Innovative duo's 'post-80s' humor is a treat, for Chinese and the Chinese-challenged

As the first Beijing International Film Festival was winding down late last month, two upstart Beijing moviemakers were also creating a big splash - just not on any big screen. The Chopsticks Brothers have made the Internet their showcase for two short videos that are attracting viewers in numbers that would thrill your average traditional filmmaker.

Xiao Yang and Wang Taili, both from Beijing, first wowed fans last year with their nostalgic "post-80s" comedy called Old Boys. It attracted more than 32 million views on Chinese video-sharing website Youku. This year, The Ultimate Winner, a 30-second video about the urban angst of a Chinese man in mid-life crisis, has already piled up enough "hits" since its release in late April to most likely reach millions of viewers.

Youku and China Mobile backed the Chopsticks Brothers' work as part of the 11 Degrees New Media Film Project, which previously also supported popular online series such as Miss Puff's Goldfish Bowl and Hip-Hop Office Quartet.

I became a Chopsticks Brothers fan last year, not by going straight to Youku but by first reading about Old Boys on English-language Chinese websites. Instead of traditional reviews, I read some of the praise posted by netizens. So I watched it. Some of the inside jokes sailed right over my head, but there were similarities to the pranks and teenage angst I'd seen in US director John Hughes' popular movies, namely The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink.

I'm not Chinese and long past the "post-80s" age range that the Chopsticks Brothers reportedly aimed their first online video at, but I was hooked. Here was a story that told me something about young Chinese adults in ordinary settings, with the kind of humor and hope that can transcend age and language differences. Overly sentimental? Yes. Low-budget? Obviously. Did I have a good time watching it? Yes.

The Ultimate Winner has better sets and even some special effects. It also boasts a mature story line that likely will attract a wider demographic because it can resonate with the post-80s set and also much older audiences. And it still has the stuff that can make us laugh and scoff or tug at our heartstrings.

This video's central character is more complex. He's not a nice guy. He cheats on his wife, doesn't answer a phone call about his dying mother - and worse (watch the video). He's too focused on his career, social status and denying his own approaching demise.

China's netizens have reacted in mixed fashion, with some heaping scorn on the character, while others find themselves emotionally moved despite the character's flaws. That's the kind of moviemaking (or in this case, online video-making) that has audiences talking about a story long after the film has ended. It inspires others to want to watch, too.

My complaint is the same as one I saw on an English-language website. They should pay more attention to the subtitles for their Chinese-challenged audiences. But what I see and read in the subtitles is enough to make me want to some day see the work of these two Beijing artists on big screens in movie theaters. After enjoying their work for free, I will happily stand in line to pay for a ticket to see a feature-length film.

Until then, I'm grateful that innovative sponsors like Youku and China Mobile are backing the work of China's up-and-coming new media talents, and eager to see what evolves in the next online video from the Chopsticks Brothers.

The author is a copy editor for Chinadaily.com.cn. To comment, e-mail metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of METRO.