Tall-handsomes Chen Xiao and Zhu Zi Xiao in c-movie The Palace

Though I wouldn’t say the movie itself fascinate me much, the cast is pretty much perfection. Perfection as in, eye candy that is! I can imagine that a lot of Ah Zhen-Ah Zhan shippers and those fans of Zhang Yi Mou’s film Love Under a Hawthorn Tree will want to see this movie. But given the 3.6 anticipation rating on movie database MTime and general atmosphere of the trailer, the movie doesn’t seem to translate well from the bubbling-ridiculous-goodness of its TV siblings, Gong Suo Xin Yu and Gong Suo Zhu Lian.

Zhu Zixiao and Chen Xiao (Zhu Zixiao’s stylist is asking to be fired right?)

(though known to get into fashion mishaps *ahem like the one above*, Zhu Zi Xiao has an easygoing personality and a natural entertainer)

(although coming off as too-serious in interviews, Chen Xiao has a wonderful on-screen persona and versatile in costume dramas)

Only the one-and-only Yu Zheng can bring together such eye candy talents, set the bar for gorgeous cinematography and light up the fandom for onscreen couples – just to that, I think he deserves some props. Set to premiere in August, Yu Zheng’s debut film, The Palace (also called Gong Suo Chen Xiang), is based on the popular Palace television series where a modern city girl time-travels to the Qing dynasty and romances the princes. However in this film adaptation, the story is focused on Chen Xiang and her love with the 13th prince and isn’t clear whether time-traveling is involved. The eye-catching leads: Chen Xiao, Zhou Dongyu, Zhao Liying,  Zhu Zixiao.

The 2nd new trailer is out! Watch it and let me know what you think.

After seeing various interviews of the four leads, it is difficult not to speculate on the slight tension between our tall-handsomes Chen Xiao and Zhu Zi Xiao. Note the eyes-like-piercing-needles and the silence of Chen Xiao whenever Zixiao shares a laugh or funny story with Liying. I can only sympathize – poor Zhu Zixiao. Hey – lay off on the stare man, he’s only trying to be friendly! Then again, maybe Chen Xiao just couldn’t forgive him for having that many steamy scenes with Zhao Liying…

Thoughts on this movie: Despite the costume drama backdrop, this to me looks like yet another simple love story complete with trials and tribulations, capitalizing on young hot talents. I highly doubt that there will be enough story to provide substance. Of course though, I hope the movie will prove my predictions wrong. One thing is for sure – the actors partaking in this will experience a skyrocketing popularity.

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3