Movie theaters are expecting good crowds for November and December when they screen new Vietnamese and American releases.
The success of Floating Lives raised cinema’s expectations for the Christmas period. The movie, filmed in Dong Thap Province, had a VND10 billion box office in the first 12 days of screening
“When a Vietnamese film with a good screenplay comes out, it shows that local audiences haven’t turned their back on homegrown movies,” Tran Nhut Anh Loan, operations manager of Saigon Movies Media, said.
Although Floating Lives wasn’t released for the holiday or Tet crowds and had some poor reviews, the film became a phenomenon at the ticket booth. “The success of this film erased the attitude that Vietnamese movies only survive thanks to Tet holiday,” said Ho Hoang Khanh Vy, representative of BHD Star Cinema Co. Ltd.
Another Vietnamese movie which excelled this year was Fool for Love produced by Early Riser and Wonder Boy Entertainment and directed by Charlie Nguyen. It earned VND3 billion after three days screening.
A new Vietnamese history movie called Aspiration of Thang Long will be released at the end of this year. The movie is about the great founder Ly Cong Uan, who moved the capital from the ancient Hoa Lu citadel to Thang Long (Hanoi). This film will show at Megastar cinemas nationwide from November 12.
The success of the blockbuster Avatar that earned US$1.5 million in Vietnam started a new era in 3D movies. Megastar Media Co. Ltd. recently added three more 3D cinemas to its lineup making a total of eight. Galaxy Studio JSC also has three 3D screens in HCMC. Saigon Movies Media, BHD Star Cinema have also opened screens.
Megastar brought eleven 3D movies to its cinemas in the last year with two more to come before the Christmas: Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Tron Legacy. BHD Star Cinema will show the 3D movie Street Dance at cinemas nationwide.
Other Hollywood titles to come this year are: Skyline, The Next Three Days, Paranormal Activity 2, Detective D, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Unstoppable.
