A poster of popular movies both at home and abroad in 2016 [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The year 2016 may not have smashed any box office records, but Chinese movie fans still had their favorites.
China's overall box office takings to date have surpassed 44 billion yuan ($6.3 billion), remaining the second most lucrative movie market, a position it has held for five consecutive years.
However, a rush of blockbusters at the end of the year, has not translated to success at the box office this year.
Some movie critics and media have used the phrase "start with a booming state but ending in recession" to describe the performance of the 2016 movie market.
At the heart of the matter, state-of-the-art technology, IMAX visual effects and superstars do not guarantee a hit movie. Chinese movie goers pay more attention to the quality and material of the movies.
As the New Year is around the corner, let's take stock of ten qualified movies in China. They may not represent the ten most successful movies in terms of commercial values, but they have stirred up plenty of discussion on the internet. See also have they rated on Douban, the Chinese version of IMDb.
A poster of the film Eddie the Eagle [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.10 Eddie the Eagle: 8.0
Eddie the Eagle is a 2016 biographical film directed by Dexter Fletcher. The film stars Taron Egerton as Eddie Edwards, a British skier, who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping.
In the film, the British ski jumper was mocked for his unconventional performances at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, but no one could deny that he was a fearless and dedicated athlete who sacrificed a lot to realize his dreams.
Reputed as the United Kingdom's version of Forrest Gump, the feel-good film's theme was "small people, big dream". In the UK, the film grossed $12.8 million, making it the highest-grossing British film released in 2016 so far.
A poster of the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.9 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: 8.0
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a 2016 British-American fantasy film directed by David Yates. As a prequel of the Harry Potter film series, the film is an all-new adventure returning us to the world of wizardry created by J.K. Rowling.
The story tells the adventures of British writer Newt Scamander in New York's secret community of witches and wizards 70 years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.
American Vanity Fair magazine commented: "Fantastic Beasts is forlorn and captivating, a rare blending of cheery, witty entertainment with a troubled worldview. Those people who wish to escape the ills of the contemporary world and disappear into a whimsical wizarding world should see it."
A poster of the film Born in China [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.8 Born in China: 8.0
The Sino-US nature documentary directed by Lu Chuan, follows the adventures of three animal families; the majestic panda, the savvy golden monkey and the elusive snow leopard.
Featuring stunning imagery, the film navigates the vast terrain, from the frigid mountains to the heart of the bamboo forest, on the wings of a red-crowned crane. Viewers are taken into remarkably intimate family moments, captured on film for the first time ever.
"What makes a good China story? You will have an answer after watching Born in China," a foreign viewer said in a review on Sina Weibo.
A poster of the film Operation Mekong [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.7 Operation Mekong: 8.1
Operation Mekong is a 2016 Chinese-Hong Kong crime action film directed by Dante Lam and starring Zhang Hanyu and Eddie Peng.
Based on the Mekong River massacre, the film was released in China on September 30 and was a big success at the box office. Some movie-goers claim this is the best action movie of the year.
Inspired by the true story of the massacre, two Chinese commercial vessels are ambushed while traveling down the Mekong River in the waters of the Golden Triangle, one of the largest drug-manufacturing regions in the world. Thirteen sailors are executed at gunpoint, and 900,000 methamphetamine pills are recovered at the scene.
Upon discovery, the Chinese government immediately sends a band of elite narcotics officers to uncover the truth behind the murders. However, the road to truth and justice is paved with dangerous and deadly obstacles.
A poster of the film Train to Busan [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.6 Train to Busan: 8.2
Train to Busan is a harrowing zombie horror-thriller that follows a group of terrified passengers fighting their way through a country-wide viral outbreak while trapped on a suspicion-filled, blood-drenched bullet train ride to Busan, a southern resort city that has managed to hold off the zombie hordes… or so everyone hopes.
The Korean movie has gone viral on the internet in China and earnt a high reputation among viewers. Meanwhile, the film set a record as the first Korean film of 2016 to break the audience record of more than 10 million.
The Telegraph also gave the movie four stars and suggested "in the movie Train to Busan, it is almost everything you could want a zombie movie to be."
A poster of the film Mr. Donkey [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.5 Mr. Donkey: 8.3
In order to draw more funding from the government, a countryside village registers a donkey as a teacher at its local school. However, when a government officer visits for an inspection, the faculty members of the school have to find ways to hide their secret. Eventually, they try to pass off an uneducated laborer as a qualified teacher, setting off a series of funny-yet-sad farcical scenes.
"Just tell a joke, but you cannot cry" is the slogan for the movie. As a black comedy, the movie triggered widespread discussion on the internet.
"The characters in the film want to change society, but they are changed by society at last," was a classic online comment.
A poster of the film A Bite of China: Celebrating the Chinese New Year [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.4 A Bite of China: Celebrating the Chinese New Year: 8.4
A spin-off of one of the most influential documentaries aimed at Westerners airing on China Central Television in 2012, A Bite Of China: Celebrating The Chinese New Year takes audience members through the various cooking styles across China which are used to mark the Spring Festival.
Unlike the TV version of the show, this is a full-length feature. A total of 43 dishes from 24 areas are presented in the 85-minute feature.
Film director Deng Jie said: "This might be the most delicious film ever! This film presents a huge feast for your eyes. Probably a familiar scene of putting meat to fry in a pan may even appear very extravagant. We've committed more of our efforts to offering enough of a feast for both eyes and ears in cinemas."
A poster of the film Your Name [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.3 Your Name: 8.6
Japanese anime film, Your Name, has created a huge sensation in China. The movie also attains a high score of 8.6 points on Douban for its amazing drawing style, interesting and moving story plots, as well as provoking strong emotions among viewers.
Since its premier in China on December 2, Your Name, written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, has been a box-office smash, grossing 280 million yuan ($40.6 million) in just two days. Its first-day box office takings reached 30 million yuan, breaking the record previously held by Stand By Me, Doraemon for Japanese films screened in China.
The film tells a romantic love story between two young people. In addition to the ingenious storyline and widespread marketing activity, the magical imagery, known as Shinkai-style, has contributed much to the success of the film.
A poster of the film Hacksaw Ridge [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.2 Hacksaw Ridge: 8.8
Hacksaw Ridge is a 2016 biographical war film about the World War II experiences of Desmond Doss, an American medical doctor who was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, who refused to carry or use a firearm or weapons of any kind. Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor for service above and beyond the call of duty.
Since its premier in the United States on November 4, it has received very positive reviews, been nominated for numerous awards, and grossed $120 million worldwide.
"A great strong story for the viewers and good roles for actors. Action scenes are horrific and excellently made, it really shows that war is hell. I would highly recommend this even if you do not like war movies," Facebook user Mosku wrote.
A poster of the film Zootopia [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
No.1 Zootopia: 9.2
Zootopia is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated, comedy-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 55th Disney animated feature film.
Against the backdrop of a city filled with anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox have to work together to uncover a conspiracy. In the journey to truth, quite a few funny and inspiring things just happen.
Rotten Tomatoes, an American review aggregator website for film and television, stated that: "The brilliantly well-rounded Zootopia offers a thoughtful, inclusive message that is as rich and timely as its sumptuously state-of-the-art animation – all while remaining fast and funny enough to keep younger viewers entertained."
