Tag: Disney

Reel Deal: Movies releasing in March in Hong Kong

If you want to take a break from the current situation in Hong Kong, there’s no better way to while away a couple of hours and taking in the latest big-screen outings. Be it the much-awaited sequel to A Quiet Place or the live-adaptation release of Mulan, here are the must-watch movies hitting Hong Kong this March.  

March movies releasing

Jexi – 5 March

The film Jexi revolves around the relationship between a socially awkward features writer Phil and an AI robot Jexi on his phone. Initially, the virtual robot acts as a life coach and helps him to overcome his smartphone addiction and make friends in real life. However, when he becomes independent, Jexi, not quite happy with the change, turns into a tech nightmare. Created by the directors who gave us comedic smashes like Hangover and Bad Moms, Jexi looks set to be a darkly humorous hit.

The Call of the Wild – 5 March

Based on the 1903 novel by the same title, The Call of the Wild follows the journey a man takes with a dog named Buck. From a pet dog in a home in California to becoming a sled dog in the wilds of Alaska, Buck has his own background story that makes him unique and lovable. Described as ‘an adventure of a lifetime’, love and comraderie lie at the heart of this movie.

Like a Boss – 5 March

Two best friends and business partners – Mia and Mel – think they are living a successful life running their beauty company until they are hit with the hard reality – their debt. That is where the cosmetic industry expert Claire Luna (Selma Hayek) comes in to help. However, she ends up sabotaging their business by taking advantage of their ideas and hard work. Filled with laughter and a star-studded cast – Billy Porter, Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne and more, Like a Boss is pure entertainment.

A Quiet Place Part II – 19 March

When A Quiet Place ended, the Abbott family finally found a solution to save themselves from the monsters that was traumatising their lives. With A Quiet Place Part II, it comes to light that those weren’t the only creatures they had to protect themselves from. If you loved the 2018 thriller movie, this upcoming sequel is sure to interest you, just get ready for a scary good time.

Mulan – 26 March

It was a classic Chinese tale, then it was a smash animated hit, now Mulan has gotten a Disney live-adaptation makeover and, after much hype, is about to hit Hong Kong. Follow the titular character of Mulan as she disguises herself as a man to take her father’s place in the imperial army as they head towards a face-off with the invading Huns. Is it as good as the beloved 1998 original? We’ll just have to wait and see…

March Events in Hong Kong: A round-up of this month’s must-see events

With Chinese New Year come and gone, the city has swung right back into entertainment mode. From Hamlet and the Hong Kong Contemporary Arts Show to the mouth-watering Taste of Hong Kong and the 2019 Hong Kong E-prix, here’s our round-up of the top March Events in Hong Kong.

 

March Events in Hong Kong

Jabbawockeez – True to Yourself

2–31 Mar

Arriving in Macau for the first time, iconic dance crew the Jabbawockeez will host their debut Macau residency show. Taking place for nearly the entire month of March, dance-lovers and those with eyes for entertainment can enjoy the energetic showmanship of state-of-the-art audio, visual and lighting technology that compliments the already stunning moves of the Jabbawockeez.

MGM Theater at MGM COTAI. HK$388–988. mgm.mo/en/cotai/entertainment/jabbawockeez

March Events in Hong Kong

Maroon 5 – Red Pill Blues Tour

3 Mar

Fans of LA-based pop-rock band Maroon 5 are in for something of a treat when the Grammy-winning group make their Macao debut at The Venetian Macau this month, ready to rock concert-goers with a set bristling with old favourites such as This Love and Moves Like Jagger, as well as all the very best from Red Pill Blues, their current album and sixth chart-topper. An early treat in a year that looks set to see the city host the best acts from both Asia and the West, it’s probably best to check if your dancing trousers still fit. 

The Cotai Arena, The Venetian Macau. HK$688–2,116. cotaiticketing.com

March Events in Hong Kong

Tai Kok Tsui Temple Fair

3 Mar

For the 15th consecutive year, the Tai Kok Tsui Temple Fair returns to Hong Kong with its joyous celebration of Hung Shing, the God of the Sea. With all the action taking place just a few minutes from Mong Kok, attendees can expect to spend the day wholly immersed in traditional Chinese arts and culture. The day begins, of course, with a grand parade, complete with sparkly costumes, acrobatic mayhem and a display of percussion perfection. In the evening, the organisers promise 18 dancing lions and at least one 500-foot-long dragon winding its way through the streets. This, it’s fair to say, is no ordinary itinerary.

45, Fuk Tsun St, Tai Kok Tsui. tkttemplefair.org.hk

March Events in Hong Kong

Hamlet

7–9 Mar

Bardolatrians can rejoice as one of Shakespeare’s most admired works makes its long overdue return to Hong Kong. Hamlet, a play cherished as much for its vivid lyricism as for its universal motifs, is undoubtedly the world’s best-loved tragedy, making this latest interpretation – a contemporary  Chinese translation, complete with a star-studded cast at the ever-glorious Grand Theatre – all but unmissable. With renowned director Li Liuyi – fresh from the smash hit success of his singular take on King Lear that was the talk of Beijing last year – at the helm, this promises to be the definitive Hamlet of our times. Performed in Putonghua with Chinese and English surtitles, no one need miss out.

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui. HK$200–600. hk.artsfestival.org

March Events in Hong Kong

Animals Asia’s Women’s Day Lunch

8 Mar

Continuing admirable advocacy of all things furry and four-legged, Animals Asia will be hosting a fourcourse vegan (of course) Women’s Day Lunch, with a limited number of tickets said to still be available. The big draw at the event is Jill Robinson, the founder and CEO of the charity, who will be outlining the organisation’s biggest successes to date, while also demonstrating the scale of the challenges that remain. It’s a mustattend meal for anyone serious about championing animal rights causes throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Doggy bags all but guaranteed.

Maison ES, 1A Star Street, Admiralty. HK$860. animalsasia.org

March Events in Hong Kong

 

2019 Hong Kong E-Prix

10 Mar

Once again, the Hong Kong E-Prix is on track to supply the need-for-speed crowd with an air-punching display of Gen2 racecars, with a number of on- and off-road surprises also promised for all keen automobile aficionados. With 22 drivers and 11 teams, this is by far the biggest race to date, and, as if that weren’t enough, this year also marks the debut of Attack Mode, a facility that allows drivers to reach a top speed of 225kmph – 25kmph faster than any past E-Prix has been able to deliver. Thankfully, not one to overlook the environment, this year’s event is skewed towards all-electric vehicles and will provide a gripping update on all the latest developments in this dynamic field.

Central Harbourfront. HK$50–3,180. ticketflap.com/hkformulae

March Events in Hong Kong

Disney Springtime Carnival

15 Mar–30 Jun

If you’re looking for a way to entertain the kids, while not having too shabby a time yourself, pencilling in a trip to Disneyland’s Springtime Carnival may well be in order. Yes, one of Hong Kong’s “most magical places” – at least according to the House of Mouse PR machine – is set to have Mickey and Co celebrate the season with a characterful egg-hunt, a fantasy parade, and, of course, an enchanting Easter carnival. Fortuitously opening just in time for the festivities is the brand new projection show We Love Mickey!, which apparently has cutting-edge visual effects by the bucketload. Hah, take that, Ocean Park!

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Lantau Island. HK$400–534. hongkongdisneyland.com

March Events in Hong Kong

Taste of Hong Kong

21–24 Mar

Get your palate prepped as the fourday Taste of Hong Kong food festival is under starter’s orders and taking orders for starters. With 60 delicious dishes on offer and 12 of the city’s leading eateries participating, opting for the best course may not be as simple as it sounds. This year, the event is welcoming a number of first-timers – including The Flying Elk and Old Bailey – as well as seeing the return of several old favourites, most notably Chôm Chôm and Zuma. Veteran or virgin, however, the central appeal remains the same – the chance to see world-class chefs in action during a series of live demonstrations.

Central Harbourfront. HK$150–678. hongkong.tastefestivals.com

March Events in Hong Kong

Art Basel Hong Kong

29–31 Mar

Asia’s premier art fair returns with works from all the very finest artists of five different continents, while retaining a particular emphasis on Asia and Asia-Pacific creatives, with their works accounting for some 50 percent of the total on display. As well as having a chance to mull over the epoch-defining artistic masterpieces on show, attendees will also have the chance to mingle with the artists, attend seminars dedicated to individual works and, should they be fortunate enough, be treated to a glimpse of a few of the submissions that are not on show to the general public. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition

Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. artbasel.com

March Events in Hong Kong

Asia Contemporary Art Show

29 Mar–1 Apr

In keeping with its long-established status as Asia’s premium modern art hub, Hong Kong will be hosting the 14th Asia Contemporary Art Show at the end of this month, giving admirers of the abstract a welcome opportunity to renew their acquaintance with the works of many of the world’s contemporary artists. In total, more than 2,500 fine examples of the most notable contemporary art being produced across the world – including emerging talents and past masters – across a range of fields will be fleetingly assembled for your dissection and delectation. Best mark your calendars, but in a knowing, post-modern, fourthwall breaking sort of a way…

Conrad Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway. asiacontemporaryart.com

 

Mouse Builder: For Allen Au-Yeung, working at Disney is a dream job

           

Allen Au-Yeung, Disney’s Asia-Pacific Vice President of Creative and Product Development, on indulging his creative spirit, his life-long love affair with Disney, and marking Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday…

Allen Au-Yeung is the APAC VP of Creative and Product Design for Disney

How did you become involved with Disney?

As someone who considered themselves inherently creative, I was always fascinated by Disney’s dedication to putting creativity at the forefront of everything it did, as well as its amazing ability to consistently create the most invitingly interesting products. I felt that this was completely in line with what I was looking for at the time. I joined the company back in 1996 and I’ve never really looked back.

For Allen Au-Yeung, Disney was his life's calling

What can you tell us about your current role at Disney?

Right now, I’m the Vice President of Creative and Product Development for the Asia-Pacific region. Essentially, I’m responsible for formulating a unified creative vision for all our team members across the region. This means designing Disney creative assets that tell our brand story, while also working closely with our business strategy teams to help create new products that are in keeping with our overall philosophy while remaining wholly aspirational.

Allen Au-Yeung believes adaptability, localisation and digitisation are the keys to Disney's success

How do you think Disney has managed to stay so relevant for quite so long?

Despite being a globally recognised brand, localisation has really been the key to its success. We do our utmost to incorporate elements of local culture in any relevant and unique Disney story we set out to tell in any of our markets. During last year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, for instance, we released a range of mooncakes featuring some of our best-loved characters.

Then, of course, there’s digitisation, which is clearly the most rapidly-developing sector right now. Apart from the expected social media platforms, many of which we are already using to help broaden our demographic, we’re also placing a real emphasis on e-commerce, especially within the Greater China market.

 Allen Au-Yeung on Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel

How do you juggle Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars with the more traditional aspects of the wider Disney universe?

The key to finding the right strategy lies in knowing just what consumers are looking for. To that end, Disney spends a huge amount of money on research, commissioning studies and analysing a wide range of demographics. The end result is that we are very aware of what people want.

We know, for instance, the strong appeal our princess characters – such as Cinderella and Snow White – have for young women. Equally, we know that men prefer the action and superheroics that come courtesy of Marvel and Star Wars. Meanwhile, with the younger kids, Pixar characters like Wreck-It Ralph are hugely popular. Ultimately, it’s all about targeting the right products at the right consumer group and making sure they fall in love with us regardless of their age or gender.

For Allen Au-Yeung, Mickey Mouse is the most iconic Disney character

Given the breadth and depth of your back catalogue, is there still one character that really stands out for you?

That would have to be Mickey Mouse. He’s the character that Walt Disney himself developed and one that remains synonymous with our entire brand. His engaging personality, innate curiosity and happy-go-lucky nature have seen him consistently win hearts over the years, even though he’s now 90 years old. At heart, though, I think his appeal lies in the fact that he is pretty much the embodiment of eternal hope.

What did you do to mark Mickey’s 90th in Hong Kong?

We rolled out a variety of promotions, exhibitions and products that all commemorated this particular milestone. A few months ago, we also partnered with Times Square Hong Kong to stage an exclusive 90 Years of Mickey exhibition, which featured more than 90 unique pieces of memorabilia from the Walt Disney Archive, including 20 that had never been seen in public before. We’ve also partnered with a number of local companies to create various limited-release designs that are exclusive to the city.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Neville Lee
Art Direction: San Wong

 

The Magic of Mickey: 7 luxury items to celebrate Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary

We’ve had Mickey on our mind a lot lately! Just last week, we attended the release and collaboration between SCAD Hong Kong and Disney for Mickey’s 90th anniversary. Much to our delight, SCAD aren’t the only ones participating in Mickey’s birthday. The celebration continues as many luxury brands have come together with Disney, offering an assortment of limited-edition items and accessories. 

Marc Jacobs
Mickey Mouse Denim Jacket

Mickey Mouse Denim Jacket

Marc Jacobs has splashed a retro-washed Mickey across this bleached denim jacket, combining two eras of nostalgia – the righteous ’80s and the abstract ’20s – turning sweet memories into a very special fashion statement.

Yves Saint Laurent
Mickey’s 90th Anniversary Silk Shirt 

mickey's 90th anniversary

Saint Laurent’s Parisian silky button-up is bursting with Mickey. With the icon’s happy nature patterned in small prints across the shirt’s sophisticated mature base, there’s no reason why you can’t bring the magic of Disney to work with you!

Bésame Cosmetics
Mickey’s 90th Anniversary Collection

Besame - Mickey Mouse

Bésame Cosmetics, no stranger to collaborations with vintage Disney, is also offering collections Mermaid Lagoon (Peter Pan) and Snow White! Debuting on Black Friday, the style and spirit of Mickey will be available in sure-to-be pretty pallets. 

Gucci
Mickey Mouse Handbag

Mickey's 90th anniversary

Gucci turned both human and mouse heads during its Spring 2019 Fashion Show with the adorable Mickey Mouse handbag. Designer Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s maverick creative director, hasn’t been shy to show his love for Disney, paying tribute to the brand with past collections of Donald Duck and The Three Little Pigs.

Poh Heng
Oh It’s Mickey & Minnie Earrings

OH IT'S MICKEY & MINNIE 90TH ANNIVERSARY EARRINGS

Poh Heng, Singapore’s leading gold jeweller is celebrating the 90th anniversary of Mickey with a collection of gold and silver accessories. Their darling silhouette earrings are crafted with 22K yellow gold, with a matching necklace and ring to pair with.

Rag & Bone
Mickey 90th anniversary sneakers

mickey's 90th anniversary

Rag & Bone is aboard the Mickey train as they celebrate with these classic low-top kicks. The sneakers with asymmetrical colour blocking, Mickey Mouse graphics in the footbed and the 90th anniversary logo on the back heel are a must-have in the wardrobes of all Disney fans. 

 

Swarovski
Mickey Mouse Necklace

mickey's 90th anniversary

Swarovski has bejewelled the treasured character this this stunning necklace for Mickey’s 90th anniversary. The necklace is rhodium-plated with an assortment of crystals in Mickey’s signature colours of red and yellow. 

Text: Bailey Atkinson

SCAD Students bring to life “The happiest place on Earth” here in Hong Kong

The halls of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Hong Kong were abuzz with excitement and celebration last Thursday night, as they debuted their partnership with The Walt Disney Company.

 

Through a sponsored design project to commemorate the 90th anniversary celebration of the iconic character Mickey Mouse, 27 of the college’s students from different disciplines were chosen to work on the impressive collaboration. Focusing on the design concept of Mickey Mouse’s journey through time here in Hong Kong, SCAD students created sixteen new looks over a course of ten weeks, which showcased the up and coming trend of streetwear fashion.

SCAD

The fashion line was a love letter, so to speak, to Hong Kong’s past, present, and future street culture, inspired by everyone’s favourite childhood Mouse. When asked about what inspiration she took from her time here in Hong Kong, Fashion Design student Emilie Meka (B.F.A., Fashion), from Montréal, Canada told Gafencu, “I was in awe of the neon lights of Hong Kong especially the cities skyline. Mickey Mouse is a really warm character whereas Hong Kong is such a fast-paced city – I wanted to find a way to mix the two together”.

SCAD

By giving students the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentorship from the creative team at Disney, the collaboration intended to provide budding designers an environment that would encourage their upcoming creative careers and give a real hands-on experience of what life outside the classroom holds for them.

SCAD

Well, this is just the first of many collaborations that Walt Disney has green-lighted this year, as part of the beloved mouse’s 90th anniversary. Watch our space for more!

Text: Bailey Atkinson