Knock, knock, knock!
Mr. Eisen was about to respond to Luke when a knock came at the door.
"Must be our guest," Mr. Eisen said with a smile to Luke, then called out, "Come in!"
Bob walked in with someone. "I've brought the guest. I'll head out now."
"Mr. Eisen, Mr. Luke, long time no see! I've missed you guys!" the guest said warmly.
Luke and Mr. Eisen stepped forward, shaking hands with a grin.
"Director Zhang, good to see you!" Luke said, motioning for him to take a seat.
The guest was none other than Director Zhang, who was supposedly "passing through" North America on a trip but had clearly come to visit them.
Mr. Eisen saw right through him. A trip? A casual visit? Please.
It was obvious Zhang had come specifically to feel out their thoughts on this year's Oscars.
Ever since Ang Lee won Best Foreign Language Film at the 73rd Oscars for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, raking in both critical acclaim and box office gold, every director back home had been green with envy.
Hero had crushed it at the box office, which thrilled Director Zhang.
But what he really wanted was an award to top it off.
And that's why he was here today.
"Director Zhang, you're just in time. We were just talking about the 75th Oscars," Luke said, not beating around the bush.
Since he knew why Zhang was here, Luke wasn't about to play games and got straight to the point.
"What a coincidence! You guys go ahead and talk. I'll just listen," Director Zhang said politely, settling in.
So, Luke and Mr. Eisen picked up where they left off.
"Luke, you had two films hit theaters in 2002: Pirates of the Caribbean and Hero," Mr. Eisen began.
At the mention of Hero, Director Zhang sat up a little straighter.
"Let's start with Pirates of the Caribbean. It's got five nominations: Best Actor, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Makeup," Mr. Eisen said.
Luke wasn't surprised. In his previous life, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl had nabbed these same nominations.
The only difference? Back then, the Best Actor nod went to Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow.
Originally, Orlando Bloom's Will Turner was meant to be the lead, but Jack's popularity stole the show, shifting the spotlight.
In this life, though, Luke's Will Turner completely overshadowed Jack, earning him the Best Actor nomination.
It was Luke's first Oscar nod for Best Actor.
He wasn't over the moon about it, though. He knew he was just a long shot. Winning Best Actor? Not happening—not yet.
Sure, his acting was top-notch, but he hadn't fully won over the masses.
Most of his films were action-heavy, leaving little room to flex his dramatic chops. So, Best Actor was a pipe dream for now.
As for Pirates' other nominations, they were smaller categories—nice, but not game-changers. Pretty inconsequential, really.
Luke knew from his past life that Pirates didn't win a single award.
Would things be different this time around?
"Chances of winning any of those are slim. Let's not get our hopes up," Luke said.
Mr. Eisen shook his head. "Normally, yeah. But this is Disney's new cash cow. They might pull some strings."
"If they do, that'd be great," Luke replied.
The rights to Pirates were in Disney's hands, so if anyone was going to push for awards, it'd be them.
Whether they won or not didn't matter much to Luke.
As the lead, only Best Picture or Best Actor really tied to him directly. The other awards? They were more for the crew.
If Disney put in the effort, Best Sound Editing and Best Makeup might be within reach.
Best Visual Effects could've been a contender, but with Hero and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as competition, it was likely a lost cause.
"Let's talk about Hero," Luke said, shifting gears.
"Hero got four nominations: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects," Mr. Eisen said.
Director Zhang's ears perked up at the mention of Hero's four nods.
"What are the odds of winning?" Luke asked, knowing this was what Zhang cared about most.
"For Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects, I'd say about a 60% chance," Mr. Eisen replied.
Luke nodded.
Hero's visual effects were a standout, thanks to its vibrant, striking color palette that hit audiences like a freight train.
Director Zhang had meticulously controlled the dominant hues in each scene, keeping them pure and distinct.
It was like he was a master painter, wielding a palette to craft the breathtaking world of Hero.
Beyond the colors, the film showcased China's stunning landscapes—Guilin's rivers, Jiuzhaigou's valleys, golden poplar forests, and the dusty deserts of the northwest. They left a lasting impression.
Just look at how many Hero scenic postcards were flying off the shelves.
And then there was the action choreography—pure perfection, but no need to go on about that.
Together, these elements made Hero's visual experience unforgettable, giving it a solid shot at the Visual Effects award at the 75th Oscars.
If The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers wasn't also a masterpiece, the odds might've been closer to 90% than 60%.
Best Cinematography was probably the award Director Zhang wanted most, next to Best Foreign Language Film.
Zhang had started as a cinematographer, and his knack for framing shots was his bread and butter. Winning this would be a huge validation of his career.
"Best Original Score? Only about a 20% chance," Mr. Eisen continued.
Luke nodded again.
Hero's score was composed by the legendary Tan Dun, who'd also done Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and won Best Original Score at the 73rd Oscars.
Fun fact: Tan Dun was also the mentor of singer Han Hong. His talent was undeniable.
The low odds weren't because the score wasn't good—it was phenomenal.
But the Academy had already been wowed by Eastern-style music once. The novelty was gone, and they'd likely lean toward something different this year.
Frida was the frontrunner and would probably take Best Original Score.
So, Hero was likely just along for the ride in that category.
"What about Best Foreign Language Film?" Luke asked, hitting the question Director Zhang cared about most.
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