Hong Kong comedian Stephen Chow has been a major player in the area's film industry for almost two decades, but it wasn't until 2001's "Shaolin Soccer" followed by 2004's "Kung Fu Hustle" that Chow really rocketed to the stratosphere, where he currently presides over Chinese-language cinema like a heavenly king. Those two pictures, which Chow starred in, produced, co-wrote and directed, featured fancy computer-generated effects and Chow in the lead as a loveable loser who gets his moment of glory.

The filmmaker's latest underdog tale, "CJ7," is a combination of drama, science fiction, parody and romance. Chow, wearing rags and long hair streaked with gray, plays Mr. Chow, who lives with his preadolescent son Dicky (Xu Jiao). The two live in a dump that doesn't come with air-conditioning, a TV or even a door. Their only entertainment seems to be competing with each other to see who can kill the most cockroaches.

At work, Chow suffers abuse from his coworkers. At school, Dicky is subjected to harassment by his classmates and teachers. Only sexy teacher Miss Yuen (Kitty Zhang) takes an interest in the boy's welfare.

Things change with the arrival of CJ7, an alien the size of a small dog. It possesses magical abilities that are never exactly specified, but eventually CJ7 helps Chow and Dicky find a bit of redemption in their squalid lives.

major player 重量级人物

to rocket to the stratosphere 大为走红;声名大噪

to preside (v.) 主宰;主导

fancy (adj.) 华丽的;精緻的

underdog (n.) 居劣势者;失败者

dump (n.) 场地;垃圾场

air-conditioning 冷气;空调

to take an interest in 对…感兴趣;在乎

to specify (v.) 详细陈述;列举

squalid (adj.) 肮髒的;悲惨的