Scene from Eternal Moment. [Global Times]

Coupling

With the first hand-drawn 3D animation, internationally produced Little Big Panda targeting young children and animation lovers (see Animating audiences, January 24), comedy film Under the Influence is for the middle-age group.

It is the first film directed by well-known comedian Zhu Shimao, and focuses on marriage crisis, infidelity and other issues middle-aged couples may face in society.

"I think it is a good film and I am confident of making at least 200 million yuan ($30.39 million) at the box-office. In fact, if the film was declared to be under big directors' names, such as Feng Xiaogang, it would make 1 billion yuan ($152 million)," said Zhu at recent press conference in Beijing.

Eternal Moment, on the other hand, is a film adaption of a popular romantic TV series from 12 years ago. With the same cast and director, the young university students' romance story is highly anticipated by its huge TV fan base, who are mainly post 70s and 80s generations and opens in cinemas on February 12, the later part of Spring Festival period and also essentially occupies the Valentine's Day slot, suiting both festival and romantic moods.

"I hope the film can not only touch those who loved the TV series but also those who haven't seen the TV show. It is an opportunity to recall those old times of our youth," director Zhang Yibai, who was born in the 1970s, said at a recent press conference.

Apart from the seven new films, entertainments My Own Swordsman, Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf and Old Master Q and Little Ocean Tiger are in cinemas currently while comedies All's Well, Ends Well and I Love Hong Kong also open from Monday.