CJ7 () is a 2008 Hong Kong–Chinese comic science fiction film co-written, co-produced, starring, and directed by Stephen Chow. It was released on January 31, 2008, in Hong Kong. It was also released on March 14, 2008, in the United States. In August 2007 the film was given the title CJ7, a play on China's successful Shenzhou crewed space missions—Shenzhou 5 and Shenzhou 6. It was previously known by a series of working titles—Alien, Yangtze River VII, Long River 7 and most notably, A Hope. The title probably refers to the Chinese name of the Yangtze River, which is Changjiang. CJ7 was filmed in Ningbo, in the Zhejiang province of China. Plot Chow Ti is a poor construction worker. He lives in a partially demolished house with his nine-year-old son, Dicky. Ti is eager to save money so he can continue sending his son to private school. Not much is known about Dicky's mother, other than the fact she had died when Dicky was young upon Dicky being questioned by Ms. Yuen, Dicky's teacher, one morning as to where his parents were. Dicky is often bullied by other children, in particular by a boy named Johnny. Johnny is the son of a rich family and bosses other students around at school. He also has other students as his henchmen. Dicky is also chided by his teachers at school because he is poor and wears shabby clothes. Ti often helps Dicky to obtain things from the junkyard as they are too poor to afford certain items, such as his shoes that are tattered. During P.E class, Dicky is punished for wearing torn up shoes and is to stand away. He is sad as he really enjoys doing sports, hoping to have a pair of better shoes soon. Maggie, a large girl in his class joins him as she did not want to participate in P.E class. She also develops a crush on Dicky. One day, while at a department store, Dicky begs his father to buy him a popular robotic toy called CJ1. Ti cannot afford it, and the situation ends badly when Ti smacks the stubborn Dicky in front of other customers. Dicky finds comfort in Ms. Yuen who is passing by. That night, Ti visits the junkyard where he often picks up home appliances and clothes for Dicky. He finds a strange green orb left by a space saucer