Space odyssey

Despite the movie employing advanced cinematic technology, including using virtual cinematography to make the preview scenes easier for actors and actresses to understand their roles' responses and emotions, the director says the core of the movie is "a comedy".

"All the tech elements are just the backdrop of the movie. Comedy is a difficult genre, heavily relying on excellent performers' competence in improvisational roles," says Zhang, adding that actors Shen and Huang Cailun, also a Mahua Funage comedian, contributed some good jokes.

As a tribute to some influential Hollywood movies, the new film features funny moments inspired by sci-fi classics, ranging from Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Terminator to Ridley Scott's Alien, according to some audience members at a Beijing preview on July 24.