It's reasonable for me, a stuntman, to live a crazy life, right?

Chapter 1438 Feng Xiaogang dug a hole and buried himself in it.
"Warmest congratulations! The realistic/crime film 'All In' produced by Feiyue Films, directed by Shen Ao, and starring Zhu Yilong, Yang Mi, and Wang Jinsong has surpassed 10 billion yuan in total box office revenue in just 6 days!"

"Several films released during the Lunar New Year season, including 'Trending Search,' 'Goodbye, Li Kele,' 'Lighting Shop,' 'Ocean's 8,' 'Burst Point,' and 'Raging Tide,' have now concluded their run, with dismal box office returns..."

"The crime film 'Three Teams,' originally produced by Wanda Cinema, has grossed over 8 million yuan in its first two weeks of release, and is expected to eventually gross 12 billion yuan."

"The comedy film 'The Annual Meeting Can't Stop!' starring Da Peng, Bai Ke, and Zhuang Dafei was officially released today."

...

12 month 29 number.

As soon as the daytime filming of "The Three-Body Problem" wrapped up, Chen Fei had his assistant book movie tickets in advance and then took Liu Yifei, who had removed her makeup, to a nearby shopping mall.
He had wanted to see the movie "The Annual Meeting Can't Stop!" for a long time.

The reason was simply that this comedy film, starring Da Peng, Bai Ke, and Zhuang Dafei, had piqued his interest ever since it was officially announced.

Before his rebirth, he had seen promotional clips of this movie on Douyin.

Da Peng plays a factory technician who is "parachuted" into the group's headquarters as a senior executive. Bai Ke plays an HR person who has no choice but to "cover up the lie" in order to keep his job.

The two created a series of laughs in a story full of workplace absurdity, and the dialogue and physical comedy in the clips made Chen Fei feel very entertained at the time.

Unfortunately, I was too busy with construction work at the time and didn't have time to go to the cinema before I was unexpectedly reborn back to twenty years ago.

Now that I have the opportunity and time, I naturally want to make up for this regret.

The car was parked in the mall's underground parking garage. The two men, wearing masks and hats, discreetly entered the cinema.

After picking up her tickets, Liu Yifei headed straight for the snack area, carrying a bucket of caramel popcorn and two cups of cola, her eyes sparkling with joy.

She's been filming scenes related to "Ye Wenjie" for the past few days, which has kept her on edge. Now she can finally relax a bit.

They walked into the theater and found their seats.

As soon as the lights dimmed, Liu Yifei couldn't wait to grab some popcorn and stuff it into her mouth. The crisp chewing sound was particularly noticeable in the quiet environment.

Chen Fei turned his head to look at her and saw that there was a little bit of icing sugar on the corner of her mouth. He smiled and reached out to wipe it off for her.

"How old are you? Why are you still acting like a child?"

"Hmph, don't bother with me."

Liu Yifei's cheeks flushed slightly. She turned to the side and continued eating popcorn.

Chen Fei didn't pay any attention and took out his phone to browse the latest film and television news before the movie started.

With December drawing to a close, this year's Lunar New Year film season has essentially come to an end.

Judging from the data, apart from "All for the Winner" breaking 1 billion yuan in 6 days and "The Third Brigade" breaking 800 million yuan in 2 weeks and expected to hit 12 billion yuan, almost all other films have become "runners-up".

Films like "Hot Search" and "Goodbye, Li Kele" didn't even reach 3 million yuan at the box office.

"Lighting Shop" and "Ocean's 8" were both released for only a week before theaters reduced their screenings due to low attendance, and they were pulled from the screens early.

The worst off were the movies co-produced by iQiyi.

The combined box office of the two films, "Burning Point" and "Raging Tide," was less than 500 million yuan, failing to even recoup the investment costs. This directly led to iQiyi's stock price hitting the daily limit down for several consecutive days, resulting in a market value loss of nearly 10 billion yuan.

Chen Fei couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at the financial news report about "iQiyi shareholders' collective protest".

Although I didn't get to see what Gong Yu looks like now, I can imagine how depressed he is.

Hoping to turn things around with the Lunar New Year film season, the company not only failed to make money but also dragged itself into an even deeper quagmire, and it may not even be able to explain itself at the year-end shareholders' meeting.

"Stop playing on your phone, it's starting, it's starting!"

Liu Yifei gently touched Chen Fei's arm and pointed at the screen.

Chen Fei put away his phone and looked up at the screen.

In the opening scene of the movie, Da Peng plays Hu Jianlin, a fitter, who is wearing an ill-fitting suit and stands in the elevator of the group's headquarters, looking blankly at the white-collar workers in suits around him, instantly creating a comedic moment.

As the plot unfolded, laughter echoed throughout the theater.

Hu Jianlin misrepresented "layoffs" as "optimizing the talent structure," inadvertently securing benefits for his employees.

Bai Ke's character, Ma Jie, frantically tries to cover up his lie in front of his boss, and the scenes between the two are full of endearing contrasts.

The lines spoken by Zhuang Dafei, a young employee complaining about the cutthroat competition in the workplace, resonated deeply with many viewers.

Liu Yifei smiled so hard her eyes narrowed into slits, and she couldn't help but whisper, "These lines are just too real!"

"The plot is indeed quite good."

Chen Fei nodded in agreement.

He sees things quite clearly.

This movie attracts most people's attention not only because it's full of laughs, but also because it hits the sore spots of working professionals.

The key to resonating with the audience lies in using absurd plots to vividly portray the helplessness and perseverance of working people.

As the movie ended, Liu Yifei was still reflecting on the plot and couldn't help but pull Chen Fei aside to discuss: "Do you think Hu Jianlin would have really become a high-ranking executive if he hadn't been discovered in the end?"

Chen Fei ruffled her hair, pondered for a moment, and said, "That's not necessarily true, but at least he showed everyone that sincerity is sometimes more effective than tricks."

……

The night passed, and it was December 30th.

The opening day box office figures for "The Annual Meeting Can't Stop!" have been released on time:

The total revenue was 4639 million!
This result is not particularly impressive for a Lunar New Year film season, and it is far inferior to "All for the Winner" which was released at the same time.

The reason behind it is not hard to guess; it is mainly influenced by Da Peng's past works.

Although "Jianbing Man" is an 8-year-old film, the shadow of its poor reception has not completely dissipated. Many viewers are still hesitant to buy tickets for his comedies, preferring to wait and see.

In a sense, Da Peng is still atoning for the mistakes of "Jianbing Man".

However, the lackluster box office performance did not stop the film's explosive word-of-mouth success.

With its solid storyline and plenty of laughs, "The Annual Meeting Can't Stop!" quickly gained popularity, and positive reviews flooded social media platforms.
"The plot really resonates with working people! Da Peng plays Hu Jianlin, who goes from a factory technician to a 'parachuted executive.' He doesn't know anything but always manages to get things done by accident. He satirizes all the formalism and bureaucracy in the workplace. Watching it is both funny and satisfying, and it feels like he's venting for me."

"Bai Ke's acting was such a pleasant surprise! His portrayal of Ma Jie, who had to cover up Da Peng's lie while dealing with his boss's difficult behavior, and how he would break out in a cold sweat every time he was nervous but still tried to remain calm, was just like me when my boss suddenly checks on me while I'm working overtime. The sense of immersion was off the charts, wasn't it?"

"The humor isn't forced! There are no vulgar jokes, only relatable jokes that office workers can relate to, such as 'revising a PPT to the eighth version but ending up using the first version' and 'sending an emergency meeting five minutes before leaving get off work.' Each one hits the nail on the head, and after laughing, you can vent to your colleagues for ages. That's what good comedy should be like!"

"Zhuang Dafei's portrayal of the young employee is so realistic. Her irritability when complaining that '996 is a blessing,' her grievances after being bullied by her boss, and the exhilarating feeling of 'fighting against involution' with Dapeng and Baike at the end, all bring the workplace state of contemporary young people to life. It doesn't feel out of place at all!"

"I never expected comedy to have such a heartwarming core! In the end, Da Peng didn't end with a 'rags-to-riches' story, but instead chose to return to the factory and tell everyone that sincerity is more important than gimmicks. I was laughing and then I was touched. I felt warm inside after watching it. I think this is more meaningful than just being funny!"

Chen Fei wasn't surprised when he saw these positive reviews.

After watching the full movie yesterday, he felt that the quality of the film far exceeded his expectations.

The plot is logically sound, the characters are vivid and three-dimensional, and the humor is both funny and relatable, completely avoiding the common problem of domestic comedies being "laughs for the sake of laughing".

Although the box office on the first day was not high, thanks to the word-of-mouth effect of "zero negative reviews", the box office will definitely continue to rise.

If nothing unexpected happens, it should have no problem breaking 10 billion yuan in box office revenue.

After all, audiences nowadays value content more and more. As long as the reputation can be maintained, even if the start is a little slow, it can catch up slowly with word of mouth.

It's getting harder and harder to make comedy films these days, so it's already quite an achievement to be able to make a film that's both funny and thought-provoking.

Although Da Peng couldn't completely shake off the "Jianbing Man" label this time, his acting career should be much broader after this movie.

In contrast, "Lives of Omission," released at the same time, grossed 5822 million yuan on its opening day, nearly 1200 million yuan more than "The Annual Meeting Can't Stop!". Although this opening seemed to be more successful, its reputation began to decline from the day of its release.

It received a mere 5.8 rating on Douban, with the short reviews filled with comments like "mediocre" and "unoriginal."

The main problem is that the plot of this movie still couldn't escape the traditional "police and gangster formula" of Hong Kong films.

Liu Dehua plays Lin Zhen'an, who appears to be a legitimate entrepreneur, but is actually a behind-the-scenes mastermind controlling cross-border drug trafficking. He uses charity as a cover while maneuvering to evade the police.

The film stars Lam Ka-tung, Eddie Peng, and Sean Lau as three generations of police officers who investigate leads from three different angles: undercover, criminal investigation, and technical investigation, respectively, in an attempt to bring down Lam Chin-on's criminal gang.

The story features thrilling moments such as the exposure of an undercover agent, the tension of a psychological battle between good and evil, and exciting scenes of street gunfights.

But when all the elements are put together, they seem strangely familiar!
It's like rearranging and combining classic scenes from movies like "Infernal Affairs," "The White Storm," and "Cold War," without any originality.

The marketing campaign by the production company before the film's release, featuring topics such as "Liu Dehua plays a major villain again after 16 years" and "taking on three generations of police officers," did attract the attention of many Hong Kong film fans.

After all, the last time Andy Lau played a pure villain on the big screen was in "Protégé" in 2007.

The line, "Why do people take drugs? Because they feel empty," remains a classic quote to this day.

However, this time, Lin Zhen'an, apart from his more refined appearance in a suit and tie, lacks the complexity and depth of his character compared to "Brother Kun" back then.

Lacking both the ruthlessness of a villain and the struggle between good and evil, the entire performance relied on piercing gazes and forced dialogue to create an aura, leaving viewers feeling "disappointed."

More importantly, the film never broke free from the fixed framework of Hong Kong films:

Cross-border crime, police standoffs, sibling rivalry, and street chases—these elements have appeared repeatedly in Hong Kong films over the past decade or so, and audiences have long since grown tired of them.

One viewer commented: "I could have guessed the ending from the beginning. Lam Ka-tung's undercover identity, Eddie Peng's impulsive personality, and Lau Ching-wan's cunning were all expected. Even the gunfight shots were exactly the same as those in 'The White Storm 3,' so there was no surprise at all."

In addition, Liu Dehua is not a "box office draw" actor, so it is difficult for him to boost the box office solely based on his personal appeal.

For example, the reason why "Shock Wave 2," in which he starred a couple of years ago, became a hit was because of the "character's dark turn and reversal" and "large-scale special effects."

However, "The Infiltrator" lacks both a fresh premise and an emotional core that resonates with the audience. Relying solely on nostalgia and clichéd plots, it is naturally difficult to retain viewers.

When Chen Fei overheard the crew discussing the box office performance of "Lurking" on set, he only expressed slight emotion.

In his view, it's not that Hong Kong films can't make police and gangster films, but that they can't keep sticking to old formulas.

Audiences need new stories and new perspectives, not to remake things from over a decade ago with different actors.

In today's film and television industry, which is constantly seeking innovation and change, those who cling to tradition and lack innovation will eventually be eliminated by the market.

Just like Feng Xiaogang's movies, this is also a typical example.

On December 30th, after the "Three-Body Problem" crew finished work, Chen Fei thought he could take advantage of his free time to watch "If You Are the One 3".

This film, which has been called "Feng Xiaogang's comeback film" by outsiders, has been labeled as a "sequel to nostalgia" since its official announcement.

After all, the first two "If You Are the One" films were the benchmark for domestic romantic comedies, and many viewers went to the theater hoping to relive the emotions of those films.

Chen Fei himself wanted to see if Feng Xiaogang could regain his former reputation with this film.

But as soon as he sat down in the theater, less than half an hour into the movie, he frowned.

By the time he had read one-third of the way through, he had already made up his mind.

Feng Xiaogang is not only unlikely to make a comeback this time, but he's probably going to be completely "buried" in this film!
First of all, the plot is like a hodgepodge of old ideas.

The film is marketed as "Qin Fen and Liang Xiaoxiao's ten-year promise," but it wastes a lot of time on meaningless subplots.

Qin Fen suddenly started raising an artificial intelligence robot. The robot imitated Liang Xiaoxiao's words and actions, and the two frequently engaged in various awkward "human-machine interactions".

The plot then forcibly inserts a storyline about Qin Fen helping his friend resolve a marital crisis, which is dragging and deviates from the main storyline, completely failing to convey the emotional weight of the "ten-year promise".

The "humor with warmth" core of the first two films has completely disappeared, leaving only awkward jokes and deliberate sentimentality.

For example, when Qin Fen cried to the robot, saying "I miss you," it not only failed to move the audience but also elicited awkward laughter from the entire audience.

Secondly, the character development has completely lost the charm of the previous work.

Ge You's portrayal of Qin Fen, a slick yet sincere middle-aged man, left a deep impression with his line, "I'm not stupid, I'm just too cunning."

In this film, Qin Fen is reduced to a mere scripted character who only reads lines. He lacks both his former humor and the insight of a middle-aged man, remaining expressionless throughout as if he were simply completing a task.

Shu Qi's portrayal of Liang Xiaoxiao is even more outrageous, with pitifully few scenes, appearing mostly only in flashback sequences.

They finally get a few scenes together, but all they do is mechanically recite meaningless lines like "We're all getting old" and "Time flies."

The artistic goddess who once captivated audiences has been reduced to a blurry background.

What's most unacceptable is actually the film's "outdatedness".

Both the humor and the values ​​presented seem to be stuck ten years in the past.

The jokes in it still use old tropes like "hair loss" and "pressure to get married," which are completely out of touch with the aesthetics of today's audiences.

The portrayal of female characters is even more outdated. Apart from serving as an emotional symbol for Qin Fen, Liang Xiaoxiao has no independent personality or storyline.

Even the camerawork feels perfunctory, with excessive use of slow motion and soft-focus filters in an attempt to create a "nostalgic" feel, but the result is that the images look cheap and tacky.

Chen Fei even had some doubts. This wasn't a movie from 2023 at all; it was clearly just footage that was cut up and released ten years ago!
He couldn't sit still halfway through and left early.

After leaving the theater, he checked the comments section on Douban and, unsurprisingly, the entire internet was filled with insults and abuse.

"I should have just rewatched 'If You Are the One 1,' at least Qin Fen and Xiao Xiao really had feelings for each other back then." "Feng Xiaogang probably doesn't understand what audiences want to see now. He's still relying on his old tricks. No wonder it's a flop."

"This is not a sequel, it's a poor imitation!"

"The plot is chaotic and the characters are hollow; it's a waste of Ge You and Shu Qi's acting skills."

"What did I just see? LGBTQ? Feng Xiaogang, you're completely finished!"

With a barrage of negative reviews online, the show's initial rating on Douban plummeted to a mere 4.2, marking the worst performance in the "If You Are the One" series.

Many experts have published articles online criticizing:
"Feng Xiaogang may still be living in the past as the king of the Lunar New Year film season, but he has forgotten that the audience's tastes have changed. Today's audiences want sincere stories and vivid characters, not money-grabbing works piled up with nostalgia and old jokes!"

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this third installment of "If You Are the One" will not only fail to revive Feng Xiaogang's career, but will also cause him to completely lose the audience's trust.

"After this, I'm afraid it will be difficult for anyone to pay for the name 'Director Feng Xiaogang' again."

Chen Fei gave his evaluation without mincing words.

On the set of "The Three-Body Problem," the others exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

It's one thing to keep failing, but to completely lose track of market trends? What kind of director are they? They should just retire.

With negative reviews across the internet, "If You Are the One 3" has suffered a major setback with its opening day box office of only 2437 million yuan.

The year 2024 has officially begun, and the New Year's Day movie season has successfully kicked off.

Due to its poor box office performance and critical reception, "If You Are the One 3" unsurprisingly had the fewest screenings during the New Year's Day holiday.

To everyone's utter surprise, Feng Xiaogang, perhaps out of his mind, suddenly jumped out and publicly criticized Longxiang Cinemas online, claiming that the cinemas deliberately suppressed the screening of his new film.

The news caused a complete uproar across the internet!

Feng Xiaogang's angry rebuke of Longxiang Cinemas is tantamount to him attacking Chen Fei.

Just thinking about this drama makes me feel excited.

(End of this chapter)