keaton
Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
- Nov 18, 2004
- 9,648
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[Film] Film 2023
- Thread starter Acker79
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #462
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Singbirds and Snakes
This was long, and I'm not sure it earns it. This focuses on the early life of Coriolanus Snow - the 'evil' dictator character of the Hunger Games - a series that had focused on one of the tributes from the outlying system of a distopian future where 'tributes' from each sector are entered into a televised battle to the death. Something the series presented as bad, and unnecessary, the tool of a dictator who is clinging to power over those four films. The problem then becomes making your main character sympathetic - your film is focused on him, and a relationship he develops with a tribute he is charged with mentoring in the latest games. The film works to make him sympathetic, to get you to invest in his relationships, while also trying to explain how he travelled down the path to dictatorship. I'm not sure it does this well, despite all the time it had to play with. It felt like the character kept flip-flopping (and not in a 'I tried to fight my natural character but failed' kind or way, more a 'what does this part of the story need him to be' kind of way. And ultimately his fighting for the hunger games and to improve them, gave the film a sense of 'pro-hunger games' going against the spirit of the original series. Having said all of that, I still kinda enjoyed it. I really liked the music - mountain country/bluegrassy songs mostly provided by Rachel Zeigler's Lucy Grey - part of a travelling group of musicians who was selected as the representative of district 12. She wore a dress that apparently had primroses and Katniss flowers on them, a nice, subtle nod to the original (Jennifer Lawrence played Katniss Everdean, whose sister was called Prim - (shortend from Primrose). Which made the random scene where a minor character picks some flower and hands it to lucy grey who notes it was also called katniss really standout as dumb and unnecessary.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
This is, I believe, the last film from the DCEU period of Warner Bros comic book movies. (James Gunn and Peter Safran's 'DCU' will be rebooting most things going forward - it's a little murky at the moment, with some actors staying on as the same characters - such as Viola Davis remaining as Amanda Waller). I've said before how I love a comic book movie, so am inclined to like even the bad ones.
I was not a fan of this. Jason Mamoa is charming and funny, particularly when he has Patrick Wilson to play off, so there are occasional 'hehs', but take him away and it's basically the DC answer to Mobius. It was also unsettling to see Randall Park (who plays Agent Jimmy Woo in several Marvel titles) here without seeming that different a character (even though he is a scientist in this one).
Black Manta (one of AM's main villains in the comics, but who was presented as a bit of a mismatch joke in the first filme) is back, and has been imbued with the power of an evil sea king who has been trapped in ice. He is plotting to free this king in return for vengeance against aquaman and his family. Lots of global warming commentary. Chris Reeves would probably have loved it.
Wish
I enjoyed this more than I enjoyed Disney Animation's last effort Strange World. But it's not going to be challenging my top 25 Disney Animation titles. Screen Drafts recently did a two part mega draft of their titles (just before Wish came out, so not included) part 1 and part 2. Given how much I disagree with their list, I wouldn't be surprised to see them add this one to it.
In recent years, Disney have tried to experiment with their animation a bit more, tying the art style to the culture involved in the story (with coco using mexican iconography, encanto looking to south american art for inspiration, etc). This is set in a mediterranean island, and maybe that was a source of inspiration, but I'm not sure it worked for me. At times it looked like it was rotoscope animation, at others it seemed a little like crude early computer animation (one of the main character's friends in particular). I also felt there was a disconcerting mismatch between the flatly happy handsomeness of King Magnifico, and the evil, worn voice of Chris Pine.
The songs are not particularly stand out, or crossover poppy hits. The story is that of an island overseen by a wizard king, who takes people's wishes and protects them, occasionally granting them. Ariana DeBose's Asha is young woman who applies to be Magnifico's apprentice, where she learns he refuses to grant some, including her mother and grandfather's because he is afraid they may unsettle his perfect island. Upset, Asha wishes on a star who comes to her and helps her free the wishes and return them to the islanders. Magnifico, clinging his desire for a perfect island turns to evil magic to try to maintain control.
It was fine. Nothing stand-out great or awful.
Wonka
I've been seeing a bunch of trailers for the new Mean Girls movie coming out next year, and wondering how many people watching the trailer realise it is a movie version of the stage musical rather than a straight sequel or remake.
Then this film started with Timothy Chalamet singing on a boat, surprising me with how much of a musical it was going to be. This is about the early days of Willy Wonka, returning to somewhere that was some odd amalgamation of paris, london and berlin to be some sort of generic european city (with an element of dickensian era about it). Wonka is returns home determined to open up a chocolate shop in an elite shopping gallery among the established elite chocolate makers who don't want him there.
There is a recurring musical call back to the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka film, it clearly wants you to link the two, seeing this as the prequel to that one (there are also call backs to Wilder specific idiosyncrasies), but Chalamet's performance does little to make you believe they are the same character.
Again, not sure any of the songs were stand-out great (and none of the singers were overly strong - though some have the excuse of age). Eveyrone was game, and played their parts with energy and enthusiasm, and it was generally fun and sweet.
This was long, and I'm not sure it earns it. This focuses on the early life of Coriolanus Snow - the 'evil' dictator character of the Hunger Games - a series that had focused on one of the tributes from the outlying system of a distopian future where 'tributes' from each sector are entered into a televised battle to the death. Something the series presented as bad, and unnecessary, the tool of a dictator who is clinging to power over those four films. The problem then becomes making your main character sympathetic - your film is focused on him, and a relationship he develops with a tribute he is charged with mentoring in the latest games. The film works to make him sympathetic, to get you to invest in his relationships, while also trying to explain how he travelled down the path to dictatorship. I'm not sure it does this well, despite all the time it had to play with. It felt like the character kept flip-flopping (and not in a 'I tried to fight my natural character but failed' kind or way, more a 'what does this part of the story need him to be' kind of way. And ultimately his fighting for the hunger games and to improve them, gave the film a sense of 'pro-hunger games' going against the spirit of the original series. Having said all of that, I still kinda enjoyed it. I really liked the music - mountain country/bluegrassy songs mostly provided by Rachel Zeigler's Lucy Grey - part of a travelling group of musicians who was selected as the representative of district 12. She wore a dress that apparently had primroses and Katniss flowers on them, a nice, subtle nod to the original (Jennifer Lawrence played Katniss Everdean, whose sister was called Prim - (shortend from Primrose). Which made the random scene where a minor character picks some flower and hands it to lucy grey who notes it was also called katniss really standout as dumb and unnecessary.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
This is, I believe, the last film from the DCEU period of Warner Bros comic book movies. (James Gunn and Peter Safran's 'DCU' will be rebooting most things going forward - it's a little murky at the moment, with some actors staying on as the same characters - such as Viola Davis remaining as Amanda Waller). I've said before how I love a comic book movie, so am inclined to like even the bad ones.
I was not a fan of this. Jason Mamoa is charming and funny, particularly when he has Patrick Wilson to play off, so there are occasional 'hehs', but take him away and it's basically the DC answer to Mobius. It was also unsettling to see Randall Park (who plays Agent Jimmy Woo in several Marvel titles) here without seeming that different a character (even though he is a scientist in this one).
Black Manta (one of AM's main villains in the comics, but who was presented as a bit of a mismatch joke in the first filme) is back, and has been imbued with the power of an evil sea king who has been trapped in ice. He is plotting to free this king in return for vengeance against aquaman and his family. Lots of global warming commentary. Chris Reeves would probably have loved it.
Wish
I enjoyed this more than I enjoyed Disney Animation's last effort Strange World. But it's not going to be challenging my top 25 Disney Animation titles. Screen Drafts recently did a two part mega draft of their titles (just before Wish came out, so not included) part 1 and part 2. Given how much I disagree with their list, I wouldn't be surprised to see them add this one to it.
In recent years, Disney have tried to experiment with their animation a bit more, tying the art style to the culture involved in the story (with coco using mexican iconography, encanto looking to south american art for inspiration, etc). This is set in a mediterranean island, and maybe that was a source of inspiration, but I'm not sure it worked for me. At times it looked like it was rotoscope animation, at others it seemed a little like crude early computer animation (one of the main character's friends in particular). I also felt there was a disconcerting mismatch between the flatly happy handsomeness of King Magnifico, and the evil, worn voice of Chris Pine.
The songs are not particularly stand out, or crossover poppy hits. The story is that of an island overseen by a wizard king, who takes people's wishes and protects them, occasionally granting them. Ariana DeBose's Asha is young woman who applies to be Magnifico's apprentice, where she learns he refuses to grant some, including her mother and grandfather's because he is afraid they may unsettle his perfect island. Upset, Asha wishes on a star who comes to her and helps her free the wishes and return them to the islanders. Magnifico, clinging his desire for a perfect island turns to evil magic to try to maintain control.
It was fine. Nothing stand-out great or awful.
Wonka
I've been seeing a bunch of trailers for the new Mean Girls movie coming out next year, and wondering how many people watching the trailer realise it is a movie version of the stage musical rather than a straight sequel or remake.
Then this film started with Timothy Chalamet singing on a boat, surprising me with how much of a musical it was going to be. This is about the early days of Willy Wonka, returning to somewhere that was some odd amalgamation of paris, london and berlin to be some sort of generic european city (with an element of dickensian era about it). Wonka is returns home determined to open up a chocolate shop in an elite shopping gallery among the established elite chocolate makers who don't want him there.
There is a recurring musical call back to the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka film, it clearly wants you to link the two, seeing this as the prequel to that one (there are also call backs to Wilder specific idiosyncrasies), but Chalamet's performance does little to make you believe they are the same character.
Again, not sure any of the songs were stand-out great (and none of the singers were overly strong - though some have the excuse of age). Eveyrone was game, and played their parts with energy and enthusiasm, and it was generally fun and sweet.
- Thread starter
- #464
Channel 4, boxing day at 15:30.
Love Nolan. For me it is Spielberg. Hitchcock. Nolan
I am going to buy the dvd as my Christmas present
A 2 part film quiz to mull over, I'll do them both together even those there's a clue in Q2 for Q1.
The top 3 box office films for 2023 are, Barbie-out, Oppenheimer and Mario World.
Q1 - Before 2023 what year was the last time the top 3 didn't include a sequel or remake. Naturally, for a bonus point for naming those films.
&
Q2 - What year was the last time the top 3 films didn't go on to become part of sequels or be remade, more bonus points available.
The top 3 box office films for 2023 are, Barbie-out, Oppenheimer and Mario World.
Q1 - Before 2023 what year was the last time the top 3 didn't include a sequel or remake. Naturally, for a bonus point for naming those films.
&
Q2 - What year was the last time the top 3 films didn't go on to become part of sequels or be remade, more bonus points available.
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- Thread starter
- #468
I did not know the answer and have just looked it up, and have no idea if these are the answers you're expecting...
Domestic (using this page as a source) is 1998 for both - Titanic, Armageddon and Saving Private Ryan
Worldwide (using this page as source) is
2001 for q1 (Harry Potter and the Sorceror's/Philosopher's Stone, Lord of the rings: The Fellowship of th Rings*, Monster's Inc) - though all would go on to have sequels, they were the first of their franchise and thus not themselves sequels or remakes when they were released. (*Assuming this doesn't count as a live action remake of Ralph Bakshi's animated version of the LOTR book).
1982 for q2 (ET, Tootsie, An Officer and a Gentleman). Titanic is counted as 1997 for worldwide box office, apparently (which let the godzilla remake into the top three for 1998).
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BrightonCottager
Well-known member
Did anyone else on here see Saltburn?
I went along to the DoYs with MrsBC and had got it into my head that it was the latest Ken Loach film, set in the NE (doh). I was there out of loyalty more than anything.
How wrong I was. Some fantastic, bonkers (ok, cliched) performances by some great actors. A rather implausible storyline but funny, moving and disgusting at times.
I went along to the DoYs with MrsBC and had got it into my head that it was the latest Ken Loach film, set in the NE (doh). I was there out of loyalty more than anything.
How wrong I was. Some fantastic, bonkers (ok, cliched) performances by some great actors. A rather implausible storyline but funny, moving and disgusting at times.
- Thread starter
- #470
I saw a preview screening a while back. It's now available on Amazon Prime. I mostly liked it, though had some issues. Not sure I remember them all now, but I did enjoy Richard E Grant in particular.
Yep 41 years since we were treated to a top 3 of original content.
It would have been 1988 until Eddie Murphy decided to milk Coming To America.
- Thread starter
- #472
It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine to see people complain about things in hollywood/movie industry "these days" when what they complain about has been issues for decades. Things like complaints about all the sequels and remakes that, as you've highlighted, have been dominating box offices for over 40 years (that page goes back to 77 and none of the years 77-81 would satisfy q2).
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Went to watch Wonka at the Connaught in Worthing last Thursday …thoroughly enjoyed it and passed the wriggling in the seat test
- Thread starter
- #474
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Ferrari
Was really looking forward to this, but what a let-down. Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari sleepwalked through the role. The drivers drafted in to his team were given zero background or charactarisation, they literally just turn up, hence it was hard to give a shit about them and their trevails during the races. The race scenes could have been great, except they were constantly interrupted by a sudden chop-change of scene to stuff like a family at a kitchen table, or his doris out SHOPPING (?!!), which meant all momentum was lost.
On the upside, Penelope Cruz is fantastic as Enzo's squeeze Laura. But the film just falls so flat. For me, it suffers greatly from being of the same genre as the absolutely MAGNIFICENT Le Mans 66 Ford vs Ferrari, Christian Bale and Matt Damon, which is one of the greatest sport films of all time (96%).
This, by comparison, is a very pale imitation indeed. And it could have been so good.
56%.
Was really looking forward to this, but what a let-down. Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari sleepwalked through the role. The drivers drafted in to his team were given zero background or charactarisation, they literally just turn up, hence it was hard to give a shit about them and their trevails during the races. The race scenes could have been great, except they were constantly interrupted by a sudden chop-change of scene to stuff like a family at a kitchen table, or his doris out SHOPPING (?!!), which meant all momentum was lost.
On the upside, Penelope Cruz is fantastic as Enzo's squeeze Laura. But the film just falls so flat. For me, it suffers greatly from being of the same genre as the absolutely MAGNIFICENT Le Mans 66 Ford vs Ferrari, Christian Bale and Matt Damon, which is one of the greatest sport films of all time (96%).
This, by comparison, is a very pale imitation indeed. And it could have been so good.
56%.
- Thread starter
- #476
The film's trailer got a lot of flack for some terrible CGI of a car crash (the latter one in the trailer below)
Was it bad in the film, or did they just use an unrefined shot because it wasn't ready in time for the trailer?
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
The BIG CRASH is actually rather traumatic and I thought gratuitous in its aftermath IMO. As I watched, I didn't think the CGI was particularly shonky tbh, because I was more horrified by the event itself (without giving spoilers, you can read about it here https://www.history.com/news/the-horrific-1957-ferrari-crash-that-ended-the-mille-miglia-race )
The race scenes are visceral and portray the sheer danger and speed extremely well. But without trying to sound poncy, the editing was terribly flawed.