Movie Box Review

courtesy of takungpao.com

Hong Kong film's performance of the past year was not considered ideal, but the year's box office was better than before.  The annual revenue reached 1.3 billion, which the industry was excited about.  Intercontinental, mainly a foreign film distributor, distributed TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, which was the year's box office champion with 84 million.

Intercontinental's Terry Lai was pleased with the performance but dared not be complacent.  The fact was among last year's top ten box office, Intercontinental had three.  Aside from TRANSFORMERS it also distributed KUNG FU PANDA 2 and I LOVE HONG KONG (NGOR OI HK HOI SUM MAN SHUI).  Lady Lai said that the performance was mainly due to film quality and the strengthen of collaborating companies.  Regrettably the only local production to break into the top five was the extreme 3D SEX AND ZEN: EXTREME ECSTASY (3D YUK PO TUEN ji GIK LOK BO GAM).  Lady Lai said that as a distributor she was pleased with the performance but as a part of the Hong Kong film industry she looked forward to Hong Kong domestic productions to be able to perform well in the new year and rival foreign films.

courtesy of takungpao.com

The film YOU ARE THE APPLE OF THE EYE since opening in Hong Kong on October 20 has been a box office hit and at the same time raised the popularity of its leads Ko Chen-Tung and Michelle Chen to become new generation youth idols.  The film after 18 days in release in Hong Kong, two days ago not including the late shows its Hong Kong box office has already reached HK$42,235,426.  The film successfully defeated 3D SEX AND ZEN: EXTREME ECSTASY (3D YUK PO TUEN ji GIK LOK BO GAM) to be this year's highest grossing Chinese film.

So far, the top three Chinese language films at the box office are the still in release YOU, in second place is the 118 days in release, HK$41,078,280 3D SEX AND ZEN and in third place is the 42 day in release
Lunar New Year film I LOVE HONG KONG with HK$26,688,278.

Including this year's 3D foreign films, YOU so far is in four place.  In first place is the 3D film TRANSFORMERS 3: DARK OF THE MOON with HK$84,703,797, in second place is the 3D film HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 with HK$76,785,999, in third place is the 3D film PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES with 45,506,109.  With YOU's strong momentum it will definitely break into the year's top three.

courtesy of mingpao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

The Giddens Ko directed film YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE since its Hong Kong release has been doing gangbusters business at the box office.  As of October 30, after 11 days in release it made HK$28,427,142 and successfully defeated the Lunar New Year film I LOVE HONG KONG (NGOR OI HK HOI SUM MAN SHUI) to become the highest grossing 2D Chinese language film so far this year.  The film also heads toward 3D SEX AND ZEN: EXTREME ECSTASY (3D YUK PO TUEN ji GIK LOK BO GAM)'s over 40 million box office figure.

Yesterday Giddens Ko attended an autograph session for the film's original soundtrack.  He thanked everyone for their support.  When asked why leads Ko Chen-Tung and Michelle Chen did not come to Hong Kong to promote?  He pointed out that Ko Chen-Tung had to go to school and Michelle Chen was working on an ad campaign.  Whoever had time came to Hong Kong.  He admitted that at first he never imagined that the film would have such a great response, the performance made him feel flattered and stunned both leads.

As for the film original soundtrack, it also sold over 10,000 copies already.  He took part in the creation of two songs and thus he would have royalty.  Giddens Ko said, "Making this movie changed me.  At first when I wrote this book I stank.  This film production was the collaboration of many people.  I am very touched to have such a good performance.  Thank you Shen Chia-Yi."  He pointed out that Shen Chia-Yi's family and friends have already seen the film, but she and her husband live in the Mainland so they have not seen it yet.  He has contacted her and hoped to know what she felt about the movie after seeing it.  He also
told her after the film release she might be the target of reporters; but Shen Chia-Yi trusted Giddens Ko would protect her and would not blame him.

courtesy of on.cc