Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

Palomar · 2005-06-29 16:05:06

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/film_review_ … xNjk3]Gets slammed

*The reviewer apparently didn't like the movie one bit.

Here's an item of especial interest:

NASA's Mars landings have scotched Wells' notion of invaders from the red planet, so Spielberg opts for aliens of unspecified origin. He retains some of Wells' other trappings, including the gnarly red weed that spreads across the landscape

Another notable quote:

This is Spielberg's "Attack of the Clones," a movie burdened with stiff dialogue and fatuous relationships, dolled up with the gloss of computer animation into a big-screen video game with puny humans as targets.

Another blurb of an article I saw didn't expect WotW to pull Hollywood out of its current slump. Hmmmmmm. We weren't planning on seeing this movie anyway.

--Cindy

reddragon · 2005-06-29 17:58:48

The reviewer in my local newspaper liked it quite a bit.

You can never trust reviewers. They have their own personal opinions, just like the rest of us, and that influences what they like.

Earthfirst · 2005-06-29 21:46:57

Is wonderful, any one like tom cruz that earns 20 mil a flim, and upgrades his wife every 5 years is a great man in my book. Katie Holmes now that's I can see fighting for against those mars monsters. She was always my favorite on Dawsen creek, also the only one to have a creer outside diner shows and mall, brithday partys. From that show. I mean poor vanderbeck is a midnight cowboy down on broadway.

el scorcho · 2005-06-29 21:47:10

I just got back from seeing it. I liked it a lot--very edge-of-your-seat and tense; and the characters were very believable and well-acted. They did play with the original story to fit the modern setting, but other than replacing H.G. Wells with Tom Cruise as protagonist, they stayed pretty close to the book.

Of course, I might be a tad biased since I spent two days working as an extra in Lexington, Virginia back in December :laugh: . They used my scene quite a bit, but unfortunately I didn't see myself. Somebody I was with said they saw me though, so look for a large-headed, bearded white male in the part after the ferry scene .

In all seriousness though, I really enjoyed the film and would recommend it to anyone at New Mars.

Palomar · 2005-06-30 04:29:53

Of course, I might be a tad biased since I spent two days working as an extra in Lexington, Virginia back in December :laugh: . They used my scene quite a bit, but unfortunately I didn't see myself. Somebody I was with said they saw me though, so look for a large-headed, bearded white male in the part after the ferry scene .
In all seriousness though, I really enjoyed the film and would recommend it to anyone at New Mars.

*Oh, that's right. You were in it as an extra. Congrats. Well, if my husband and I decide to see it after all, I'll look for you in it.

On a different note, I'm a bit surprised Spielberg is doing a re-make. The original 1950's WotW seems such a classic and un-redoable. And he does have Close Encounters to his credit, and ET of course. Just checked his bio...60 next year?? Hard to believe. And he and Cate Capshaw still together after 20 years. :up:

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2005-06-30 04:43:56

On a different note, I'm a bit surprised Spielberg is doing a re-make. The original 1950's WotW seems such a classic and un-redoable.

Hollywood studios lack imagination and would prefer to do remakes or sequels to already-succesful products than take a risk on something original. Spielberg, all else aside, is a creature of that system.

Or do I need to bring up Jurassic Park II? :laugh:

Palomar · 2005-06-30 04:51:09

On a different note, I'm a bit surprised Spielberg is doing a re-make. The original 1950's WotW seems such a classic and un-redoable.
Hollywood studios lack imagination and would prefer to do remakes or sequels to already-succesful products than take a risk on something original. Spielberg, all else aside, is a creature of that system.
Or do I need to bring up Jurassic Park II? :laugh:

*Guess I'm still so into the phenomenon of Spielberg in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s that I honestly still don't perceive him as a creature of any system. And yet I'm reluctant to readjust that perception. Danged sentiment.

Really, though, what with the astounding successes of CE and ET...I am surprised he'd do this film. Seems anti-climactic as his career goes. Almost like an admission he's running out of steam (say it isn't so, Steven!).

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2005-06-30 05:13:54

Really, though, what with the astounding successes of CE and ET...I am surprised he'd do this film. Seems anti-climactic as his career goes. Almost like an admission he's running out of steam (say it isn't so, Steven!).

That might actually be a good metaphor for the entire Hollywood system. With the ever-dropping price of the relevant technology it's getting much cheaper to produce films that previously would have required tens of millions of dollars that only the big studios could provide. Already there's been alot of production moving away from Hollywood, first to Vancouver, then Australia and New Zealand, and all while the independent scene in American cities grows.

In the next decade or so I won't be surprised if the studios have to adapt to a redefined game. When you can make the same film as Universal for less money and non-Union, Universal is in trouble. Once theaters go completely digital it's even easier, remove the cost and logisitic problems of running a few hundred film prints and tiny production companies can self-distribute a natiowide release. We'll start seeing more movies made in other cities, and not just the usual angst-ridden indie stuff but big Hollywood-style action/adventure films. Movies won't mean Hollywood anymore.

I'm leaning towards Detroit for a big production center, but I'm a bit biased.

But back on topic, I'll have to go see War of the Worlds in the next week or so. I'm not sure if it's that I want to see War of the Worlds or just a morbid curiosity to see another great filmmaker past his prime trying to hold on. . . I'll decide which after the movie.

I guess I've always had a soft spot for aliens come and kill everybody stories. ???

Edited By Cobra Commander on 1120130065

Palomar · 2005-06-30 05:26:49

*I agree with your comments about Hollywood and have noticed the decline for quite some time. Which probably explains why we seldom go to the movies.

There's more I could say, but...will leave it here. I'd rather be reading or writing anyway.

--Cindy

clark · 2005-06-30 06:01:14

Plays are routinely held off Broadway, but there is only one Broadway.

Hollywood is magic. Detroit is where the weak are killed and eaten.

I don't think I will see this movie in the theaters. I've just about given up on the theater experience anyway. The movies I might want to see are invariably packed with other, making it less enjoyable. And if you are patient, for nearly the same price as the outing, you can own the movie and watch it at your own leisure.

Or of course rent with Netflix, and become even more of a shut in.

Besides, I recently watched the old classic of 20,000 leagues under the sea. It is an absolute crime the way they deviated from the actual story.

Now I will give away a million dollar idea: Instead of big multiplexes, build small coffe-house community style theaters that can seat 10-20 comfortably in a theater room. Allow reservations for people to book the rooms at certain times and with a catalogue of movies that can be shown. Instead of the traditional consession stand, have light dining and sell DVD's.

People who still go to the movies go for the positive aspects of the experience, which is a communal-social activity, to get out of the house. Dinner and date, all in one.

Anyone who makes money on this, donate to some space groups. I don't care which one.

dicktice · 2005-06-30 06:28:55

We have just done that, here in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. The old Acadia motion picture theatre had become an abomination with three tiny auditoriums before closing down due to the opening of a huge Cinaplex ten at a time movie monster out of town. We now have a 165 seat Acadia Cinema & live theatre, with the lobby a coffee house selling fair trade coffee, with coffee cup holders at each seat (lots of leg room). The screen is behind the huge stage, so front row seats are just as good as back seats. The whole thing is run as a co-op, and we're looking forward to digital cinema going in next year, retaining the conventional projection system bought last year from another defunct movie house in the next town. When the Acadia marqee came on (the town and university paid for new neon lighting) we had a big celebration on Main Street, stopping all traffic and giggling like kids again. You're right: With digital projection, neighborhood movies will ride again!

Earthfirst · 2005-07-05 21:34:12

The movie was great, I saw it durning the weekend. In the book the invaders were from Mars, but now just from out there. Thanks to Nasa we now know there is no life on mars. It was cool there invaders were reterraforming earth so would it be alianforming? Using the humans as raw resourses for there red weeds was cool. It reminds me if we go to mars we be doing the same thing, I just hope we don't get the brid flue like the invaders did in the movie. How did the aliens know where to put their machines. Did they just put them in areas were they fought people would settle, like in the wet east cost. Or did they just turn on the ones that ended up near populated citys. It would be a big waste to have the tripods wondering around the sparsly populated great plains or deserts looking for a few hundered people. Also just hide in your Y2K bunker the aliens would never find you.

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#1 2005-06-29 16:05:06

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#2 2005-06-29 17:58:48

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#3 2005-06-29 21:46:57

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#4 2005-06-29 21:47:10

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#5 2005-06-30 04:29:53

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#6 2005-06-30 04:43:56

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#7 2005-06-30 04:51:09

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#8 2005-06-30 05:13:54

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#9 2005-06-30 05:26:49

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#10 2005-06-30 06:01:14

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#11 2005-06-30 06:28:55

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

#12 2005-07-05 21:34:12

Re: Spielberg's "War of the Worlds"

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