Ready Player One (2018) FILM Discussion

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

He peaked in '89.

 

[Fancyarcher 350]

9 hours ago, Tom said:

I see that RPO was blown out of the water by a relatively small film this weekend.  I wonder if Spielberg will ever come close to recapturing the glory of a true blockbuster that has real legs and cultural impact. 

Well Spielberg will never have another E.T. or Jaws like run, because the box office is much different now, that doesn't mean RPO is a failure though. It  dropped 41% this weekend, and is likely going to do over 600mww (it's blowing-up in China). A Quiet Place is doing great business too, but that's not really effecting RPO's box office. It's looking to have a solid run in terms of BO and legs. 

[Tom 4,687]

49 minutes ago, Fancyarcher said:

Well Spielberg will never have another E.T. or Jaws like run, because the box office is much different now, that doesn't mean RPO is a failure though. It  41% this weekend, and is likely going to do over 600mww (it's blowing-up in China). A Quiet Place is doing great business too, but that's not really effecting RPO's box office. It's looking to have a solid run in terms of BO and legs. 

Who suggested it was a failure? 

The Box Office is different, but it is not a night and day different.  Plenty of movies spend several weeks at No. 1--hell, Jumanji did it just a couple of months ago.  Either way, my point is not the money films like Jaws, ET, etc made but the cultural impact that they had.  The Post, BFG, Tintin, RPO, BoS (okay, everything since SPR) etc are all fine films but they are no where close to the league of his classics, both in terms of quality and influence.  I suppose I find it a bit sad to see happening, but it is the fate of most artists who have great success early. 

[Fancyarcher 350]

30 minutes ago, Tom said:

Who suggested it was a failure? 

The Box Office is different, but it is not a night and day different.  Plenty of movies spend several weeks at No. 1--hell, Jumanji did it just a couple of months ago.  Either way, my point is not the money films like Jaws, ET, etc made but the cultural impact that they had.  The Post, BFG, Tintin, RPO, BoS (okay, everything since SPR) etc are all fine films but they are no where close to the league of his classics, both in terms of quality and influence.  I suppose I find it a bit sad to see happening, but it is the fate of most artists who have great success early. 

 

Not to the extent that they used to, especially when a film could say have a 6X multipler. Shorter theater runs ensure something like that doesn't happen though, but I digress. 

 

Without sounding a bit biased (I think Spielberg's recent films are just as good as his older films), I'll say that as directors get older, things can change. Someone like Spielberg's 71. He doesn't really have much to prove at this point. It's true of a lot of artists as they get older, and move into comfortable terrority. Some make worse films, others just make samesy films and so-on. 

 

For me, I mostly really enjoy those new Spielberg films, and find I get a lot out of them, so I can't complain. 

[publicist 4,643]

RPO is not a film to achieve cultural impact in any way, shape or form. It's a fun, trivial movie that will have a shelf-life the same as that recent Jumanji movie (or similar) but Spielberg would really have to develop a script he's personally invested in to get to people - and that is neither West Side Story nor any of the other duds he recently considered.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

How important is "cultural relevance" or "impact" as a barometer of success? A lot of people "in the know" consider Empire of the Sun to be one of if not Spielberg's finest, but Saturday Night Live or Family Guy don't pick at it, so it is not in the league of his "classics"? How many films of say, Fellini, had the impact of something like E.T. after a similar amount of time had passed?

[Tom 4,687]

6 hours ago, Nick Parker said:

How important is "cultural relevance" or "impact" as a barometer of success? A lot of people "in the know" consider Empire of the Sun to be one of if not Spielberg's finest, but Saturday Night Live or Family Guy don't pick at it, so it is not in the league of his "classics"? How many films of say, Fellini, had the impact of something like E.T. after a similar amount of time had passed?

That is a good question, and I am not sure what the right answer is.  It is clear that it is what Spielberg longs for (The Post is a very good example of this), but it seems like a distant memory for him.  

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Empire of the Sun is great....... in parts. I don't think it really holds up as a whole, it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Maybe if Spielberg had followed more the tone of the book it could have been a masterpiece.

 

Also, it's overscored.

[Quintus 5,399]

Hey, I've said the same for years. So now there's two of us here 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Its not overscored!

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

It is. Everything up till the part where the soldiers appear during the party is unnecessary. Could have left it completely unscored and it would have benefited the film greatly. Maybe except for that little bit when Jim sits in the plane, that part of the score works I think.

[KK 3,307]

The first act of EotS boasts some of Spielberg's greatest handiwork. Should have been a film of its own.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

10 hours ago, Muad'Dib said:

It is. Everything up till the part where the soldiers appear during the party is unnecessary. Could have left it completely unscored and it would have benefited the film greatly. Maybe except for that little bit when Jim sits in the plane, that part of the score works I think.

 

I only recall the mother playing the Chopin piece.

[Quintus 5,399]

19 hours ago, KK said:

The first act of EotS boasts some of Spielberg's greatest handiwork. Should have been a film of its own.

 

All of the Shanghai stuff at the start is spectacular.

[publicist 4,643]

Even as cinematic novice, 15 years old i could see that this was briliant epic cinema.

[Not Mr. Big 4,652]

2 hours ago, publicist said:

Even as cinematic novice, 15 years old i could see that this was briliant epic cinema.

Same

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I'm not remotely interested in discussing this movie or my opinion or anyone else's opinion, but I feel I must put this on the record:

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Welcome back!

[Bilbo 3,709]

I disagree with Disco Stu!

 

like, 3 stars for the Terminal? Only if it’s out of 10 stars!

[Jay 37,473]

I still haven't seen it

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

You're missing out on a nightmare of computer animation. It doesn't even seem Spielberg was involved for roughly two hours. The rest feels more like a JJ Abrams movie.

[Bilbo 3,709]

3 hours ago, Batman's Diet Coke said:

 The rest feels more like a JJ Abrams movie.

Come on, it wasn’t that bad

[Naïve Old Fart 9,675]

On 10/04/2018 at 4:24 PM, Muad'Dib said:

It is. Everything up till the part where the soldiers appear during the party is unnecessary. Could have left it completely unscored and it would have benefited the film greatly. Maybe except for that little bit when Jim sits in the plane, that part of the score works I think.

 

You mean IMAGINARY AIR BATTLE. Brilliant!

 

 

 

On 10/04/2018 at 3:03 PM, Muad'Dib said:

Empire of the Sun is great....... in parts. I don't think it really holds up as a whole, it doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Maybe if Spielberg had followed more the tone of the book it could have been a masterpiece.

 

Also, it's overscored.

 

I wonder how much of EOTS he "inherited" from Lean?

[A24 4,362]

On 10/04/2018 at 4:10 PM, Stefancos said:

Its not overscored!

 

I agree and I'm very sensitive to overscoring. Also, I think the movie (or Spielberg) knows very well what it wants to be. The problem is that some or most viewers treat it like any other Spielberg movie. They see the movie from a 'Spielberg as narrator' perspective. The narrator, however, is a child, which is an unreliable narrator. We see the world through the eyes of Jamie and that's why it isn't overscoring. In fact, everything that you see in the movie is to be mistrusted.

[Jay 37,473]

Everytime score comes on in EOTS, is when we are seeing a warped view of the world through Jaime's eyes.  When there is no score, we are seeing stark reality.

[publicist 4,643]

5 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

 

I agree and I'm very sensitive to overscoring. Also, I think the movie (or Spielberg) knows very well what it wants to be. The problem is that some or most viewers treat it like any other Spielberg movie. They see the movie from a 'Spielberg as narrator' perspective. The narrator, however, is a child, which is an unreliable narrator. We see the world through the eyes of Jamie and that's why it isn't overscoring. In fact, everything that you see in the movie is to be mistrusted.

 

That's terribly relativist, especially when you see/hear how the score operates. Some of the cues would fit the bill, others are much more traditonally applied. You have fallen in love with your thesis but the movie is not really a 100% behind you.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You obviously don't understand EOTS.

No need to feel ashamed though, most people don't seem to.

[publicist 4,643]

I share that burden with all the others who stayed away in droves.

[A24 4,362]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

Everytime score comes on in EOTS, is when we are seeing a warped view of the world through Jaime's eyes.  When there is no score, we are seeing stark reality.

 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

So only 3 people understand EOTS?

 

Only on JWFAN!

[A24 4,362]

Indeed Steef, EOTS is not about the war but about the 'superpowers' of a child. People think the movie has an 'All's well that end well' ending but it's actually Spielberg's most bleakest ending ever. 

 

Spielberg about EOTS: "Ever since Duel, I've been looking for a visual narrative — a story that could be told nearly exclusively through visual metaphors and non-pretentious symbolism."

[publicist 4,643]

3 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

People think the movie has an 'All's well that end well' ending but it's actually Spielberg's most bleakest ending ever. 

 

You mean that deceiving end scene when Bale watches the trunk floating down the river hollow-eyed, not remembering who his parents are and seeing that atomic bomb going off? Yeah, much too sophisticated for us simple folk. Just another happy ending.

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

4 hours ago, Jay said:

Everytime score comes on in EOTS, is when we are seeing a warped view of the world through Jaime's eyes.  When there is no score, we are seeing stark reality.

 

This is an excellent line of thought and it had never ocurred to me. I will have to re-watch the film with this idea in mind, I don't know if it's something intentionally done by Spielberg and Williams but either way it's a fantastic concept. I sincerely thank you, you have opened my eyes.

 

I'll chime in again once I've re-watched it.

[Jay 37,473]

I guess you don't have the LLL release of the score, then. It's the primary thesis of the liner notes by Mike.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You didn't even believe it before Mike wrote about it.

[Jay 37,473]

I never saw the film until the LLL release was already out my man

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

18 minutes ago, Jay said:

I guess you don't have the LLL release of the score, then. It's the primary thesis of the liner notes by Mike.

 

Not yet. My The Fury copy arrived recently, though

[Quintus 5,399]

I know all about the mechanical aspirations of EotS. They work beautifully well in the first act, but the execution slackens off after that, pretty much for the duration of the camp scenes (the middle section), which are sometimes of good filmic merit, but other parts I find problematic (and even terrible). Some classiness is restored again though in the third act, and the film respectfully resolves itself as the little carry case bobs in the water. A 3.5 out 5 film, nothing more than that. They said it was flawed then and I'm saying the same thing now.

[publicist 4,643]

Though its ambivalent, ambiguous quality would have saved quite a few of SS more pedestrian films that came after.

[A24 4,362]

3 hours ago, publicist said:

 

You mean that deceiving end scene when Bale watches the trunk floating down the river hollow-eyed, not remembering who his parents are and seeing that atomic bomb going off? Yeah, much too sophisticated for us simple folk. Just another happy ending.

 

It was more a response to all the times I've read internet comments like: "Sappy Spielberg ends his film with a family reunion".

 

58 minutes ago, Jay said:

I guess you don't have the LLL release of the score, then. It's the primary thesis of the liner notes by Mike.

 

Darn! For a moment I thought you were smart, Jay! 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,489]

The issue with the camp scenes in Empire is the same as with other Spielberg dramas at their worst. The movie becomes aimless with scene after scene just sort of happening. I must be frank, your majesty. It's flat out boring.

 

Sometimes he can pull this off, but most times, these 2 1/2 hour films collapse under their own weight. Compare to popcorn Spielberg where those two hours fly by before you know it, with one riveting scene leading into the next. Jaws, E.T., CE3K, IJ, Always. But these are just silly popcorn movies that don't require any brains or your attention to enjoy, right Alexcremers?

 

Historical drama Spielberg is boring.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He's trying to be boring to attract Oscars. Filmmakers would be better without stupid awards distracting them.

[A24 4,362]

4 hours ago, Batman's Diet Coke said:

The issue with the camp scenes in Empire is the same as with other Spielberg dramas at their worst. The movie becomes aimless with scene after scene just sort of happening. I must be frank, your majesty. It's flat out boring.

 

Sometimes he can pull this off, but most times, these 2 1/2 hour films collapse under their own weight. Compare to popcorn Spielberg where those two hours fly by before you know it, with one riveting scene leading into the next. Jaws, E.T., CE3K, IJ, Always. But these are just silly popcorn movies that don't require any brains or your attention to enjoy, right Alexcremers?

 

Historical drama Spielberg is boring.

 

 

If the camp scenes are aimless to you, then I'm afraid popcorn movies have melted your brain, Diet Coke. 

 

[Quintus 5,399]

In between Empire of the Sun and Schindler's List, Spielberg must have watched The Great Escape and really studied it, because the camp scenes got gud in Auschwitz.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah, because The Great Escape is a fantastic Holocaust movie.....

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I like the bit where they get outta there.

[Tom 4,687]

12 hours ago, Margo Channing said:

He's trying to be boring to attract Oscars. Filmmakers would be better without stupid awards distracting them.

Especially when he has no realistic chance at winning. 

[Quintus 5,399]

56 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

Yeah, because The Great Escape is a fantastic Holocaust movie.....

 

It's just lacking an all star cast. The shower scene could have been so much cooler if we were able to play spot the cameo. Tom Berenger, Nick Nolte, Mimi Rogers, Gary Busey, Catherine Zeta Jones... the look of relief on their famous faces.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,675]

1 hour ago, Stefancos said:

Yeah, because The Great Escape is a fantastic Holocaust movie.....

 

Good luck.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I was obviously being sarcastic!