Let's Talk Movies #33: Star Wars: Jabba Rising...Captain America Trumps China...and MORE!

[Wyliefan]

Jan. 13th - Attack of the Lederhosen Zombies (Limited) – Horror comedy from Austria

Sounds more like a game of Mad Libs that got out of hand!

 

[Seerek]

We saw Hidden Figures and really enjoyed it. It was great to see a movie that included John Glenn during his heyday after seeing his memorial service last month; & I appreciated the uplifting themes of the film after reflecting on the political year of 2016.

Although Octavia Spencer's (justifiably) been getting the supporting nominations, I still think Taraji P. Henson should have had a better shot in the lead categories (as much of the film is focused on Katherine Johnson).

Interesting to see Hidden Figures have a very limited release during the Christmas holidays followed by a very wide release the opening weekend of 2017 (it's usually a far more incremental acceleration of # of screens).

 

[watchthis!!]

As much as you need to see both of these films...if your life depending on picking only ONE...which would you pick?

Will Smith is lined up to star in the live-action version of Dumbo
http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/disney-dumbo-live-action-movie-will-smith-tim-burton

Anna Kendrick is in talks to play a female Santa Claus in a new Disney movie
http://entertainment.ie/cinema/news...-Santa-Claus-in-a-new-Disney-movie/389316.htm

Don't get your hopes up for either, though, both actors are only in talks to star in these films. The Will Smith/Dumbo combo might not be as bad an idea as it seems as Tim Burton might be directing and Tom Hanks might star as the bad guy. The article also mentions other live-action Disney re-makes, which everyone in this thread is screaming out for.

There's plenty more live-action movies to keep Disney fans happy in the mean time, with Beauty and the Beast out this year and versions of Mulan, Peter Pan, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid also getting off the ground.

 

[VGThuy]

Although Octavia Spencer's (justifiably) been getting the supporting nominations, I still think Taraji P. Henson should have had a better shot in the lead categories (as much of the film is focused on Katherine Johnson).

Interesting to see Hidden Figures have a very limited release during the Christmas holidays followed by a very wide release the opening weekend of 2017 (it's usually a far more incremental acceleration of # of screens).

I think some see Spencer having an easier time receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Actress just because the Best Actress race is so competitive this year. Also, Spencer has shown up on more award show nominations than Henson has so far.

 

[PeterG]

Golden Globes 2017: Ryan Reynolds and Andrew Garfield’s kiss made the Golden Globes great again



It's only a GIF. But I'll take it!!

 

[MacMadame]

Ah my bad, sorry. I didn't register that you were referring just to the Disney movies. I also didn't realise Disney was in the habit of doing that.

That's okay. When my kids were little, there were a number of articles about it so it's something that stuck with me as I'd read the articles and see the movies around the same time.

As for non-Disney, while there are probably industry trends (i.e., autotune), it's such a broad swath of movies and companies that I would assume you couldn't generalize too much. For example, how can you compare Moulin Rouge with The Lion King? I think with Disney, for a while, they had a very narrow view of what made a Disney Princess/Heroine and it included a gorgeous singing voice. They seem to have lightened up on that and also, of course, autotune has changed the landscape.

 

[VGThuy]

I once saw a Tweet that said they wished there was a Disney princess in the future who can't sing but later on realizes she can rap. I'd like to see Disney tackle that on.

 

[jl22aries]

Saw La La Land last Friday and I've been humming the tunes ever since. Think it will be a popular soundtrack for programs next season?! It was a really wonderful trifle. I'm tempted to see it again as I've heard folks say that on second viewing, it has a more soulful impact.

 

[smurfy]

I once saw a Tweet that said they wished there was a Disney princess in the future who can't sing but later on realizes she can rap. I'd like to see Disney tackle that on.

I read online that their is a petition to make Princess Leia a Disney princess.

I saw Nocturnal Animals. Interesting movies, good acting, well crafted, stylized movie.
Not sure of a few things. Glad I saw it, but not sure I could recommend to everyone.

 

[Wyliefan]

Saw La La Land last Friday and I've been humming the tunes ever since. Think it will be a popular soundtrack for programs next season?! It was a really wonderful trifle. I'm tempted to see it again as I've heard folks say that on second viewing, it has a more soulful impact.

I'm dying to see it again, but unfortunately I was dealing with a cold for a while and haven't been able to make it yet. I hope I can before it leaves theaters. I'll buy the DVD, but I'd just like to see it on the big screen one more time.

 

[PeterG]

Last week ended up being a two double-feature week, both by chance. First up was Janet McTeer, with Hannah Arendt and then Me Before You. Both dramas, but both with very different tones. The less-serious "drahma" had the most affect on me.

Hannah Ardent (2012) is the real-life story of philosopher/professor Arendt, a Holocaust survivor, who is hired to report on the trial of Adolf Eichmann after he was found in South America and brought to Israel to stand trial. Arendt was definitely the type of person who believed her personal truth was way more important than doing what others might have wanted from her. She had little to no interest in trying to appease others. The movie basically covers the length of the trial and a bit more. It does have a few limited flashbacks which I felt didn't add anything to the story. Instead I wish they had used that time to cover more of the aftermath of her reporting and what her brutal honesty resulted in. McTeer plays a close friend of Arendt, her performance is great, but it's rather small. I didn't recognize anyone else in the cast. Overall I found it to be...dense, is that the word I'm looking for? Viewing it felt like a requirement for a university course. It did win best picture and best actress at the German Film Awards.

Me Before You (2016) on the other hand, was wondrous. I loooooved it! Some might say it was a schmaltzy romance, but it's not really either. The love in the film is more about friendship and love of life. Me Before You is based on a best-selling novel and along with McTeer, stars Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin. Clarke is best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones and Claflin is probably best known for playing Finnick in the Hunger Games movies. I'm not sure I would have known Clarke was the same person from Game of Thrones unless I had read that on the DVD case before watching this movie. Both her look and the difference in the two characters. Charles Dance plays Claflin's father (McTeer the mother). They are all equally incredible. Loved the script as well. Something about the movie pulled me in and brought out the closet actor in me. So one emotional scene drew me in so much that I think maybe I was acting out the scene with Clarke, for some reason I needed to experience what was happening as more than a viewer. Maybe I needed to let go of something in connection with the loss of my Mom, but I found myself not only crying (like I often do with sad movies), but kind of moaning as I was crying...I guess there's some sorrow there that needed more than just crying for me to let go of? Am I getting too personal here? So again, I state that I love this movie. I added it to my personal list of favourite movies of all time. Quite high, too. One day I will finish my first draft of this list and share it. Until then, you'll have to wait to see where it appears!

My next post will be about my Robert Redford double feature.

 

[manhn]

Whoa, I need to watch Me Before You.

 

[agalisgv]

Me Before You to me is problematic from a disability POV. Both here and Million Dollar Baby

Spoiler

find their resolution by the disabled protagonist dying. Especially in Me Before You, that's what allows people to live better lives afterward. It's just a very disturbing theme.

 

[smurfy]

Me Before You (2016) on the other hand, was wondrous. I loooooved it! Some might say it was a schmaltzy romance, but it's not really either. The love in the film is more about friendship and love of life. Me Before You is based on a best-selling novel and along with McTeer, stars Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin. Clarke is best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones and Claflin is probably best known for playing Finnick in the Hunger Games movies. I'm not sure I would have known Clarke was the same person from Game of Thrones unless I had read that on the DVD case before watching this movie. Both her look and the difference in the two characters. Charles Dance plays Claflin's father (McTeer the mother). They are all equally incredible. Loved the script as well. Something about the movie pulled me in and brought out the closet actor in me. So one emotional scene drew me in so much that I think maybe I was acting out the scene with Clarke, for some reason I needed to experience what was happening as more than a viewer. Maybe I needed to let go of something in connection with the loss of my Mom, but I found myself not only crying (like I often do with sad movies), but kind of moaning as I was crying...I guess there's some sorrow there that needed more than just crying for me to let go of? Am I getting too personal here? So again, I state that I love this movie. I added it to my personal list of favourite movies of all time. Quite high, too. One day I will finish my first draft of this list and share it. Until then, you'll have to wait to see where it appears!

I am so glad to hear a review from someone that had not read the book. I had read the book first and loved it. And there is a second book 'Me After You', which is not as good, but worth reading.
I really enjoyed the movie, but there was one key thing about why Emilia Clarke's character had remained in her home village that I felt that someone that had not read the book would feel the movie was missing some depth. From the book - Emilia Clarke was perfect in the part. I do not watch GoT, so had no preconceived notion of her.
Her boyfriend was way more amusing in the movie.

 

[PeterG]

I really enjoyed the movie, but there was one key thing about why Emilia Clarke's character had remained in her home village that I felt that someone that had not read the book would feel the movie was missing some depth.

In one of the DVD extras, it was mentioned how much was in the book that couldn't make it into the movie. I think it was said that they would have ended up with a 400 page script if they had included everything they wanted to include. I know I've heard before that one page of a script equals one minute of movie time. So if they had included everything they wanted to, we'd be watching an almost seven hour long movie. Might have made for a good mini-series!

Me Before You to me is problematic from a disability POV.

I had read something about this issue in regards to Me Before You. In another of the DVD extras, the author of the book talks about how this novel is based on a real-life story about a young man who had been a very athletic person and then was in an accident that took all that away from him. And how this story stuck with the author and when she mentioned to someone that she just couldn't stop thinking about this, someone told her that it sounded like it was something she needed to write about.

I totally agree with the point of view that people have who are concerned about the details of this story, but for me, I chose to look at it from the point of view of one single story. And that this one story was not trying to justify a point of view which should be transferred to any other person or situation. That said, my reaction of course was very strong as to what happens in this movie.

Whoa, I need to watch Me Before You.

Well, like I said, I did let the closet actor in me out for a bit there! If I'm not at the place where I get to perform for an audience, I can at least now and then play out scenes in my living room! This movie provided a bit of thespianic (is that a word?) drama for me, it was fun. In an aching kind of way. Thinking about it now, I can imagine the director cutting the scene and telling me, "good, but we need to reign it in a fair bit..."

 

[watchthis!!]

A+ for creativty for "Pet", which just came out this year. It is a psychological drama/thriller that stars Dominic Monaghan, who you might know from Lost or The Lord of the Rings movies (where he played Meriadoc Brandybuck). The more I think about this movie, it makes me think that it could easily be a two-person stage play. Most of the movie takes place in one location and is about the dialogue between two people. And the power (exchange) that exists in a situation where a man has abducted and caged a woman beneath his workplace, a pet shelter. I'm trying not to say too much as I don't want to spoil anything, but there is a lot of layers to the dynamic between these two characters, all of which is rather mind-blowing. Very good script, and definitely original. I'd really like to see this done as a stage play now that I think about it...it would be quite an experience to see live and amongst other audience members.

The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rExtOBPtUdk

 

[Aussie Willy]

Last night I bought on DVD Howl's Moving Castle. I don't know if anyone else has seen this but it is one of Miyazaki's best anime films. Beautiful animation, music and very creative story. If you are an animation buff this is a must see.

 

[VGThuy]

Last night I bought on DVD Howl's Moving Castle. I don't know if anyone else has seen this but it is one of Miyazaki's best anime films. Beautiful animation, music and very creative story. If you are an animation buff this is a must see.

I once saw it at a midnight showing at a local theatre, and it was glorious to see on the big screen.

 

[Tesla]

Last night I bought on DVD Howl's Moving Castle. I don't know if anyone else has seen this but it is one of Miyazaki's best anime films. Beautiful animation, music and very creative story. If you are an animation buff this is a must see.

I love this movie.

 

[made_in_canada]

I took my niece and nephew to see Sing today. It went a little over my 3 year old nephew's head and it was a little long for kids but it was cute and they liked all the music. When their parents asked them what they liked about the movie though my nephew said the minions because there was a trailer for Despicable Me 3 and my niece said the popcorn

 

[watchthis!!]

15 Classic Fantasy Remakes You Didn’t Know Were Coming Next Year
http://screenrant.com/classic-fantasy-remakes-upcoming-he-man-king-arthur/?view=all

Most the titles on this list are surprising to me. Not ones I would expect for studios to bring back to the big screen. But who knows what a creative enough team of people could do with any of these. Interesting to see a date for Wicked, but I'll believe that when I see it (on the big screen).

I took my niece and nephew to see Sing today. It went a little over my 3 year old nephew's head and it was a little long for kids but it was cute and they liked all the music. When their parents asked them what they liked about the movie though my nephew said the minions because there was a trailer for Despicable Me 3 and my niece said the popcorn

So sweet!

 

[VGThuy]

Drop Dead Fred is the first movie I remember being truly loving as a child. I think the 77% audience score despite its 9% rotten tomatoes score were comprised of people like me who kept cathcing Drop Dead Fred on TV as a child and loving the film. This remake sounds God-awful in every way imaginable including hiring Russell Brand. Also, I know Phoebe Cates is busy being Mrs. Kevin Kline, but I wish she did more movies.

 

[Seerek]

Saw 'Lion' aka 'A long way home' for the second time. Liked it even more this time. The story is amazing and the screenplay is really good. This time it struck me that the cinematography and music are very good too. Dev Patel really carries the movie and others are also very good - Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara and the young actors who play Saroo and Guddu. 9 out of 10.

In a fair world, it's actually (8 year old) Sunny Pawar that gets nominated for supporting acting as opposed to just young performer. He really shines in those scenes where he's alone on screen and literally carrying the film on his shoulders.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

I finally saw Doctor Strange, it was in 3d and that is a moving worth seeing 3d.

 

[watchthis!!]

Watched an old Alfred Hitchcock movie the other day, Lifeboat (from 1944). Like Pet (which I posted about recently) this one could easily be a staged play. The action all takes place in a lifeboat after two ships are sunk and passengers from one ship are stranded in a lifeboat. One of them being someone who can't speak, not at first anyway. We find that he is a passenger from the enemy (German) ship. And much of the story involves who exactly he is and what should be done with him. The script is good, but not great - although many might disagree with me as the screenplay was one of the three Oscar nominations this movie received...and it's written by John Steinbeck. I just thought some of the parts of the story were obvious and existed just to move the plot along. And some of the people were kind of stock characters. (The other Oscar nods were for director and cinematography.) Lifeboat has a 7.8 rating at imdb.com, which is quite high. I'd rate it as a seven I guess. I liked it, it's the first Tallulah Bankhead movie I think I've ever seen. I know her name, but had never seen any of her movies before. Hume Cronyn is also in this movie.

The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4yu80ZhI5Q

 

[emason]

La La Land: Saw it this afternoon and here comes the big flaming dissenting opinion. I thought it dragged and would never end. Thought Gosling was the better of the leads, but Emma Stone? Underwhelming, to say the least. Do not get the fuss. Overall opinion is major thumbs down.

 

[smurfy]

La La Land: Saw it this afternoon and here comes the big flaming dissenting opinion. I thought it dragged and would never end. Thought Gosling was the better of the leads, but Emma Stone? Underwhelming, to say the least. Do not get the fuss. Overall opinion is major thumbs down.

I do agree with you overall - I found it slow at times and dragging is a good word. The production value is very impressive,but the overall storyline dragged, boy meets girl story, not original, I did like the ending. But I went in with very high expectations which were not met. I did think Stone did a good job.

I saw Elle earlier today - Isabelle Huppert was amazing. The movie was very good, the cast very good, but Huppert was amazing.

Spoiler

As you learned about her character's background, I was not sure whether her character was insane, very strong, a victim or or 3. Also before they revealed what her father actually did, since she was involved and she was well off I was thinking it was some kind of Madoff scan, not a violent crime.

 

[VGThuy]

Isabelle Huppert is a goddess. How many French actresses have won the Oscar? On top of my head, I only can think of Juliette Binoche and Marion Cotillard. Emmanuelle Riva would have been my first pick when she was up for Amour (also my personal best film of that year), but alas. I know Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Adjani have been nominated as well. Of the ones I listed, I know Binoche, Cotillard, and Adjani have been nominated for the Oscar more than once.

 

[Wyliefan]

I finally saw Doctor Strange, it was in 3d and that is a moving worth seeing 3d.

I saw it that way too, by accident. My friend bought 3D tickets without realizing it. Neither of us are big fans of 3D, but we both ended up enjoying it! That's one movie where it works really well.

 

[VGThuy]

3D can be seriously effective to further a film as long as the director and people behind-the-scenes know what they're doing. After seeing Life of Pi in 3D in the theatres, I was sold. I wish I had seen Avatar in theatres because apparently it was meant to be seen in 3D on the big screen.