Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 279: Movie reviews roll out

In October 2010, during the third week, "Paranormal Activity 2" made a strong debut, targeting the upcoming Thanksgiving and Halloween seasons, hoping to continue the success of its predecessor. At the same time, four independent art films, including "Buried," held limited screenings in art theaters. The market, which had been quiet since the summer, finally showed signs of revival due to the approaching holiday season.

However, to everyone's surprise, it was "Buried" that took the lead in the midnight showings!

The unique nature of midnight screenings means that only a specific group of moviegoers would rush to theaters at that time. Although "Paranormal Activity 2," as a horror film, had garnered a great reputation from its predecessor, and many were eagerly awaiting the sequel, going out at midnight to watch such a movie and then returning home in the middle of the night is undoubtedly a test of courage—something only a very small portion of the audience would dare to do.

As a result, the midnight showing performance of "Paranormal Activity 2" could only be described as mediocre, offering little to impress.

In contrast, "Buried," which had screenings in eleven theaters, successfully ignited the audience's enthusiasm. According to incomplete statistics, tickets sold out in three of these theaters, and the average occupancy rate across all eleven theaters reached sixty percent.

Incredible! Absolutely incredible! This is a remarkable achievement for any film, especially one without the draw of a renowned director, top-tier actors, or any significant promotion. To achieve such results is astonishing!

From midnight box office revenues to the immediate online discussion, "Buried," which had limited screenings, outperformed the widely released "Paranormal Activity 2," creating a sensation that completely captured the public's attention! This success further thrust "Buried" into the spotlight.

- "The cast of 'Fast & Furious 5' collectively watched 'Buried' and couldn't stop praising it!"

- "Renly Hall made a surprise appearance, interacting with fans after the screening."

- "Tickets for the midnight show were hard to come by; 'Buried' writes a dark horse miracle."

- "Vin Diesel: This is an excellent film, waiting for more audiences to discover its charm."

- "Paul Walker: This is undoubtedly my favorite movie of the year."

- "'Buried' takes over social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Yahoo Communities, becoming a hot topic!"

- "The biggest surprise of 2010! 'Buried' makes a strong debut, heading into award season!"

For the entire Friday and Saturday, news about "Buried" was everywhere, with seemingly endless coverage. Even the latest official report from the "Fast & Furious 5" crew about moving to Rio de Janeiro mentioned "Buried." Though it was only a brief mention, the impact was significant.

As time went on, "Paranormal Activity 2" gradually regained momentum, thanks to its widespread release in over three thousand theaters, attracting a much larger audience. With no other new films releasing that week, it faced little competition.

However, news about "Buried" was not completely overshadowed, continuing to persist among the coverage. Due to its suspense-thriller genre, some media outlets, always eager for drama, compared it to "Paranormal Activity 2," speculating that the two similarly themed films could face even fiercer competition during the upcoming Halloween season.

Unwittingly, even "Paranormal Activity 2" became a medium for promoting "Buried," creating a rather ironic situation.

Amid this intense publicity battle, film critics also joined the fray, fueling the fire.

Although "Buried" received rave reviews at the Toronto Film Festival, with some criticisms unable to dampen its success among both critics and audiences, Toronto is just Toronto. People are more concerned with the North American media consensus.

Karina Longworth of "USA Today" gave it an impressive score of 91, praising its unexpected twists, dramatic tension, tight pacing, and terrifying atmosphere, stating, "Everything a thriller-suspense movie fan could want is in 'Buried,' along with a surprising delight: Renly Hall."

Rene Rodriguez from the "Chicago Tribune" was equally effusive, saying, "This film's delivery of suspense, thrills, and chills makes every other thriller this year look like cheap plastic toys; and Renly Hall's superb performance makes his peers seem like children playing in the sand." An 88 score for a thriller is indeed rare.

"'Buried' succeeds not only because it creates ample drama within a confined space, but also because the director's precise control over atmosphere and lighting crafts a terrifying nightmare, with Hall delivering one of the year's top ten performances." This was Bill Goodykoontz's review in the "New York Post," which also gave an 88 score.

Rick Moore from the "San Francisco Chronicle" gave it 80, with a concise review: "Just when you think he's out of options, he strikes back and takes your breath away!"

"Interestingly, we go to the cinema for enjoyment, but director Rodrigo Cortés has created a terrifying, thrilling, fear-inducing film that subjects every audience member to an ordeal, leaving them on the brink of survival. This may not be a pleasurable journey, but it's undoubtedly a magical and wondrous cinematic experience. More importantly, Renly Hall delivers a stellar performance that outshines the film itself, truly a delight to watch."

This was Shawn Levy's review in "Empire" magazine, awarding a high score of 90, praising the film from a unique perspective.

Praise, praise, and more praise. The unanimous acclaim from major mainstream media outlets, consistent with the reception in Toronto, once again underscored the unstoppable momentum of this thriller. However, this first wave of reviews also brought some discordant notes—criticism and neutrality.

Ann Hornaday from the "Washington Post" offered positive feedback but only gave a score of 70. In her review, she said, "A well-crafted, perfectly executed thriller, and for Renly Hall, an impressive debut. Was it a pleasant 90 minutes? No, but for a genre film, it undoubtedly succeeds in sending chills down your spine. Now, I'm ready to leave."

Her humorous tone revealed her lack of enthusiasm for thrillers, even though she offered praise, the score remained modest, likely due to her personal preferences.

Amy Nicholson from "Time" gave it 65, saying, "You must constantly remind yourself to breathe."

This review, published in "Time" magazine, speaks volumes about the mainstream media's overall attitude—they tend to be harsher on thrillers and horror films. In the long history of the Oscars, only four horror films have ever been nominated for Best Picture, with the last one being "The Sixth Sense" eleven years ago. Even Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" only garnered a score of 61.

Now, "Buried" is facing a similar situation. While the "Washington Post" and "Time" critics offered positive feedback, their scores were not high. Clearly, they expected more than just shock and fear.

Inevitably, any thriller or horror film will attract criticism—"Buried" is no exception.

"Variety" magazine and "The Hollywood Reporter" are Hollywood's most important industry publications, and their opinions are crucial. While "The Hollywood Reporter" praised "Buried" at the Toronto Film Festival, "Variety" took a completely different stance.

Stephen Holden commented, "In this cheap and simple film, just when the protagonist Paul is already in a desperate situation, a snake slithers into the wooden box trapping him. This moment alone catapults the film's terrible plot and melodrama to its peak, earning it a place among the most boring horror scripts of all time."

A mere 30 score, tying with the "Village Voice" review from Toronto for "Buried's" lowest score to date.

Stephen was not alone. Wesley Morris from the "Boston Globe" shared a similar view, giving it a score of 50 and saying, "'Buried' is a movie... slightly better than 'Twilight,' but that still doesn't hide its stupidity and melodrama."

Additionally, Mary Gronvall from "The New Yorker" also voiced strong opposition. "This is a film about ordinary people, about society, and about the nation, combining the strengths of suspense and thrillers. Unfortunately, the director's arrogance and hubris in the final minutes destroyed all the film's efforts, making the ending not only contrived but utterly foolish."

Mary also gave it a score of 50, her words practically dripping with frustration.

Support, neutrality, opposition; praise, mediocrity, criticism. "Buried" sparked a wave of critical commentary, with lively discussions appearing in various major media outlets. This is an extraordinary level of attention for a limited-release film, with as many as 29 professional reviews written about it—

For comparison, the other three art films with limited releases this week had fewer than 20 reviews combined, while "Paranormal Activity 2" garnered 23 initial reviews.

Another overwhelming victory for "Buried," once again achieving a stunning upset and demonstrating its unstoppable momentum!