Generation Z Artists

Chapter 313 Good Movie? Bad Movie?
When the lights in the theater were restored, Fang Xinghe and Liu Yifei were overwhelmed by the crowd of viewers who rushed up to ask for autographs.

One by one, the celebrities left to attend a banquet organized by Warner, and as they passed through the crowd, they couldn't help but glance at the young man at the center.

Expressions of emotion rose and fell.

"Kate?" Leonardo DiCaprio asked with a mischievous grin, "Are you crying?"

"asshole!"

Kate retorted sharply, "You didn't watch such a touching movie with a smile, did you? Are you a cold-blooded animal?"

"What else? Do you expect me to cry?"

Leonardo DiCaprio is very stubborn.

"It's nothing special. You know, my teenage years were more exciting than a movie."

……

Leonardo DiCaprio was exaggerating, but male celebrities are generally less affected than female celebrities.

Tom Cruise next door remained calm, discussing all aspects of the film with his agent.

"SR was a success again."

"Yes, the box office should be great. It's a classic romance film that transcends cultural barriers."

"Most importantly, adults won't feel childish."

"Yes, even among adult viewers, Better Days would be rated even higher."

"Xiao Bei is another classic character. Do you think he could get close to me?"

"That's impossible, Tom, you'll always be the most special."

Even so, Tom Cruise still felt immense pressure.

Isn't Star River special?
He can write, direct, act, and fight; he's young, tall, and handsome... How could such a monster appear in China?!
"Fortunately, he is Chinese, thankfully..."

The only consolation is his nationality and skin color; otherwise, he would have become a replacement for many Hollywood stars.

"The next Mission: Impossible..."

Tom Cruise's eyes were brimming with eager anticipation.

"How about we cast him in a duo movie?"

"not so good."

The agent sighed and pointed out the truth—

"If 'Better Days' becomes another big hit, we won't be able to afford his price tag anymore, unless it fails at the box office, but is that even possible?"

Tom turned to look at the excited audience and slowly shook his head.

"It will be the box office champion this week. The Fast and the Furious is no match for it. We can only wait for the Hulk to snatch it away."

"Praise the Hulk."

The agent made the sign of the cross on his chest.

"Thank goodness we still have it."

They had no grudge against Fang Xinghe, but the quality of "Better Days" made all the Hollywood stars feel a sense of crisis and vigilance.

If we can't build a close working relationship, then next time... we'll all be enemies.

……

Scarlett looked at Liu Yifei with envy and sighed, "She's so lucky."

Natalie Portman tried hard to keep her composure and not want to show her jealousy in public, but her response couldn't help but be tinged with sourness.

"Yes, she's really lucky."

After repeating it once more, she made another sarcastic remark to Scarlett.

"You're a prodigy about to compete in Venice, are you jealous?"

Scarlett Johansson's completed films, "Lost in Translation" and "Girl with a Pearl Earring," are both notorious flops in the industry. The former was extremely low-budget, and the latter was too classical and serious; both were types that were not highly regarded before filming.

However, with the news that two art films were about to be screened at the film festival, Scarlett began to be envied by her peers.

To be able to play the lead role at the age of 18, even if it's just an art film, is already a stroke of luck that only one in a million can achieve.

What's even worse is that it's an art film that's qualified for awards!

Scarlett Johansson's invitation to the premiere of "The Younger" is the best proof of her sudden rise in status.

Now, it's her turn to be jealous of others.

"Bitch!"

Scarlett muttered a curse under her breath, and no one could tell whether she was cursing Natalie or Liu Yifei.

She stormed off—like all young actresses, avoiding reporters and refusing to give any interviews.

"Less Than You" is a good movie, which is why they were so vulnerable.

……

The media, of course, wouldn't miss the opportunity and stopped each of the superstars for interviews.

"Hey, Mr. Will Smith, what did you think of the movie?"

"Fantastic!" Will Smith exaggeratedly wiped his eyes. "They overcame the outside world and they overcame themselves. They saved everything with love. This is the best teen movie I've ever seen. My God, I can't believe I cried over a teen movie!"

……

In contrast, Tom Hanks is particularly serious and proper.

“SR possesses unparalleled talent in every aspect. He captured a youth that is different from ours, but it is beautiful and memorable. I won’t send him a congratulatory message right away, but I will recommend it in any situation. It deserves all the praise.”

……

"Nicole, as an Oscar-winning actress, how would you rate Crystal's acting skills?"

"Very full, very realistic, and very explosive."

Nicole Kidman used "very" three times in a row.

"Although she is just a newcomer, she is already a film queen of the same level as me. Ms. Liu's future is limitless, and it is only a matter of time before she surpasses us."

The former Mrs. Cruise gave Fang Ge a lot of face, almost elevating the young fairy to a pedestal.

Since there's no conflict of interest, no matter how good Liu Yifei's acting is, she can't steal her resources. If not now, when?

……

"Sister Mai, Sister Mai, what did you think of the movie?"

"awesome!"

Madonna, in her forties, was as excited as a 14-year-old girl, chattering on and on.

"I love this story, I love SR's cinematography, I love Xiao Bei and Nian's performances, I love this perfect ending, I love everything!"
Better days!

Yes, as long as we hold hope and love in our hearts, every day is a better day!

This was an extremely enjoyable movie-watching experience!

This story is much simpler and easier to understand than I imagined. I don't need to think hard; I just need to immerse myself in it, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing, and finally yelling "Fuck it!" That's it!
That was awesome! Seriously, I felt like this movie thrilled me from head to toe, especially that long take at the end. When it accelerated and circled to show that Z-shaped shot, my heart felt like it was going to explode...

Okay, I'm going to find my makeup artist now. I need to ask her to try shaving an "M" on the right side of my scalp...

Fuck! That's a fucking genius idea! SR is a genius, yes, he's the best!

……

Most of the celebrities who attended the premiere said positive things.

However, this kind of commercial hype only matters to fans. Stars might get excited about it, but the real reputation ultimately depends on what ordinary viewers think.

Warner's investigators blocked the middle of the hall and distributed about 880 questionnaires.

98% of ordinary viewers filled out the questionnaire carefully.

The remaining 2% were interviewed by various media outlets.

How satisfied are you with this movie?

Very satisfied, 821 copies.

"What is your willingness to recommend it to your friends?"

Highly recommended, 808 copies.

Would you like to watch it again?

I will rewatch it more than 3 times, 560 copies.

What is your favorite scene or image?

The final scene features a Z-shaped icon, numbering 855.

……

The live program, produced by WarnerMedia's TBS television network, interviewed a large number of celebrities and ordinary people. The celebrities weren't the main draw; the real entertainment value came from the girls who were laughing, crying, and acting crazy.

"My name is Elena, I'm from Texas, I'm 14 years old, I'm so sad..."

This is a typical American girl who is very beautiful in the conventional sense. She has blonde hair, big eyes and a big mouth. She looks silly and cute when she cries. She is holding Fang Xinghe's autographed poster tightly in her arms.

"Okay, Elena, please calm down... Why are you crying?"

Elena's sobs intensified.

"I, I, I remembered my shitty ex-boyfriend. When those bitches were bullying me, he told me: 'Hey, don't cause trouble. They're the core of the cheerleading squad. I don't want to lose face in front of my brothers...'"

The reporter's eyes widened: "So, you're a victim of both bullying and your boyfriend? Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

Irina wiped away more and more tears, and her expression grew increasingly angry.

“Those bitches sprayed glue into my shoes, cut my tank tops, stole my socks to masturbate to guys, and deliberately tried to seduce my ex-boyfriend in front of me... and my shitty boyfriend actually told me they were just joking!”

FUCK! I will never forgive him!

The reporter was extremely curious: "So how did you do it?"

Irina proudly raised her head: "I found a new boyfriend who plays on the rugby team, and I beat him up!"

reporter:"……"

Irina quickly lowered her head, dejected, and murmured, "Unfortunately, my new boyfriend isn't right either. He never thought about protecting me; he only wanted to sleep with me. Now I understand, that wasn't love at all."

"So, what kind of love do you want?"

"Like Xiao Bei, protect me wholeheartedly, save me, and share all the bad things with me!"

"Well, the requirements aren't low. You know, that's just a movie."

No! That's not it!

Irina suddenly raised her head, her eyes shining brightly.

"There must be men like Xiao Bei in this world, I just haven't met him yet, but I'll wait and see!"

The host shrugged in the studio.

"Wow, let's pity Elena's boyfriend for two seconds. He's probably going to get dumped soon... It's not his fault. Who can resist Star River?"
Before the age of 20, no woman can resist the magic of Star River.

Although this is just a role he plays, I dare say Z will cause a huge stir. We'll see!

……

No need to wait and see; the very next day, a bizarre trend emerged in many parts of the United States of breaking up after watching a movie.

In fact, print media were completely out of touch with this surreal phenomenon; it was Warner Bros.' investigation department that uncovered these farces at the cinemas.

"You don't love me at all!"

"I……"

"Shut up, you bitch! You stuck your tongue out on our first date!"

"???"

Not only did the boyfriends find it outrageous, but Fang Xinghe also found the report outrageous.

Where did this propaganda go wrong?

Warner Music wanted to capitalize on this incident for publicity, but Fang Ge stopped them on the spot.

"Suppress it. Now we must focus our attention on the issue of bullying."

"why?"

Warner's operators were utterly baffled.

"At this crucial moment for box office success, why actively try to cool things down?"

Fang Xinghe thought this guy was as stupid as a pig, but because he still needed his cooperation, he had to explain it clearly.

"Because from June to the end of August, we only have one romance film. The box office revenue related to youth, love, and campus will be ours sooner or later."

However, the element of bullying is different.

The window of opportunity for the anti-bullying movement to take hold was only a few days ago.

If we over-promote youth romance and cause large numbers of couples to attend, then those isolated victims of bullying may be unwilling to come to see the film.

During the first week of release, we will only promote these core elements—

A film that is realistic, profound, and anti-bullying, featuring award-winning actors and actresses who undergo a transformation through suffering!

All other hot topics should be pushed to the back, and released slowly and rhythmically to attract new audiences.

But in the first week, I only want those marginalized audiences, and you can only amplify their voices!
Can you understand me?

The person in charge was completely convinced and almost kowtowed to Brother Fang.

As the saying goes, true knowledge can be summed up in a single sentence. Fang Xinghe's actions opened a new window for his marketing philosophy, revealing a much wider world outside.

"Understood, we will definitely manage public opinion well!"

Warner's all-out effort quickly made Fang Xinghe realize the influence of this top giant.

"Is this the film that won three Cannes awards?" — Los Angeles Daily News

"This is the film that won three Cannes Film Festival awards!" — The Washington Post

The media outlets are all saying different things, seemingly one criticizing and the other praising, but in reality they are arguing about the same thing.

Furthermore, by arguing, the audience's attention is firmly drawn to the theme that Fang Xinghe wants to explore.

The people of Los Angeles still regard Fang Xinghe as an enemy, but their perspective has been completely controlled.

Film critics mocked Fang Xinghe for taking advantage of the subject matter in his three Cannes Film Festival wins, but then accused him of using a false pretense to promote his film, calling "Better Days" a vulgar commercial film and a childish teenage fairy tale.

"Using profundity as a seasoning, serving only emotions throughout, it is vulgar and hypocritical, and does not deserve the title of best director at all. It is only slightly commendable in terms of acting."

"The Palme d'Or for 'Elephant' was well-deserved. The Cannes jury was not blind. It would have been even more perfect if they had not compromised because of the influence of SR."

"The anti-bullying theme is good enough material, but unfortunately, SR, as the director, only focused on looking cool and completely wasted the true potential of this theme."

"This was supposed to be a heart-wrenching sad story, but SR made it hilarious."

"The story doesn't do justice to their performance!"

……

There are a lot of critics, which is not surprising. Universal and Sony have both joined in, and the Los Angeles media, which already hates Fang Xinghe, are also involved. With so many people, there's always an angle to nitpick.

However, your brother Fang is not alone.

Washington media unconditionally stood behind him, and film critic Erge immediately published an article refuting his claims.

"A good movie in the general sense must have enough emotion..."

Stephen Hunter conveys an idea to the general public from a very fresh perspective, deconstructing the criticisms of Fang Xinghe by Western film critics.

He explained it this way: The emotions in a movie can be tense and exciting, cathartic, profound and melancholic, or even mindless laughter.

The only thing that cannot be is feeling depressed or stifled, or feeling sad and melancholy.

This is a completely different logic between movies and TV series.

TV dramas have long run periods, so they need to keep viewers hooked with dramatic plots and intricate emotional storylines. Therefore, every major turning point has to be a dramatic one to create intense excitement and keep viewers hooked.

Ending with tragedy creates a deeper memory and a lingering sense of unease.

This approach is based on the logic of free access and a long playback period.

No matter how tragic the ending is, viewers have been following the show for so long, and they will watch it to the end out of habit.

Therefore, most dramas are tragic, and people rejoice in death and despise life.

But movies can't do that; the logic of movies is to love life and hate death.

Two hours is a one-time consumer product for which you pay to buy a ticket. If it is made too tragic and miserable, once word of mouth spreads, viewers who have not seen it will definitely be afraid to pay to suffer.

Since the advent of cinema, no film has ever been considered one of the most tragic or devastating in film history.

The Big Ship doesn't count. The core of The Big Ship is a poignant love story that lasts until death. The disaster is just the surface, and humanity is just an embellishment. The ending is tragic, but the overall story isn't tragic. Jack suffers, but Rose doesn't.

Correct examples are "Schindler's List" and "1942". As universally recognized classic films, their actual box office performance was extremely poor. Those who have seen them praised them highly, but dared not watch them a second time. Those who have not seen them know they are good movies, but do not want to endure that kind of pain. This is the result of the audience voting with their feet.

"Less You" also revolves around love, but it's not suitable to be made into a tragedy.

Because the primary audience for "Better Days" is teenage boys and girls, if you make them a deeply painful tragedy, they won't praise your realism; they'll just jump up and down cursing and rant about what a load of rubbish it is.

Only at the current stage of filming is it just right, a perfect fusion of art and commerce.

In summary, Stephen Hunter's point is: "Less Than You" is great, logically sound, entertaining and fun, and young people should feel free to watch it!

The two groups of film critics argued fiercely, and the box office of "Better Days" soared in this atmosphere.

Three days later, just as the opening weekend box office rankings were released, something interesting happened.

(End of this chapter)