The Best Director

Chapter 220: You Will Become Very Easy to Beat!

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“Wow, that was classic!” Zack Galifianakis, dressed in a blue shirt, had just stepped onto the stage when he gave Wang Yang a passionate hug, constantly excitedly jumping and saying, “Thank you.” Wang Yang, having enough of his big belly, laughed and pushed him away; Zack then took the Golden Popcorn trophy from the staff beside him, very excitedly said, “Wow, wow! I’m lost for words!”

In the theater, fans of ‘The Hangover’ shouted out loud, sending their encouragement to the lovable chub; Zack, holding the trophy, began to laugh as he gave thanks to his family, agent, MTV, the audience, fans… Wang Yang stood to the side with a smile, holding an envelope, and Zack quickly turned to look at him, gratefully saying, “And thank you, Yang, for teaching me more about how to be funny, how to make fun of myself. Thank you!”

The audience burst into applause on cue, and Wang Yang also smiled and clapped. The chubby Zack finally said, “I hope I can bring more joy to everyone in the future, thank you!” Lights flickered on the stage as Wang Yang and Zack chatted and laughed while walking into the backstage entrance like a tunnel through time; on the other side of the stage, hosts Justin Timberlake and Shawn William Scott walked out.

“Sean, you go ahead,” Justin Timberlake said, standing up straight with his hands at his sides and a calm expression on his face. Shawn William Scott shook his head slightly and said, “You do it.” Justin said in an indifferent tone, “ASS.” Shawn followed with a resigned, “They won’t laugh if we say it.” The audience chuckled lightly, and Justin switched expressions, jovially introducing, “Next up, these two performance guests…”

On stage, the Russian girl band t.A.T.u. was performing an impassioned song and dance routine, dressed in sexy and untamed outfits, riding on an orange sports car that drove onto the stage, and they were licking each other’s faces and kissing hotly, eliciting waves of shrieks from the enthusiastic audience. Amidst the deafening noise, Wang Yang walked down the steps of a side aisle and made his way back to his distant seat, with acquaintances greeting him along the way, “Yang, very funny!” “GOOD-TALK!”…

“Yang! You’re a genius!” When Wang Yang returned to his seat with thanks, Robert Downey Jr. was already laughing and extending his hand; Wang Yang high-fived him, and seated next to him, Michelle Rodriguez also laughed, “Yang, you’ve taught me a lesson!” Bradley laughed, “Thanks for the review.”… Everyone around watched him with amusement. Wang Yang clasped his fists and laughed, “Thanks everyone! After showing off for so long, my ASS can finally rest.”

The people around him couldn’t help but snicker lightly. Wang Yang settled into his chair with a “huff” of relief! Looking at the two hot wildcats on the stage, he softly wooed and whispered to Jessica on his left, “Feels a bit like a night club in Las Vegas.” Jessica, who’d been laughing all along, couldn’t help but slap the back of his hand and said, “You were just up there.”

“Indeed! How vulgar I am, my sunny image is ruined, now I have an idiot image,” Wang Yang lamented, as he gently squeezed her right hand and continued to watch the stage with interest. Jessica leaned close to his ear and chuckled, “I’m really angry, you called me a dumb woman.” Wang Yang shrugged, “No, I didn’t.” Jessica pretended to be upset and pouted, audible only to him, “I knew it, you always thought my was skimmed…”

“Skimmed has its benefits too, it’s more nutritious,” Wang Yang chomped his mouth a few times quickly, mimicking tasting food. Jessica couldn’t resist a giggle and punched him softly with her left hand; Wang Yang burst into laughter, whispering, “Green-Food.” They both laughed a bit then ceased their couple’s banter, obviously not wanting others to overhear, and turned their attention back to t.A.T.u.’s explosive performance.

After the performance, the ceremony continued with one of the night’s most anticipated awards, Best Actor, which saw the “sad uncle” Robert Downey Jr. defeated again. The Golden Popcorn trophy went to Eminem, the male lead of ‘8 Mile’ and a rare white rap star. Other contenders like ‘Spider-Man’ Toby Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio couldn’t compete with the enthusiasm of the fans’ votes.

Then, the last spoof clip of the night played, bringing bursts of laughter from the audience. On the big screen, Justin and Sean William as well as ‘Lord of the Rings’ Sam actor Sean Astin lay on the suite floor, all in a hazy post-hangover state; soon Sean Astin screamed, “My ring! My ring!”

This was a spoof combining ‘The Hangover’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’, both of which were hot favorites for Best Movie that night. Instead of carrying the One Ring to Mount Doom after Frodo’s uncertain fate, the ring goes missing following a boisterous bender! Naturally, Sam is frantic, and the two hosts join him on a quest to find the missing ring,

Following scant clues, the trio find a casino receipt — perhaps the ring was gambled away at blackjack. As they arrive at the casino, the screen suddenly shows scenes from ‘MIT-21-TEAM’. Through clever editing and dubbing, Natalie Portman tells them, “Winning at blackjack isn’t just about sitting down to play, you guys don’t even understand blackjack…”

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Just like with “The Matrix Reloaded” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” earlier tonight, this is a rare publicity opportunity, as countless young TV viewers will see and be impressed. So when Wang Yang received this spoof invitation from the organizers, he requested to include the upcoming “MIT-21-TEAM” as well. MTV channel had a good relationship with Flame Film, and they agreed to it without any fuss at the time.

After learning about the spoof content, Wang Yang provided some footage material, and also had Natalie do a sound production in Boston over the weekend, which probably counts as part of the promotional work.

The 30 million promotional campaign for “MIT-21-TEAM” had already kicked off. In addition to using the poster advertising channel from “District 9,” posting in some cheap yet effective places; theater trailers, TV spots, and online promotion were indispensable. However, with 2 months to go before the release, the promotional plan was just progressing. This time, Flame Film didn’t go for a massive viral marketing campaign, of course not considering the cooperation with the book sellers to re-promote “Bringing Down the House,” and arranging for Kevin Spacey to give lectures around the country.

The notoriety of the “Chinese God of Gamblers” was growing, as was the attention to the movie, and many gamblers and young people went “wow” upon hearing this true legendary story. And surely, after the MTV Movie Awards on June 5th, more young viewers would be searching for information about the film.

Light laughter erupted from the audience in the Xuelan Theater, and Wang Yang and Jessica also watched the spoof on the screen with smiles. At that moment, he heard his neighbor, Robert Downey Jr., lament with a chuckle, “It’s really sad! If only I had known, I would have starred in ‘The Hangover,’ not just made a cameo. My comedic talent isn’t any less than Chaplin’s! I want that popcorn…”

“You were too uncool in ‘District 9,'” Wang Yang laughed, looking at Downey’s face filled with middle-aged charm. However, he suddenly became contemplative, flashing back to some of Downey’s appearances and performances in “Iron Man” series and “Sherlock Holmes”… What if this guy dressed up in Western cowboy style, fists and revolver at the ready, playing Captain Mal? How would that be?

Although the movie script was not yet finalized, the characters’ personalities and temperaments would not change much, especially for the protagonist, Captain Mal—stubborn yet kindhearted, righteous and evil with a sense of humor, a scruffy and rebellious independent soldier with an endearing charm of a space cowboy on the frontier. After reviewing the script and organizing his thoughts, Wang Yang had looked at some clips of the TV series “Firefly,” in which Captain Mal was portrayed by Nathan Fillion.

Nathan Fillion was the other Ryan in “Saving Private Ryan” who shared the same name and sex with Private Ryan. He appeared as the villain Caleb for five episodes in Joss Whedon’s TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and as one of the main characters, Johnny, in the popular series “Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place,” which was very popular among fans. He portrayed Captain Mal as more restrained and “sorrowful,” someone who was still silently licking the wounds left by the war, superficially selfish and just wanting to save himself, but in fact, opposed the Alliance every moment.

This type of captain had his own charm, but Wang Yang felt it was still not enough and did not match his movie aesthetic. If Captain Mal’s background was more distinguished, if his military rank during the battle of Serenity Valley and throughout the entire war was elevated from sergeant to lieutenant or captain, letting his heartache be hidden deeper, and letting his rebellious humor stand out more… Wang Yang hoped for someone who could portray Captain Mal with an outer cowboy roughness and an inner Eastern delicacy, someone who aside from some comedic situations, could play the role brilliantly.

He hoped Captain Mal could be as iconic as Han Solo and as charming as Captain Jack from the upcoming “Pirates of the Caribbean” releasing in July.

“Robert, I have a lead role I’d like to invite you to audition for. You know about sci-fi movies, if it’s a success, I guarantee you could grab an MTV award,” Wang Yang said earnestly. In fact, he already knew that Downey was very suited for the role without an audition. He could be righteous, evil, na?ve, sad, and funny, and also very handsome; the only minor drawback was Downey’s height of 175cm, so either Captain Mal would remain that way, or they would make him “tall, dark, and handsome” during the shooting.

Downey, sitting beside him, was immediately surprised and exclaimed, “A sci-fi movie? You have a new plan already?!” He distinctly remembered that the kid was still filming “The Devil Wears Prada,” and “MIT-21-TEAM” hadn’t been released yet. Suddenly, the second sci-fi film, with no idea and no time, popped up like a spaceship with a “whoosh!” After hearing Wang Yang’s few hisses, Downey asked in a hushed voice, “You’re not joking, are you?”

“Joss Whedon contacted me, he has a suitable script,” Wang Yang said with a smile, pushing his shoulder slightly, and invitingly said, “Buddy, come do an audition first! I think there won’t be any problems, it’s up to you now.” Excited, Downey laughed heartily, his voice raspy, “Do you even have to ask? The decision is in your hands.” Wang Yang said thank you with a smile, and Downey couldn’t wait to ask, “So what kind of lead role is it?”

Wang Yang shrugged lightly, knowing that this place wasn’t suitable for an elaborate discussion, and since the script wasn’t finalized, he answered obliquely with a smile, “That’s a big production, buddy, that’s a big production.” Downey shrugged and replied, “I love big productions.” Wang Yang thought for a moment and said softly, “Well, wait until the script is confirmed. But I think we’re probably going to start shooting in the first quarter of next year, so keep your schedule clear.”

“No problem.” Downey nodded without hesitation. Even if he had work scheduled for that time, he would cancel everything. Whether it was personal feelings or movie business, the marvelous Yang was always his first choice, no matter the genre or investment level.

“By the way, Robert, if you have time, work out some muscles, and it might be best to learn some fighting and Kung Fu as well,” Wang Yang said earnestly, as if the contract had already been signed, though he didn’t say, “It’s best to enroll in a crash course in Mandarin as well.” Looking at Downey’s relaxed facial muscles, Wang Yang clapped along with the crowd and tilted his head to smile, “You’ll become a good fighter!”

Downey, who was also clapping, couldn’t help but get excited. A role with fight scenes? He pursed his lips and licked them, his face full of anticipation and admiration, and said with a smile, “I’ve wanted to play this for a long time.”

By then, the spoof clips of “The Hangover” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” had ended, with the three finally finding the ring at the slot machines, where it had been inserted as a coin. The applause in the theater gradually subsided, and the two hosts in exaggerated costumes came back on stage to play the fool. Jessica had vaguely heard some of the conversation, and with a low “hey” to Wang Yang, she asked, “Have you decided to shoot ‘Firefly’?”

Wang Yang turned his head to look at her, not wanting to create an effect of “compensation.” She didn’t like it, nor did he have that intention. Though there was a role in “Firefly” that was a perfect fit for her and he had already decided to let her play it, he had not yet spoken to her about it, not even mentioning it much. He planned to wait until she had fully focused on shooting “The Devil Wears Prada” before telling her about it.

Looking at her familiar and beautiful face that made his heart race, Wang Yang nodded and smiled, “Yeah, that’s the one I told you about.”

“Oh!” Jessica’s face was instantly full of anticipation, and she gave an angelic smile, saying, “I see.” She didn’t ask if there was a role for her to play, because she knew that if there was a suitable role, the young director wouldn’t forget about her, as he cared for her just as she cared for him.

“You know it,” Wang Yang also smiled at her, reached out to take her left hand, and both felt a warmth in their palms.

Among the laughter of the crowd, the hosts finished their antics, and the award for Best Actress went to “Spider-Man’s girlfriend” Kirsten Dunst. Jessica showed no sign of disappointment and kept clapping joyfully, since she had not expected to win and was only there for the ride; besides, she didn’t care much. Wang Yang, however, felt that in the next few years at the MTV awards, she would get her hands on at least one bucket of popcorn.

“And the Best On-Screen Duo goes to…” Behind the award podium on the stage, presenter Matt Damon opened the envelope under the watchful eyes of the audience. Among the five nominees for the award, “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” featuring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, and Gollum, and “The Hangover” with Zack, Bradley Cooper, and Ed Helms, stood as strong competitors—it was either “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” or “The Hangover”.

The nominees all tensed up, and Matt Damon, with an expressionless face, peeked into the envelope and declared the result, “Zack Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, and Ed Helms for ‘The Hangover’!”

“Ahh!” The fans in the auditorium instantly screamed in excitement, while many “The Lord of the Rings” fans wore resigned expressions. But at a ceremony mostly about fun, there were no boos. In the front row, the Hangover trio rose to embrace each other in surprise and joy. Michelle Rodriguez, Will Smith, Downey… and many around them all applauded and celebrated.

Zack, Bradley, and Ed didn’t head straight to the award stage but instead ran over to where Wang Yang was clapping; they laughingly dragged him with them up to the stage, “Director, come get the award with us!” “This is your chance to show your face!” … Wang Yang was shouting for help but got pulled along to the stage anyway. Jessica, who had stood up behind them, had a charming smile on her face as she clapped vigorously with both hands.

Among the thunderous applause and laughter, the four of them received the popcorn trophy and approached the black microphone. Zack and his two companions stood aside, indicating for the director to speak first. Facing the smiling crowd, Wang Yang feigned an awkward laugh and said into the microphone, “Now you can witness the full extent, so please enjoy. Thank you!”

The audience burst into a light laughter. Wang Yang didn’t monopolize the microphone; after saying his piece, he stepped aside with a smile, gesturing toward the award podium, allowing the three awardees to speak.

“Thanks to my family and friends, there are too many names to list… and thank you, Magic Yang! This movie has been a very dreamy process for me from beginning to end,” Bradley said before stepping aside. Ed Helms, whose teeth were already fixed, grinned widely. He adjusted his glasses and said with a laugh, “We had a lot of fun filming, discussing every day how to make it funnier. Thank you to our director and everyone on the team!”

“Umm, regarding ‘The Hangover 2,’ I’m not sure if I can say this.” Zack glanced at Wang Yang, who gave him an indifferent smile. Turning to the audience, Zack said cheekily, “This time we will have a hangover abroad! We hope to receive this award again!” Fans cheered and whistled upon hearing this; however, they were already disappointed to learn that the original cast didn’t include Magic Yang.

“I hope so too!” Bradley leaned into the microphone, and Ed, holding the popcorn trophy, added with a laugh, “Thank you, everyone!”

Amidst a roar of cheers and applause, the four walked towards the portal entrance. The award-winning trio headed backstage for interviews and press photos, while Wang Yang made his way back to his seat. Soon, the evening’s most significant award was presented amidst cries from the audience, with the fan-favorite ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ taking the Best Picture! With the last award handed out, the 12th MTV Movie Awards concluded in high spirits.

Out of 13 awards, ‘The Hangover,’ with its 6 nominations, took home 2 buckets of popcorn, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ 3 buckets, ‘Spider-Man’ 2 buckets…

“Hehe, mm-haha…” The plane soared through the sky, and in the elegant and comfortable first-class cabin’s private bedroom, the two dressed in pajamas lay in bed getting ready to sleep. Wang Yang hugged Jessica from behind, listening to her occasional silly laughter, he couldn’t help laughing and asked, “What are you laughing at?” Jessica turned her head to look at him, her eyes sparkling, and giggled, “Just remembering those butt jokes of yours…”

With a smack, Wang Yang slapped her curvy bottom, saying mischievously with a laugh, “It all comes from here.” Jessica giggled and told him to roll off, yet her bottom was continuously under siege. As they laughed and frolicked, something came to her mind, and she said regretfully with a laugh, “Yang, the script you prepared was really funny too, but it wasn’t used. I really wanted to see the audience’s reaction.” Wang Yang kissed her hair softly and whispered, “How was it not used? Didn’t you laugh at it?”

“OK!” Jessica’s mouth curved high with proud happiness, and she commanded with a laugh, “Tell me some more jokes!” Wang Yang laughed and asked, “What kind of jokes do you want to hear? G-rated? PG-13? R-rated…” As he spoke, he caressed her slim waist, his hand slowly moving upward, “Or perhaps NC-17…” Jessica slapped his hand away, chiding with a laugh, “You can’t do that on a plane!”

“It’s not that we can’t, it’s just a little inappropriate…”