Peep has pretty much summed up Captain America: Civil War for me. Really good action film - it's amazing that it came out of the same studio as that Age of Ultron trash - using the same characters and actors. It not like there was any less action in it really either. I watched it in iMax - first time iMax for me - and it was brilliant. I wasn't sure what to expect as it's one of those things people always go on about, but it really did make a difference to the experience.
I also took MMF to see
Jungle Book a couple of weekends ago. I've got really mixed feelings about it.
I seem to be in a minority about loving the Disney film. It's like
my Disney film? Probably the first one I remember watching at the cinema. I had an audio tape of it too. I love the setting, the music and the characters... Apart from Mowgli who is an arrogant, annoying brat. He is in the original book too and he continues to be in the new film.
His character in all three is often just plain unlikable. There are a few moments in the film though where they try to shoehorn in the cartoon elements of Mowgli with the live actor. Near the start he does a very forced walk to look like the cartoon version, and when he goes up the steps in the temple he goes on all fours just like in the cartoon.
I think that sums up a lot of the film. It doesn't quite know if it's recreating the original the book or breaking new ground. There's a mix of things and it doesn't always feel settled. I did like the way they wove some of the original story elements into the film, I just think they should have maybe gone even further in that direction - but then there was a chance of alienating fans of the original cartoon completely.
The scene with Ka just seemed superfluous. I can't quite understand why it was there. It always felt a bit out of place in the cartoon too, but there was at least a great song and it was used as a plot device later on.
I thought Christopher Walken as a mafia boss King Louis was inspired. It worked really well and then... The remake of the song. OMG. Awful. I may be suffering from "change is bad" syndrome, but why was he a gigantopitheicus? Why did they have the pronounced oooo sound (when in the rest of his speech he's eloquent)? It just jarred compared to the rest of the scene. I know they needed a big baddy chase sequence, but it just didn't work as the ending of that scene.
I'd like to ignore the Lion King scene, but can't. It felt like such a direct copy rather than a playful reference. I know something similar is in the original story, but they really didn't have to do such a copy.
I loved Idris Elba as Shere Khan and his tigery ways made MMF jump a few times which goes to show the suspense and menace the character created.
People have already mentioned the stunning animation and how gorgeous the film is, and it is. Not much else to say there.
My issue with the film is pretty much the same issue I have with the original cartoon. Annoying protagonist and bits that just don't work. In the original it was copy and paste animation, in this it's copy and paste bits of the original that don't quite work.
The thing is, I enjoyed the film overall, despite the failings; just as I do the original. It's a film for kids (and I do think that a film for kids can also be a film for adults, but you have to give a bit of leeway) that my kid, and the other kids I know have seen, it adore. True, they will also eat their own feces if left unattended too long so I wouldn't accept their culinary advice, but they are still a yard stick to measure by.
It was brilliant, annoying, annoying, brilliant, okay, meh, great, annoying, copying, superb, telegraphed ending. Maybe not in that order, but that was the emotional journey I went on
7/10, maybe 9/10 if you're under 11?
I also watched
Eddie The Eagle recently. I thought it was exactly what I was expecting it to be. A British feelgood movie about somebody overcoming all odds to come in last. It's what we do best
Best comment from madame_furie was "it was all a bit predictable!" Well, yeah, it's a true story and if you were alive in the 80's you wouldn't be able to avoid it. It's not like they completely changed the ending or anything. It was what it was. If you don't want your historical film ruined, don't live through the time period it happened. BTW Madame_F, the Hitler will always suffer defeat in WWII as well
It's the kind of film I love if I'm in the right mood for something a bit feel-goody (not often, but it does happen) so thought it was excellent. Great acting, lovely pacing and the obvious ending
9/10