Weekly Box Office and Film Discussion Thread

[KremlingWhatnot]

Hey Guys, Remember That Untitled Henry Selick Movie, Well Guess What It's Back!! ...... On European Markets , Yeah, Go Figure
http://www.chicagotribune.com/enter...varietynvr1118065661-20130205,0,2029907.story

 

[Sgt Floyd]

Hey Guys, Remember That Untitled Henry Selick Movie, Well Guess What It's Back!! ...... On European Markets , Yeah, Go Figure
http://www.chicagotribune.com/enter...varietynvr1118065661-20130205,0,2029907.story

We can't read that unless we pay for it

 

[Drtooth]

I mean, those food animal pics, though very creative, are just kind of weird. I feel like I'm watching some kind of preschool show where food and animals meet. I have no desire to watch this one at all...

There's a legitimate sequel to the book, and clearly they're not using it. Like they barely used the first one in the first place. But then again, when they do sequels of movies based on books that have sequels, they rarely use the sequels. Live action movies, maybe... if they're a film series. But I've never seen it happen with the Disney versions.

Of course, I no longer have the desire to complain about any of Disney's lousy 101 Dalmatian sequels... the legitimate sequel to the actual book is essentially a MILLION times more awful.

 

[Hubert]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the Cloudy books, and things already seemed to get butchered enough the first time through. I'd much rather think that there's this fantastical town where food falls from the sky rather than know that it happened as a result of some scientist. The first movie took away a lot of the things that has always made me love the book, and the second one is obviously not going to do much better.

 

[Drtooth]

I think Sony really wants Cloudy to be its own personal Shrek. Shrek threw some of what the book was about away and changed a deal of stuff for the sake of making a more movie friendly 90 minute plot. Then it just became it's own thing for the next 3 films. Of course, with Shrek, they managed to keep most of what made the book special (they were going to completely toss the entire thing in its original concept, though). At least the fact that Shrek didn't want to be an ogre and Donkey was so annoying that he was ostracized... everything else is completely different.

But that's what I've been saying for years. Cloudy was a special book because it didn't need explanation for the food falling from the sky. It's a tall tale. A scientist did it is a lame explanation. And he's not even a mad scientist. I love mad science. That's why I loved Igor and Despicable Me so much.

 

[Hubert]

Rather than explaining the food falling from the sky, I'd have rather seen something that actually is relevant to the book more. Create a few main characters (maybe a family) living in Chewandswallow and showcase at first their everyday lives, and then move on to the conflict of the story, the increasing storm of food. Show some story about how that particular family is adjusting to the problems, have hilarious moments with the food falling on things, have heartbreaking moments where a main child is scared about the storm, add some examples from the book about specific food falling and let the characters react to it. If done right, you really could have made a nice plot with a combination of humor and heart based on the events from the book.

The movie, while showing some elements of the book, just wanted to make this fictional mash-up explaining what was really going on in the town and during the storm rather than putting aside the logic and telling the fantastical story that we have all come to love.

 

[Bliffenstimmers]

At first I almost thought Spencer's signature was part of the post, and I was nearly going to reply with "I'm comin' as fast as I can!"
Besides that I have not a whole lot to say on the matter at hand. I've seen the first Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, it was so-so. Never read the book, so I can't compare it. In fact I never heard of the book until this movie came out. I have no plans on seeing the sequel if it gets released.

 

[KremlingWhatnot]

So, Is Anyone Going On Here Going To See Oz: The Great And The Powerful, I Know I Am

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Hmm..haven't decided yet. Looks interesting.

I'm really excited for the Lone Ranger, that looks like it's going to be an exciting movie.

 

[Drtooth]

The only thing I'm interested in is hitting this Looney Tunes film festival at an arthouse theater. Though I doubt I'm going to be able to get there in the week they're doing it.