derek tsang

Well Go USA Announces A DOG’S COURAGE For April, May For Derek Tsang’s BETTER DAYS

Well Go USA has two promising releases in April heading for Digital, Blu-Ray and DVD. Chun-Baek Lee and Oh Sung-Yoon (Daisy, a Hen Into the Wild) proudly presented their 2018 Bucheon opener, Underdog which the Planos-based firm is now shepherding as A Dog’s Courage set for April 14. The award-winning South Korean animated adventure tells the story of Jacob, a feisty and playful dog abandoned by his owners, who joins a pack of strays and embarks on a journey filled with fun adventures and life lessons in their pursuit to find a new and loving home. The film won Best Animated Feature Film at the Golden Silk Road Media Awards, as well as the Special Award at last year’s Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival. It was also nominated as Best Animated Feature Film at the 2019 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. On May 5, the company will release Derek Tsang’s […]

BETTER DAYS: Don’t Miss The Final Official U.S. Trailer For Derek Tsang’s New Drama

Lee B. Golden III

Well Go USA just rolled out its official trailer for Derek Tsang’s emotional new coming-of-age drama, Better Days. Zhou Dongyu and TF Boys member Jackson Yee star in the compelling new film which only just announced its new U.S. release date for November 8 after four months of stagnation by China censors ahead of its local release in the mainland last Friday. When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian has been single-mindedly preparing for the exam, cutting everything else out of her life. When she becomes the target of relentless bullying, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei and the two form […]

BETTER DAYS: Derek Tsang’s Touching New Drama Will Open In North America On November 8

Lee B. Golden III

Derek Tsang’ riveting new drama, Better Days, will finally have its U.S. theatrical bow on November 8 from Well Go USA. The move is the latest milestone for the film which befell China censorship over the summer among other titles this year. Since its June 27 release lapse, Better Days opened in China instead on October 25 starring Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee in an emotionally captivating, picaresque tale of social and urban strife, and love between a bullied, abused school girl struggling to prep for final exams, and the small-time criminal who sets out to protect her. The China cut severed five minutes from its runtime following its June release cancellation due to reticence from China’s education authorities. It is not yet known if the U.S. cut will have the same runtime. My review is still up for grabs and you’re welcome to read it here. If you’re convinced, […]

BETTER DAYS Review: A Transformative Ode To The Young And Disillusioned

Derek Tsang’s BETTER DAYS, Delayed In China, Now Delayed In North America

Lee B. Golden III

China film bureaucracy has gained a foothold once again with the delay of Derek Tsang’s new movie, Better Days, now extended to Well Go USA Entertainment’s domain in the states. The film’s overseas delay was initially reported on Monday following an official statement via Weibo. “After considering the level of completion of ‘Better Days’ and our market pre-assessments, and following consultations between the production and distribution parties, the film will not be released on June 27.” says the Weibo account per Monday’s report at Variety. “A new release date will be announced at a later time.” The news also marks the latest stumble for the beleagured coming-of-age drama which was pulled from the Berlin line-up at the last minute earlier this year. Other films have also suffered similar stagnant results in the festival circuit thanks principally to Chinese censors, included Zhang Yimou’s One Second, Guan Hu’s The Eight Hundred and […]

BETTER DAYS Review: A Transformative Ode To The Young And Disillusioned

Lee B. Golden III

Soulmate helmer Derek Tsang encapsulates the lives of two teenagers teetering on the brink of society in his second feature, Better Days, reuniting with actress Zhou Dongyu in a prime performance next to the addition of TFBoys band member, actor Jackson Yee. Far from an uplifting coming-of-age education drama of almost any kind, sophmore director Derek Tsang immediately puts this notion in the back seat within the first five minutes of Better Days. It hands the wheel over to the stoic cinema vérité of a young girl named Chen Nian (Zhou), unwittingly thrust into controversy and victimhood following the suicide of a fellow classmate. Pressures are already surmounting for Chen and her classmates in lieu of an upcoming series of placement exams that could determine her hopeful future career choices. In the midst of this, she is suddenly subject to questioning by police for covering up the body in moment […]

BETTER DAYS: Jackson Yee And Zhou Dongyu Are Protectors On The Run In The Official U.S. Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Soul Mate helmer Derek Tsang’s rousing coming-of-age drama, Better Days, may have hit a few stumbles during its film festival circulation. Rest assured, that hasn’t hindered plans for its stateside rollout now slated for June 28, coinciding with its China release that weekend. The official trailer is now out and about courtesy of Well Go USA who snagged the film during Cannes on May 15, with TFboys’ own Jackson Yee and actress Zhou Dongyu lending a riveting sample of their performances this week. Check out the trailer above and a poster gallery below. When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian has been single-mindedly […]