Jibbs
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Post by Jibbs on Jan 5, 2015 19:41:54 GMT -5
Into the Woods (2014)
It was my sister's turn to pick the family movie last weekend and I didn't really care to see this one, but for the most part it was actually quite enjoyable. Most of the subject matter is shallow to the point of parody (shallow like fairy tales), but what makes the movie interesting is that it keeps going for a final act after the "happily ever after" and not only do bad things happen, but it gets unpredictable and messy. My dad complained that the film was "muddled" but I think he missed the point -- it was supposed to be muddled. Anyway, it was an interesting take on fairy tales.
As for the music, it was decent, but what made the movie enjoyable was the humor that was embedded in most of the songs. The highlight might be a duet between Chris Pine as Prince Charming and his prince brother as they compete for the "stage" and manliness. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't hear "musical" and roll their eyes.
***/****
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daniel
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Post by daniel on Jan 6, 2015 14:15:35 GMT -5
I agree with your dad.
I thought the movie was over, and then it became a totally different movie, one where my favourite character became a total wretch and was killed off.
Way too long.
4/10
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Fanible
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I peered into the vastness and saw nothing. Felt nothing.
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Post by Fanible on Jan 6, 2015 16:11:39 GMT -5
That's pretty much how the stage play is (which is excellent). I would have done the "intermission" a little differently, though. They skipped a musical number (a rehash, which was played instead at the end) and it truly should have felt like an ending, before moving onto the darker second half. However, I was a little surprised they didn't try to jolt up the second half a tad for a movie adaption. Meryl Streep was easily the best in the movie. She nailed the part. It probably does work better as a play. The first half is the silly, traditional Grimm fairy tales mashed up, then "ending" with them living 'happily ever after'. The intermission occurs, people use the restroom and whatnot, then you return to see the events that take place after the end of the stories that we are more familiar with. It's a clever story. There's some changes. In the play, unless I'm remembering it wrong: The baker's wife is killed by the giant and found in a giant footprint. Not by simply having fallen off a cliff (or did I miss something?).
Rapunzel and Little Red's grandmother are both supposed to have been killed as well. The main problem with Rapunzel not dying is that it undercuts the added sadness from the Witch's song, since her perceived daughter is dead. Also removed was the narrator's death. Amidst trying to figure out how to appease the giant, the witch and others suddenly notice the narrator still narrating, and suggest sacrificing him. There's an amusing part where the narrator tries to plea with the lot of them that they will be lost without him, but the witch grabs and throws him at the giant. Not sure how they would have done that in the movie (especially since it's the baker's voice), but it's a funny part in the play. The narrator just stops talking for the second half of the movie. |
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Frizzo the Clown
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Post by Frizzo the Clown on Jan 6, 2015 17:12:46 GMT -5
I saw the stage play when I was in High School (which is excellent, as Fanible said), so simply based on that, I really want to watch this. Granted, I haven't seen it in 20 odd years, so if there are any changes, I probably won't notice them anyway unless I have a little refresher beforehand.
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IanTheCool
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Post by IanTheCool on Jan 6, 2015 21:47:59 GMT -5
I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't hear "musical" and roll their eyes.
Well, I'm out. |
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Ramplate
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Post by Ramplate on Jan 7, 2015 8:48:12 GMT -5
Loved the stage play - not sure about the changes I'm reading here though Agony! Far more painful than yours!
When you know she would go with you,
if there only were doors!
 
From watching a clip of the two of them singing that song, Chris Pine has it easy - all he had to do was act like William Shatner  |
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PhantomKnight
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Post by PhantomKnight on Jan 7, 2015 14:42:02 GMT -5
I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't hear "musical" and roll their eyes.
Well, I'm out. That might've been me too a couple of years ago, but recently, I discovered that I really quite enjoy musicals now and I enjoyed this one. Agony has to be my favorite song in it. |
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