Hey U.S! Win Tickets To Stephen Chow's THE MERMAID (MEI REN YU)
The runaway box-office success of Stephen Chow's The Mermaid (Mei Ren Yu) caught its U.S. distributor off-guard, to say the least.
Receiving little to no publicity, the film nonetheless sold out screenings over the weekend in (very) select engagements. Our own J. Hurtado reported on Sunday via social media: "My evening screening yesterday was completely sold out and not a Caucasian face in the room." Clearly, Asian audiences know Stephen Chow, and I'd wager a fair number were impelled to go thanks to extremely positive word of mouth. (Mr. Hurtado was extremely favorable in his review).
The Mermaid earned more than $1 million at the U.S. box office, despite only playing in 35 theaters, giving it the highest per-screen average. That's just a touch of gravy, considering it's grossed more than $400 million already in the rest of the world, but it's still extremely impressive for a foreign-language release in the U.S.
Happily, the distributor is making up for lost time. The film will be expanding to additional cities starting on Friday, February 26. (See list below.)
UPDATED 2/26: The giveaway is now concluded. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Giveaway: We also have two pairs of tickets to see the film in theaters in any of the markets the film is currently playing in. To enter the giveaway, which is for U.S. residents only, please send us an email with your name and address, confirm that you are a U.S. resident, tell us where you'd like to see the movie, and then give us the title of your favorite Stephen Chow movie. We'll select two people at random from entries received by 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on Thursday, February 25, 2016. Tickets will only be good until next Thursday, March 3.
P.S. Note that the film is more likely to be listed under its original title (Mei Ren Yu) rather than its English counterpart (The Mermaid). More information is available at the official sites listed below.
Los Angeles - Now Playing
Cinemark Baldwin Hills 18
AMC Atlantic Times Square 14
Cantonese Version Also Playing at Atlantic Times Square from 2/26 !
AMC Puente Hills 20
AMC Orange 30
AMC Tustin 14
Los Angeles - Opening 2/26
AMC Santa Anita 16
AMC Loews Broadway 4
AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19
Cinemark 18
AMC Century City 15
Edwards University Town Center 6
AMC Santa Anita 16
Berkeley - Opening 26/2
Shattuck Cinema
New York
National College Point Multiplex
AMC Empire 25
Cantonese Version Also Playing at Empire from 2/26 !
New York - Opening 2/26
Landmark Sunshine Manhatten
AMC Loews Jersey Gardens 20
Boston
AMC Boston Commons 19
Washington
AMC Loews Rio 18
Washington - Opening 2/26
AMC Hoffman Center 22
Baltimore/Washington
Regal Rockville Center Stadium 13
Baltimore - Opening 2/26
Cinemark Egyptian 24
Philadelphia
AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24
Philadelphia - Opening 2/26
AMC Neshaminy 24
Pittsburgh
AMC Loews Waterfront 22
San Francisco
Cinemark Daly City 20
Cinemark Great Mall 20
AMC Metreon 16
AMC Cupertino Square 16
San Francisco - Opening 2/26
Cinemark Century Stadium 25
San Diego
AMC La Jolla 12
San Diego - Opening 2/26
AMC Mission Valley 20
Las Vegas - Opening 2/26
AMC Town Square 18
Phoenix
AMC Center Point 11
Nashville - Opening 2/26
AMC Regency 24
Atlanta-Chamblee
Regal Hollywood 24 @North I-85
Atlanta - Opening 2/26
AMC Phipps Plaza 14
AMC Southlake Pavillion 24
Charlotte NC - Opening 2/26
AMC Concorde Mills 24
Detroit - Opening 2/26
AMC Livonia 20
Jacksonville - Opening 2/26
AMC Regency 24
New Orleans - Opening 2/26
AMC Elmwood Palace 20
Tampa - St Petersburg - Opening 2/26
AMC Veterans 24
Bloomington IL
AMC Showplace 11
Miami
AMC Sunset Place 24
Miami- Opening 2/26
AMC Adventura Mall 24
Orlando- Opening 2/26
Regal Waterfront Lakes Stadium 20
Durham SC
AMC Southpoint 17
Kansas City - Opening 2/26
AMC Town Center 20
Cleveland-Akron - Opening 2/26
Cinemark At Valley View
Champaign IL - Opening 2/26
Carmike
Minneapolis-St Paul - Opening 2/26
AMC Showplace Inver Grove 16
Lansing MI - Opening 2/26
NCG Eastwood
Chicago
AMC River East 21
Columbus OH
AMC Lennox Town Center 24
San Antonio TX - Opening 2/26
Santikos Silverado 16
Tempe AR - Opening 2/26
Hawkins Arizona Mills 25
Dallas
AMC Grapevine Mills 30
Houston
AMC Studio 30
Houston- Opening 2/26
AMC Gulf Pointe 30
Seattle
AMC Pacific Place 11
Sacramento - Opening 2/26
UA Laguna Village 12
Portland OR - Opening 2/26
Regal Fox Stadium Tower 10
Honolulu - Opening 2/26
Cons Kahala 8
Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18