OMG! Mom"s Big News (OMG 阿妈有喜) movie premiere and promotion (19th January 2025)- Anita Yuen 袁咏仪 and Chan ...
The battle for the local CNY movies box office throne is
definitely picking up momentum, with non-stop roadshows and movie premieres
throughout Malaysia with local and HK celebrities appearances. Most of the
lunar themed movies will hit the theaters on 29th January (first day
of CNY). I think Malaysia produces the
most CNY flicks (churning out even more CNY productions that Hong Kong) in
Asia. CNY songs is another big trend ,
especially now that every Tom, Dick and Harry influencers/youtubers want a
slice of the lucrative pie.
“OMG! Mom’s Big News” leading man is popular 988’s veteran deejay,
Chan Fung, who also serves as the executive producer. The other main draw is Anita Yuen. I bet a
huge chunk of the movie’s budget is being allocated to Anita’s remuneration.
I’m sure an actress of her caliber commands a hefty paycheck. In fact, I am
quite impressed that they managed to “lure” Anita to shoot a movie in Malaysia
(which happens to be Anita’s maiden local production). A check in Wikipedia
shows that her last movie was back in 2019.
Of late, she is active in Mainland’s variety programs and commercials. So, it’s good to see her gracing the silver
screen again after a long hiatus. Other cast
includes local talents such as singer,
Juztin Lan, Miko Wong and Tong Bing Yu (also one of the producers). The
movie is directed by former actor, Ernest Chong (no wonder he looks
familiar). The movie was set in motion
when Chan Fong and Ernest were casually chatting about this topic one day and
had a eureka moment about turning it into a movie. Ex-Mediacorp star, Tong Bing Yu (who has recently
established her own production company) suggested to cast Anita Yuen as the
protagonist.
Filming commenced last July.
Anita had a blast trying local food, like durian, asam laksa and bak kut teh. Anita mentioned she is drawn to
the script and poignant storyline, which resonates with her age and life
experience. The plot is about an ageing
couple on the verge of retirement, caught in a limbo after finding out the
53-year-old wife is suddenly pregnant. The film delves into the challenges and
rollercoaster emotions faced by the family members when dealing with the
unexpected pregnancy. It also touched on the humorous, moving and heart
wrenching moments, while preparing for the baby’s arrival. Juztin and Miko play
the role of Anita and Chan Fung’s grown offsprings, while Tong took on the
character as Chan Fung’s sister. As expected, Juztin was tasked with singing
the theme song and performed the track 最佳一伙 during the meet and greet event.
Anita further divulged that it was certainly a pleasant
experience and is happy to be a part of the crew. Certain scenes actually reminded her of her
own pregnancy 18 years ago. Anita gets all sappy when she admitted she wasn’t a
very filial daughter during her younger days but her mom still provided unwavering
care, concern and love. She only comprehends her mom’s sacrifices after
entering motherhood and is regretful for not being more understanding then. Anita
was also worried about Miko’s command of the Cantonese dialect but was full of
praises when Miko came fully prepared when reciting her Cantonese dialogue. Miko
even outweighs Justin in this aspect, who specializes in Canto songs. The massive adulation showered upon Anita in
Penang is a testament of her popularity at our shores. Out of all the 2025
local CNY productions, I find “OMG”’s narrative more appealing. Then again, knowing Malaysians’ preference
for nonsensical 38 ( yes, “38” and not “mo lei tau”) humour, I think “Money
Games” stands a good chance of hitting the jackpot.
