1000 Ultimate Experiences
As summer slips away we can look forward to better weather and cheaper ways to travel. Lonely Planet knows it all too well – they have just put out 1000 Ultimate Experiences, the latest guide of 1000 places to go and things to do for inspiration or simply to have fun. Whether you want to ferret out Banksy’s street art in Bristol, discover exactly how happy people are in Bhutan or go stargazing from a Bedouin tent in Jordan, ‘while your horse is alive, visit as many lands as you can,’ as the book’s founder, Tony Wheeler, once quoted a Mongolian proverb. Wheeler probably wouldn’t suggest we try to tick off his list sequentially – travel is, after all, meant to be creative – but there is no harm to use it as a reference. So to win one of the five copies we are giving away, tell us in which country you can take a classic train trip on the Ghan.
Courtesy: Lonely Planet

Hotel Babylon
Set in a five-star hotel in London, the BBC TV series Hotel Babylon tells of the daily life of the staff at a luxurious yet sometimes decadent hotel. In the series’ third season, Charlie finally rises to the position of general manager, though Emily, the attractive, upper-class English rose and new public relations expert, proves explosive in her relationships with the rest of the staff. Poor reviews for the hotel and financial stress also put Charlie under pressure – smart, funny, glamorous and cruel, the TV series continues to unveil secrets of the hotel industry one could never have imagined. Win one of the three copies of the season three DVD by telling us the name of the actor who plays the central character, Charlie Edwards.
Courtesy: Deltamac (Hong Kong) Co Ltd

Trick or Cheat
Consider it the Hong Kong version of High School Musical: Produced by Oxide Pang Shun and directed by Seven’s (the same group of young directors behind See You In YouTube), Trick or Cheat centres on a group of sloppy students threatened by their headmaster that if they don’t land A’s in their HKCEE exams, the long-awaited musical for their prom party will be axed. The better students – starring pop new artist Gem and William Chan – decide to teach the group how to cheat to achieve their target while preparing for their musical performance… Trick or Cheat opens on September 3, and to hook one of the 10 pairs of tickets we have to give away, tell us what HKCEE is the abbreviation for.
Courtesy: Golden Harvest

State of Play
With a cast of Oscar-winning stars including Russell Crowe, Helen Mirren, Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams, State of Play is an adaptation of the same-titled BBC short TV series that tells of Washington Post journalist Cal McCaffrey’s investigation into the death of the assistant (and mistress) of rising Congressman Stephen Collins. The investigation leads Cal and his partner Della to a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures and an unexpected truth worth billions of dollars. Although the film hasn’t played in Hong Kong theatres yet, the DVD is now available in shops – and we have 3 copies to give away. Tell us the name of the director of the film and one could be yours.
Courtesy: Intercontinental Video Ltd

Welcome to the Sticks
Drawing an audience of eight million in its first week and then breaking almost every box office record in French cinematic history last year, the French comedy Welcome to the Sticks has already been snaffled for a Hollywood adaptation starring Will Smith. The movie tells of the extraordinary experience of postman Philippe – originally from the charming and relaxing south of France – in the distant town of Bergues in the Far North, a cold city filled with hard-drinking, unemployed rednecks speaking an incomprehensible dialect. Philippe hates it but through a series of absurd adventures finally realizes Bergues isn’t as hellish as he thinks it may be. The film will open locally on September 10 and we have 10 pairs of tickets to the preview on September 7 at 9:40pm in Broadway Cinematheque to give away. Tell us who is the director of the film and you may get a pair.
Courtesy: Edko Films Ltd.

My Life in Ruins
Produced by Tom Hanks, My Life in Ruins is a romantic comedy set amongst the ruins in touristy Greece. My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Nia Vardalos plays Georgia, a Classical Greek studies professor who lost her position and has taken a job as a tour guide. Tortured by the tedious work, she soon loses her kefi – the Greek for mojo – but with some warm help from her final batch of tourists, Georgia forms a connection with widower Irv and realizes that true love is not far away if she can regain her passion. The heartwarming comedy opens locally on September 3 and we now have 10 pairs of tickets to give away. Tell us the name of any of director Donald Petrie’s previous works for a chance to win yours.
Courtesy: Lark Films Distribution