A scene from Devil and Angel. [Photo/Mtime]

Despite the progress domestic comedies have made, many are not impressed.

"Some comedies stray from the point," said Zhang. "They might have made good money courtesy of their superstars, but if people cannot laugh along, it's meaningless."

Zhang is referring to comedies like Devil and Angel by director Deng Chao, which received criticism for its poor approach at making people laugh.

To draw comparisons, some recall the works of prestigious Chinese directors such as Feng Xiaogang, who pioneered the combination of comedy films and Spring Festival almost two decades ago.

"Comedies back then were closer to people's life," said Jason Zheng, a movie fan from Beijing. "The storylines are also far less predictable than those today, which could more easily draw the audience into laughter."

However, for Boqiao, there are indeed positives to take from some of the "bad" comedies nowadays. "You can see that the sales of Devil and Angel dropped dramatically after being played for only a week. Our audience is becoming more perceptive."

As for Spring Festival, which often marks the reunion of Chinese families, many people are looking forward to the comedies scheduled on Feb 8, the Lunar New Year's Day this year, to fit their festive mood.

"I'll see which one to watch then," said Zheng. "I still have faith in Chinese comedies as long as people's tastes are getting better."

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