From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

A kind of unrestraint, a kind of release, a kind of freedom.

In Brad's figure, Anson could feel some differences, difficult to articulate in words, but a change that could be genuinely felt.

Perhaps, this time it really could be different.

Withdrawing his gaze, Anson noticed a low-pressure aura emanating from his left. He glanced over and was startled by Lucas's dark face.

"Relax, Lucas, relax," Anson said with a helpless smile. "Nothing happened just now. We were just chatting for a bit."

Lucas remained unmoved. If it was just a chat, why would Anson tell that guy about Gus preparing a new work?

Lucas said, "I don't trust alcoholics."

Anson laughed directly. "Didn't you hear? He's been sober for six whole months."

Lucas: "I don't want to say I don't believe they can change, but at least, six months isn't enough. He needs to continue proving himself."

Anson: "We're just friends. He doesn't need to prove anything to me."

Lucas: "But he might hurt you."

Anson: "Lucas, hurt is the essence of love, because you care, so you give the other person the right to hurt you; but if you don't care, he can't hurt you. So, don't be afraid of hurt, it's proof of caring."

Anson quietly gazed at Lucas.

Those deep, azure blue eyes made Lucas's gaze flicker slightly: these words didn't seem to be just about Brad anymore.

Fortunately, Anson then changed the subject. "Besides, I'm not a porcelain doll that breaks at a touch. You probably don't know that I have a lot of enemies in Hollywood, right?"

Lucas curled his lips. "How could I not know? It's because I know that I'm worried. When people become famous, they attract jealousy. Now half of Hollywood is trying to hurt you."

"Haha. Hahaha," Anson laughed, laughing especially happily. "Lucas, I'm not a king, there's no throne left for people to compete for; nor do I have vast wealth, there aren't so many conspiracies and tricks."

Lucas remained unmoved. Anson was a good kid, willing to believe in the inherent goodness of human nature. That was fine. He was willing to protect Anson's kindness. As for those dark and twisted things, he would take care of them.

In a way, Lucas was right.

Even if Anson didn't do anything, as long as Anson continued to succeed, the gazes of jealousy and hatred would not disappear.

The present was the best proof.

"The Butterfly Effect" was still playing in theaters, and the low-key limited release of "Elephant" had unexpectedly risen to prominence, becoming a major topic after the Christmas holiday.

A story was born in the Angelica Film Center and spread widely with great fanfare.

Netizens: I've seen this plot before!

"Anson-Wood style promotion"!

Either, next up, street performances will begin at the entrances of various cinemas, breaking the fourth wall in this way to allow the film's emotions to continue.

Or, next up, a filmed video will spread on the forum, sparking heated discussions, using the song to drive the film, bringing "Elephant" into the view of more people.

"It's a routine, it's all a routine. To put it bluntly, Anson-Wood only has those two tricks. This matter has a fishy smell at first glance, everything is arranged."

"Anson-Wood is just like that. On the surface, he seems to have countless whimsical ideas, but if you think about it carefully, he's still just a pretty face, his head is empty."

"Stop pretending, these are all shills, right?"

"Okay, okay, we know, it's the 'Elephant' promotion team. Next."

"It's just performing a song, as if street performances have never appeared in New York before. Has anyone confirmed whether his performance is legal, whether it violates any New York regulations?"

Complaints, ridicule, attacks, grievances.

Never-ending.

Everything was as expected. When people become famous, they attract jealousy. Given Anson's current sweeping and continuously rising momentum, he should be attracting envy both inside and outside Hollywood. Even if Anson hasn't done anything wrong, those jealous gazes will still continuously twist everything in front of them, attributing conspiracies.

Just like now, it was clear that the internet was only sharing a small episode from the Angelica Film Center, no one mentioned Anson, but those trolls still chattered and made associations, and dragged Anson into it.

However, this is the inevitable path to greatness, this is a portrayal of the loneliness at the top, no one can be an exception.

Fortunately, trolls are ultimately a minority.

Moreover, those malicious speculations were soon proven to be just speculations —

Subsequently, no similar events occurred, nor did any chain reactions occur. In all respects, the Angelica Film Center incident was just a random accident.

Unfortunately, no one recorded it.

Thus, that episode became a legend passed down by word of mouth. Everyone has their own version, everyone sees and feels subtle differences, and finally, various details circulate on the internet, indeed becoming an important anecdote in the group of veteran film enthusiasts.

However, what is truly important is not that performance, but the reflection and accumulation that performance triggered.

The tragedy of "Elephant" is still happening and may continue to happen. What can they do?

Continue to speak out, continue to speak out, using different means such as movies, music, and writing, to make their worries and fears seen and heard, and then step by step promote change.

Perhaps, this is the true meaning of the movie "Elephant".

Everything is as Roger Ebert said in his Cannes film review, the movie's blank spaces are the key, because it leaves people room to think.

Now, the film is officially on the big screen, and those lingering emotions and those thoughts, with the passage of time, slowly diffuse and spread little by little.

Not fast, even slow, and the early explosiveness of "Catch Me If You Can" and "The Butterfly Effect" is not the same thing at all; but things are indeed happening.

It is conceivable that the discussion surrounding "Elephant" has only just begun.

In the noisy atmosphere of the Christmas season, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the weekend time passed in a flash, and before they even had time to fully experience it, the happy days had already slipped through their fingers.

Then, the final North American weekend box office charts for 2003 were hotly released —

"The Lord of the Rings 3", "The Butterfly Effect", "Cheaper by the Dozen" and other works launched a fierce competition with swords drawn. The box office after Christmas ushered in a full recovery, and the market heat reached a new height.

But all of this has nothing to do with "Elephant".

Not to mention the competition for the weekend box office champion, the top ten or top twenty in the box office charts may also have nothing to do with "Elephant". After all, the film is only in limited release in twenty-seven theaters. In the face of competitors with two thousand or even three thousand screens during the Christmas holiday, it is simply not enough.

However, the eyes of industry insiders could not help but gather towards "Elephant".