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All U Need Is Love
All U Need Is Love (Chinese: 總是有愛在隔離) is a 2021 Hong Kong comedy-drama film directed by Vincent Kok and starring an all-star ensemble cast. The film is a benefit effort for Hong Kong film industry workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic launched by the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild and the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, and produced by ten major local film companies.[1][2][3] All U Need Is Love was theatrically released on 22 April 2021.[4] PlotDuring a calm and peaceful afternoon in Hong Kong, the Grande Hotel (格尼酒店) was suddenly suspected to be the source of the COVID-19 outbreak and the Centre for Health Protection has ordered the hotel to be on lockdown while all hotel guests are forced to be quarantined for 14 days to be tested. While the guests are being quarantined in the hotel, it also brings them connections closer as human beings. As they faced through this difficult time together, they also learn to cherish what might be their final moments of spending time with one another. Cast
Theme songThe film's theme song, If Love Is in Your Heart (如果心裡是愛), is composed by Lowell Lo with lyrics written by Susan Tong and is collaboratively sung by Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Hacken Lee, Joey Yung, Grasshopper, William So, Edmond Leung, Pakho Chau, Fiona Sit, Joyce Cheng, Stephy Tang, Stephanie Cheng, Shiga Lin and Deep Ng. ProductionThe film was launched by the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild and the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers as a benefit project for local film industry workers, with president of both associate bodies Louis Koo along with Eric Tsang contacting 10 of Hong Kong's major film companies, which include Koo's One Cool Film Production, China Star Entertainment Group, Edko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures, Mandarin Motion Pictures, Media Asia Films, Mei Ah Film Productions, Shaw Brothers Pictures International, Sun Entertainment Culture and Universe Films Distribution, to produce the film, with each company providing a fund of HK$3 million, while also applying for a fund of HK$9 million from the Hong Kong Film Development Council, for a total budget of HK$39 million for the film. However, the HK Film Development Council only approved 70% of HK$9 million, so Koo and Raymond Wong gave up the application and hoped to ask each film company for an extra HK$900,000 of funding, but was unsuccessful in doing so, with the final budget of the film being HK$30 million, and caused the film's post-production process being at stalemate at one point.[5] FilmingPrincipal photography for All U Need Is Love took place from May to June 2020, mainly taking place at Ocean Park's Marriott Hotel, which was used as the film's fictional central setting, Grande Hotel, with three units filming simultaneously. Due to certain actors wearing protective clothing during filming, media outlets were misled to believe that a real outbreak occurred at the amusement park.[6] ReleaseAll U Need Is Love was originally planned for a summer release at around July to August 2020, but was postponed due to post-production difficulties.[5] The film was theatrically released in Hong Kong on 22 April 2021.[4] ReceptionBox officeIn Hong Kong, the film debuted at No. 9 on its opening weekend, grossed HK$494,409 during its first four days of release.[7] Critical receptionLim Lian-yu of Yahoo! Singapore gave the film a score of 3/5 stars and describes its star-studded cast as its most interesting element but also notes the abundance of actors cannot be fully utilised.[8] Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film a score of 2.5/5 stars and describes it as an "uninspiring movie" but "there is still some mindless fun to be had".[9] Jeanmarie Tan of The New Paper gave the film a score of 1.5/5 and criticizes its dated slapstick, sexual humor and overacting.[10] References
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