Prelude: The story of King Kong - a gigantic gorilla whose soft spot for blondes lead to his downfall - has been told many times in cinema history. The pioneers were Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. Inspired by The Lost World and Beauty and the Beast, they directed the first King Kong movie, released in 1933. The 1976 version, a high quality remake starring Jeff Bridges, was a box office hit. Its sequel King Kong Lives (1986), a love story between King Kong and another giant ape, was the last high profile movie about the beast before Jackson's upcoming mega budget remake. King Kong also attracted the interest of Japanese filmmakers, who pitted the oversized gorilla against their own king of monsters in 1962's King Kong vs Godzilla.

The story: A vaudeville actress (Watts) is forced to accompany a reckless filmmaker (Black) and his team to the mysterious Skull Island to star in an adventure movie. On the island, they come across prehistoric creatures such as dinosaurs and an overgrown ape, which they capture and take to New York City.

Why bother? With Jackson (Lord of the Rings trilogy) at the helm,

jaw-dropping visuals are guaranteed. The director has been trying to make his own King Kong movie since the age of 12, when he covered a wire frame with his mother's old fur stole for the ape and painted a cardboard model of the Empire State Building.

The Promise

Director: Chen Kaige

Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Jang Dong-gun, Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi, Nicholas Tse Ting-fung

The story: Cheung plays a cursed woman who trades true love for beauty and fortune. With the help of the goddess of destiny, she is transformed from a peasant girl to a concubine adored by all men. A slave falls for her and is determined to break the spell with his love.

The star: Cheung, an attractive and talented actress, is one of 128 screen stars featured on stamps released by China's State Postal Bureau this year to mark the centennial of Chinese films. She was named best actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her role in last year's Lost in Time.

Why bother? Selected as the mainland's entry for the Oscars, this costume fantasy epic is Chen's biggest commercial venture to date. Featuring monumental battles and sizzling love scenes, it could be a box office winner in the mainland and overseas, like Zhang Yimou's Hero and House of Flying Daggers.