The Best Director-Chapter 470 - Trouble Big Time!

Chapter 470 -470 Trouble Big Time!

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“Hahaha!” Peals of laughter echoed through the packed screening room as two squirrels tussled over an acorn on the big screen. Seeing Scrat miserably plummet off a cliff and into a river, creating a heart-shaped ripple, the audience burst into laughter once again. Children, young people, and parents alike all wore relaxed, joyful smiles, deeply drawn in by the engaging story on screen, and soon they were laughing maniacally together: “Hahaha!”

This scene played out in 3,869 North American Cinemas and tens of thousands of theaters worldwide; “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” did not disappoint the long-waiting fans! Blue Sky Studios produced another sequel that was a hit with both little kids and big kids!

But it was not well-received in the critical sphere. The movie sported a green splat of rottenness on the front page of Rotten Tomatoes, and the review section was practically a chorus of criticism. Ben Mankiewicz of “At The Movies” said, “Of course, it’s not terrible, but you’ll forget it in no time, which suggests you might as well ignore it.” Betsy Sharkey of the “Los Angeles Times” commented, “Why is there a third part to this animated tale? It should freeze in its tracks.” Roger Moore from the “Orlando Sentinel” remarked, “Some of the jokes work, the story feels like it’s been put together by a committee of BlackBerry users.”…

“IA2” had a freshness rating of only 57% and 59%, and the third installment “progressed” even further, with a general freshness rating of 45%, and a top critics freshness rating of 33%!

Many critics expressed the hope that this would be the last “IA” installment, which has become a main critique of Blue Sky Studios. “High School Musical,” “Ice Age,” “The Hangover,” “Step Up,” “Saw,” the “Furious Cars” series; hardly any major studio can keep up with the pace of Blue Sky Studios’ sequel production, not to mention the independent ones. While some received decent reviews, others did not.

Lionsgate had two sequels this year, “Paranormal Activity 4” and “Madea’s Family Reunion” after a year’s gap—both are currently its cash cows; New Line had two as well, with “Final Destination 3” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” after a three-year gap…

Whereas Blue Sky Studios’ “The Hangover Part III,” “Furious Cars 2,” and “Saw IV” were all set to debut. No doubt, other companies could not envy enough the bounty of quality resources; Blue Sky Studios, adept at leveraging sequels, became one of the most successful film companies today.

A key factor is maintaining a good reputation with the audience; “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” scored an audience approval of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with many user reviewers giving high scores. Ajaymuthecooldevils praised: “Wow! I never thought ‘IA’ would be such a successful franchise; the first one was great, the second was hilarious, and now the third… still good! The story is the best in the ‘IA’ series, but it’s not as fun as the second one.” Roy G. stated: “Blue Sky Studios promotes the ‘IA’ series as family-friendly animation and I completely agree.” Dean! reviewed: “Lots of new elements, another great ‘IA’ movie. It’s just as good as its predecessors, and I liked it slightly more than the second one, happily seeing some dinosaur plotlines, plenty of comedic moments, and fantastic animation.”

“‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ is the best adventure of our prehistoric animal friends in the trilogy,” and 45% of the critics who appreciated it gave it a thumbs-up, including Roger Ebert, who lavishly praised this installment as the perfect trilogy finale in the “Chicago Sun-Times.”

With the film critics and audiences divided, the box office numbers seemed to be the best proof: a weekend gross of $70.16 million! An average of $18,136 per theater! “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” irresistibly clinched the opening weekend’s top spot (March 31 – April 2), with second-placed “The Insider” earning only $15.43 million, and Warner Bros’ new film “New American Story” ($11.55 million), Universal’s “The Torn Individual” ($3.88 million), and Sony/Columbia’s “Basic Instinct 2” ($3.2 million) all suffered dismal defeats.

If audiences love watching these prehistoric creatures so much, why not continue producing excellent sequels? After such a robust win on the opening weekend, its final box office performance is worth anticipating, though the non-holiday weekdays that follow the first week may not see any outstanding achievements.

Nonetheless, breaking $80 million in North America during the first week wouldn’t be a challenge, and the overseas market was even more fruitful, claiming victory in Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom… Blue Sky Studios’ first hit of 2006 garnered near perfect results.

“Ooof! I’m so tired…” The door to the apartment swung open, a click and the living room was suddenly illuminated, followed by a thud as the door closed. Nancy placed her briefcase, purse, and other items on the storage cabinet and, with closed eyes, she made her way to the sofa and collapsed into it, not wanting to move an inch.

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With “Saw IV” having wrapped up filming and moving into post-production, the crew disbanded, and Nancy, the logistic coordinator producer, also completed her task. Now, in addition to being the assistant director for “I Am Legend” and the American version of “Infernal Affairs,” she was also Wang Yang’s producing assistant, juggling various jobs.

It’s said that some legendary movie producers, the monster-like figures in the industry, sleep only about four to five hours a day. Despite having six or seven assistants, they still find themselves short of hands, exhausting everyone else while they remain energetic, continuously spouting brilliant ideas and doling out task after task – much like Miranda from “The Devil Wears Prada.”

In Nancy’s view, Wang Yang was exactly such a monster, an enhanced version of one. She hadn’t felt it so much when it was just one movie, but now that he was producing two movies at the same time and at such a rapid pace… she began to wonder whether Wang Yang needed any sleep at all. She heard he would go home after work to attend to his wife and kids. A somewhat unkind speculation crossed her mind: did he still make love at night? He probably did, which was really impressive…

In a daze, Nancy remembered the casting sessions that took place that day. The preparations for the American version of “Infernal Affairs” were moving forward daily. These days, Wang Yang had been busy with the main characters’ auditions, like today’s for the role of officer Jack Nicholson and several others. Wang Yang was very satisfied with Nicholson, but the candidate for “Lau Kin Ming” and other roles remained a mystery. However, the cast would be finalized by the end of April at the latest, giving the actors two months to prepare.

“Forever-Young, I-Want-To-Be-Forever-Young, Do-You-Really-Want-To-Live-Forever, Forever-And-Ever…”

After who knows how long, the cellphone ringtone suddenly resounded. Alphaville sang for a good while before Nancy woke up with a yawn and took out her phone from her pocket. Sure enough, it was “Forever Young”! Perhaps he needed more time for his family, so more work fell on his subordinates. In other words, Wang Yang had become even better at delegating. But Nancy was not one to delay. Without exaggeration, to work for Wang Yang was an immense honor, and to earn his satisfying “Well done!” was very inspiring and made her happy.

“This is Nancy; Wang Yang, please speak,” Nancy answered the call. After a “Hey, Nancy!” came Wang Yang’s endless talk on the other side: “I think you should prepare some audition questions for tomorrow’s casting. I worry mine won’t be enough. Remember, don’t think from the usual casting perspective. Be as tricky as possible. To be frank with you, you know these people are no rookies. To satisfy everyone, we can’t make it feel too easy for them, you understand? Hahaha! And the acting exercises…”

Nancy softly said “OK,” as he went on, her phone also catching the clear laughter of Keke and faintly the shouting of Jessica: “Yang, don’t lift the baby so high, it’s too dangerous! HEY——”

After a while, things on the other side seemed to get even more hectic before the call ended. Nancy perked up and began to think of tough questions to ask, but she couldn’t help but chuckle a few times, finally understanding why he was so popular with women—cunning + smart + considerate. What should the question be? Nodding her head, she shouted, “Hang in there, Nancy!!”

Wang Yang had no choice but to do this, given the number of big names at the auditions. Each one was a force to be reckoned with, with the astonishing presence of the four young talents Natalie, Natalie, Scarlett, and Hathaway alone. Add to that Emily Blunt, Jessica Bell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sara Michelle Gellar, Eliza Dushku, Alexis Braidel… including Michelle Williams.

A surge of Hollywood’s it-girls under 30 came all at once. Some were recommended by their agents, but most were proactively seeking the role. When the media learned of this shortlist, they referred to it as a “Supernatural Phenomenon.” These were not fameless, jobless newcomers but rather popular young stars in their prime. For so many to vie for one or two supporting roles seemed almost beneath their status, and being eliminated would seem rather amusing, wouldn’t it?

The behind-the-scenes gossip for the American version of “Infernal Affairs” went something like “For the role of the female doctor, who, who, who, who… auditioned, but in the end, they all lost to whom?” No matter if the actresses themselves were annoyed, their management agencies wouldn’t allow such a label of failure.

But this time was different. A look at who the director was made the reason clear. For these women, whether single, in a relationship, engaged, or married, this was a grand showdown at Mount Hua, a chance for regret if not seized.

Yet this left Wang Yang with a “happy dilemma.” Each of these individuals came to audition with full confidence and enthusiastic anticipation, with hardly anyone known as a poor actor among the media and public. Who didn’t believe in their own great talent? Not to mention, the likes of Natalie and Natalie held their heads high, mostly convinced they would land a role.

Human emotions are incredibly complex, and amongst the list of candidates, some were well-known as Wang Yang’s close brothers, good friends, and those he had personally ushered onto the big screen. If he ultimately chose Natalie or Emily for the role of the female doctor, what would be the mindset of those who weren’t selected? Even if they originally felt indifferent, as time passed, their agents and friends might incessantly complain and express regret, potentially leading to a change in their attitudes.

Wang Yang didn’t think Natalie would, and Scarlett probably wouldn’t either, but perhaps Emily might blame him: “I was at a loss from the start.”

It was no longer the casting days of High School Musical, where everyone was a rookie fresh out of the gate, with no assurance the film wouldn’t flop, and Jessica even declined Idle Hands due to this. A loss was simply a loss, and people like Eliza and Hewitt couldn’t hold a grudge; nor was it like with Juno, because the two roles this time weren’t as unique as Juno’s, and it was virtually just about “playing a woman well,” yet it turned into a highly publicized and huge casting endeavor.

Of course, Wang Yang wasn’t afraid of them getting angry. If later he took the initiative to work with any one of them and that person was unenthusiastic, he’d deal with that then. He couldn’t worry about that now! However, a perfect solution lay before him now: to make those who weren’t selected accept their loss wholeheartedly.

It wasn’t about admiring their competition; that was impossible. Setting aside pride issues, they couldn’t yet see the others’ audition tapes. It was about acknowledging and respecting him and the production team, and the audition itself, realizing that it wasn’t just about “playing a woman well,” but that their own performance was lacking and they had botched it.

Sometimes, Wang Yang really didn’t want to deal with it anymore. He continued to teach Keke to speak while leaving the headache of casting to the casting director! But he knew these women came for him; he was auditioning the lead actor, supporting actors, and a list of potential leading ladies that shone bright—how could he personally not show up for their auditions? Beyond disappointment, they would still hold him responsible… In fact, the same approach had to be applied to the character “Lau Kin Ming.”

At first, because Natalie and Rachel were both unavailable, he didn’t pay much attention, responding with “Okay, let’s see how the audition goes” to anyone wanting to join the competition. Having agreed to this one, it was hard to say no to another, and in the end…

Either way, Wang Yang knew that the auditions in the coming days wouldn’t be easy. He intended to stump all these women, including Natalie Portman, and make them feel defeated!

“Baby, goodnight.” “Baby, goodnight.” As night deepened, the two of them tucked Keke into bed and stepped out of the baby’s room with light footsteps.

In the hallway, Wang Yang suddenly pulled Jessica into his arms and whispered, “It’s just the two of us now.” Jessica’s eyes danced as she curled her lips slightly: “And then?” Wang Yang kissed her lips lightly like a dragonfly skimming water, his hands gently stroking her silky hair and shoulders: “Then, we need to do some practice.” She blinked with feigned confusion: “What sort of practice?” His hands slowly moved downward: “Don’t you want to have another baby? That requires going through a mysterious ceremony, and we need to practice properly.”

“But you have a lot of work tomorrow.” “It doesn’t matter, it’ll only make me more energetic and focused.”…

The night passed and the sun rose, with a pleasantly warm morning sun under the clear blue sky. Refreshing sea breezes blew in, soothing body and soul. Outside the Santa Monica headquarters of the Flame company, there was no red carpet laid, yet the place shone brighter than some obscure film festivals or premieres, as Flame employees saw many beautiful stars arriving!

“Hey, Kayla, good morning!” Dressed in a casual black T-shirt and jeans, Natalie exuded an air of calm confidence—she was going to win today! Just as she was about to enter the Flame Building, she spotted Kayla Knightley in a blue plaid shirt and jeans. Natalie approached her with a beaming smile, determined to snatch the role of the psychologist, and according to her agent’s intelligence, Knightley was also eager to play that very role.

The two had known each other since filming ‘Star Wars Episode I’ (from June 26, 1997, to September 30, 1997). Back then, Natalie played Queen Amidala, the center of attention, while Knightley played the queen’s handmaiden double, gaining significant notice due to her striking resemblance to Natalie.

“Every girl wants to be Queen Amidala,” Jennifer Lopez had once said, hinting at the actual disparity in treatment between the two young actresses at the time, and at the feelings of a young Knightley who knew “I got this role because I look a lot like Natalie Portman.”

“Hey, Natalie, good morning!” Knightley responded with a smile as she walked up; she was going to win today!

Due to that very reason, the two high-spirited women had never developed a close friendship. Now, as they faced each other today in competition, sparks flew instantly! Knightley was no longer just a queen’s double; she was Elizabeth from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ Elizabeth from ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ a highly popular English rose! And of course, Natalie was no less acclaimed, being the beloved Amidala, Juno, Amanda, the Shammer…

As they walked into the building, they exchanged a few pleasantries, laughing and chatting with no sign of any animosity—the calm before the storm.

Those scheduled for the morning audition arrived early, and soon Scarlett also arrived. In ‘Match Point,’ she had proved just how sexy and stunning she could be as a doctor or nurse. And as for her acting, was there any doubt? Then came the big-mouthed princess Hathaway; seeking an opportunity to return to the enchanting film set since ‘Juno,’ she saw her chance now! Emily, who had also arrived almost at the same time, fondly remembered that set too; it had been nearly 8 years since her last audition for ‘High School Musical,’ and Hewitt was full of confidence this time…

“Hmm, hmm…” In the president’s office at Flame Headquarters, Wang Yang frowned over the list of questions Nancy had prepared, muttering, “These seem too simple.”

Nancy, sitting across from him, was nervous; she took a deep breath and asked, “Aren’t those questions suitable?” Shrugging, Wang Yang closed the folder and replied, “I’m afraid they won’t be enough to stump those women; you know, each of them is smarter than the last.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry…” Nancy spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness and heartache. This was bad—not only might she have disappointed Magic Yang, but she might even mess this up, a serious dereliction of duty. What to do?

After staring at her for several seconds, Wang Yang suddenly burst out laughing, tapping the desk several times and said, “Do you think you’ve screwed up? Feeling any sense of defeat?” Nancy quickly caught on, “What? Are you saying?” Her first thought was “Thank goodness he’s a one-woman man,” or she would have been in big trouble! Nancy also burst into laughter, spreading her hands wider, “So, did I mess up or not?”

“What do you guess?” Wang Yang stood up, smiling as he picked up the folder and headed out of the office, “Wait and see how many of your questions I use, then you’ll know, right?” Nancy thought about it, and indeed that was true. (