China Entertainment news, movies, TV, etc

[ahojunk]

Faye Wong Moments Live 2016 delights Shanghai
2017-01-01 03:02:27 China Daily Web Editor: Fei Fei

A concert scene from Faye’s Moments Live 2016 at Mercedes-Benz Arena on Dec 30, 2016. [Photo:CFP]

After six years off stage, Chinese queen of pop Faye Wong returned to music circles with a concert, Faye’s Moments Live 2016 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on Friday.

As one of the most anticipated concerts of 2016, it opened a new page in music history. Music fans can watch the performance on demand or through the video website Tecent Video.

Born in Beijing, Wong moved to British Hong Kong in 1987 and came to public attention in the early 1990s by singing ballads in Cantonese. Since 1994 she has recorded mostly in her native Mandarin, often combining alternative music with mainstream Chinese pop. In 2000, she was recognized by Guinness World Records as the Best Selling Canto-Pop Female.


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Some of her songs are very nice.

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[ahojunk]

China rewrites single-day box office record
2017-01-31 08:15 Xinhua Editor: Gu Liping

China's box office raked in 802 million yuan (around 117 million U.S. dollars) on Saturday, Lunar New Year's Day, setting a record for a single day.

Box office takings on Saturday, the second day of a holiday week in China, broke the record of Feb. 8, 2016 when the box office reached 660 million yuan, according to cinema ticket sales website Maoyan.com.

Director Stephen Chow broke his own box office record with "Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back," sequel to the 2013 hit film "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons."

Chow's new film gathered 356 million yuan on its opening day, putting it as the biggest single day for China's homemade movies. The previous film holding the record was "The Mermaid", a 2016 film by Chow, which made 270 million yuan on its premiere.

The biggest opening day for a film in China is still headed by the Hollywood smash "Furious 7," which grossed 401 million yuan on its debut in 2015.

"Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back" topped ticket sales with its box office surpassing 728 million yuan as of Monday evening, followed by Jackie Chan's Kung Fu Yoga, which also debuted on Lunar New Year and grossed 385 million yuan, the Maoyan.com said.

China's box office in 2016 reached 45.7 billion yuan, up 3.7 percent.
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[TaiShang]

China rewrites single-day box office record
Xinhua, January 30, 2017

"Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back"

China's box office raked in 802 million yuan (around 117 million U.S. dollars) on Saturday, Lunar New Year's Day, setting a record for a single day.

Box office takings on Saturday, the second day of a holiday week in China, broke the record of Feb. 8, 2016 when the box office reached 660 million yuan, according to cinema ticket sales website Maoyan.com.

Director Stephen Chow broke his own box office record with "Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back," sequel to the 2013 hit film "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons."

Chow's new film gathered 356 million yuan on its opening day, putting it as the biggest single day for China's homemade movies. The previous film holding the record was "The Mermaid", a 2016 film by Chow, which made 270 million yuan on its premiere.

The biggest opening day for a film in China is still headed by the Hollywood smash "Furious 7," which grossed 401 million yuan on its debut in 2015.

"Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back" topped ticket sales with its box office surpassing 728 million yuan as of Monday evening, followed by Jackie Chan's Kung Fu Yoga, which also debuted on Lunar New Year and grossed 385 million yuan, the Maoyan.com said.

China's box office in 2016 reached 45.7 billion yuan, up 3.7 percent.

 

[ahojunk]

Chinese box office hits $486m during Spring Festival
GBTIMES BEIJING
2017/02/03

The Chinese box office took in US$486 million during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, up by 10 percent from last year's figure. (Photo: China News Service)


China's box office revenue hit US$486 million for the week-long Spring Festival holiday this year, up 10 percent from 2016.

According to a report by The Paper, 95 percent of the total box office was allocated to the top five films of the week, with Stephen Chow's Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back taking the highest amount for the week with US$170m.

The fantasy adventure flick, a sequel to 2013's Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, also broke the Chinese record for highest opening day, with $51.7m.

Released to coincide with the beginning of the Spring Festival, it beat the previous opening day record set by another Chow film, The Mermaid (2016).

Kung Fu Yoga, starring honorary Oscar-winner Jackie Chan took $128m, followed by Buddies in India ($83m), Duckweed ($62.6m), and Entangled Worlds ($43.7m).

Despite the increase in box office returns, the commercial success has not yet been matched by critical praise.

At the time of writing, 115,539 viewers had given Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back an average score of 5.7/10 on film review site Douban.

Duckweed won the highest rating with an above average 6.9, while Buddies in India was given a paltry 3.9.

 

[TaiShang]

Film industry law takes effect, invigorating market
Xinhua, March 2, 2017

The movie market in China has grown by leaps and bounds since 2003, when the country relaxed the number of imported films allowed to be shown in cinemas.

Over the past decade or so, China has seen a 45-fold surge in box office revenue from a mere 1 billion yuan (around 14.5 million U.S. dollars) in 2003 to 45.7 billion yuan in 2016.

"Progress has been made, but problems persist," said Wang Xiaotao, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, highlighting the importance of better rules in the country's film industry.

In March 2016, China's film market watchdog suspended the license of a distributor that inflated the box office receipts for domestic movie "Ip Man 3." However, the pains in China's film market are not limited to box office fraud.

After years of legislative research and three rounds of deliberation, the national legislature adopted the film industry law in November 2016, aiming to address problems, such as red tape in film making approval and a lack of copyright protection.

Punishing wrongs

The "Ip Man 3" case was just the tip of the iceberg, as statistics indicate at least 10 percent of box office takings in China had been fabricated in recent years.

Responding to public concern, the law states that film distributors and theaters falsifying ticket sales data will be liable for administrative punishment, including business suspension, outright bans, and fines up to five times their illegal earnings if such exceed 500,000 yuan.

The protection of intellectual property is also an issue. A quick search through China's social media platforms will turn up pirated movies shared freely on the Internet, with many of the movies still on show in cinemas.

The law explicitly states that those infringing intellectual property rights of films will be punished.

Those engaging in film processing and post-production services for foreign movies with content "damaging China's national dignity, honor and interests, or harming social stability or hurting national feelings," will face punishment, including confiscation of illicit gains, fines and license revocation.

The law was drafted based on China's past experience in the movie industry development, providing solutions to problems plaguing the film market with concrete clauses, according to Wang Chen, vice chairman and secretary-general of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Supporting film

The law ensures the central government will increase investment in the film industry and reduce taxation.

It also cancels the need for government approvals to shoot films, instead adding a stipulation that film authorities should issue certification or permits for prospective films at the script or abstract stage.

The law states that no film shall contain unconstitutional content or content inciting ethnic hatred or sabotaging national policies concerning religious affairs and social ethics.

"It is a measure to safeguard the country's cultural security and socialist core values," said Li Lianning, deputy chief of the NPC Law Committee.

In the meantime, the law aims to boost domestic movie industry development, stating that domestic films should take up at least two-thirds of total movie run time.

Responding to a string of high-profile arrests of film celebrities involved in drug use in recent years, the law specifies that people working in film industry must strive for "excellence in both professional skills and moral integrity," maintain self-discipline and build a positive public image.

Chinese authorities will work on explaining the law and improving related document to regulate the film industry with more specific rules, according to Tong Gang, deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

 

[ahojunk]

This will foster understanding between China and Morocco.

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Morocco TV airs Chinese TV series
(CRI Online) 12:22, April 22, 2017

Liu Qibao (L), head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Mohammed Ghazali, secretary general of Morocco's Ministry of Communication and Culture co-chair the launch ceremony of Chinese TV series "A Happy Life" in Morocco on April 20, 2017. [Photo: China Plus/Yan Xu]

Morocco's leading TV channel, 2M, has started airing an Arabic version of the Chinese TV series "A Happy Life."

Translation and dubbing of the series has been done by a division of China Radio International.

CRI Director-General Wang Gengnian was on-hand for the launch of the new program in Morocco.

"CRI has established long-term and close cooperation with African media outlets and film companies. Many African TV channels are airing Chinese films and TV series translated by CRI. These works voiced over with local languages are very popular with African audiences, as we've seen by the ratings. We have a sound mechanism for translation, voice acting, and production, which creates favorable conditions for further cooperation."

Wang Gengnian (2nd, L, front), the Director General of China Radio International (CRI) and Salim el-Sheikh, the Director General of Morocco's leading TV channel 2M sign an agreement on broadcasting Chinese series and movies on the TV channel in Morocco, on April 20, 2016. [Photo: China Plus/Li Fusheng]

The head of Morocco's M2 TV channel says he believes the cooperation between CRI and his station is going to help advance the cultures of the two countries.

He also says it's a step toward closer ties among media outlets from both countries.

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[Hamartia Antidote]

http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/hollywoods-strong-run-at-china-box-office-set-to-continue-1202033066/

COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
APRIL 18, 2017 | 05:51AM PT


China’s summer box office is poised to look a lot like the North American releasing schedule, with a raft of Hollywood remakes and franchise installments poised to reach Chinese theaters.

“Alien: Covenant” is expected to hit Chinese screens May 19 in a day and date release with North America, while “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” may be poised for May 26, according to Chinese media.

While there was already confirmation that “Pirates” had cleared China’s censors, Disney said that it has not yet received official notification of a date for the film’s outing. But unofficial Chinese media outlets such as Tencent’s ent.qq.com and Min Nan Wang are reporting the dates.

“The Mummy,” starring Tom Cruise, is expected to unspool in China on June 9. That month is also expected to see the release of “Wonder Woman” from Warner Bros. and Paramount’s “Transformers: The Last Knight.”

Hollywood is having a strong run so far in 2017, and the lineup through June is certain to extend that.

“The Fate of the Furious,” known locally as “The Fast and the Furious 8,” smashed records last Friday and Saturday. After four days, it has clocked up an unprecedented $214 million in China. A strong second weekend looks probable, with only Sony’s “Smurfs: The Lost Village” offering much competition this weekend.

The following weekend will see a host of Chinese titles released for the important May 1 holiday. But “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2,” releasing on May 5, will see a heavyweight Hollywood title again competing for screens shortly after.

Previously announced, Warner Bros.’ “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” will open in China on May 12.

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I can't believe an Alien movie is actually going to be shown in Chinese theaters.
Are you guys sure you know what you are in for? This is going to get some shocked responses from people who have never seen stuff like this unless a good portion of the movie gets censored.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Hollywood has found the formula that releasing movie same day in China = Big Money !!!

 

[Place Of Space]

That's a very humorous and heart-touching series about a big family's daily life. I remember I watched it 5 years ago, a little old, anyway very nice series.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Hollywood has found the formula that releasing movie same day in China = Big Money !!!

I'm pretty sure it isn't the studio's choice not to release it on the same day in China. Pretty much the rest of the world releases on or near the same day.

 

[Stuttgart001]

China now is the biggest movie market which could breed the biggest movie industry in the future, as soon as we keep learning and interacting with the hollywood.
Now, the core of IP of China has kind of emerged, that is Chinese fantasy novels, which is going to be another label of Chinese culture in the coming years , i think.
The main problem lacking of creativity will not exist ,since more and more fantasy novels with a variety of maverick imagination could be the source of content of movies and dramas.

Anyone who is interested in Chinese fantasy novels could go to http://www.wuxiaworld.com/ which is a web full of Chinese novels translated in English, which allegedly got an addicted US guy through drug .

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

China now is the biggest movie market

China is NOT the biggest movie market. The US is at least $4B higher. There's already multiple threads here on that topic.

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/nort...ill-distant-2-with-6-58b.470216/#post-9068567

 

[Stuttgart001]

China is NOT the biggest movie market. The US is at least $4B higher. There's already multiple threads here on that topic.

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/nort...ill-distant-2-with-6-58b.470216/#post-9068567

Sorry. I've made a mistake, but still Chinese practitioner in movie industry should learn the skills and tech from hollywood and cooperate with the professionals to make more and more brilliant products with elements of Chinese culture.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The bad movie makers are able to break even or turn profit by releasing in China due to large population and good movies generally make large profit

However general excess of CGI based scenes reduced the value in movies, less dialogs and plot and more jumping off the bridge and car stunts.

 

[Beast]

Hollywood being more and more dependent on China market is a bad sign for America. A sad trend. This kind of movie entertainment dominance unlike technology or necessity, can be sanction off easily or hold ransom by Chinese due to the large amount of revenue critical to the US industries. Just like Disneyland attraction. It is purposely flourish by CPC so that US senator and business related will think twice about really going too far with the Chinese in international scene or affairs.