Film fans in Asia want light fun, make Oscars wait

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Lights, camera, laughs.

Tens of millions of film fanatics are entering theatres around Asia during the long Lunar New Year holiday, but Hollywood can't count on them to boost the box office for its mostly serious Oscar nominees. Even with the Academy Awards buzz at a peak barely two weeks before the ceremony, patrons are opting for lighter fare.

"Viewers are mostly drawn to action films, films with special effects, comedies or easy-to-follow 'popcorn' movies," said Mr Ross Lee, a manager with Vieshow Cinemas, which owns one of Taiwan's largest theatre chains. "In Taiwan the big hits are traditionally disaster films like 2012."

Mr Lee and others say that with Chinese moviegoers using the New Year holiday to escape their daily grinds, they generally give the cold shoulder to weightier movies, like this year's leading nominee Lincoln or last year's best picture The Artist.