The Best Director

Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Oscar-Level

“So far, not a hint of disappointment—there are just too many surprises! SO-FUNNY!! SO-GREAT!! …”

In the packed screening room of “Firefly,” most of the audience was engrossed in watching the images on the big screen, listening to the dialogues of Mal and others coming from the sound system; some took advantage of a break after an exciting fight scene to hurriedly text their friends, sharing their real-time viewing experiences with these poor souls waiting in line. Messages filled with praise were silently sent out, yet it was at this moment that a jarring ringtone blared from somewhere towards the front.

“Shush! Please,” “Shut up!” “Damn it!” Complaints erupted instantly from the seats, the whole audience was furious; they would have been more forgiving if the movie was rubbish, but they were right in the middle of getting invested! Which annoying bitch did this, it really killed the mood! The man receiving the murderous glares and angry stares from everyone around mumbled apologies, feeling equally angry as his viewing was also interrupted—damn it, he forgot to set his phone to silent vibration mode! Who could be calling at such a time, don’t they know he’s watching “Firefly”!

Grumbling aside, the man still answered what could have been an urgent call, only to find out it was a friend asking if “Firefly” was any good. He was nearly driven mad, wishing he could smash his phone right there and then, and under the dispassionate gazes of everyone, he ended the call and switched off his phone.

Mobile phones have always been a major nemesis to cinemas; currently, most chains across America haven’t enacted any forceful measures against phone users, usually just reminding patrons to put their phones on silent or switch them off before the movie starts. However, this measure hasn’t won the support of all moviegoers, and during the showing, audiences still often get disrupted by various ringtones, leading more and more people to prefer watching at home.

This understandably infuriates cinema owners, who are eagerly hoping that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) will allow them to block mobile phone signals in all cinemas, with the proposer, John Fithian, president of NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) remarking, “We must adopt this barbaric approach.” However, opposition exists, with the CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association) responding, “We oppose any use of blocking as it may interfere with emergency phone usage.”

“Ha ha!” Although their viewing was interrupted, the audience in this room was quickly engrossed once more, as the futuristic world-building in “Firefly” was quite enchanting; the story details were also very interesting, especially the humorous parts that repeatedly induced laughter.

After Mal and his crew left the warehouse of the sharks’ gang with “ample payment” and headed to the spaceship repair shop to regroup with Kaylee and Wash, they realized, to their dismay, that there was barely anything left of their hefty payment after settling the repair costs. Mal couldn’t help but suspect if Kaylee had been up to something on her own.

Before they could argue, Simon reappeared, having tracked them down with a crate locator. Although he was River’s brother and knew the secret phrases to control her, the nervous River hardly recognized him. This gave Captain Mal an opportunity; he likely viewed River as a super humanoid weapon that could protect Serenity and its crew. He stubbornly insisted on keeping River on board, despite River forming no opinion of her own. Simon, harboring his own plans, agreed to let the siblings stay on Serenity temporarily, only for Mal to say they would keep River but not him—of course, because Simon hadn’t brought any benefits to Serenity.

Is an Independent soldier just a selfish jerk? Kaylee, who had taken a liking to the bearded Simon, kept urging Mal to change his mind, saying he could help repair the ship. Mal retorted to her, “If you can’t do the job alone, I can hire someone else.” Kaylee didn’t have a comeback, but she did remind Simon, who then revealed that he was a highly skilled surgeon, “Surgeon? It seems we might indeed need a doctor skilled in massage.” Whether Mal was already soft-hearted or simply swayed by Simon’s medical credentials, he grudgingly allowed him aboard.

“Oh man!” Jayne, who had been silent up until now, had been eyeing Simon for a while and suddenly reached out and tore off Simon’s disguise of a large beard. This prank-like scene caused the audience to burst into laughter. After seeing Simon’s true face, Jayne became puzzled, “I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before? A bar?” Mal thought Simon must be one of those central planet sissies who came to play cowboy after causing a death during surgery, threw a couple of sarcastic remarks, and walked onto Serenity. He wasn’t concerned—they were all criminals themselves.

Seeing the even more handsome and clean-cut Simon, Kaylee let out an “Ooh,” her eyes shining as she wore a lovestruck expression, reintroducing herself, “Hi, I’m Kaylee…” The pained Simon, still holding his chin, stepped back as she closed in, “Simon.”

The audience in 3,845 North American cinemas chuckled again: “Ha ha!” Under the collision of exquisite acting skills emerged ever-more distinct screen characters, especially Captain Mal, mercenary Jayne, mechanic Kaylee, doctor Simon, and the mysterious girl River. Fans knew that if “Firefly” turned out to be a huge success, their popularity would skyrocket. These roles seemed tailor-made as the actors fully unleashed their individual auras; the crew was truly entertaining!

“Not bad, not bad…” The always complimentary critics smiled widely; even the critics who had resolved to be stringent nodded in approval. The usually critical reviewers found little to fault. The rich backdrop amazed, the dynamic fight scenes boiled the blood, the dramatic scenes were filled with humor and detail after detail constructed a clear story. The film hadn’t been boring for a second; instead, it was truly enjoyable amidst all the gasps and laughter, leaving viewers refreshed and uplifted. Only the best commercial interstellar sci-fi films could compare.

However, the atmosphere on the big screen immediately became tense and eerie again as the blue gloves made another appearance in the parallel montage editing.

“How long did he stay here?” In front of the hotel lobby desk, Blue Gloves was asking the hotel proprietor. He had stepped into this rather secluded plain farm resort after the owner had reported to the police that someone resembling a Class-S wanted criminal had stayed at the hotel, bringing with him a large box. Hearing this taciturn officer’s question, the affable proprietor checked the records and said, “He stayed for three days, always asked for food for two…” Blue Gloves didn’t pay attention to his words, murmuring to himself, “3 days… TOO-LONG, YOU-KNOW-TOO-MUCH.”

Before he could finish saying TOO-MUCH, Blue Gloves suddenly threw a punch, and the hotel proprietor, who had no time to scream, instantly disintegrated into a puddle of blue light, “Thank you.”

“Oh!” This really startled many in the audience, not expecting Blue Gloves to kill on a whim, and a civilian who was helping him with his investigation at that! They probably didn’t know that if it weren’t for the PG-13 rating, the hotel owner would have turned into a splatter of blood everywhere. Just that one “Thank you” from Blue Gloves was already highly uncomfortable. Film enthusiasts, George Lucas, Nancy Reno, and others felt that something was different, many hearts suddenly clenched—this was a real mass murderer!

With the utterance “THANK-YOU,” the soundtrack changed and the massacre began! Hans Jimo & Jan Kaczmarek’s power was displayed once more. As a piano piece played, accompanying Blue Gloves’ cloud-like fluid yet merciless killing spree, the guests’ panic and resistance, the two composers pushed the atmosphere to the limits of mystery, danger, and eeriness. Jimo brought in the electronic sounds, and Kaczmarek added some lively orchestration, the tension-filled music even revealing a hint of impishness.

The camera cuts between the lobby, corridor, and rooms. Each time Blue Gloves said “THANK-YOU” with varying expressions and intonations after a kill, the music track’s fluctuations matched seamlessly. Killing a security guard with a slight curl of the lips, a mysterious “Thank you”; striking down a waiter with dimples showing, a satisfied “Thank you”… The audience all got goosebumps, yet Nancy Reno could hardly contain her excitement—this was intimidation! The unique intimidation only Heath Ledger could evoke—confident, detached, arrogant, maniacal, sophisticated, gentle, melancholic—a villain like no other!

This madman! Upon hearing a crisp ding in the music, “THANK-YOU,” Evelyn shivered, “Oh my God!” This madman! Natalie’s face showed shock and delight, she was excited, much better than her performance in “V for Vendetta”! This madman! Michelle Williams admired while looking at her fiancé, truly somewhat worried that if he kept going like this, he would get too deep into the role and have issues; he already suffered from insomnia frequently. This is cinema! Watching Blue Gloves on the screen, Heath Ledger clenched his fists with excitement—this was the performance he wanted!

“Oh my God…” Heath Ledger’s performance, described by Wang Yang as “miraculous,” easily captivated the film critics. They sparkled with excitement and raced hearts, just like Kaylee when meeting Simon—this Australian was unbelievable!

Everyone had thought the crew of Serenity had performed well, but Blue Gloves stole the show! A seemingly impossible complex contradiction was portrayed near perfectly on screen by Heath Ledger. Kirk Honeycutt from Hollywood Reporter was deeply moved. Wang Yang had incredibly captured its essence; this was Heath Ledger like never before, undoubtedly a major breakthrough. By this measure, should one now consider him for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor? That would depend on the outcome of this character and the overall success or failure of the movie.

Did I make a wrong decision? Hiding among the audience, Brad Pitt narrowed his eyes; this character seemed…

On the big screen, the thrilling performance by Blue Gloves was just beginning, and now the important little girl Chloe Moretz made her entrance, playing the daughter of a family staying at the hotel. Watching in the hotel room, as Blue Gloves advanced step by measured step toward the middle-aged father, fists trembling with fear and backing away, the audience couldn’t help but feel uneasy. But nearly everyone who had seen the trailer knew that no Superman would appear. The middle-aged father screamed at the top of his lungs, “RUN!”

The family members panicked and scattered. Among them was the young daughter in a white dress similar to River’s, clutching a big rag doll. The father, in a desperate move, lunged at the mysterious figure in a black coat, only to be met with muffled, pained cries of “Ah, ah!!” and a forceful, “Thank you.” Blue Gloves gave a father his dignity and let the family know that their once-great figure had made a brave resistance, even though they were all about to die. He didn’t shatter the man with a single punch as before; it was the only time during the massacre.

To many in the audience, it went unnoticed, or they thought it some sort of mockery or punishment—so twisted!

In a close-up shot, the right hand of Blue Gloves, having just killed the middle-aged father, moved slowly and rhythmically, as if playing the piano. The music timely produced piano notes, and as the camera pulled back, Blue Gloves swiftly dashed forward, seizing the mother trying to flee to the bedroom and striking her with a rapid punch: “Thank you.” She burst into a burst of blue light. Standing at the bedroom door, the brother let out a tragic yell, “Ah! Ahhh—.” Blue Gloves casually uttered an “ah,” and without hesitation, grabbed him by the doorway and threw a punch: “Thank you.” Another burst of blue light followed.

This should be R-rated! This should be NC-17! Although not explicitly violent or bloody, it was so dehumanizing. Doesn’t the MPAA consider psychological violence? What about the thrill? Some parents who had brought their children to the movie cursed under their breath, worried about leaving a scar on their child’s youth. Meanwhile, their kids were utterly engrossed; and many young people thought, this villain has a certain flavor to his badness…

“`

“Ding ding ding—” lively piano music sounded, as the little girl sitting slouched by the bedroom cabinet trembled uncontrollably. The camera cut to a silent corridor where a mysterious face with blue gloves slowly peeked around the door, like in a game of hide and seek. He smiled faintly and, pulling at his gloves, strode in, “Hello.”

The sunlight from the window streamed in, reaching the doorway to create a beam of light. With the steady sound of footsteps, the blue-gloved figure walked into the light and cast a long, dark shadow on the wall. Darkness descended!

The audience held their breaths. Damn that Magical Yang, who said “Firefly” would have “a bit” of suppression! The blue gloves walked up to the little girl and stopped. In a close-up of his face, the blinding sunlight made him squint, and he looked out the window to see a vast plain covered with a beautiful sea of blooming sunflowers. Enjoying the breeze, blue gloves closed his eyes as if taking a deep breath and murmured softly, “Beautiful flowers.”

Sunflowers? The film critics took note. A director wouldn’t insert a useless shot for no reason, especially when even commercial films often have an agenda, let alone such a conspicuous, isolated instance. The framing is one of the greatest charms of cinema, and that’s why film is the director’s grandest stage, whereas TV series belong to the screenwriters. To appreciate a film, one must savor its framing, but Clair furrowed her brows, momentarily at a loss for the meaning, knowing all too well her knowledge was still too superficial, despite her efforts to become an outstanding film critic.

Magical Yang’s use of cinematography in “Firefly” was profound and thought-provoking. Up to this point in the viewing, there were already a plethora of shots she didn’t understand, but she knew they must mean something, like the compositional framing of the opening Battle of Serenity Valley, where Mal and the others looked up at the sky, the background bisected—with smoking craters on the left symbolizing war, and fluttering clouds on the right representing freedom. Then the soldier on the far left died. Did this mean the whirlwind on the left would also perish, or had it already perished?

And what did River’s gaze at the swaying wind chimes mean? The usage of the prop in the shot was colored with Eastern, Chinese cultural hues. Did it suggest that River would later become physically aggressive? “They want to kill us.” And now? What did the sunflowers signify?

“Now that’s more like it!” It was perhaps the umpteenth time the well-known veteran film critics silently praised the film this evening. “The Devil Wears Prada” was harshly criticized by half of the film critics because it fell back to the level of “High School Musical,” although of course, it wasn’t that bad. But now, this Magical Yang, he truly was Oscar Best Director material, that astonishingly brilliant Magical BABY! They were almost certain that the office building rule was no match for Wang Yang.

Jeffrey Westhoff from The Northwest Herald heaved a long sigh. That young man’s skills had reached a realm where a Waterloo wasn’t simply a Waterloo. All these seemingly simple elements of cinematography—shots, perspectives, framing, light and darkness, movement, color—these foundational aspects of a film were masterfully and spiritedly used by him. He had discovered the balance between American and Chinese cultures, cowboy and sci-fi cultures, art and commerce within a multicultural context.

Clearly, Magical Yang had great ambition this time, even greater than during “District 9,” another instance of political allegory. Film critics who understood the meaning of the sunflowers knew what it represented—it was the national flower of the former Soviet Union, Russia. So, why were the blue gloves associated with Soviet Russia? Villains? Yet, a critic who knew about flowers guessed another layer to Wang Yang’s intent—sunflowers symbolize a “silent love.” Love? Could he be saying that blue gloves’ every action was driven by love? Was he out of his mind? What exactly was he trying to say?

“I’m not a bad person, nor a good person.” On the big screen, looking at the pitiful little girl blocking the sunlight, blue gloves suddenly revealed a sunny smile, but he didn’t strike immediately. He seemed to discover something as he furrowed his brows, unbeknownst to the audience, this little girl was a child prodigy! Confused, blue gloves mused, “Hmm? Girl, look at you, so cute and lovely. Yet you live in such an ugly world! You should be living in a beautiful one. Why!! Why!!!!”

He suddenly shouted like a madman, his face full of rage, seemingly unable to suppress his sadness.

“Woo…” The atmosphere in the film grew even stranger. The movie fans were somewhat confused. Evelyn bit her nails nervously as the close-up shot showed the little girl about to cry in fear. Calming down shortly thereafter, blue gloves raised his left index finger to his lips to hush, then did it again, leaving the audience gasping at the marvel. My God, Nancy Reno covered her mouth in shock. How had Heath Ledger reached such a level in his performance?

The expressions and emotional transitions on blue gloves’ face were both vast and swift. One moment there was a storm, the next sunshine and warmth. Ledger managed not to come off as a hysterical lunatic but instead invoked a sense of his character’s pity and tragedy. He might have been a fanatic, but he wasn’t just a mindless madman.

George Lucas folded his arms across his chest, his mind brimming with thoughts. If Ledger had played Anakin’s entire journey from the light to the dark side, from Jedi Knight to Sith Lord… He had missed out on a genius, possibly a true Anakin.

“`

The little girl’s crying stopped abruptly, hiccup-like, as the blue gloves spoke quietly, mysteriously, yet with a hint of tenderness, “Don’t cry, you can’t talk about all this. But you are a talented child, do you want to see it come to life? Do you want to help it come to life?” As he spoke, he stood up and opened one side of his overcoat, which was hung with various tools, and calmly and concisely took out a syringe from a row of them. In a close-up shot, he removed the protective cap to reveal the needle, the sunlight glinting off it, very startling.

“It will make you forget all this; you’ll just sleep, like me.” In a side shot, the blue-gloved figure squatted down with the syringe in hand, in a close-up, the little girl seemed petrified with fright, clutching tightly to her teddy bear, leaning her head back as if trying to escape. Then another side shot; the large doll perfectly concealed the scene of him injecting the little girl with the liquid, with only the smiling, adorable bear and the blue glove’s torso in the frame. Cut to a close-up, the little girl slowly closed her eyes.

LIKE-ME? Were the blue gloves trying to turn the little girl into a cold-blooded killer too? The audience understood and were subsequently chilled by the realization, gasps of “Oh my God” rang out among the parents in the theater. Some movie fans and critics also grasped the director’s intent; tonight, the blue gloves spoke more than ever, why such excitement? He said “Beautiful” three times: Beautiful-Flower, So-Beautiful, and Beautiful-World. In his eyes, all three were aspects of beauty and charm.

That’s why his attitude towards the little girl was different from those like the hotel proprietor; he addressed Beauty, which was also what he sought to “help come to life like me.” It was a conversation between the blue gloves, the child, and the three beauties, the initial sigh revealing his inner pressure and confusion. These “slip-ups” were in fact the blue gloves’ outpouring and self-defense; he desperately sought approval from Beauty, returning to the days when he could laugh and cry with ease; and critics who knew “Talk to Her” also understood why he broke his silence.

The deep and intricate implications of “Firefly” increasingly pressured the critics, especially since some scenes taken individually meant one thing but collided to create a marvelous effect. Try as they might, they couldn’t grasp it clearly, and before they could ponder further, the next scene arrived.

“My shots can speak,” the director told a story through the camera, conveying information about the film; while the audience watched the story on the screen and absorbed that information. They might not notice all the cinematic language during the viewing, yet it didn’t disappear. All shots would silently shape different perceptions for the audience and ultimately lead to varied aesthetic experiences. Currently the performances of “Heath” and Chloe Moretz offered another kind of visual delight, leaving viewers more horrified especially those spooked by “Paranormal Activity 3” two months earlier. It was Wang Yang’s magical series of plots!

“Goodbye,” said the blue gloves tenderly as he stroked the little girl’s hair, then he tucked away the syringe and stood up to leave. Suddenly he turned to look at the cloth doll, in a close-up, the little girl was holding it tightly, he reached out and after several tugs managed to take the doll. His expression blank, he shook it and then tossed it high, and with a punch, the doll exploded into blue light fragments that dissipated and fell as he walked out of the room.

Hollywood’s unwritten rule of not killing children or pets triumphs once again! But the critics had no complaints, the question was: what did the last shot represent? What did this prop setup imply? Despite being “The Mask,” Wang Yang always had a characteristic in his directorial style, perhaps influenced by Robert Zemeckis; he enjoyed using props to elevate a film, and his memorable craftmanship was unforgettable.

Nobody thought this was a shot merely for fun, “Ebert & Roeper’s” Richard Roeper also pondered it; the shattering of the cloth doll symbolized a child’s demise, the blue gloves had killed the child with his own hands. The little girl’s tight grip on the doll amplified his coercion and imposition, the blue gloves had personally killed Beauty, yet he pursued Beauty. Perhaps the director was simply saying “the blue gloves’ method is wrong,” or maybe there was another meaning…

What could now be confirmed was that Wang Yang did not treat “Firefly” as just another commercial sci-fi movie. Looking at the images on the big screen, Richard Roeper’s face beamed with a satisfied and anticipatory smile, the young man had the resolve to once again challenge the Oscars for Best Director with a science fiction film.

While the blue gloves’ one-man massacre was oppressing the viewers, they also silently lavished countless praises on “Heath,” and as the story returned to the Serenity ship, the atmosphere lightened up with humor once more. The 3845 North American Cinemas showing “Firefly” were again filled with rippling laughter; viewers were getting a glimpse of some spaceship life, as well as the bromance between Mal and Jayne, the flirtatious banter between Kaylee and “Simon,” Zoe and Wash’s loving relationship, and River staring into space.

During a short segment depicting life aboard the spaceship, it was hinted that Serenity was gearing up for another job, in the expansive darkness of space, the Firefly vessel was heading towards Canton.

“The latest monitoring from the Frontier Safety Bureau of the galaxy’s edge indicates that raiders may move towards the Canton star sector; local residents please be alert for safety…” Many viewers suddenly recalled this news report from the start of the film aboard the train, the raiders’ entrance!

“Why-you-have-to-go-and-make-things-so-complicated? …” Suddenly, a shrill cellphone ringtone resounded in the theater, infuriating the audience: “Oh my God!” “Please!” “Shut up, Avril!” “Dammit!” … (