Clap, clap, clap, clap!
The cinema was filled with thunderous applause. Everyone, whether audience or celebrity on stage, stood up and cheered.
Initially, everyone expected "Million Dollar Baby" to be a high-energy sports film like "Rocky," but it turned out to be a sad, tear-jerking one.
The astonishing reversal in the last half hour completely subverted traditional tropes, instantly elevating the film's artistic concept by several notches.
"Rocky" was certainly good. Sylvester Stallone led decades of sports films that followed—clichéd but classic and effective. Audiences loved to see the protagonist win.
And "Million Dollar Baby" was also very good, but its goodness wasn't in the boxing ring; it was in Maggie's indomitable spirit fighting against fate, and her sincere relationship with Frankie.
The former represented more passionate films, while the latter was more realistic.
Life is inherently unpredictable, and accidents can happen at any time. Moreover, boxing is a high-risk sport. The key is, what should people do after an accident occurs?
Although the film didn't have many scenes showcasing acting prowess, Old Man Dongmu and Hilary Swank displayed it vividly, and that was enough.
Not only did the name Oscar appear in Nicole's mind, but all the celebrities present also thought of those three words.
Good story + good acting + tragic ending—the Academy loves it the most.
The creative team went on stage to thank everyone, receiving cheers and some whistles.
"Eric, I think this is very dangerous. You really shouldn't have invested in this film. What about "la vie en rose"?" Nicole sighed helplessly.
She was still hoping to compete for another Oscar Winner with "la vie en rose." Winning the award for the second time in a year was an exciting thought.
Coupled with "Inception," which Eric guaranteed would be a huge hit, achieving both commercial and artistic success, Nicole's reputation would definitely rise to a whole new level.
To be modest, she wouldn't claim to rival legends like Hepburn or Garbo, as they were esteemed predecessors.
But at least she felt confident enough to contend with Meryl Streep, who was subtly ranked as the number one actress.
Perhaps I'm slightly less artistic than you, but I'm stronger commercially! We can definitely be considered equals.
However, after watching "Million Dollar Baby," Hilary Swank's performance gave her a strong sense of crisis; her opponent was too formidable!
Eric smiled and reassured her, saying, "Even if I didn't invest, other companies would. There are still some discerning individuals in the market."
"And don't worry too much. Clint Eastwood is indeed very strong, but Ron Howard is not inferior to him."
"In terms of script, "la vie en rose" is a biopic, which is also the Academy's favorite genre."
"Moreover, I've already considered your concerns, so I've given you an insurance policy."
"What?" Nicole asked curiously.
"The release date. "la vie en rose" is scheduled for December, which is the awards season. It will be screened until the Oscar ceremony."
"Even if "Million Dollar Baby" is excellent, it's still half a year before the Oscars, so the judges' impression will definitely not be as deep as that of "la vie en rose," which will have just been released."
"At that time, more publicity resources will also be allocated to you. As long as your acting is solid, I think there's a very high chance of defeating Hilary Swank."
Nicole's face lit up with joy, and she suddenly felt warm and sweet inside, realizing how thoughtful her man was.
If it weren't for being in a public setting, surrounded by a group of attractive women, she would have wanted to pounce into his arms and make love immediately.
She quickly glanced around, and taking advantage of everyone's attention being on the creative team, she tilted her head and whispered, "Come over tonight, I have something good for you."
"What good thing?" Eric didn't look away.
"You'll know when you come."
Damn it, in the past, I was like a mighty general, sweeping across thousands of miles!
It seems tonight I must sneak through Yinping, take the winding path, and directly capture Shu Han!
After the premiere, Eric bid farewell to the celebrities who came to support him, inevitably leaving him with countless fragrant scents.
He was handsome, rich, talented, and quite arrogant. Not only did young girls like him, but even older women who had seen many handsome men couldn't escape his charm.
Taking advantage of the hugs, these women scratched his palms and pinched his soft flesh, and the warm breath in Eric's ear never stopped.
Bolder ones, like Cameron Diaz, even openly invited him to spend the night together.
Several of these women could have entered Eric's list for deeper acquaintance, but he had already promised Nicole.
He could only offer a slight smile, neither nodding nor refusing, thinking it would be nice to have a fling with them when he had time.
Although Orlando Bloom, Hugh Jackman, and others had not appeared in MGM's works, they had met Eric many times and were quite familiar with him.
They asked him if he had any new projects and if suitable roles could be prioritized for them.
Hugh Jackman, in particular, wanted to change his acting style and hoped to take on an art-house film to test the waters.
Eric agreed. While Hugh Jackman's most famous role was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, he also had considerable accomplishments in art-house films and possessed superb theatrical skills. His overall strength was very impressive, making him a well-rounded actor.
It was just that X-Men Origins: Wolverine was too deeply ingrained in people's minds, and audiences had almost forgotten his other roles.
One could say he was made by X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but he wasn't really ruined by it.
He was later rediscovered, winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor and an Oscar nomination for "Les Misérables." He is one of the few men who can simultaneously master both Hollywood and Broadway.
If there was a suitable role, Eric wouldn't mind showing Wolf Uncle's artistic side to the audience in advance. He truly admired this man, who had been married for 27 years with no scandals.
He himself couldn't resist being tempted, but others could remain unmoved by temptation. The more of a scoundrel one was, the more one admired such good men.
After seeing Wolf Uncle off, he also said goodbye to the Pitts. With her husband by her side, Jennifer Aniston naturally didn't hug Eric.
"Jennifer, "marley & me" is almost finished, right?"
"Hmm, although Director David's shooting speed is a bit slow, it should wrap up in about half a month according to the schedule. Are you planning to release it this year?"
"I think so. I'm having a big fight with those people, and "marley & me" can be a surprise weapon. I believe the film's box office will exceed many people's expectations."
"Really?"
Jennifer Aniston showed a Rachel-like expression of doubt. After the Emmy Awards last year, they made an agreement, and MGM subsequently cast her as the female lead.
But after taking the role, Aniston realized it was just a relatively heartwarming romantic comedy, only with the addition of a pet element.
There were many such films on the market, not very novel, so she didn't have high hopes for the box office.
However, if Eric Cooper said it, then it was another matter. He said "transformers" would make 700 million, and it did.
"Of course, I plan to let Marley ambush those guys and hopefully bite off their asses!"
"Hahahahaha. If the box office really explodes, I must start seriously considering how to thank you from now on."
"Jennifer has been working hard to transform, you know," her husband, Brad Pitt, added.
"Everyone wants to break out of their comfort zone. Is "friends" coming to an end?"
Jennifer Aniston looked around and whispered, "I can't leak secrets, but I can tell you that May 6th is the last episode."
"OMG!" Eric exclaimed.
As his favorite (without exception) American TV series, whenever he caught it after coming to this world, he would still sit in front of the TV to watch, because it was a feeling he had never experienced before.
It felt like the blink of an eye, and "friends" was almost over, and he had been in this world for two years.
"After the TV series ends, do you have any plans?"
Aniston shook her head: "Not for now, but Matt has a solo show, "Joey." To be honest, we're all tired. Playing the same character for ten years, everyone is very fatigued."
"So you plan to rest for now?"
"I suppose so. At least for now, I have no plans to return to the small screen. I think the others also hope to develop on the big screen. You're not trying to get us all back together, are you?"
"To be honest, I'd love to. I'm a loyal fan of "friends," and I love each and every one of you. Of course, precisely because I love you, I respect your decisions even more."
Pitt rolled his eyes: "I love it too."
Hahahahaha.
Looking at the couple walking away, who would have thought that these two, so sweet and inseparable now, would separate next year and eventually divorce?
Brad Pitt cheated on Angelina Jolie during the filming of "mr. & mrs. smith." The crew frantically dispelled rumors, but it couldn't stop the omnipresent paparazzi.
The golden couple fell apart, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were reviled for over a decade, until their own marriage also failed to withstand the test.
This further highlights Wolf Uncle's preciousness; people who can control their desires are truly amazing.
Late at night, Eric and Nicole passionately rolled together.
"Robert Zemeckis has surpassed himself. "the polar express" is undoubtedly one of the best animated films I've ever seen. It is unquestionably the best choice for families to go to the cinema together this holiday season."
""the polar express" boasts unparalleled visual effects. This is the first time in film history that motion capture and facial capture have been completed together. Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks once again deliver a perfect collaboration after "Cast Away."
"If you're not a believer, then as long as you've seen "the polar express," you'll definitely consider it the best film since the beginning of the year. Here you'll find emotion, warmth, and it will make your heart beat."
""Million Dollar Baby" is misleadingly advertised. This is not an inspirational film at all. All you'll find in it are failure and pain. If you want to relax at the cinema, I recommend watching "the polar express" instead."
"Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman are still excellent, but the script clearly needs more refinement. It's too bland, completely wasting the trio's acting."
"There are too many bloody scenes in "Million Dollar Baby." Such gory displays should be rated R; it's too cruel for teenagers."
"If your life is going well, I don't recommend watching "Million Dollar Baby" because it will make you feel lost. If your life is terrible, I also don't recommend watching "Million Dollar Baby" because it will make you feel even more lost!"
As MGM and Warner Bros. began their showdown, major TV stations and print media started to exert their influence.
"the polar express" received lavish praise, with effusive compliments on its technology, plot, and depth. It was as if not watching it would mean missing a cinematic marvel, a great loss in life.
As for "Million Dollar Baby," they didn't outright criticize it but found flaws from different angles, advising audiences not to watch it in a 'for your own good' manner.
Damn it, there's no such thing as a perfect movie in the world. If you want to find a negative angle, you'll always find one.
Eric could only use YouTube and Facebook for positive publicity, but the overall effect was still weaker than the opponent's.
Fortunately, Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb were not the opponent's territory. Especially IMDb, the website used a very complex algorithm, so you couldn't just spam votes.
Only users who had been logged into IMDb for a certain number of days and whose reviews and viewing history reached a certain threshold were eligible to rate. In short, there were many restrictions.
It is precisely for this reason that IMDb is considered the most authoritative film rating website in the world.
Good is good, not good is not good. The score is entirely determined by the audience, especially since IMDb is still independently operated at this time.
In contrast, Douban is much simpler; anyone can register an account and rate, and the final film score is a crude addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, which is one of the reasons why Douban's authority is often criticized.
"Million Dollar Baby" opened with an 8.3 on IMDb, immediately crossing into the threshold of a very excellent film.
In contrast, "the polar express" only scored 6.8, a difference of 1.5 points, which already represents a gap between excellent and passing.
Here, the true evaluation of the films emerged.
One was stripped of its perfect shell, while the other was endowed with an inspiring elegy.
However, there was a gap in promotional efforts, and an all-ages rating is also more suitable for family viewing than a PG-13 rating. So, after the first-week box office results were released:
"Million Dollar Baby" earned $38.5 million from 2,887 theaters, setting MGM's lowest box office record for a wide release film.
Meanwhile, "the polar express" garnered $59 million from 3,370 theaters, taking the top spot with a huge difference of $20.5 million.
After Fox's disastrous first battle, Warner Bros. won a round.
But did Warner Bros. truly win? Did MGM truly lose? Not necessarily, at least not reflected in stock prices.
MGM's stock price still rose by 0.5%, while Warner Bros.'s stock price remained unchanged.
This is because the cost difference between the two films was too significant: "Million Dollar Baby" cost $30 million, while "the polar express" cost $165 million.
And BOX's predictions were $185 million for "Million Dollar Baby" and $320 million for "the polar express." It's clear which one is truly profitable.
A new week, MGM Building.
Warren was reporting on AK Films' operating status when Chen Xing rushed in in a hurry.
Carol knocked on the door to report, and Warren tactfully stood up: "You go first, I'm not in a hurry."
"What's wrong?"
"Boss, something happened with "the walking dead" crew! Bar Refaeli is missing!"