Movie - Sky of Love

(image from http://global.yesasia.com/en/index.aspx)

Top stars Gigi Leung and F4's Ken Zhu are romantically entangled in "Sky of Love"!

One fine day Yan Xiao Jia (Gigi Leung) coincidentally stumbles over a walkie-talkie, which gets her connected with Jia Hui (Ken Zhu). As luck would have it they both study at the same university and try to make an appointment. However every time something else prevents them from meeting in person. Therefore, they fall into the habit of keeping in contact with their walkie-talkies and end up becoming close friends via extensive verbal communications.

Artist Names: Gigi Leung | Ken Zhu
Release Date: February 3, 2004
Duration: 91 Minutes
Publisher: Mei Ah (HK)
Director: Teng Hua Tao

Xiao Jia, a university student, secretly admires her class monitor, Wen Tao. In a twist of an event, Xiao Jia accidentally gets hold of a radiophone. One day, as she daydreams of Wen Tao, the radiophone connects to Jia Hui and they start communicating through the radiophone. From their conversations, they discover that they are actually studying in the same school and plan to meet up, but both of them miss the date and finally find out that they exist in two different worlds.

Source: http://global.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/pid-1003167199/did-0/code-c/section-videos/#prodcontent

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Starring:
Ken Zhu
Gigi Leung
Hong Tau
Da Wei Tung
Liu Zi

Written by: Yue Ming

Directed by: Hua Tao Teng

Love Knows No Boundaries...Love is Timeless...

Pop idol Gigi Leung ("First Option," "Full Throttle") and Taiwanese pop superstar Ken Zhu of the group F4 star in this time-travel romance fantasy based partially on the Korean film "Ditto" and the sci-fi drama "Frequency." Xiao Jia (Leung) and Wen Tao (Zhu) have never met, but their friendship is maintained by voice via radiophones. As Xiao Jia finds herself falling in love with a man whom she has yet to see face to face, she is also shocked to discover that Wen Tao may be from the future, with the radiophone acting as a time machine that connects them. Sky of Love is a tender melodrama about loving someone beyond two vastly different worlds.

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Synopsis:

Similar to the Korean romantic drama DITTO and the American science-fiction drama FREQUENCY, SKY OF LOVE blends time travel with unbreakable emotional bonds. The film follows Xiao-jai (pop star Gigi Leung) and Wen Tao (F4 pop star Ken Zhu) as they become friends through the course of conversations on a radiophone. Over time, the two fall in love, but are shocked to realize that Wen Tao lives in the future, and that their only physical connection lies in the radiophones. Exploring the idea of loving someone who comes from a completely different life, SKY OF LOVE provides a sweetly romantic drama that capitalizes on the appeal of its stars.

Source: Yahoo! Shopping (http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Sky%20of%20Love:1808567650;_ylc=X3oDMTA4b2c2MzY2BGFpZAMxMDAw)

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Synopsis:

1982 - XIAO-JIA dressed in a bright red cardigan, white dress and white sneakers looks elegant as she walks briskly past slogans "Study for making China strong!" "Work down-to-earth to make China strong" across her University campus. She turns to peer into a classroom, a shy smile creeps across her face when she sees WEN TAO, a handsome young man. When he turns, Xiao Jia ducks into an empty Radiophone room before he can spot her.

Frantic, she accidentally knocks a broken short wave radio to the floor. Hearing the noise, Wen Tao comes in. Xiao-jia startled, looked towards the radiophone...it's my hobby! Embarrassed, she takes the radio home.

A lovely full moon illuminates the night, Xiao-jia daydreams of Wen Tao, photos of him decorate her room. Suddenly, the radiophone squeaks to life... "CQ, CQ."

Shocked, Xiao-jia picks up the handset - "Anyone there?" A male voice crackles, "What ... did ... you ... say?" The handset goes dead.

Xiao-Jai's obsession with Wen Tao continues to be a constant distraction. She visits her best friend YA QIN in the hospital and talks endlessy of her love for him. Ya Qin rolls her eyes. That night at a play, Ya Qin meets the famous Wen Tao and we get the feeling she disapproves.
Xiao-jia sits in front of radiophone the next night - "Hello?" The same voice answers. He is also a student at the university, his name is WEN JIA-HUI. They decide to meet next to the Chairman's sculpture on campus at 2:00 p.m. the next day.…

Source: http://www.aoe.com.my/upcoming.asp?search=6skyoflove

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Heroic Cinema
The Guide to Asian Movies in Australia


(image from http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=skylove)

Film Info
Year: 2003
Director: Teng Hua Tao
Cast: Gigi Leung, Ken Zhu, Liu Zi
Rated PG
Running time: 98 minutes

Synopsis:

Xiao Jia, a university student, secretly admires her class monitor, Wen Tao. In a twist of an event, Xiao Jia accidentally gets hold of a radiophone. One day, as she daydreams of Wen Tao, the radiophone connects to Jia Hui, a youngster who loves to mingle with radiophones. As they both communicate thru the radiophone, they discover that they are actually studying in the same university and plan to meet up....

Review:

There I am walking into what is obviously a romance by myself with my 'Kill All Humans' hat on ready to fall asleep after a particularly lethargic day at work. Which is a pretty strong indicator of the strength of the film when I can say Sky of Love is actually worthwhile seeing.

The plot follows two people who live in very different worlds who meet by accident via short wave radio and, with the help of the anonyminity of the medium, reflect upon their experiences of love and fate. Despite what it sounds like, this is no tale of "star crossed lovers" destined for tragedy - if anything, the film maintains a very strange balance between the two leads that keeps the film from devolving into a soppy affirmation upon the "power of love."

Xiao Jia is falling in love as Jia Hui is falling out when they they encounter each other and the relationship that develops sees them in constant contrast to each other such that the ending is both happy and yet tainted with a despairing resignation that makes the resolution somewhat phyrrical.

I am not sure whether it is the strength of the direction and script or just Ken Zhu's charisma but it is really difficult to hate his character, Jia Hui, despite the very despicable nature of the character and his actions as compared to Gigi Leung's much more innocent Xiao Jia. I think it is perhaps I may have more empathy for Jia Hui's stoic cynicism but even I can still see he is a bit of a bastard most of the time.

What the film does suffer from is that it really is quite predictable. I don't think I'd be giving too much away by saying there is a plot twist you can quickly guess at once the the two leads are introduced. It also seems strange that a supposed Hong Kong film is set entirely on the mainland and I do get the impression that the version I saw was a dub from Mandarin but the difference is quite subtle and hardly noticeable if you are focussing on the subtitles. On that point though, there are one or two moments in the film, there is some written information that you just wish they translated but didn't.

Depite this, Sky of Love is really quite enjoyable and would appear to be another chip away at my angry cynical demeanour. Who knows? I might even be considered normal one day....

8 Oracular Short-Waves out of 10

by Eugene Chan

Source: http://www.heroic-cinema.com/review.php?ID=skylove

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Love HK Film

Ken Chu and Gigi Leung connect Ditto-style in Sky of Love.

Year: 2003
Director: Teng Hua-Tao
Cast: Gigi Leung Wing-Kei, Ken Chu Hsiao-Ten (Chu Hau-Tin), Tong Dawei (Tung Dai Wai), Tao Hong (To Hung), Liu Zi (Lau Chi)

The Skinny:

China-HK remake of the Korean film Ditto is as pleasantly told as the original, but it's more ham-handed and strangely enough, lacks heart. Otherwise, it's nearly a shot-by-shot remake. This film can be summed up in one word: unnecessary.

Review by Kozo:

Yet another member of Taiwan boy band juggernaut F4 gets a big screen push in Sky of Love, a conspicously close remake of the 2000 Korean film Ditto. Ken Chu is Jia Hui, a university student in 2003, who gets a ham radio call from Xiao Jia (Gigi Leung), a fellow university student who he assumes lives somewhere nearby. Sadly, he's mistaken. Xiao Jia actually exists in 1981, and their ham radio connection is some amazing cosmic coincidence that allows the two to bicker needlessly and then later compare notes on their respective times. It also allows the two the opportunity to dissect the meaning of love, and how it relates to both of them. Xiao Jia is sweet on her class monitor Wen Tao, while Jia Hui has an obnoxiously pushy girlfriend/nemesis who pesters him constantly. Eventually, lessons are learned and growth is achieved, but not before the big twist which shouldn't be a shock to anyone who saw Ditto.

If you're going to take the time to check out Sky of Love then you should most definitely see Ditto first. At then, after seeing Ditto, you should debate whether or not it's even necessary to check out Sky of Love. The short answer: probably not. Sky of Love, while set in China and possessing of some cultural differences that may make it more accessible to Chinese viewers, is still a total copy of Ditto. Not only was the basic plot lifted, but scenes, plot development and even dialogue are copied wholesale. The big differences: the film is shorter by about 18 minutes, and as such goes by comparatvely quicker. Also, the film ends in a somewhat downbeat manner, whereas Ditto managed to be bittersweet and even touching. Sky of Love also leans a lot more on the present-day romance between Jia Hui and his nutty girlfriend, which could be interesting if you happen to enjoy watching Ken Chu a whole lot more than Gigi Leung. If not, then that's another strike against the movie. If you're counting, that's like strike nine, which means a whole inning in baseball.

Those unfamiliar with the story behind Sky of Love might find some enjoyment in its pleasant, languid storytelling and the tried-and-true buttons pushed by director Teng Hua-Tao. The premise of the film is certainly interesting enough, and the innocence with which love is portrayed is probably made-to-order for some cinema romantics. Those who don't realize that there's a superior picture out there might find Ken Chu's "I am dead inside" performance to be fittingly self-centered, or Gigi Leung's big-eyed sweetness to be affectingly enjoyable.

Then again, Leung isn't really a step up from Ditto's Kim Ha-Neul, and Ken Chu would be smacked around in a charisma competition with Ditto's Yoo Ji-Tae. If anyone reading this review thinks that it's unfair to so soundly trash Sky of Love thanks to the existence of Ditto...well, tough. It's the way of the world; you shouldn't copy someone else and not expect some comparison. As it is, Sky of Love is only recommended for Ditto completists, and there's even a Japanese remake called Scent of Time for those who must see every film with the same ham radio hook. If you're really pushing it, you can see the American film Frequency, which featured a son chatting with his dead father via a ham radio—except they used their powers to fight crime instead of debate the existence of love. Maybe Sky of Love shouldn't have gone so far as to have its protagonists change history, but something to make it different from—or even as good as—Ditto would have been nice. (Kozo 2004)

Notes: Sky of Love was sync-shot in Mandarin, so if you watch the film you should make sure NOT to turn on the dubbed Cantonese soundtrack. True, Gigi Leung does handle her voice in both languages, but given the choice, who really wants to hear words that don't match the actors' mouths? Besides employees of Miramax, that is.

Source: http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/sky_of_love.htm

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http://www.inq7.net/ent/2003/nov/19/ent_3-1.htm
Entertainment
F4's Ken Zhu goes solo in 'Sky of Love'
Posted: 10:20 PM (Manila Time) | November 18, 2003
By Rito P. Asilo
Inquirer News Service


(image from http://www.inq7.net/ent/2003/nov/19/ent_3-1.htm)

A NUMBER of movie titles grabbed our attention when we browsed through the entertainment section of the Straits Times on our trip to Singapore last week. The scope and variety were impressive-from contemporary European features and Hollywood popcorn flicks to Asian filmfare (including some vaguely familiar Filipino movies like "Kool Ka Lang").

But knowing how popular the boy group F4 is, one particular movie piqued our curiosity. So, we caught a screening of Johnnie To's "Sky of Love," a Taiwanese romantic drama made significant by the casting of its male lead-"Meteor Garden's" Ken Zhu, in his big-screen feature debut.

If there's one thing we like about Taiwanese movies in general, it's their technical polish and visual pizazz-and To's movie is no exception. Sometimes, its lighting establishes the general mood of a scene, even when there are no words exchanged between characters.

The movie tells the story of two people from different times, 20 years apart, communicating only through a CB radio. If you're not familiar with Hyun-seung Lee's "The Sea" or Gregory Hoblit's "Frequency," the Jeannot Szwarc classic, "Somewhere in Time," demonstrates the same mood.

Wide-eyed optimist Xiao-Jia (Gigi Leung), a third year university student, stumbles across a broken shortwave radio while stealing glances at a handsome man she subsequently falls in love with. But she and her best friend share the same affection for the young man, who seems to reciprocate her feelings.

One night, while fiddling with the broken radio, she ends up talking to Wen Jia-Hui (Ken Zhu), a cynical freshman from the same university. After some easy banter on-air, they decide to meet at the school foyer at 2 p.m. the following day. But they both find themselves stood up by the other-she standing in the blazing heat of the sun for an hour, he in the pouring rain, completely soaked. Of course, they seethe at the inconvenience. We wonder if these characters have ever been introduced to the concept of umbrellas and raincoats, though.

It turns out it was really nobody's fault. She is in the year 1982, he in 2002, and they are simply brought together by the machine that allows them to talk despite the years that separate them. After exchanging caustic remarks, they figure out the situation, but not the reason. (The movie never explains the "mysterious" radio.)

As their friendship grows, so does the attraction between them, as they discuss their lives across 20 years.

Soon, Jia-Hui shares his amusement over the similarity of the names of the man Xiao-Jia is in love with and his father.

But they soon realize that Jia-Hui's mother and father were Xiao-Jia's best friend and true love, respectively. It dawns on Xiao-Jia that the love she has isn't meant to be, and that she will forever be haunted by her ill-fated affection to Jia-Hui's father.

While the movie sometimes meanders into moments of malaise, it nevertheless stands as a winsome, bittersweet romantic drama that could do well at the box office here. The leads don't meet, except in one scene.

Wanting to find out if Xiao-Jia has gotten over her heartbreak 20 years later, Jia-Hui searches for her, then rushes up to the school where the older Xiao-Jia teaches. We don't see her face, but her hunched shoulders speak of loneliness as she walks in the shadows of the school corridor.

Leung gives a remarkable performance as her character journeys from discovering true love and experiencing heartbreak. Zhu, the 24-year-old F4 veteran, truly has a popstar's presence, but doesn't fare as well as Leung.

Zhu isn't bad, but his detached brooding pales beside Leung's heartfelt wistfulness.

The movie tugs at the heartstrings. Filipinos will fall for the film's simple narrative and vivid depiction of a love found and lost.

Just don't expect it to have the emotional, gut-wrenching punch of "The Hours."

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I watched this movie fully expecting it to be a complete rip off of the hollywood movie Frequency from a few years ago.. with a love story twist. As I got into the story it became less of an Asian frequency and more of a strange little hybrid of that movie and the amazing Il Mare. Then it changed pace on me once again and turned into something more like Back to the Future. The point of this rambling? This isn't the movie that the box cover would have you expect.

That's a good thing obviously, but it also leads to some of the negative points about the movie. It doesn't flow very well. It has elements of a love story, a thriller and a social commentary but it never really follows any of them through satisfyingly.

Xiao Jia (Gigi Leung of Fat Choi Spirit) attends college in 1981 and has a major crush on Wen Tao who seems to reciprocate her feelings. While playing with a radiophone she begins a conversation with Jia Hui, a student at the same place in the year 2003, and they strike up something of a friendship, confiding in each other about the differences in their societies and their feelings and desires of love.

However things take an unusual twist just as you suspect the two may be falling for each other. I can't say that it was unpredictable and shocking because the twist was always a possibility in a story such as this, but the movie was either intentionally or otherwise filmed to give some red herrings as to how the plot was going to plan out.

The music in this movie is beatiful, the acting is for the most part quite good and the difference between the two decades is striking so credit must be given for style but its the plot that eventually makes this a mixed bag of a movie.

As I said previously it tries to be so many things as a film that it often doesnt tie up things neatly or conveniently. The love story in this movie is for the most part fairly shallow and underdeveloped and actually seem more like schoolgirl crushes than full blown love. The thriller part of this story is a non starter, sometimes the music builds and you wait for something to happen but it never does, and the commentary on the nature of love being the one constant in times and change is very nearly let down by the ending.

Still, underneath the criticisms Sky of Love is a diverting and occassionaly charming movie that is definetley worth taking a look at to decide for yourself but it is no Il Mare.

Reviewer: Neil (April 30, 2004)
Grade: 3.25

Source: CinémAsie http://www.cinemasie.com/hk/fiche/oeuvre/lovelinkedbyathread/noscritiques.html

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View the trailer at http://asp.mov3.com/trailer/content.asp?mov_id=1277&ver=B5#