The Terrible Movie That Chinese Audiences Can’t Stop Watching
Viewers are flocking to a new film that captures the pleasure of bad art.
TL;DR
- The Chinese animated film 'Niu Lai' has become a major box-office success, grossing over $7 million on a budget of less than $500.
- Despite poor animation and a simple plot, the film has gone viral on Chinese social media, embraced as a meme and a symbol of human creation against AI art.
- The film was created over five years by first-time director Xin Yumeng and his mother, Sun Lifang, with Xin animating it frame-by-frame on SketchUp.
- Its success is also linked to cultural factors, including the popularity of fuzzy cartoon characters in China and the potential interpretation of 'niu lai' as a bull market signal.
- Fans have celebrated 'Niu Lai' through various means, including hand-drawn posters, merchandise, and attending screenings, making it an occasion to celebrate original ideas.