“Monkey King 2”, “Crouching Tiger 2”, “From Vegas to Macau 3” and “The Mermaid” to Face Off in Chinese Box Office

Responses

1. 

   kaykay408 January 9, 2016

   As a long time fan of Stephen Chow I hope he does well but honestly I love his old movies so much I’d rather go back and rewatch them over and over again. By the look of the trailer this new movie doesn’t seem very promising. But no matter what still gonna be his fan and and pray for him to be successful.

2. 

   funnlim January 9, 2016

   Most excited about mermaid. Looks like humour plus special effects galore. Have been waiting for stephen chow’s anything for a long time. His recent films have been thought provoking as they’re fun to watch.

   1. 

      bozo January 9, 2016

      @funnlim Please enlighten us by sharing the deep thoughts that Chow’s films had provoked in you. Were they on the same level as Kafka?

      I must say that the only Chow’s film I ever saw was “Kung Fu Hustle” (on American TV) and I don’t know how many of my brain cells had died as a result. I was pre-warned by the TV station as the film was a part of the “Canned Film Festival” they were televising in the middle of the night for sleepless losers. Things did not get better as the film was followed by “Porky’s Revenge”.

      1. 

         m0m0 January 9, 2016

         @aiya
         i do not think that Stephen’s recent movies are bad at all esp KFH. the film has become a classic given that it has been satirized by various chinese movies and dramas.

      2. 

         peanutbutterjelly January 10, 2016

         @aiya All I can hear is: ‘I only saw one movie of him and I didn’t like it but others do so I’m going to be a total prick about it and act like I’m above them with my snobby attitude with patronizing questions like:’

         ‘Were they on the same level as Kafka?’

         But if you must know, Chow’s exploration of themes like alienation and comic absurdity of his characters are not unlike most of Kafka’s work. The difference, however, is that Franz Kafka’s works appears to be dark while in fact his works have been imbued with an incredible sense of humour. And Stephen Chow’s films (I’m only talking about the films he wrote and directed himself) appears to be nothing but lighthearted and senseless fun but are actually layered with thought provoking philosophical sensibilities- usually conveyed through the growth of its main character.

         Alas, just like how many people fail to see the humour in Kafka’s work I guess you just can’t see past the surface of Chow’s work. That’s fine.

         PS: It’s ‘Cannes Film Festival’ and not ‘Canned’.

      3. 

         bozo January 10, 2016

         @peanutbutterjelly Your first paragraph totally escaped me as to whom you were referring. As for me, I actually liked “Kung Fu Hustle” just for its plain fun without having to spend an ounce of my cerebral processing faculty. Hence I raised the question to your alter ego FunnLim about what deep thoughts Chow’s film actually had provoked in her. That’s the reason behind my mentioning Franz Kafka as a frame of reference.

         Now what I have gleamed from your post is that you claimed to be the rare genius among mere mortals (like me) who actually could see the equivalency of Stephen Chow to Franz Kafka. Since I am always interested in what self-proclaimed genius has to say, I would love to hear more from you about the philosophical sensibilities that conveyed through the growth of Chow’s film characters. Who knows, it could be Pulitzer winning material.

         Lastly, I am totally shocked that a genius such as you, who claimed to able to decipher the equivalency of Stephen Chow’s work to Kafka’s, would then totally miss the humor of a local TV stations’ intentional misnaming their series of mindless comedies after the famed film festival. Go figure.

      4. 

         peanutbutterjelly January 10, 2016

         @aiya Oh my bad, who would ever interpret the comment “I don’t know how many of my brain cells had died as a result” as anything but ‘actually liking’ a movie, right? Goodness, what was I thinking?

         I am no genius. I’m just someone who loves literature and asian cinema. But above all I’m not a self-proclaimed genius who’s condescending tone resemble a teenager who’s just discovered Nietzsche.

         “I would love to hear more from you about the philosophical sensibilities that conveyed through the growth of Chow’s film characters.”

         The mocking undertone in your words betrays that you find it a total absurd notion that, in your understanding, the name ‘Stephen Chow’ and Franz Kafka would even be mentioned in the same sentence, let alone their works be compared.

         Yet, nothing is a more Chow personified than this quote:

         “Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” -Franz Kafka

         However, despite your mocking tone, I will answer your question: like I said, the themes in Chow’s work are not all the different from Kafka’s even the absurdity in execution of them.Unless you tell me that the premise of a salesman suddenly being transformed into a giant insect doesn’t sound like absolute hilarity on paper. Chow’s main characters almost all go through the struggles of alientation and naive idealism and existentialism (King of comedy, shoalin soccer..) that contributes to both their suffering (like Kafka’s characters) and succes (unlike Kafka’s characters). Chow uses tragedy to find comedy and Kafka finds comedy in tragedy. Go watch King of Comedy and tell me my analysis is unfounded, I dare you.

         Oh, okay. I get it. Canned Film Festival. How hilarious. I’m in stitches. Really. Oh, Americans. Why’re you so funny.

         Guess I’m just not used to such profound creativity on television here.

      5. 

         bozo January 11, 2016

         @peanutbutterjelly Well Professor, I guess you were just not accustomed to the vernaculars used by us mere mortals and therefore totally misinterpreted my attitude toward Chow’s movie and the American TV stations’s intentional misnaming of the famed film festival. But then, please spare us with your false modesty, as your sarcastic assumptions about me (age, nationality, etc) and the efficacy of my views belies a deep sense of self arrogance that pour contempt upon those who do not see what to you is “quite obvious”.

         Having said that, I do appreciate your answering my question. However, I think you would agree with the notion that just because two artists prone to utilize the same character themes does not necessarily mean their works are equivalent in quality. The “Kafka-like character themes” that you have mentioned are often found in many movies and/or TV drams, ,especially in the wu xia genre. But I would not necessarily convey any artistic equivalency between Kafka and the maker of those works.

         In the final analysis, I am just confounded by why a sage of such mental caliber like yours would appear in a forum like this seeking to lecture a presumably snooty American teenager who asks patronizing questions while most likely to have just discovered Nietzsche for the first time.

      6. 

         peanutbutterjelly January 11, 2016

         @aiya @aiya : The “Kafka-like character themes” that you have mentioned are often found in many movies and/or TV drams, ,especially in the wu xia genre. But I would not necessarily convey any artistic equivalency between Kafka and the maker of those works.”

         Wow. Okay. Let me get this straight:

         You asked me what kind of similarities both creators shared and I proceeded to provide an answer to you and you refute it by saying ‘You know they do that in other movies too’… And? Regardless of what you think of the artistic quality of each of their works (which is irrelevant as I have not touched upon that in my comparison at all because determining artistic value isn’t as objective as themes or storytelling) that doesn’t make anything I’ve said even remotely untrue. Logical fallacy right here.

         Besides, you trying to undermine my analysis without actual knowledge or attempt of research of the subject matter (you yourself admitted never having seen other Chow movies before) screams intellectual laziness to me.

         Knowing how to read and watch a movie and understanding the themes presented in both are not great intellectual accomplishments. Both of their works are essentially entertaining in nature despite you putting one over the other on the pedestal. I never said I was so much better or above anyone just because I can go to the library and borrow The Trial. Kafka isn’t some genius exclusive literature. No novel is. Get over yourself.

      7. 

         bozo January 11, 2016

         @peanutbutterjelly Oh professor oh professor, it is amazing that you’re still at this. Is it that difficult for a person like you with such intellect and maturity to find another more appropriate audience to which you can flex your pseudo intellectual muscle and lecture to ad nauseam instead of trying to impress a bunch of mere mortals like us who just want to have fun in an entertainment forum ?
         Your tactic has become quite obvious: making wild (and often erroneous assumptions) about what your targets said and then come in to put these feeble-minded simpletons in their place by arrogantly showing off your “intellectual prowess” with the hope that others would be impressed.
         It was quite clear from your post that it was you who had claimed that I had difficulties in accepting artistic equivalency between Kafka and your idol. When asked why they should be, you proceeded to state your massive preponderance of the similarities of their main characters. So when told you had not demonstrated their artistic equivalency, just wag the finger at the illogical idiot who did not accurately ask for it.
         Oh, the clincher is your proclamation that anyone who only watch one Stephen Chow movie is being intellectual lazy. I know I have that dubious distinction but wonder how many other in this forum would also fall into such tragic pronouncement.
         No matter, I have reached my limit with this juvenile tit for tat and feel worse for the other posters in the forum who had to witness such nonsense. Most of the folks here are decent people busy with their work, families and relationships and only come to this forum to have fun. We tease, cajole, laugh with one another but never resort to personal insults especially in a passive aggressive ways.
         I am glad you know how to go to the library and I strongly there is where you should hang. It is a wonderful place where you can see wonderful things through your coke-bottle glasses before heading back to your mother’s basement. But then you may be merely trolling and laughing your heads off.

      8. 

         peanutbutterjelly January 12, 2016

         @aiya QUOTE: “just because two artists prone to utilize the same character themes does not necessarily mean their works are equivalent in quality.” – aiya, 2016 before

         QUOTE: “it was you who had claimed that I had difficulties in accepting artistic equivalency between Kafka and your idol.” – aiya, 2016 later on

         Okay…

         QUOTE: ” the clincher is your proclamation that anyone who only watch one Stephen Chow movie is being intellectual lazy”

         Nice straw man right there 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

         What I actually said:

         “trying to undermine my analysis without actual knowledge or attempt of research of the subject matter (you yourself admitted never having seen other Chow movies before) screams intellectual laziness to me.”

         aka

         “do more research before first trying to debate a detailed point I’ve made.”

         QUOTE: “We tease, cajole, laugh with one another but never resort to personal insults especially in a passive aggressive ways.” – aiya, 2016 before

         QUOTE: “It is a wonderful place where you can see wonderful things through your coke-bottle glasses before heading back to your mother’s basement” -aiya, 2016 right after

         Okay.

         Thanks for the straw man and ad hominem (also contradicting yourself), it really helps your case 🙂

3. 

   m0m0 January 9, 2016

   i think crouching tiger is going to do the worst in china. i never watched the first one but as i was told it is for westerners. it may do well overseas.

4. 

   peanutbutterjelly January 10, 2016

   Face off? Please, as if those other three even stand a chance against The Mermaid. Stephen Chow is box office and quality guarantee.

5. 

   ironfingers January 10, 2016

   Looking forward to all these movies :D!! Especially the Mermaid one! OMG look at that sexy man or is it a woman emerging from the water in the bathtub!

6. 

   isay January 10, 2016

   I just had to lol at that 美人鱼that was anything but美!lol!!!

   1. 

      kidd January 11, 2016

      @isay Of the 4 movies, I most look forward to 美人鱼 because the trailer has me in stitches. 😀

      1. 

         funnlim January 11, 2016

         @kidd My only fear is is it like Lady In The Water but funnier?

         Last night watched conquering the demons again. Amazing movie, better in mandarin and the monkey king was super scary and super awesome. But the likelihood of a sequel is zero I think.

      2. 

         kidd January 11, 2016

         @funnlim I never thought of ‘Lady in The Water’ when I watch the trailer. Based on the trailer, I really can’t guess where the story will go. I trailer has not truly shows the mermaid. Only her tail, her back and one far away shot. I don’t think that guy from the bathtub is a real mermaid. He’s just cosplaying for some reason. Deng Cao (the one reporting to police) did say the mermaid has a great body.

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