for whatever reason, i'm not at all troubled by the use of WWI trench warfare, horrible as it was, as a "colorful" backdrop in a lighthearted fantasy adventure film. Same goes for just about every theater of WWII combat (excluding the German concentration camps, of course). That said, I'd probably be squicked out if Diana of Themyscira were chasing adventure & romance amid the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda.
― Not raving but drooling (contenderizer), Wednesday, 15 March 2017 20:36 (seven years ago) link
you should should read/see DC's New Frontier
Sounds just right - thanks!
― who even are those other cats (Eazy), Wednesday, 15 March 2017 20:37 (seven years ago) link
Captain America not punching any Nazis was the lamest and shittiest part of the movie. I think there's a way to do it that's, if not "tasteful," sort of within a genre that I don't think induces pain in audiences descended from victims of the Nazis. Raiders of the Lost Ark just about pulls it off, and I think it works because it's a comic movie with considerably more heft, oomph, and belief in its comic book cast than most of the recent ones, and because it's by a Jewish director who relates to the war in part through growing up on comic books and pulp serials. The closest he can get to expressing his anger at the regime is through this character and his cartoonishly solid punches, and the audience cheering when all the Nazis get blown away by the Jewish god.
I will say I loved the way they had Cap in a badly-received USO troupe deal - that was a pretty cool, fresh way to set it in-period. I thought they could have built from that to real Nazi-fighting, in a way that speaks to the most optimistic view of why someone like Steve Rogers would want to sign up for the war: to stop the Nazis. But then once he's actually out there fighting, it's against faceless, bloodless, PG-13 Hydra goons --- and alongside a history-rewriting integrated army unit. That's when it actually feels tacky and trivializing... the war is just a convenient backdrop to the disappointing, underwritten story. If they do that with Wonder Woman then yeah, it's dumb. If it turns into Paths of Glory, where the war's real inhumanity is pushed front and center, then you might have something. I would probably settle for some in-between like Raiders but I'm not sure anybody involved has a WW1 hook as strong as Spielberg's WW2 hook, to give it a real soul energizing the popcorn silliness.
― tales of a scorched-earth nothing (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 15 March 2017 20:54 (seven years ago) link
http://2015wubucket.s3.amazonaws.com/giantape.jpg
too bad the movie isn't using this plotline
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 15 March 2017 23:03 (seven years ago) link
saving it for second-sequel crossover with the Kong Cinematic Universe, obv.
― tales of a scorched-earth nothing (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 15 March 2017 23:12 (seven years ago) link
Kong ain't got nothing on Gorilla Grodd
― Number None, Wednesday, 15 March 2017 23:19 (seven years ago) link
https://twitter.com/Gotham/status/859215268572143616
...
― ein Sexmonster (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 2 May 2017 14:46 (seven years ago) link
This is the first Snyderverse movie that I might see, but I'm sure as shit waiting for the reviews to come in first.
― How many gigabyte is in trilobites (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 2 May 2017 14:50 (seven years ago) link
that trailer don't sit good w/ me for reasons I can't rly put my finger on
― ein Sexmonster (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 2 May 2017 14:51 (seven years ago) link
Well we're almost a week out. Supposedly good buzz? Seeing it next Thursday evening in any event.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 24 May 2017 17:39 (seven years ago) link
My comic book nerd friend made a good observation. The trailers are light and fun and funny, but ... something super dark has to happen at the end of this to make her vanish until Batman v. Superman, right? He figured that plus the WWI setting may mean this movie is more grim than they are letting on.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:02 (seven years ago) link
Yup, pretty much. I'm guessing Chris Pine dies heroically, the British steal Themysciran technology to create the atom bomb, something to that effect
― Nhex, Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:27 (seven years ago) link
It has to be bad enough to make her vanish for decades.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:37 (seven years ago) link
yeah i know i am excited about the major bummer too guys
― Yoni Loves Chocha (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:42 (seven years ago) link
Maybe she learns that the invisible jet doesn't actually exist, and that her mom just made it up?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:43 (seven years ago) link
;_;
― Yoni Loves Chocha (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 24 May 2017 18:43 (seven years ago) link
Let's keep this upbeat - maybe she just goes on a long, long, evil-fighting mission to Mars, setting up an in-between pre-sequel where we see her battling Martians, completing the underground infrastructure to replace their canals, setting up a future Martian Manhunter franchise series, etc. It could be loosely adapted from Worlds of Ultima: Martian Dreams, with a bit of Sky Captain - a secret mission on a Deco-era diesel-powered spaceship piloted by Amelia Earhart, featuring a supporting cast of Roaring Twenties luminaries whose estates do not possess defensible likeness rights. Could be great!
― ﴿→ ☺ (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 24 May 2017 19:00 (seven years ago) link
However, this would also probably require that in a few years, when they reboot Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, they would have Wonder Woman make specific reference to her Martian adventure and how it's good to be back on Earth and so on. Kinda like Superman Returns. If needed, the difference between Earth and Mars gravity could also explain her getting stronger/weaker, whatever best serves the next few films in the franchise.
― ﴿→ ☺ (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 24 May 2017 19:01 (seven years ago) link
Alamo Drafthouse is holding 'no boys allowed!' screenings. Men are taking it predictably well.
― human/hutt hybrid (Old Lunch), Friday, 26 May 2017 21:36 (seven years ago) link
They can't do separate men-only screenings, they'd have to dryclean the place afterward.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 22:21 (seven years ago) link
Anyway this is pretty great
http://jezebel.com/wonder-woman-worships-wonder-woman-1795577285
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 22:26 (seven years ago) link
I should also note, though, this thing is over two and a half hours long, which, why.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 22:28 (seven years ago) link
I'll take a couple of hours considering the absurd lack of female superhero movies.
― abcfsk, Friday, 26 May 2017 23:06 (seven years ago) link
two stars from the guardian; this paragraph suggests that the things i thought were most likely to cause problems (the setting, gal gadot's acting) are indeed problems:
But there’s something rather distasteful about co-opting trench warfare as the backdrop to a sanitised, hyper-stylised fantasy. I couldn’t help thinking of Kendall Jenner’s disastrous “protest chic” Pepsi ad. And when Gadot is called upon to communicate the horrors of war moments later, reeling around dazed and confused in a haze of orange poison gas, it’s a moment of Zoolander-esque silliness that brings home how weightless the whole story has become. Gadot is entirely credible as the embodiment of Amazonian perfection, but there’s only so much emotion her concerted brow-furrowing can convey.
― heck i've even been an 'oyster pirate' (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 30 May 2017 11:11 (seven years ago) link
also it looks like there's a lot of snyder-esque slowing down and speeding up of the action sequences, boooooo
― heck i've even been an 'oyster pirate' (bizarro gazzara), Tuesday, 30 May 2017 11:13 (seven years ago) link
Gadot's widely praised in the other reviews though, often as the highlight of the movie
― abcfsk, Tuesday, 30 May 2017 11:16 (seven years ago) link
There is a long, proud history of accented action heroes of dubious acting abilities. Wonder Woman ain't getting cast for her acting chops.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 30 May 2017 11:28 (seven years ago) link
I feel like directors should remember these movies are supposed to be for kids but I guess my taste is for the campy 60's era
― Violet Jax (Violet Jynx), Tuesday, 30 May 2017 13:23 (seven years ago) link
Oh brother, was there.
(And yes, consider the rest of this post a spoiler, you are warned, but I'll try and keep it vague enough.)
Anyway, saw it just now. I will say first that my partner loved it, with reservations, but was definitely appreciative of a full gender inversion flip in terms of hero's journey/Bond style plotting, if you like. She also appreciated the hard physical work Gadot clearly had to put into the role, CG assists notwithstanding, and was also down with Robin Wright, David Thewlis and Ewen Bremner in particular.
As for me, two things I'd fix -- first, WAY too long, plenty of scenes/sequences could have been chopped down some and conveyed the same point. Felt almost like a home-release extended cut. Second, some really bizarre as fuck tonal shifts throughout, which I honestly couldn't tell was due to uneven scripting or uneven acting or both. And honestly I wouldn't fault Gadot much for that, since I think she was stuck with some really strange shifts in particular. The humor was the humor, Chris Pine was kinda perfect for this as the brash/confused bro.
The larger problem there was the one noted by the Guardian -- it's *realllly* trying hard to have its cake and eat it too when it comes to the setting and the theme ("War, war is stupid and people are stupid," per Boy George, and yet love and tragic selflessness conquers all, conveniently). The history buff in me couldn't turn off my brain enough to let the riff on the WWI scenario be what it was, but hell, I bought weird-ass shiftings of history with Inglourious Basterds so maybe that's my own fault. The Germans might as well be cartoon Nazis for the most part (and the 'let's all be friends under a new dawn' ending felt really off as a result), and there's a couple of 'how quickly can we bend over backwards and acknowledge, say, that American history isn't a cakewalk either and then not talk about it again' bits, of course.
That all said: yeah, probably the best of the DC films in the current cycle if only by default, would be fine with seeing it again. Opening sequence was striking enough, big showdown ending was serviceable/typical -- lots of shit gets thrown around/blown up/etc -- but there's a sequence in the middle which, caveats aside (sooooooo much fast/slow/fast there, plus the trench warfare setting) that was kinda worth the price of admission. You want Wonder Woman as a one-woman hyperwarrior badass, that would be it in spades.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 June 2017 05:21 (seven years ago) link
these movies are supposed to be for kids
they are not. kids don't have any money. these movies are for man-babies, because they have money.
― Οὖτις, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:10 (seven years ago) link
that being said I'm considering taking my daughter to see this but idk
― Οὖτις, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:12 (seven years ago) link
My friends who've seen it hae been unanimous: more good than bad, especiaally the Gadot-Pine chemistry, way too many action sequences.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 2 June 2017 16:17 (seven years ago) link
should also note, though, this thing is over two and a half hours long, which, why.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, May 26, 2017
see THIS is why I'm hesitating (and why I couldn't be bothered to attend a critic's screening).
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 2 June 2017 16:18 (seven years ago) link
jfc really? ugh
― Οὖτις, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:19 (seven years ago) link
i'm surprised when i see that one of these things runs under two hours, everyone wants to make these movies as long as Heat now.
― nomar, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:20 (seven years ago) link
That seems to be typical for the DC movies.
Man of Steel - 143 minutesBatman vs. Superman - 151 minutesSuicide Squad - 123 minutes
I don't get it. I'm usually checking the time around 90 minutes in even for movies I'm enjoying.
― jmm, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:25 (seven years ago) link
especiaally the Gadot-Pine chemistry
Yeah, they work well together.
The length of the film wouldn't have been improved by cutting out whole sequences, they just needed to trim some of those sequences down. (It's not a case of 'too many action sequences' as it is more 'didn't this bit already end?')
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:26 (seven years ago) link
So long as she's okay with a couple of sex and dick jokes in the opening third.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:29 (seven years ago) link
I feel it is necessary to make you all read this line from Edelstein's review (http://www.vulture.com/2017/06/movie-review-wonder-woman-is-a-star-turn-for-gal-gadot.html).
It was worth waiting for Gadot.
― El Tomboto, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:31 (seven years ago) link
I just
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:32 (seven years ago) link
"Well, shall we pun?"
2 1/2 hrs, dick jokes, weird presentation of violent military conflict = y'know, for kids!
yeah I'm not seeing this
― Οὖτις, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:34 (seven years ago) link
what about your daughter?
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 2 June 2017 16:35 (seven years ago) link
She has already booked several showings.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:35 (seven years ago) link
I'm not sure she is even aware this movie exists!
― Οὖτις, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:36 (seven years ago) link
these movies are for man-babies, because they have money.
― Οὖτις, Friday, June 2, 2017 9:10 AM (thirty minutes ago)
wonder woman is for all the babies
― Beetle Juice continued to spit all over our drinks (contenderizer), Friday, 2 June 2017 16:51 (seven years ago) link
hold up i'm a man-baby but I'm fuckin skint tbh #notallmanbabies
― heck i've even been an 'oyster pirate' (bizarro gazzara), Friday, 2 June 2017 16:54 (seven years ago) link
lol @ hashtag
― Οὖτις, Friday, 2 June 2017 16:57 (seven years ago) link
saw a tweet from Joss Whedon saying its good! He's totally unbiased.
Joss Whedon Joins DC for a Batgirl Movie, and More News - Rotten ...https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/.../joss-whedon-joins-dc-for-a-batgirl-movie-and-...Mar 31, 2017 - WB wants Jordan Peele for Akira, Disney wants Beyonce for The Lion King, Aaron Sorkin wants to write superhero stories, and Fox still wants to remake Escape from New York. ... AVENGERS DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON TO SWITCH TEAMS FOR DC’S BATGIRL. ... Obviously, WB/DC shouldn’t outright copy ...
DC Joss Whedon Replacing Zack Snyder as Justice ... - Comic Bookcomicbook.com/dc/2017/05/22/joss-whedon-justice-league-zack-snyder/May 22, 2017 - It's not a joke, The Avengers 1 & 2 director Joss Whedon will be replacing Zack Snyder on Justice League, after Snyder Announced he's leaving to deal with a family tragedy. The tragedy in question is a massive one: Snyder's daughter, Autumn, took her own life in March, at the age ...
― officer sonny bonds, lytton pd (mayor jingleberries), Friday, 2 June 2017 17:18 (seven years ago) link
At one point Whedon was going to direct this, years ago. He seemed like a perfect fit.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 2 June 2017 18:01 (seven years ago) link