Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 171: International Stage

Every movie will face criticism because no work can achieve perfection, and because relentless nitpicking and critique are part of a critic's job. Furthermore, thriller and horror genres are inherently more prone to harsh criticism, which is a characteristic of genre films. "Buried" is no exception.

Among the numerous praises, Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly firmly expressed her rejection, even disgust, towards this film. "The film is undoubtedly foolish and narcissistic. The political perspective is monotonous and rigid, if not downright stupid, affecting the film's visual impact and viewing pleasure. Hall's performance is the only highlight of the entire film."

Lisa's viewpoint is quite unique. The film's connection to and critique of reality, as its core idea, received unanimous praise from most critics, who believed it added depth to the work. However, Lisa found it to be a burden.

In a detailed review in Entertainment Weekly, Lisa harshly criticized the film, arguing that as a Spaniard, director Rodrigo lacks an understanding of American society and is insensitive to political developments. This crude and superficial interpretation seriously impacted the film's quality. Behind this review, one might glimpse Lisa's political stance.

This reflects a common misconception about the media. People tend to think that the media should maintain a neutral and objective stance, respecting, protecting, and revealing facts. However, every journalist, editor, and columnist has their own cultural, religious, economic, and social background, which inevitably causes biases in their perspectives and viewpoints when reporting the same event. This is reflected even in the choice of words. Moreover, major media outlets have their own political affiliations, such as being Democratic or Republican in the U.S., or belonging to different religious denominations, which influences their news reporting.

For instance, in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, even the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times showed biases in their coverage, leading the elite to believe Hillary Clinton would win, only for voters in the central regions to deliver a shocking blow. The Brexit situation in the UK was similar, with London elites completely taken aback by the result.

This is the most direct manifestation of media bias in reporting.

Clearly, Lisa's political stance clashed with that of "Buried," affecting her overall view of the film.

However, Lisa was not alone. Two other critics shared similar views and went a step further, criticizing the film itself beyond political perspectives. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone expressed his disdain in even harsher terms, launching a full-scale attack.

"If you are keen on enduring torment—and I'm not sure 'keen' is the right word—being buried alive in a coffin for a full hundred minutes, with claustrophobia in a narrow space and unimaginative cheap props, completely ruins the film's innovative potential and script depth, then welcome to the cinema. The only thing that might help audiences get through this disaster is not Hall's handsome face but his excellent performance."

Although Rolling Stone originated as a music magazine, it has become a comprehensive magazine with a significant readership for its film reviews.

Evidently, Peter's hatred for "Buried" was all-encompassing, except for Renly. James Bernard of the film magazine Village Voice agreed with this harsh criticism.

"The weak script offers little to work with. We just watch the actor stuck in place, screaming, scared, crying, and then repeating it all over again. It feels like a poor Halloween prank by elementary school kids. Hall's emperor-level performance couldn't save the terrible film. We've had enough of 'Saw,' and pray 'Buried' doesn't become a series."

Compared to James' severe criticism, Lisa's comments seemed almost affectionate. James clearly found no redeeming qualities in "Buried," not even Renly's performance.

Out of the nine reviews in the official publication, six were positive and three were negative. "Buried" made a remarkable debut, drawing attention and gaining traction after its premiere. This shift brought the film from a cold, neglected corner into the spotlight, attracting numerous views. At the Toronto Film Festival, this film suddenly stood out.

More importantly, regardless of praise or criticism, Renly's performance received unanimous acclaim. Even Rolling Stone and Village Voice's reviews acknowledged this. The name "Renly Hall" started appearing frequently in reports.

In no time, people's memories were jogged—this was the newcomer who had just won an Emmy Award, the folk singer who had become a sensation on YouTube, and undeniably the artist with the highest online discussion rate in the past month. With the excitement from the Toronto Film Festival following the Emmy win and the success of the song "Cleopatra" on the Billboard charts, Renly was on a roll.

Who exactly is Renly?

This question seemed never-ending. After the Emmy Awards, after "Ophelia," and now during the Toronto Film Festival, people kept asking. The focus on Renly kept growing, shrouded in mystery and sparking another wave of discussion.

Naturally, the first to react were fellow media professionals.

The Toronto Film Festival is an international stage, unlike the North American art house screenings of independent films. Any film here receives global attention, with thousands of journalists from over 400 media outlets present. Any minor event can attract a "wolf pack" of eager reporters.

Who won the hearts of so many professional media outlets, achieving outstanding reviews in the official publication, currently second only to the highly praised "Blue Valentine," and becoming one of the most talked-about films since the festival's opening?

Who emerged from a flood of praise with nearly unanimous acclaim as a relative unknown, impressing everyone with their second film and first big-screen appearance in a $3 million Spanish production, chosen by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks from nearly a thousand competitors?

Who stole the spotlight from "The Town" and Ben Affleck, turning the anticipated media coverage into an unexpected focus on Renly Hall?

Interestingly, European media were just as excited as their North American counterparts. North American media were thrilled about the surprise hit at the Toronto Film Festival and its potential North American release and awards season prospects, as predicted by The Hollywood Reporter.

European media, on the other hand, were excited because the film was financed by Spain, with a Spanish director and crew, and a British lead actor. This was a European film through and through. So, who exactly are Rodrigo Cortez and Renly Hall?

Andy Rogers' phone was bombarded. As "Buried" was an independent film produced by Rodrigo Cortez, the media couldn't find a publicist and had to contact him directly. Besides him, the focus was on Renly, leading media to contact Renly's agent.

In the next 24 hours, Andy's phone was almost continuously ringing with interview requests for "Buried" and Renly.

Typically, at top-tier festivals like the European Big Three, over 150 media outlets might interview a film, taking four to five days of nearly non-stop sessions. However, lesser-known independent films usually attract fewer than 50 outlets, which would still be a dream come true for them.

Now, over 90 media outlets were scheduling interviews with "Buried" and Renly, with the number still rising. As "Buried" continued to gain acclaim, media interest was bound to soar.

For Renly, this was a dream come true. Unlike other actors whose starting point is typically within the U.S., Renly made a stunning debut on an international stage in Toronto, instantly attracting global attention.

In comparison, "The Town" had a burst of attention on its premiere night but quickly faded, with "Buried" stealing the spotlight. Even online, "Buried" dominated "The Town."

In this context, Renly's emergence as a focal point was nothing short of magical.

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