From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

The collaboration between "The Butterfly Effect" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" was a development no one had anticipated, including Anson himself.

To some extent, both movies are equally mind-bending, but their types and approaches are completely different.

The mind-bending aspect of "The Butterfly Effect" stems from the different possibilities presented by its five alternative endings. The different choices each person makes at the crossroads of fate can often lead them to completely different lives. But, unfortunately, character determines destiny, and everyone will be trapped in their own fate.

The mind-bending aspect of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" stems from its narrative that breaks the linear structure, ultimately posing a profound question: If you know the ending of the story, should you make the same choices and repeat the same mistakes? Or should you believe that you can correct your errors and avoid stepping into the same river?

Similar questions, yet "The Butterfly Effect" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" are like two branches from the same trunk, offering different interpretations, different directions, and different answers.

And everything shares the same core—

Anson-Wood.

It's hard to say there's no connection between the two.

Of course, this is just a minority view. Most people generally tend to think that the two movies are independent entities with no special connection to each other.

But this small group of movie fans is very firm.

They believe that the media has been emphasizing and probing Anson's aesthetic taste as a producer, trying to uncover the mask of the "pretty boy label" and peek into Anson's hidden interior. And now, they have found strong evidence to prove Anson's cultivation and thinking as an actor through his works, isn't that just proving:

Anson is definitely not just a pretty boy?

So, why ignore it? Why deny it?

Whether you agree or resist; whether it's mainstream or niche, the emergence of this view and the discussions it sparks precisely prove Roger Ebert's judgment:

"The Butterfly Effect." "Elephant." "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

These three works, each with its own characteristics and distinct style, walk an unconventional path between the roles of pretty boy and actor, opening up Anson's possibilities, and finally breaking through shackles and constraints in a triple jump. The pretty boy label has loosened or even fallen off, allowing people to glimpse Anson's existence as an actor.

Moreover, the three works mobilize the box office market in different ways, ensuring Anson's commercial success and further deepening his market influence.

This vision for selecting works and the ability to plan the overall layout are impressive, and he is undoubtedly the most skilled and smooth potential superstar in transforming and evolving from the actor position since Tom Hanks.

Back then, Tom Hanks established his position through the three-step process of "Sleepless in Seattle," "Forrest Gump," and "Philadelphia." Among them, "Forrest Gump" was a work that catered to the times, achieving both box office and award success, with a bit of luck, and relatively less planning and gaming.

Now, Anson highlights his wisdom even more.

Looking back at the bits and pieces of the past two years at this moment, one can realize that Anson's every decision and every step has been made with a clear mind, including refusing to attend the Oscars for two consecutive years, which was not a momentary impulse.

Now, no matter what those old academics at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences think, Anson's image transformation in the actor position has been successfully completed, and there is no chance for those old academics to retaliate.

A brilliant move!

At the same time, the influence from music, fashion, talk shows, and other fields is permeating into popular culture, forming an empire with Anson at the center.

Although Focus Features has repeatedly emphasized that this is not a work suitable for everyone; although ardent movie fans have repeatedly warned that entering the theater with expectations may be disappointing.

But it still couldn't stop the audience from buying tickets to enter.

"Anson-Wood" is the best reason.

The heated vortex constructed from media, audience, and rumors has an incredible attraction because of Anson's name. One by one, as if possessed, they are frantically heading towards the cinema.

Then, this scene appeared—

Saturday, single-day box office.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," $8.5 million, down 10%.

"Dawn of the Dead," $7.9 million, down 25%.

The situation, reversed!

The entire North America, collectively stunned!

What exactly are they witnessing? How did all this happen?

Unbelievable!

Inconceivable!

Outsiders who don't know the inside story may even complain: One or two haven't seen the world, making a fuss over a little thing.

But if they knew that "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" was only released in 307 theaters, with the number of theaters only one-tenth of "Dawn of the Dead"; and after the full outbreak on Friday, the number of moviegoers and the attendance rate actually continued to increase on Saturday, then they would be able to understand the reaction in front of them.

Silence.

Because it was too shocking and too impactful, language completely lost its power.

Who can tell me, what's going on?

Now it seems that "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is very likely to refresh the highest box office data of Charlie Kaufman's screenwriting career in its opening weekend; and the movie is actually only released in 300 theaters, which is really—

Hehe.

Under such a wave, does anyone still care about "Dawn of the Dead"?

Accurately speaking, there is no need to step on "Dawn of the Dead" anymore. "Dawn of the Dead" is already so pitiful, who can bear to continue rubbing it?

Zack Snyder: Rub it, you can rub it as much as you want. There is news only if there is attention. Don't be silent one by one. Just leave us aside and ignore us completely! Please rub us as much as you like, our faces are already on the ground, hurry up and rub us a few times!

Unfortunately, "Dawn of the Dead" has completely disappeared from the media's field of vision.

In fact, "Dawn of the Dead" had good box office data on Friday and Saturday, once again proving the appeal of zombie movies. Such performance is worth affirming; but if the opponent were different, the situation might be completely different.

Now, the eyes of the entire Hollywood are focused on "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind":

Where will the opening weekend box office of this movie ultimately land? How much unexpected surprise can Anson's undefeated box office myth bring?

On Sunday, the box office statistics agency did not publish the figures separately, but waited for the official release of the North American weekend box office chart on Monday.

But the eyes of the entire North America still projected over here noisily—

The summer season boom has quietly arrived ahead of schedule, all because of Anson.

This is the superstar effect. If some people still turn a deaf ear, then they are the poor bugs who will be eliminated by Hollywood first, definitely not Anson.

People expected "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" to become a key work in Anson's career transformation, and now "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" has indeed achieved a turning point.

So, is this… …wish fulfillment?