Chapter 356: Rising tide
"Will Jacob and Anna eventually part ways?"
"It seems the passion between them has faded. After being together, arguments became the essence of their life, making a breakup inevitable."
"But then, why did Anna give up Simon and choose Jacob?"
...
"Have you noticed a detail? Simon changed Anna, altered her eating habits, daily routines. Do you think she embraced those changes or resisted them? At first, I thought the director's intent was to show that Anna disliked these changes, that she was reluctantly indebted to Simon, concealing her true self. But why, in the end, did Anna drink whisky and retreat to the restroom to vomit?"
...
"No, I don't like it at all! All the whimpering, like a little girl. I don't enjoy such films."
"We are similar yet opposite. Precisely because I dislike this genre of films, I surprisingly didn't lose focus during the entire viewing and got immersed in the film's emotions. I find that quite rare."
...
"Alright, alright, don't cry. They are together, aren't they? And they are both fine. I believe they won't have problems."
"Sob, sob."
"They've overcome countless obstacles, come together in the end. Why be sad? Life can still go on."
"Sob, it's just... just because they struggled so much to be together... sob, that's why I feel so sad seeing Jacob's eyes... sob..."
...
"It's great! So great! Incredibly wonderful! Ahh, I want to watch it again! Where are the director and actors? I want to express my admiration to them!"
...
As the surging crowd emerged, the previous showing of "Like Crazy" had just concluded. Exiting viewers engaged in passionate discussions, the constant hum of voices filled the air. Clearly, the debates were intense, and many wore serious expressions as they dissected the film fervently, the fiery discussions themselves serving as the film's highest commendation.
In Sundance, if a film merely garnered unanimous praise, it wasn't surprising, as such films were numerous. Often, after meeting certain standards in some aspect, they could win acclaim. However, a film that triggered discussion, controversy, and debate—that was a true gem.
The dispute wasn't about the film's quality, but about the film itself: its plot, ideas, performances, framework, script, depth, and so on.
Eli turned to the young man, his eyes reflecting astonishment. Even last year's "Blue Valentine" hadn't received such treatment.
The young man shrugged, "I told you. This isn't a film that can be easily summarized." Just as he had said earlier, he didn't really like the film himself, yet he found himself deeply engrossed. His feelings for this film were truly mixed and hard to put into words.
A flash of insight crossed Eli's mind, and he inquired, "One last question, what do you think of Renly Hall?"
"Genius." The young man chose this word, the simplest yet most direct, "Actually, I haven't seen "Buried" yet, but I plan to go to the cinema after the festival to check it out."
Genius, that seemed to be the impression most people have of Renly Hall.
Indeed, with just three works, he achieved such incredible results, and each step was so solid, capturing everyone's attention. There's no more fitting term than genius.
If Renly knew, he'd probably laugh. He was not a genius, never was, not in the past, not now. The hardships and struggles behind each performance, the sweat and effort invested into each role—only he knows.
But it was undeniable that from the enthusiastic reception at the premiere, to the praise in official publications, and the difficulty in obtaining movie tickets, "Like Crazy" had become the most unique, lively, and grand spectacle of the 26th Sundance Film Festival. Within this, Renly, who presented "Buried" and "Like Crazy", undoubtedly received fervent adoration. However, this was just the tip of the iceberg.
At the same time, the power of the internet era was gradually spreading. Centered around the Yahoo community, the newly released film "Like Crazy" rapidly spread far and wide like an ultrasonic wave.
Thirty-two posts, purely in terms of quantity, might not seem like much, incomparable to the frenzy after the special screening of "Buried". However, considering that "Like Crazy" had only been screened at Sundance, with not many having seen it yet, the appearance of thirty-two discussion posts under such circumstances was indeed a rarity.
As Renly's most loyal supporter, William Taylor also shared his viewing experience at the earliest opportunity.
"The film portrays love in a simple and fresh manner, revealing its most authentic form.
Love is never just love; even the wildest love can be ground down by time and life, with only that purest form of affection deep within having varying significance due to life's heaviness, yielding different answers.
The film dissects love—its fervor, sweetness, tenderness, enjoyment, companionship, entanglement, bitterness, pain, betrayal, sadness, separation—exposing it with stark realism. Every detail is so real that it's almost unbearable to continue watching, gently tugging at the pain in one's heart, creating a tightness and suffocation in the chest. It's nuanced in its bitterness, yet leaves a profound aftertaste.
For everyone who has loved before, who loves now, who yearns for love, they can find themselves in it. At the end of the film, two lovers entangled for years finally come together, but the world around them has changed.
In this film, the Young Heir once again delivers a breathtaking performance. His performance delves deep into the soul, yet leaves no trace, truly expressing silent heartbreak, tears unshed. Sighs and solitude, sorrow and pain, like a poem, so beautiful that one can only revere."
After half a year of active participation, William had made friends within the Yahoo community. Once he posted this thread, within just twelve hours, it attracted over six thousand replies and more than forty thousand views. Among Renly's supporters, it sparked numerous discussions.
Particularly noteworthy was that William focused on the film "Like Crazy" itself, rather than lavishing praise on Renly's performance from a fan's perspective. For avid film enthusiasts, this was truly ideal. Many netizens attending the film festival in Park City also chimed in, making the thread increasingly lively.
However, in the past thirty-six hours on the Yahoo community, the most eye-catching post wasn't William's; it was Brandomania's fervent contribution.
Once again, the fervor of Brandomania, combined with an objective post, successfully created a topic and generated attention.
"In the film, there's a scene: Jacob arrives in London, reuniting with Anna. Anna, along with her friends, takes Jacob to a bar for drinks. Anna enjoys a lively conversation with her friends, fully reveling in the beauty of this night. Standing beside them, Jacob is at a loss.
Jacob attempted to join the conversation, listening attentively to their discussions. He nodded occasionally, gazing intently and earnestly at the person speaking. At times, he even chimed in with agreeing sounds. During the pauses in conversation, his gaze would drift to Anna's profile and her shoulder, his gentle gaze capable of melting moonlight.
Initially, he managed to keep up with their rhythm and even actively tried to engage with Anna's friends. However, gradually, they forgot about him—not intentionally, but simply because those topics were unfamiliar to him, ones he couldn't contribute to.
Jacob's gaze gradually dimmed, yet he still smiled, still gazed, still listened. But beneath it all, a hint of loneliness carried a touch of confusion. In this moment, he didn't belong here.
Played by Renly Hall, the role of Jacob showed almost no traces of acting. It was in the subtleties of his gaze, the corners of his mouth, the minute gestures he made. He didn't display impatience or unease; the smile remained on his face throughout. Yet, that faint sense of detachment conveyed the entirety of the story.
This was Renly.
He imbued his performance with a delicate yet profound touch, releasing potent emotions from seemingly inconspicuous details. The entire scene was no longer than ten seconds, yet he had told the complete backstory.
This is Renly's artistry.
He delivered a portrayal that was sensitive and deep, his nuanced movements able to ignite intense emotions. For only a mere ten seconds of screen time, he had eloquently narrated the tale's entirety.
Renly Hall, in this manner, was deserving of an Oscar nomination. Because of "Buried", and also because of "Like Crazy"."
Brandomania's fervent post was not only shared on the Yahoo community but also spread widely in screenshot form on photo walls.
The post's popularity skyrocketed from the get-go.
Just a week had passed since the Golden Globe Awards. The memory still vivid, this reminder immediately brought to people's minds that Renly, who had earned two nominations, had returned empty-handed. Moreover, his momentum for an Oscar nomination had dwindled, gradually overtaken by "127 Hours"
But now, Brandomania's fervor rekindled memories of "Buried". Perhaps some hadn't had the chance to watch "Like Crazy" yet, but it was certain that the performance in "Buried" was astonishing.
Within a mere thirty-six hours, Brandomania's post garnered over 150,000 views and more than 30,000 replies. Netizens everywhere began rallying for Renly, urging more people to take notice of his brilliant performance in "Buried". This recognition was truly deserved.
Simultaneously, the number of likes on Instagram exceeded 90,000. Someone even initiated the topic of "Oscar Nomination for Renly Hall", spreading it across Facebook and the photo wall. Within a short span, this topic had ascended the trending ranks, although it hadn't yet entered the top ten, its upward trajectory was rapid.
Unexpectedly, yet somehow expectedly, the overwhelming momentum of "Like Crazy" at Sundance began to propel Renly's award season momentum.
Although Sundance was an annual grand event, its independent film nature meant that the mainstream media's presence was somewhat limited. More media remained in Los Angeles, closely monitoring the awards season's direction.
All of a sudden, the media discovered that Renly's acclaim was once again surging against the tide.
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