"Before its release, many people were not optimistic about this film. Why? There are two key points. First, Iron Man is not a top-tier superhero; he can't be compared to Batman or Superman. Second, the actor playing Iron Man originally had a bad reputation. It's astonishing that, before the movie started, he managed to change everyone's perception through a certain incident. This can only be described as an incredible stroke of good luck."
Laila couldn't help but laugh when she read this.
What "good luck"? Ultimately, they suspect that she orchestrated the West Incident. They said it so ambiguously as if they didn't want others to figure it out. If they didn't want to make it clear, they might as well not publish it in the newspaper.
"The film uses an exaggerated approach to create a fantastical world of technology that seems interesting but cannot be denied as too distant from us. Only when it's close to life can viewers have a sense of immersion. A movie without immersion fundamentally deviates from the meaning of existence."
Reading this part, Laila felt a bit sorry for these journalists criticizing her. It seems they couldn't find anything to criticize, or else they wouldn't put such boring statements in the newspaper.
Only when it's close to life can viewers have a sense of immersion. If that's the case, how do science fiction movies come into existence? Let's not even mention other films, just consider the Star Wars series. Are those close to life?
The report was a lengthy piece, and a rough read might make it seem somewhat meaningful. However, upon closer inspection, it was filled with loopholes and poorly constructed sentences.
Laila felt that they were working so hard to tarnish her image just for the sake of it.
Seeing her laugh, Roy, thinking she found something amusing, came over to take a look at the newspaper she was holding. When he saw it was from their rival, he immediately snatched it away, saying, "Why are you reading their newspaper? They always say bad things about you!" Why spend money to generate income for the competition?
Laila took it back nonchalantly. "What does it matter? My contribution won't make them rich. Besides, don't you find it interesting to read things they say about me?"
"Sorry, I really don't read it." Roy took back the New York Post, tossing it aside to prevent her from taking it back. "Instead of that, why not read 'Entertainer News'? They write more factually."
Laila looked at his double standards in amusement. Tossing away a newspaper that bad-mouthed her, while praising words in her own newspaper were considered factual.
"I wonder how the online reviews are." Roy opened her laptop and skillfully started checking various movie discussion forums.
While he scrolled through the comments, Laila sipped her tea and continued reading reports from other newspapers.
She had already seen online reviews yesterday, and most of them were positive, making her happy. Although there were some negative comments, they were negligible compared to the majority of positive reviews.
"This is the best superhero movie I've ever seen. When Tony said he was Iron Man, I jumped up in the theater." Roy read out some of the comments as he browsed through.
"Never seen a superhero like this before. Laila has once again brought us an extraordinary protagonist after Captain Jack Sparrow. I used to think I liked superheroes like Batman. But after watching Tony, I realized he's my favorite."
Roy laughed, "See, your Tony is just too charming, even beating Batman."
"Different types. Batman, and Superman, they're all quite similar, all saving the world and fighting villains. Iron Man is the same, but when it comes down to it, he belongs to the dark side. His character doesn't have the upright and righteous demeanor of other superheroes, exuding a rebellious and arrogant charm."
Laila thought it wasn't surprising that a dark side protagonist, less seen on screen, would become a new favorite among moviegoers who might be visually fatigued with the prevalence of positive characters. Characters like Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and the future Deadpool were distinctive dark-side male protagonists. Although they were on the dark side, they weren't necessarily bad; they just had a more endearing darkness.
As the movie progressed, finding new types in various worn-out genres required the courage to experiment.
Roy eagerly searched for various comments on the internet, sometimes creating alternate accounts to participate in discussions. In the most active forums, he used an alternate account to navigate through various topics, praising the movie and Laila.
Fortunately, what he said was all based on facts, or else he would undoubtedly be ridiculed as a water army.
"What are you looking at?" Roy, who was happily browsing the internet, noticed that Laila hadn't spoken for a long time. He looked up and saw her engrossed in reading a newspaper.
He went over and saw the title, "The Bursting Superstar: Robert Downey Jr."
Just from the title, he knew the theme of the report was about Downey, which wasn't surprising. The actor is usually the first thing the audience notices when a film becomes popular. Downey, with his unique style, had interpreted an impressive Iron Man. It was evident that he would benefit greatly from his future developments.
"He's also considered a superstar? He's getting old." Roy chuckled but looked more closely.
"Old?" Laila thought for a moment. Downey was already in his forties when the original Iron Man was filmed. Since she made the film five years ahead, it meant he was five years younger than the original. So, he should still be considered middle-aged, right?
"Why not old? He's much older than me." Roy maliciously emphasized the word "old."
Laila chuckled, "Yes, you're right." Compared to him, Downey was indeed quite a bit older. However, what was with his tone, saying, "That person has nothing worth noticing, don't be interested in him"? What happened between the two of them?
"This article's author analyzes it very thoroughly. I think it's well-written." The media should take a neutral stance, reporting with fairness and justice. Unfortunately, many media outlets have their biases, like the New York Post and the Entertainer News, one against her and one in alliance. Other media might have certain biases due to sales or other reasons, leading to a certain degree of imbalance.
But this article was quite impartial, at least from Laila's morning reading; it was the most neutral evaluation.
The article focused on Downey and his portrayal of Tony, providing an extremely accurate analysis of the character. Laila found it highly insightful.
For example, analyze Tony's character in a few words: mad, rascally, spendthrift, proud, etc. The article believed that Downey portrayed these traits flawlessly in his language and gestures, delivering impeccable performance.