Summer movies set sizzling pace

Common themes

In recent years, Chinese moviegoers have shown a growing preference for domestically produced films, particularly those adapted from true stories or that draw inspiration from traditional culture and history.

Industry insiders said that as nine of the top 10 highest-grossing movies this summer were produced by Chinese companies, this served to further bolster confidence in the industry.

Widely regarded as one of the biggest dark horses this summer, No More Bets focuses on the reporting of cyberscams operated by criminal syndicates in Southeast Asia. The movie recently rose to first place on the summer earnings chart by bringing in nearly 3.8 billion yuan.

Lost in the Stars, which tells the story of a husband with a dark past, sat on the second seat on summer box-office charts, earning an impressive 3.52 billion yuan and accounting for 20 percent of ticket revenue generated during the season since the film was released on June 22.

Never Say Never, which depicts a former athlete who becomes a mine owner helping a group of poverty-stricken children pursue their dreams through mixed martial arts competitions, took fourth place on the summer chart, earning more than 2.19 billion yuan.

Lu Jianing, head of Nanning Minzu Cinema in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said the common theme of these movies is their connection to highly debated social topics.

"Apart from providing entertainment, cinema plays a role in socialization. When these movies generate more online discussion, people become increasingly interested in watching them and discussing them with friends or family," Lu said.

While Lost in the Stars examines the question of whether women should exercise greater caution in matters of love and marriage, Never Say Never, in which the protagonist is unfairly caught in an online backlash, looks at the harm caused by cyberbullying, he added.

Despite Never Say Never including some violent scenes depicting intense mixed martial arts training and competition, Lu initially thought the movie might not be appropriate for children. However, to his surprise, many parents have welcomed the film for its inspirational message, which encourages young people to strive for a better future.

Movies inspired by traditional culture and classical literature have also become increasingly popular.

Two such examples are Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of the Storms, a fantasy epic adapted from a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel, and the animated movie Chang An, which chronicles the long friendship between poets Li Bai and Gao Shi. Chang An is also highly favored by many parents who consider it a good example to help their children learn about China's golden era of ancient poetry and some of the best-known poets during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).