attendant to him and one who is in his favor. Though she tries to defy the fact, especially after watching how the 10th Prince, Yin'e who used to have a crush on her, was forced to marry Gororo Mingyu (Liu Yuxin) as ordered by the Emperor. (Mingyu was also the younger sister of Minghui and was her love rival as she was jealous of Ruoxi due to the 10th Prince's attention and also their sisters' feud).
Ruoxi was adamant that they should not worry that much and believed that she could choose her own path in life and she will not be submissive to the royal orders as only she has control over her own life.
Yinzhen then warns her that if she thought in that direction then her only path is death and also the consequences on her family who would all be dragged along should she choose to defy the Emperor.

Ruoxi continued to live in her fantasy and even helped Princess Min Min to get over Yinxiang, the 13th Prince whom she had feelings for by matchmaking her with Prince Irgen Gioro Zuoying, from one of the powerful Mongolian tribe and her close relationship with the Mongols attracted the attention of the Crown Prince who then requested for her hand in marriage from the Emperor. This news startled all the princes, as they were helpless and yet anxious to help her at the same time, but risks openly opposing the Crown Prince.
Ruoxi herself was immensely shocked and scared as she realized that she knew about everyone's fate but herself and as she worries continuously about her fate, she fell seriously sick and was unconscious for three days. When she woke up, she found that she was visited by Yinzhen, whom she held onto his hand with tears in her eyes, but Yinzhen reprimanded her for not taking his words seriously the last time he talked to her. As Ruoxi was letting go of his hand, he grabbed her hand and told her that he would not leave her alone and that he would figure out a way to save her although he could not promise the success yet as he had to fight against the Crown Prince.

As the Princes worked hard to save Ruoxi, Yinsi and Yinzhen collaborated to expose the Crown Prince's corruption and also his interest in the Mongolians to indicate a possible coup/power struggle to overthrow the throne in front of the Emperor and also with the help of the majority of the officials. Ruoxi was pleased to learn of the news which was conveyed to her by the 14th Prince, Yinti as it meant that the Emperor would not act to arrange marriage for the Crown Prince with the emergence of such scandal news and also, even when it is cleared, the Emperor may still have his suspicions of the Crown Prince's intentions and with Ruoxi's relationship with the Mongols, the Emperor would take careful consideration in arranging her marriage. Ruoxi also started to take more interest in Yinzhen and even took to wearing his favorite magnolia flower hairpin which he gave to her, but was shy and took it off when she bumped into him. When Ruoxi asked Yinzhen if he would marry her and his reply that he would not want to marry him at that moment, she was upset but Yinzhen told her that her hand in marriage could stir the same suspicion they bestowed upon the Crown Prince and therefore there would not be one prince who would dare to ask for her hand at the moment and that the only thing she could do was to wait; indicating that Yinzhen would wait for the right time to marry her and also the mark of the start of their beautiful romance.

Yinsi also met up with Ruoxi but realized that Ruoxi has had a change of heart and warned her that it had better not be Yinzhen or else trouble would ensue but Ruoxi brushed him off by saying that her matters are no longer of his interest. Ruoxi's growing affections for Yinzhen angered Yinsi who then staged to frame and accuse Yinzhen of overthrowing the Crown Prince by spreading rumors among the officials, for his personal interests which put an end to the seemingly warm picture of brotherhood which Ruoxi had wished would be maintained and it was then that the battle for the throne truly started.
Emperor Kangxi was furious and accused Yinzhen for the very first time that he had such bold ambitions but Yinxiang, the 13th Prince came forward and took the blame, stating that it was all his doings and that the 4th Prince had no knowledge of it. As a result, Yinxiang was stripped off his title and was punished to 10 years of imprisonment in his own house to put a stop to any intention that he or Yinzhen may have.
It was a punishment far worse than one could imagine as the 13th Prince was known for his carefree and quest for freedom and to lock him up in his house would be more damaging to him than death.

Ruoxi watched in silent grief at Yinzhen who remained kneeling at the court and then left clenching his fist but yet without much expression. Yinzhen remained passive although he was in pain over the fate of his trusted brother and best friend. Yinti also pleaded with the Emperor for the release of the 13th Prince whom he pledged was innocent and all the princes knelt before the Emperor's court in the rain for the Emperor to release the 13th prince.

Ruoxi also took the opportunity to plead with the Emperor but ended up being punished to kneel in the garden. Yinzhen went to the palace and watched with sorrow at the miserable Ruoxi who was kneeling in the rain, and he threw away his own umbrella to cover her with his cape from the pattering rain. When Ruoxi asked him to leave, he knelt down and hugged her, and was witnessed by Yinsi and Yinti who also came to check on Ruoxi.

Yinzhen walked away from them without displaying any emotion, and Ruoxi also ignored them even when Yinsi knelt to wipe the water away from her face, and she took the hem of his gown from the water puddle which angered him as that meant Ruoxi treated him as a master and not a lover anymore.

Yinzhen also spent his days in contemplation and retreated from the official matters in the court, preferring to spend his days at home doing gardening to avoid the suspicion of the Emperor. He also told Ruoxi that he could no longer marry her, though the latter predicted that he would come to that following Yinxiang's house arrest. However, when he saved her from being shot by an arrow, he revealed that he still loved her.

The Emperor started to grow fond of Yinti, whom he placed to lead the military army to suppress the rebellion at the borders; which led to the princes to believe that Yinti would be the next probable candidate to be the Crown Prince as he is assuming duties like the Crown Prince before that and also each candidate to the throne would be required to command the army. At the same time, the Emperor's fondness of both Yinti and Ruoxi also led him to arrange the marriage between the two as he believed that they were perfect for each other, but was angered when Ruoxi turned the marriage proposal down. Believing that Ruoxi was defying his orders, the Emperor then ordered for her to be punished severely with 20 strokes of beating and also demoted to the laundry department to wash the eunuch's clothes. The princes were baffled as to the real reason behind Ruoxi's demotion and even the Emperor's trusted eunuch, Li Dequan tried to ask for Yinzhen's help to save Ruoxi from her fate but Yinzhen turned him down by saying that he no longer took part in the matters of the palace. However, when Yinzhen walked away from the palace, he was seen to be upset and clenched his fists hard.

Ruoxi's days in the laundry department was hard but she tried to get along with most of the other maids, although they were envious of her constantly being visited by the princes who tried to bring her things that she would probably need. Yinzhen also paid her a visit and was heartbroken to see her hands although she claimed that she was happier doing the laundry as she would never have to fear each day over what is to happen but rather only look forward to a bucketful of clothes to wash and that it was simpler life which she preferred. When Yinzhen told her that he would ask for her hand in marriage sometime soon as the Emperor seemed to be growing fond of him and also trust him more, Ruoxi finally revealed that the reason for her punishment was because she defied the Emperor's order to marry Yinti, the 14th Prince who was now the Emperor's favorite son. Yinzhen then assured her that he would do all he can to rescue the 13th Prince from his imprisonment and also marry her eventually.

As Emperor Kangxi was getting older and weaker, he started to miss the food prepared by Ruoxi and summoned for her to be back. At the same time, Yinti was out in the battlefield and the Emperor summoned Yinzhen and his mother, who is now the Empress, to his bedside on separate occasions to reveal his intended heir to the throne. Yinzhen was also put in charge of the annual worship but he postponed it while waiting for the Emperor to be weaker and then entered the palace to visit his father. Yinzhen arrived at the right time as the Emperor was at his deathbed and Yinzhen had Nian Gengyao there at the same time along with the other close maids-in-waiting and eunuchs of the Emperor. When the Imperial Physician announced the Emperor's death, Nian Gengyao seized the moment to announce that the Emperor had informed them that Yinzhen would succeed the throne rightfully, although the Eunuch Li Dequan appeared to be surprised.
Ruoxi decided to play along Nian Gengyao and greeted Yinzhen with the official greetings fit to address the new Emperor.

As Yinzhen ascends the throne, Yinsi and the other princes tried to confront him at the deceased Emperor's funeral but Yinsi surprised the other princes when he bowed and accepted Yinzhen, now Emperor Yongzhen's orders. Yinsi then revealed that he does not have a choice as Yinzhen had Nian Gengyao and Longkodo who commanded the military to assist him and going against Yinzhen would only mean death.
They had to wait for Yinti's return for he is the great General who holds command to the country's army. When Yinti returns, he was shocked and angered at his father's death and also the fact that his brother may have seized the throne but he did not do anything about it. His mother was furious and refused to acknowledge the Emperor Yongzhen even until her deathbed. Her insistence to investigate the matter also led to the death of the Eunuch Li Dequan whom the Emperor Yongzhen ordered to be poisoned for he knows too much as he was the trusted attendant of the former Emperor; indicating that the Emperor did indeed forged the rights of the inheritance to the throne?

Yinxiang was released and was promoted to be a Prince Yi of the first rank, along with Yinsi who was also promoted to the title of Prince Lian of the First Rank and ordered to assist Emperor Yongzhen in the country administration following his official installation. Emperor Yongzhen also took action by putting the official who accused him of treason previously before Emperor Kangxi to death. His new ruling was that of an iron fist and this instilled fear among his brothers and his enemies. Ruoxi was also released (the bunch of maids and eunuchs at the late Emperor's deathbed were all ordered to be quarantined before Yinzhen's ascension to the throne) and was ordered to stay at Emperor Yongzhen's study chambers where she became his sleeping companion.

The Emperor is now extremely busy and rarely had time to sleep as he resorted to spend his time clearing most of the mess in the country's administration along with the help of Yinxiang. Yinxiang and Luwu also had a daughter, Chenghuan (named by Ruoxi) and the Emperor adored her, along with Ruoxi.
(Luwu was not recognized by Emperor Kangxi due to her background as a wine attendant and also that she was not of Manchu origin). Luwu ran away from Yinxiang after one of his wives chided her for her poor background and that it would affect Chenghuan who would grow up as a Manchurian princess. Taking her daughter's future into consideration, Luwu chose to commit suicice.

The Emperor and Ruoxi knew of Luwu's death, but chose not to inform Yinxiang to avoid affecting his health which was quite poor from the start. At the same time, Ruoxi started to fear Yongzhen as she could no longer sense what he was up to and also upon realizing the number of people he killed cruelly since he succeeded the throne. She was also upset with his prejudices towards Yinsi and his gang, and the way he was treating all of them although he claimed that they were the ones who instigated the incident to harm him and Yinxiang. (Yongzhen was finding fault with Yinsi most of the time since he ascended the throne).
Yongzhen also killed Yutan; Ruoxi's best friend and maid-in-waiting whom she treated as a sister since she entered the palace as she turned out to be a spy for Yintang.

Yintang, the 9th Prince was furious with the Emperor and resorted to talking to Minghui, revealing Yinsi and Ruoxi's previous relationship and also how Ruoxi was the one who told Yinsi to take precautions against Yinzhen which resulted in their fate today. Minghui was angered by that fact and went to the palace to confront Ruoxi, who was now pregnant with Yongzhen's child and told her how her actions had led to the current fates of all the princes in the same gang as Yinsi. Ruoxi was astonished and alarmed as she realized that her actions was a result of the predestination paradox; and though she never wanted to change history, she had inadvertently helped to shape history and that she had brought the bad luck which befell the princes of which she learnt in historical facts. Consumed with guilt, Ruoxi was excessively in grief that she suffered a miscarriage which led to her not being able to conceive ever again.

The Emperor was angered and learning of Minghui's visit, he issued an edict to order Yinsi to divorce his wife and when Yinsi refused to, he was threatened with the punishment along with his whole family. When Minghui learns of the orders, she begs Yinsi to divorce her and then left to return home where she kills herself. Ruoxi, upon learning of Yongzhen's edict, rushes with the 13th Prince to inform Yinsi to rescue Minghui whom she knew would commit suicide upon being forced to leave Yinsi, the man whom she lived to love her whole life and they arrived to find the Gororo's residence in havoc and Minghui was found hanging from the ceiling of her own bedroom which was in flames. Yinsi, lamenting Minghui's death, lashed out at Ruoxi whom he blamed for causing her death as she was the last person she met before Yongzhen issued the edict and that whatever Minghui had done, it could not have caused that much of an effect which required her to meet with such fate. The devastated Ruoxi before Yinsi led to Yinxiang revealing that Minghui's visit and words had far worse consequences than Yinsi could imagine as she caused Ruoxi's miscarriage and that Ruoxi could never conceive ever again and that last revelation shocked even Ruoxi herself as Yinxiang was ordered not to say a word to Ruoxi by Yongzhen.

Minghui's death angered Ruoxi and when Mingyu turns up to beg Ruoxi to ask Yongzhen to just grant them death rather than life torture, Ruoxi could not take it anymore and wishes to leave the palace. She also reveals to Yongzhen that she was the one who warned Yinsi of him when they were princes; much to the astonishment of Yinxiang whom she apologized to for causing his distress for 10 years. After that, she asked Yinxiang to sent the word to Yinti that she is willing. Though Yinxiang had no idea but promised to convey the message which led to Yinti carrying the edict issued by their late father, the Emperor Kangxi to bestow his marriage to Ruoxi, much to the surprise of Yongzhen.
While he was contemplating on his decision, his wife spoke to him and he was on the verge to forgive Ruoxi, when Yinsi appeared and requested a personal moment with him where he revealed the details of his past relationship and romance with Ruoxi and not mentioning their break up. Yongzhen was angered by this revelation and refused to let Ruoxi touch him ever again and then granted Yinti to marry Ruoxi.

On the day Ruoxi left the palace, Yongzhen was seen to be crying silent tears as he watched in pain at her horse carriage scuttling away from the palace. Ruoxi bade farewell to Yinsi as well, whom she hugged as she knew it may be the last time they may meet in this lifetime and Yinsi told her to forget about the Forbidden City and also all the princes. Ruoxi also bade farewell to Yinxiang and arrived at Yinti's place to begin her new life outside the palace. There were no wedding ceremony or formalities allowed, as ordered by Yongzhen and unknown to Ruoxi, Yongzhen even placed spies in Yinti's place who would report their daily activities to him. At one point, Yinti and Ruoxi were described to be rather close to each other and Yongzhen, angered by this news, vowed never to have her news sent to him again.

Ruoxi started to miss Yongzhen deeply, and as she was getting weaker by the day (she was predicted to only live well for at least 10 years due to her poor health previously caused by her incessant worries and depression, which were worsened by her constant kneeling and time in the laundry department), she requested to write a letter to be sent to Yongzhen to see whether he would come to see her before she dies. Yinti promised to help her to send the letter but inserted her letter into an envelope which he wrote with his own handwriting. When the letter reaches the palace, Yongzhen casted it aside as he assumed that it was another of Yinti's complaints or pranks. Ruoxi waited for days for Yongzhen and started to leave instructions to her family maid, QiaoHui on her will after death. As Ruoxi continues to grow weaker and there was no sign of Yongzhen, Ruoxi believed that Yongzhen would never forgive her and on one day, she was spending time with Yinti, she died with the magnolia flower hairpin Yongzhen gave her falling out of her hand.

News of Ruoxi's death reached the palace and Yongzhen was hit badly. As he threw the news to the floor, even Yinxiang was shocked to see the announcement that Ruoxi had died. Yongzhen then recalled the arrival of a letter from Yinti's place and searched frantically for the letter among his papers. When he found it, he tore open and found Ruoxi's letter inside the envelope which he then cried over as he realized that Ruoxi loved him truly and deeply. Together with Yinxiang, they made their way to Yinti's house to pay their last respects and claim Ruoxi's body.

Yinti had cremated Ruoxi's body, according to her last wishes and when Yongzhen and Yinxiang arrived at his house, they were in grief but Yinxiang was surprised that was no coffin in sight which led to Yongzhen believing that Ruoxi was probably playing a trick on them. When Yinti emerged with his wine bottle and a square box, he revealed that Ruoxi was inside the box and that she was cremated, Yongzhen threatened to kill him but Yinti stated that it was Ruoxi's wish to be cremated. Yongzhen then took Ruoxi's ashes away although Yinti was against it, but QiaoHui appeared and said that Ruoxi would want that. QiaoHui also led Yongzhen to Ruoxi's room and handed him all her belongings and Yongzhen cried over the things which she kept and treated as her most prized possessions; which were the magnolia flower hairpin, a handcrafted sniffing bottle and the arrow which he was shot with.

When Yinsi learnt of Ruoxi's death, he also ran to confront Yongzhen and was angry that she was cremated until Yinxiang explained the reason. Yinsi then told Yongzhen that they were very much similar and that they both cared about the throne more than Ruoxi and they were both more alike than they would have liked.

The scene switched to Ruoxi waking up in a hospital; now in the present era and she is Zhang Xiao again, having awakened from her coma. Upon her discharge, she started to search on the Internet about her identity Ma'ertai Ruoxi and could not find anything which led to her wondering whether she really did exist. She then checked the history to find out about the fate of all the princes and realized that most of them did meet with their fates as described by history and that her best friend, Yinxiang also died of poor health and Yongzhen was left all alone.

Zhang Xiao was wandering on the streets alone, wondering about whether all the events were merely a dream since she didn't exist in the history and found the billboard promoting an exhibition on the Qing Dynasty in the museum. She decided to visit, and as she was viewing all the exhibits which included the costumes and also tea sets, she spotted a painting which seemed familiar and she realized that it was similar to a scene where the princes were enjoying their afternoon with the Emperor Kangxi at the pavilion and there was a tea lady wearing a magnolia flower hairpin beside a prince who was wearing the magnolia ring; signifying that it was the 4th Prince and she cried as she realized that she had indeed existed then.
At the same time, a man walked in and when she turned to look at him, he turned and he looked like the 4th prince and tears just flowed from her eyes but he does not seem to recognize her.
He walked up to her and asked, "Do we know each other?"
He walked away when she did not answer and she was left there standing alone, by the painting, crying....

My Review:
I absolutely LOVE this drama, and this is now my Most favorite drama; overtaking 49 Days and even My Fair Princess. I remembered that the last time I was this into period drama was definitely My Fair Princess; and back then, I was totally absorbed into the beautiful settings and romance between the princesses and their beaus. However, this drama now absolutely took my breath away (not to mention tears and my heart too) with the beautiful storyline and the amazing lineup of the cast.

Thumbs up and kudos to Tong Hua for coming up with such a brilliant story; albeit it is just a historical fiction but I am in awe and admiration for this lady and I am sure she must be extremely proud that her drama and story had plummeted to skyline popularity the moment the drama was aired.
The cast was excellent and though they may not have realized it then, they have all also rocketed to immediate fame overnight with their portrayal of the handsome princes in the story who all was attracted to Ruoxi, the main female lead in the story.
There are many reasons that I love this drama, and I think, judging from the length of my synopsis above, it could take long enough to list out all of them but I was thinking of creating a separate fan page dedicated to this drama (yes, I am in love!), and for now, I will list out the main reasons:
1. Awesome story and plot by Tong Hua (mentioned above). Although time travel is not really a fresh or original concept in stories or dramas, this drama made time travel really enchanting and worth looking forward to and I love how the story focused on all the heartstrings, emotions, competition and even development of the persona of each of the character as the story progresses.

2. Excellent lineup of actors (also mentioned above), and though there may be some who were unknown actors, I doubt they still are after this drama. Each of the choice for the role was fitting and I would not be able to imagine anyone else playing any of them besides the actors selected and it is not just about the looks, but their expressions and abilities in acting which made the drama so enjoyable, so the credits go to all the actors and crew who worked so hard in producing this drama.
(Yes, I can see that most of them seemed to look rather tired in the drama which was a sign that they lacked sleep in the process of filming the drama. Nicky Wu, Kevin Cheng, Yuan Hong and Cecilia Liu were the most evident not because they worked the hardest but because they had the most screen time. Even veteran actor Damien Lau looked like he could do with a bit of sleep in this drama).
Poor fellows, but really, our hats off to your dedication and it really paid off with the popularity of this drama.

3. The wonderfully beautiful settings and costumes! This drama made Qing Dynasty so appealing; and there was quite a display of the costumes as the princes went through changes of attires throughout the drama and they were also complemented with the accessories such as rings and jades. Great job to the director and costume folks for paying attention to such details!
(Usually it's the female leads who get the most attention when it comes to the costumes, but I can tell you, in this drama, the princes' attires deserve that big Wow as they make their way to the screens with their fine quality and colors!)

4. The songs and tunes in the drama are to die for; they are just so perfect for the scenes and tone of the drama; so another good job by the composer Raymond Wong! I love the theme songs and even all the accompanying background tunes which just created that sense of excitement and fiddles with the audience's mood in anticipating the next event.

5. The chemistry between the actors are just superb; be it between the princes (brotherhood), the princes and the Emperor (fraternity), prince and mother (maternal), princes and their alliances (allegiance and loyalty), and the lovers (romance). Even the maids and eunuchs in their own roles, managed to touch me with their portrayals.

6. The touching scenes between Ruoxi and Yinzhen are just amazing, and I would further elaborate on that in my page or in the analysis/review below.

7. Depiction of Qing Dynasty through the series of events; though fictional still manages to stick to the facts although the way the event turned out is purely a work of creation (so, please do NOT treat this as the actual History of Kangxi and Yongzhen Emperors!)

8. Make up; should be categorized along with the costumes but I must mention that I like the subtle make-up and not overly done which gave the actors and actresses a natural-looking complexion rather than exaggerated beauty. Yes, even the guys could be seen with a layer of powder/foundation on their faces to maintain their complexion; thanks to the high quality of the HD videos these days where every imperfection can be seen and I kinda pity the actors for that pressure. It's not hard to see that the actors really looked like they were going through lack of sleep during their filming; as not just their skin was not exactly glowing but the dark circles under their eyes were quite apparent which could not be hidden even by the thickest of make up and I don't think that should be considered an imperfection in the eyes of the viewers; but rather a sign of their extreme hard work and dedication to complete the filming of this drama that caught everyone's interest.
Therefore, the actors should enjoy the credits along with their make up artists who did an amazing job.

This review will be taking longer than my normal reviews, as I just have so much to talk and write about this drama based on my opinions and I will be doing my characters analysis, relationships, and even scenes in different posts. This is my favorite drama and just deserve that much attention :-)

My rating and verdict does not really need to be proven anymore, does it?
Rating : 5/5
Verdict: Highly recommended for Qing Dynasty fans, romance-based historical fiction or even if you are a Huan Zhu Ge Ge fan ;-)

To be continued with the characters' analysis/review...

ZJTV: The Emperor's Harem (后宫) (2011)

2012-06-14T20:49:00.001-07:00

Year Produced: 2011

Director: Huang Jian Xun
Producer: Chen Chun Xia
Written by: Chen Hui Yan
Language: Mandarin
Country of Origin: China

No. of episodes: 46

Cast:
Ady An Yi Xuan as Shao Chun Hua/Li Zi Yun
Jiang Yi Yi as young Shao Chun Hua
Tavia Yeung Yi as Wan Zhen 'Er/ Imperial Consort Wan
Patrick Tam as Wang Zhi
Wu Lei as young Wang Zhi
Feng Shaofeng as Yang Yong
Lv Yi as Shao Qing Zhi/ Imperial Consort Shao
Jiang Yi as Zhu Jian Shen (Emperor Cheng Hua)
He Sai Fei as Empress Dowager Zhou
Chen Sha Li as Empress Dowager Qian
Liu Ting Yu as Bai Han Xiang (Imperial Consort Bai)
Liu Na Ping (刘娜萍) as Ling Qi Qiao
Li Ying as Ling Si Zheng
Yue Yao Li as Zhou Shang Shu
Du Jun Ze as Yang Luo
Wang Jian Xin as 5th Imperial Uncle

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
Set in the Ming Dynasty, the story tells of the conflicts and schemes among the women in the Imperial Harem during the reign of the Emperor Xianzhong who ascended the throne following the death of his father Emperor Yingzong.

Emperor Xianzhong has recently crowned his new Empress, according to his mother, Empress Dowager Zhou's wishes but to the displeasure of his favorite concubine; Wan Zhen Er (Tavia Yeung).
Wan was actually his sort-of nanny maid who took care of him when he was younger and being bullied by the then crown prince; who was the son of Empress Dowager Qian and that was the reason that he had grown fond of Wan that he took her as his wife when he ascended the throne. However, his mother, Empress Dowager Zhou was unhappy with his choice and denied her the privilege of becoming the Empress based on the reason of her lowly background as a palace maid servant.
In front of the Emperor, Consort Wan seemed to be a loving wife but it was also due to the Emperor's affections that she was quite arrogant and was even a little disrespectful towards the Empress and Empress Dowager (sometimes) but she kept it at a more subtle level.
However, when she refused to greet the Empress and claimed that she was given special privileges provoking the Empress to slap her, she acted on a eunuch, Wang Zhi (Patrick Tam)'s advice to take the opportunity to eradicate the Empress from her position and the plan worked; resulting in the Emperor lashing out in anger and stripped the Empress off her title and even thrown into seclusion, despite the pleas of the Empress Dowager. Consort Wan even went to the extent to poisoning the poor disowned Empress to ensure that she would never make it to threaten her shoul the Emperor turned merciful someday.

Wang Zhi was an extremely ambitious eunuch and after the incident of helping Consort Wan, he was even summoned to serve her as the head in her household and became her right hand man in assisting her in elevating her status in the royal harem. Wang Zhi came from a poor background; as he was a young orphan boy who often stole and begged from the streets. He was once saved by a man with the surname Li, who happened to be a fugitive from the government during the rebellion period. As a young boy, Wang Zhi found out about the reward offered by the government to capture Li and he went forward to expose his own saviour's whereabouts thus resulting in the breakup of the family as Li left behind a wife and a young daughter, Li Zi Yun(Yang Yi Yi), who went into hiding. After Li was executed, Li's wife also passed away shortly and left her daughter to a trustworthy neighbor who took care of her but his wife mistreated Zi Yun and often ordered her to handle most of the heavy chores around the household. Zi Yun was out selling vegetables in the market on behalf of her foster family when she rescued Wang Zhi from being beaten up by the market vendors after stealing a bun from one of the stalls.
As Zi Yun offered to pay for the bun Wang Zhi stole, she was being scolded and disowned by the woman and at that time, she was rescued by another little girl, Shao Chun Hua and her father, who was also an officer and they took her in. Thus Zi Yun began her life as Shao Chun Hua's maid but fate struck again when the little girl Chun Hua, who was the only daughter in the Shao household, was summoned to enter the palace.
(It was a requirement at that time for the daughters of the officials to be selected or enter the palace when they are summoned. That also meant that their life would be subject to the palace life and it may be difficult for them to leave or return to their homes, thus losing their previous freedom).

As the Shaos moan over the fate of their only daughter, Zi Yun stepped in and volunteered to take Chun Hua's place and by doing that, she had to assume the identity of Shao Chun Hua to enter the palace to avoid being discovered by the government which could result in death sentence for disobeying the royal edict. As such, Li Zi Yun has now become Shao Chun Hua, and entered the palace where she met other young girls with the same destiny. In the beginning, she was almost caught along with a few other girls as the inspectors in the palace could tell from their hands that they were not of noble birth and thus deposed them in jail after their confession. Chun Hua, with the interests of the Shao family, refused to confess but she was fortunate enough to win the heart of the head of the household bureau who placed her in one of the bureaus and let her off the hook.

Shao Chun Hua, now a young maiden, played by Ady An, befriended another girl, Bai Han Xiang (Liu Ting Yu) as they worked together in their daily tasks.
Although Chun Hua just wanted to lead a simple life without trouble or any interest except in the field of music which she was exceptionally talented in, her charm and intelligence aroused the jealousy of another fellow bureau member, Ling Qi Qiao(Liu Na Ping), who was also the niece of one of the bureau head and this girl was intent to make Chun Hua's life in the palace miserable as she spins plot after plot and creating troubles in the palace.

The loss of the Empress angered the Empress Dowager but she could not find evidence to nail the Imperial Consort Wan (she had been promoted since) and thus, she engaged the help of the Fifth Imperial Uncle to advise the Emperor to take on more wives to add to the harem to ensure succession to the royal family. The Fifth Imperial Uncle was more blunt in pointing out the obvious which angered the Emperor and also Imperial Consort Wan. As Wang Zhi was also insulted openly by the royal Uncle, he came out with the plot to take down the Fifth Imperial Uncle by creating false accusations which resulted in his death punishment. The Empress Dowager was upset with the news of the death of the Uncle, but that created an opportunity for the Empress Dowager to force the Emperor to crown a new Empress based on the candidate she selected which he had to agree to console his mother.

Imperial Consort Wan was definitely displeased with the news although the Emperor assured her that he only loved her. She hinted to the new Empress of her powers and the new Empress, not wanting any trouble, focused her time on praying and not meddling in the matters of the harem.
The Empress Dowager was upset with the inactivity of the new Empress and was even more frustrated when she heard of the news that Wan was pregnant. At the same time, the Empress Dowager Qian, who was the previous Empress Dowager but was maintained because the Emperor still respected her and out of his gratitude for her, was also plotting to bring her own trusted aide into the harem to ensure that her position is maintained or strengthened should her aide win the affections of the Emperor.
Imperial Consort Wan gave birth to a baby boy but he died shortly after, and that gave the reason for the Empress Dowager Zhou to further pressure the Emperor to take on more concubines to carry on the royal bloodline, which the Emperor reluctantly agreed to please his mother and also as Wan was still mourning over his child's sudden demise.

One of the candidates who entered the palace was Shao Qing Zhi (Lv Yi), who was actually the aide trained by the Empress Dowager Qian's own relative (or uncle). However, Qing Zhi was quite unfortunate in the beginning as despite several attempts and close encounters with the Emperor, she just failed in getting his attention (it was also because most of the time her efforts were foiled by Imperial Consort Wan who faked urgencies so that the Emperor would rush to her side).
When Qing Zhi met up with Chun Hua, she could recognize her and it turned out that Qing Zhi was the actual Chun Hua; the identity of the little girl whom she replaced to enter the palace.
They became best friends again, along with Han Xiang as they spent most of their time together.

At the same time, Chun Hua and Han Xiang were both trying to audition to enter the musical bureau and they both met Yang Yong (Feng Shaofeng), a male musician whom they both fell for. However, Yang Yong was interested in Chun Hua as he had recognized the musical instrument which he initially wanted and was sold to a bidder within the palace. However, due to the strict rules within the palace, they could only kept their feelings in their hearts.

Besides Chun Hua's intelligence, Yang Yong was only the main reason Qi Qiao was trying to bring her down. To add to the success of her plan, Chun Hua's intelligence also accidentally stirred the dissatisfaction of the Empress Dowager Zhou an also Imperial Consort Wan.
When Han Xiang also accidentally became one of the Emperor's new favorite concubine (thanks to Qi Qiao's failed attempt to trick her), Qing Zhi became more distressed and fell for Qi Qiao's lies that Chun Hua and Han Xiang were not the friends she thought they were and they were plotting to become the Emperor's concubines themselves, thus stirring the suspicion and anger in Qing Zhi who then turned them away and even treated them with contempt.

Chun Hua, despite trying to stay away from troubles found herself facing threats everywhere and thankfully, Wang Zhi, who recognized her as the little girl who rescued him and also the same one whom he caused misfortune upon her family, came to her rescue. However, Wang Zhi was jealous of her affections towards Yang Yong whom he wanted to kill all the while and also because Yang Yong was constantly on his heels to avenge his own brother's death (his brother was killed by Wang Zhi).

Wang Zhi had to come to a decision eventually; to save Chun Hua and send her out of the palace which also meant she would get to be with Yang Yong whom he still tries to get rid of, but saving her would be returning the favor/deed to her and her family who had saved him when he was younger.

My Review:
This is a drama on a rather serious note; focusing on the battle between the women in the harem, from the highest ranks of the Empress Dowager to the concubines and even the bureaus.
Ady An may be the lead in the drama (it was quite obvious!), but our good ol' Hong Kong team comprising of Tavia Yeung and Patrick Tam held roles of equal weight and shared a considerable amount of screen time. Having watched many of Ady An's dramas, I did not see much difference in her role here as she plays yet another damsel in distress who wanted nothing but was constantly the subject of hatred and anger.
There are a few stories that the drama is centered on; such as the feud between the Empress Dowager Zhou and Qian, the Empress Dowager Zhou and Imperial Consort Wan, Imperial Consort Wan versus the other concubines and also Chun Hua, with the help of Wang Zhi, Yang Yong's love for Chun Hua and his quest to avenge his brother's death.
Yeah, so where does the Emperor comes in? Well, he is just the mere figure who appears once in a while to show his affections for his Imperial Consort Wan or to solve the mess in the harem and that is his major contribution to the drama. After all, the title is about the Emperor's harem and not about the Emperor, right?

Looking at the complex web lying in the harem, I dare say that the Emperor is definitely a busy man to have to deal with all of them each and every day and handling the country's political matters simultaneously.
There is much focus on the role of music; as Chun Hua, Han Xiang, Yang Yong and even Qing Zhi are portrayed with musical talents (Qing Zhi is involved in dancing) but I was just surprised that with music as one of its central theme, there are only 2-3 musical tunes/songs composed for the drama and it just kept playing repeatedly throughout the drama. It gets kind of boring along the way, and I kept wondering how could the Emperor take it again and again and again, each time he requests for the presence of music to entertain him and his family? I mean, I think the producers/directors should have looked into this particular detail. (Comparing to an average Korean drama which had more than 5 soundtracks to each drama, perhaps the producers should have considered having more composers or his composer to come up with more tunes? Just a thought)

As the relationships are all intertwined, let me do an analysis to explore the main plots featured above:

Relationship 1: Empress Dowager Zhou and Empress Dowager Qian
Both of the Empress Dowagers were the wives of the earlier Emperor, who was the father of Emperor Xianzong. Empress Dowager Qian was the Empress then; and since she was alive, she was automatically elevated to the rank of Empress Dowager when one of the princes were crowned the next ruler. (It was sort of the rule at that time, as the Empress was also known as the Mother of the country and therefore most of the princes are also her sons). Empress Dowager Zhou was the biological mother of Emperor Xianzong and she was displeased with the presence of the Empress Dowager Qian whom her own son, the Emperor, seemed to be rather fond of and respected. As the Empress Dowager Qian had no children of her own, she was quite kind to the Emperor Xianzong when he was a kid and that was the reason he liked her so much. However, fearing the threat of the jealous Empress Dowager Zhou, she knew she had to do something to strengthen her position by having someone on her side to serve the Emperor. Her uncle (or brother) adopted a young girl (who was the real Shao Chun Hua) who was now Shao Qing Zhi and took her in to be groomed for this purpose since young; from the art of embroidery to poetry and dancing so that she could someday win the attention and affections of the Emperor when she is sent into the palace.
Empress Dowager Qian was confident when she saw Qing Zhi who was quite a pretty girl, but unfortunately luck was not on her side when Qing Zhi herself was often pushed aside as the Emperor still prioritizes Imperial Consort Wan and slowly, she neglected Qing Zhi whom she perceived as no longer of value to her. When Qing Zhi finally gained the love of the Emperor, she tried to win her affections again, but it was already too late as Qing Zhi had seen through their real intentions and how they treated her when she was in distress.
The feud between the two Empress Dowager was until the end even when Empress Dowager Qian died, Empress Dowager Zhou still refused to allow her to be buried beside the late Emperor although she was the official Empress as she wanted to be recognized as the legitimate wife and also the mother of the current Emperor. (Wang Zhi had to help the Emperor out on this issue to make the Empress Dowager happy).

Relationship 2: Empress Dowager Zhou and Imperial Consort Wan

Despite her own son's loyal devotion to this one woman, the Empress Dowager never did like Wan Zhen 'Er,for two reasons; she was of a lowly background (a palace maid servant) and was older than the Emperor by a few years or decades (she was his sort-of nanny then, c'mon!), which clearly suggests she was definitely more senior in her age.
However, another main reason was because she used to be a palace maid serving the Empress Dowager Qian.
Alright, I have to stand by the Empress Dowager on this one and it is not regarding the status or the age issue (I have no discrimination against either), but the thing is, she is his NANNY! For goodness sake, this is so close to incest! Why do they like relationships like these? I mean, how could you have someone you used to respect or care for you like your own mother (okay, at least big sister) to be your wife? It is just odd, in my opinion.
I am not about to debate on this topic because I think this part did exist in the history that one of the Emperors did marry his own nanny. Anyway, the Imperial Consort Wan was displeased with the fact that the Empress Dowager was constantly picking on her and though she tried to be subtle, she just could not hide her own displeasure which was quite realistic as she was not of noble background and therefore lacked in the many qualities of education which was taken note of in the drama.

Relationship 3: Emperor, Imperial Consort Wan and Wang Zhi

While I am impressed with the loyalty of the Emperor for having so few wives in his harem (he actually only wanted one wife and it was really rare during those era, even more so if he is the Emperor), I just find it weird that he liked his own 'nanny'. Okay, I'll get over that point, but I did feel the Emperor was a little blinded out of his love for his consort, and sometimes even to the point of disrespecting his own mother and uncle. I understand that he does loves her, but in that case, doesn't he know her true character, that she is not as simple as she seemed? I mean, they grew up together,didn't they?
Then comes in Wang Zhi, a low ranking eunuch who suddenly seized the opportunity to present himself and his idea to Consort Wan and immediately gaining her favor which elevated him to a higher rank. However, he was not satisfied with his position and aimed to be next to the Emperor which he succeeded; much to the displeasure of Imperial Consort Wan who realized his intentions. Wang Zhi was a smart fellow, as he did not dare to offend Imperial Consort Wan and even continued to serve alongside the two masters; ensuring for his own safety and yet at the same time, managed to feed his own ambitions and greed using his powers in the palace.

Relationship 4: Chun Hua, Han Xiang and Yang Yong

The three of them got entangled in a love triangle in their musical bureau as they were called to work together to perform to the Emperor (or was it more than a love triangle, if you include Qi Qiao who also fell for Yang Yong, but then he never did reciprocate her love, did he?) Yang Yong initially thought that the girl who bought the musical instrument he wanted outside the palace was Han Xiang because he saw her using it, yet at the same time, he just felt inexplicably drawn to Chun Hua (well, her doe-like eyes and sweet smile just exude that kind of charm anyway) and he totally fell for her when he found out that she was the one. It was like the whole picture fits in at that time, and then they began silently communicating through duets over the wall each night (they were separated through a wall due to their gender-based dormitories). They knew their relationship may not come to anything as they were confined to the palace rules and that meant they had no freedom in selecting their own partners, if they had any. Han Xiang was also attracted to Yang Yong but she was the timid and subtle lady, and in a twist of fate, she became the concubine of the Emperor, who just loved her for sweet and quiet personality. The incident awakened both Chun Hua and Yang Yong, especially him as he starts to worry if Chun Hua would get entangled in the same fate. It seemed like it was a relationship with no future for Chun Hua and Yang Yong, and like all romance stories, they went through trials and tribulations before finally ending together, yes, out of the palace.

Characters Analysis/Review:
I think I would like to start with my favorite characters in the drama first...
My Favorite Character
Liu Ting Yu as Bai Han Xiang

She is just so sweet, and her grace is just the epitome of beauty in that era. I could see why the Emperor could fall for her or how she could win anyone's heart for that matter.

Even Imperial Consort Wan, who was easily jealous of any newcomer in the harem, did not pose much threat to her because Han Xiang was just so courteous and polite to her and also because Han Xiang was not really interested in the Emperor (she liked only Yang Yong, remember?) This lady had a pure heart and she treated everyone with genuine feelings and true love and that made her so lovable in the drama. In spite of all her qualities, she was actually also the most pitiful and lonely character in the series, for although she seemed to have everything at her doorstep, she was just not happy because those were the things she never really wanted. At least she get to lie in the arms of the one she loved before her end, and I think that was probably the only happiest moment in her life.

Best Performances
Patrick Tam as Wang Zhi

While many may think that Tavia is the best in the drama (actually she does come very close), but I preferred Patrick's portrayal of Wang Zhi. This is a very good actor, and I was quite happy to see him back on a screen after such a long break (so he ended up in Mainland China too!). His acting was just so natural and poised that he just eased into his role without any effort, or so it seems. It is amazing how coolly he played the ruthless and ambitious eunuch who rose to power and then continued to feast on his greed by serving his masters and attaining his wealth through illegal means (but doing it intelligently). He is indeed a picture of evil, but then again, I liked how Patrick portrayed the humanity and compassionate side of Wang Zhi when faced with Chun Hua, whom he loved and was grateful to as she was his saviour twice when he was younger.

Despite the harsh and cold facade of Wang Zhi who would stop at nothing to achieve his ambitions, we see him hesitating when it comes to decisions involving Chun Hua and how he would be restless or bothered if she was in trouble. Patrick's expressions just made his personalities evident, as he brought out the different sides of a human being in reality and it is no different for someone as cold as Wang Zhi for he still has his own weakness. Great job, and I hope to see him in more significant roles like these! Absolutely the right choice for this character!

Tavia Yeung as Wan Zhen Er/Imperial Consort Wan

Without a doubt, she comes really close to being second to Patrick Tam, although I would have placed her on the top of the list regardless and it is no surprise for I have always been a fan of Tavia Yeung. This is the second time she is playing a villain role like this; similar to her first breakthrough role as Yiu Kam Ling in TVB's Beyond the Realm of Conscience (宮心計). Well, to be honest, this drama did remind me a lot of the TVB drama due to Tavia and also the focus on the imperial household bureaus. Anyway, perhaps you can say that I am biased but Tavia, in my opinion has always been a great actress and with roles like these, she has proven herself to be a very versatile actress who could play both the good and even evil roles (I have heard that it is harder and more challenging to play a villain compared to a lovable character).
Her character is an attention-seeking and eager to prove her worth type of lady, who was constantly on her guard to ensure that her position is maintained in the Emperor's eyes. It was known to her that she would never be made the Empress as long as the Empress Dowager was around, or if that was even possible due to her background, but she also kept the newly crowned Empress at bay to ensure that she would not be at threat. In fact, the Empress seemed to fear her more than the other way round. On the outside, it appears as though Wan was a woman crazy for power, but deep down inside, she is just a woman craving for the love and full devotion of her husband and she just wants a monogamous and loyal love between two people. Was she really wrong? Not really, as we women are all bent on the same thing. How many could bear to have your husband taking in more wives and then sharing your husband with all these other women whom you don't even know and yet had to get along with? I wouldn't say that Wan Zhen Er was an extreme villain as judging from her intentions and also her quest to protect herself, and also her affections for the Emperor. All I can say is this is just one jealous woman who just wants her husband to herself and will stop at nothing to attain her goal.

Most Despicable Character/Character I Hate
Liu Na Ping as Ling Qi Qiao

Seriously, this lady just get on my nerves and I just felt like slapping the crap out of her every time she appears on screen! She is like, the ultimate source of all the drama and issues happening in the palace and she is always creating trouble everywhere she went. Of course, I do understand that without her there would be no plot in the drama, but still, does she have to be so annoying? She may be a good actress, but a little too good for her sake for I now really hate the sight of her even she appears in other dramas (for instance, I am watching another palace drama which had her in it, and she is again the witch in there, argh!)
She deserved her end, seriously and it was really entertaining when she was put on her toes by Wang Zhi for constantly causing harm to Chun Hua (not that I am a sadist or anything like that)! I just couldn't stand the sight of her, at all and I just couldn't wait to see her being put out of the drama, although it was indeed a very long wait in this drama. Acting wise, she was quite annoying as she constantly puts on this same expression as though she is trying to tell the audience that 'Hey, I am going to do something evil soon' and it is that same expression she wears all the time like it is some tell-tale sign or something. So, nope, I am not that impressed with her acting and it's not just because I am biased because of her role, but to play a villain role, I think she should take some lessons from Tavia or Patrick.

Other Lead Characters doing an average job
Ady An as Li Zi Yun/Shao Chun Hua

Chun Hua, oh Chun Hua, she is just trying to lead a simple life and yet everyone ends up in her life.
It is just the type of character that Ady would play, get what I mean? I think I have watched Ady many times in stereotypical roles like these where she is always depicted as such a sad character whose life story just warrants the sympathy of the viewers and frankly, it does get a little boring sometimes. She is always casted in roles where all she wanted was to mind her own business but then everyone started minding her business, because you see, her own business somehow started to involve helping others in solving their businesses, and then she became the prey for all those in power. All because of her over-helpfulness.
She had a sad story/background, like most of the main characters in stories like these are bound to have and then she was depicted to have led a tough life but yet maintained a positive outlook in life that she just wanted to enjoy life and stay out of the power struggle within the palace and yet she was just drawn into them because of her indirect involvement in helping her friends and people around her.
Perhaps it was those pretty eyes and sad expressions which Ady seemed to express so well that all the directors seem to like and fitted roles like these perfectly, but in my opinion, there is nothing extraordinary in her role here and I think Ady, despite being one of the leads was overshadowed by Patrick and Tavia and even the other characters as mentioned above.
By the way, did anyone notice how similar her character was to Charmaine Sheh's Lau Sam Ho in TVB's Beyond the Realm of Conscience? (Just too nice to the extent that it was quite unbelievable?)

Feng Shaofeng as Yang Yong

I have noticed how often Ady and Feng Shaofeng appeared in the same drama and how they are often paired up with each other, but I didn't mind as they do look compatible with each other and there is just so much chemistry between these two. Feng Shaofeng was another actor in this drama who did not have that much of an importance, as I did not really see him showing off much of his acting skills. Most of the time, being Yang Yong, he had to be subtle and the only time when he had emotions was when he was grieving over his brother's death or trying to avenge his brother by investigating Wang Zhi, but other than that, I did not really feel much anticipation when he appears on screen. I even find his character a little boring sometimes as he was just either in the palace pulling that expressionless face or he was out there battering people to find out about the real reason/people responsible for his brother's death. A little too dull for Feng Shaofeng *yawns*, and I personally felt that it was a waste of his talent in this role.

Lv Yi as Shao Qing Zhi/Imperial Consort Shao

She is quite pretty, in my opinion but a little too easily manipulated and that makes her one of the saddest but the I-don't-get-it kind of characters at the same time. I mean, her story started when she was supposed to escape palace life by sending another girl as her substitute but her family's downfall reverted her back to being subject to being sent into the palace, as a pawn for the Empress Dowager Qian to strengthen her position and to win the Emperor's affections. This poor girl had nothing to say for herself but to submit herself to the arrangements made for her life by everyone around her, and that makes her really pitiful. Perhaps she was disappointed with her own fate/luck or she was just too humiliated or consumed by her own pride that she just seemed to be so easily misled by the evil Qi Qiao in turning her back to her own trusted friends, Chun Hua and Han Xiang. Isn't that a little silly, and all of a sudden, I was just wondering what is on the mind of this young lady? How could she be so dumb as to believe Qi Qiao over her own bosom buddies?

Anyway, I guess it was because she was just fed up of being manipulated and then subject to ridicule by even the slaves when she could not succeed in winning the Emperor's affections, and when she finally succeeded (after a very very long time), she strode in her glory but that was when she was threatened by Imperial Consort Wan. However, in spite of all the hardships she went through and maybe those made her strong, she was the last one to survive and probably became the Empress or Empress Dowager after the birth of her own child.

Jiang Yi as Emperor

I think this guy was just there for the sake of being there for the drama needed an Emperor, which was quite a pity for the actor. His acting skills were not required much except showing anger once in a while or loving, but I just felt that the actor seemed to be carrying the same mood or wooden expression throughout the drama.

My Verdict?
Quite good, I must say despite all the things I have mentioned in my review, and the tunes though only a few, are worth listening to, particularly the theme song which just sounds so soothing to the ears.
The costumes were quite impressive too, and I loved the colors display on the women's attires.

Rating: 3.5/5

Disclaimer: The review is based on the author's personal opinion and is in no way meant to affect any viewer. Watch at your own discretion.
Please take note that the images above are properties of the official website of the drama and do not belong to me. Do inform me if you need them to be removed, thank you.

TVB: Curse of the Royal Harem (萬凰之王)(2011)

2012-06-14T00:52:00.001-07:00

Year Produced: 2011

Executive Producer: Chong Wai Kin
Written by: Lee Yee-wah, Choi Shuk-yin
Language: Cantonese
Country of Origin: Hong Kong
Opening theme :Kok On Tin Ming (各安天命) by Susanna Kwan
Ending theme Tin Cho Tei Chit (天造地設) by Myolie Wu

No. of episodes: 29

Cast:
Hsuan Jessica Hester as Niuhuru Yee Lan/Imperial Consort Tsuen
Myolie Wu as Tunggiya Yuen-yuen/Empress Hao Sun
Sunny Chan Kam Hung as Emperor Do Kwong
Joel Chan as Prince Sui/Min Yan
Gigi Wong as Empress Dowager Kung Chee
Nancy Wu Ting Yan as Choi Lam/Consort Ching/Borjigit Ching Yu
Cheung Kwok Keung as Eunuch Wai Fuk On
Elena Kong as Consort Dowager Shun
Sire Ma as Lok-yan, the Princess Consort Sui

Supporting Cast:
Royal Harem
Jess Shum as Consort Shing
Vivien Yeo as Consort Wan
Charmaine Li as Concubine Yeung
Sherry Chen as Noble Lady Lam
Deborah Poon as Noble Lady Tung
Ching Hor Wai as Chui Mo Mo
Macy Chan as Choi Kiu
Lee Yee Man as Choi Yin (Empress's maid)
Tina Shek as Choi Yuet
Oscar Chan as Little Eunuch Choi
Jason Cheng as Little Eunuch Kwai
Russell Cheung as Little Eunuch Hong

Court/Officials
Gordon Liu as Tunggiya Shumung-or (Yuen yuen's father)
Rebecca Chan as Tunggiya Sin-yau (Yuen yuen's mother)
Ben Wong as Fucha Ngok-tai
Kong Hon as Niohuru Yee-ling (Yee Lan's father)
Kwok Fung as Mukcheung-or ( Lok Yan's father)

Cameo:
Peter Pang as Prince Muk/Min Yi (deceased brother of Min Yan and Emperor and Yee Lan's late husband) Sarah Song as Empress Xiaoshurui

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
Another imperial harem centered story; where the quest to vie for the Emperor's attention and attaining power becomes deadly that one could change overnight.

Niuhuru Yee Lan (Hsuan Jessica Hester) was the wife of Prince Muk/Min Yi, the elder brother of Emperor Do Kwong (Sunny Chan) and she was awaiting for his return from his assignment to control the emergence of a rebellion in Northwest China shortly after their marriage. However, her waiting was to no avail when Prince Muk was missing and could not be found. Despairing over his death, the Empress Dowager deemed Yee Lan as an unfortunate person and wanted her to be buried along with her son, Prince Muk as a sign to prove her love and loyalty to her dead husband. Yee Lan refused, as she did not believe that her husband was dead and insisted on waiting for him, which led the Empress Dowager to despise her for not loving her son enough.

At the same time, Tunggiya Yuen-yuen (Myolie Wu) was to be crowned the next Empress on the orders of the Emperor to fill the position and also due to the fact that Yuen-yuen was his favorite Imperial Consort, who was in line for the position of the empress. On the day of her installation, the Empress Dowager also ordered for Yee Lan to be buried and when the Emperor found out about it, he abandoned the ceremony and rushed to the burial site to rescue Yee Lan, much to the chagrin of the Empress Dowager and Yuen-yuen, now Empress Consort Hao Sun.

The Emperor was actually in love with Yee Lan earlier, but she was the wife of his late elder brother, Min Yi, who, had he not gone on his assignment would rightfully ascend the throne but as he was now missing and presumably dead, his younger brother, the next in line, ascended the throne.
In order to save Yee Lan from being persecuted or tormented for Min Yi's death, the Emperor ordered for her to be one of his concubines, much to the displeasure of the Empress Dowager and the Empress, who both started harboring more hatred towards her.

Yuen-yuen took the advice of her mother, Tunggiya Sin-yau (Rebecca Chan) to reinforce her position as the Empress so as not to be threatened by Yee Lan, who seemed to be one of the Emperor's favorite at the moment, while Yee Lan, on the other hand only wanted to lead a peaceful life tending to her favorite pastime; flowers in her garden. However, Yuen-yuen sent a spy; Choi Lam (Nancy Wu) to find out about Yee Lan's daily lifestyle and also to find fault with her. Choi Lam was caught between the power struggle and jealousy between both the Empress and Yee Lan that she starts fearing for her own life and even so especially watching how Yee Lan treated her. She changed towards serving Yee Lan instead of the Empress, but eventually felt tired when she was still targeted by the Empress.
Taking matters into her own hands, and after gaining the upper hand by masquerading as the long lost daughter of Chui Mor Mor (Ching Hor Wai); Yee Lan's trusted maid and then gaining the trust of Yee Lan. With the help of Eunuch Choi who works for the Emperor and who has a crush on Choi Lam, she managed to seduce the Emperor and then became Consort Ching.

Due to her lowly background and lack of education, she was constantly the subject of humiliation among the other concubines and determined to get back at them, she sought help from Yee Lan to teach her in a few of the things that the Emperor is interested in; and the unsuspecting Yee Lan guided her for the sake of Chui Mor Mor. However, Ching Yu became complacent and also absorbed in her hunger for power that she resorted to evil tactics to win the favor of the Emperor and to eradicate both her nemesis; the Empress and Yee Lan for their previous misjudgments towards her. Her lies and evil schemes were the ones which got her caught eventually as she fell out of favor with both the Empress and the rising in power Yee Lan.

Yuen-yuen and Yee Lan were both pregnant at the same time, and Yuen-yuen's mother tried to strengthen her daughter's position as the Empress by staging an accident when they were both arranged to worship the gods. However, Yuen-yuen, being one with a compassionate heart despite her cold facade, could not bring herself to do it and instead tried to help Yee Lan which resulted in herself suffering the miscarriage. Her mother bribed the doctor to keep it a secret and at the same time, told Yuen-yuen to conceive again. Due to the accident, the Emperor launched an intensive investigation and with evidences pointing towards Yuen-yuen, her mother stepped forward to take the blame and confessed that she was the mastermind behind the schemes to cause harm to Yee Lan and as such, she was sentenced to death and Yuen-yuen was sent away to a monastery to seek contemplation. While Yuen-yuen was trying in despair to help her mother, she harbored hatred towards Yee Lan for not helping her mother at all. The next shocking thing came to Yuen-yuen when her mother insisted that she must conceive again; even if it meant another man to avoid news of her miscarriage being leaked out and the only man who could help Yuen-yuen achieve her target would be Prince Sui (Joel Chan), who was her lover in the past before she jilted him in favor of joining the Imperial Harem. Yuen-yuen could not bring herself to agree to the plan but knew that it would be the only way to maintain her position against Yee Lan.

While Yee Lan was at the monastery, she was visited by her cousin sister, Lok Yan (Sire Ma) and Prince Sui/Min Yan, who decided to accompany her after the news of her mother's death. (Actually Lok Yan was in love with Prince Sui, but he was ignorant to her feelings due to his affections for Yuen-yuen alone. Prince Sui had even married Lok Yan as arranged by Yuen-yuen, but Lok Yan was unaware of their past relationship).

Yuen-yuen met up with the Prince when he was out in the woods alone, practising his skills, and seduced him where they spent a night together in the cave. Following her days of seclusion, she was summoned back to the palace and was elated to find that she was pregnant again but Prince Sui was bewildered with her decision and change in behavior as he thought that she would be with him again. When he found out about her intentions, he was furious and upset that she had betrayed his feelings to maintain her own power and position.

Yuen-yuen, fearing for the safety of her own child, start to mellow down in the matters at the palace but was constantly provoked by Consort Ching who was starting to aggravate even Yee Lan due to her support from the Empress Dowager herself. Yuen-yuen refused to forgive Yee Lan for her mother's death, and even plotted to bring Yee Lan's father down from the court along with her father, Tunggiya Shumung-Or.
At the same time, the emergence of a Consort Dowager Shun (Elena Kong) from the palace threatened to expose the past of the Empress Dowager and also the truth behind the death of the Emperor's biological mother who was actually murdered by the Empress Dowager Kung Chee. Despite her efforts to hide the truth from the Emperor, Yee Lan became indirectly involved in the whole web which exposed the true face of the Empress Dowager on the day of her grand birthday celebration arranged by the Emperor and his royal harem. As a result, the Empress Dowager was banished into seclusion and the Emperor even blamed Yee Lan for bringing up sad and bitter memories from his past; reminding him of who his biological mother really was in person and character.

Losing her favor, the Empress Dowager then plotted to get back into the favor of the Emperor by pleading on her knees for the safety of her grandson; Yuen-yuen's son who was born with birth defects due to a medication that she took to expedite her delivery before she was due in order to be ahead of Yee Lan's child. When her child was in danger, the Empress Dowager saw it as an opportunity and knelt down with her injured feet to touch the heavens and also the Emperor, who forgave her when her feet were to be amputated as a result of the serious injury. Also, Yuen-yuen's son, the 2nd prince survived following that incident.

At this time, Yuen-yuen and Yee Lan were sworn enemies as Yee Lan blamed Yuen-yuen and her father for prosecuting her father, Niuhuru Yee Ling (Kong Hon) on false accusations. Yuen-yuen, on the other hand was starting to make amendments to do good to pray for the good health of her son. The Empress Dowager saw their rift as an opportunity and instructed Consort Ching to further stimulate their misunderstanding by taking away Yee Lan's son; the 1st Prince and hiding him under the bridge, leaving behind a hair pin belonging to the Empress so that Yee Lan would blame her for her son's disappearance. The plan did work, as Yee Lan was too blinded by her emotions and was ready to blame Yuen-yuen for almost anything since her father's death. Yee Lan even plotted to bring Yuen-yuen's father down to his deserving fate, with the help of her father's trusted student, Fucha Ngok Tai (Ben Wong).
Her plan succeeded and Yuen-yuen was further brought down when her affair with Min Yan was exposed and the Emperor stripped her of her Empress title.

The Empress Dowager was also scheming to bring down the Emperor and install her own son, Min Yan/Prince Sui to be the next Emperor since her seclusion as she saw threats to her own position should the Emperor be displeased with her again. Also, it was part of her revenge against the Emperor's treatment towards her when the past was revealed. She arranged for Consort Ching to seduce and accompany the Emperor most of the time and it was then that Ching Yu fed the Emperor with opium; which was illegally smuggled into the palace. As the Emperor slowly grew addicted to the opium, the Empress Dowager plotted for his downfall which would take place at the grand annual worship of the ancestors where the Emperor would be seen as a weak Emperor and lose the trust of his ministers as he had called for the ban of opium and yet he was seen addicted to it. During the period before the worship ceremony, the Emperor was kept imprisoned in a temple where he was said to be sick.
Yee Lan; now Imperial Consort Tsuen found it bizarre that no one was allowed to meet with the Emperor and sensed that there was a plot going on behind their backs. She then turned to seek Yuen-yuen's help, although Yuen-yuen was still upset over her father's death, she decided to focus her attention on her son and also in doing good and sensing the urgency of the Emperor's condition, she agreed to help Yee Lan.

Sensing that something was amiss and that a rebellion may be in progress, Yee Lan approached Consort Ching who was pronounced pregnant by the doctor and informed her that she would enjoy luxury if she were to stay loyal to the Emperor, convincing her to stay on the Emperor's side. However, Consort Ching chose to expose the Emperor's opium addiction, along with the Empress Dowager's plot to promote Prince Sui in front of the officers by displaying a weak king versus a spirited and powerful prince who would be a better candidate.

The Emperor was furious when he realized the whole plot and blamed Prince Sui for his ambitions although he was unaware of the situation. Yee Lan, in an attempt to foil the efforts, informed Lok Yan of Prince Sui and Yuen-yuen's past, threatening to put Yuen-yuen in an awkward position but instead led Lok Yan to commit suicide when she realized that the man she loved never did love her for once.
Lok Yan's death awakened Yuen-yuen and she warned Yee Lan that she was becoming more and more like her old self; and even more devious than herself.

When Yuen-yuen's son was found dead due to poison, her world was shattered and though evidences pointed to Yee Lan, the Emperor suddenly appeared to admit that it was his order to have the illegitimate son put to death. This piece of revelation shocked Prince Sui and ignited his fury to rebel against the Emperor; which was according to the wish of the Empress Dowager. (You see, the Empress Dowager was the one who was behind the whole plot, and yes, she was That evil to sacrifice her own grandson to have the throne to her son). Prince Sui then commenced on his plan along with his father-in-law, Mukcheung-Or (Kwok Fung) who was also bent on avenging his daughter, Lok Yan's death which he believed was caused by Yee Lan and the Emperor.

Prince Sui was successful although his attempts were almost foiled by Yuen-yuen, but at the very last minute, Fucha Ngok Tai managed to retrieve majority of the army to save the Emperor. Prince Sui killed himself, followed by Yuen-yuen who pledged her love for him. Following their deaths, the Empress Dowager was also put to death secretly under the orders of Yee Lan, and that angered the Emperor. Yee Lan even went to the extent of killing Consort Ching whom she knew was pregnant for fear of her future son would threaten the position of her own son; the 1st prince. The Emperor was shocked with the change in Yee Lan, and was hesitant in crowning her as the next Empress.
However, due to her efforts in subduing the rebellion, the court supported her and the Emperor had no choice but to crown her the Empress although he no longer paid any attention to her.

Yee Lan continued with her schemes and vowed that she will maintain her position as the one in power and will do whatever it takes to stay that way, even if she had to be alone for the rest of her life. (The Empress Dowager actually revealed that the reason she disliked Yee Lan from the start was because of her resemblance to herself, and that Yee Lan would turn to be a very cold person but that would mean that she would be doomed to loneliness forever).

My Review:
Beware of spoilers and also a long complaint that I have of this drama; so if you are interested, do bear with me as I list out the things that frustrate me throughout the entire series.
1. Honorifics/Greetings/Expressions

First of all, the ethics and greeting expressions used in this drama is totally wrong and illogical.
For instance, how can the concubines address themselves as 'slaves' (奴才 or 'Lou Choi' in Cantonese) before the Empress, Empress Dowager and the Emperor??? I don't get it, aren't they of higher ranks and I have not heard of the wives of Emperor addressing themselves as slaves before their husband and mother-in-law in any of the China dramas, which I am sure made sure to check the Chinese honorifics before filming a series to be shown worldwide.
I got more and more annoyed as the drama progresses as it did seem like TVB was either unaware of this or was just plain ignorant of the fact. It is incredulous for a major TV station to make a mistake like this and I am even more surprised that no one realized or pointed out this fact?
Even the Empress addresses herself as 奴才 in front of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager and that is just plain ridiculous to me! She is like, in the second or third most upper rank in the kingdom and she is a..slave?? Nonsense!
They are supposed to address themselves as 臣妾 , am I not right? Please kindly correct me if I am wrong, for I am not really a master in stuffs like these but I do read and do my research and so far, from all the dramas/movies I have watched, I have not come across anyone addressing themselves as slaves if they are the Empress or the concubines, so please let me know.

2. Mannerisms in the palace
Have you noticed how Myolie Wu and Jessica greets the Emperor; you know, the usual salutation of the lady flicking her handkerchief/scarf towards the back before bending their knees? It is commonly practised by the Manchus back then.
The way the ladies flicked their handkerchiefs is another weird part as I have noticed how unnatural they seemed; and they seemed to be shaking their head a little at the same time. Furthermore, their handkerchiefs only went beyond the palm a little and not in a more graceful manner above the shoulder as I have seen in almost all the China dramas; or even other Chinese dramas centered on the palace theme. It didn't seem like they were at ease or even knew what they were doing, and that, is a sure giveaway that these actresses are just not trained well enough to play the roles from the ancient period. I just laughed whenever they had to greet the Emperor as I just felt that the way they were doing it is just..so wrong!

Another thing, notice how the Emperor and the Empress do not seem to be feared or respected in a deserving way?

I mean, how could the concubines face up to the Empress in a confrontation? Take Jessica for example, she even dared to slap the Empress in the garden? Oh my, is that even allowed? There are many ways to add to the drama part, but to this extent, it is just a cheap attempt to rake in the higher ratings.

Slapping the empress; won't that subject her to death sentence for disrespect according to the law??

The Emperor too, does not seem to be respected by his own brother as well. Remember when the Prince Sui could show his anger towards the Emperor and even sulk before him? I just find this a little too childish and unrealistic.

Even the Emperor was depicted as annoyingly kiddo-like, especially when he was with the Empress in the beginning when he went to such lengths to 'kowtow' to her to make her smile/happy in their chamber. I may not be a fan of male chauvinism, but for a man to sink so low; especially when he is the ruler of a kingdom just made me lose any form of respect for him. Don't even get me started on the part where he even performed on the stage as part of the performers' troupe to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday; gosh, I have not heard of an Emperor who was a symbol of Heaven, would have his face painted and sink so low while his own subjects and concubines watched. Maybe TVB was trying to portray him as a filial son or a compassionate king, but that was just a little overboard.
There just doesn't seem to be any line between the masters and the slaves; or the differences in ranks among the people in this drama. (not that I advocate the importance of masters vs slaves nor the concept of slavery, but aren't they particularly important during that era? A drama based on that era should put focus into details like these, right?)

3. Moral/Ethics issue
I know it is not uncommon, but I just find the twist of the drama a little too dramatic to be believed and I am referring to the part where the Emperor Do Kwong converted his own sister-in-law to be his wife; immediately after his brother was supposedly to be dead. Okay, this is China, for goodness sake, and I thought there are many virtues to be followed; including that of the ranks and hierarchies within a family, let alone a royal family whom the people of the country are set to model after!
The Emperor claimed that he respected his brother so much and that he would not be the Emperor if his brother was still alive, and yet he was coveting his own brother's wife who, was a newly wed? Yeah, so he had a crush on her for a long time, but hey, she married his own brother, and that makes him his elder sister-in-law and all laws; tell you that you don't go after your own sister-in-law, whether your brother is dead or not!
Then there is Jessica, who plays Yee Lan, who seemed to be such a virtuous and doting wife awaiting her husband's return and then she just accepts the edict to be someone else's wife; and not just anyone but her own brother-in-law, just so she could survive from being buried alive? Fine, so she just want to live, but then, it just didn't make sense that she could adapt to being another person's wife so soon when her husband's body was never even found and she could just fall in love with her own brother-in-law?
Seems to me that Yee Lan never did love her own husband that much, did she? If she did, she would not be falling into another man's arms (and may I repeat, her own brother-in-law) so readily. Don't they even feel that it is almost incestuous to be in such a relationship? *Shudders*
Then the Emperor and Yee Lan had the cheek to go judge Prince Sui and the Empress's relationship which was far more pure than them because they were in a different type of situation; as the Empress did keep her ex-lover at arm's length and had it not been for her mother's advice, she would never go through the night of passion to conceive. Hypocrites, and they dare to say that Prince Sui and the Empress were adulterers...crap!

4. Casting
After all those important issues mentioned above, this is another part which just irked me about this drama.
Am I the only one who felt that they chose the wrong actors/actresses for the drama?
Okay, maybe not ALL of them, but let me name the few that I think was seriously not fitted for the role.

No. 1: Hsuan Jessica Hester as Niuhuru Yee Lan

I am not sure about you, but I just see myself agreeing with her being cast in a role like this or even in any ancient drama roles for that matter; particularly one that deals with palace. Don't get me wrong, I am not against Jessica; in fact, I was a fan of her dramas and her in many of her past roles, but her recent comeback in a few dramas just did not seem to be as good anymore. Perhaps she had taken a rest far too long? (Poor Jessica, it's not fair, and I know it)
Anyway, back to her role as Yee Lan, it just seemed so weird and boy, just so wrong!
She does not seem to fit into the role, and I can see that she is trying hard, but seriously, that is the main problem; she is just trying too hard!! She is not made for roles like these; I mean, this is Jessica and her speaking in ancient poetry-like Chinese language is just way out of the picture for me. This is Jessica, whom we know of as one who played corporate roles like lawyers, judges or firm decisive women roles in the contemporary society! To have her in this drama made me feel like she was a modern day lady accidentally transported back to the Qing Dynasty by mistake on a time travel machine. She just does NOT fit into the drama, at all! Please, Jessica, stay away from roles like these, they just make you look so weird.
Don't even get me started on the make up for her; especially when she has been promoted to be the Imperial Consort Tsuen where they painted the bright red lipstick in way to create that illusion that she has a smaller mouth but ended up making her look like she was pursing her lips all the time throughout the drama and that, I tell you, is plain annoying. I just couldn't bear it when Yee Lan appears on the screen, and that is just too bad as she is one of the main leads in the series and is bound to appear most of the time in every episode. It was such a pain to watch her all the time, and I just could not wait for the drama to end so that I don't have to go through it anymore, sighs!

No.2: Myolie Wu as Tunggiya Yuen-yuen/Empress Hao Sun

Compared to Jessica, Myolie as the Empress was not half that bad and that is why I put her in the second after Jessica's Yee Lan. She is not that bad of an actress, but Myolie just seemed too sweet for a role like this, to be honest although I was quite impressed that she did quite an amazing job and it was evident that she too, tried very hard to play the role to her best. However, I just kept seeing Myolie as the bubbly and cheerful girl who makes people happy and not one who schemes to keep her enemies at bay.
She did express her emotions very well, but I just felt that she was a little too young and, how do you say it, there is just something not right for her to play the trying-to-be-evil-yet-is-actually-compassionate kind of character. I don't think that an actress's effort in trying so hard to play the role could be seen through in her appearance as it should be natural. After all, this is a drama to be shown to us on the screen and I could just feel like I was watching them during their filming process, get what I meant?
Also, Myolie did not seem that comfortable with the mannerisms required for the ancient Qing Dynasty in the palace, and I just could feel the unnatural behavior whenever she had to greet the Emperor or the Empress Dowager.

*Note: Observe how Yee Lan seemed to be transforming into Yuen-yuen and vice versa as their characters slowly develop through the series?

No.3: Sunny Chan as Emperor Do Kwong

Alright, now for the last time, why is he always casted as the Emperor????
I just felt that he lacked that charisma or the outlook of a dignified Emperor but he is always, almost all the time put in the role of an Emperor and that can be just so annoying. He wasn't half that bad in The Life and Times of a Sentinel, but then again, to be fair, he just had a cameo role, so that was okay, but here, it was also quite frustrating to see him appearing as a childish ruler; and even lacking in wisdom or authority.
It seemed to me that Sunny has forgotten his own status as an Emperor at times when he is with his wives; or even his brother and that just makes me feel like he is not fit to be the king at all. It makes one feel that he just should not be made king and that it was right for his own brother to rebel against him. I mean, he just seemed like a fickle-minded puppet to me, who seems to do just do one thing because one says so on this side and then changes when another says a different thing. Gosh, can't he just make up his own mind and be firm?

No.4: Gigi Wong as Empress Kung Chee

I was a little surprised that they chose her to play the witty yet scheming Empress Dowager; as I felt that there were many other veterans who could play the role much better. For instance, Ching Hor Wai and Rebecca Chan were just a little underutilized in this drama, and I was quite sad that they were given such minor roles for their charisma would definitely surpass that of Gigi Wong to play a powerful and respectable Empress Dowager. She just didn't seem like she could fit the role of such a wise and intelligent Empress Dowager who hid a past and was always on the lookout to plan for her own son's future.
Gigi Wong is always more suited for those compassionate and kind mothers role; so, wrong choice as I just could not feel threatened by her presence even from the screen.

5. Costumes

After all the criticisms above, this is finally one thing that I must simply praise TVB for. As usual, they never fail to disappoint with their vibrant colors and the exceptionally flamboyant costumes used in the entire drama that just attracts viewers like magnates to the screen.
I was fascinated with the colors and the different costumes; particularly Myolie's costumes which were quite fitting for an Empress.
This is one thing that TVB is definitely good for; and I hope they do keep it up.

Characters Analysis:
I have mentioned four of the leads and also the actors/actresses playing them, but I will be doing a quick and thorough review/analysis of each of the characters who appeared in the drama.

My Favorite Character...drum rolls....

Joel Chan as Prince Sui/Min Yan

Yes, surprisingly, if I had to pick my favorite character out of the whole drama, it is definitely this charming prince who was loyal and had a lot of courage in him. He was loyal to his own brother, his mother, his country, his duties as a prince, and to his one true love whom he never got over at all. This is what, defines a true man. He loved with all his heart; to all the people and treated everyone with respect and never did he covet for something that he did not deserve; the throne or the woman he loved. He could not get over the fact that Yuen-yuen left him for the Imperial harem and to be Empress, and though he showed her his disgust yet in spite of his bitterness, he still cared for her and would never hesitate to help in times of need. He may be a jilted lover, but he still carry that love for her all the while. Out of respect for his own brother who was the ruler and also the husband of his ex-lover, he kept Yuen-yuen at arm's length despite still longing after her. He was quite pitiful as he was sort of forced into the marriage with Yuen-yuen's cousin sister, Lok Yan, whom he never really loved but I guess he just did it, to please Yuen-yuen and his own mother. He wanted it to be fair to Lok Yan which was why he refused to marry her initially, but when the people he loved were just so anxious for him to settle down and even Lok Yan was just so into him, he just reluctantly agreed.
Of course, you could say that he could stop himself from giving into Yuen-yuen's seduction but he just did love her too much and he was even ready to elope with her. That was the part which showed that he was just human after all; despite all the perfect image he had been depicted with throughout the story. I truly pitied him as he seemed like merely a toy in the whole story; with Yuen-yuen using him to conceive and then his own brother blaming him or throwing him into all the responsibilities and even his own mother was deceiving him. He totally lost it when he lost his child and that was when the final straw came and he just snapped.
It was a tragic end for him, but he was a honorable character and the only one who seemed to be natural or normal in the whole series and for that, I just like him.

Nancy Wu as Choi Lam/Consort Ching/Borjigit Ching Yu

She is supposedly one of the villains in this drama, but I can tell you, she is by far, the most realistic character and also Nancy just played her role so convincingly. She is really a great actress; able to make you hate and like her at the same time and she just fits into most of the roles she is given. She is working hard, but yet she settles into her character so seamlessly that I was impressed. Yes, her role may not be the best in the entire drama and she was even the main troublemaker who led to most of the issues and misunderstandings in the harem, but she was true to her self throughout the series. Honestly, was it really her fault she turned out to be like that? She was a slave who was thrown between the Empress and Consort Tsuen and they were just manipulating her and if it were you, how would you feel to be constantly threatened with death no matter what you do? That was what made her take matters into her own hands, and that meant becoming one in power herself. To me, she is just another lost soul who did not know what kind of identity to assume and even which one to trust. That being said, I do not agree to her assuming someone else's identity or plotting to take others down, but Nancy did a great job at playing a witch whom everyone felt like slapping in the drama. Great performance!

Elena Kong as Consort Dowager Shun

I have always liked this actress, even since her ATV days as she is always so poised and natural in all her roles. Though she did not have a major role in this drama, her appearance clearly outshone that of Gigi Wong's Empress Dowager, and I could not help but think that it would be a great combination had the Empress Dowager been played by Rebecca Chan or other veterans who are of more worthy status. She did not seem to need much effort to play an unfortunate 'lost' concubine bent on fighting for justice and it was all just so believable. Another great job by Elena, and I think she deserves more worthy roles in the future with a bit more 'meat' to it.

Cheung Kwok Keung as Eunuch Wai Fuk On

Haha, it seemed like I am liking all the villains, but actually, I am impressed with all these veterans who are probably the ones who saved the entire drama from doomsday had they not made their appearances with all the faults I have found with the drama. He is always a villain, this one, but an extremely good one, I must say, and though he makes one annoyed with most of his roles, I'd say that makes him an excellent actor in all.
This is not really a bad egg to be fair, but rather a pitiful slave stuck on being loyal to his own master and yet trying to win the affections of the woman of his dreams although he knew it was impossible since he was an eunuch.

I dislike these characters:

Hsuan Jessica Hester as Niuhuru Yee Lan

I have mentioned most of the reasons above, but really, Jessica oh Jessica, it is just so wrong to have you in this drama! I hate the way she speaks and how she seemed to try to act nice most of the time, but it is just plain irritating! I have mentioned her make up; I just hate those lipstick which is supposed to make her lips smaller but they just make her looked like she pursed her lips all the time and I just could not bear to look at her whenever she appears, ughs! Also, her facial expressions, switching from oh-i-don't-want-no-trouble to hey-look-who's-here is also not convincing and just appear unnatural that I felt like she was on pretense most of the time. Sorry, Jessica, guess roles like these are just not for you.

Sunny Chan as Emperor Do Kwong

Refer to all the reasons mentioned above in my review as well, I just don't think Sunny can make a good or believable emperor.

I didn't mention about Myolie Wu in my favorite or dislike category, because well, she is in neither; I don't particularly favor her nor do I hate her in the drama. She is just okay.
The same goes for Sire Ma, nothing exceptional of her in her role in the drama.

The other concubines include a cast of Vivien Yeo, Jess Shum, Sherry Chen and Charmaine Li and they are all just doing alright.

Charmaine Li always appear to have this damsel in distress look, and I never did seem to see much difference in most of her roles.

Jess Shum played an arrogant and overconfident Consort Shing, and she was not too bad herself, although she would need more improvement when she speaks as she seemed to be catching her breath most of the time (or am I the only one noticing this?)

Vivien Yeo merely appeared for a short 1-2 episodes in the beginning, and honestly, she is almost similar to Jess and I must say her accent in Cantonese does not fit into ancient drama roles like these.

Macy Chan played the pitiful maid servant whose identity was taken by the wicked Choi Lam/Consort Ching.

Ben Wong played Fucha Ngok Tai, a righteous man who was a student of Yee Lan's father and also the love interest of Choi Kiu.

Other veterans:

Gordon Liu as Tunggiya-Shumung-Or; Yuen-yuen's father who was a scheming official in court involved in corruption.

Rebecca Chan as Tunggiya Sin-yau, or Yuen-yuen's mother who will stop at nothing to protect her daughter's position as the Empress. Would she make a better Empress Dowager, don't you think?

Trivia:
Did anyone notice how similar this concubine(Sherry Chen) is to Sire Ma's Lok Yan?
I was confused at one point:-P

My Final Verdict
Seriously? If you are into good palace dramas, this may not be something I truly recommend for they have gotten a few things that just did not seem right to me, but that's what I think from my personal point of view.
I was a little disappointed because it did seem like one of those mega productions that was supposed to create that 'wow' factor, but I ended up waiting for it to end.

Rating: 2.5/5

Disclaimer: The above review is based on the writer's personal opinions and is in no way associated with the general views of the other viewers nor does she intend to affect others to watch/not watch the drama.
The photos used are properties of tvb.com and are only meant for illustration purposes.

SBS: 49 Days (49일) (2011)

2012-06-12T04:08:00.002-07:00

Year Produced: 2011

Writer: So Hyun-Kyung

Director: Jo Young-kwang

Producer: Choi Moon-suk

Country of Origin: South Korea

Language: Korean

No. of Episodes: 20

Cast:

Nam Gyu Ri as Shin Ji Hyun

Jung Il Woo as Scheduler/Song Yi Soo

Lee Yo Won as Song Yi Kyung/Shin Ji Min

Jo Hyeon Jae as Han Kang

Bae Su-bin as Kang Min Ho

Seo Ji-Hye as Shin In Jung

Bae Geu Rin as Park Seo Woo

Supporting Cast:

Choi Jung Woo as Shin Il Shik (Ji Hyun's Father)

Yoo Ji In as Mrs Shin (Ji Hyun's mother)

Son Byung-Ho as Oh Hae Won (Sunbae at Heaven restaurant and confidante of Kang)

Moon Hee-Kyeong as Bang Hwa Joon (Oh Hae Won's love interest)

Kang Seong-Min as No Kyung-Bin (Psychiatrist of Song Yi Kyung)

Yoon Bong-Kil as Cha Jin Young (Han Kang's junior)

Kim Ho-Chang as Ki Joon-Hee (Waiter at Heaven restaurant)

Jin Ye-Sol as Ma Soon-Jung (Waitress at Heaven restaurant)

Lee Jong-Min as Ko Mi Jin

Ban Hyo-Jeong as Senior/Sunbae Scheduler (cameo)
Kim Hyeong-Beom as another 49 Days time traveller (cameo)

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:

Shin Ji Hyun (Nam Gyu Ri) is the picture perfect protagonist; a girl who seems to have it all in her life; pretty looks, a loving family, wonderful friends around her and a perfect man she is about to walk down the aisle with. Her cheerful outlook seems to bring happiness to those around her; and she did not seem to have a thing to worry about in the world, except her wedding plans which were being expedited according to her father's wish as he would want his son-in-law to take over the major projects in the company and eventually, the company itself.

As Ji Hyun was happily planning her wedding with her best girl friends, Shin In Jung (Seo Ji-Hye) and Park Seo Woo (Bae Geu Rin), the only roadblock which came was when her fiance, Kang Min Ho (Bae Su-bin) informed her that their friend, the candidate for the best man, Han Kang (Jo Hyeon Jae) turned down the role. Thinking that she could convince Han Kang, who was her old classmate, she paid him a visit one day at his restaurant, to speak to him and she was distraught by his answer when he told her that he did not want to do it because he detested her, leaving Ji Hyun upset.

However, Han Kang seemed to be a rather mysterious man who was struggling with his feelings for Ji Hyun and appearing to be happy for his best friend who was to marry her.

At the same time, the scenes switched in between to show a young lady, Song Yi Kyung (Lee Yo Won) who seemed to be lacking motivation in life and leading a rather dull lifestyle as she sleeps through the afternoon and works the graveyard shift at a local convenience store near her place. She seemed to be suffering from severe depression as a result of losing someone dear to her to death and was just living it by the day.

Fate took an unexpected turn and brought all the characters in the drama together when Yi Kyung dressed herself up and took a bus where she got off at the side of the highway. At the same time, Ji Hyun was driving along the place after collecting the bridesmaid's dresses. A motorcycle swerved ahead of Ji Hyun's car and then stopped at the side, appearing to be waiting for someone. Yi Kyung took a step towards the busy highway; obviously trying to commit suicide as the truck approaches her and she refused to budge until a man appeared from behind and pulled her back towards the pavement.

Though Yi Kyung was saved from being hit, the effects she brought upon the highway and the motorists were far beyond her imagination. The large truck which was approaching her swerved in order to avoid her, causing a collision with oncoming cars from the opposite direction and as cars from behind were coming in full speed, they crashed into the cars in front of them; causing a major pile up of accident and massive traffic jam.

Ji Hyun was driving towards the highway and was distracted for a while, and it was at this point when a motorcycle overtook her car and skidded as he could not brake in time to avoid the pile up in front of him; causing Ji Hyun to swerve her car and crashed into the truck in front of her where she flew out of the front of her car onto the road. She awoke slightly later, getting up without any major injury and was surprised to find a crowd gathering behind her and as she approached the crowd, she was shocked to see herself inside the car; head against the steering wheel and in an unconscious state. She was even more surprised to see that nobody could hear or see her except for the man on the motorcycle beside the road who seemed to be staring at her. At that time, while Ji Hyun was trying to make her way towards him, there was another car stopped in front of him and the man inside was suffering from a heart attack and shortly after, Ji Hyun was unable to see the rider anymore.

At the hospital, Ji Hyun was anxious as she watched herself being wheeled into the operating theater and her parents and fiance all waiting. She found the rider and followed him to the ward and was surprised to see him lead a dead man's soul into an 'elevator' after he was pronounced dead. Afraid, she kept her distance until the elevator disappears and the rider, even scolded her for her lousy driving skills.

Curious and yet thankful that there is at least someone who could see and hear her, she started asking questions and the rider introduced himself as the Scheduler; who is supposed to pick up the people at their scheduled death hours and guide them towards their next destination (the role is similar to the Angel of Death or the Reaper, as Ji Hyun calls them, but he called himself the Scheduler).

Upon hearing his role description, Ji Hyun tries to convince the Scheduler that she is not dead yet as she was still being wheeled into the operating theater and was still lying in her hospital bed and refused to enter any elevator. The Scheduler then assured her that she was indeed not in his schedule, but however, she was responsible for messing up the schedule for the day and caused a slight delay in the timing of the man's death earlier. Her case was also one of the rare ones where her time was not up yet but her soul was wandering and there were only two cases so far; and that Ji Hyun was the third one. There were two options for cases like hers; where she could opt for immediate death and request for the 'elevator' to leave the world as selected by one of the cases while the second would be a grace period of 49 days, where Ji Hyun would be allowed to 'return' in spirit to the world but she would need to collect three pure love's tears by the end of the 49 days to be given a second chance to live again and return to life for real.

Ji Hyun, not ready to leave, opted for the second option of course and was given a teardrop necklace where her pure love's tears would be collected the minute someone cries true tears for her. Ji Hyun thought that it was not a difficult task as she was well-loved by everyone and automatically calculated that there would be more than three people who would cry for her immediately and that she may not need the full length of 49 days. However, the Scheduler warned her that the tears from immediate families; parents and siblings are not taken into consideration for those are proven pure tears already due to their connections and Ji Hyun was still confident that she would be able to collect the tears as she thought of her fiance, Min Ho and her two best friends, In Jung and Seo Woo and many more friends around her. The Scheduler then took her to a funeral to educate her on the purity of tears and that many tears are not cried out of sincerity for the person but rather for show or out of pity for their own fate.

Ji Hyun was arranged to 'borrow' the body of Song Yi Kyung, as she worked during the night and she could use the body in the morning. The reason was also due to the fact that Yi Kyung was responsible for the accident and Ji Hyun's fate although she had not known this yet. Also, Ji Hyun had to follow three conditions set by the Scheduler or the heavens:
1. She was not allowed to tell anyone her real name or her identity
Consequence: Express Elevator
2. She was not supposed to change or alter anything in the life of the person whose body she is in. She can only use the body when Song Yi Kyung is sleeping; which would be from 10am until midnight as Yi Kyung works the graveyard shift.
Consequence: For every minute she is late; one day is deducted from the 49 days.
3. She needs to earn every penny that she needs to use on her own and not to harm or abuse the body of Song Yi Kyung in any way.

Ji Hyun agrees to these conditions and was almost caught when she saw the Scheduler the next morning and revealed that she was Shin Ji Hyun to him when he does not seem to know who she is and was reprimanded. However, Ji Hyun was still confident about getting the three tears soon and even bargained with the Scheduler on lengthening her age by a year for every additional tear drop she gets; and the Scheduler scoffed at her innocence.
Ji Hyun, now appearing as Song Yi Kyung, went to Heaven restaurant which was owned by Han Kang to have her favorite pasta for lunch only to realize that she did not have enough money on her. (She was loaned 49000 won by the Scheduler for use and she must return it before the term ends and the delusional princess ended up spending money on beauty products so that she could be more presentable in Yi Kyung's body who did not seem to put much care into her own appearance). Han Kang decided to let her off but Yi Kyung pleaded for a job and ended up working in the restaurant.

As she started her job at the restaurant, her clumsiness in serving the customers raised suspicions in Han Kang's mind as she claimed to have experience in the hospitality sector and he sent her to retrieve proof from her previous employer. Yi Kyung arrived at Seoul Hotel and found Min Ho and In Jung (her fiance and best friend) meeting up at a hotel room and it was then her memories came back to her where she remembered seeing them in an intimate position in the car on the fateful day of her accident. Suddenly, Ji Hyun realized that obtaining the three pure tears may no longer be as easy as she thinks as she broods over her fiance and best friend's betrayal.

As Ji Hyun travels through the 49 days, she learns more about true love, friendship and the meaning of life in more ways than she had ever imagined as she slowly discovers the truth behind Min Ho's reason for marrying her and what her best friend and other friends whom she thought were close to her, thought of her all the while.

Learning the truth made her mature and also to fight to protect the people she loves as she tries to stop Min Ho from taking over her father's company and her family fortune. She also learns about the people whom she thought never cared about her and in fact, were the ones who loved her the most; Han Kang, who turned out to be the one who knew her well enough to be able to figure out her identity despite her being a spirit stuck inside Yi Kyung's body.

At the same time, complications also arise when Min Ho and Han Kang both seemed to have fallen for Yi Kyung who was actually Ji Hyun and then Yi Kyung starting to realize that something was amiss when she sensed changes in her own body.

Ji Hyun started to care for Yi Kyung and as her days are drawing to an end, she even helped to find out about Yi Kyung's past and what made her suicidal. Although she was angry at one point when she learnt that Yi Kyung was responsible for her accident, she still helped Yi Kyung and even managed to have Yi Kyung voluntarily helping her to save her father's company and thanked Han Kang for his kindness.
(Yi Kyung was able to communicate with her and even shared some of her memories during the time they shared the body and also as Ji Hyun's soul was getting weaker as the end approaches).

Ji Hyun and Yi Kyung slowly forms an inexplicable bond as they helped each other and Yi Kyung also finds out about her dead boyfriend through Ji Hyun's investigations and was even able to recognize the Scheduler's past identity; who was actually Song Yi Soo, the dead boyfriend of Yi Kyung.

Ji Hyun also slowly finds herself in love with Han Kang who had gone through so much to help her and that he had been harboring feelings for her since high school when he was a transfer student and she thought he had always been mean to her. Her first tear was collected from Han Kang and though he knew her identity, he played along to make sure that she was not being punished by above.

As Ji Hyun helped to patch up Yi Kyung's life and bidding Han Kang farewell, she starts to give up as her final days approach and Han Kang was away in the States to convince his own father to invest and save Ji Hyun's father's company and when the Scheduler appears, she asked for the elevator to appear.

When the Scheduler was about to call for the elevator, they were both surprised by the sudden appearance of two additional tears in her necklace which signaled her success in completing her quest and she was to return to life. Han Kang arrived and was delighted to hear that Ji Hyun had finally awoke but was dismayed that she does not seem to have the memories from the past 49 days.
Ji Hyun even requested to see Min Ho and In Jung and it did seem as though she had forgotten about everything until Yi Kyung appeared to see her and she called out 'Unni' to her.

It was then that Yi Kyung realized that Ji Hyun did remember and that she was hiding something else and there was a reason behind her return and her pretending to forget everything.

*Spoiler Ending*:
The ending was something totally unexpected and I shall not spoil for anyone as this is a drama that deserves that little mystery towards the end but I can only reveal that it was a Truly UNEXPECTED one and that nothing out of any of our expectations.
Curious?
Watch the drama and you will get what I mean, and I thought the ending was pretty decent and suited the theme of the drama as well.

My Review:
A drama which I classified under my Favorite dramas does not require me to say much about what I think anymore, don't you think?
This is one of my favorite dramas and I have to say that I have grown quite attached; if not addicted, to this drama and I rushed to finish up all the episodes after watching the first and second episodes on the tv. Seriously, this is very addictive and I just kept going on and on; the moment I have my hands on the whole set of the drama and I finished the entire drama in only two days! (inclusive of sleeping of course)
I just couldn't wait to find out about what happens next and how it would end, and even wondered if this was another of those predictable plots of the korean dramas and thankfully, it is not. This is far away from the usual romance and 'I can't wait to be with this guy/gal' kind of story, and in fact, the story is very inspirational and meaningful in highlighting the lessons we ought to learn in life and love.
If you are looking for anything lovey dovey, this may not be the one for you.
The drama just kept me hooked especially the first two episodes, and then I knew I simply had to find out what happens. There were exciting moments and climax in the drama as well, and it kept my heart pumping and my tears flowing in between the episodes as I empathized with Ji Hyun as she discovers her 'true' friends; something which I can say that I have gone through at one point and somehow, I guess I was as delusional as her at some point in my own life.
I just love the way the drama unfolds and how it taught me a thing or two about life.

Characters Analysis/Review

Nam Gyu Ri as Shin Ji Hyun

The main protagonist and our little Miss Perfect, who was just so sweet and innocent that she may seem almost unreal and required some 'knock' in her head to get some sense into her mind. I can't fully say that she's totally unrealistic as I do see a little of myself in her sometimes; and I used to wonder why people say I live in a fairy tale and that I can just be so naive at times. Ji Hyun is like that as well, and she just reminds me of myself sometimes.
Anyway, Ji Hyun is pure and innocent and while she treats people the way that she thinks was the best, it appeared that it was not when she learnt about her friends, or so-called close buddies' views of her when she sought them to make them cry for her and it was then she realized that most of them were either jealous of her or resented her for having almost everything in life. She was shattered when she realized that even her best friend and fiance were not true to her and all of a sudden, her whole life seemed to be a big lie to her and only her parents treated her with sincerity. However, despite her naivety being a weakness, it was also a plus point as she touched the Scheduler, Yi Kyung and even Han Kang who truly loved her despite his harsh facade with her most of the time. We see Ji Hyun transform from a pretty little princess into someone who finally learnt about life though in a hard way, her optimistic outlook in life did influence people around her at the same time.
I totally love this actress; she is just so bubbly and cute and she even reminded me of Song Hye Gyo! I initially thought that she was the actress of Autumn in My Heart fame but nope, Nam Gyu Ri is just as special and sweet in her own way. There is no way one would not like her at all in this drama as she just seems to be so positive and happy throughout the series.

Lee Yo Won as Song Yi Kyung
She is in my opinion the best actress and the lead of the entire drama as I admire her ability to switch from one melancholic role into a bubbly and energetic character the next flawlessly. Having lost her boyfriend in a tragic accident and also losing trust in life, Yi Kyung seemed to be just awaiting for her own death as she lived by the day for the past five years; not even putting any focus into her own appearance and health. However, when she became Ji Hyun, she was totally the opposite and she is just so lovely. As she starts to sense Ji Hyun's presence, Lee Yo Won had to balance between her own cold and bitterness and the bubbly personality at the same time and transitioning into each of them at the same time.
The actress herself fitted both roles naturally and I could not help but feel pity for her most of the time, although at times it gets frustrating as she seems to be poring too much in the loss of her loved one but then when her story and background is revealed, it seemed to make sense that she had totally lost her own sense of meaning in life. Song Yi Kyung also transformed from a expressionless and 'I could care less' character into someone filled with emotions and love as she was supposed to be when she was in her teens as she progresses through the series and learns from the spirit who inhabited her body and we also learnt that these two female leads share more than just a body and also their chance encounter through the accident.

Jung Il Woo as Scheduler/Song Yi Soo

Without him, the drama would be less animated and his crude and harsh principles towards Ji Hyun made it the more entertaining and I could not help but anticipate the time when he would appear on the screen. Jung Il Woo also had that extremely animated face and also his facial expressions when talking to Ji Hyun just made him one of the most loved characters in the drama. Though he seemed like he was just so mean to her most of the time, but I did not feel any resentment towards his character and instead just felt it was funny whenever the two appeared on screen and watching him entertain her petty requests (watch out for when she bargained with him on the tears and also calling him for emergency purposes!)
This guy had a sad past as he died at the young age of 23 and he could hardly remember his past; which was a condition he claimed he had to bear with until the five years contract of him being a scheduler ends. He volunteered to be a Scheduler, and when the term comes to an end, he will resume his memory and also return to complete his final wish. Ji Hyun helped him found his original identity when she was helping Yi Kyung and he managed to spend a little time with his loved one for one more time.
He is not as ruthless as he makes himself appear to be as he seemed to help Ji Hyun several times whenever she was in trouble although he reprimanded her and told her that he would never involve himself in human matters and that, I think made his character even more likable.

Jo Hyeon Jae as Han Kang

This has to be my Favorite character of the lot, seriously, this guy just has the charms and most of all, the heart. A man of few words, he proved his feelings through actions and that, my dear, is what makes him just so appealing to any woman. He appeared to not care about Ji Hyun but right from the start, you could sense that he had feelings for her; the way he looked at her and pretended not to care and yet was anxious when she appeared hungry at his restaurant and he ordered for her favorite pasta to be served almost immediately from the kitchen! When he heard of the news that Ji Hyun was in an accident, you could see the suppressed anxiety and sadness coming from him and it was no surprise nor anything out of expectation that one of the three tears would come from this warm guy though it may be unexpected to Ji Hyun who always had that impression that Han Kang hated her since the school days. However, Han Kang had fallen for her long ago and when he was forcibly sent to the States, he told his best friend and senior, Kang Min Ho that he had to look for someone when he was back in Korea and that someone turned out to be Ji Hyun whom he could not admit anymore as she was about to be married to Min Ho. He was the first to figure out that Yi Kyung's character resembled that of Ji Hyun; from her habits to rub her nails when she was anxious and also her unique and signature expressions. It just goes to show how much he truly cared and in fact, Loved her.
I was truly touched by this guy, and he never expected anything in return, only for her to live and to be happy. He was extremely good, and a model guy for the ladies and even more than the typical Korean male leads as this guys just makes one swoon all over his affections for Ji Hyun and yet expecting nothing in return. This, is what I call, true and pure love!

Bae Su-bin as Kang Min Ho

This guy appeared to be the perfect guy, in only one episode or two, mind you but I knew that he was made to be bad from the start. I felt he did not deserve the love of anyone at all in the whole series; be it Ji Hyun or In Jung as this guy was clearly too in love with only himself. I never even thought he was capable of loving but he fell to his weakness when he fell for Song Yi Kyung and the hardest part was for him to face the fact that she was indeed Ji Hyun in spirit and that meant that in the end, he still fell for Ji Hyun.
He was made to be a villain and a jerk, but yet at the same time, he is not entirely that bad and perhaps his background did mold him into who he was at the present. Of course, there was no reason for him to harm the innocent and kind Ji Hyun and her family, but he was not as despicable as other villains I have seen and there are times when I did feel a sense of pity for him at some point. All I can say is, he was just another pitiful and confused character who just wanted to get back at others for his own misfortunes in life and sometimes he did not know what he really wanted. Perhaps, it was all love that he was looking for?

Seo Ji-Hye as Shin In Jung

The other 'villain' character; the supposedly best friend and bridesmaid of Ji Hyun who was actually backstabbing her. The meeting with Min Ho was all arranged and plotted by this lady, who was seemingly the most devious mastermind behind everything and she did seem like some kind of witch from the beginning. However, like Min Ho, she was just another pitiful girl who seemed to lack only luck and good fortune in her life as she worked for everything with her own hands and yet people like Ji Hyun seemed to have it all and because of that she harbored resentment towards the pretty perfect princess who was living a fairytale life. To her, everything seemed so unfair and the only thing she had in control was her love; Min Ho who seemed like her Prince Charming appearing to her in her darkest times. She clung onto him and was shattered when she discovered that Min Ho had fallen for Yi Kyung and yet she was starting to feel guilty towards Ji Hyun for the things she had done. Though she seemed cold and heartless, she was not really that evil to that extent as she even held herself back several times from harming Ji Hyun.
She may not be really a true friend, but she was not really an enemy either and I would not say I truly hate her. The actress can be quite convincing in depicting this ambiguity in the character and perhaps it had to do with her eyes and fringe?

My Verdict?
WATCH!! Of course, I feel like watching it again and again and it's funny when I was watching I could not wait to know about its ending but when it finally ended, I find myself not wanting it to end anymore.
I am starting to miss this drama a lot and I just feel attached to the storyline so much that I just could not believe that I have finished watching this drama.
Warning: This drama can be extremely addictive though, so don't say I did not warn you!

Rating: 4.5/5

Note: Even the OST made me tear up, awesome soundtrack that I could just listen to over and over again!:-)

Hunan TV: Empress in the Palace/The Legend of Zhen Huan (后宫·甄嬛传) (2011)

2012-05-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2011
Director: Zheng Xiaolong
Writer/Source: Liu Lian Zi and Wang Jianping based on an Liu Lian Zi's original novel
Language: Mandarin
Country of Origin: Mainland China

Other Titles: Biography of Concubine Chen Huan

Number of Episodes: 76

Cast:
Royal Harem
Liu Xue Hua as Empress Dowager
Chen Jian Bin as Emperor Yong Zhen
Ada Choi as Empress Yu Xi
Jiang Xin as Concubine Hua (Princess of Glory)/Nian Xing Lan
Li Dongxue as Prince of Guo/Guo Junwang/17th Prince

Betty Sun Li as Chen Huan/Consort Huan/Imperial Noble Consort Xi
Lan Xi as Shen Mei Zhuang/Noble Lady Shen/Concubine Hui
Tao Xin Ran as An Ling Rong/Noble Lady An/Concubine An

Yang Zi Yan as Consort Jin
Zhang Yameng as Concubine Qi
Consort Duan
Noble Lady Cao

Other supporting characters:
Zhang Xiaolong as Wen Shi Chu (Doctor Wen)
Lan Ying Ying as Huan Bi (Zhen Huan's maid and stepsister later wife of Prince Guo)
Li Tianzhu as Su Peisheng
Liu Yitong as Song Zhi (Consort Hua's maid later First Class Female Attendant)
Sun Qian as Jin Xi
Yang Kai Chun as Jian Qiu (senior maid to Zhen Huan)
Zhan ZhingYi as Liu Zhu (loyal servant/maid from Zhen Huan's home)

Emperor's Children
Princess Wen Yi
Princess Long Yue
Prince Hongli
Prince Hongyen
Princess Lingxi

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
The story starts off with Emperor Yongzhen (Chen Jian Bin) ascending the throne and the Empress Dowager(Liu Xue Hua) urging him to maintain a relationship with his wives to maintain the continuity of the royal bloodline besides focusing on the official matters alone. The emperor is hardworking and constantly buries his nose in his state affairs; putting the Empress Dowager in an anxiety mode over the future of the next generation and also regarding the heir to the throne.
To appease his mother, the Emperor then agreed to hold a formal selection for his royal harem and it was then our main protagonists of the series enters the scene.

Zhen Huan (Sun Li) is a simple and cheerful girl and the daughter of a middle-ranking official who enters the royal harem though not to her own will but to submit herself to her own fate.
(It seems that back then most of the eligible young maidens who have reached puberty and are of noble background are to be sent to the palace for the Emperor to choose from). As she enters the palace grounds, she was delighted to meet her friend, Shen Mei Zhuang (Lan Xi) who was also participating in the selection.
They then made a friend in another young but pitiful lady, An Ling Rong (Tao Xin Ran), when Zhen Huan decided to help her against another arrogant lady who was bullying her. As An Ling Rong was from a poorer background compared to the rest of the maidens, she was constantly looked down upon and Zhen Huan helped her by giving her a flower in her hair and also offered her own earrings so that she would look presentable before the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

As fate would have it, An Ling Rong was selected as a butterfly sat on her head when she was called upon and the Emperor just selected her; believing that it was good sign. Shen Mei Zhuang caught the ruler's attention with her grace and gentle outlook while Zhen Huan, for some reason, made quite an impression with the Emperor and Empress Dowager as they appear fixated on her when they laid eyes on her though it was not revealed the reason at the beginning of the drama. The Empress Dowager also put her to a test by having her maid spill water on the ground and having her cat run loose while summoning Zhen Huan to approach them yet she remained calm and humble as she took her steps slowly and carefully yet not looking directly up at the king and his mother. For this reason, the Emperor was exceptionally fond of her and even wanted to grant her the title of a Noble Lady (贵人) directly; which meant skipping a few ranks in between. The Empress, Yu Xi (Ada Choi) advised the Emperor against it as it was not appropriate and may raise issues and dissatisfaction among the other concubines in the harem.

Besides An Ling Rong who was granted the lowest rank of Second Class Female Attendant (答应), Zhen Huan and Shen Mei Zhuang were both granted the rank of First Class Female Attendant (常在) and thus their stories behind the palace walls begin as they both settled down in their respective houses, awaiting the day when the Emperor would visit them.

As they joined the royal harem, their first duty would be to report to the Empress and perform the proper and official salutation in the audience of the other concubines who would also be required to visit and address the Empress each day, in respect of her position as the chief of the royal harem. However, it was revealed that the Empress herself was held at arm's length by the powerful and exceptionally arrogant Consort Hua/Princess of Glory (Jiang Xin), who, it seemed was granted the authority by the Emperor himself to take charge of the matters of the royal harem along with the Empress; but her authority definitely surpassed that of the Empress. Our three young ladies soon learnt that Consort Hua is not one to be offended as she is the favorite concubine of the Emperor and if that is not reason enough for her arrogance, it is that her brother is Nian Geng Yao; one of the Emperor's best generals who helped him to ascend the throne.

Consort Hua is easily jealous and commands the full attention of the Emperor; so naturally she was agitated and threatened with the addition of a bunch of young and pretty ladies to the court.

When the Emperor and Empress both take an immediate liking to Shen Mei Zhuang, who was the first to be called to the Emperor's chambers and was promoted to the rank of a Noble Lady (贵人), she was unhappy when the Emperor further commanded Consort Hua to teach and guide Shen on handling the affairs of the harem.
Zhen Huan, who was supposed to be one of the first to be wed to the Emperor but the witty lady, sensing threats from Consort Hua, decided to lie low to avoid all the conflicts and pretended to be sick with the help of her childhood friend who is also her admirer; who works as a doctor in the palace. Therefore, Zhen Huan soon lived in the shadows of her residence, which was also located the farthest from the Emperor's place, thanks to Consort Hua who changed her original residence to foil the Empress's plans to promote Zhen Huan.

An Ling Rong, on the other hand, was neglected most of the time and further humiliated by the arrogant lady who happened to stay right across her residence. However, An lost her opportunity when she was called to serve the Emperor one night due to her extreme anxiety. The Emperor lost his interest in her and sent her back to her house; thus causing rumors to spread and An to be humiliated and disregarded in the harem.
While Consort Hua tries to keep the Emperor away from Zhen Huan as much as possible, fate has it that the Emperor met her one night on the eve of Chinese New Year as he decided to take a break from the reunion dinner and take a walk in the gardens to enjoy the plum blossoms during that time of the year. Zhen Huan was also out at the same time; with a paper art in her own image which she used to make a wish upon and hung on one of the branches. The Empress, worried about the Emperor being alone in the cold, sent the 17th Prince; who was also the Emperor's favorite brother as they grew up together under the care of the Empress Dowager as kids, Prince Guo (Li Dongxue) to follow behind the Emperor secretly to keep an eye on him.
Prince Guo found the paper art and was attracted to the image of the lady, while the Emperor, was trying to call to Zhen Huan who ran off and disappeared after responding to his poem. All the while, the scene was being witnessed by a palace maid, who then took this opportunity to impress the Emperor by admitting that she was the one who was on the grounds that night with the Emperor after she recited the part of the poem which she memorized. The palace maid soon gained favor and became a Second Class Female Attendant.

However, she was too arrogant and caused several problems in the palace, and the final straw came when she insulted Zhen Huan directly and the Emperor was just right behind her. She was put to death immediately and Zhen Huan became the Emperor's next favorite concubine as she was promoted to the rank of Noble Lady, as her best friend Shen Mei Zhuang.

The Emperor doted on Zhen Huan's sweet innocence and her directness in speaking to him which angered Consort Hua.

Consort Hua's arrogance and evil doings in endangering the concubines in the harem came to a point when Zhen Huan and Shen Mei Zhuang decided to join hands to take her down; with the help of the Empress.
Shen also lost her favor when she was accused of faking her pregnancy, thus making her lose faith in the Emperor's promises and she started to distance herself from the court while Zhen Huan was slowly gaining her power as she ascends to another level when she was pronounced to be pregnant. An Ling Rong was upset when she overheard Zhen Huan and Shen Mei Zhuang talking about her; and also when her father was punished for a crime and she felt that Shen did not truly help her as promised. She decided that she had to depend on herself and started to fight for the Emperor's attention and gaining her own status in the court.

More drama unfold behind the palace walls as the concubines all fight with each other to attain higher ranking and attention; resulting in deaths and unjust punishments for crimes which were never committed. When Zhen Huan herself lost her own child, she became bitter and drowned in her own sorrows; much to the disappointment and distress of the Emperor as she constantly pushed him away. Consort Hua was punished for causing Zhen Huan's miscarriage as she made Zhen Huan kneel under the hot sun in her court when the Emperor and Empress was away, and though Prince Guo rescued Zhen Huan when she fainted, she still suffered a miscarriage due to fatigue. The end for Consort Hua came when her brother Nian Geng Yao was charged for treason and she was finally put to death, although she actually banged her own head on the wall after speaking with Zhen Huan.

As Zhen Huan continues to distance herself from the Emperor, she starts to lose the attention of the ruler who turned his focus on An Ling Rong who attracted the Emperor with her singing voice; much to the despise of Shen Mei Zhuang who was disappointed in the low tactics used by their own friend when their friend was in distress.
Zhen Huan was pregnant the second time, and sensing that the Empress is not as simple as she seemed (it was revealed at this point), she wanted to protect her child by all means and wrote an official letter to the Emperor to request for the care of the Empress during her pregnancy to ensure that she could deliver this baby safely. (For the Empress would never allow any mistake under her supervision or she could lose the favor of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager for her failure in a simple task like this).

Zhen Huan managed to deliver her baby girl in safety; and her daughter was named Princess Long Yue. Zhen Huan entrusted her daughter to Concubine Ji, whom she knew could care for her and requested to seek contemplation in a monastery, much to the displeasure of the Emperor who knew that she never forgave him for her miscarriage.
Zhen Huan was then sent to a monastery as a form of banishment, and there she was bullied and tormented by one of the senior nun who instructed her to perform all sorts of chores after knowing that she is no longer in favor at the palace. It was then that the Empress seemed to be revealed to be more than the simple and nice one portrayed at the beginning of the drama as she starts to enforce her own influence in the harem after the demise of Consort Hua.

The Emperor had also selected new concubines who joined the royal harem and one of them, was exceptionally arrogant as well and was constantly jealous of An Ling Rong and Zhen Huan.

When the Empress and the concubines made a visit to the temple to worship, Zhen Huan tried to hide from them but was spotted by the troublemaker concubine who decided to conceal her hiding place by stepping on her hand. When Shen rushed to her rescue, she was also punished to kneel in the main temple and not allowed to join the rest of the troop in the worship activities.

During her time in the monastery, Zhen Huan was visited by Prince Guo and the two fell in love with each other. Thinking that she would never return to the palace ever again, Zhen Huan and Prince Guo thought they could live happily ever after.

When Prince Guo was called to perform his royal duties, he left and did not return and was even speculated to be dead. It was then that Zhen Huan found out that she was pregnant and in distress; she knew that she had to find out the reason behind her beloved's death and to avenge his death (she believed that Prince Guo's death was foul play). The only way to do so is to make her way back to palace as only the Emperor would be able to help her in her plans.
The Emperor who missed Zhen Huan deeply, paid her a visit and after spending a night together, Zhen Huan was summoned back to the palace and promoted to the rank of Noble Consort (贵妃), much to the displeasure of the Empress and the other concubines; besides Imperial Concubine Shen, Concubine Duan and Concubine Qi who were her allies.

It was then that Prince Guo returned, and pleaded with her not to leave, but Zhen Huan could no longer turn back or she could cause the death of them both and she told Prince Guo to forget about their short-lived relationship.

Back in the palace, Zhen Huan became cold and bitter towards the other concubines besides her own trusted allies and as the series depict, she is no longer the young, naive and gullible girl she was when she first entered the palace doors. Her own series of misadventures had educated her to be more careful; though her position in favor of the Emperor leads to more unfortunate incidents as she was then accused of adultery when her dragon twins (one boy and one girl) were born ahead of schedule. The question of the babies' fraternity was then raised; causing tension in the palace as the Empress and Emperor called for an audience to interrogate Zhen Huan. Her adulterer was accused to be Doctor Wen, her childhood friend who was also her admirer. When all evidence pointed to their adultery, the Empress suggested to do a blood test before the audience to prove her innocence and though Zhen Huan refused, the Emperor agreed to do so to prove his children's fraternity.
Back then, if the two people are related, their blood would mix immediately in the bowl of water and Zhen Huan, smart enough to protect herself, advised that Emperor that he should not injure himself and since the adulterer is Doctor Wen, only Doctor Wen and her baby boy's blood should be put to the test.

The results almost killed Zhen Huan but she managed to prove that there was something amiss with the water; leading the audience to suspect that the Empress had created the scenario in order to convict Zhen Huan of the adultery crime. The Emperor was convinced when his own eunuch brought in the bowl of water and the blood did not mix, but he was already skeptical of Zhen Huan's loyalty since she was away for a period of time at the monastery. The troublemaker concubine, who instigated the whole incident was put to death while the Empress starts to lose favor in the Emperor's eyes.
Concubine Shen, who was already pregnant at that time (she was carrying Doctor Wen's baby after their one night drunken stand), delivered her baby daughter but died shortly after.

Zhen Huan was also put in charge of the 4th Prince, Hongli, who was competing with the Third Prince; under the care of the Empress, for the throne. When Hongli managed to trick his own brother into losing the Emperor's favor, Hongli soon became the next potential crown prince.
The Empress had also lost her own status when the Emperor found out that she was the culprit behind the previous Empress's death; who was her own sister and the Emperor's only love. In fact, the reason the Emperor loved Zhen Huan so much was because of her striking resemblance to the late Empress. Initially wanting to strip her Empress title, an edict from the late Empress Dowager (yeah, the Empress Dowager died of illness too) advised the Emperor that the Empress come from a notable Ulunara family and is not to be stripped. Furthermore, the edict also reminded the Emperor of a promise he once made to his late wife to take care of her sister and therefore, the exasperated Emperor decided to retain the Empress title but took away all her authority; leaving her in isolation and holding on to a title only. (means, an Empress without the rights or power at all - a mere figurehead).
Elsewhere, the Emperor starts to suspect Zhen Huan and Prince Guo's relationship and ordered Prince Guo to be put to death by Zhen Huan herself to prove her loyalty to the Emperor.
Sensing the end, Prince Guo drank the poison himself to save Zhen Huan; causing Zhen Huan to harbor resentment towards the Emperor. When the Emperor was sick, she revealed the truth and the stricken Emperor succumbed to his death.

Hongli ascended the throne as the next Emperor; much to the surprise of most, as they thought that Zhen Huan would definitely promote her own son but she did not want her own son to be suffocating in the web of politics like she had; and Hongli was much more suitable to be the next ruler in terms of seniority.
Hongli became the Emperor Qian Long (in history), and Zhen Huan became the Empress Dowager where she lived and reigned with him.

My review:
It has been a long time since I have watched a palace drama this good; on a serious note. I love how detailed the drama was; in adhering to the standards of the Qing Dynasty in terms of the ranking of the concubines and their costumes, not to mention mannerism.
I heard that this was actually an adaptation from an Internet fan fiction, but I am indeed impressed with how good this story was; upon making it into a drama.
The pace of the drama was quite good as well; although 76-episodes may seem too long for some, but I find it sufficient and well-planned to include all the drama and major scenes.
Compared to some of the palace dramas which are just ridiculous in their facts, this drama took in the details of the conduct of the men and women at that period.
I was impressed and hooked onto this drama, and it got better and better as it neared the end; great job!~

Characters Analysis:
As this is a long and detailed drama, please bear with me as I do a quick analysis of some of the characters in the drama as I felt they deserved the mention with their performances.
I will start with my favorite character first...

My favorite character in this drama is actually Concubine Shen/Shen Mei Zhuang (Lan Xi)

There is nothing not to like about this lady; who exudes grace, elegance and perfect ladylike manners and is the epitome of the ladies during that era. This is one lady who carries herself off in a perfect manner and it is no wonder the Emperor takes an immediate liking to her. Intellectual and poised, she is definitely, in my opinion the perfect candidate for an Empress had she not been dethroned due to the jealousy of Consort Hua. From then on, she had lost her faith in everything and only held on to her daily life because of her best friend and who can blame her when she fell for Doctor Wen when he was the only one to treat her illness and treated her with respect and kindness when she no longer know who to trust?
It is a tragedy to see her end, as I believed she could achieve much greater things had she been in power due to her kind heart, but then again, kindness is not really key to surviving behind the palace walls, is it?

Chen JianBin as Emperor YongZheng

If you find that he looks familiar, well that is because the same actor played the famous warlord Cao Cao in the epic Three Kingdoms and you know that he is not to be messed with in that character. A lot of people may find him a little old to be in the character of the Emperor Yongzhen, but then again, that is because most are comparing him to Nicky Wu from Bu Bu Jing Xin. In history, Emperor Yongzhen was not that young anymore when he ascended the throne. This actor exudes the stern and no-nonsense look and in my opinion, is suited for this role as the Emperor himself was actually depicted to be one of discipline and determination in history. He commands in his role and could actually make on fear yet respect him even from the screen.

Jiang Xin as Consort Hua

Sister of Nian Geng Yao, this concubine actually did exist in history; though not of the same name, but one of the concubine of Emperor Yongzhen was indeed the sister of Nian Geng Yao.
The role of this concubine did create anger and resentment from the audience as we watched how arrogant she was and her disrespect for the Empress right in the first episode itself. However, I find her character a little pitiful at the same time as all she wanted was to maintain her own position for we know, the women back then had to compete with thousands of others within the palace to vie for the Emperor's attention and it is no easy feat to sustain your position once you are up there. She is just a little insecure especially when she realized that she is losing in terms of her age and youth to the newcomers. She may be loud and disrespectful, but she had a sad past and the hard reality she had to deal with when she realized that her efforts to conceive was futile and that the culprit was her own husband who did not want her blood to be in the royal bloodline due to his distrust in her brother. A tragic end for her as well; as she plummeted to the lowest from her high and mighty position.

Ada Choi as Empress Yu Xi (sister to former Empress Chun Yuan)

If you think that Consort Hua is pitiful, the Empress herself is even worse, as we were all led to believe at the beginning of the drama. Though adorned with beautiful costumes and a glorious title as the Empress, it seemed like the Empress was powerless and helpless against the powers and authorities of Consort Hua and was even at her mercy at times. I could not help but feel pity and unjust for her for she is the Empress, for goodness sake! However, I do know that no production would require an actress like Ada Choi to sit there and look perfect as an Empress as there would definitely be more meat to her role than what appeared to be initially and I was not wrong. She transitioned into her calm and cold-blooded self after Consort Hua's death and upon gaining the upper hand of the harem which she should have long ago and it was seen that she herself was battling to get rid of the ambitious concubines and at the same time, building her own influences through her alliances with some of the concubines. The Empress was definitely no weak or gentle character as we see how seamlessly her plans worked in plotting the downfall of Zhen Huan and ensuring that her allies; Concubine An gain the favor of the Emperor. I was even more disgusted when I found out that she killed her own sister, but when I learnt her story, I could not help but sympathize her. (Why do all the women have such a tragic background and end, you ask? Well, otherwise where is source for the drama?)
So, she may appear to be one wicked woman hiding behind the mask of a gentle lady, but beneath it all, what I truly see is an extremely miserable person in torment out of the true love for her husband.
She was the first to be married to the Emperor when he was still a prince, but he fell for her sister when she was heavily pregnant with his child. Imagine that! She thought that summoning her sister to care for her in her residence during her pregnancy was a natural thing most would do, but she had also summoned her sister to win her husband's heart and thus start her downfall. Her biggest mistake started from there, and she lost her own rank to her own sister when she miscarried and her sister was pregnant. Dealing with such a huge impact in her life; where she lost almost everything while her sister had everything, she was blinded by her own jealousy and hatred to cause harm her own sister. She still had to bear with the pain when the Emperor never forgot her sister even after her death and even named her the first Empress he had; and she is only the shadow of her sister in his heart.
It was just so sad; although I did not agree with her evil doings and how she could have caused trouble within the royal harem when she is supposed to guide the ladies to doing good. She did deserve her own end, although she should have been totally stripped off her title.

Tao Xin Ran as An Ling Rong/Concubine An

For some reason, I just did not like this character right from the start although she was portrayed as such a pitiful and oh, I don't know, damsel in distress? It just seemed so fake to me, and somehow, I just knew that she would turn to be someone evil and one that would betray her friends' trust. Well, perhaps Chinese dramas are always this predictable? She did not disappoint me, and even made me feel annoyed whenever she appears on the screen; maybe she is good in her acting? I can't say for sure, but there is just something about this lady which gives me the creeps and I could feel as though her eyes give away that she is one cold-blooded soul.

Li Dongxue as Prince Guo

This is like the perfect gentleman any lady could fall for in the drama and it is no wonder that he is a favorite among the ladies though I do find his qualities too flawless that it was almost unbelievable. I mean, seriously, a bachelor prince with good looks, intellect, courage and a noble heart? And he is loyal to love?
I just think they almost cease to exist in those era where polygamy rules; and he is of the royal bloodline too.
Anyway, he is the knight in shining armor for Zhen Huan and is always there for her whenever she needed somebody the most and even appearing to her when she was in exile; well, sort of. That probably was the start of his flaws; as he betrayed his own brother's trust (an Emperor nonetheless!) and started on a dangerous affair with his own sister-in-law. Though they make it seem that he and Zhen Huan are a perfect couple due to their looks and compatibility, hey, cheating is still cheating and it does not matter whatever condition you are in. Yes, Zhen Huan may have lost faith in her husband but that is no reason to cheat, right, especially when she is married to the Emperor; the Son of Heaven. Isn't that totally unacceptable during those times? He may be a faithful lover but he sure is not a good brother, and whether he deserves his end, perhaps it was a little extreme, or was it not? You be the judge...

Leaving the best for last; the main protagonist from whom the story was fully created about; Zhen Huan herself (Betty Sun Li)

Watch how she transforms from that simple and I-want-nothing girl to a cold and no-nonsense woman who truly has seen it all and shows that she is fed up with all the crap and threats in the palace. She has given up on her own luxuries in life when she lost her child and then she was away to the monastery (although she asked to go herself because she was disappointed with everything in the palace). She started to find herself and her happiness back when Prince Guo turns up and she found romance in their friendship turned dangerous relationship. However, bitterness sets in when she was hit with the hard reality that Prince Guo may have died and plotting revenge, she decided to return to the Emperor, whom she no longer has feelings for but still serve to attain her objective. It seemed that at the point when she returned to palace, she is no longer the same person anymore and it served up well as the Emperor also granted a new title and changed her background to suit that of the 4th Prince, Hongli's mother to entrust the prince under her care. She seemed to be in more control compared to the past as we watch how she handled the case where she was accused of adultery calmly and also how she treated the Emperor at his bed. This is one character which went through milestones of changes until the day she became Empress Dowager.
Legend or not, her story was definitely fascinating!

My Verdict:
If you are into palace dramas like me, this is definitely for you.
If you are not into history or long dramas or female power, well, this may take a whole lot more seriousness than what you would expect.

Rating: 4/5

Note: Images are taken from web; from sina.com and other websites and do NOT belong to me. They are only for illustration purposes.
If you want them removed, please kindly let me know.

Movie Review: Prom (2011)

2012-05-08T01:31:00.001-07:00

Year Produced: 2011
Director: Joe Nussbaum
Producers: Ted Griffin, Justin Springer
Writer: Katie Wech
Studio: Rickshaw Productions
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Language: English
Country of Origin: United States
Running Time: 104 minutes

Cast:
Aimee Teegarden as Nova Prescott
Thomas McDonnell as Jesse Richter
Yin Chang as Mei
Janelle Ortiz as Ali
Jonathan Keltz as Brandon
Nicholas Braun as Lloyd
Raini Rodriguez as Tess
DeVaughn Nixon as Tyler
Kylie Bunbury as Jordan
Danielle Campbell as Simone
Nolan Sotillo as Lucas
Cameron Monaghan as Corey
Jared Kusnitz as Justin
Jere Burns as Principal Dunnan
Joe Adler as Rolo

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:

As the final year of high school approaches, the seniors are preparing for the one night they bid goodbye to their high school memories; Prom. Class President, Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden) was looking forward to prom night and perceives is as that 'one perfect moment which unites everyone', and worked hard in organizing the event along with her friends; Mei (Yin Chang), Ali (Janelle Ortiz), Rolo (Joe Adler) and Brandon (Jonathan Keltz). Nova was also hoping to be asked by Brandon; her longtime crush whom she had been classmates and shared many extracurricular activities, to be his date to the prom.

Most of the seniors were excited for the prom and as acts of asking their dates to the prom take place, there are also those who were having problems even finding a date. Lloyd (Nicholas Braun) was complaining to his stepsister, Tess (Raini Rodriguez) on how he was dreading to go to prom and Tess encouraged him to attend this last event so that people would remember his existence in the school and even urged him to find a date to the prom. Lloyd was having trouble, and started seeking out girls randomly to ask as his date to the prom. At the same time, Jordan (Kylie Bunbury) confronted her boyfriend, Tyler (DeVaughn Nixon) on an earring she found in his car and suspected him of cheating on her. However, Tyler assured her that it was all a misunderstanding and promised to ask her to the prom soon.

Sophomore Lucas (Nolan Sotillo) harbors a crush on Simone (Danielle Campbell), his lab partner and tries relentlessly to get her attention; with the help of his best friend, Corey (Cameron Monaghan) whom he slowly neglects over his attention to the girl.

Meanwhile, Nova reminds Mei, of her decision to go to design school in New York and that she should inform her longtime boyfriend, Justin (Jared Kusnitz) who was still assuming that they would be attending the university in Michigan together. At the same time, Nova was happy to see that most of the decorations and preparations ready for the event and was even more excited when Brandon asked to talk to her privately. Thinking that Brandon was definitely going to ask her to the prom together, she was disappointed when Brandon only wanted to carpool with her to go to the prom together earlier before the event starts as they are part of the committee and even confided in her that he did not think much of the big fuss about asking dates to the prom and that they should practise practicality.

That night, Tyler brought Jordan to the shedhouse which stored all the prom decorations and surprised her with the candles he had placed there for a romantic atmosphere to ask her officially to be his date for the prom as they are in the running for the prom king and queen.

After they left the shedhouse, Tyler forgot to blow out one candle and that ended up in a major fire which burnt down the whole shed, along with all the prom decorations. Nova arrived in dismay the next morning to watch all her work go to waste.
Determined to still proceed with the event, Nova was even more dismayed when all her friends were unable to help her anymore due to their more important commitments to prepare for their lives after graduation.
Highlighting her plight to Principal Dunnan (Jere Burns), the latter came up with his solution when he assigned school rebel, Jesse Richter (Thomas McDonnell) to help her out as part of the condition for him to graduate since his attendance record was not satisfying.

Nova was distraught to the idea; but had no choice except to work with Jesse's help who was just constantly at loggerheads with her. Nova learns from her father that Jesse's father was just like him; with an equally notorious reputation and that deepened her prejudice towards him.

Though they were initially at odds against each other, they soon learnt more about each other along the way and even found themselves enjoying each other's company.

As Nova starts to fall for the bad boy Jesse, she was starting to hope that he would ask her to be his date to the prom following Brandon's pullout from going to the prom with her due to his prioritization of his own interview with Princeton. Her conversation with her girl friends, Mei and Ali were overheard by her father, who worried about her future should she get further involved with Jesse and he went to the mart where he worked to confront and warn him to stay away from his daughter.

Jesse's sudden cold behavior puzzled Nova and she was even more hurt when she confessed her feelings for Jesse only to be returned with a negative remark that he never thought of her the same way. As prom approaches, Jordan broke up with Tyler due to his philandering ways and constant lies and the latter then turned to Simone to be his date to the prom. Simone tried to hide the invite from Lucas, but Lucas turned up at her window the night of the prom and was heartbroken to see Tyler arriving to pick her up. Although he pleaded with her not to go to the prom, she proceeded to leave with Tyler; and Lucas went to find his best friend, Corey to go for a band gig together. Jordan went to the prom alone and was applauded by most of the girls in the school who thought she was being really brave and unconventional. Nova at the same time seemed to have lost her spirits for the prom; the event that she had been looking forward to that prompted her parents' concern for her and upon hearing her distress, her father confessed that he had talked to Jesse earlier which led to Nova being upset with him for ruining her perfect night.

At prom, Simone realized that Tyler was just using her to show off to Jordan and the rest of the school and regretted not heeding Lucas's advice. When Tyler and Jordan were both announced as prom king and queen, Jordan refused to dance with him leaving Tyler to approach Simone. However, Simone too, turned him down and left to find Lucas whom she embraced and kissed finally at the gig. Tyler was left to dance alone on the dance floor. Mei was concerned about Nova's state when she just ignored the fact that the fountain had stopped working and even told them to just leave it. However, the said fountain was suddenly functional again and Nova turned to find that Jesse had appeared in a tuxedo; a pair which belonged to his father and he had come back to find Nova after being encouraged by his mother.

Nova smiled at him going back on his word, as he once said that the tuxedo was a symbol of conformity and he shrugged it off and danced with Nova and they ended up in an embrace and kiss on the dance floor.

Christy's Review:
A rather light-hearted teen flick which reminded me of the high school days and how it was like to be so young! Love the soundtrack and also the simple plot and the fun that the young teens were just having at the prime time of their lives.
The plot is definitely predictable so don't expect a lot when you are watching a teen flick like this.
I love the focus on friendship, puppy loves, decision making and also finding your own identities as highlighted in this movie; all in an hour plus.

My Verdict:
Not too bad, but this is simply a teen movie, nothing much and may be mushy and childish to some who have grown out of it.

Rating: 3.5/5

Movie Review: Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

2012-05-07T21:11:00.001-07:00

Year produced: 1988
Based on : Christopher Hampton's play (Les liaisons dangereuses); French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Director: Stephen Frears
Producers: Norman Heyman, Hank Moonjean
Writer: Christopher Hampton
Running Time: 119 minutes
Language: English
Country of Origin: United States

Cast:
Glenn Close as Marquise de Merteuil
John Malkovich as Vicomte de Valmont
Michelle Pfeiffer as Mademe de Tourvel
Uma Thurman as Cecile de Volanges
Keanu Reeves as Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny
Swoosie Kurtz as Madame de Volanges
Mildred Natwick as Madame de Rosemonde

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:

Set in the background setting of the 18th century, the story centers on the dangerous deception games between two particular individuals; the conniving and pretentious Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) and the charming yet manipulative Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) who team up with each other on certain occasions to work their way on the unsuspecting preys of opposite genders in the society.

Marquise de Merteuil; though appearing to be a noble and respectable lady of that time, was struggling to maintain her image as a proper lady to conform to the the standards at that time while engaging in several sexual relationships with men. The Marquise is angered by the fact that women at that time were not allowed to speak nor have their own opinions and had to only obey the men; decided on her own path by dominating the male gender behind the society's back.

Her off and on ally; Vicomte de Valmont shares her similar interests and appears to be fascinated by her strong-willed nature though he was even more interested in making her his conquest, for the Vicomte is another arrogant figure who prides in his many successes in winning many women's hearts to his bedside.

The Marquise was planning her revenge on one of her recent lovers; by having his new fiancee, the young and naive Cecile de Volanges (Uma Thurman) seduced and ruined before their wedding to make him the laughing stock of the society. Merteuil was determined to have her plan carried out despite the fact that Cecile was the daughter of her own cousin; Madame de Volanges (Swoosie Kurtz) that she engaged the help of the suave Valmont to carry out the plan. Valmont refused initially; stating that Cecile was of no challenge to him and his latest interest lies in the virtuous and pious married woman; Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer); who was currently staying with his aunt while her husband was away on a long assignment. Tourvel apparently holds a reputation of having a high virtue of religion and chaste; and Valmont makes her his next target as he finds the chase more exciting and satisfying when Tourvel falls in his arms; as he tells Merteuil. Marquise then takes him on a dangerous game, by betting on his chances to bed the Madame de Tourvel and that he must obtain a written proof; a letter from Tourvel herself to prove his success and the prize would be Marquise herself to be his next conquest.

Valmont travels to stay with his aunt and at the same time, tries to befriend Madame de Tourvel who was quite obvious in avoiding his advances at all expenses; making Valmont curious to her reasons for doing so when he had not even made his move. He was surprised to hear Madame de Tourvel finally revealing that someone had wrote to her earlier to warn her of his nature and was annoyed to learn that it was Cecile de Volanges.

Angered by her apparent intervention in his plans, he decided to agree to Marquise de Merteuil's plans; much to the Marquise's delight although she had already discovered Cecile's secret exchange of love letters and her interest in her new music teacher; the handsome Le Chevalier Raphael Danceny (Keanu Reeves); whom her mother would not approve of due to his social and financial status.

Before Cecile, the Marquise appears to encourage the development of Cecile and Danceny's relationship but she then requested to see her cousin; Cecile's mother and informed her of the love letters.
To allow Valmont to commence on his plans, the Marquise even suggested to Madame de Volanges to take Cecile away for a break and to stay with Valmont's aunt for a brief period to break up Cecile and Danceny.

Cecile was initially cautious of Valmont's presence there but upon Valmont's approach to help deliver letters between her and Danceny, she agreed to give him the keys to her room to be duplicated to allow Valmont to carry out his task easily. However, she was surprised when Valmont turned up at her room that night and snuck up to her bed and raped her; threatening her that if she were to report the incident to her mother, she would not be believed for she had given him the keys to her room herself. The next day at breakfast, Cecile was disgusted with the gestures made by Valmont at the table that she left in a hurry. Madame de Volanges then called for the immediate presence of Marquise de Merteuil to speak to Cecile; whom she believed have a prominent influence over her daughter. As Cecile confides in the Marquise of the incident with Valmont, she talks about the guilt and her distraught to have betrayed Danceny's faith in her. However, the Marquise takes advantage of the situation and even encouraged Cecile to continue her liaison with Valmont or even with other men; to add to her experience in order to please Danceny in the future. Cecile was surprised but heeded her advice and sought Valmont in engaging in various encounters and was even pregnant with Valmont's child.

Though pleased, the Marquise still refused to give in to Valmont's advances and even reminded him of his initial plan to bed the Madame de Tourvel; who, by now, was struggling with her own feelings for Valmont. As she was about to give in to Valmont, he could not bring himself to touch her as she started to break into sobs to breach her own morals. She took to fleeing his aunt's place that very same night; on the advice of Madame de Rosemonde; Valmont's aunt. Anxious, Valmont sent his own page boy after her and traced her whereabouts at an abbey where he made his way there. As Tourvel refuses his advances again, Valmont pretends to be getting ready to commit suicide and Tourvel finally gives herself to him.

Although pleased, Valmont was somewhat plagued with a more complex feelings which he tried to brush off, but he had already fallen in love with the sweet and assuring Madame de Tourvel. Rushing back to inform Marquise de Merteuil of his success and to claim his prize, he was angered by the fact that Marquise still refused to relent and she even challenged him to break up with Tourvel before she would finally give herself to him as Marquise had already sensed Valmont's true feelings for Tourvel and was starting to feel threatened by his affections for her. Valmont broke up with Tourvel and that broke her heart, causing her to fall severely ill; much to Valmont's distress.

When Marquise still refused to abide by the rules of the game, Valmont then declared war. Marquise informed Danceny, whom she had taken as her companion but yet was threatened of his affections for Cecile, of Valmont's acts of seducing Cecile. This news led to Danceny challenging Valmont to a duel in which Valmont played half-heartedly while still battling with his own guilt and sadness for having hurt Tourvel and voluntarily allows Danceny to injure him with his sword. As he was dying, he asked Danceny for two things. The first in which Valmont hands him a sheaf of letters which are proofs of his correspondence with Marquise to expose her of her own deeds, and told Danceny that he could decide whether to expose her to the public after reading the letters. The second is to rush to Madame de Tourvel's side to inform her that Valmont truly loved her and that she was the only one woman he loved; after which Valmont died.

Danceny agreed and rushed to the Madame de Tourvel's bedside to pass the message and upon hearing the message, Tourvel herself died.

In the ending scene, the Marquise made her appearance at a play; where she appeared poised and composed as usual but was shocked when the audience booed at her presence, hinting that Danceny had taken to exposing her evil nature to everyone. Marquise was seen to be taking off her makeup and appears to be having a nervous breakdown at the end.

Christy's Review:
The original version; or the very first English version adaptation of the French novel which further inspired the modern Cruel Intentions. I was impressed with the rich and lavish settings of the 18th century in this adaptation, and though it was an old movie, the cast was an even more impressionable one which added to the beauty of the movie.
Glenn Close was a perfect choice to play the composed yet conniving Marquise de Merteuil; who was the mastermind behind most of the misadventures in the movie and John Malkovich was an equally competent partner to share in her alliance.
I enjoyed the pace of the movie; not to mention the costumes and poised acting of the cast in making this movie so enjoyable. Take note of a young and unknown Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves making their appearances in the movie as well.

Verdict:

Absolutely must watch; this was an even more exciting one, not to mention believable compared to the modern Cruel Intentions as the settings of the 18th century certainly was one which was formidable and befitting for the strict regulations of the behaviors of both genders.

Rating: 4/5

TVB: The Life and Times of a Sentinel (紫禁驚雷)(2011)

2012-04-24T22:19:00.001-07:00

Year Produced: 2011

Executive Producer: Leung Choi Yuen
Writers: Ng Siu Tung, Sit Kar Wah
Language: Cantonese
Country of Origin: Hong Kong

Theme Song: Bin Tin (變天) by Steven Ma

Cast:
Imperial Palace
Steven Ma Chun Wai as Lip Dor Bou/Kei Chun Kit
Kenneth Ma as Fook Chuen/Prince Yu/2nd Imperial Prince
Ching Hor Wai as Grand Empress Dowager Hao Chong
Power Chan as Emperor Hong Hei/3rd Imperial Prince/Yuen Yip
Tsui Wing as Prince Kung/Sheung Ning/5th Imperial Prince

Selena Li as Cheuk Chi Ying/ Princess Tuen Man

Natalie Tong as Kwai Lun/2nd Princess Consort

Christine Kuo as Kin Ching/5th Princess Consort
Lo Chung Shun as Chiu Lai Wo

Imperial Harem
Elaine Yiu as Imperial Consort Wong/ Man Kwan
Grace Wong as Imperial Consort Wai
Rosanne Lui as Grand Consort Sau
Oceane Zhu as Consort Tung Ngok

Imperial Guards
Evergreen Mak Cheung Ching as Po Chai/Cheuk Muk Hak Po Chai
Deno Cheung as Sheung Chak Yi Tai Shek

Jack Wu as Ha Seen

Fred Cheng as Yan Chak

Imperial Court

Law Lok Lam as Lap Lan Ming Chu

Stephen Wong as Lap Lan Sing Tak

Sheung Moon Lau Restaurant/Lip Family

Samuel Kwok Fung as Lip Koon Yat

Helen Ma as Ko Choi King

Katy Kung as Fung Sheung Hei

Early Characters/Cameos

Ben Wong Chi Yin as Kei Tou Ting/Imperial Bodyguard

Chris Lai Lok Yi as Young Kei Man Cheong

Felix Lok as Kei Man Cheung/Sam Chin Yat

Matthew Ko as Ngai Chun

Sunny Chan Kam Hung as Emperor Shun Chi

Lau Kong as Monk Hin Yan

Anti-Qing Activists

Cheung Kwok Keung as Cheuk Shu Tong

Lily Ho as Sam Chui Yuk

Angel Chiang as Hor Yee

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:

The story starts with an intense scene in the Imperial Court, with exchanges of heated glances and words between the 2nd Imperial Prince, Royal Sentinel, Grand Empress Dowager and the reigning Emperor Hong Hei amongst the ministers standing watching. It appears to be a seizure of power by the 2nd Imperial Prince, and the Emperor is weakened by the strength of the Prince's support.

Taking a step back into the past when the reigning emperor was Shun Chi (Sunny Chan), the father of Emperor Hong Hei who appeared to prefer the 2nd Prince over the 3rd Prince for the succession of the throne. However, his plans were disapproved by his mother, the Empress Dowager Hao Chong (Ching Hor Wai) who pointed out that 3rd Prince, Yuen Yip would make a better ruler due to his compassion and kindness, over Fook Chuen/2nd Prince who seemed to be more cunning in nature.

Emperor Shun Chi then made a will to pass his throne to Yuen Yip, but was uncovered by the Empress Dowager and taking advantage of the Emperor's sudden retreat to becoming a monk following the death of his favorite concubine, Consort Tung Ngok, the Empress Dowager secretly changed the Emperor's will and announced for 3rd Prince Yuen Yip to ascend the throne.

Imperial Bodyguard Kei Tou Ting (Ben Wong), who was a loyal follower of the Emperor, knew of this secret and swearing to protect the Emperor, he shaved his head and joined the Emperor in his final days of contemplation in retreat, he was entrusted with a sacred letter which stated the will of the late Emperor. Returning to the Imperial Palace upon the Emperor's death and also upon summoning by the witty Empress Dowager, Kei Tou Ting pledged to bring the secret to his tomb and after handing the Emperor's letter to the Empress and asking for pardon of his family members, he took his own life before the Empress Dowager.

At the same time, the Kei family was on the run as the Empress Dowager did not want to take any risk in order to protect the new Emperor's ascension to the throne and ordered for them to be killed. Hin Yan, a monk who was a student of Kei Tou Ting arrived to escort Kei Man Cheong (Chris Lai), his only son along with his grandson to safety. In his desperate to bid to hide from the army, Cheong placed his infant son by the riverside a moment of anxiety but was alarmed to find the baby missing when he came out of his hiding place.

Discovering the baby's shoe, Cheong and Hin Yan decided that it was probably God's will and knowing that he cannot escape death, Cheong decided to return to the palace to end the mass murder of his own family.

Pledging himself to secrecy, Kei Man Cheong took to drinking poison to muting himself before the Empress Dowager who finally relented to spare the Kei's family from tragedy.

The 3rd Prince, Yuen Yip then ascended the throne and became Emperor Hong Hei at the age of eight and assisted by the Empress Dowager who became the Grand Empress Dowager.

This decision angered the 2nd Prince, Fook Chuen who believed that the throne was rightfully his and grew up plotting to take over the throne. Due to his aggressiveness, Fook Chuen, now Prince Yu (Kenneth Ma) never gained the trust of his own grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager; especially after his unforgivable act 15 years ago and she banished him into seclusion and minor roles outside the palace.

Prince Yu remained determined as ever to gain the trust of the Empress Dowager and also of his own brother, the Emperor for him to be able to hold an important position within the court for him to execute his own plans.

Besides his political inclinations, the Prince also harbors hatred towards the Emperor due to his treatment towards the Imperial Consort Wong (Elaine Yiu), who was later revealed to be his romantic interest Man Kwan and that they were already acquainted in their younger days in Mongolia, until she decided to enlist for the emperor's harem. Consort Wong was also the elder cousin sister of Prince Yu's wife, Princess Consort Kwai Lun (Natalie Tong), and the two were extremely close in their relationship, along with the 5th Princess Consort, Kin Cheng (Christine Kuo). Both princess consorts serve as the trusted allies of Imperial Consort Wong, who was constantly being bullied by her rival Consort Wai (Grace Wong) due to her kindness and unsuspecting nature. Consort Wai was the favorite of the Emperor, but was disliked by the Empress Dowager who favored Consort Wong as the next candidate to be Empress to Hong Hei.

Consort Wong was also a maternal relative of the Empress Dowager, besides her exceptionally good qualities and was highly recommended to assume the role of the Royal Empress which had been vacant for a while since the death of the previous Empress who was deeply loved by the Emperor.

Consort Wai resorted to various evil ways to dispel Consort Wong, much to the displeasure of the Grand Empress Dowager, but she finally fell prey to her own trap when she suffered a miscarriage and was banished from the palace to seclusion. Her fall paved the way for Consort Wong to be named the successor to assume the role of the Empress.

Our main protagonist enters the scene way earlier, as a young and promising man of Han descent who helped his family to run the family business in the famous Sheung Moon Lau Restaurant in the city.

Following various acts of suppression and persecution by the arrogant Qing palace guards, Lip Dor Bou (Steven Ma), was determined to take up the challenges to be a palace guard to protect his family and also the Hans, in conjunction with Emperor Hong Hei's call to unite both the Manchurians and the Hans.

However, Dor Bou's path to becoming the royal guard was not an easy one and along the way, he courted the attention of Prince Yu, the Emperor and also the Grand Empress Dowager.

What seemed to be a simple gesture of kindness and friendship with the conniving Prince Yu soon turned out to be a web of deceit and lies which Dor Bou plunges into and slowly discovers as he cohorts to the Prince's evil schemes to ascend the throne.

Along the way, Dor Bou befriends the sweet and naive Cheuk Chi Ying (Selena Li), who was the daughter of a pharmacy business owner, Cheuk Shu Tong (Cheung Kwok Keung). Though seemingly harmless, the business and Cheuk Shu Tong was slowly revealed to hold a much darker secret behind the doors, as Cheuk was actually the leader of an anti-Qing and revolution group and were secretly planning their acts of rebellion in the secret chamber of his shop which was discovered by chance by his own daughter. Chi Ying was coerced into joining the activities of the group upon learning the truth about her own parents and foster mother (Cheuk Shu Tong's wife), who were apparently killed by the evil Manchurians, as told by her father, who was also revealed to be her foster father.

Dor Bou's exceptional skills soon gained him recognition and importance in the palace as he was quickly promoted to third rank and then first rank officer after his proven dedication to his duties and saving the Emperor's life. His influence caused displeasure among the Qing guards who were previously his superiors and harassers. However, his favor in the Emperor's eyes made him almost invincible to the rest and was of immense value to Prince Yu. The Prince himself, had also gained the trust of the Grand Empress Dowager following his sacrifice to save her life, and had earned a position in the palace where he slowly planned his rebellion. The Grand Empress Dowager was still suspicious of Prince Yu, but was constantly assured by the Emperor.

The sudden appearance of the long lost Consort Sau (Rosanne Lui) soon brought to light more complex stories of the past, and Prince Yu found, from the mouth of the Consort who used to be a favorite of the late Emperor Shun Chi, that he was supposed to take over the throne and resorted to protect her by all means. The return of Prince Gong/5th Imperial Prince (Tsui Wing) reunited him with his biological mother, Consort Sau, whom he thought had died when he was young, as informed by the Grand Empress Dowager. Although now mentally unstable, Consort Sau slowly recalled that she used to have a princess whom she had lost on a trip to the temple and the Emperor ordered for a secret search for the long lost Princess Tuen Man who could be dead by now but seeking confirmation, the guards embarked on a search for the princess.

Dor Bou soon tracked the evidences to Chi Ying, and as the father and daughter pleaded with him to keep the secret, he was even more assured that she was indeed the lost princess and brought her back to the palace.

Chi Ying then assumed her identity as the lost Manchurian princess, Tuen Man in the palace and reunites with her royal family. What Dor Bou did not know was that Chi Ying and Cheuk Shu Tong made it a plan to smuggle Chi Ying into the palace by masquerading her as the lost princess so that their group could find out more about the happenings inside the palace and assist in their plans to rebel against the government.

They even smuggled Chui Yuk (Lily Ho), another activitist, disguised as the princesss's maid, to aid her in the palace. Chui Yuk's identity was soon exposed by the intelligent Dor Bou and she then killed herself while Chi Ying was sent away in exile. Cheuk Shu Tong was then arrested by the Qings and the whole anti-Qing group was busted following their failure in their attempts to assassinate the Emperor.

It was then that confusion rise over the real identity of Chi Ying; was she truly the lost Princess Tuen Man or a nobody's daughter was just adopted by Cheuk Shu Tong?

Dor Bou gained the trust of Emperor Hong Hei and as they worked together, Dor Bou realized that he was truly a compassionate and just ruler. Prince Yu was, at the same time, creating so much drama in the palace to expose the Grand Empress Dowager of her past deeds, but also ended up hurting many others who were innocent. Dor Bou was also torn between his loyalty to both Prince Yu and the Emperor and his hatred for the Grand Empress Dowager after discovering his real identity as the grandson of Kei Tou Ting and reuniting with his mute father, Kei Man Cheong (Felix Lok).

The death of his father and foster parents, which were apparently orchestrated by the prince, made Dor Bou even more adamant to assist the prince in revolting against the Grand Empress Dowager whom he blamed for all the misfortunes which befell his loved ones.

As Dor Bou learns the truth, he was burning with fury but yet continues to assist the evil prince in turning against the unsuspecting Emperor Hong Hei. Prince Yu finally gained the upper hand with the assistance of his brother, Prince Gong, who held command of the military along with the ministers and the scene from the first episode came into place as the prince announced his rights to the throne and exposed the Grand Empress Dowager of her act in changing the will of the late Emperor to pass the throne to the 3rd Prince at that time.

However, as Prince Yu thought that he had finally succeeded in his schemes, a truth was exposed which astounds everyone including Dor Bou himself.

Christy's Review:

Excellent and definitely one of the best TVB series I have seen in years!
The interwoven plots were intriguing and provided more drama and complexity yet engaging interests in the series along the way. There was rarely any dull moment that I can recall in the drama, and I am truly impressed with the well-written story which astounds with the uncovering of each plot.

Unlike other TVB dramas, the ending was exceptionally good, and I found myself still gripping the edge until the very episode which revealed the end of the story whereas other dramas just makes most of us flop in disappointment.

There is a reason I maintained certain anonymity and secrecy in writing my synopsis, to maintain the originality and suspense of the story for those who have yet to watch.

It is definitely my vote for the best TVB series for the year 2011, if not all time!

Cast and Characters Analysis

This is a star-studded cast; and obviously everyone put in a good performance to make the drama successful. Most of the actors are also rather commendable in their past experiences but they have made it through various TVB dramas in their acting career.
I can't even begin with any one of them, but the veterans; Ching Hor Wai, Evergreen Mak, Samuel Kwok, Cheung Kwok Keung paved the drama for an entertaining watch with their subtle and believable performances.

Steven Ma never fails to impress with his acting skills and his role here was another of his regular characters; righteous, brave and charming. His character in the drama, however, was one of complexity and Steven had to navigate his expressions as he discovers his own identity and also in dealing with the different people who are in favor of his service.

Kenneth Ma showed his major improvement in his acting although he still lacked control of certain emotions as evident in certain scenes. Playing a villain is never easy and Kenneth's usual charms were not properly masqueraded here as he plays the scheming and conniving prince.

Natalie Tong and Elaine Yiu were both playing adverse characters from their past experiences; with Elaine having to play a kind and compassionate concubine while Natalie is to be a jealous wife forced into evil yet struggles with her own conscience.

Selena Li is just playing her usual sweet, naive and lovable self in her character here.
The rest of the cast, though not mentioned, deserves a big clap for their excellent portrayals of ministers and civilians in the Qing Dynasty.

My Verdict:
In my opinion, this is definitely a MUST watch for all the reasons above if not for my vote as the best TVB drama of 2011.

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: Images are properties of TVB.com and are only for illustration purposes. They do not belong to MovieBugz.

Movie Review: Just Married (2003)

2012-03-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2003
Director: Shawn Levy
Producers: Robert Simonds, Lauren Shuler Donner
Writer: Sam Harper
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Running Time: 95 minutes
Language(S): English, Italian, German, French
Country of Origin: United States of America

Cast:
Ashton Kutcher as Tom Leezak
Brittany Murphy as Sarah McNerney then Sarah Leezak
Christian Kane as Peter Prentiss
David Moscow as Kyle
Monét Mazur as Lauren

The McNerneys
David Rasche as Mr. McNerney
Veronica Cartwright as Mrs. McNerney aka Pussy
Thad Luckinbill as Willie McNerney
David Agranov as Paul McNerney
Taran Killam as Dickie McNerney

The Leezaks
Raymond J. Barry as Mr. Leezak

Storyline/Plot/Synopsis:
The story starts with Tom and Sarah at the airport, fighting with each other all the way and Tom dropping Sarah at her home as a favor to her and crashing all the flower pots and statues in her house compound at the same time.
While Sarah ends up crying on the shoulder of her best friend, Lauren, Tom was back at home roughing it out with his best buddy, Kyle.

The story then flashes back to when Tom and Sarah first met; when Tom was playing football on the beach and Sarah was hit by the ball he threw in her direction while she was walking her dog. The two got acquainted with each other and soon started seeing each other, despite Sarah's wealthy family's objections to their relationship when Sarah brought Tom back to meet her parents.

Though it started on a bad impression, the family could not stop Sarah from marrying Tom in a traditional church ceremony, to which Sarah was happy to finally be with Tom.

However, Tom hid a secret from Sarah and vice versa; as Tom accidentally killed her dog while he was in her room and Sarah, at the same time, was trying to keep the incident of her sleeping with Peter once from Tom, who hates the sight of Peter.

On their wedding night, they saved their first night for the honeymoon as both were extremely exhausted after the wedding ceremony, but Sarah tried to drag Tom to the restroom on the plane to have sex. However, their attempts to join the mile high club failed and they even hurt the air stewardess who was constantly telling them to return to their seats due to the air turbulence when their door swung open into her face. Upon landing at the airport, Tom was upset to learn that they were given a small rental car; a lot smaller than what he originally requested for during his reservation.

While they were driving to their destination, Tom was complaining and when Sarah tells him to make a sharp turn at the very last minute, they both got down from the car, arguing but soon reconciled as they realized that they sounded like an old married couple.

Reaching their hotel, they were pleased with the excellent French hospitality and amazed with the beautiful suite they were given. However, Tom was a little annoyed when the concierge informed them of a bottle of wine given to them by Peter, congratulating them on their marriage, as Peter had been trying to pursue Sarah for years. In their suite, Tom found another gift from Kyle; which was a Thunderstick A-200; a sex toy which he was excited with and tried to plug it into the wall socket to charge immediately. Unheeding Sarah's objections, he forced the plug into the socket but it was not matching the European socket standards and thus caused power blackout in the hotel and the entire village. The hotel manager was furious with the couple as the establishment was started by his great grandparents and had never run into problems like these. Tom was furious with his attitude and the two exchanged words of anger whereby the manager kicked both Tom and Sarah out of the hotel.

Sarah was upset at not being able to enjoy the beautiful hotel and the two ended up staying inside their car for the night as their car lost control and derailed off the side of the road. Their car was covered with snow the next morning and the two got out and hitchiked a ride from a truck driver and ending up at Venice where they checked into a less than impressive pensione there.

However, they tried to make the best of the situation and attempted to make love but were freaked out by the cockcroaches and then, the two crashed the wall into another couple's room and it was then that they decided to move out of the pensione.

Despite Tom's objections, Sarah sought the help of her father to book them a luxurious hotel but her father reminded Tom to repay him the money as soon as possible.

Their honeymoon seems to be back on track when they set off for their sightseeing tour the next day; but it seemed that Tom was not interested in most of the architectures of attractive spots which Sarah enjoyed and agreeing to separate for their own interests in activities, the couple split into Sarah continuing her tour around major tourist spots and Tom hanging out at an American themed bar watching sports updates. Sarah returns to the hotel early and was surprised to find that Peter was also staying in the same hotel. Tom was furious to find out about Peter's presence and the two wound up in a heated argument in which Tom revealed that he accidentally killed her dog while Sarah also mentioned that she had slept with Peter once.
Shocked with the revelation from both sides, they both stormed out of the room and went on their separate ways again; with Tom ending up at the bar and Sarah on her sightseeing again; where she bumped into Peter.

Tom, on the other hand, was at the bar when he met a girl who flirted with him. Realizing that she wants sex, Tom tried to get out of the conversation by excusing himself to the toilet where he ends up climbing out of the window to escape back to the hotel. However, when he found out that Sarah was with Peter in the hotel, he stormed off in anger and bumped into the girl at the bar again. Trying to get away from her, he tried to offer sending her back to her hotel but unknowingly revealed his own hotel where the girl also claimed she was staying there. She followed him to his hotel room where she started taking off her clothes and got on top of him, while Tom was wriggling his best to get away from her and finally yelled that he was on his honeymoon with his wife, and she finally left.

Peter and Sarah went for a drink together and when he dropped her off at the hotel, he kissed her and was witnessed by Tom from their balcony. However, what Tom did not see was that Sarah slapped Peter and tells him that she is on her honeymoon. When Sarah reaches the room, Tom initiated an argument and accused Sarah of cheating on him with Peter, while Sarah was furious to discover a red bra in the room.

As the two was in their shouting match, Sarah threw an ashtray at Tom, injuring him on his forehead, and Peter barged into their argument, pulling Sarah to run away with him and fuelling Tom's anger to which he picked up a poker to threaten Peter, who ran off and had the hotel's staff to lodge a police report, and the couple ended up spending the night in jail. Peter bailed them out but the couple were too furious with each other and cut their honeymoon short, boarding the plane back to LA.
On their way back, the two continued their acts of vengeance against each other; especially Sarah who told the airport officials that Tom had drugs stuffed in his anus and ending up in him being searched.

When they reached LA; which was the beginning of the movie, the two separated ways but soon realized that they still loved each other very much and were both heartbroken with how they turned out. Tom was advised by his father, and after hearing his father's story, drove to Sarah's house to make amends with her, although the family and the maid refused entry to him.
However, Tom threatened to ram the gate with his car and then proceeded to declare his love for Sarah at the security circuit camera attached at the front gate which touched Sarah, and even her family as her father urged her to go after him and the couple reconciled with an embrace and kiss.

Christy's Review:
Simple and sweet storyline, and hilarious with the twist of events occurring on the disastrous honeymoon. Brittany Murphy was just so sweet as the young and promising bride while Ashton Kutcher was equally a adorable, making them such a lovely couple to watch and it was sad to see them parting, really. It was a very light-hearted movie filled with lots of drama, but eventually love conquered all, making this yet another heart-melting romantic comedy to be enjoyed by everyone.

Likes about the movie:
Scenes between Brittany and Ashton; their chemistry is amazing!

Dislikes about the movie:
Besides the bickering scenes, there should also be more romantic scenes to portray more of their fiery romance for each other although it is not lacking that much in the movie either.

Verdict:
Watch, for the sweet and lovely scenes between Brittany and Ashton which makes them such a desirable newly wed and is bound to make any newlywed or even longtime married folks enjoy the entertaining jokes from the disasters on their honeymoon.

Rating: 3/5

TVB: Ghetto Justice (怒火街頭) 2011

2012-03-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2011
Created by: Terry Tong Kei Ming
Language: Cantonese
No. of episodes: 20

Opening theme: No Time to Regret by Hanjin Tan and M.C. Jin

Main Cast:
Kevin Cheng Ka Weng - L.A Law/Law Lik Ah
Myolie Wu - Kris Wong Si Fu
Alex Lam - George Mike Jr./ Mai Cho Chi
Sam Lee - Tin Ka Fu
Sharon Chan - Ho Lee Ching
Joyce Tang Lai Meng - Tai Ng Ting

Supporting Cast:
Mandy Wong - Silvia Cheung Chi Sum
Shek Sau - Spencer Cheung Pak Kei
Ching Hor Wai - Poon Siu King
Kwok Fung - Mai Bo (George's father)
Chun Wong - Ting Fook Yuen (Fu's father)
Ting Chu Wai - Tam Wing Chau (Fu's mother)

Storyline/Plot/Synopsis:
A story about the thin line between the law and ethics and whether the two can align with each other to uphold social justice.

Kris Wong Si Fu (Myolie Wu) is an aspiring barrister whose ultimate aim is to create a name for herself in the legal department; setting her idol, Spencer Cheung Pak Kei (Shek Sau) as her motivation, she sets to win as many cases as possible.

She met the unkept and slacker of Law Lik Ah (Kevin Cheng), whom she develops a bad first impression of and was in utter disdain at his sight. Battling him in court, she learns that Law is not as simple as he seems as he holds a rather profound influence over his witnesses and defendants in court.

Law was just as unimpressed with the unethical Kris who seemed to be more interested in the victory of the case than the interests of the causes of justice. However, Kris soon learns, through her various cases that the powerful affluent people are using their wealth to get away with their own heinous crimes thus changing her own direction and perception in law and upholding justice through the truth.

Collaborating with Law, she learns much more than just winning her cases and even befriends the rest of Law's friends, George Mike Jr. (Alex Lam) and Tin Ka Fu (Sam Lee); both of whom were sons of rich families but yet works alongside Law to help the financially incapable in fighting for their rights and for justice.
Law reopens his office which is started to serve the community in Sham Shui Po, and to help the people in need; much to Kris's admiration.

Though initially still fighting for her own ambitions, Kris soon learns that Law's background was more astounding than his appearance, or her perception of him as he was the long lost famous barrister, L.A Law, who was as popular and admired as her idol, Spencer Cheung in the past.

He had fought and won several cases, but had disappeared for years after his last case in which he felt guilty for causing the death of a witness whom he forced to suicide to free his client of the conviction. Unable to bear with his own guilt, Law could not bring himself to court anymore.

As Law and Kris spend more time with each other, they develop feelings for each other but Kris was too proud to admit her growing affections for him. At the same time, Kris bumps into her old friend, Ho Lee Ching (Sharon Chan) who turned up and then surprised Kris with the newfound fact that she is now a prostitute by profession.

Disappointed with Ching, Kris turns away from her old friend although she needs her in a sexual harassment case. However, Kris soon found out Ching's sad story which led to her being a part of prostitution following her rape by her own mother's debtors. Tin Ka Fu, falls for Ching, but was being rejected by him again and again, as she was ashamed of her own background while Fu persuaded his own discriminating parents to accept her.

When Fu and Ching could finally start their own French restaurant; which was Ching's lifelong dream, she stumbled upon Spencer's illegal doings and ended up being murdered.

Although they suspected Spencer, there was no proof to bring him to justice. Angered by that fact, Kris then made everyone, including her own mother as she offered to join Spencer's defense team to help defend him from law. Unknown to them, Kris was just acting indifferent to find the incriminating evidence to nail Spencer on his heinous crime and she finally succeeded in doing so; although unethically and unlawfully. Law realized Kris's intentions and changed her video, sending the evidence of him tapering with the evidence; causing him to be jailed and disbarred from practising law ever again in the future.

At the end of the drama, Kris visits Law in prison and even told her that she will wait for him to return to help her with her practice and decides to reopen Law's office on his behalf, to the delight of the Sham Shui Po's residents.

Christy's Review:
An interesting drama; which takes a different turn from the typical courtroom drama of the likes of Files of Justice and Survivors Law, and focusing instead on the interests of social justice of the lower class people. I find it a fresh portrayal on depicting the interests of ethics in affecting the decisions of justice and that law knows no boundaries in the ones practising and those who are accused behind the bars.

It is a rather fresh idea; and welcomed too, with the rise of social issues and crimes in the society and having normal people and their mentality, gave a different insight into the perspectives of law and in becoming a lawyer. It shows that being a lawyer does not mean that one needs to only dress smart and win cases to be defined as one of potential, but that a lawyer should also uphold ethics and justice at the same time to be able to understand the law.
One of the first courtroom drama with a new take and appeal to true justice.

Characters Analysis:
Myolie Wu as Kris Wong Si Fu

Nothing less than what I would expect of Myolie, as she is just so extremely at ease in her character and her expressions were typical of most of the characters she had portrayed in the past. Initially unscrupulous, Kris Wong was only interested in her own ambitions and could care less about the reality of justice but when she realized, to her disgust, that the rich were using their wealth to evade the consequences of law, she was torn between her own desires and the truth until she met the sleazy Law Lik Ah from whom she learns the true meaning of justice.
Although she was impressed with him, she was at the same time also dealing with her feelings of admiration or disrespect for him until he sacrificed himself for her towards the end. She had finally redeemed herself when she learnt to sacrifice her own career for justice in her best friend's case at the end. It was the turning point; the change of the selfish character Myolie portrayed from the beginning of the series, and for that, she has done a great job.
Myolie's hairstyle was a little weird in the series though.

Kevin Cheng as Law Lik Ah

Sleazy and looking unkept, Law was not as bad as he seems as he helps people in need for the sake of justice and also for a charitable cause. Kevin Cheng played his character naturally as the laid back guy who was actually hiding his own past behind his character. Hiding his pain and grief from the stories haunting him from the past, Law had to act cool and nonchalant in front of everyone and Kevin was just dashing to play this happy go lucky character of Law who was confident and yet ridden with guilt.

Alex Lam as George Mike Jr/Mai Cho Chi

It was refreshing to see this comical guy playing a serious role for once as he settles in his character as a nervous yet helpful son of an ex famous justice, Mai Bo. Alex Lam is a face one would tend to associate with comedy but his expressions and portrayal of a serious character here is simply astonishing, was extremely believable.
Best scenes was when he liked Tai Ng Ting, and yet hid his feelings for the married woman at the same time. A good job done by this actor.

Sam Lee as Tin Ka Fu

Treading on the same nature as Alex Lam, Sam Lee is often seen in comical and supporting roles in movies and this is probably one of the rare times seeing him in a serious and awfully just character that it was initially a little weird watching him in his role. However, his facial expressions was rather natural as shown on his face that it becomes more believable as the show progresses. A fresh and interesting take of a role played by Sam and hope to see more series with him in the future.

Sharon Chan as Ho Lee Ching

Another natural role for Sharon, who never failed to impress with her skills in portraying a difficult and stubborn lady in most of her typical roles. Her indignant facial expressions when facing difficult situations in the drama, just makes her believable in the roles she play. However, Sharon has been underrated in her acting most of the time, given her minor roles and I hope to see her in more major roles soon.

Shek Sau as Spencer Cheung Pak Kei

Although a veteran actor, I never really did like Shek Sau's acting as I find his expressions a little exaggerated at times and it is typical in all his roles over the years. Nothing astounding as he plays yet another despicable character in this drama; one who is just too proud of himself most of the time and will never concede defeat.

Couples' Chemistry:
Myolie Wu and Kevin Cheng as Kris Wong and Law Lik Ah

Nothing much from this bickering couple; and although they were both adorable at times, I just could not feel the sparks from this combination. Individually they are great actors, but when it comes to inserting romance between them, it did not seem to fit their impressions, in my opinion. Well, there is not much romantic scenes between them anyway, which was not too bad.

Sam Lee and Sharon Chan as Tin Ka Fu and Ho Lee Ching

Alright, this may be the most believable couple in the entire series; possibly due to their heights? Chemistry was obviously lacking in them as well, although I can see that both were trying to fit in very hard to play a couple but it just did not seem to bring out the feelings they were both said to have in the series.

Alex Lam and Joyce Tang as George Mike Jr and Tai Ng Ting

This is the least compatible couple, and it was a good thing that they did not develop much on their scenes as well. It was totally weird, and unbelievable and they are definitely the oddest couple in the whole series. It was evident that the relationship was one-sided although towards the end of the series, there was an indication that Ting may accept George eventually.
Well, I hope there will be a change in the sequel which was said to be coming up soon.

Likes about the series:
The touch towards society; especially the sensitivity towards the middle class society. Also, the differences shown between the higher class and middle class and how sometimes perception can be too generalized by the society.

Dislikes about the series:
Maybe the theme song, I just find it a little weird, but that's just me.
Also, the chemistry between all the couples portrayed did not seem very believable and was evidently lacking in their portrayal.

Verdict:
Good watch, definitely worth the 20 episodes and not draggy at all.

Rating: 4/5

Movie Review:My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

2012-03-19T22:18:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2002

Director: Joel Zwick
Producers: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson
Writer: Nia Vardalos
Studio: Playtone, Gold Circle Films, MPH Entertainment, HBO Pictures
Distributors: IFC Films, Hollywood Pictures
Language: English
Country of Origin: Canada, United States

Cast:
Nia Vardalos as Fotoula Portokalos/Toula
John Corbett as Ian Miller
Lainie Kazan as Maria Portokalos
Michael Constantine as Kostas Portokalos/Gus
Ian Gomez as Mike
Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula
Stavroula Logothettis as Athena Portokalos
Louis Mandylor as Nick Portokalos
Gia Carides as Cousin Nikki
Joey Fatone as Cousin Angelo
Bruce Gray as Rodney Miller
Fiona Reid as Harriet Miller
Arielle Sugarman as Paris Miller
Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. White

Supporting:
Christina Eleusiniotis as Toula Portokalos at Age 6
Marita Zouravlioff as Toula Portokalos at Age 12
Kaylee Vieira as Schoolgirl
John Kalangis as Greek Teacher

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
Fotoula/Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) is a Greek; and she knows the fact very well, being reminded by her big and loud family's existence in her life since young. In school, she was constantly ridiculed for her weird lunch boxes and all she wished for was to be accepted by the normal kids in her school. In her teen years, she grudgingly drags her feet to Greek classes while her peers enjoy other activities and her house stood out like a sore thumb in a typical American neighborhood.

Toula remains unmarried at the age of 30 and works in her family's restaurant, Dancing Zorba; while her sisters were married earlier, as practised by the typical Greeks. She stood out from the other Greeks despite her father's constant nagging about her unmarried status; which was abnormal for her age in the Greek culture. However, Toula wanted more things in her life besides being married for the sake of fulfilling the demands of her culture and more than that, she wanted to find true love that swept her off her feet when it happens. Besides romance, Toula also wanted to achieve more things in her life and to establish her own career.

Her age and physical appearance made Toula developed a rather low self esteem when dealing with others; especially with men and when she laid her eyes on a handsome man who dined in her restaurant (John Corbett), she ended up making a fool of herself and hiding from him due to her previous experiences with social awkwardness although the man found her antics enchanting.
Bored with her typical daily work at the restaurant, Toula sought the help of her mother to persuade her father to allow her to enrol for computer classes; and her supportive mother manipulated her father into believing that he was the one who came up with the idea.

When Toula expressed her interest in working in a travel agency run by her aunt, her mother again wrestled her father's mind into believing that he suggested the idea and Toula was delighted to have finally found a new place in her life as she fitted comfortably into her job.

At the same time, Toula decided a change was inevitable and started to spruce up her own appearance to give herself a fresh outlook. Dropping her old-fashioned spectacles for contact lenses and dressing up in a more modern style, Toula soon became a more confident person.
When the handsome man walked past her travel agency and tried to get to know her, Toula was pleased with him being interested in her. They soon started dating; and Toula found out that the handsome man was Ian Miller, a school teacher and their little romance soon blossomed into something more serious than just a fling.

Toula was apprehensive in telling her family about Ian; especially her father as Ian is not Greek and tried to hide their relationship from them.

However, her father, Gus, soon found out and he was clearly displeased with the fact that Ian was not Greek and tried to stop Toula from seeing Ian; which failed. Ian then proposed to Toula who delightfully accepted, and as they embark on their journey to plan the wedding, that was when the series of unfortunate events follows.

When Toula and Ian arranged for their parents to meet at Toula's place in what was said to be a private event, Toula, along with Ian's parents were horrified by the large gathering with what seemed to be the entire of the Portokalos family! Ian's parents; Rodney (Bruce Gray) and Harriet (Fiona Reid) was overwhelmed by the culture shock unfolding in front of them but they tried to adapt to the large amounts of food and drinks and also the rowdy environment and even ended up getting drunk after accepting drink after drink. Toula's father, Gus, on the other hand, also was shocked to discover the fact that Ian was vegetarian!

As the wedding planning continued, Toula was surprised by the antics pulled by her big and interfering family in her plans, which included her mother deciding and ordering the invitations with Ian's parents name misspelled. Then the second shock comes when Toula's cousin Nikki (Gia Carides) orders all tacky blue bridesmaid dresses on her own, intending to surprise Toula with what they believed to be beautiful.

Her wedding day soon arrived, and Toula was still not spared from the drama as she wakes up to find a big zit on her face and the whole family tries to help her hide it.

The wedding ceremony took place in the Greek Orthodox Church; which Gus wanted and Ian agreed to (he was also baptized to please Gus), followed by the noisy and happening reception.
When Gus gave his speech and announced that he had bought Toula and Ian a new house; handing them the keys during the reception, Toula was touched and hugged her father.

It was shown several years later that Toula and Ian have a daughter, Paris, whom they raise in Greek style and as they left the house with their daughter, Toula's old house and her parents were just next doors; indicating that Gus had bought them the house beside them.
Toula was happy with the fact, and had learnt to accept her own birth rights and family; that though they were rowdy and tend to be humiliating, they will always be a part of her and that they are a family.

Christy's Review:

A movie entailing all the juicy details of wedding planning; including that of families' intervention and the overall ups and downs of a journey towards the wedding day. Any bride who had planned their own wedding would definitely be able to share in the sentiments of the frustrations and dilemma of being torn between her own family and also fulfilling her own dreams of being a bride. The movie, besides showing that part about the bride's struggles, was also about accepting one's identity and family.
I find this a heart-warming drama, and focuses on all the right aspects of the general perception of a wedding; besides the romance and comedy on two different people waiting to behin their lives together. It is a story of acceptance, of understanding and bridging the differences.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is not just a romantic comedy alone; but it is a compelling story about how a bride-to-be struggles to deal with her own family and discovering her identity before joining two families together. Marriage here, is depicted in a realistic light that it is not about two people alone but it is a union of the families attached to the two individuals; and like it or not, they come in a package.
True, there are times when we are frustrated by people who love us the most, but they are still those who are dearest to us and that is a fact that can never be changed at all in our lifetime.
This is not a story about wedding nor romance, nor the hilarious antics; it is about love, and acceptance, and for that, this movie in my opinion, is highly entertaining and successful.

Likes about the movie:
The antics of the Portokalos family; which comes across as a highly eccentric family but one filled with love and warmth.

Dislikes about the movie:
Nothing much, as the movie is just entertaining for the two hours! Okay, maybe the Portokalos was a little too noisy for my liking sometimes too :p

Verdict:
Highly recommended for brides-to-be, and especially if you are one facing the crisis of your family driving you crazy. Of course, this is a movie for families and all ages too, as it teaches much apart from romance and laughs.

Rating: 4/5

TVB: The Mysteries of Love (談情說案) 2010

2012-03-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2010
Producer: Lau Kar Ho

Opening/Ending Theme: 直到你不找我 by Raymond Lam

No. of episodes: 25
Language: Cantonese

Main Cast:
Raymond Lam Fung - Kingsley King Pok/Professor King
Tavia Yeung Yi - Chui Siu Lai/Sai Lei Mui
Kenneth Ma - Gordon Lo Tin Hang
Bernice Liu - Nicole Ling Man Ka

Supporting Cast:
Chui Family
Cheung Kwok Keung - Ancestor (Appearance in Episode 1 and in picture)
Law Lok Lam - Chui Sir/Chui Hon Fei (Dad)
Fung So Bor - Leung Sau Ngo (Mum)
Evergreen Mak - Chui Kwok On (Eldest Brother)
Ng Wai Shan - Tai Chui Sheung (Sister-in-Law)
Alex Lam - Chui Kwok Leung (2nd Brother)
Lawrence Ng Lok Wang - Chui Ka Hei (Nephew)

King Family
Ram Chiang - Ancestor
Lee Kwok Lun - Philip King Yin (Dad)
Mary Hon Ma Lei - Victoria Cheung Wai Chu (Mum)
Candy Chiu - Anastasia King Chi
Yu Tze Ming - Uncle George/King Chuk

Police Department
Astrid Chan - Madam Koo
Jack Wu - Chim Chi Ko

Others
Leanne Li - Bowie Choi Bo Yi
Stephen Huynh - Adrian

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:

Taking crime solving dramas to a different notch, this is one which includes the study and application of physics and science in the cases.
Kingsley (Raymond Lam) is the youngest physics expert and his intelligence even garnered him as a genius in his own field. Recognized for his exceptional skills and capabilities, Kingsley was invited to be an associate professor in the local Hong Kong University.
His knowledge and skills also led him to be sought after by his best friend, Gordon (Kenneth Ma), who heads the crime investigation unit in the police department.

Under the wing of Gordon is a dedicated and promising policewoman, Sai Lei Mui/Chui Siu Lai (Tavia Yeung) who works hard at her job and gets along well with everyone around her due to her easy going skills. Her cheerful outlook in life made her liked by her co-workers and even Kingsley found himself attracted to her; something which he deciphered to be a work of science as he explains the stirring sense of affection in his heart for her.

However, the romance between Lai and Kingsley was doomed from the start as they soon realized that their ancestors had crossed paths in the past and they were even sworn enemies following an incident. To add fuel to the fire, Kingsley's family; being a prominent one in the society were displeased with Lai's family background and also their social status as compared to themselves.

The history of their ancestors and a small feud over a painting were just contributing factors to ruining their relationship, and Kingsley well-educated Uncle George's distaste in Lai's education level and also culture just makes it worse.

As Kingsley's parents pressured him on their perceived incompatibility with Lai, he decided to back out of the relationship and broke up with Lai in haste. Lai was devastated with the breakup as she had gone through hardships and was even willing to sacrifice her job to maintain the relationship with Kingsley. Angered and disappointed in Kingsley, Lai then returned to her job as an armed policewoman (she had earlier requested to transfer to the administration department which is more of an office job nature to please Kingsley's family.
Her family supported her, although her father was upset with her decision initially when she sacrificed so much for her love for Kingsley. After the break up, her loving family was behind her and though her father was happy that she was finally doing what she liked at work, he worried for her emotions and mental health as she buries herself in her work to get over the breakup with Kingsley.

Gordon(Kenneth Ma), is the other lead character alongside Kingsley; being his best friend and the police inspector who was in charge of solving all the cases in the drama. At work, Gordon is a serious and committed person who runs the whole crime investigation team with discipline.

However, after work, Gordon is a frolicking playboy who constantly pursues girls for pleasure and sex and his casual partner whom he shares that basis of relationship is air stewardess Nicole (Bernice Liu).

Gordon never put much thought into a serious relationship with Nicole until she announced that she has started seeing a pilot, Adrian (Stephen Huynh), after she returns from a trip. Realizing that he was jealous, Gordon looked forward to them breaking up and when he witnessed Adrian with other women, he told Nicole with the hope of them ending their relationship. However, Nicole was adamant to continue dating Adrian and even wants to marry him. Gordon went to all sorts of extent to prove his love and finally confronted his true feelings to win Nicole back to his side.

The two romantic plots probably dominated a part of the drama, which was filled with a set of interesting murder crimes with evidences and the use of science knowledge in deciphering the incidents which could possibly take place in the event of the occurrence of the crime.
Most of the cases combined the analytical skills of the police force and also the logical reasoning of science in affecting certain aspects of a case, and the lead characters just added the drama and social aspects to completing the series.

Happy ending prevails after all the cases; with Kingsley finally realizing his love for Lai and tries to win her back along with Gordon's efforts to keep Nicole by his side.

Characters Analysis/Review:
Raymond Lam as Kingsley King Pok/Professor King

I consider myself not a devoted fan nor someone who is anti Raymond, but somehow, I just felt like he was just so wrong in this role. Seriously, to have Raymond playing a solid character with vast knowledge in science and be extremely confident in his skills is totally unbelievable. Kingsley may be a young genius, but Raymond just did not seem to fit the description and I can see that even Raymond had a hard time to comprehend that fact as he struggles to play the cool and poised expert in physics field; wearing that same bored and wooden expression for all 25 episodes. He is not a bad actor really, but this role is just not for him. I cannot even imagine him with a name Kingsley, it just seems so out of the world.
Anyway, despite the misfit of Raymond in this role, the character Kingsley himself just annoys me and I don't care whether he is a smart professor or a genius, he is definitely lousy in handling matters of the heart and everything about him just screams weak to me.

Tavia Yeung Yi as Chui Siu Lai/Sai Lei Mui

A great actress really, she just plays this role to near perfection. I love her character, and somehow Tavia always just seems to be at ease in all her roles; whether it was sweet next-door girl or a cool professional, and even in her breakthrough role as an evil villain in another series. She was a little tomboyish in here, but yet she shared that feminine side like a little cute puppy in love when the charming eligible bachelor professes his love for her. The best performance came when she had that emotional outburst in public when Kingsley breaks up with her; one could truly felt the pain and despair she had at that point, with her screaming and tears flowing down her cheeks. I was a little surprised and annoyed with the ending though; as she seemed to be able to forget the weakness in Kingsley and still accepted his proposal which I felt was just a hasty way to end the drama and to give their romance a conclusion.

Kenneth Ma as Gordon Lo Tin Hang

A very convincing performance by Kenneth Ma; and I just feel that this rather stiff actor in the beginning is improving so much in all his roles and it was evident in this drama. I find him funny and more believable in his outward charm which camouflaged his flaws deep inside; insecurity and lack of confidence sometimes. A down-to-earth guy who separates his personalities from his work and home, but that just depicts the realistic average being out there in the world.

Bernice Liu as Nicole Ling Man Ka

I find this character a little annoying to a certain extent as she tries to play a casual dater; and a woman who just seemed too cool for us to believe in. Nothing exceptional as this is just a role that suits Bernice who has that realistic English accent, although it's just frustrating to hear how the others in the drama just pronounced Nicole in a very weird way.

Christy's Review:
A very interesting profile to take the typical TVB crime/police dramas to a new level, and a fresh breath with the inclusion of science; particularly physics. However, I find this drama just disturbingly similar to the nature of an earlier Japanese drama; Galileo, to which Mysteries of Love was compared and also accused of plagiarizing.
Despite this being a new breed of drama, I was still disappointed that TVB had to stoop to copying ideas from their Japanese counterparts and I think this is not the first drama to do so. An earlier drama; Every Move You Make was also accused to copy the notion of popular American drama, Lie To Me.
I do hope that TVB reprise their own creativity; and take a step back to relish and relive the memories of their own Hall of Fame with all the great series in the past? There is definitely much more in TVB than needing story inspirations from others.

It is hard not to compare Mysteries of Love to Galileo; as the character of Kingsley just sticks out like a sore thumb to constantly remind of the exact same character in the Japanese series.
However, I find this drama still enjoyable, or maybe I just like the nature of both dramas which revolves around crime solving.

One thing; I do find it annoying that TVB constantly tries to force their actors to speak English to make viewers believe the part that the character returned from overseas. It sounds unnatural, and far from believing that part of the drama (and of the actor), I would strongly suggest to select actors who could truly speak native English and not some falsified accent which makes it even more unrealistic.

Likes about the series:
The cases and also the characters of Tavia and Kenneth; which somehow I felt was more suitable for each other compared to their alleged partners they were paired with.
Also, the supportive family of Tavia just adds the warmth of family love to the drama; and the enchanting and comical characters of her two elder brothers just add to the laughs and lightheartedness of the story.

Dislikes about the series:
Plagiarism, and some weird accents used in the drama.

Verdict:
Overall, I find it funny and confusing that I still like the drama nevertheless (but I hope something is done about the plagiarism in the future) as it is still an entertaining watch.

Rating: 3.5/5

Disclaimer: Photos are images of TVB.com and are only for illustration purposes.

TVB: Forensic Heroes 3 (法證先鋒III) 2011

2012-03-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2011
Creator/Executive Producer: Mui Siu Ching
Written by: Choi Ting Ting, Leung Man Wah

Opening Theme Song: Ron Ng and Wayne Lai
Witness (目擊)

No. of Episodes: 30

Main Cast:
Wayne Lai - Jack Po Kwok Tung/ Pro Sir
Maggie Cheung - Mandy Chung Hok Sum
Ron Ng - Sergeant Lee Chin Fung/Wind
Kate Tsui - SIP Ada Ling Sin Yee
Nancy Wu - Eva Chow Yik Fei
Edwin Siu - Ken Ho Cheng Man
Aimee Chan - Angel Chiang Cheuk Kuan

Supporting Cast:
Ruco Chan - Jim Fong Sai Yau
Yuen Wah - Po Shun Hing
Ram Chiang - Paul Yau
Mary Hon - Cheung Fung Ping
Geoffrey Wong - Inspector Jason Ko
Jess Sum - Calorie

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:

Taking on a new breath though under the same title, the third sequel in one of Hong Kong's favorite version of CSI boasts of a totally new cast although the focus of the plot centers on the involvement and technology of a team of forensic experts and pathologists in the police crime investigations; forming a combination to solve all the murder cases and bring the real murderers to justice.

Like the previous installations of Forensic Heroes, most of the main characters hail from the Forensics team and in this sequel, the main protagonist is in the form of a highly skilled and respected expert; Senior Forensic Chemist Pro Sir, or Po Kwok Tung, played by promising actor Wayne Lai. Along with his partner in crime, Mandy Chung (Maggie Cheung), who specializes in Pathology, both teams work with each other to assist the police in analyzing the evidence collected from the crime scenes.

The police team working closely with the forensic experts is from the crime investigation unit in West Kowloon; led by Jason Ko (Geoffrey Wong) under whose wing and working level is Senior Inspector Ada Ling (Kate Tsui), Sergeant Lee Chin Fung/Wind (Ron Ng) and their crime breaking team of dedicated policemen and women.

Besides the crime stories and murder cases; of which some even relate to the above protagonists, the series also focuses on the relationships of the main characters, bringing out that humanity side of the cool and much admired personalities of the highlighted heroes in the drama.

Despite his high profile and exceptional analytical skills in cracking the murder cases, Po, is struggling with the drama that is taking place in the sweet comforts of home. His seemingly perfect and happy family life is not so close to the physical reality, as his wife, Eva Chow (Nancy Wu) who is an ambitious barrister, seems to be treading the thin line between conscience and her own career, pitting her and Po's principles against each other at work.
Po tried to advise Eva to stay on the lines of ethics while performing her job, but ended up creating the rift between the husband and wife as Eva goes against Po's wishes in achieving her own ambitions. As Eva becomes obsessed in her pursuit for career success, she takes leave from the marriage and family to pursue her ambitions in The States; leaving Po to care for their only daughter, Man Man and his own father.

Po then found love in Mandy; whom he shares many similarities but they initially dismissed it as their mutual understanding which builds the foundation of their strong partnership in their jobs.

Mandy, after numerous attempts of being set up with eligible bachelors, finally started dating the stylishly charming Jim Fong (Ruco Chan), who was a clinical psychologist. However, despite their growing romance, their differences soon surfaced when Mandy and Jim worked together on a case which involved his long-lost younger brother who was found murdered in the woods. The two parted on amicable terms as Jim wished for Mandy to meet her own Mr Right, although hinting to her to look around her as he might already be present beside her all the while.
She finally realized her true feelings for Po when she encountered a life-threatening situation in a case and despite their reservations, they soon start their romantic relationship.
Predictably, Eva chose to return to Po at this time and tried to regain Po's trust in her and also her family as well but to no avail.
In one of the cases, Eva met her end and Po and Mandy, surviving the love test, worked together to nail the culprit to Eva's case.

Their co-workers; Ada Ling and Wind were another couple who found their love naturally despite their initial relationship which started off as close friendship and work partnership. When their superior, Jason Ko expresses his interest in Ada, she tagged Wind along to pretend as her boyfriend to keep Jason away and their little staged performance turned to reality as Wind realized he had romantic feelings for Ada. Their relationship was also not without their ups and downs as they had to endure trials such as Wind's family, and the rife between Ada and Wind's mothers.

Prolific supporting characters in the forensic team like Angel(Aimee Chan) and Ken(Edwin Siu) were also thrown in the sub light as they portray bickering co-workers in the same team but eventually ended up as a pair of sweet lovers although their romance was a little short-lived.

The overall profile and the relativity of the main characters in the story only added up to, if not balance the complexity of the crime cases projected in the drama.

Cases:
Case 1: Who Murdered the Bride? (Episodes 1-3)
Story: A bride was murdered on her wedding day; during the reception dinner in a shooting. Her newly wed husband becomes the prime suspect and it seems that all the evidences seem to be pointing to him being the main culprit.
Cast:
Chris Lai Lok Yi - Vic Mak Wing Fu
Lau Dan - Cho Wing Tim
Christine Kuo - Ann/Cho Lai Mei
Vin Choi - Vincent/ Choi Chun

Case 2: Mystery of the Girl with the Third Eye (Episodes 3-7)

Story: A young teenage girl was famous for her clairvoyant abilities in predicting future events; and was nicknamed the Third Eye girl or the one with the Heavenly Eye as she was said to be able to see future happenings through the prominent scar on her forehead. When she accurately predicted the death of a businessman, she was invited for questioning. However, her bizarre behavior soon spurred suspicions and a deeper investigation into the case and her background soon brought surprising revelations.
Cast:
Cilla Kung - Wong Ka Man/Third Eye Girl
Joseph Lee - Luk Chan Kwong
Cheung Kwok Keung - Feng Shui Master Eddie Cheung Kam Tai Yam

Case 3: Murder of the Flat Owner (Episodes 7-9)
Story: A flat owner who had disappeared for more than twenty years was found murdered in his flat, and there were three potential suspects who were found to be particularly interested in the ownership of possessing the flat.
Cast:
Samuel Kwok - Fung Chor Kau
Henry Lee - Koo Wing Keung
Au Oi Ling - Chan Yuk Ming
Chan Tik Hak - Tsui Sai Tat

Case 4: Murder of the Teenage Drug Addict Girl (Episodes 9-12)

Story: A young teenager whom Mandy and Ada saved from the roadside when she was drugged was found murdered in a hotel room, of what appears to be a case of drug overdose. The last man seen with her was an affluent and high profile businessman under whose name the hotel room was registered. It was obvious that he was the main culprit, however, evidence and witnesses seemed to disagree and there is messy entanglement in the solving as Po's wife, Eva serves as the defense attorney for the businessman.
Cast:
Cheung Tat Lun - Wilson Yu
Angel Chiang - Apple
Simon Lo - Wong Shek On

Case 5: Murder of a Misunderstood Youth (Episodes 13-16)
Story: A honest and diligent young boy was found dead in the lab. His background and reputation was studied for the purpose of solving the case where they found that the boy was famous for being touted for his video being posted on the Internet. Leads on the case point to his best friends and classmates; whom he was working with on a programming business.

Case 6: Mystery of a Body found in the Woods (Episodes 17-20)
Story: A dead body was uncovered in the woods on an island, and after analysis, the remains were found to be that of Jay Fong, the younger brother of Jim Fong; Mandy's psychologist boyfriend who had disappeared for a long time. To solve the case, the investigations need to reverse in time to the events on that fateful day when Jay left home.
Cast:
Calvin Chan - Jay Fong Sai Wing
Natalie Tong - Michelle Cheung Mei Yan
Stephen Huynh - Alex Wu Kai Yan
Matthew Ko - Bowie Chang Chi Wah

Case 7: Murder of the Mysterious Second Wife and Son-in-Law (Episodes 21-25)

Story: This story is one of the high profiles one as it involves the family of protagonist Wind. Wind's grandfather was a billionaire who was desperately trying to bring the family together; but his three children seemed to be more interested in his wealth and the division of his properties than family unity. When he brought a woman whom he claimed as his new wife home, the appearance of this young woman stirred suspicions and doubts of her real motives and forced the siblings to unite to protect the family wealth. The woman was found to be murdered, followed by Wind's uncle, who was the remaining son-in-law in the family, and there were missing links in the correlation which requires in-depth investigation into the complex relationships of the family.
Cast:
Wu Fung - Howard
Rosanne Lui - Ella Chin Mau Ying
Florence Kwok - Elaine Chin Mau Sum
Cheng Chi Seng - Hilbert Chin Mau Lam
Helina Tam - Bonnie Yew Lai Ping
Steven Ho - Paul

Case 8: Murder in the Toy Company (Episodes 26-28)
Story: A case of a woman running a toy company found murdered and leads trailed to her work environment and home to find the murderer.

Case 9: Murder of Mandy's Parents (Episdoes 28-30)
Story: The case which was the finale of the series, and involves another character, Mandy whose parents brutal murder during her childhood resurfaced as she relives the trauma to find the murderer when cases of similar nature take place. This case brings many drama with the involvement of the forensic team and police department.

Characters Analysis:
Wayne Lai as Jack Po Kwok Tung/Pro Sir

As a much respected Senior forensic chemist and one who is highly skilled in what he does, Po was envied by many as he paints the picture of perfection; a man with a happy family, a successful career and a great reputation. There is almost nothing wrong with him, and even Po himself was thankful for his great life. However, as he crosses line with his wife, Eva in various aspects of their work, Po observes his wife's working attitude and questions her ethics in her line of profession as she turns cold and vicious in achieving her ambition and no longer focus on the right and wrong. Disagreeing with his wife's perspectives, he tried many times to tell her that but met with disastrous results and Po was torn between distinguishing the line of justice and his love for his wife. When she takes leave as a step to advance her career, Po had to pick up his life from the pieces and works hard to establish the family harmony and at the same time, provides for his young daughter. Drowning himself in his work, Po soon found comfort in his friends who tried to cheer him up and he fostered a closer relationship with his work partner, Mandy. Po realized that she meant more to him than a friend when Mandy was facing a death threat in a case, and taking a second chance at love, Po began a relationship with her.
Po came across as a very calm man and one who is level-headed in his decisions; although his seemingly strong character did falter a little when he could not work things out with Eva. However, he gave an impression of a man who was just sure of what he wanted in life; and in fact, a little too calm which appeared unconvincing at times.
Taking centre stage as a lead character following years of hard work and proven performance, Wayne plays the prolific role of Senior Forensic Chemist Pro Sir. Honestly, I know Wayne is good in his acting but somehow, I find portrayal in this character a little unnatural for my belief. He may be good in his role in previous drama which shot him to stardom, but I find his expressions rather limited in this series; whether it was intentional or not. I can't say I am really impressed with someone who was once nominated for Best Male Actor in Leading Role.
I find Wayne's expressions a little forced and he just did not seem to be 'feeling' his character. In fact, making him into such a powerful and admired character did not seem to fit his profile, in my humble opinion.
I am not sure whether Wayne was unsuitable for this role, or Pro Sir was not right for Wayne, but I can say that they definitely do not agree with each other in this drama.

Maggie Cheung as Mandy Chung

Mandy is a rather eluded character, if you ask me, as like Pro Sir, she is just stylish and admirable in what she does and as viewed by others. Beneath that facade, Mandy was actually troubled woman haunted by her past which stemmed from her witnessing the murder of her own parents. Her fears resurfaced towards the end of the drama in the final case as she was forced to confront her own past in solving the murder case. Mandy strikes me as a determined and strong-willed career woman, but yet is still soft and feminine when it comes to matters close to the heart as she struggles through blind dates and meeting her Mr. Right. Her chemistry with Jim Fong was evidently wrong right from the start, but she took some time to realize it. Despite her limited experience, she had trouble accepting Pro Sir for fear of disrupting her own career, which to me, was a little weird in that aspect.
Maggie Cheung has certainly aged gracefully, and it was evident in this drama. Her awkwardness in acting since she returned to the industry seemed to be slowly diminishing as she exudes that certain confidence from her past glory in playing the role of Mandy Chung. However, her chemistry with Wayne did not fare off that well, in my opinion, as lovers as I feel they were more believable as colleagues and partners at work.

Kate Tsui as Ada Ling

Ada is a feminine policewoman trying her hardest to act tough and failing miserably at it. It was probably realistic in that context as she plays that hide and seek game in her emotions and facial expressions. I am not a big fan of Kate Tsui, and I am not really convinced by her acting and expressions as well in this drama as I always felt that she always seems to be wearing that same old stony expressions in all the roles she played. Nothing remarkable or extraordinary from her performance in this drama as well.

Ron Ng as Wind Lee Chin Fung

To have Ron play the calm and soft policeman who kept his balance between romance, work and his background is a little understated for this actor. Again, I find that Ron could play a lot of roles very well, but as Wind who seemed oppressed by his own capability most of the time due to his position just did not seem to fit his looks and physical appearance. Ron always appears as one who is strong and outspoken and definitely not the timid or overshadowed character he played here. A new type of role, but seems like Ron has been fitted into roles like these lately?

Aimee Chan as Angel Chiang

Playing a character which is like her usual self, there is nothing which required much effort and I don't have much to comment since Aimee is used to playing roles like these anyway.

Edwin Siu as Ken

Making his rare appearance in drama, Edwin plays the confused yet brash forensic chemist Ken to a certain convincing level. He is good and focused on his work, yet at the same time, easily aggravated by the character of Aimee who carries that foreign accent with her all the time. Edwin was very believable as one who feigned indifference yet at the same time, unleashing his annoyance once in a while in the drama. He was quite good in playing a man who struggled with his true feelings when he fell for the girl, and also a rather great performance in playing a grieving man when the love of his life dies.

Nancy Wu as Eva Chow

Eva Chow is one of the most realistic characters; one who thrived only on love yet wants to realize her ambitions at the same time. Wanting to climb the ladder to success, Eva battled for a short while with doing the right thing but she was just too keen on victory to place importance on her conscience. She refused to be restricted to her married life and went to achieve her ambition even when it meant leaving her family. However, she realized her wrong decision and decided to come back and fought to have her husband and family back but it was already too late. Nancy was just excellent as the ambitious woman, and her expressions and portrayal of the aspiring yet unscrupulous lawyer very well; that it may be one of the best roles/characters in this whole drama.

Ruco Chan as Jim Fong
One of the rare times we see Ruco playing the good guy, and though his appearance was limited in this drama, Ruco did his job well, in pulling off that image of a collected clinical psychologist, who despite his usual cool exterior, can also turn berserk when his own loved one is involved in a case. Not a bad performance by this inspiring and upcoming actor.

Christy's Review:
If you are looking at a sequel to the much acclaimed second sequel, well, Forensic Heroes 3 is definitely not it. It is like a whole new drama, taking on the same title and popularity but with a fully revamped cast. I find this drama a little exaggerated in its demeanour; as TVB tends to overdo in depicting the style and appearance of the drama that sometimes it just seemed too far-fetched.
The overall drama was not too bad, as I have always enjoyed the crime investigations and mystery solving aspect of the drama. The storyline and flow of the story maintained its attraction, but I think the characters created should be of more believable nature; or simply realistic. There is not so much of reality when you have such capable and flawless skills of forensic experts, whose sharpness and intelligence helps to break cases and nail the culprit so easily. It seemed to come across as a very naive and off the edge idea of the experts. The characters would blend in better if they were to possess characteristics and edgy sides to them like that of Ken, Eva and Jim.

Likes about the drama:
The cases and the investigation portion; I prefer the serious drama part.

Dislikes about the drama:
The over exaggeration in the almost perfection of the experts and characters in the series.
I think the worst may be the final scene when such a HUGE team appears and seemed to be posing at a scene crime. I hardly think any criminal investigator had time to walk in such an obviously rehearsed and coordinated manner when crime happens. If so, I think they need to seriously look into their priorities.

Verdict:
Watch, if you are a fan of TVB crime dramas; or if you have been a fan of Forensic Heroes. Apart from the new cast and the above flaws, the whole series was quite interesting though some of the cases can be quite predictable.

Rating: 3.5/5

Movie Review: When A Stranger Calls (2006)

2012-03-14T23:50:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2006
Director: Simon West
Producers: John Davis, Wyck Godfrey, Ken Lemberger
Writer: Jake Wade Wall
Studio: Davis Entertainment
Distributor: Screen Gems

Cast:
Camila Belle - Jill Johnson
Katie Cassidy - Tiffany Madison
Tessa Thompson - Scarlet
Brian Geraghty - Bobby
Clark Gregg - Ben Johnson
Derek De Lint - Dr. Mandrakis
Kate Jennings Grant - Kelly Mandrakis
Thomas Flanagan - The Stranger
David Denman - Officer Burroughs
Steve Eastin - Detective Hines
John Bobek - Officer Lewis
Arthur Young - Will Mandrakis
Madeline Carroll - Alison Mandrakis

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
A babysitter and the kids she is apparently taking care of were found brutally murdered in the house in town. The police arrived at the scene, and the detective in charge was found to be showing a grave expression when he saw the bodies; which indicates that they were found in a very gruesome way.

The scene shifts to a town in Florida, where teenager Jill Johnson (Camila Belle) was seen running around in laps in the gym, practising for her track record while her boyfriend, Bobby (Brian Geraghty) watches from his basketball practice taking place below.
Jill was going through a tough time; with her running practices and dealing with her fight and break up with Bobby, whom she caught kissing with her best friend, Tiffany (Katie Cassidy).
To add to her problems, she had also overused the credit limit on her cell phone, landing her in a phone bill debt and angering her father, Ben Johnson (Clark Gregg). To pay for her bill, her father found her a babysitting job with an acquaintance, Dr Mandrakis (Derek De Lint) who lived out of town.

Jill reluctantly accepted the job, although she really did not have a choice and that meant that she will have to miss out on the high school's bonfire night, much to the disappointment of her friend, Scarlet (Tessa Thompson). However, as Jill was grounded due to her phone bill, her dad drove to the outskirts to a pristine and luxurious mansion by the lakeside which was the residence of the Mandrakis and the place where she will be babysitting for the night.

Jill was in awe of the beautiful mansion and assured her father that she will be alright on her own.

She met Dr Mandrakis and his wife, Kelly (Kate Jennings Grant) who showed her around the house and left her with the emergency contact numbers for the night before they leave for their romantic night out.

The kids were already sleeping upstairs, and Jill was informed of the existence of a maid, Rosa, who stays on the third floor and also of their wandering college son, who occasionally comes home unannounced and stays in a house outside of the mansion.
Before leaving, Dr Mandrakis wrote down the code for their house alarm and activated the alarm system.

Feeling initially bored, Jill then decided to do a little exploring on her own around the house and was thrilled with the spectacular design of the house, and even tried on some of Mrs Mandrakis jewelry in her room. However, startled by noises, she rushes out of the room and was checking out for intruders, with a poker in her hand, and was relieved when she found Rosa feeding the birds and fish in the zen-like aviary in the middle of the house.
Returning to her spot on the couch, she starts getting phone calls where there was silence on the other end.

Dismissing them as prank calls, Jill was annoyed when the calls kept coming in.
When she got a call from her boyfriend Bobby who was at the bonfire, she asked whether it was him but the line was unclear and got disconnected.

The quiet surroundings and also the huge space in the house started to creep Jill out, and she was startled when her best friend, Tiffany turned up at the house.

Not wanting to ruin her job, Jill made Tiffany left and surprised when she was informed that the garage door was open which enabled Tiffany to get into the house, Jill then closed all the doors and made sure they were locked. Tiffany, on the other hand, was spooked as well as she tried to get out of the house in what appears to be a storm coming when she was held back by a log. As Tiffany got out of her car, she was seen to be attacked.

Elsewhere, the phone calls were becoming more and more frequent, and though the caller was silent in the initial phone calls, he is already starting to talk, asking Jill to check on the children. Jill starts to worry about the phone calls, and called the police.

However, Jill then thought it was okay but started to be alarmed once again when the caller informed Jill that she is being watched and in a panic, she grabs the phone and called the police again.

The police then told her to keep the caller on the phone at least for a minute for more so that they would be able to trace the call.

Jill waits for the caller to call her again, and at the same time, spotted a shadow in the guest house located outside the mansion. She rushes to the guest house, and was terrified when she received a phone call inside the guest house. Although she managed to keep him on the line for a minute, it was no use as he had called the guest house's line whereas the police had tapped into the main mansion's phone line. Spotting a light being turned on inside the main mansion, Jill rushes back to the house and turned on the alarm and the phone started ringing again. Picking up the phone, it was the caller again and Jill tried to keep him on the line for more than a minute again; which she succeeded. She then received the next phone call from the police who informed her that the calls were coming from inside the house!

Horrified, Jill tries to search for the caller within the house and was shocked to find Tiffany's dead body in the bathroom upstairs. It was then that she was attacked by someone which she managed to escape. She wakes and gets the kids out of their bedroom and rushes to the aviary to hide, and discovering Rosa's body inside the fish pond.

The man manages to break into the aviary/greenhouse, but Jill succeeded in locking him inside the place.

Letting the kids out of the house, Jill runs away from the man who had escaped from the greenhouse and when he tried to grab hold of her, Jill stabbed him with the poker she earlier had and runs away from him.
The police had arrived and grabbed Jill into their arms, while the man was caught.
Apparently, he was the same man who murdered the other babysitter in the other side of the town and may be a serial killer targetting babysitters.

Jill awoke in the hospital to her phone ringing, but she refused to pick it up; afraid that it was her assailant again. When she finally picks up the phone, she sees a man behind her trying to attack her again; to which she screams and she awakes. Apparently she was having a bad dream and the next scene; the final one sees doctors trying to grab hold of her to calm her down as she appears to be panicking frantically.

Christy's Review:
Camila Belle was beautiful and the house was fantastic, and though I do like the suspense that built up throughout the movie, but that was it. There was absolutely nothing much substantial in the movie plot, honestly, as it was just like a man who was calling Jill and then he attacks her. It was like watching scenes replaying in front of you, and then, it ends and you are left sitting there, "What was that all about?"
Yeah, that was exactly how I felt. Seriously, I could not comprehend the heads or tails or even why this movie was made in the first place.
It was based on an urban legend about a man who stalks and kills babysitters and children and the movie just adapted loosely based on that famous legend.
However, to me, without a solid foundation to the story and adding a little bit more of imagination to create a convincing plot, it is just cheap thrills.
I found myself getting all worked up to a suspense, but for no reason. Okay, maybe I am one who looks for logic and reason for everything; I mean, there must be a reason that the man went berserk and stalks babysitters and children, right, no matter how psychotic he is.
Even if he was a crazy man, there should be a little more light shed especially at the end of the movie instead of assuming that everyone knows what is behind the killer's mind. We are not all psychotic.
Nevertheless, the suspense created in the movie was quite engaging, but really, it could be much better had it a sound plot.

Likes about the movie:

Camila Belle, definitely, a perfect doe-eyed and pretty little teenager who just made the whole movie an enjoyable watch. Oh, there is that house; who doesn't love that impeccably-designed mansion by the lakeside?

Dislikes about the movie:
Loose adaptation and nothing substantial or interesting about the plot. Felt like watching a kid's movie.

Verdict:
Not too bad of a watch if you are into thrill and suspense, but if you are looking for storyline and reasons like me, then not really.

Rating: 3/5

Movie Review: Anger Management (2003)

2012-03-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

Year Produced: 2003
Director: Peter Segal
Executive Producer: Adam Sandler
Producer(s): Allen Covert, Jack Giarraputo, Tim Herlihy
Writer: David S. Dorfman
Studio: Studio Revolution Studios, Happy Madison
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Cast:
Adam Sandler - Dave Buznik
Jack Nicholson - Dr. Buddy Rydell
Marisa Tomei - Linda
Luis Guzman - Lou
Allen Covert - Andrew
Lynne Thigpen - Judge Brenda Daniels
Krista Allen - Stacy
January Jones - Gina
Kurt Fuller - Frank Head
John Turturro - Chuck
Woody Harrelson - Galaxia/Gary
Kevin Nealon - Sam

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
In the year 1978, Dave Buznik was about to kiss the girl of his dreams for the first time, following a game of truth or dare with the girl, Sarah, when he had his pants pulled down by a local public in front of public. Dave was openly humiliated and laughed at by the crowd, and this incident left a long term effect on Dave's life, emotions and relationship.

In the present; 25 years later, Dave Buznik (Adam Sandler) is a grown up man who is working in New York City for a abusive boss, Frank, who always takes credits for his work. Dave has a loving girlfriend, Linda (Marisa Tomei) whom he confides in, but Linda worries about Dave being constantly bullied and wishes that he will stand up for himself once in a while.

At the same time, Linda's best guy friend and admirer, Andrew (Allen Covert), was constantly and openly showing his affections for Linda and yet Dave did not react, as he did not want to cause a scene.

Dave was then sent on an assignment and he boarded a plane where he found his seat already taken by somebody else. Although Dave was rather annoyed, he tried to hide it well by reasoning with the guy but the guy just refused to change his seat and even told Dave to sit elsewhere. It was then that another guy at the back of the plane beckoned to Dave and he took that seat.
During his flight, he was trying to catch up on his sleep but to no avail as he was constantly disturbed by the guy, named Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson), who kept telling him that the movie he was watching was really hilarious and urged him to put on his headset and watch the same movie together. Dave gave in when he realized that he is not getting his sleep, he requested for his headset from the air stewardess. However, he felt a little impatient when he noticed that the flight attendants were chatting but yet did not bother to bring him his headset. When the flight attendant walked past him again, he brushed against her but was mistaken as trying to assault her, and the air marshal appears, trying to take control of the situation.

However, Dave was being tried in court for assaulting and inflicting injury on the flight attendant, and he was sentenced to 20-hours anger management therapy session. When Dave turned up for his session, he was surprised to see that the therapist was actually the guy who sat next to him on the plane; Dr. Buddy Rydell. He asked Buddy to help him out by signing him off for the sessions when he will only attend one session. Buddy, however, refused but tried to coax him into the first session to see how he will go from there.
Dave meets bizarre and violent characters in the therapy patients such as Lou (Luis Guzman), Nate (Jonathan Loughran), Chuck (John Turturro), and a pair of sexy yet eccentric porn star girls, Stacy (Krista Allen) and Gina (January Jones).

Buddy pushed Dave to share about himself, to the extent that Dave finally shouted in the class.
At the end of the class, Buddy decides that Dave needs to continue his sessions, and even assigns him a partner; Chuck, who was a a violent guy and scares Dave, much to his displeasure.

Dave and Chuck went out for a drink at a bar, where Chuck, starts a fight with a man sitting at the bar counter and Dave, trying to calm down everyone ends up accidentally hitting the waitress with the walking stick he took away from a blind man. He ends up in a court again and meets the same judge again; Judge Brenda Daniels (Lynne Thigpen) who clearly not pleased with his recurring offence and orders him to intensive therapy treatment or face jail, after Buddy negotiates with her.

Buddy then moves in to stay with Dave, claiming that he needs the intensive therapy/treatment and to accomplish that, Buddy will need to understand his daily behaviors and habits.

Buddy shares his bed, and even orders Dave about, annoying him to no end but Dave was still maintaining his cool.

Then Buddy followed Dave to work, and while driving in the car, he forced Dave to stop his car in the middle of the bridge and caused massive traffic jam, with most of the drivers driving past them, cursing.

Inside the car, Buddy taught Dave to sing a "I Feel Pretty' song. Buddy then instructs Dave to go to a street where they pick up a transvetite, Galaxia, and offers to pay him to just sit with Dave and talk to him. Dave was terrified and yelled at Galaxia to get out of the car. It was then that Buddy explained that he can progress in the next level in the program as he has learnt about righteous anger.

Dave then received a phone call from Boston about Buddy's mum who was undergoing surgery and lied to Buddy, who took it seriously. When Buddy learns that it was not that serious, he told Dave he will get him back for that. He insisted that Dave joins him on his road trip to Boston.

In Boston, Buddy taught Dave to seduce a girl (Heather Graham) using a lame pick up line and to Dave's surprise, she fell for it and even followed Dave home. When Dave refused to sleep with her, she burst into anger and kicked him out of the house, and Dave screamed at her in return outside the house.

As they were returning from Boston, Buddy instructed Dave to drive to a monastery where he is to confront his childhood bully, Arnie Shankman, who is now a Buddhist monk. Their confrontation ended up in a fight as Dave lost his temper and learns about righteous anger.

Then Dave was surprised when Linda told him that she was advised by Buddy to separate from him, and Dave confronted Buddy who told him that it was essential to make Linda realize how good Dave was after dating some lousy guys. Convinced, Dave also decided to play along by asking the two porn star girls, Stacy and Gina to help to pretend as his dates and he found out that Linda's new date was actually none other than Buddy himself. Furious, he confronted Buddy once again, but was coaxed into believing that Buddy would portray a bad guy image to make Linda realize the good guy in Dave.
However, Buddy soon told him that he and Linda had fallen for each other, and Dave then hit him in anger.

Dave ended up in court again, where he was ordered on restraint to stay away from Buddy and Linda. Upset, he follows them to the Yankees game after hearing that they will there that night, and finally mustering his courage, he runs to the middle of the field, and tried to use the microphone to confess his feelings and propose to Linda but was pulled away by the authorities.
However, the Mayor (Rudy Giulani) gives him a chance and orders him to finish what he was saying and then Dave proposed to Linda, who agrees but only if Dave kisses her in front of everyone there.

Then Linda showed Dave the score board which reads a congratulatory message from Buddy on their proposal.

Linda then reveals to Dave that the whole thing was orchestrated by her, after reading a book on anger management by Dr. Buddy Rydell. She sought his help to treat Dave, whom she thinks has been suppressing his feelings far too much and that he will need to learn to express himself.
Then a man came to the group, threatening that he was the owner of the car which crashed when Buddy reversed his car and he held them at gunpoint. Dave then stepped in front of Buddy, and shared what he had learnt from Buddy to calm the man down.
The man then pointed his gun at Dave's head and squirts water, and the group burst out laughing, with Buddy reminding Dave that he had mentioned he will get him back for his joke on Buddy's mother and everyone broke into singing "I Feel Pretty".

Christy's Review:
I do admit feeling that the whole movie centering on the topic of Anger Management did confuse me a little, and got me thinking, "Is this the right movie?"
Sure, there were moments of absurdity which cracks one up, but there are moments of frustration at the direction of the movie. It is like watching a car driving in a wayward direction; and then derailed completely. Yes, the movie gave me that feeling.

It was revealed in the end that Buddy Rydell was just there to annoy the hell out of Dave, because he was hired by Linda to help him to express his anger and not constantly suppress it, but then the methods used by Buddy and even he himself, was not really that true to the concept of anger management, was it?
Overall, it was true to its genre; a slapstick comedy, and nothing to really take seriously or else, one will just end up confused or frustrated.

Character Analysis:
Adam Sandler as Dave Buznik

Adam plays the anger-suppressed Dave quite well, and it is no surprise since this is Adam Sandler we are talking about. His expressions make one feels for him, and empathize with what he is feeling; which is mostly frustration. We can't blame him, when people like Buddy, Chuck and his boss constantly annoying the daylights out of him, and they kept pushing at that limit. I think any normal human being or even the most patient would be angered by those actions.
In my opinion, I didn't really think that Dave was a dangerous person at all; nor is he as violent as charged in court which is the main reason why I find the concept of the movie just ridiculous. Dave is a very likable character, and he is probably just like most of the people around the world, who just wants a little peace and he can deal with his own problems, but no, everyone around him just thinks he needs to learn to express his anger appropriately. Of course, that makes sense, but sometimes, when one learns to express anger, then they want them to learn to suppress their anger, yeah, then the movie Anger Management comes along.

Jack Nicholson as Buddy Rydell

No doubt, Jack is the veteran who added the drama to the movie, as he plays the annoying yet professional anger management therapist, Dr. Buddy Rydell. Alright, the interesting part is how this guy preaches about anger management to Dave and yet losing his temper or cool easily when things go wrong. It was just quite ironic. Yeah, it is all about learning to express your emotions when needed, and not resorting to violence, but the methods Buddy used turned out to be bizarre and annoying too, no offense. Jack is poised and cool in most of his scenes, playing the eccentric doctor to a believable level.

Marisa Tomei as Linda

Sweet and subtle, there is really nothing more to say about the character Linda as there was not much of an appearance. She is supposed to be the master mind behind the whole plot, but yet, she did not have much of an impact in the movie, except to show her sweet smile once in a while in those scenes she did appear.

Likes about the movie:
The scene where Dave stops his car in the middle of the bridge and was made to sing "I Feel Pretty" with the crazy Dr. Buddy Rydell.

Dislikes about the movie:
Why doesn't everyone just leave Dave alone, and just kept pushing him by doing all sorts of silly things? I just find it a little over the edge sometimes, in the movie.

Verdict:
Watch with an open mind, but don't delve too much into the logic as this is not about understanding the movie. This is a slapstick comedy, so nothing more.

Rating: 2.5/5

Movie Review: Cruel Intentions (1999)

2012-03-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

Year produced: 1999
Director: Roger Kumble
Producer: Neal H. Moritz
Adapted from: Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (1782)
Writer: Roger Kumble
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Cast:
Sarah Michelle Gellar - Kathryn Merteuil
Ryan Philippe - Sebastian Valmont
Reese Witherspoon - Annette Hargrove
Selma Blair - Cecile Caldwell
Joshua Jackson - Blaine Tuttle
Sean Patrick Thomas - Ronald Clifford

Supporting Cast:
Swoosie Kurtz - Dr. Regina Greenbaum
Tara Reid - Marci Greenbaum
Christine Baranski - Bunny Caldwell
Eric Mabius - Greg McConnell
Louise Fletcher - Helen Rosemond
Charlie O'Connell - Court Reynolds

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
Kathryn Metreuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is the stepsister of the suave and charming womanizer, Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Philippe). With their wealth, the two rule the upper east side with their manipulative and conniving plans in turning the socialites' world upside down.

At the start of the movie, Sebastian was engaged in his final therapy session with Dr. Regina Greenbaum (Swoosie Kurtz) where Sebastian decides he has already recovered from his constant sexual urges and is ready to start anew. After Sebastian leaves the office, Dr. Greenbaum receives a phone call from her distraught daughter, Marci (Tara Reid), who told her that her boyfriend had broken up with her and that he had posted her nude photo on the Internet.

From Marci's description, Dr. Greenbaum realized that Sebastian was the culprit and she ran after him, shouting at him from the glass windows on the second level, but Sebastian coolly walked off, pretending he did not know Dr. Greenbaum at all.

When Sebastian reaches home, he was greeted by his beautiful and sexy stepsister, Kathryn, who was receiving her guests; Mrs Caldwell (Christine Baranski) and her daughter, Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair), who was starting new in Kathryn and Sebastian's school in the new term and Mrs Caldwell wanted Kathryn to help her daughter and in settling her in with the school crowd. Kathryn, promised to do so, as she was the student body president and also in with the most popular people in the school. Mrs Caldwell was not too impressed with Sebastian's behavior as he tried to flirt with Cecile and hurriedly left.

After the Caldwells have left their house, Kathryn turned into a bored expression and offered Sebastian a new 'project'; Cecile Caldwell to help her in her revenge against her ex-boyfriend, Court Reynolds. It appears that Court and Kathryn was engaged in a short-lived fling, in which Court dumped her for a more naive and innocent girl who was none other than Cecile Caldwell herself. Angered by this move, Kathryn wanted to take revenge towards Court, by teaching Cecile to sleep with as many men as possible to corrupt her reputation and making her the tramp of the upper east side. She tried to engage Sebastian to seduce Cecile, but he refused.

Instead, Sebastian shares on his interest in Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon) who has recently published a manifesto on her views on virginity and sex and that she plans to wait until she is married. To top to that, Annette is the only daughter of the next headmaster of their prep school Manchester and Sebastian learns that she will be staying with his aunt, Helen Rosemond (Louise Fletcher) in the Hamptons on Long Island for the summer, which gives him the perfect opportunity to approach and seduce her.

Kathryn snorts at Sebastian's plan and does not think that he will be able to succeed, and so they make a wager that if Kathryn wins, she will get Sebastian's new car while if Sebastian wins, he will get to sleep with Kathryn, as she is the only girl that he cannot get.

At the same time, Kathryn was thrilled when she found that there may be romantic sparks between Cecile and her music teacher, Ronald Clifford (Sean Patrick Thomas).

When Cecile confided in her feelings to Kathryn, she encouraged Cecile to be with Ronald, with the hope that she will lose her virginity to Ronald.

Sebastian, on the other hand, was having a hard time to win Annette's trust in Long Island, as Annette told him that she could see through his intentions and that she had no interest in him although they seemed to be getting along quite well. However, Annette rejects Sebastian advances and even told him that she knew about his past history with women.

Angered by the rejection, Sebastian shared with his friend, Blaine Tuttle (Joshua Jackson) who believed that it Annette may have been influenced by her ex-boyfriend, Greg McDonnell (Eric Mabius) and coincidentally, Blaine found out that Greg was a homosexual. Using himself as a bait, Blaine seduced Greg to his room that night and have Sebastian barge into them. They confronted the terrified Greg who pleaded with them to keep his sexuality a secret, while Sebastian made him promise to reinvent Sebastian's image in front of Annette through their fabricated story, as Greg and Annette were not just ex-lovers but also best friends.

Greg was seen to be telling Annette about Sebastian, and even tried to find out who talked about Sebastian in front of Annette. It was then that Sebastian found out that Annette was alerted of his philandering ways from a letter she received from Mrs Caldwell who warned her of Sebastian.

The angered Sebastian then returns home and agrees to help Kathryn with her plan to destroy Cecile. Thrilled, Kathryn then turns to Mrs Caldwell with her good girl reputation and told her about Cecile and Ronald's romance, causing Mrs Caldwell to break them up.

It was then that Kathryn and Sebastian turned up to help Ronald, and encouraged him to write a love letter to Cecile; which Sebastian will deliver to her. Sebastian then calls Cecile and taught her to run from her house and meet him at his house that night to get the letter from Ronald. Cecile did not sleep with Sebastian, who only performed oral sex on her but she confided in Kathryn the next day. Kathryn seized the opportunity and told her to learn from Sebastian on the art of sex, so that she could please Ronald in bed and even encouraged her to sleep with as many guys as possible. However, unbeknownst to Cecile, Kathryn was also using the same reason to bed Ronald.

Sebastian continues to reinvent his bad boy image by joining Annette on volunteer work, and the two had a great time bonding; especially when Annette tried to loosen Sebastian up after telling him that he is being too uptight most of the time.

As they spend more time together, Sebastian soon falls for Annette and although Annette feels the same, she was still hesitant to show her affections, causing Sebastian to call her a hypocrite.
However, she soon gave in and was willing to offer herself to Sebastian, but he walks away from her, as he felt guilty for misleading her and did not want to hurt her further.
Heartbroken and ashamed, Annette left his aunt's house the next day but Sebastian, tipped by Greg, runs after her and found her where they slept with each other at her parents' hotel suite.

When Sebastian reaches home, he was seduced by Kathryn but he rejects her advances as he is now in love with Annette.

Raged and yet jealous, Kathryn then touts Sebastian as a soft guy and threatens to destroy Annette's reputation in school if he does not break up with her.
Sebastian then proceeds to meet up with Annette who greets him warmly but was greeted with a cold break up by him.

Sebastian then returns to Kathryn, and were planning to celebrate their victory in which Kathryn told him that her victory was not over the wager, but rather, over her being able to manipulate him so easily. She told him that Sebastian was obviously in love with Annette and yet he was willing to give her up just because she told him to. It was her triumph that she had made him give up on his first true love so easily, and she refused to sleep with him, claiming that she does not sleep with losers.
Sebastian then leaves, declaring war with Kathryn.

He tried desperately to contact Annette but to no avail, while Kathryn contacts Ronald, telling him that she was hit by Sebastian, angering Ronald. When Sebastian left the building after handing his journal to Annette, he was confronted by an angry Ronald who beat him up. Annette runs after Sebastian, and tried to break up the fight but was pushed by Ronald to the road where she falls. Sebastian pushed her away from an oncoming taxi, and was hit instead.

At Sebastian's funeral, Kathryn bumped into Annette at the restroom and the two made small talk with each other. When Kathryn gave her eulogy, she was surprised to see all the students leaving the funeral hall one by one and loses her concentration. She ran out and was shocked to see all the students poring over a book, and she received a copy from Cecile, and realized that it was Sebastian's journal which published about his conquests and also the truth about Kathryn.

Annette drives away, triumphant, with Sebastian's journal on the passenger side of the seat.

Christy's Review:
This was one of the dark yet sensuous thriller back in the 90s, and backed by the similar suspenseful theme in the novel and the strong cast, most of whom were in their teens and youth, it is no wonder that this movie had been nominated for several awards.

The strong cast greatly enhanced the popularity of the movie, and though there were just certain absurdities in the movie, it was overall not such a bad movie which reflects on the minds and manipulative characters of the young and wealthy teens. It is a projection of how one cannot be perceived by their appearances; and that there could be dangerous concepts running through their minds. A rather bold approach in the portrayal of the dangerous young minds, and twisting it into a dark plot like this.

The movie also explores on various topics concerning the younger generation and also the society; such as free sex, homosexuality, inter racial romances, and searching for love/identities/sexuality which is seen through the character minds, games and intertwining stories. Examples of such bold themes include the kissing scene between Kathryn and Cecile; the romance between Cecile and her black music teacher, Ronald; the relationship between Blaine and Greg; the various relationships of Kathryn and Sebastian; and also Annette in understanding her feelings and affections for Sebastian and in deciding what to do.
It is all part of the growing up process portrayed in the movie, on the right and wrong and on whether there is a right and wrong in everything.

Character Analysis

Sarah Michelle Gellar, was excellent as the conniving seductress, Kathryn and she manages her facial expressions with that sweet yet manipulative twinkle in her eye.

Her mother married Sebastian's father, presumably for money, as mentioned by Sebastian earlier in the movie, and it was probably due to their parents' messed up relationships which made them craving for attention and also in dealing with boredom.
She is pretty and popular, and it was probably due to the fact that she could get anything she wants that made her overly confident and also unable to accept failure in everything she does, even it means to resort to mean and negative ways to achieve it.

Ryan Philippe was also very believable as the charming and philandering womanizer, Sebastian Valmont whose mission seemed to be only to bed all the debutantes and young socialites. He had his eyes on his stepsister as well, who seemed to be the only one he was unable to touch due to their family relationship. It may be odd, but Sebastian is actually just like Kathryn as they both thrive to maintain their reputation and also in their strong desire in achieving anything they wanted. However, Sebastian has a little more compassion in him and Kathryn is not totally wrong in him having a soft side, as Sebastian does know when to stop or when emotions tug at his heart.

He loved Annette, although he was surprised himself, but yet he felt guilty and struggled with himself for there was a wager which led to the whole romance and perhaps it was because he did not want his love with Annette to start based on that, or he was just confused, that's why he left even though Annette was offering herself to him already. He had a sad ending, but he had it even with Kathryn in the end, as his simple act to share his history with Annette ended up exposing Kathryn of her pretense and hypocrisy.

Reese Witherspoon plays the sweet yet determined Annette Hargrove who believed in everything she was taught, until she met Sebastian. Being a properly brought up lady, she was always trying to do what she thinks is right and thus kept herself in control around Sebastian. However, when she was labelled a hypocrite by Sebastian, she realized he was right and decided to just be real for once. However, she was being rejected, and she became confused again but she could no longer conceal her feelings when he runs after her again. Then she was heartbroken when he broke up with her, claiming that she was only his conquest. She was really confused and also angry with how she was a pawn, but she tried to understand everything and soon saw the light when she received Sebastian's journal. She then took it and realizing the truth, and wanting to get back at Kathryn over Sebastian's death and to protect his reputation, she exposed Kathryn's cover by making copies of the journal. It was then that we see even a nice girl like Annette could have her cool blown when being tested; and that was a realistic portrayal.

Selma Blair is not so believable as the younger and naive Cecile Caldwell, though, as somehow, she just became a little annoying as the movie went on. Also, besides the fact that she was in fact, older than Sarah Michelle Gellar, it was quite apparent in their physical appearances as well. I have nothing against Selma Blair, and she is a great actress, but I think this role should be played by someone who is a little younger or looked more innocent.

Joshua Jackson had a minor role here; so there is nothing much to comment as he is playing a role which is usually like him; playful yet intelligent.

Likes about the movie:
The leading stars are all my favorites; with the likes of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe.

Dislikes about the movie:
Wrong casting of Selma Blair as a younger and more innocent Cecile Caldwell.

Verdict:
Watch it, if you like thrilling teen movies or if you are a fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar, or Reese Witherspoon or even Ryan Philippe.

Rating: 3/5

Movie Review: Needing You (孤男寡女) (2000)

2012-03-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

Year Produced: 2000
Director/Producers: Johnnie To, Wai Ka Fai
Writers: Wai Ka Fai, Yau Nai Hoi (Original: Cindy Tang)

Cast:
Sammi Cheng - Kinki Kwok
Andy Lau - Andy Cheung
Gabriel Harrison - Dan
Fiona Leung - Fiona
Raymond Wong - Roger

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
Andy is a successful top sales manager in a computer company and as he struggles to the top and maintained his position, he had to fight off the management's politics. Despite his charming behavior in office and being an eligible bachelor, most of his co-workers perceive and label him a womanizer.

Kinki(Sammi) enters the company and joins Andy's department, where he is her manager. Kinki appeared as a somewhat muddled woman who releases her emotions into her bouts of fits of compulsive cleaning; cleaning almost everything that is before her.

Andy was initially irked by Kinki's weirdness, but slowly learns to appreciate her dedication to work and also her good nature, which is seemingly rare in the office full of politics at work. Andy also learns the truth behind Kinki's bizarre behavior; it was her boyfriend, Dan (Gabriel Harrison) who treated her like dirt and Kinki caught him cheating on her.

As he stood by her to help her get over the break up, Andy found himself caring for her and Kinki was pleased with the attention Andy had showered her as she had fallen for Andy.

Before they proceed further in their friendship, Andy's ex-flame, Fiona showed up and sensing their feelings for each other, Fiona was intent to stop the start of their romance as she wanted the womanizing Andy back to herself. She then convinced Andy to set up a blind date for Kinki; by introducing her to Internet mogul, Roger (Raymond Wong).
When Andy asked Kinki out, she was pleased and spent hours selecting what to wear but when she got into the car and Andy told her about the blind date he had set up, she got into one of her cleaning fits again.

Kinki went to the restaurant and seemed to hit it off immediately with Roger, much to Andy's displeasure and she took off on Roger's motorcycle which she seemed to be so interested in.
Andy was worried about Kinki the whole night, and messed up with Fiona who was trying to seduce him but the whole thing went awry when Andy ended up dialing Kinki's phone and also referring to Fiona as Kinki.

Andy then realized that he had fallen for Kinki and even took up motorbike riding lessons to win her heart again. Kinki was pleased to see that Andy was jealous of her relationship with Roger.
However, as her heart had been set, and predictably, she ended up with Andy.

Christy's Review:
Simple and generic, this needs no complicated formula to come up with the script as most of the Hong Kong movies, to me, seems to be written in the same style.
Nothing exceptionally romantic nor the type to make one's heart skip a beat, I just find it almost the same like all the others I have watched, although the chemistry between Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng was not too bad.
To note, the writer/director was even lazy to change the actors' names to their characters and just stuck to most of their own names; Andy and Fiona.

Likes about the Movie:
The theme song by Sammi Cheng.

Dislikes about the Movie:
No originality

My verdict:
Not too bad for a watch though, if you are into the idol movies and also a simple romantic comedy.

Rating: 2.5/5

TVB: Wish and Switch (換樂無窮) (2012)

2012-03-05T20:35:00.001-08:00

Year Produced: 2012
Producer: Lam Chi Wah
No. of episodes: 20

Cast:
Myolie Wu - Fan Suk Heung
Selena Li - Hailey/Hau Yurk Hoi
Johnson Lee - Koo Ka Yan
Vincent Wong - Wayne/Weng Yiu

Supporting Cast:
Lau Kong - Yes Sir/Koo Wing Si
Mimi Chu - Yes Madam/Fung Yau Yi
Angela Tong - Koo Ka Kam
Tina Shek - Yip Yuk Hing
Ram Chiang - Fan Tai Kit
Kiki Sheung - Lui Wong/ Mrs Weng
Patrick Dunn - Benjamin
Savio Tsang - Yip Yiu

Synopsis/Storyline/Plot:
Fan Suk Heung(Myolie Wu) is a housewife who lives her life running the chores in the household, caring for her timid husband, Koo Ka Yan (Johnson Lee), who works in a fast food restaurant; retired discipline master father-in-law, Yes Sir (Lau Kong) who runs the house like a military commander; her lazy younger brother; her elder brother, Tai Kit (Ram Chiang) who always gets into trouble as he holds street protests with his friends, and also her husband's niece, Yip Yuk Hing (Tina Shek) whose mum was away and she does not know who her dad is.

Initially she had her mother-in-law, Yes Madam (Mimi Chu) to help her out with the chores, but she filed for divorce when she could no longer take her controlling husband who was constantly ordering her about and she decided to live her own life.

Life turned more chaotic when Ka Yan's wandering sister, Ka Kam (Angela Tong) returns home pregnant and makes various demands.

Heung also has a day job at the fast food restaurant where her husband worked as a supervisor, and she was upset with Ka Yan constantly taking the blame for his friend cum restaurant manager's fault and at one point, even causing himself to be sacked.

Heung runs into her longtime best friend, Hailey (Selena Li), now Mrs Weng, wife to a wealthy businessman. During their first encounter, Heung was unable to get her attention and she was disappointed as she was trying to seek Hailey's help to get her husband's job again as the restaurant where they worked reports directly to Hailey's husband's company.

By chance, Heung found a website on a computer in the public library which allowed people to make a wish or trade for anything that they want in the world. Thinking that it was a hoax or just a phony website, Heung just played along by wishing that her husband would get her job back and in return, the website asked her for her favorite orange-flavored gum. When her orange-flavored gum disappeared from all the packets of sweets she bought, Heung started believing that the website was for real. However, she was unable to tell anyone about it as it was one of the condition in the website.

Heung finally reunites with Hailey, who explained that she did not heed her call the first time because Heung was shouting her high school nickname in public and if it was heard by the paparazzi, she would be ridiculed in the papers.
When Heung accidentally overhears her husband telling his friend about how he had saved up money to be able to support his 'mistress', she got really upset and told Hailey about it. Hailey told her that she needed to get her husband back from the other woman and Heung wished that Hailey could help her do it. As the two best friends lament on their lives, they ended up getting drunk in the library.

Hailey got a little shock when she accidentally touched a switch, and that electric current that went through her skin enabled Heung to tell her about the website.
In their drunken state, Heung and Hailey typed in their wish to exchange their identities and they pressed Enter.

When they woke up, they realized what they had done but feeling nothing different, the two of them decided to head home. They then discovered that they had indeed exchanged their identities, as although they still look the same, their names on their IDs were different and even people around them were unable them to recognize them.

Meeting up, they were eager to go back into their own lives and agreed to meet up at the library to switch back into themselves again but were dismayed when they found the library was closed for a month.

Left with no choice, the two had to fit into their roles after exchanging notes about their respective lifestyle. It was tough at first, with people around them commenting how different they have been. Hailey was having a hard time trying to adjust to having to do all the chores in the Koo household and fulfilling everyone's demands, and at the same time, avoiding Ka Yan's sexual advances. Heung, on the other hand, was having the time of her life as she was enjoying the luxuries in Hailey's penthouse and also having all the designer brands to don.
Hailey had Benjamin (Patrick Dunn), her private butler, over at the Koo's home to help her out with the household chores as she was not used to having to do so many things.

Hailey lost her temper at one point when she no longer wanted to do everything in the house for everyone, and how they were all taking advantage of her or Heung. However, she started to realize that Heung's husband, Ka Yan, was a truly caring and doting husband who loved Heung a lot.

Heung, on the other hand, discovered that Hailey's seemingly wonderful life was only on the surface as she dealt with her cold and distant husband, Wayne (Vincent Wong) who was constantly ordering her about, and her arrogant mother-in-law, Queen (Kiki Sheung).

Heung also found out that Hailey and Wayne's marriage was a paper marriage, and that she had an agreement with Wayne to stay in marriage for two years as stated in his father's will; after which, Wayne will fully inherit the property and the company.

However, through the time spent with Wayne, Heung found out that Wayne had fallen in love with Hailey who was actually Suk Heung in her identity. Hailey also tried to seek the answer, and Wayne told her in his drunken state that he had always loved Hailey since he first met her in New York but when he found out that she was just like the other girls and she was only interested in his wealth, he decided to only ask her for help to win his inheritance. He stayed distant and cold towards her to hide his true feelings for her.

Things got even more complicated when Heung suspected Hailey slept with Ka Yan one night, when Hailey was just too upset after her luxurious pet dog, Rocky died, after protecting her from a poisonous snake bite. Heung was furious with Hailey, and Hailey, upon learning from the vet that Rocky may have been fed some random food which weakened his immune system and thus insusceptible to illnesses. Hailey vowed revenge on Heung whom she knew had been feeding Rocky the wrong stuffs because she had no knowledge on dogs, and she threatened to steal Ka Yan away from Heung.

Heung then turned her charm on Ka Yan, and seduced him at work, and then Ka Yan finally fell for Heung, who was actually Hailey in identity to him.

When they could finally switch their identities back, their argument caused a short circuit in the computer, disabling them to proceed. They sent the computer for repair and somehow it ended in Heung's elder brother, Kit's hands. He found the website and realized that Hailey was indeed his real sister, Heung.

He then tried to wish for them to be back to their old selves.
At the same time, Heung and Hailey realized their mistakes and reconciled with each other, and learning of their husbands' messy conditions, wished they could return to their lives.

They wished on the website and they were finally restored to their former selves.

When Heung returns to her life, she was upset to learn that Ka Yan still harbours feelings for Hailey, which was all her own doing when she was in that identity. Hailey, on the other hand, resorts to brutally rejecting Ka Yan which hurt his feelings and made Ka Yan vowing to be rich and successful. When Ka Yan chanced upon the website as well, he made a wish to be all successful and powerful and he took opportunity of learning of Queen's illness to his advantage. He granted her the wish of becoming younger by 20 years again, as he traded his own youth to the website for his success. Queen was desperate to be well, and also to be healthy and she promoted Ka Yan after realizing that she had indeed become younger as promised, much to her own son's annoyance.

Wayne and Hailey worked together to win his way back into the company after being voted out by the board of directors earlier, following his mother's move to stop him from signing a project, and in the process, they both found love with each other.

Ka Yan became more obsessed and became evil as he strives for success although he no longer wants Hailey anymore. It came to a point when Heung could not take it anymore and she made the wish to have her husband back to his old good self, and the condition for the wish was Heung's own life. Hailey told Heung it was a stupid move and tried to prevent her from proceeding but Heung wanted her husband back and made Hailey promise to never tell him.

Ka Yan became good again, while Wayne returns from New York after attending a self-improvement course and asked Hailey to officially marry him, this time for real. Queen also learnt to appreciate her son, and got out of Ka Yan's previous demands and the family lived happily.
Heung died in an accident, which devastates the family, and Heung reveals the truth about her death to Ka Yan.

At the end of the drama, Ka Yan spotted someone who looked like Heung and he was seen at the computer, where he made wish at the website (although they were supposed to dispose it long ago, as demanded by Heung and Hailey), and he wished for Heung to be brought back to life.
It was shown that the trade was successful although the condition was not depicted.
He then bumped into the lady who looked like Heung, and she mentioned that she loved orange-flavored gum as well.

Christy's Review:
A light-hearted comedy drama, which besides being one for some humor, also focused on the importance of loved ones and that perfect appearances may not mean a perfect life.
It teaches about contentment and searching for one's self, and learning to accept things in life; whether it is success or failure.
It is of course not a very unpredictable plot, as like most TVB dramas, the plot is always predictable, but the drama is not a total flop as it was quite entertaining, particularly in the beginning of the series.

Likes about the series:
The lessons learnt, and also the lovely wardrobe of Hailey and Heung.

Dislikes about the series:
I felt there were a lot of unnecessary scenes in the series, not to mention the characters. For instance, Angela Tong's portrayal of Ka Yan's elder sister was totally annoying and not of much value in the entire series. Then there is Heung's younger brother, and also Angela Tong's daughter, I find them not really adding much substance to the series.

My verdict:
Not a bad watch, and Myolie Wu is as usual, just good and Selena Li has also improved in her expressions and acting in this drama.

Rating: 3.5/5

Movie Review: Grown Ups

2012-03-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

Year produced: 2010
Director: Dennis Dugan
Producers: Jack Giarraputo
Writers: Adam Sandler, Fred Wolf
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Synopsis/Plot/Storyline:
The movie started with a basketball match in 1978, and five childhood friends on the same team cheered over their victory after winning the game. They adjourned to a rented lake house to their celebration where they were told by their Coach Buzzer to live their lives the way they have played their victorious game, that the day when their final buzzer sounds, they will be content and happy.

Fast forward to the modern day, thirty years later, the five friends who remained in contact with each other are all fully grown men with their own families.
Lenny Feder (Adam Sandler) is a talent agent in Hollywood, who is married to fashion designer Roxanne (Salma Hayek) and they have three children; two sons, Greg and Keithie, and daughter Becky. His two sons were spoilt and pampered and sits around at home most of the time, enjoying video games rather than having fun out in the sun, as Lenny would prefer.

Lenny received the news of Buzzer's death from his youngest daughter who was trying to drive the family car and ended up ramming into their garden table.

Eric Lamonsoff (Kevin James) claims that he co-owns a lawn furniture company and drives a Cadillac which he is proud of.

He is married to Sally (Maria Bello) and they have two kids, Donna and Bean and also a dog, which had its chords nipped due to a complaint made by the neighbors that the dog was too noisy.

Eric was relaxing in the swimming pool in his backyard when Sally told him about the news of Coach Buzzer's death and as he tried to get out of the pool, he accidentally tripped and caused a leak in the plastic pool which caused the water to flow all over the garden.

Kurt McKenzie (Chris Rock) is married to Deannie/Ronzoni (Maya Rudolph), the breadwinner of the family while Kurt is a stay-home dad who takes care of their two kids; Andre and Charlotte and Deannie's mother (Ebony Jo-Ann) who picks on his incapability. Deannie is also pregnant with their third child.

Rob Hilliard (Rob Schneider) is a pacifist vegan who had been divorced for three times and has three daughters, Jasmine, Amber and Bridget from the past marriages. He is now married to Gloria(Joyce Van Patten), who is 30 years older than him. He was massaging Gloria when he received the news of the coach's death and he asked her to accompany him to the funeral on Friday.

Marcus Higgins (David Spade) is the only one who remained single and a womanizer.

When the five met up at the funeral in New England, they teased each other endlessly about their lives.

Lenny tried to tone down his profile by denying he has a nanny and he took off his sunglasses when they arrived as he did not want his friends to label him 'rich' since he was the one who was better off compared to his friends. The rest called him 'Hollywood' nevertheless due to his job and riches, while Kurt was being chastised for being a stay at home dad and that he could be more useful instead of relying on his wife to bring home the dough.

Eric arrived in a grand manner, as he drove his convertible Cadillac and brought along his muted dog with his wife, claiming that he is now a successful co-owner of a lawn furniture company. His wife, Sally, still breastfeeds his younger son, Bean, who was 4 months old, in public, much to the discomfort of the others. The guys also ridiculed Rob because of his older wife.

Lenny was called to give an eulogy as stated in Coach Buzzer's will, while Rob performed a rendition of Ave Maria which made the others laugh as he did it dramatically at the funeral.

Lenny also rented a lake house to spend the 4th of July weekend with his friends, but he could not stay for the whole weekend as they had to fly to Milan the next day for Roxanne's fashion show.

When they were at the lake house, Lenny gets annoyed that all the kids were spending time indoors most of the time rather than outdoors, and he dragged them out, motivating Eric and Kurt to do the same thing.

The whole group then ended up on a short hike around the lake, until Lenny spotted a rope hanging by a tree and the guys reminisce about their wild younger days.

Eric jumped at the sight of the rope and volunteered to show the kids how to swing the rope across the lake, and it ended up badly; with Eric falling and injuring a bird.

That night they all go out to dinner, and Eric offers to foot the bill for everyone. Lenny proceeds to the counter to make extra orders and bumps into his old time nemesis in high school; Dickie Bailey (Colin Quinn), who is coincidentally a cook in the same restaurant. Dickie was taunting Lenny over their victorious win thirty years ago, and how he never got over how Lenny could have been considered a winner when he was on the line while making that winning shot. He challenged Lenny and his friends to a rematch, but Lenny declares; stating that it was a waste of time as it was old history.

During the dinner, the guys discussed about the ceremony of spreading the ashes/last remains of their beloved coach the next morning. Lenny made a joke about Roxanne which made her stomp off angrily to the washroom and she warned Lenny about giving her a bad name in front of his friends. She allowed Lenny to join in the ceremony, but that they must leave immediately and early in the morning to Milan, which Lenny agreed.

The five guys took the boat to a private island to spread the coach's ashes; with Eric taking a pee into the lake while they were in the boat.

As Rob took the urn and spread the ashes, he ended up breaking down and lamented on his past failed marriages and that he was really nervous his daughters will be arriving that same day. When they got back, they were surprised to be greeted by a sexy and beautiful girl; Jasmine (Madison Riley) who arrived in an old car and was complaining to her father.

The guys, were surprised that Rob's daughter was so attractive and then they had another surprise, when another attractive girl, Amber (Jamie Chung) arrived and she is also Rob's daughter. When Rob's third daughter, Bridget (Ashley Loren) arrives, the guys felt that she was more similar to Rob due to her appearance.
Marcus was attracted to Jasmine and Amber, and tried to spend more time to hang out with the two of them, much to the annoyance of Rob.

As Rob becomes more shaken with the arrival of his daughters and also the guys' mean jokes on him, they decided to cheer him up with an old game of Arrow Roulette; where an arrow is shot up into the air and the last guy to run away from the spot they are standing is considered the winner. Rob stood his ground but he ended up with the arrow sticking into his feet and the guys had to carry him back to the lake house.

That night, Roxanne was talking on the phone when her youngest daughter, Becky comes running to her in the room to tell her about her fallen tooth. Roxanne was frustrated when Becky disturbed her call constantly with her chattering, and she told her to put her tooth underneath her pillow and Roxanne will leave a coin there; leaving Becky devastated to learn that the tooth fairy never existed and it was her mother all the while. She ran back to her room crying, and Lenny helped to talk to Becky. When he reached the children's room, he was pleased to see them all enjoying a game of talking to each other on an old school cup phone connected with strings everywhere around the room. He then proceeded to declare that he will install a cup phone network around the house for them.

The next morning, as they were preparing to leave for Milan, Roxanne watched the children play skipping the rocks on the surface of the water at the lake and realized that she did not want to leave anymore. Her decision pleased everyone and to celebrate that they were staying, the whole group went to the water park where they had a day of fun in the sun and water.
The ladies had fun chatting with each other and relaxing in their swim suits; although Roxanne's slender shape and designer swim suit made the rest of the ladies kept their swim wear on to cover up their flaws.

Eric humiliated the kids by peeing in the pool; after the kids told him that nowadays a chemical is put into the pool to detect people urinating in it as the chemical turns urine blue.

Then Eric was frustrated with Bean's constant urges to have his mother's milk and taught him to drink milk like a man, out of a carton. The long queues at the giant water slide drove Lenny to lead the pack to a shortcut route where they just jumped the queue and appeared at the start of the queue and enjoyed themselves several rows.

Marcus was constantly flirting with Jasmine and Amber, and Rob was annoyed with him and warned his daughters against him while the girls told Rob that they thought he was gay. The five also bumped into Dickie again and they challenged each other to a game of flying fox and Dickie's friend was injured in the process.
The five guys also ended up peeing in the pool and turning the pool blue, causing everyone around them to flee from the pool immediately.

When they got back to the house that night, Deannie was suspicious of Kurt's friendliness towards Rita, Lenny's nanny and Kurt assured her that it was just socializing and he ended up telling Deannie that she never spent time listening to him. The adults were all enjoying themselves, drinking and dancing the whole night.

The next morning, Roxanne confronted Lenny about canceling their flight to Milan even before she had decided and Lenny told her that it was because the children were becoming too spoilt and that he thought a weekend at the lake house could help them learn about the outdoors, and he was not sure if Roxanne would agree to it. He promised her he would never lie to her again.
Deannie continued to accuse Kurt of paying too much attention to Rita, but after sharing their concerns, Deannie promised to go out on more dates with him.

Rob suspected his daughters slept with Marcus, but they all assured him they didn't do anything and Marcus told him that he would never do that to his buddy's daughters.
Everyone also shared about their stories, and Eric confessed that he was not really a co-owner of any furniture company and in fact, he had been laid off his job two months ago. He just lied because he did not want to be perceived a failure.
Gloria ended up telling everyone that there is love between everyone and that she knew that they thought she just did not fit into their group because of her older age.

The group went out for a 4th of July barbeque party where they bumped into Dickie again and they were challenged for a rematch. Rob tells the group that they should do it and that their coach would want them to do it as well.

They ended up playing a game in front of their kids, but their kids also eventually joined in. Lenny had the choice of the winning shot, but he deliberately missed it to allow Dickie to finally win. The guys then took the loss in stride.

Towards the end of the movie, the group was drinking and a drunk Marcus suggested to play another round of Arrow Roulette and everyone in the group ran away immediately, causing Dickie's friend, Wiley, the one who was injured in the flying fox game to be injured once again when the arrow lands in his feet.

Christy's review
A movie with all five renowned comedians working together, sounded too good to be true, and yes, this is a movie which definitely promises lots of laughs throughout the movie.

This is not a movie to test your intelligence, obviously, as it is a no-brainer which just keeps you entertained and thrilled at the same time. If you are into jokes and just a movie full of fun, then this is the movie for you. I mean, there are just times when you just need a simple movie to just laugh and feel good and not think at all, and this is just the right movie for that kind of moment.
However, if you like intelligent and an award-winning script, then this is not it, as there is really nothing much to it but silly moments and jokes.
This is a light-hearted and just direct straightforward story, meant for one to just relax and chill on the couch.

Likes about the movie:

All the five guy leads, and beautiful Salma Hayek is just great as the classy wife, not to mention the crazy things the five guys do whenever they appear together.

Dislikes about the movie:
Nothing much; except that the making fun of the poor girl, Bridget, who was touted as the fugly daughter of Rob. I think the word fugly was really mean and insensitive.

My verdict:
Feeling down and depressed, or just need something to cheer you up? Grab this movie and just enjoy it with a drink and a snack and a good spot on the couch, with cushion behind your back!

Rating: 3/5