Let's Talk Movies #36 - 2020 - Yep it is a new decade

[Aussie Willy]

Saw Elvis on the weekend. It was okay for me. The direction and editing was a bit too heavy-handed for me. But the music was great.

The other music movie I saw was Falling for Figaro. A combined UK/Australian production starring Danielle McDonald (Dumplin) and Joanna Lumley. About a woman who wants to be an opera singer so trains with Lumley's character who is a cantankerous old diva. I loved this movie and I think it my be my favourite of the year.

 

[Vash01]

Watched Frozen 2 last night. Not as good as Frozen. Animation great. Songs were just ok. Entertaining but didn't love it the way I did the original.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Just got back from Thor: Love and Thunder. Taika Waititi is the best thing that ever happened to Thor. I love the humor he brings to the movies.

Goats!
Thor!

Definitely a much needed palate cleanser to the very disappointing Doctor Strange. I hope they ditch Sam Raimi and bring back the enjoyable cranky Doctor.

 

[Seerek]

I can't resist: Anyone watch that fabulous new version of "Persuasion" yet?

Watched the whole thing. This movie has no idea what kind of movie it wants to be. I was prepared for the incorporation of 21st century vernacular sprinkled here and there. That didn't really bother me (although one conversation that the Elliot family had once they got to Bath, was, um, "interesting").

The biggest flaw, imo is no real chemistry b/t Cosmo Jarvis/Dakota Johnson (at least no scenes that allowed for that).

Nikki Amuka-Bird and Richard E. Grant fared best based in their smaller roles.

 

[MacMadame]

no real chemistry b/t Cosmo Jarvis/Dakota Johnson

This seems to be a common complaint when it comes to Dakota Johnson.

 

[Cachoo]

I was disappointed with "Last Night in Soho." I thought it had a good beginning but seemed to get lost through the middle and end. And the I thought the denouement was preposterous. This was a waste of a talented cast imho.

 

[VGThuy]

I finished the new version of West Side Story the other day. I started watching it the previous week, seeing just the first hour. Then I got busy doing other stuff. On the plus side with the new version, the dancing is better and Ansel Elgort is a much better Tony than (the nearly forgettable) Richard Beymer – both acting-wise and vocally. (I've seen some pop videos Elgort made a number of years ago and his vocals are WAY better in this movie, he has obviously put a lot of work into improving his vocal abilities.)

But my overall impression of this remake is…”Why?” The original is that good. And as the movie progressed, I kept wondering why they kept the date the same rather than tell the story over again in a different time period. I also thought some of the changes did a dis-service to the story. Moving “I Feel Pretty” to exactly after Riff and Bernardo were stabbed to death was very jarring and very wrong. And while I was initially happy that Rita Moreno was given the biggest song of the movie, I agree with an earlier poster that it didn’t really make sense for her to sing it instead of Maria and Tony. I think it was placed in a different part of the movie than in the original, so that was off as well.

I was surprised that there was so much Spanish dialogue without any subtitles. And I watched it on DVD where there were five subtitle options with none of them letting us know what the characters were saying in Spanish.

Ariana DeBose was as great as expected, but her later scene in the drugstore did not have the impact of the original with Rita Moreno to me. But the dance behind the bleachers with Maria and Tony was beautiful.

Overall, I’m glad I saw this new version but if somebody wanted to see only one, I’d 100% recommend the 1961 version over the 2022 version.

I agree that for the film, it makes sense to move “I Feel Pretty” to before “One Hand, One Heart” and set up and show off more chemistry and romance between Tony and Maria. The original film changing the placement of “I Feel Pretty” to earlier and switching the placements of “Gee, Officer Crupke” and “Cool” helped the film build the tension and keep it going until the end.

This version followed the stage version where“I Feel Pretty” takes place after the Rumble and the initial deaths. It makes sense for stage because Act 1 ends at the rumble and Act 2 openers are usually where lighthearted songs take place that help transition the audience back into the setting of the show. It also helps not to put a plot-heavy song to open Act 2 as to allow late stragglers to get back into their seats after the 15 mins intermission is over and not miss anything “too” important. Surprisingly “Gee, Officer Krupke” works both as a total comedic song (like in the 1961 film) and as an initially comedic but then ragey angst song of bubbling resentment and bitterness (as it is in the stage version and 2021 film).

 

[manhn]

I saw Persuasion too and it was pretty bad. I think they made Ann too clever for her own good, you can’t buy that she would ever had chosen familial/societal obligation over love at any point in her life.

I did think Henry Golding was fun.

 

[vgerdes]

Just got back from Thor: Love and Thunder. Taika Waititi is the best thing that ever happened to Thor. I love the humor he brings to the movies.

Goats!
Thor!

Definitely a much needed palate cleanser to the very disappointing Doctor Strange. I hope they ditch Sam Raimi and bring back the enjoyable cranky Doctor.

I actually quite liked the new Doctor Strange, but I agree with you about Thor and Taika Waititi being a perfect match. Saw Love and Thunder last night, and it was great. Chris Hemsworth has a real gift for comedy, in addition to being ridiculously beautiful. I won't give anything away other than to say that I really saw the chemistry between him and Natalie Portman this time, while in the past I had never really thought Thor and Jane made that great of a couple.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I actually quite liked the new Doctor Strange, but I agree with you about Thor and Taika Waititi being a perfect match. Saw Love and Thunder last night, and it was great. Chris Hemsworth has a real gift for comedy, in addition to being ridiculously beautiful. I won't give anything away other than to say that I really saw the chemistry between him and Natalie Portman this time, while in the past I had never really thought Thor and Jane made that great of a couple.

I liked the first half of Doctor Strange but it had so many plot problems after that. I also think it was more a Wanda movie than a Doctor Strange movie. And I really wish they would have had a woman write her because it just didn't resonate with me. This is how a man writes a hysterical woman. I don't know how to explain it better right now. I really don't want to pay money to see it again to solidify which parts really bothered me.

This movie reportedly had a lot of rewrites and I think it shows. They tried to keep in too many things from earlier versions that sounded good and then came up with an incohesive whole. I always had the impression from early teasers that Doctor Strange was supposed to fight an evil version of himself so I'm not sure when Wanda came into the story.

I agree with you on the chemistry with Chris and Natalie this time.

 

[watchthis!!]

Why not? They always ignore whether or not a movie is popular when it comes to awards. In fact, sometimes being popular is a handicap.

True. But it seems in the last few years they are trying to be more open to big blockbuster movies. Although whatever happened to that fan-voted most popular movie award??

The final Lord of the Rings is an example of that. Although the Harry Potter movies never one Oscar??

Which 'Harry Potter' Movies Were Nominated For Oscars?

The Harry Potter movies were WAAAAAY better than The Lord of the Rings movies. Weird.

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what happens with Top Gun Maverick.

 

[cygnus]

I saw Persuasion too and it was pretty bad. I think they made Ann too clever for her own good, you can’t buy that she would ever had chosen familial/societal obligation over love at any point in her life.

I did think Henry Golding was fun.

Henry Golding and the younger sister Mary, who stole every scene she was in were the only good things about it. The rest was .... something, but not Jane Austen.

 

[VGThuy]

The Oscars are dealing with a film environment that is very much like our political environment in that things have gone to extremes now. It seems the pool of films awards have had to pull from in the last two decades or so have only come from huge blockbusters and/or high box office grossing studio films and small, niche independent filmmaking. The Oscars used to be able to skate by when “middle-of-the-road” studio films made enough money to be a top ten grosser but be high enough “quality” for at least the upper suburban class to appreciate. The Oscars seldom pleased the serious hardcore film connoisseurs nor did they please those who just wanted “flicks” to get more appreciation but always met somewhat in the middle with enough crowd pleasers that met high studio standards. There has a been a dearth of those types of studio-made pleasing epic films after so many of those in the 2000s failed to meet both box office and audience expectations. Think of failed studio award fodder like Pearl Harbor.

Once the studio system started being more about blockbusters and franchises (starting around the 80s to the 2010s), awards started to going to more smaller indie films and even foreign films most Americans never saw thus making the Oscars less relevant to the mainstream but pleasing more of the hardcore film buffs (but still suffering from the older white male studio demographic that made up the majority of the membership so the most daring movies nominated for Independent Spirit Awards or winning Cannes awards or making the top 20 lists in Sight and Sound or Cahiers du Cinema wouldn’t be showing up at Oscars unless an expert Oscar campaigner was behind it). ABC has hated that and has tried so hard to shape the ceremony and change the membership so more popular movies can start winning.

I think younger filmmakers who have grown up on big blockbusters and genre films of the 1980s and who went to film school are going back and trying to put the “art” and higher end craftsmanship into franchise films and “genre” films like action ones, and we’re seeing the results of it now. I bet ABC couldn’t be more pleased.

 

[Buzz]

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | Official Trailer (2023 Movie)

Who needs heroes when you have thieves? Watch the NEW trailer for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and get ready to see it in theatres March 2023. #Dn...

www.youtube.com

 

[manhn]

It was not that long ago when big box office hits like Black Panther, A Star is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, Joker were nominated.

 

[misskarne]

Would the academy overlook the biggest movie of the year, the movie that brought the most people back into the theatres in these post-pandemic days? Would the academy snub a movie that is captivating from start to finish?

Lastly, the cinematography. Wow…on so many levels. What brilliant work! Visually eye-popping.

So thank you to everyone who has posted about this movie. I might have missed it without you.

You're welcome

As for Oscars...

I don't expect it to get too many nominations, actually. It's too low-brow for those snobs at the Academy. Fighter jets? Fighter pilots? Oh nooooo, how low-brow. Next you'll be presenting us films about racing drivers. (I may still be bitter that Daniel Bruhl didn't even get nominated for Rush, which was a goddamn crime.)

It had better get cinematography noms (and perhaps score?), and I've heard Lady Gaga's Hold My Hand (the love song) referred to as "award-bait" a few times, but I don't think it'll get any of the big ones.

The planes and scenery were a large part of the first movie's appeal. I was hoping they would remember that. I still haven't seen it yet but hope to go with friends soon.

Trust me, as someone who grew up with the original playing on the TV every second weekend, this one's flying scenes and scenery leave the original's in. the. dust.

 

[manhn]

Ford v Ferrari was nominated for Best Picture like yesterday.

 

[VGThuy]

The original is also an Academy award winner and had four total nominations. “Take my Breath Away” won an Oscar. The Lady Gaga song in the sequel isn’t nearly as good though, but then the Best Song category isn’t what it used to be.

IMO, the issue with Rush is that formula 1 racing just isn’t big in America so it could have been handicapped by the fact that the Academy is mostly consists of American members. I bet a lot of them didn’t bother to watch it and just ended up voting for another film or actor that they actually saw.

 

[watchthis!!]

I enjoyed Maleficent Mistress Of Evil even more than I expected. Probably because at halfway through the movie, the plot veered off in a direction that I wasn’t expecting. The scenes between Elle Fanning and Angelina Jolie made me cry more than once. Plus the rest of cast is filled with so many talented people. A great sequel.

 

[Buzz]

Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=RlOB3UALvrQ

 

[Kruss]

Marvel has released a new trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.



ETA: @Buzz, sharing a brain!

 

[Buzz]

Marvel’s announcement of MCU’s phase 4 & 5 movies and tv shows at SDCC.

MARVEL COMIC-CON 2022 FULL ANNOUNCEMENT! (AUDIENCE REACTION)

In this video, Matt Ramos attends his very first San Diego Comic-Con and goes to Hall H where Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige made some insane announcements f...

www.youtube.com

 

[Buzz]

Gotta love The Rock!

The Rock Showed Up In Full Black Adam Costume During San Diego Comic-Con 2022 - IGN

Black Adam made a shocking live appearance at San Diego Comic Con today at the Warner Bros. panel, descending from the heavens amid a lightning storm into Hall H.

www.ign.com

 

[Buzz]

Shazam! Fury of the Gods trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3xweOacwnM

 

[watchthis!!]

Jurassic World Dominion currently is at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Yikes. I didn't care for the last film so won't be shelling out $ for this one.

Jurassic World Dominion - Oh boy… I don’t ask for much, just that my movies are fun. This movie wasn’t just extremely predictable, crappy, and stupid, it was also BORING!

I should have listened...

I was shocked how bad Jurassic World Dominion is. The script is horrible. So many cliche's, it was obvious what was about to happen so many times over. This whole series has gone so off track. The movie is all about the dinosaurs in their own environment...and how humans are lost in that same environment. That is what is fascinating to watch. But all these extra plots thrown in which have nothing to do with dinosaurs. So awful! The direction is just as bad as the writing. But the director shares a co-writer of the script. So he has himself to blame whichever way you want to look on it.

What a missed opportunity with so many cast members back on screen all at the same time. And talented cast members, no less. Glad this series is over. If I have to ever see Chris Pratt in a half-squat stance with arms outstretched and palm facing towards the approaching dinosaur. Boy, did they ever milk that once again many times throughout this movie. It does show off how beautiful Chris Pratt's thighs are. They are maybe the best thing about this movie.

 

[Buzz]

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty Will be Directed by Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton - IGN

Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton will helm the next big MCU team up film Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

www.ign.com

 

[watchthis!!]

Just saw Nope.

Was it good? (Insert four-letter response here.)

Jordan Peele made a good movie (Get Out) and them stumbled with Us (overlong and too self-important).

Now he has gone off the rails with Nope. I have no idea what I just saw. I wish SCTV was still around. They used to do parodies of European art films that were hilarious. I think this is where Peele is. He is making avant-garde art films that only pretentious film school students can decipher. (And 99% of those people are full of BS!) I read a few articles about the movie after watching it and you can see how people are really stretching to find value in this dreck. Save your energy!

 

[Aussie Willy]

Just saw Nope.

Was it good? (Insert four-letter response here.)

Jordan Peele made a good movie (Get Out) and them stumbled with Us (overlong and too self-important).

Now he has gone off the rails with Nope. I have no idea what I just saw. I wish SCTV was still around. They used to do parodies of European art films that were hilarious. I think this is where Peele is. He is making avant-garde art films that only pretentious film school students can decipher. (And 99% of those people are full of BS!) I read a few articles about the movie after watching it and you can see how people are really stretching to find value in this dreck. Save your energy!

You are usually pretty positive so to read you say this it must be woeful.

 

[Buzz]

I just thought this was so adorable! Actor Aldis Hodge thought it was a prank when Dwayne Johnson called to offer him the role of Hawkman!

'Black Adam' star didn't believe The Rock was calling to offer role, cursed him out: 'Stop f***ing around with my phone'

Aldis Hodge recounts how he thought he was being pranked when Dwayne Johnson called to offer him "Black Adam" role.

www.yahoo.com

 

[watchthis!!]

You are usually pretty positive so to read you say this it must be woeful.

I just get irked by movies that are done in a way that makes me think I'm the dumbest person in the theatre. Hardly any part of the movie made sense to me.