The Best Director

Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Phenomenal Movie (Requesting Monthly Pass) n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“It has been proven how wise, correct and fortunate it was for Elle Fanning to join ‘Firefly,'” — Variety.

Who are the most popular child stars in movies these days? Daniel Radcliffe? Emma Watson? Dakota Fanning? … None of the above, but rather 8-year-old Chloe Moretz and 7-year-old Elle Fanning, the two little girls in ‘Firefly’ who have different fates but have left equally deep impressions.

Chloe Moretz brought a dark, oppressive heartache that has stayed in the minds of moviegoers who can’t forget her extreme fear and pitiful looks; Elle Fanning also brought a sense of oppressive sadness that shocks under the light and beauty, and despite having only a few scenes and one line of dialogue, fans are even more unable to forget this little girl’s angelic smile and laughter. Without a doubt, she has captivated everyone, and “Elle Fanning” has shot up in the search rankings on Google and elsewhere.

“I really love little Fanning; how come I didn’t realize she was so lovely before? Wow! She really dazzles,” praised Rotten Tomatoes user Spjaco, while Yahoo user Dovil-J commented in the news, “Fanning’s smile gives me a wonderful sense of returning to childhood, a tremendous infectious power.”

Her sudden rise in fame has earned Elle Fanning numerous audition invitations for films, and she has been praised by many media outlets as one of Hollywood’s future top child stars for the next decade. An article in Variety magazine said, “The movie seems as if it was custom-made for Elle Fanning; everything in the story leads back to Serenity Valley, to her smile. Elle has reason to thank Wang Yang for his appreciation, and Yang has reason to thank her for her flawless childlike innocence.”

“Elle Fanning’s beauty is truly unique.” Long before in a promo reel, Wang Yang spoke about the casting of ‘Firefly,’ saying, “At that time, we auditioned more than two hundred children. Casting could be resolved in one morning or it could be a long and hard process over several months. That day Cally (the casting director) told me, ‘Today I saw the angelic little girl you were talking about walk in,’ then I watched the audition tape, no need for a callback, it was her. Many child actors are performing as a child, but Elle is a little girl. She possesses the purity and naturalness we don’t often see.”

In the past week, with the blockbuster release of ‘Firefly,’ the cast including the eye-catching little Fanning and others have become the center of attention. When Wang Yang was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times, he gave his well wishes, stating a 25-year-old director’s kind hopes for a 7-year-old child, nothing pretentious, just the earnest expectation of an older brother, “Hollywood is a place of fame that can easily lead one astray, a place of right and wrong. After you become famous, you will face many sudden changes, this and that… Regardless, I hope Elle can maintain her angelic smile and keep her pure naturalness.”

Fanning’s agents, Cindy Osbrink and Joy Arrington, who is also their mother, are quite pleased. The picture Magical Yang painted initially was no bluff; indeed, Elle’s popularity has soared almost overnight, surpassing her sister Dakota, making her a superstar child star! “We thank Magical Yang a lot, Elle had a delightful experience filming ‘Firefly,'” said Osbrink. Arrington added, “The current situation is beyond our expectations, Elle isn’t at the age to face these spotlights yet. We will protect her, ensuring she and Dakota both have a normal upbringing.”

However, what the media and public find particularly interesting is that the ‘War of the Worlds’ starring Dakota Fanning will be released on the 29th! This means there will be a gossip-filled showdown between sisters.

Who will win, who will lose? It would be normal for Dakota to win; but what if she loses? Could it be that even the lead can’t match the power of a few scenes and one line from her sister? It seems quite possible… Now, the media is even suggesting that little Fanning might achieve greater acting success than her sister who is four years older.

One consideration is the protection of Magical Yang, who knows if he may suddenly offer little Fanning a lead role in a new movie? But those who know him can sense his preference for Chloe Moretz a bit more. Unlike Fanning, who is of noble birth, explosively talented, already somewhat famous and destined for stardom, Moretz was personally picked by him during an interview and then carefully crafted into a superstar child actor. ‘Firefly’s success was followed by ‘Paranormal Activity 3,’ and she is rumored to be part of an important plan following ‘Firefly.’

Successfully frightening audiences worldwide, Chloe Moretz became a popular Lolita earlier than the Fanning sisters, and Wang Yang never skimped on his admiration in the media, expressing pride in her as if she was his own sister. He praised and advised her, “Chloe has a unique poise, like an adult in miniature, full of charm. She’s vivacious and smart, hardworking too. Some people are born with a sense for the stage, an understanding of camera atmosphere, a grasp on character emotion… Just follow their instincts and they can deliver an outstanding performance. She’s luckier than most to have both talent and opportunity, but she needs to remain humble and diligent.”

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“Let’s talk about the most stunning actor in ‘Firefly’,” is one of the fan favorite topics. The film is full of actors at their most radiant, all tailored to them, seamless in every shot, just as ‘Variety’ said: “Wang Yang knows how to maximize their charm.”

Since the sexiest and most enchanting “River,” has retired to await the birth of her child, Jessica Alba’s popularity has surged again, placing her firmly as Hollywood’s most beloved and watched new leading lady. However, her successor seemed to come out of nowhere, “Megan,” who didn’t have much screen time, suddenly became a hit, ending the marauders and the men in blue gloves with one shot each. The sexy, beautiful and enchantingly cool Megan Fox is becoming red-hot, with the best proof being her blog’s surge in popularity, reaching click rates comparable to a-list actresses.

“Megan has the charisma to command the focus of the camera.” After all, there wasn’t a single actor in ‘Firefly’ that Wang Yang hadn’t praised, but once again, his eye for talent gained widespread support and admiration. Yahoo Entertainment said, “Megan Fox is yet another Wang Yang girl story.”

From an obscure young television actor to receiving invites for interviews and photo shoots from numerous entertainment and fashion magazines, becoming a promising movie star took only ‘Firefly’.

“I’ve been his fan since I was 13,” said 19-year-old Megan Fox in recent interviews. When answering the inevitable Wang Yang questions from the media, she always expressed her respect and gratitude: “The performance was incredible. I think Wang Yang is the kind of person you learn a lot from. He’s a ruler on set, everyone wants to listen to him, and you can confidently follow his requests. It’s a great feeling.”

The other actors also greatly benefitted. “The screen’s Rachel McAdams,” Evangeline Lilly, portrayed freckled girl sexiness while Michelle Rodriguez, after ‘The Hangover,’ once again collaborated impressively. This time, Wang Yang harnessed her fierce aura in a scene where she mowed down fighters with a machine gun, which fans hailed as iconic. The two muscular men became familiar faces after being almost completely overshadowed by the brilliance of ‘Top-Captain.’

Robert Downey Jr., however, was not overshadowed. After his transformation from villain to hero in ‘District 9,’ he had turned his career around once again, a middle-aged man enchanting audiences worldwide was officially born! “The Hollywood Reporter” stated, “It seems like Downey has reached the most wonderful stage of his life, Susan Levin has given him new love and family; Wang Yang has given him a new image and future. The young director knew this prodigal was his Harrison Ford, and Downey also knew Wang Yang was his George Lucas.”

“The Northwest Herald’s” Westerhoff praised Heath “Ledger as the next ‘Marlon Brando’,” while other media were even less reserved, “Oscar for Best Supporting Actor” was the most banal of praises: “Ledger is taking big strides on the path of a great performer,” “Wang and Ledger have created the most astonishing and anticipated magic duo,” “Together, they will dominate the silver screen”… Apart from his miraculous performances, Heath Ledger’s 180-degree change in personal life also relieved fans of their worries about his potential downfall. Clearly, Wang Yang was his mentor both career-wise and personally—what’s there to worry about?

Additionally, “The San Francisco Chronicle” praised, “Wang Yang and Daniel Wu are working together to change the landscape of Asians on the big screen domestically, ‘Firefly’ is their most beautiful strike.” Daniel Wu received widespread acclaim, especially as his show of skills won rounds of applause from fans; Michael Pitt was the same, his increasingly mature allure striking deeply into the hearts of numerous female viewers; another Canadian girl, Ellen Page, with her impressive presence, convinced all media critics, fans, and audiences, proving just how ridiculous those who said “Wang Yang overreacted” were.

From being widely doubted to universally acclaimed, “The Toronto Star” commented, “Ellen Page is a natural-born performer; every cell in her body has a combative tint.” “The New York Times” stated, “Despite Ellen Page’s petite frame, she has an incredible Hulk-like power”…

“Firefly” was so spectacular, and Wang Yang’s popularity has always been good; seeing the skyrocketing fame of all the cast members, even a nobody like Megan Fox has become a focal point. No wonder it has countless “top fans,” who have praised the film on blogs and elsewhere.

Of course, many people, due to sensitive reasons related to their status, found it inconvenient to say much, while others directly called the amazing Yang to offer their congratulations, once or multiple times.

Learning that “Firefly” had a global box office of $505.6 million in its first week, Natalie was thrilled beyond words, “Are you kidding me?! Wow!!! I knew I was smart to agree to your movie proposition—it was definitely the right choice!” Wang Yang was equally excited, “Thank you, thank you! Oh, and it’s a girl; I’m going to have a baby daughter, haha, but don’t tell anyone, okay?” Natalie drew out her response, “Wow— you already told me that.”

“Yang, I went to the IMAX theater today and watched it again. I had booked the tickets last week—it was really amazing!” Rachel’s voice was filled with genuine admiration, and with a clear, ringing laugh, she continued, “At the end, I just started crying uncontrollably… and then I made everyone around me cry too, isn’t that funny?” Wang Yang was very excited, “That’s even more spectacular than the Battle of New Shanxi! Oh! It’s a girl; I’m about to have a precious daughter, haha, but don’t spread the word!” Rachel couldn’t help her surprise, “Wow! Congratulations! What’s her name? Have you picked a good one?”…

No matter the motive or agenda, there were just too many people who wanted to work with Wang Yang, and too many production companies that wanted to collaborate with him! Just how could one invite the amazing Yang to make a movie? Paramount, Warner Brothers, Universal, 20th Century Fox, Sony/Columbia, Disney… they all drooled over him, and all terms were up for discussion! He wants a production budget of $200 million? Fine. $300 million? Done. $400 million? Okay. $500 million? Sure… They could always bring in more partners to share the risk. They’re not too happy about it, but as long as the amazing Yang nodded, smash!!

However, Wang Yang hadn’t nodded and didn’t immediately have the idea to do another big production. There was a rumor spreading that he was preparing a low-budget film, seemingly not wanting to steal “Firefly”‘s thunder. Neither Wang Yang nor Flame Film responded to this rumor.

Wang Yang had, indeed, started preparations for this mystifying project. Once the crew began operations, it would not be surprising for the news to leak. His behind-the-scenes team had two setups: one for large productions and one for small; many of the members had followed him all the way, and as his fame and status rose, so did theirs. The success of “Firefly” had increased the value of its photography team, art department, and others. Thus, the so-called low-production setup tended to consist of discounted rates for old friends, or “newcomers”.

The cast structure of this movie was similar, including Natalie Portman’s salary, which was also calculated according to the level of an independent film. Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean a loss—commercial films make money, independent films win awards; one shouldn’t overlook personal desires.

“In any case, if Wang Yang offers me a role, even if it’s a giraffe, make sure you accept it for me!” Natalie had already said this to her agent, including some directors of interest, like Wang Jiawei; but at the top of the list was Wang Yang. Whether it was a giraffe or no salary at all, she was willing to star in that guy’s movie—such was the extent that, by now, the agent hardly played a role. They had started contacting each other directly some time ago.

In fact, the most widespread rumor right now is that “Firefly” will be adapted into a science-fiction TV series! Die-hard fans naturally raised their hands and feet in approval. Joss Whedon was an expert in this business, and coupled with the amazing Yang… the world of the space cowboys was bound to be fascinating!

No wonder NBC was so eager to help promote “Firefly.” According to Yahoo Entertainment’s news “Flame intends to launch a ‘Firefly’ series,” the “Firefly” TV series will likely continue the large production style, with an investment even surpassing “Lost.” However, what story, characters, and cast the “Firefly” TV series will cover remains unconfirmed.

In this world now, the only thing that could rival the popularity of “Firefly” was itself. Who else could it be? In just one week, the meteoric rise of “Firefly” had affected many things, both foreseeable and unforeseeable. For instance, sales of cowboy attire skyrocketed, as did the sales of Chinese-style traditional items, especially ancient toys like spinning tops and bamboo-copter; at costume parties, “Space Cowboy” and “Blue Gloves” became trendy looks; some classic lines turned into internet catchphrases across different countries, and the spoofs of “the ultimate trailer” continued unabated…

And then, as expected, the craze for martial arts, led by “Kung Fu Panda” and “Firefly,” edged towards a massive explosion. Countless people of all ages developed an interest in kung fu, and many eagerly started looking for martial arts schools to begin their training.

“Amazing Yang, I heard that to achieve great skill in kung fu, you need to start practicing from a young age, is that right?” Not just one movie fan left this question on Wang Yang’s blog, and Wang Yang simply wrote a blog post, “How to Become a Kung Fu Master?” to respond and guide these budding martial arts enthusiasts, “First of all, expecting to become an invincible master just by practicing kung fu is a beautiful misunderstanding. Kung fu is a general term; it actually includes various fighting techniques, and its charm extends far beyond the simplicity of fighting…”

Actually, most new enthusiasts didn’t entertain thoughts of becoming invincible. The boys just wanted to be as cool as Top-Captain, and the girls just wanted to be as sexy and beautiful as River, plus it’s good for strengthening the body and learning to fight, which is cooler than spending money on a gym membership to run on a treadmill. Movie fan Eodusmcu said, “I think kung fu is very beautiful and mysterious when executed. I’ve signed up for a Bajiquan training class.” Pooky36 said, “I’m learning Tai Chi. I like kung fu because it always comes with its own philosophy, ideology, and historical stories, which are very captivating.”…

Every one of Amazing Yang’s films brought more or less some influence to this world. Speaking of the “Paranormal Activity” craze created out of thin air, and another out-of-nowhere “musical craze” from “High School Musical,” followed by a spate of teenage pregnancies after “Juno,” it has been a long time since something stirred up such excitement! Of course, this doesn’t include “The Big Bang Theory,” which had already earned him the title of “Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian Academy of Science.” Anyway, “Firefly” is now brewing a wave of influence greater than all previous crazes combined! A phenomenal wave!

Just as the special interview by the “Los Angeles Times” put it, after 7 years in the industry, 25-year-old Wang Yang was finally ready to unleash the energy of a true superstar director! Much like Steven Spielberg at 29 with “Jaws,” and George Lucas at 33 with “Star Wars.”

As the bustling days of June 24th to 26th quickly passed by, “Firefly” finished its second weekend of battle. When the latest North American and global weekend box office charts were freshly released, exclamations of “Wow” echoed across the entire planet. This world had truly become Fearless!

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PS: We’ve fallen out of the top ten in the monthly ticket rankings, so I’m only asking for one last effort—can we charge back into it? Come on!! (