Chapter 610: Keep it in your mouth and keep it in your heart
Due to its good reputation and the help of many celebrities in promoting it, the first-day screening schedule of "The Unknown" was much better than the original time and space.
In fact, this is mainly due to the fact that there were really no movies worth watching during the same period.
The movies released on the same day as "Nobody" include "2:22", "Maze Runner: The Death Cure", "24: Resurgence", "The Fifth Dimension", "S4: The Demons Strike Back" and several other movies.
It’s either a bad Hollywood movie or a bad domestic movie.
In comparison, [The Unknown] is definitely a standout in terms of quality.
After the show in the evening, Gu Wei and Liu Yifei found a nearby restaurant for dinner, and then went to the nearest movie studio.
The assistant had already booked the entire venue in advance, and the two of them went straight in wearing sunglasses and masks.
As they walked into the theater, Gu Wei took Liu Yifei's small hand, and she obediently held his big hand tightly. Her face flushed a little under the mask, but she said nothing.
"Here, your juice and popcorn." Gu Wei took the other person to the two best viewing seats in the middle of the theater, and took off his mask and sunglasses after sitting down.
"OK."
"Um?
Why is your face a little red? Is it hot wearing a mask? "Gu Wei put his coat on another chair and turned to look at Liu Yifei, who had also taken off her mask.
“Ah, a little bit.”
There has been a lot of physical contact between the two during filming recently, almost a kissing scene. Gu Wei has also become somewhat accustomed to these close physical contacts, and doesn't take holding hands seriously at all.
However, the thoughtful Liu Yifei still felt something was different.
"There's no other way. When we go out, masks, sunglasses, and baseball caps are a must.
That’s why I always book out the theater every time I go to the movies.”
"It's nothing, I'm much better now." Liu Yifei took two deep breaths.
The movie started soon and she shifted her attention from Gu Wei to the big screen.
[The unknown person] also has another name called [panic and error].
The film revolves around a lost old gun and tells a series of absurd stories about a pair of low-profile robbers, a down-and-out security guard, a physically disabled but tough and sharp-tongued woman, and these "unknown people".
"Ma Xianyong" played by Chen Jianbin is the male lead, but the most exciting part of the whole film is the part about the high-level paraplegic "Ma Jiaqi" and the two stupid thieves "Hu Guangsheng" and "Li Haigen".
Like "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Crazy Stone", "Nobody" also has a multi-linear narrative structure.
Finally, all the characters are gathered at a "mourning" meeting, which marks the climax and ending of the movie.
Obviously, "Nobody" is a very high-quality film.
When Hu Guangsheng said seriously, "I'll get an AK and you get a Lever, let's grow bigger and stronger and create greater glory!", Liu Yifei couldn't help laughing.
When the two robbers found out that they had stolen a bunch of mobile phone models, she couldn't hold back her laughter.
However, immediately afterwards, Ma Jiaqi, who was paraplegic from the waist down, suffered from urinary incontinence and lost the most basic dignity as a human being. With the help of two stupid thieves, the three of them went to the balcony to take pictures, which made her tears up again.
The 108-minute movie is not too long, and it soon reaches the finale. Subtitles scroll on the screen and the song of the same name, "The Unknown", is also playing.
“.
Who am I, the nameless one?
It doesn't matter who you forget
Who doesn't fight to the end of life?
”
"Yes." Gu Wei handed the tissue in his hand to Liu Yifei.
"Thank you." He wiped his red eyes and blew his nose.
“You are right in recommending this, it is a really good movie.”
"Of course, I've never missed a thing."
"What's the name of the actress who plays Ma Jiaqi?
It was a really good performance.”
“Ren Suxi, she started out as a drama actress.
Many of the actors in this film come from a theatre background, and their acting is very good, and they often create a certain tension when portraying their characters.”
As he said this, he looked at Liu Yifei, whose eyes were red with emotion from the movie.
“I thought you wouldn’t feel this deeply.
After all, this film is about the joys and sorrows of ordinary people."
"Am I so otherworldly in your eyes?" Liu Yifei retorted.
"Are you a fairy sister? It's normal for you to be detached from the mundane world." Gu Wei joked with a smile.
There is a sentence in Somerset Maugham's The Moon and Sixpence: "I have tried my best to live an ordinary life."
For ordinary people, life is really like this.
If you refuse to admit defeat, it will tell you: "Even if you try your best, you can only live an ordinary life"; if you are confused, it will tell you: "You must try your best to live an ordinary life."
This world has never truly empathized with people, especially those who have never experienced poverty. It is difficult to understand the difficulties and hardships faced by ordinary people."
Gu Wei spoke calmly and Liu Yifei listened carefully. In fact, she agreed with what he said.
Due to her background and experience, she was able to play the gentle and lovely "Ling'er" and the otherworldly "Little Dragon Girl" very easily in her early years.
However, some complex roles will be beyond their ability due to lack of relevant experience.
"You, Master Gu, have never encountered any setbacks, have you?
As for your family, Girls' Generation's growing environment was probably much better than mine. Since their debut, they have smoothly reached heights that others can hardly imagine.
If you say you are detached from worldly affairs, then you are the true immortal. How can you empathize with ordinary people?"
Liu Yifei curled her lips as she spoke.
"Besides, you're a genius, so how can you understand the difficulties faced by ordinary people like us?"
Hearing what she said, Gu Wei recalled the time when he graduated from college in his previous life. After his family went bankrupt, he had to work as a salesperson to make money to pay off debts. He worked himself to the point of breaking his legs and getting his mouth bruised, and had to endure people's contempt.
In order to save money, I never go to the cinema to watch movies. I even borrow video membership from my colleagues, or I look for pirated copies online.
However, it must be said that sales can really make money if done well. Gu Wei is willing to endure hardships and works hard. He is also a young man with an energetic appearance. His income within a few years of graduation far exceeds that of his classmates who work in offices.
Given the situation at the time, after paying off his family's debts, he relied on the customer resources he had accumulated over the years to become the top salesperson no matter which company in the same industry he went to.
In the next few years, buying a house and a car and becoming a middle-class person in a big city will not be a problem.
"You said I'm a genius, so it's not a problem for me to do this." Gu Wei smiled and patted Liu Yifei's head.
"Don't pat my head
I feel like you're getting more and more presumptuous now. You used to be quite respectful to me by calling me Sister Yifei, but later you called me Xixi during meals. You're completely unpretentious this time on set, right?"
"Oh, no, doesn't this mean we have a good relationship?
In the past, respect was expressed with words, but now it is expressed in the heart." Gu Wei smiled and scratched his head.
"Hey, you always have an excuse."
On Friday, January 26, the first day of release of "The Unknown", it took in 38.64 million at the box office with an 18% national screening rate. Surprisingly, this box office was the second in the national box office that day.
The Hollywood blockbuster "Maze Runner: The Death Cure" took 51.6 million on the first day with a 29% share of the screenings, becoming the champion of the day. However, the attendance rate of this movie was far lower than that of "Nobody", and its reputation was quite bad.
On the 8th day of its release, Aamir Khan's "Secret Superstar", an Indian film, ranked third with a box office of 30.5 million.
Several other films performed quite poorly at the box office on their first day of release.
The comedy "S4 Heroes Conquering Demons" starring Liu Xiaoguang (actor of Zhao Si) and Wen Song only grossed 710,000 yuan on its first day of release, and was a complete flop.
Over the next two days, word of mouth for "The Unknown" gradually spread, and the box office reversed its decline on Saturday and Sunday, earning 45.62 million and 58.95 million respectively, becoming the national box office champion for the two days of the weekend.
The total box office in the first week was 143 million yuan, and it was well-received, far ahead of other movies released during the same period.
Nearly 100,000 people on Douban gave this movie a high score of 8.4.
You should know that it is quite difficult for domestic films to get high scores on Douban. Those that can get 8 points are truly good films.
It exceeded my expectations. The director is so bad. He makes you laugh first and then cry. When you think it's just a farce, he suddenly pulls back the curtain to reveal the miserable reality of the little people.
This year's best domestic comedy is a no-brainer. Multi-threaded storytelling is a real test of the director, screenwriter, and actors' abilities. Fortunately, this film is incredibly well-executed. Ren Suxi and Zhang Yu are incredible. Highly recommended!
[I went to see this movie because of Gu Wei's recommendation, and it was really a pleasant surprise. I am now looking forward to the Spring Festival movie "Nezha".
Gu Wei's second animated film as a producer, hopefully it will be the next "Monkey King: Hero is Back"!
The unique thing about this movie is that during the photo-taking scene, some people in the theater were laughing, some were crying, and I was the latter.
February came quickly. With the support of good reputation, "The Unknown" maintained its momentum in the second week of its release. Although the daily box office results could not be compared with some blockbuster movies, it was stable and would even reverse the decline from time to time.
On the evening of February 2, Gu Wei's flight flew across the Pacific Ocean and landed at Minneapolis International Airport in Minnesota, USA.
Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota, USA. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, across the Mississippi River, with a beautiful environment and a superior geographical location.
However, among the 50 states in the United States, Minnesota is one of those areas with a large land area, a sparse population and a relatively backward economy.
According to statistics in 2006, the total population of Minnesota was only 5.12 million, less than one-sixtieth of the total population of the United States.
Minneapolis, the so-called largest city, is also a medium-sized city in the United States.
Because this year's Super Bowl is held here, various hotels and other accommodations in the city are already overcrowded with spectators from all over the United States who come here to watch the game.
"The organizers have already arranged a hotel for us to stay in. It's a Four Seasons Hotel not far from the Metrodome.
This will make it much more convenient whether you are performing or watching a game.
In addition, there are tickets for the Super Bowl the day after tomorrow. After tomorrow’s performance, you can watch the game live the day after tomorrow.”
Night had fallen outside. Gu Wei came out of the airport and got on the car to the hotel.
The "Metro Dome" stadium that Yang Dan mentioned is the venue for this year's "Super Bowl". It was only built in 2016 and can accommodate 70,000 people to watch the game live. It was the former home of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Now that you’re here, there’s no need to rush, and it doesn’t matter if it’s one day more or one day less.
There’s a performance tomorrow and a competition the day after tomorrow, so naturally I have to watch the competition before leaving.”
"I see. Then, Boss, are we leaving on the evening of the 4th or the morning of the 5th?"
"The 5th, the game starts at 3:30 pm and lasts for 4 hours. It's almost 8 pm when it ends."
"Okay, I'll confirm the route with the airline later."
Gu Wei has a private jet, so he doesn't need to buy a plane ticket wherever he goes, but he needs to negotiate the route with the airline in advance.
To be honest, this is much more troublesome than buying tickets, but his subordinates can handle it, so Gu Wei doesn't have to worry about anything.
Moreover, the comfort is incomparable to the first-class cabin of ordinary passenger aircraft.
Just like this flight to the United States, which lasted more than 10 hours, Gu Wei took a nap and handled some work matters on the plane before arriving without feeling too tired.
(End of this chapter)
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