Podcasts about tiny times

Feminisms with Chinese Characteristics (Syracuse University Press, 2021), co-edited by Ping Zhu and Hui Faye Xiao, offers an examination of the ways in which Chinese feminist ideas have developed since the mid-1990s. By juxtaposing the plural “feminisms” with “Chinese characteristics,” they both underline the importance of integrating Chinese culture, history, and tradition in the discussions of Chinese feminisms, and stress the difference between the plethora of contemporary Chinese feminisms and the singular state feminism. There are twelve chapters in this interdisciplinary collection. It addresses the theme of feminisms with Chinese characteristics from different perspectives rendered from lived experiences, historical reflections, theoretical ruminations, and cultural and sociopolitical critiques, painting a panoramic picture of Chinese feminisms in the age of globalization. Ping Zhu is associate professor of Chinese literature at the University of Oklahoma. She is the author of Gender and Subjectivities in Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature and Culture and the coeditor of Maoist Laughter. She is also the acting editor-in-chief of the biennial literary journal Chinese Literature Today, which will become Chinese Literature and Thought Today in 2022. Hui Faye Xiao is professor of Chinese literature at the University of Kansas. She is the author of Family Revolution: Marital Strife in Contemporary Chinese Literature and Visual Culture and Youth Economy, Crisis, and Reinvention in Twenty-First-Century China: Morning Sun in the Tiny Times. Linshan Jiang is Ph.D. candidate in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests are modern and contemporary literature, film, and popular culture in mainland China, Taiwan and Japan; trauma and memory studies; gender and sexuality studies; queer studies; as well as comparative literature and translation studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Feminisms with Chinese Characteristics (Syracuse University Press, 2021), co-edited by Ping Zhu and Hui Faye Xiao, offers an examination of the ways in which Chinese feminist ideas have developed since the mid-1990s. By juxtaposing the plural “feminisms” with “Chinese characteristics,” they both underline the importance of integrating Chinese culture, history, and tradition in the discussions of Chinese feminisms, and stress the difference between the plethora of contemporary Chinese feminisms and the singular state feminism. There are twelve chapters in this interdisciplinary collection. It addresses the theme of feminisms with Chinese characteristics from different perspectives rendered from lived experiences, historical reflections, theoretical ruminations, and cultural and sociopolitical critiques, painting a panoramic picture of Chinese feminisms in the age of globalization. Ping Zhu is associate professor of Chinese literature at the University of Oklahoma. She is the author of Gender and Subjectivities in Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature and Culture and the coeditor of Maoist Laughter. She is also the acting editor-in-chief of the biennial literary journal Chinese Literature Today, which will become Chinese Literature and Thought Today in 2022. Hui Faye Xiao is professor of Chinese literature at the University of Kansas. She is the author of Family Revolution: Marital Strife in Contemporary Chinese Literature and Visual Culture and Youth Economy, Crisis, and Reinvention in Twenty-First-Century China: Morning Sun in the Tiny Times. Linshan Jiang is Ph.D. candidate in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests are modern and contemporary literature, film, and popular culture in mainland China, Taiwan and Japan; trauma and memory studies; gender and sexuality studies; queer studies; as well as comparative literature and translation studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Feminisms with Chinese Characteristics (Syracuse University Press, 2021), co-edited by Ping Zhu and Hui Faye Xiao, offers an examination of the ways in which Chinese feminist ideas have developed since the mid-1990s. By juxtaposing the plural “feminisms” with “Chinese characteristics,” they both underline the importance of integrating Chinese culture, history, and tradition in the discussions of Chinese feminisms, and stress the difference between the plethora of contemporary Chinese feminisms and the singular state feminism. There are twelve chapters in this interdisciplinary collection. It addresses the theme of feminisms with Chinese characteristics from different perspectives rendered from lived experiences, historical reflections, theoretical ruminations, and cultural and sociopolitical critiques, painting a panoramic picture of Chinese feminisms in the age of globalization. Ping Zhu is associate professor of Chinese literature at the University of Oklahoma. She is the author of Gender and Subjectivities in Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature and Culture and the coeditor of Maoist Laughter. She is also the acting editor-in-chief of the biennial literary journal Chinese Literature Today, which will become Chinese Literature and Thought Today in 2022. Hui Faye Xiao is professor of Chinese literature at the University of Kansas. She is the author of Family Revolution: Marital Strife in Contemporary Chinese Literature and Visual Culture and Youth Economy, Crisis, and Reinvention in Twenty-First-Century China: Morning Sun in the Tiny Times. Linshan Jiang is Ph.D. candidate in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests are modern and contemporary literature, film, and popular culture in mainland China, Taiwan and Japan; trauma and memory studies; gender and sexuality studies; queer studies; as well as comparative literature and translation studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Feminisms with Chinese Characteristics (Syracuse University Press, 2021), co-edited by Ping Zhu and Hui Faye Xiao, offers an examination of the ways in which Chinese feminist ideas have developed since the mid-1990s. By juxtaposing the plural “feminisms” with “Chinese characteristics,” they both underline the importance of integrating Chinese culture, history, and tradition in the discussions of Chinese feminisms, and stress the difference between the plethora of contemporary Chinese feminisms and the singular state feminism. There are twelve chapters in this interdisciplinary collection. It addresses the theme of feminisms with Chinese characteristics from different perspectives rendered from lived experiences, historical reflections, theoretical ruminations, and cultural and sociopolitical critiques, painting a panoramic picture of Chinese feminisms in the age of globalization. Ping Zhu is associate professor of Chinese literature at the University of Oklahoma. She is the author of Gender and Subjectivities in Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature and Culture and the coeditor of Maoist Laughter. She is also the acting editor-in-chief of the biennial literary journal Chinese Literature Today, which will become Chinese Literature and Thought Today in 2022. Hui Faye Xiao is professor of Chinese literature at the University of Kansas. She is the author of Family Revolution: Marital Strife in Contemporary Chinese Literature and Visual Culture and Youth Economy, Crisis, and Reinvention in Twenty-First-Century China: Morning Sun in the Tiny Times. Linshan Jiang is Ph.D. candidate in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests are modern and contemporary literature, film, and popular culture in mainland China, Taiwan and Japan; trauma and memory studies; gender and sexuality studies; queer studies; as well as comparative literature and translation studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

Feminisms with Chinese Characteristics (Syracuse University Press, 2021), co-edited by Ping Zhu and Hui Faye Xiao, offers an examination of the ways in which Chinese feminist ideas have developed since the mid-1990s. By juxtaposing the plural “feminisms” with “Chinese characteristics,” they both underline the importance of integrating Chinese culture, history, and tradition in the discussions of Chinese feminisms, and stress the difference between the plethora of contemporary Chinese feminisms and the singular state feminism. There are twelve chapters in this interdisciplinary collection. It addresses the theme of feminisms with Chinese characteristics from different perspectives rendered from lived experiences, historical reflections, theoretical ruminations, and cultural and sociopolitical critiques, painting a panoramic picture of Chinese feminisms in the age of globalization. Ping Zhu is associate professor of Chinese literature at the University of Oklahoma. She is the author of Gender and Subjectivities in Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Literature and Culture and the coeditor of Maoist Laughter. She is also the acting editor-in-chief of the biennial literary journal Chinese Literature Today, which will become Chinese Literature and Thought Today in 2022. Hui Faye Xiao is professor of Chinese literature at the University of Kansas. She is the author of Family Revolution: Marital Strife in Contemporary Chinese Literature and Visual Culture and Youth Economy, Crisis, and Reinvention in Twenty-First-Century China: Morning Sun in the Tiny Times. Linshan Jiang is Ph.D. candidate in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests are modern and contemporary literature, film, and popular culture in mainland China, Taiwan and Japan; trauma and memory studies; gender and sexuality studies; queer studies; as well as comparative literature and translation studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our ​‘speed pod' mini-series of quick insights into music and culture from around the world, we talk to music industry professionals about the music of their homeland, to give us a view into different music, composers, sounds and instruments which make music both unique and universal.  In this episode, we will be talking to HarrisonParrott Marketing Intern Kerry Chen to tell us more about the sounds of c‑pop music in China. Kerry tells us about what influences there are on Chinese pop music, the musical sounds and influences that are associated with this genre, and introduces us to several leading figures in the c‑pop world. As well as providing listeners with a wealth of musical insights, Kerry also gives us her personal recommendations for two books, album and film, so we can dive deeper into understanding Chinese culture and its contribution to the world. Kerry was interviewed by HP's Fiona Livingston. Kerry's Recommendations: Books: Frog, by Moyan, and Tiny Times, by Guo Jingming Album: Fantasy from Jay Chou Film: You are the Apple of my Eye, director: Giddens Ko  The Culture Bar is a podcast series created by HarrisonParrott focussing on conversations in culture and the arts. Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, YouTube, Podbean, Deezer, Stitcher, Pocket Casts and all good podcatcher sites. Use #theculturebar or follow us on Twitter @_TheCultureBar to keep up with our latest releases.

Movie yang ringan dan menyenangkan. Plotnya oke, castnya juga. Untuk temen temen yang butuh movie santai santai untuk waktu luang, movie mandarin ini cocok untuk kamu!

A 你好！我要两张小时代4，四点半的票。Hola, dos boletos para Tiny Times 4 a las 4 y media.B 请您选一下座位Por favor elija un lugar A 我要坐在第七排，12和十三号座位。Quiero sentarme en la fila siete, asientos 12 y 13.B 您有学生卡吗？Tiene credencial de estudiante?A 有SíB 给您打9折。这是您的电影票。这是爆米花券，您可以去换。Le doy 10% de descuento. Estos son sus boletos. Y este es un cupón para palomitas. Puede ir a cambiarlo.A 太棒了Genial!

A 我今天吃得真饱Comí demasiado, estoy muy satisfecho.B 我也是，你现在要干嘛？Yo igual! Qué quieres hacer ahora?A 我们去电影院看电影，怎么样？Vamos al cine a ver una película, qué te parece?B 好啊，你喜欢那种电影？Muy bien! Qué películas te gustan?A 我动作片，科幻片，恐怖片，爱情片都特别喜欢Las de acción, fantasía, de terror, de amor, todas me gustan mucho.B 恐怖片我不敢看。动作片，爱情片都行，只要不是恐怖片我都愿意看。No me atrevo a ver pelíuclas de terror. Cualquiera que sea de acción o amor estoy dispuesto a verla, mientras no sea de terror.A 那好！哦你看！小时到第四部已经上映了！Muy bien. Oh! Ve! Ya se estrenó la de Tiny Times 4!B 那太好了，我们去看。Excelente, vamos a verla.

更多内容，请关注我们今天的微信，搜索：英语环球 NEWSPlusA new study suggests that infertility cannot be successfully treated with stem cells.The study, by researchers in Sweden, casts doubt on an old theory that it is possible to create new eggs with the help of stem cells.Ever since 2004, the studies on stem cell research and infertility have been surrounded by hype. There has been a great amount of media interest in it, and the message has been that the treatment of infertility with stem cells is about to happen. However, many researchers have tried to replicate these studies but not succeeded.According to the old theory, infertile women, such as those who have entered the menopause, could be given new eggs. However, experiments on mice showed that the only eggs female mice have are the ones they have had since birth.The results show that not only the use of stem cell research in the clinical treatment of childlessness is unrealistic, but also that clinics should focus on using the eggs that women have had since birth in treating infertility.infertility n. 不孕不育 对应形容词infertile，不能生育的stem cell n. 干细胞（干读第四声，来源于“茎干”，即stem）它是形成哺乳类动物的各组织器官的原始细胞，具有多向分化潜能和自我复制能力。人体内的干细胞分两种类型，一种是全功能干细胞，可直接克隆人体；另一种是多功能干细胞，可直接复制各种脏器和修复组织。人类寄希望于利用干细胞的分离和体外培养，在体外繁育出组织或器官，并最终通过组织或器官移植，实现对临床疾病的治疗。cast doubt on… v. 使人对…产生怀疑例句：He has been drunk out of his mind for three days in a row now. It definitely casts doubt on his chance of taking over as the next news anchor. （他已经连续三天喝得烂醉如泥了。这肯定让人对他接手新闻主播岗位的前景产生怀疑。）egg n. 卵子，卵细胞 （这个意思的使用频率也很高，不亚于“鸡蛋”。）hype n. 大肆宣传，炒作例句：Haven't you heard of that saying? No publicity is bad publicity. If everybody keeps telling you how ridiculously bad a certain film is, it only creates more hype, and you are more tempted to see it. That's why those horrible reviews of Tiny Times never bothered Guo Jingming. （你没听说过那句话吗？没有什么所谓的“坏宣传”。如果每个人都不停地跟你说某部电影多么糟糕，这只会带来更多的宣传效应，让你忍不住想去一探究竟。所以《小时代》收到的那些恶评从来没破坏过郭敬明的心情。）replicate vt. 复制 对应名词replica，复制品 replicate，reproduce和duplicate是很容易搞混的一组词。简言之，它们的程度有所区别。duplicate必须是复制出和原来一模一样的东西，replicate是复制出一模一样或相近的东西，reproduce则是简单复制，不保证结果跟原来的东西一模一样或相近。menopause n. 停经，绝经期（通常在五十岁左右）

详细内容请关注今天的V信:) Having dominated China's box office rankings for about a week, the notorious teen fantasy film Tiny Times 3 gave way to yet another controversial Chinese movie. But to be fair, first time director Han Han's film-making debut is not marred by low taste. The criticism mostly comes from a demanding audience with high expectations. In 1999, Han Han shot to fame after winning a national writing competition, one year ahead of Guo Jingming, the director behind the Tiny Times franchise. But it seems that good writing skills are the only thing the two have in common, and after acquiring a sizable readership, the young lads went down totally different paths. Unlike Guo Jingming, who is determined to tap the pockets of his fans and has made himself quite wealthy, Han Han seems to have chosen to enjoy life. As a professional racing car driver and a blogger who publishes thought-provoking and sometimes controversial articles from time to time, he has proven his talent in the things which interest him. Over the years he has attracted both support and opposition, and both sides take pride in critical thinking and high taste. This is why Han Han's film "The Continent" could generate enough earnings to topple the dominance of "Tiny Times 3" and at the same time spark serious discussion about the film's production value and ideas. This road movie follows three young men on a journey across China. Han Han's supporters may be able to identify his distinctive style. Instead of a commercial blockbuster, carefully calibrated to stir the appetite of innocent adolescents, "The Continent" seems very much like Han's blog, where he tosses out ideas as he comes across them. If you are willing to join the ride, you MAY be led to brooding over contradictory life styles. That's because the film depicts random encounters intermittently from the perspective of two different characters. Both mange to reconstruct their understanding of the world during the journey, but one has his obsessions cured, another has them entrenched deeper in his way of living. The most critical viewers will not be happy with this arrangement: they will perhaps believe that the different parts of the film are rather loosely connected, if connected at all. Others may pick on the dialogue: some of which sounds so out of place that people suspect entire scenes have been invented to accommodate them. I'm afraid I have to agree with such well-targeted criticism, but still I believe it is something a more mainstream viewer will appreciate. I went to see the film after an extremely intense day at work, but after an hour and a half when I walked out, I felt completely refreshed, as if I had taken off my jacket of weariness and left it in the dimly-lit screening room. The funny jokes, the touching score and the beautiful scenery certainly helped, but it was the free spirit that really emancipated me from the yoke of my daily routines.

Having dominated China's box office rankings for about a week, the notorious teen fantasy film Tiny Times 3 gave way to yet another controversial Chinese movie. But to be fair, first time director Han Han's film-making debut is not marred by low taste. The criticism mostly comes from a demanding audience with high expectations. In 1999, Han Han shot to fame after winning a national writing competition, one year ahead of Guo Jingming, the director behind the Tiny Times franchise. But it seems that good writing skills are the only thing the two have in common, and after acquiring a sizable readership, the young lads went down totally different paths. Unlike Guo Jingming, who is determined to tap the pockets of his fans and has made himself quite wealthy, Han Han seems to have chosen to enjoy life. As a professional racing car driver and a blogger who publishes thought-provoking and sometimes controversial articles from time to time, he has proven his talent in the things which interest him. Over the years he has attracted both support and opposition, and both sides take pride in critical thinking and high taste. This is why Han Han's film "The Continent" could generate enough earnings to topple the dominance of "Tiny Times 3" and at the same time spark serious discussion about the film's production value and ideas. This road movie follows three young men on a journey across China. Han Han's supporters may be able to identify his distinctive style. Instead of a commercial blockbuster, carefully calibrated to stir up the appetite of innocent adolescents, "The Continent" seems very much like Han's blog, where he tosses out ideas as he comes across them. If you are willing to join the ride, you MAY be led to brooding over contradictory life styles. That's because the film depicts random encounters intermittently from the perspective of two different characters. Both mange to reconstruct their understanding of the world during the journey, but one has his obsessions cured, another has them entrenched deeper in his way of living. The most critical viewers will not be happy with this arrangement: they will perhaps believe that the different parts of the film are rather loosely connected, if connected at all. Others may pick on the dialogue: some of which sounds so out of place that people suspect entire scenes have been invented to accommodate them. I'm afraid I have to agree with such well-targeted criticism, but still I believe it is something a more mainstream viewer will appreciate. I went to see the film after an extremely intense day at work, but after an hour and a half when I walked out, I felt completely refreshed, as if I had taken off my jacket of weariness and left it in the dimly-lit screening room. The funny jokes, the touching score and the beautiful scenery certainly helped, but it was the free spirit that really emancipated me from the yoke of my daily routines.

The last time I got angry in a cinema was when Wong Kai Wai released his incomplete martial arts drama film "The Grandmaster". He showed no respect for cinema-goers and the movie business as he peddled an unfinished product. But that sentiment was nothing compared to what I felt while watching Tiny Times 3. The latest outing by novelist and businessman Guo Jingming witnessed a catastrophic downgrade from the previous installment, which itself barely breached the level of mediocracy in the first place. The narratives in both films are practical jokes just the same, but at least the cinematography in Tiny Times 2 almost reached an average standard. In comparison the third installment is just a circus freak show suffering from the incurable disease of overblown slow motion. The symptoms start showing right from the beginning. The movie is about the relationship between four female friends where the girls go on a business trip to Rome. Nothing of real business significance happens in the Italian capital, but that doesn't stop the girls from dressing up in elaborate outfits as they invade the ancient city with their posing and flaunting. I think the director's message is: look, I can afford to shoot this film in Rome, at least some part of it. The good for nothing opening is followed by a make-believe business espionage story. It seems as though the director is trying to make this part funny, but he only achieves silliness. Like I said, the narrative is a joke, what can you expect, except for plenty of slow motion shots to highlight the not-so-intense action? After that, the director decides to drown his beloved audience in shots after shots of slow motion. When the girls get mad at each other for various unreasonable reasons, just as happened in previous installments, only endless slow motion shots can explain the magnitude of their heartbreak, and hopefully distract the audience from the scant story. As someone who certainly haven't been converted to Guo Jingming's style, I began to look around in the cinema. On a Monday afternoon, the screening room was surprisingly full. The audience largely consists of young girls, who were most likely students on their summer vacations, and apparently they were having a good time. Some could even predict what was going to happen on screen because they've read the original novel. For a moment, I was unsettled by the fact that our youth is being manipulated by such nonsense, but then again, each generation has their own dragons to slay, perhaps battling the bad influence in the sub culture is their way of becoming responsible adults. And we have to live with the fact that some, like our dear director, never make it through.

The last time I got angry in a cinema was when Wong Kai Wai released his incomplete martial arts drama film "The Grandmaster". He showed no respect for cinema-goers and the movie business as he peddled an unfinished product. But that sentiment was nothing compared to what I felt while watching Tiny Times 3. The latest outing by novelist and businessman Guo Jingming witnessed a catastrophic downgrade from the previous installment, which itself barely breached the level of mediocracy in the first place. The narratives in both films are practical jokes just the same, but at least the cinematography in Tiny Times 2 almost reached an average standard. In comparison the third installment is just a circus freak show suffering from the incurable disease of overblown slow motion. The symptoms start showing right from the beginning, when the four female friends go on a business trip to Rome. Nothing of real business significance happens in the Italian capital, but that doesn't stop the girls from dressing up in elaborate outfits as they invade the ancient city with their posing and flaunting. I think the director's message is: look, I can afford to shoot this film in Rome, at least some part of it. The good for nothing opening is followed by a make-believe business espionage story. It seems as though the director is trying to make this part funny, but he only achieves silliness. Like I said, the narrative is a joke, what can you expect, except for plenty of slow motion shots to highlight the not-so-intense action? After that, the director decides to drown his beloved audience in shots after shots of slow motion. When the girls get mad at each other for various unreasonable reasons, just as happened in previous installments, only endless slow motion shots can explain the magnitude of their heartbreak, and hopefully distract the audience from the scant story. As someone who certainly haven't been converted to Guo Jingming's style, I began to look around in the cinema. On a Monday afternoon, the screening room was surprisingly full. The audience largely consists of young girls, who were most likely students on their summer holiday, and apparently they were having a good time. Some could even predict what was going to happen on screen because they've read the original novel. For a moment, I was unsettled by the fact that our youth is being manipulated by such nonsense, but then again, each generation has their own dragons to slay, perhaps battling the bad influence in the sub culture is their way of becoming responsible adults. And we have to live with the fact that some, like our dear director, never make it through.

No.10 Zhang Ziyi wins Best Actress at Golden Horse Awards Iconic Chinese movie star Zhang Ziyi won the best leading actress award at the Golden Horse Awards, for her performance in the film "The Grandmaster." The Golden Horse Awards is considered as the Chinese-language Oscars. Zhang shed tears of joy as she delivered the acceptance speech. "I've been nominated a few times for the Golden Horse Awards. I finally captured one today. Thank you director Wong Kar-wai for allowing me to encounter Gong Er at the most difficult time of my life and for encouraging me to be brave and confident and I made it." No.9 Director Zhang Yimou sued over family planning breach Two lawyers filed a public interest lawsuit against film director Zhang Yimou for his violation of the family planning policy. Family planning authorities in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, found that Zhang fathered three children with his wife Chen Ting before they married in 2011. Under the one-child policy, Zhang can have only one child. (In his previous marriage, Zhang has a daughter with his ex. ) The lawyers filed the lawsuit with the Intermediate People's Court in Wuxi and requested the court fine Zhang 500 million yuan, more than 80 million US dollars in compensation for public resources and another 500 million yuan for punishment. No.8 Feng Xiaogang to helm CCTV annual gala show China Central Television has invited director Feng Xiaogang to helm the Spring Festival Gala 2014, which has more than 700 million viewers. This is the first time for a film director to direct the show in 30 years. At a news briefing of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, Feng admitted that being the general director of the gala is quite demanding. "All my efforts will pay off if half of the audience members are satisfied. I will try my best." The CCTV Spring Festival Gala has been an annual fixture for most Chinese families on the eve of Chinese New Year since 1982. However, its popularity has declined in recent years as Internet users scorned the gala as rigid and outdated which lacks a grassroots foundation. No.7 Li Yuchun wins 2013 MTV EMA Best Worldwide Act Chinese singer Li Yuchun outdid superstar Justin Bieber, winning the award for Best Worldwide Act at the 2013 MTV European Music Awards gala held in Amsterdam in November. Rising from the nationwide singing competition Super Girl, Li has released seven albums, and had 52 No. 1 singles. She was also named "Icon of Chinese Pop Culture" by Time Magazine. No.6 Wang Feng expresses his love to Zhang Ziyi Chinese rock singer Wang Feng openly expressed his admiration to actress Zhang Ziyi during a concert in Shanghai in November. "I imagine one day we can be blessed for our sincere love as celebrities without being criticized and vilified by people. I imagine one day we can tell each other 'I love you' without seeing the tears in each other's eyes." This is the first time Wang has openly admitted his love to Zhang, ending speculation that the superstar duo have been dating ever since Wang's second divorce in September. No.5 Guo Jingming's 'Tiny Times' sweeps box office Best-selling author Guo Jingming's directorial debut "Tiny Times," based on his novels by the same title, has swept the Chinese box office since its debut in June. The movie has grossed 500 million yuan at the Chinese box office. The film, mostly popular among young women, idealizes materialist lifestyles that reflect Guo's super-rich value system. No.4 Faye Wong and Li Yapeng divorced Asian pop diva Faye Wong announced in September that she has divorced her second husband, former actor turned businessman, Li Yapeng. They had been married for eight years. Fans reposted her Sina Weibo microblog announcement more than 100,000 times in the first hour. The post read: "Our destiny as husband and wife ends here. I'm well. You take care, too." Li later confirmed the news on his microblog, posting: "I wanted a normal family, but you are a legend, referring to The Legend, her famous song. Li continued to say that "I miss the good days we spent together over the past 10 years." The posts received 200,000 comments and more than 700,000 reposts. No.3 Leehom Wang discloses romance Chinese-American singer-songwriter Leehom Wang for the first time disclosed that he has a girlfriend. The superstar said in his micro blog that his girlfriend is named Li Jinglei, 27 years old, and now studies in Columbia University. Wang wrote in his micro-blog (to his fans ) that "I'm very lucky to meet a girl who can hold hands and enjoy the future with me. She's not a person in showbiz, so you don't know her. And I don't want you to know her by other means. My dad and mom love her, hope you love her too." The 37-year-old singer later revealed that he got married on November 27. At Wang's first concert after his marriage, he talked about his wife to his fans for the first time. "You've always stood up for me, so I will always stand up for Jinglei". No.2 Reality show "Where are we going, Dad" become a hit One of this year's hottest Chinese reality shows is "Where are we going, Dad?" produced by Hunan Satellite. The show which based on a similar show in South Korea features five celebrity fathers taking their young children out to explore the real world in front of cameras. No.1 Ang Lee wins best director Oscar Director Ang Lee from Taiwan won the Best Director Academy Award for "Life of Pi" in Los Angeles in February 2014.

2013 has seen many Chinese actors try their hand at directing for the first time. Of these, Charlie Yeung is one of the more interesting. While most first-time directors tap the market's demand for nostalgia or bemoaning the bygone of their own youth, the Taiwan-born director has chosen a more serious topic. In courtroom drama "Christmas Rose", Kwai Lunmei plays a handicapped piano teacher who accuses a famous surgeon of sexual harassment. Zhang Zhen plays the surgeon and Aaron Kwok is the public prosecutor who does everything he can to incriminate the accused, only to discover the case is not as simple as it first seemed. The story develops in multiple suspense-filled steps according to court procedure. Many details are explained in flashbacks during the trial. The theme is unusual for a Chinese film, so the story has potential, but regrettably fails to fulfill. For example, suspect Doctor Zhou's character is incomplete. Despite efforts to show the impact of the case on his family, this doesn't develop into a compelling part of the main plot. Kwai Lunmei clearly worked hard to portray a disabled victim, but the twist at the end is a little too much. Aaron Kwok, on the other hand, conveys a powerful performance of emotional development. In fact, Aaron Kwok and Kwai Lunmei's performances clearly show the movie's failings are not due to the cast, but the story itself. Despite this the pacing works well, with each stage well-timed to maintain interest, so perhaps the assistance of producer Hark Tsui finally paid off. Compared with other directorial debuts, such as "So Young" by Zhao Wei and "Tiny Times" by novelist and businessman Guo Jingming, Yeung's movie is more personal and thought provoking. Instead of being trapped in nostalgia or watching a meaningless display of wealth, audiences may enjoy a little intellectual stimulation about something other than the contents of their dinner. "Christmas Rose" deserves a six out of ten.

After watching Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby", I was convinced once again of the greatness of the title character Jay Gatsby, the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and the actor Leonardo DiCaprio. But one question remained: where is the part where Gatsby says, "Her voice is full of money". It is an important statement in Fitzgerald's original novel and without it the movie is only half complete. As a result, Gatsby, despite all his charisma and positive hopes, is reduced to being just a simple-minded, nice old sport. To a certain extent, Baz Luhrmann was the best candidate to adapt the Great American novel into a movie, and he is by far the most successful. I can think of no-one else who could better recreate the kind of lavishness portrayed in the novel with regards to Gatsby's mansion and the character of Daisy Buchanan. But with brilliant colors and the anachronistic Jay-Z and Beyonce music, Luhrmann was only able to deliver the sensationalism related to the parties at the mansion; the more philosophical discourse on the American dream and disillusionment in general is carefully sidelined in Luhrmann's script. Luhrmann's only attempt at broaching this aspect is to introduce narrator Nick as a patient in a sanitarium, an interesting reference to the author's own life experience. Like "Moulin Rouge!", "The Great Gatsby" is immensely colorful with well designed costumes and settings. But all cast members seem to have been squeezed out of the picture by the sensual aspect of the movie, with the exception of Leonardo DiCaprio, who appears half an hour into the story but still manages to impress an anticipating audience. With a mellowed appearance and manners, the 38-year-old actor creates the air of a young, aspiring youth. This is not prescribed in the novel, but still fits Luhrmann's simplified interpretation. Carey Mulligan could have been an authentic Daisy if the script allowed for a deeper study of her character. Australian Elizabeth Debicki is physically attractive, but she lacks the air of a proud female golf player in the 1920s and her appearance is all too fleeting. Tobey Maguire's boyish look is compatible with a fledgling banker on Wall Street, but when surrounded by Gatsby's party guests he suddenly finds too much wantonness in his big eyes. Otherwise, his portrayal as the narrator and depressed mental patient is fair enough. To sum up, Baz Luhrmann has delivered a decent adaptation of the great American novel, with emphasis on the extravagant life of Gatsby. But unfortunately, Gatsby himself couldn't care less about it and neither does a mature reader. Hopefully the Chinese moviegoers will appreciate Luhrmann's style; after all, they seem to have had a bit of fun even with "Tiny Times".

Lately there has been no shortage of controversy in China's film market. A few weeks ago, the Chinese movie "Switch" raked in nearly 300 million yuan for being an incredibly awful product. Now, "Tiny Times", the first film by Chinese author and businessman Guo Jingming has provoked heated debate between Chinese viewers of different generations. Guo is a successful writer-turned-businessman. His novels were able to tap into the wallets of China's young adolescent readers to bring him quick fame and fortune. Last year, his books sold for 1.4 million US dollars, making him the biggest earner among Chinese authors. But Guo is never too shy to boast about his fortune and often posts pictures about his extravagant life style, so he is constantly criticized by more conservative members of society. Now with Guo's first film to hit Chinese movie theatres, the conservatives have a fresh fish to fry. The story of "Tiny Times" is about the friendship of four college girls. Unlike Zhao Wei's "So Young" about a month ago, the girls in "Tiny Times" don't attend schools. Instead, they wear magnificent outfits, live in spacious apartments, work for fashion shows and break up with their boyfriends over expensive gifts. In a word, it is "Gossip Girl – the Shanghai freshmen special". Now some opinion leaders are lambasting the so-called twisted values portrayed in "Tiny Times", they believe the film's abundance of luxury items may lead our youth to harbor unrealistic longings for material wealth. So Guo's obsession with luxury has once more become a topical issue. In fact, the dispute over the blatant display of material wealth has clouded people's observation of the movie from an objective perspective. For example, despite the lackluster performance of the good-looking, superstar actors and actresses, the movie actually tells a decent story that one can understand without difficulty, beating average Chinese films that are usually weak in script. From time to time, actress Xie Yilin even pokes some fun at the audience to spice things up a little. Cinematography is slightly above average, but two long takes are instantly effective, including one which lasts for 2 minutes and 40 seconds and another for 4 minutes. Both are challenging shots, especially the latter where the camera follows the lead actress through swarms of people in a 4-storey building. The pictures may look a bit gaudy, but they are quite in line with the lavish costume and setting. If the film were made by any director other than Guo Jingming, it may not have caused such serious opposition from orthodox critics. But then again, the film may not have sold so well without all the fuss. So be aware, critics, your censure may have promoted the very ideas that you tried to suppress. We humans never stop seeking material wealth. Our youths, born in an age of prosperity, may have a rightfully higher aspiration than their parents could envision. So instead of giving empty talks on so-called "healthy" virtues, it is better to encourage them to work hard for wealth, both material and spiritual. On ascale from one to ten, I give "Tiny Times" a five.

China's domestic film productions raked in 12.7 billion yuan in 2013, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total box office takings with a growth rate of 54.32 percent year-on-year, an official data has revealed. According to data from the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the figure compares with a 2.3 percent increase of box office takings from imported films from a year earlier. Four of the top five highest-grossing films in the year were Chinese fare, with action-comedy "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" co-directed by Stephen Chow topping the list by taking 1.2 billion yuan. The other three homegrown movies that have made the top five list, namely nostalgic youth drama romance "So Young", crime-action film "Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon" by legendary action director Tsui Hark and "Personal Tailor", the latest comedy from Feng Xiaogang, pulled in over 500 million yuan each at box office. Other popular domestic films included Seattle-set romantic comedy "Finding Mr. Right", martial arts drama film "The Grandmaster" and novel-to-movie adaptation "Tiny Times". The huge growth of box office revenues from Chinese films as a whole compared with a year ago, experts said, can be attributed to an improved structure of the film industry and a growing number of homegrown movies that are more accessible and fun to watch. Restrictions on the imports and distribution of US-made films into China are also cited as a contributing factor. Meanwhile, it is expected that China's "youthful" film market, the world's second-biggest after America, will continue its rapid growth in years to come. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts is known worldwide for its annual Academy Awards, or the Orscars officially. Sid Ganis is the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "The Chinese film market place is in a certain kind of youthfulness. Not infancy, but youthfulness. It's now blossoming out, it's growing at this amazing rapid rate." According to the media reports, China's box office takings in 2012 exceeded 17 billion yuan, with domestic movies contributing 48.46 percent of the total.