"Gilbert, have you ever thought about making a push for the Oscars?" Roger Ebert asked Gilbert as they enjoyed dinner together.
Gilbert set down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and smiled. "Mr. Ebert, I don't think anyone would refuse the Oscar stage, and I'm no exception."
"Indeed, the Oscars are where every Hollywood filmmaker dreams of being," Roger Ebert agreed wholeheartedly. Then, his tone shifted. "But with your current filmmaking style, you won't be very popular at the Oscars."
"Yeah," Gilbert said nonchalantly, "there are always special circumstances, Mr. Ebert."
"Perhaps," Roger Ebert made a phone gesture. "If you ever need my help, give me a call."
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After parting ways with Roger Ebert, Gilbert sat in his car. He'd had a bit to drink, so driving wasn't an option, but by now, Gilbert could certainly afford a driver. The driver was a second-generation Chinese American, embodying the virtues of diligence, reliability, and hard work that Chinese people are known for. Most importantly, he was discreet. White people generally didn't do private driving jobs, Black people talked too much, and Latin Americans were unreliable; Chinese people were simply more dependable.
The car slowly started, heading towards Cantaloupe Manor. Gilbert rested his chin on his hand, carefully pondering the meaning of Roger Ebert's conversation with him today. Was he being sincere? Or was he trying to sweet-talk him into going down the wrong path? This kind of thing wasn't unheard of. Without even looking back too far, Frank Darabont, the director of The Shawshank Redemption, gradually lost his way after being praised by film critics. After that, none of his works gained widespread audience recognition, until he eventually disappeared.
Then there were the Wachowski Brothers, who directed The Matrix, and later became the Wachowski Sisters. After The Matrix, they gradually lost themselves in the praise of critics, which led to the lackluster ending of The Matrix Revolutions. And their subsequent works became increasingly mediocre; perhaps only V for Vendetta is worth mentioning.
Gilbert had a very strong impression of The Matrix trilogy. As early as 1991, when The Shallows was a success, he had already registered the relevant script with the Writers Guild, securing his claim. Not only that, but to prevent a famous original film script from his past life from gathering dust without being filmed, Gilbert had registered them all in advance. Of course, that was an operation from 1991, when he didn't yet know he would become an A-list Hollywood director.
Nowadays, film companies had a lot of faith in him. If he said he wanted to make a movie, they would definitely support him, including original films. The conversation with Roger Ebert made Gilbert keep his guard up. He had to constantly remind himself not to get too inflated. Otherwise, even with experience from his past life, excessive arrogance could push a person into an endless abyss, ultimately leading to failure.
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After the test screening, pre-release reviews for The Rock began appearing in newspapers. Roger Ebert gave it his signature two thumbs up and recommended the film to moviegoers on his film review program.
"If you ask me, the most worthwhile movie to see this summer is undoubtedly The Rock. I attended the test screening, and I can tell you, the film is incredibly exciting, almost the pinnacle of action cinema today. So I highly recommend everyone goes to see this movie immediately for a truly exhilarating viewing experience."
Roger Ebert's film review program was one of the most-watched shows in America, so his ability to influence millions of moviegoers' choices was no exaggeration. Another film critic, Kenneth Turan, criticized the film for lacking artistic merit and not delving deeply into the characters' inner worlds, stating that the entire film was spent in boring explosions, gunfights, and car chases. But for summer moviegoers, they generally had some judgment. They just needed to know the film had plenty of explosions, gunfights, and car chases to know it was the film they wanted to see this summer. The summer season is the summer season precisely because it's the domain of commercial films; so-called art films simply don't work during this period.
The two critics represented two completely different groups of film critics: one praising, one criticizing. This was normal; any commercial film would encounter similar situations, with both praise and denigration. The publicity department believed that neither overwhelmingly positive nor overwhelmingly negative reviews were ideal; there needed to be debate, as debate sparks curiosity and thus prompts moviegoers to head to the cinema.
During the final meeting before the release, Charles Roven told Gilbert, "The publicity department discussed it and thinks we could hold the premiere at Alcatraz. What do you think?"
"Alcatraz?" Gilbert considered the feasibility of setting up a large screen at Alcatraz for an open-air premiere. "If the weather's good, holding it there seems like a good option."
"Don't worry, May in San Francisco is almost always sunny; it rarely rains," Charles Roven assured him.
"That's good then," Gilbert agreed to the plan. "Let's hold the premiere at Alcatraz. Oh, and don't forget the guest list, especially Tom Hanks." Charles Roven had worked with Gilbert on several films and knew that Gilbert wanted to invite Tom Hanks for his next movie. So he nodded, "Don't worry, I'll personally invite him."
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Holding the premiere at Alcatraz would indeed be a unique event. Similarly, as a major commercial blockbuster kicking off the summer season, the film's premiere guest list was bound to be star-studded.
However, before The Rock premiere, Gilbert first attended the premiere of Something to Talk About, starring Naomi Watts. This was a small-budget romantic comedy distributed by Disney's Buena Vista Pictures. The original female lead was Sandra Bullock. But thanks to Gilbert, Naomi Watts secured the lead role.
The film's director, Joe Roth, was just a minor director who had only made two unsuccessful films. The male lead, Bill Pullman, was just a bit player in Hollywood before starring in Something to Talk About. The premiere of such a film, with an unknown director and an obscure actor, naturally wasn't very large-scale. Gilbert was actually the most famous person there. Of course, Cameron Diaz and Charlize Theron also came along to support their good friend Naomi Watts. Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio also showed their support, attending the film's premiere after receiving Gilbert's invitation.
This guest list might not seem very impressive right now, but if you look at it a few years from now, you'd realize that all of them were rising superstars in Hollywood. Naomi Watts was thrilled that Gilbert still thought of her. Despite being busy with his own film's upcoming release, he still took time out to attend her premiere. As she held Gilbert's arm and introduced him to the film's cast and crew, Naomi Watts beamed, her smile almost splitting her face.
Something to Talk About wasn't particularly unique; it was similar to other popular romantic comedies of the time, with some humorous moments that brought a knowing smile. Although Naomi Watts wasn't very tall, she was full of charm, especially when she smiled, which was very beautiful. At the very least, the involuntary shouts from the male audience in the back row proved Naomi Watts' charm in this movie.
After watching the film, Gilbert told Naomi Watts, "This movie has a bit of a Sleepless in Seattle vibe. It's perfect for a date night. It would be even more fitting if the film were released on Valentine's Day."
Naomi Watts was very happy. She then asked Gilbert, "So, will you come see this movie?"
"Of course," Gilbert knew how to charm women. "Preferably with you."
Naomi Watts looked at Cameron Diaz and Charlize Theron behind her and then laughed, "Haha, if I watched this movie with you, I'm sure Michelle and Salma would demand the same treatment!"
Gilbert replied grandly, "Then one day for each of you..."
Though he said that, in reality, during the busy summer season, Gilbert's work was so demanding that he couldn't spare time for all three women.
As Gilbert had predicted, this romantic comedy was quite good. The summer box office battle hadn't officially begun, but the scent of gunpowder was already in the air, and cinemas were gradually recovering from the off-season. In its opening week, Something to Talk About raked in $9.29 million, a very respectable result, securing the top spot for weekly box office. By its second week, on April 30th, the film had already earned $23.565 million in North America, covering its costs and making a small profit. Before the summer blockbuster season even began, the box office performance of this low-budget romantic comedy was surprisingly good.
More crucially, this film boosted Naomi Watts' market value. The director was an unknown, and the male lead had been largely obscure before this film, so it could be entirely attributed to Naomi Watts that the film succeeded at the box office. Being able to independently carry a film at the box office is a very important indicator for becoming an A-list actress. Julia Roberts didn't become a superstar because of her beauty. Many adult film stars in the San Fernando Valley are more beautiful than Julia Roberts. But Julia Roberts became America's sweetheart and the dream girl of countless American men, while adult film stars only served a purpose when men needed to "clear their pipes." The reason? Julia Roberts proved her commercial value through box office success. So, being beautiful is just the foundation; there are many other decisive factors beyond that. Of course, Nicole Kidman might be an exception.
Many actresses struggled at the bottom, waiting for opportunities that never came, eventually exiting the industry unnoticed. In contrast, although Naomi Watts had also struggled at the bottom, she was much luckier.
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