Seems like two things are happening in the Chinese film industry.
1. Established directors are making blockbusters and more blockbusters. The budgets are rising accordingly, and it was just announced today that Zhang Yimou has cast Christian Bale in his upcoming film on the Nanjing massacre. Budget is supposed to be 80 million US dollars. Now that's quite a budget for a Chinese film. Only thing left to wonder is if I can somehow get a job on that production, ah ha! Interestingly enough, this is Bale's second film in China, and also about WWII (first one is Spielberg's Empire of The Sun, which I'm sure needs no introductions).
Some examples: Every film by Zhang Yimou in the last 10 years, Aftershocks by Feng Xiaogang, Let The Bullets Fly by Jiang Wen, Red Cliff by John Woo. All these directors have taken certain periods of Chinese history and found stories worth retelling in the cinema. Even Jia Zhangke is embarking on a period-martial art production set in the late Qing dynasty. The idea that "We have the money, and we are gonna make big movies" is certainly welcome, because I don't see any other country's film industry staging a commercial fight against Hollywood like China is doing. Yet what Chinese still lacks, is a commercial film identity. There is too much imitation in terms of production design, and too much borrowing when it comes to stories (all the blockbusters are based on historic episodes). But this is not a problem to be solved by pontification. Only more productions can help pave the way for a distinct, national commercial cinema. Maybe in 3-5 years.
2. Upcoming young directors, many of them with American educations in filmmaking, are finding creative ways to churn out money making romantic comedies. This seems to fill an urgent need for a society much deprived of contemporary, urban love stories. Maybe it's a sign of the growing spending power of a restless young consumer class, who are not interested in art or social studies, but instead have a desire to see their favorite Asian celebrity faces placed into catchy, Hollywood-esque productions, with the requisite wide angles, camera movements, and thrilling sound editing. This is all fine because where ever there is a demand, there is a supply. The goal? An enjoyable theater going experience for people who want enjoyable experiences as a middle class young citizen, and going out to a theater (instead of watching pirated movies on a small screen) is one of these essential experiences. I certainly enjoy it. It's a life style change and the growing movie industry in China is supplying that cinematic night-life element hitherto missing in many Chinese cities.
Some examples of these films: Waiting Alone, Sophie's Revenge, If You Are The One (This is by Feng Xiaogang though, not really a young ex-pat), Au Revoir Taipei (although it's not a mainland film, one can't deny that mainland youth would be attracted to its minor, situational comedic bits). I'm sure there are many more to come. The Chinese are a voracious bunch when it comes to taking in things-food, stories, music, pretty faces, laughs, sex. Romantic comedy is the perfect genre for this society right now.
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