Editor's note: There are a large number of movies, TV series and variety shows broadcast every week. How do you choose? You might as well check out The Paper's recommendations.
【Movie】
Theater box office
According to the Beacon Professional Edition, as of 15:00 on October 20, "Volunteers: Heroes Attack", "Sturdy as a Rock", "Operation Moscow", "The Best Encounter" and "The Ex 4: Young Marriage" were listed in the single-day box office on Friday. Top five on the list. Among them, except for "The Best Encounter" which is the new film released on that day, the other four are all National Day movies, which shows the recent downturn in the domestic film market.
→ Premiere | "The Best Encounter": "Love can eliminate all barriers"
Now let’s see if any of the new movies scheduled for release at the end of October and November will be hits. For example, starring Zhu Yilong and others, the movie "The Mistake by the River" is scheduled to be released on October 21; starring Zhang Yi and others, the movie "The Point of the Knife" is scheduled to be released on November 24; and director Cao Baoping's "" Crossing the Angry Sea" and more.
→ "The Mistake by the River" won the best film at the Pingyao International Film Festival
→ New Film｜Cao Baoping’s “Crossing the Angry Sea” is scheduled to be released on November 25
【TV drama】
New drama information
The Qing Dynasty historical drama "Ding Baozhen" starring Ma Shaohua, Ye Jing and Cao Jun is scheduled to premiere on CCTV-8 prime time on October 26. The drama was filmed in the second half of 2019 and has been completed for four years.
Based on Zhang Xiaoxian's novel of the same name, the urban emotional drama "The Farthest Distance" starring Zhong Chuxi and Zhang Yunlong is scheduled to be broadcast exclusively on Tencent Video from October 26 . I don’t know if there will be a chance to see her and Zhang Yunlong being interviewed or on the same stage together during the promotion period of the show.
The cultural relics protection-themed TV series "National Treasure Glorious" produced by Shaanxi Cultural Investment Group has recently started filming in Hancheng City, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province. The official cast was announced on October 18 : Bai Yufan, Xin Baiqing, Wang Herun, Fu Dalong, You Yong, starring, Hui Directed by Kai Dong, it will be broadcast exclusively on iQiyi.
"The Code of Along the River During the Qingming Festival" is launched, Zhang Songwen said that he has not filmed a costume drama for many years
Based on the novel of the same name, the costume drama "The Code of Along the River During the Qingming Festival" produced by Kung Fu Pictures has recently started shooting in Kunshan, Suzhou. The official cast of the cast is announced: Zhang Songwen, Bai Baihe, Zhou Yiwei, Hou Yansong, Li Naiwen, Hai Yitian, Zhang Xinyu, etc. Zhang Songwen said, "I haven't filmed a costume drama in 12 years. I hope that through this drama, everyone can see the living conditions of people thousands of years ago." Bai Baihe, who has almost never filmed a costume drama, said that "the challenge is very big."
The national security-themed online drama "Old Enemies: Mountains and Rivers Nameless" held a launch ceremony on October 17 and officially announced the starring lineup and creative team: produced by Diao Yinan, directed by Qidao, starring Liao Fan and Zhu Zhu.
Top 5 Chinese dramas going overseas in the first three quarters
1. "My Worldly Fireworks" , YouTube views of the first two episodes: 2.4 million. TikTok has 1.8 billion English entries, 520 million Vietnamese entries, 400 million Thai entries, 39 million Russian entries, and 20 million Arabic entries;
2. "Blind Heart" , YouTube views of the first two episodes: 3.3 million. TikTok has 1.1 billion English entries, 61 million Thai entries, 200 million Russian entries, and 22 million Arabic entries;
3. "Sauvignon Blanc" , YouTube views of the first two episodes: 5.45 million. TikTok has 360 million English entries, 430 million Vietnamese entries, 220 million Thai entries, 6 million Russian entries, 3 million Indonesian/Malay entries, and 1.2 million Arabic entries;
4. "Cloud Feather" , YouTube views of the first two episodes: 2.2 million. TikTok has 310 million English entries, 388 million Vietnamese entries, 200 million Thai entries, and 5 million Russian entries;
5. "The Legend of Anle" , YouTube views of the first two episodes: 11 million. TikTok has 115 million English entries, 117 million Vietnamese entries, 100 million Thai entries, 20 million Russian entries, 100 million Indonesian/Malay entries, and 400,000 Arabic entries.
"Blind Heart" Poster
Among the above-mentioned five domestic dramas, except for "Blind Heart", which is a short drama, the other four are all long dramas, and basically belong to S or S+ level dramas on major domestic platforms. "Blind Heart", which was launched on Tencent on August 31 this year, did not make much splash in mainland China. Each episode of the drama lasts about 13 minutes, with a total of 30 episodes, starring Chen Fangtong, Dai Gaozheng, Hou Dong, Ma Xinyu, Hu Xifan, etc.
The plot tells the story of Lin Xintong, the daughter of wealthy businessman Lin Guofu, who was kissed by a man of unknown origin on the day of her engagement. News of her father's death also followed. Qin Moyao, who was regarded as a murderer, took the initiative to approach Lin Xintong in order to find out the grudge between the two families, and was involved in the Lin family's conspiracy. The two went from hostility to love. Lin Xintong also discovered the ambiguity between his fiancé Chi Shan and his best friend Xia Yuwei. Step by step closer to the truth of revenge.
"Blind Heart" only scored 5.9 points on Douban, but it got 7.7 points on the MyDramaList platform. Overseas viewers commented that each episode condensed love, business war, house fighting and reversal in just ten minutes.
MyDramaList can be said to be the home of Asian dramas. Initially, the website mainly reviewed Korean dramas, but recently more and more fans of Chinese dramas have gathered on the platform. In other words, although MyDramaList has an obvious fandom, it better reflects the popularity of domestic dramas overseas than Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, etc.
Of course, MyDramaList’s ratings are generally higher than those on Douban.
Ratings of the same drama on MyDramaList (left) and Douban (right)
"Tian Geng Ji"
Oda looks so happy! Apart from anything else, Tian Xiwei's appearance is really suitable for farming stories. She is sweet, warm, and a little willful and smart. This is what a sweet girl should be!
Poster of "Tian Geng Ji"
The series is an adaptation of the novel, but there are many changes. This is a story that travels into a game. Logically speaking, only the heroine has a soul and thoughts, and everyone else is an NPC. But for now, the story is about farming and house fighting, borrowing the shell of the game. It is based on the pastoral farming life of the Song Dynasty. It tells the story of Shen Nuo and Lian Maner working together to outwit relatives, farming and managing, making a fortune, and getting to know each other in the process. Love story. The small-scale house fight between the Lian family in the early stage is quite exciting. Although the method is not complicated, it has a feeling of knowing whether it is coming back from a dream.
This is a very qualified meal drama, the best meal companion in recent times.
"Come for the Secret Fragrance"
"Come for the Secret Fragrance" poster
Yu Zheng's film has been controversial since it first aired. The main reason is that it has made relatively large changes to the original novel. First, the background is changed from a royal family to a wealthy family. Second, it is changed from time travel to rebirth. The heroine is reborn from a vicious character. In order to atone for his sins, he rewrote the tragedy of family destruction.
The drama tells the story of Hua Qian, who once made a big mistake due to a misunderstanding and persistence in love. With the help of Zhong Xiwu, the head of the Xiangyao family who was infatuated with her, she reformed step by step and gained redemption.
How to put it this way, it’s not that it’s not good to watch. It’s indeed not easy to watch. You have to be able to empathize with the heroine’s story, and you’re used to the story-telling method that is more scattered than the main drama. The author is powerless to watch such stories, but Yu Zheng's dramas always have the ability to make the audience quarrel with the characters, which also proves that he can indeed grasp the audience's psychology.
"Under the City"
Comparing iQiyi's "Mist Theater", Tencent created "X Theater", starring Bai Yufan, Ning Li, Xiang Hanzhi, and Liu Yitong. It is a costume detective drama that many people have been waiting for. But this investigation is not that investigation. Compared with the unit detective dramas we are familiar with that are suitable for dinner, "Under the City" requires more concentration to watch. It is best not to do other things, or even double the speed, to pay attention to it. Every shot and line.
"Under the City" scored 8.5 points on Douban
The series is not long, with a total of 12 episodes. It tells the story of the thirty-seventh year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. Murders occurred one after another in Jing County, Jiangnan. The young detective Kuai Qu joined hands with Dian Shi Song Chen, his companions Gao Shicong, Leng Guier, and Feng Kechui. The others conducted an in-depth investigation and unexpectedly uncovered the story of an unsolved case that had been lying dormant for twenty years. Ning Li is definitely worthy of being the leading actor, and every move and every move he makes makes him look great. The other young actors are also pretty good, and their acting skills are quite satisfactory but not off-kilter. The plot is very detailed, layer by layer, neither urgent nor slow, and the overall camera quality of the series is also very high.
"Bionic World"
"Bionic World" poster
If the Mist Theater production directed by Chen Zhengdao is competing against X Theater, iQiyi is slightly behind in this round.
"The Bionic World" stars Song Weilong and Wen Qi. It is a science fiction crime-solving suspense drama. The main plot is about the story between bionics and humans. The bionics were invented by humans, but they were recalled and canceled due to problems with technological ethics. But when technology has developed to this point, it can no longer be easily withdrawn. Each story tells the love and hatred between androids and humans. There is also a main line running through the whole drama. Are the protagonists played by Song Weilong and Wen Qi also the same? What about androids? They also have their own life lines.
The plot is fast-paced, with two or three episodes per case, making it easy to watch. However, the overall script is rough, the case is simple, and the character of the protagonist is not likable. It’s okay to pass the time if you’re bored.
Other recommendations:
Do we always need "dog blood"?
Exclusive interview｜"Under the Stranger" director Xu Hongyu: Our universe, our dream
"In This Lifetime": Reality and Idealization in Taiwanese Drama
How did "Secret Agent" manage to be "trendy and earthy"?
【Variety Show】
Ace vs. Ace Season 8
Starting from October 20, every Friday at 20:00, "Ace vs. Ace" Season 8 "Friends Season" will return.
In this season's Ace "Friends Game", not only the old friends "Ace Family" Shen Teng, Hua Chenyu, Guan Xiaotong, Times Youth League-Song Yaxuan and host Shen Tao gathered happily, but also "Ace Friends" Sha Yi, Tang Yan, Yang Dee joins. They will pay attention to the development of more emerging industries and explore richer “industry trump” stories.
The two "school heroes" of "military arts" - Shen Teng and Sha Yi
Although it is a pity that Jia Ling quit "Ace" because she had to devote herself to the filming of "Spicy Female Soldier" and "Blooming Flowers", the newly added "Ace Friends" are also very familiar. Sha Yi revealed online that the reason why he joined was "you can come if you are handsome enough." As Shen Teng's senior brothers, this time the two "laughable and responsible" people were on the same stage, which made the expectations soar again. Shen Teng and Sha, two former military art school heroes, I wonder what kind of sparks will be produced by the collision?
"Summer of the Band 3"
Summer has long passed, and "Summer of the Band 3" will finally come to an end on October 20. The finals will be online at 18:00 that day.
Similar to other "Variety N Generation" shows, "LeXia 3" no longer has a sense of freshness. The bands that appear in this season do not mean that they are not good in the world, but old viewers will inevitably make vertical comparisons with the bands from the previous two seasons.
If we use the criterion of "what works are left behind", which songs from this season will you listen to again in the future?
Is it "The Big Dream" by Wayna, "The Lonely Warrior" by Anda Group, "Rainbow Smile" by Mayuan Poets, or "Here Comes The Gangster" by Berlin Nurse?
→ "Summer of the Band 3": This year's top three looks to have been born
→ Vayna's "Big Dream": This kind of reality comfort, can you sing your tears?
"Fengshen Training Camp"
This week, the fourth episode of "Fengshen Training Camp" is broadcast. The members of the training camp ushered in their long-awaited 60-kilometer equestrian training, galloping freely on the wide prairie. It is also a careful arrangement made by the director to train everyone to be closer to the state of ancient warriors.
Hou Wenyuan's photo of Yang Jian trying on makeup, netizen comments: It feels like Yang Jian's three eyes are smiling evilly at you
The third reporting performance is coming soon, and this will also be their last performance. After the assessment, some people quickly determined their roles, while others were still experiencing more tests while waiting anxiously, but even the members who did not get the roles at the moment did not give up.
Li Yunrui and Huang Xiyan, who finally confirmed their roles, also talked about their mental journeys at the scene. Although they had hesitations and self-doubts, they luckily persisted until the end and got important roles. Director Wu Ershan told them, "I hope you believe that I can see it. I know that the small part you show is the result of a lot of hard work..."
"The place where I was born and raised"
From taking you to see the world to the "Travel+" model, travel programs continue to make breakthroughs, and "Where I Was Born and Raised" brings new creative ideas. The program was developed and produced by Hunan Satellite TV's Gong Danxia Innovation Team. Through Hunan celebrities revisiting old places and old friends, the program takes the audience to appreciate the unknown sides of various cities in Hunan and feel the deep roots of Hunan's cultural soil. It will be broadcast every Monday from October 17 It will be broadcast on Hunan Satellite TV and Mango TV at 19:30 on Thursday.
This time "Where I Was Born and Raised" takes a different approach, inviting 11 Hunan characters who live in other places to lead Xu Li, the president of the Host Professional Committee of the China Television Association, back to his hometown and embark on a "root-seeking journey." Celebrities from Hunan in the fields of screenwriting, aerospace, music, dance, technology, education and other fields have regained their old memories after traveling for many years, truly experienced the great changes in their hometown, and told the story of Hunan in their own way.
For example, Hengyang has long been famous for Nanyue Hengshan, Hengyang Fish Meal, etc., but through the famous screenwriter Liu Heping's narration of his hometown, the audience will re-recognize this heroic city from the battle to defend Hengyang and feel the spirit of Hengyang people to start over. Singer Lei Jia will return to his alma mater, go to the folk to collect folk songs, listen to the folk songs of Yiyang people, find the roots of the culture and music atmosphere nurtured by this soil, and show its long history.
"Flowers and Boys·Silk Road Season"
"Flowers and Boys: Silk Road Season" will premiere on October 25, and recently released a concept poster of "Together we walk the flower road".
It is reported that this is Dilireba’s second appearance in a variety show after 4 years.
In this season's program, the Hua Shao Group will embark on a study tour across three countries: Saudi Arabia, Croatia, and Iceland. The currently announced lineup is: Qin Hailu, Qin Lan, Xin Zhilei, Dilmurat Dilraba, Zhao Zhaoyi, Wang Anyu, and Hu Xianxu.
The ancient Silk Road stretched thousands of miles and lasted for thousands of years. It was not only a trade and barter road, but also a road of civilizational exchanges. It made a significant contribution to the development and progress of human society. Today, thousands of years later, "Flowers and Youth·Silk Road" Ji>Hua Shao Tuan sets out again to experience the changes taking place on the New Silk Road on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative. What interesting things will happen during this Silk Road study tour?
Vietnamese version of "Sister Riding the Wind and Waves"
The first season of "Sister Riding the Wind and Waves" was released in 2020. It was not only popular among domestic audiences, but also set off a craze overseas. In particular, the theme song of the season "Priceless Sister" appeared in N cover versions on overseas social networking sites. .
Now that "Sister Lang" IP is exported, the first issue of the Vietnamese version of "Sister Riding the Wind and Waves" will be broadcast on Vietnam Television 3 (VTV3) on October 28, bringing together 30 Vietnamese women from different professions. The theme song "Nơi Bình Minh Đầy Nắng" (literally translated as "Sunny Dawn") was also released at the press conference on October 19.
In addition, "Sister Lang" has a different name for each season in China. For example, in 2022 it was called "Riding the Wind and Waves", and this year it was reduced to "Riding the Wind 2023". The Vietnamese version is called "Chị Đẹp Đạp Gió Rẽ Sóng 2023" (literally translated as "Beautiful Sister Riding the Wind and Waves 2023").
