A Happy season

Theater owners had a lot to crow about over the Spring Festival weekend with movies from both home and abroad making a strong opening. This happy streak is set to last through this weekend with the comedy opening, Gao Xing, or Happy.

Adapted from Chinese writer Jia Pingwa's novel of the same title, Gao Xing follows the story of an incurable optimist Gao Xing, who is a garbage picker in Xi'an. Despite being poor, he is a happy person. His dream is to build an airplane and he also harbors a secret love for a massage girl.

Director Ah Gan continues to build on the success of Big Movie I and Big Movie II and shows the same sense of humor and imagination in Gao Xing. Ah Gan belives it is important to keep an optimistic outlook on life. "Life is not easy, but we can entertain ourselves," he says.

Guo Tao, himself a Xi'an native, stars as the garbage collector and delivers the Xi'an dialect with perfection. Tian Yuan, who is a singer-songwriter, makes a break with her quiet image by playing the role of a sexy massage girl.

The Chinese cartoon, Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, is having a good run at the box office since opening last week. The film tells the hilarious story of their joint fight against a common enemy - bacteria. Based on a 500-episode popular TV animation series, the film is a big draw for children under 10 with its easy humor and the adventures of the little grey wolf. But adults too are enjoying it for its subtle hints at the hot topics of the day.

Chen Nan

(China Daily 02/07/2009 page7)