This director is vindictive.

Chapter 266 Chen Mo's mouth, is it blessed? The whole internet is begging for a guide to jinxing!
Perhaps it was the influence of "The Phoenix Brings Auspiciousness" or Chen Mo's advance prediction that caused the word-of-mouth for the three films to explode even faster.

Therefore, the critical reception and box office performance of "Detective Chinatown 3" declined even faster than in its predecessor.

In contrast, "Hi, Mom" ​​began a miraculous comeback thanks to the contrast with "Detective Chinatown 3".

The success of "Hi, Mom" ​​is spreading like wildfire.

As the reputation of "Detective Chinatown 3" rapidly collapsed, audiences began to turn their attention to this heartwarming film. On social media, discussions about Li Huanying continued to rise, with many viewers moved to tears by the sincere mother-daughter relationship in the film, spontaneously becoming "word-of-mouth advocates" and enthusiastically recommending it on platforms such as WeChat Moments and Weibo.

Meanwhile, Chen Mo's predictions were brought up again. Some dug up his earlier reviews of three films, discovering that he had foreseen the potential of "Hi, Mom." In particular, his reviews of the three films were almost universally agreed upon by viewers, making him a veritable mouthpiece for the films and indirectly generating more attention for the movie.

Box office data shows that "Hi, Mom" ​​saw its screening rate soar from an initial 15% to 35%, with consistently high occupancy rates. Conversely, while "Detective Chinatown 3" still holds an advantage in screenings, its occupancy rate has significantly decreased, and its daily box office growth has slowed considerably.

Industry experts analyze that behind this phenomenon, besides the difference in the quality of the films themselves, lies audience fatigue with formulaic comedies in the film market and a desire for sincere and relatable stories. "Hi, Mom" ​​precisely met this demand, becoming the biggest dark horse of the Spring Festival film season.

Netizens joked, "Before the movie is released, everyone should see Chen Mo first. His words are much more eloquent and accurate than those of so-called experts and professors!"

"Is Chen Mo's mouth blessed? Let him give his critique before the next movie's release, a great guide to avoiding bad movies!"

"I suggest all directors line up to have their films screened by Chen Mo; his 'poisonous predictions' are a hundred times more reliable than those of marketing accounts!"

"Capital initially poured all its resources into screenings for 'Detective Chinatown 3,' but the audience voted with their feet and taught them a lesson. The wish-fulfillment plot of the novel has become reality!"

"As it turns out, sincerity is the ultimate weapon. The box office comeback of 'Lee Hwan-young' is a collective resistance from the audience against the dominance of bad movies."

Although netizens started to offer hindsight advice, they completely forgot their earlier comments criticizing Chen Mo for "double standards."

However, Chen Mo's mind was no longer on this.

He's incredibly busy! Because Zhang Yuqi and Fan Binbin's due dates are fast approaching.

One is an older mother, and the other is pregnant with twins. The key issue is that their due dates are quite close, leaving Chen Mo somewhat overwhelmed.

He loves both his son and daughter, what can he do? He's in a tough spot too!
So while sleeping together was certainly enjoyable, it also led to the two of them accidentally bumping into each other.

Although Chen Mo had made arrangements in advance, and each of them had a private medical team to take care of them, it was still inexcusable for him, as the child's father, not to be by her side during childbirth!

Although they both have regular check-ups and are in good health, being in good health doesn't necessarily mean being in a good mood!

A pregnant woman's emotions are not very stable during pregnancy.

"How are you? The doctor said you had severe morning sickness lately? Are you feeling any better now?" Chen Mo asked Fan Binbin with concern.

"Fortunately, I was mentally prepared. The little one has been eager to come out lately and keeps kicking me." Pregnant Fan Binbin naturally doesn't control her figure as much, so she looks quite plump.

Stroking her swollen belly, her face was radiant with maternal love.

Chen Mo pressed his face against her belly, and the little one seemed to sense it, kicking several times in a row. Although this wasn't the first time Chen Mo had experienced this feeling, it still gave him a very special feeling.

Before Chen Mo could experience it further, his phone suddenly rang.

Chen Mo glanced at the caller ID; it was Zhang Yuqi's assistant calling.

Fan Binbin also saw it, and Chen Mo walked to the side and answered it.

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Yuqi's assistant said anxiously, "Mr. Chen, Yuqi has been having severe morning sickness these past two days, and she's been in a very bad mood. She's been... she's been yelling at you!"

The assistant's voice became almost inaudible towards the end.

Chen Mo rubbed his temples, looking somewhat worried.

Seeing Chen Mo's worried and troubled expression, Fan Binbin gloated and teased, "Now you know what headaches are? Back when you were sleeping together, you probably never thought this day would come, did you?"

Chen Mo glared at her helplessly.

However, Fan Binbin took his hand and made him sit down.

“Okay, I know you’re in a difficult position. How about this, I’ll move in with her. Our due dates are around the same time anyway, and it’ll save you the trouble of running back and forth.” Fan Binbin said gently.

Chen Mo suddenly looked up, hugged her, and gave her a big kiss.

Fan Binbin blushed a little from Chen Mo's sudden kiss, gently pushed him away, and said reproachfully, "You're a father now, and you're still so clumsy."

Chen Mo laughed like a child: "You understand me best! This arrangement is perfect. You two can look after each other, and I can worry less." As he spoke, he immediately picked up his phone and dialed his assistant to arrange for the two of them to live together.

Soon, Fan Binbin moved into Zhang Yuqi's villa.

Zhang Yuqi, this fierce woman, really suffered a lot because she was pregnant with twins. However, when Fan Binbin came, she didn't feel awkward at all.

After all, although the two were not particularly close before, they later slept together with Chen Mo, which naturally brought them closer.

Although there wasn't much infighting among Chen Mo's women, their relationships still varied in degree.

For example, Zhao Liying and Jing Tian have the best relationship, and Fan Binbin and Jing Tian also have a decent relationship.

However, compared to Zhang Yuqi, she and Zhang Yuqi were actually closer because they had shared a bed.

Yang Mi is actually the one with the worst interpersonal relationships among the women.

Gao Yuanyuan is quite independent!

However, although Chen Mo solved the problem of running around in two places and being unable to be in two places at once, putting the two of them together was still quite a burden for him.

That evening, the two sat on the sofa, eating fruit and complaining about Chen Mo's "crimes," and there was a strange tacit understanding between them.

"This guy swore he could take good care of us, but we hardly ever see him." Zhang Yuqi pouted and popped a grape into her mouth.

Fan Binbin shook her head with a smile: "He's just too greedy, now he's getting a headache. But..." She touched her belly, her eyes gentle, "For the sake of the little one, let's forgive him this time."

Zhang Yuqi glanced at her and suddenly burst out laughing: "Don't you think we look like concubines in a palace drama who have temporarily ceased hostilities?"

The two smiled at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly became much more relaxed.

On the other side, Chen Mo was finally able to catch his breath. Seeing the two getting along so well, Chen Mo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that the two of them would cause some trouble together, which would really be the end of them.

He breathed a long sigh of relief. Perhaps life is like this Spring Festival film market, always full of surprises and reversals, but sincerity and dedication will eventually be seen. And now, his most important "work"—those two little lives about to be born—is the "blockbuster" he will devote himself to next.

Chen Mo has been spending the last few days with the two of them, mainly keeping them company and talking to relieve their boredom; other matters are naturally handled by a dedicated team.

Since everyone here is in the entertainment industry, we naturally started talking about the most anticipated movies during the Spring Festival season.

"You're really ruthless. 'A Writer's Odyssey' is too tragic, isn't it? And did Yang Mi scold you back then? I remember she cared a lot about this movie," Fan Binbin asked curiously.

"What's the use of caring? She has indeed improved, but that's all. If I don't say anything, outsiders won't notice," Chen Mo said dismissively.

“Hey, Chen Mo, how about we go see a movie? We haven’t seen any of these films yet,” Zhang Yuqi suddenly suggested. “That’s a good suggestion, we’re just killing time anyway. But, in our current state, going to the cinema isn’t really appropriate, is it?” Fan Binbin said, frowning slightly.

Chen Mo smiled and said, "It's nothing, I'll make a call!"

Since the two of them were in the mood to watch a movie, Chen Mo naturally wanted to indulge them.

Although these movies are still showing in theaters, for Chen Mo, getting the source material to watch at home is no big deal.

After he finished the call, the digital video source was quickly sent over.

There was a screening room right here at the villa, and the three of them quickly arrived at the screening room to watch "Detective Chinatown 3" first!
The three sat on comfortable sofas in the screening room as the lights dimmed and the opening theme of "Detective Chinatown 3" began to play. Zhang Yuqi popped a plum into her mouth and mumbled, "I heard this movie got really bad reviews. I want to see just how bad it is."

Twenty minutes into the movie, Fan Binbin suddenly frowned and clutched her stomach: "Ouch. This little one is kicking hard. I guess he's upset by the loud music." Chen Mo quickly turned down the volume and gently stroked her protruding belly.

Halfway through the video, Chen Mo noticed that both pregnant women were frequently shifting their posture. He paused the video and said softly, "How about we watch it another day? The doctor said sitting for too long isn't good for you." Fan Binbin waved her hand, "No, it's getting really exciting!"

Zhang Yuqi chimed in, "Exactly, I want to see just how outrageous this movie is."

I finally finished watching the movie, albeit intermittently.

"Well, although the final answer was indeed a bit outrageous, overall it doesn't seem as bad as everyone says, does it?" Fan Binbin said objectively.

“Yeah, although it’s all slapstick and the case is rather mediocre and nothing particularly remarkable, as a commercial film, it should be considered passable, right? I checked the rating, and it’s actually dropped to 5.3. That’s too exaggerated!” Zhang Yuqi said with a look of surprise.

After listening to their comments, Chen Mo smiled and shook his head: "You're looking at this from the perspective of professional actors. Ordinary viewers don't care about the passing grade of commercial films—people pay for tickets to be surprised, not to follow a formula."

He picked up the remote and brought up the Douban page: "Look at these top comments: the reasoning is so childish it's insulting to intelligence! Wang Baoqiang's act of pretending to be crazy is as old-fashioned as ever, he really hasn't forgotten his original intention!"

Chen Mo said with a smile, "To put it bluntly, audiences have been suffering from Detective Chinatown-style comedies for too long."

"Of course, this is also closely related to the film's promotional strategy. The film's promotion has always focused on suspense and mystery, which has whetted the audience's appetite. In addition, since it was originally scheduled to be released last year, the audience's expectations have been even higher, which is why the backlash has been so strong."

"Is 'Hi, Mom' really that good?" Zhang Yuqi nudged Chen Mo curiously. "I heard it's even surpassed 'Detective Chinatown 3' at the box office?"

Chen Mo switched the projector to the opening credits of "Hi, Mom." Just as the scene of Jia Ling traveling back to the textile factory in the 80s was playing, Fan Binbin suddenly grabbed Chen Mo's hand: "Wait!"

Her eyes reddened as she stared at the scene on the screen where Li Huanying was mending her daughter's jeans: "This stitch... my mother did the same thing back then." Before she could finish speaking, tears were already streaming down her face.

It can only be said that pregnant women do experience more severe mood swings. Under normal circumstances, Fan Binbin would never have reacted this way.

Chen Mo quickly handed over tissues, only to see Zhang Yuqi secretly wiping her eyes as well. These two usually glamorous actresses were now crying uncontrollably over the rough blue overalls and chipped enamel mugs in the film. When they got to the line "My baby," Fan Binbin suddenly turned and punched Chen Mo: "It's all your fault! Pregnant women shouldn't be so emotional!"

"It's my fault, it's my fault." Chen Mo hurriedly tried to comfort him, but in his heart he remembered the netizen's words, "Sincerity is the ultimate weapon."

On the screen, Jia Ling's makeup was ruined by tears, and in the screening room, two expectant mothers cried so much that his shirt was soaked.

In a daze, he seemed to see the scene he would face in the future—after the arrival of three little lives, such tears and laughter would probably become a daily occurrence.

After the movie ended, Zhang Yuqi touched her belly and suddenly laughed: "If our baby is this naughty in the future, I'll learn from Jia Ling and travel back in time to beat him up when he was a child!"

Fan Binbin burst into laughter through his tears: "Then you'll have to ask Chen Mo for the time travel funding first—I heard that the cost of this film is less than a fraction of that of 'Detective Chinatown 3'."

"However, overall, 'Hi, Mom' really is just like you said, like a cotton-padded coat knitted by your mother - thick, warm, even a bit rustic, but able to withstand the coldest wind."

"It's still a bit hard to imagine. This movie doesn't seem as exaggerated as I thought! The box office has already exceeded 40 billion. It's really hard to understand. Chen Mo, why do you think this is?" Fan Binbin then asked, still puzzled.

Zhang Yuqi nodded and said, "If we're talking about how good it is and how moving it is, it seems like 'Dying to Survive' was better than 'Hi Mom' in every way, right? But the box office wasn't that exaggerated."

Chen Mo smiled and shook his head, saying, "Dying to Survive addresses societal pain points, but Li Huanying touches the softest spot in everyone's heart."

"Moreover, due to the pandemic, many people are now celebrating the Lunar New Year locally, so they have almost no resistance to this kind of emotional appeal."

Furthermore, people tend to sympathize with the underdog, and this applies to movies as well.

In the early stages, "Detective Chinatown 3" could be said to have completely outshone "Hi, Mom" ​​in terms of both publicity and screenings, but the difference in quality caused a backlash.

At this point, "Detective Chinatown 3" is undoubtedly the strong contender favored by capital, while "Hi, Mom" ​​is the weak one.

In this situation, the shortcomings of "Detective Chinatown 3" will be magnified, while the advantages of "Hi, Mom" ​​will also be magnified. With one gaining at the expense of the other, it is only natural that the latter will achieve a box office comeback.

However, this situation will change again once "Hi, Mom" ​​reaches a certain box office height.

"You mean 'Hi, Mom' became the stronger film because it had higher box office?" Fan Binbin asked thoughtfully.

"You could say that, but not entirely. As you just said, 'Hi, Mom' does seem more sincere, but it still can't escape the fact that this movie isn't really a masterpiece."

As I mentioned earlier, due to various reasons, the strengths of "Hi, Mom" ​​were amplified in the early stages, and coupled with the synergistic effect of the publicity, people overlooked the film's flaws.

But don't forget, this situation can't last forever. Once the audience starts to calm down, the merits will return to normal, and people will begin to examine the film more objectively.

In general, there are a few aspects. One aspect is that once you've cried, it's hard to be moved by the same trick again.

Compared to more mature films, the director's shortcomings become apparent. More importantly, the backlash from public opinion—from widespread sympathy to scrutiny of its flaws—is an inevitable fate for blockbuster films.

Actually, this situation also occurred with "Wolf Warrior 2".

Chen Mo found the page for "Hi, Mom" ​​on Douban, and actually, the seeds of this idea had already been sown at that point.

"On my second viewing, I discovered that Jia Ling's time-travel logic is full of loopholes, and the mother-daughter relationship relies entirely on forced emotional manipulation through music!"

"Compared to the social depth of 'Dying to Survive,' this film is like an extended sketch!"

"A seriously overrated movie. The cinematography is too much like a TV drama. It relies entirely on Shen Teng to carry the film."

"Is making money from your mother's death another form of consumption?"

"This movie doesn't deserve to be among the top three in film history; it's all thanks to its release date and marketing."

"See?" Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Actually, it was originally a letter written to a mother, which accidentally became a vehicle for national empathy. But conversely, a letter doesn't need a place in film history; its greatest significance is that it can remind people to call their mothers," Chen Mo added.

Fan Binbin and Zhang Yuqi nodded.

Chen Mo scrolled to a highly-rated comment: "Those who criticize it as overrated and those who cried their eyes out before may be the same group of viewers—we haven't changed, only our demands for movies have changed."

Fan Binbin suddenly took Chen Mo's hand and placed it on her belly: "Just like now, even though I know it's a routine, when Mom touches her belly and says, 'You have to be healthy,'..."

Before he could finish speaking, the little one in his belly suddenly kicked hard, and all three of them burst out laughing. Chen Mo felt the fetal movements rising and falling in his palm, and for a moment it felt as if he had touched something more eternal than box office success.

Night had fallen, and Chen Mo gently embraced the two of them. Outside the window, the cold moonlight of the first month shone, while inside, the unborn child kicked and thrashed about. He suddenly felt that, more than the box office success, the life pulse beneath his palm was a more real miracle.

(End of this chapter)