"Painted Skin: Resurrection" broke box-office records with 115 million dollars in revenue. (CNTV)

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, 101 million US dollars. The Avengers, 84 million dollars. Men in Black 3, 77 million dollars.

But, Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" raked in more than 90 million dollars in the Chinese mainland, the first time a foreign movie has grossed more in China than in North America.

On the domestic scene, 21 Chinese-made films earned more than 16 million US dollars. In June, "Painted Skin: Resurrection" broke box-office records with 115 million dollars in revenue. That record only lasted 4 months, when the small-budget comedy "Lost in Thailand" somehow managed to bring in more than 160 million dollars in ticket sales. The success of these two films has inspired other Chinese film-makers searching for ways to battle back the foreign competition.

"Painted Skin: Resurrection" tells a Chinese fantasy story in a Hollywood way, with a big budget, star studded cast, and film shot and screened in 3D. The director, Wuershan, believes movies are for public entertainment and to succeed, movie-makers should strive to provide the best experience for every cinema-goer.