West Side Story bombed at the box office and people are (justifiably, in my opinion) blaming Ansel Elgort. [Dlisted]
The trailer for Winning Time, about Jerry Buss & the Lakers. [LaineyGossip]
A funny skit about Jenni, the girl you just met in the bathroom. [OMG Blog]
I barely recognized Rebel Wilson. [Go Fug Yourself]
Matthew McConaughey’s suit is so ugly. [Just Jared]
Rest in peace to the immortal Anne Rice. [Pajiba]
Does anyone write by hand anymore? [Gawker]
Billie Eilish’s mom didn’t want her to become an actress. [Towleroad]
Josh Duggar’s new mugshot is gross. [Starcasm]
Awful stories about toxic work places. [Buzzfeed]
I’m not going to follow these Instagram models, but you can. [Egotastic]
Maybe? I think for younger people, Ansel is definitely a drawback, to put it mildly.
But I will say as an almost-40 year old, most of my friends barely know who Ansel is. I think if I wasn’t on here I wouldn’t know about the whole mess. And certainly my mom and her friends have no idea. My mom wants to see this movie but she isn’t the kind of person who rushes to a movie on opening day, I’ll probably go see it over christmas break – I just think in general this movie is going to be more of a slow burn, especially as the positive reviews keep stacking up (which they seem to be doing.)
Basically I think the fact that this is a remake of a musical and stars Ansel is going to make it a hard sell to the people who tend to see movies ASAP (younger people) but I think overall it will probably do okay.
this was exactly the take I heard on the radio. the people more likely to go to a theater are young people, and young people, in general, are not interested in musicals (unless it’s “High School Musical”).
the other aspect of this weekend’s box office is this…though this “bombed” with only $10 million, it was still in first place. BO receipts are still LESS THAN HALF of what they were, pre-pandemic. I think it’ll do OK, but agree with you that it’ll be a slow burn.
In the Heights also underperformed in theaters last summer (it was also streamed), so I don’t know if Broadway-to-big screen musicals are passé or just in a lull. Hamilton did great on Disney but, that’s Hamilton. And Lin Manuel Miranda did a wonderful, really creative adaptation of tick…tick…Boom on Netflix. I just loved it. Maybe musicals either need to be filmed as is like Hamilton or recreated for streaming services and a narrower audience. Also something like tick…tick….Boom doesn’t need to recoup the large budgets of WSS or In the Heights
I really think people are underestimating the fact we are still in a pandemic and many people are avoiding theatres. Normally I would love to see this(objections to Ansel as a person aside) but with a new variant, who is rushing to sit in a cinema?
@minx at least in the heights was also released on HBOMax at the same time, so that could explain at least somewhat the poor box office? IDK though. Maybe movie musicals are just a harder sell these days.
What was the last one that was really a hit? Chicago? And that was….18 years ago? 19? And that was something different and sexy and fun with major star power attached which I’m sure helped.
Any other non-Disney musicals that have been big hits since then?
Becks1–yes, I’m sure the streaming for ITH cut into its box office. It was released at the beginning of the summer when things looked a bit better for Covid and in-person movies. Then the bottom fell out again.
Boy some people I really respect that I follow on Twitter loved it. I think it’s going to do a lot better when it’s available for streaming. I mean who’s going to a movie theatre these days? Probably more of a marvel/superhero crowd willing to sit cheek to Jowl with other people.
My daughter and I saw House of Gucci and that was the first theater movie I had seen in two years. We went at an off time so we had plenty of distance. She, on the other hand, has seen several theater Marvel movies…but she’s 22. So, yeah, I think the demographic for WSS is older.
This. My mom wants to see it but she isn’t going to rush out and see it. She was talking of us maybe taking my kids during Christmas break, but they want to see Encanto first.
Encanto is coming on Disney Plus on Christmas Eve as a heads up, if you have that. My boys LOVED that movie. If I have to listen to the soundtrack one more time…….
I was much much less enthusiastic about seeing it the more I thought about watching Ansel in a romance with a young, inexperienced woman.
But I also have the Christmas Crud so my only trips out this weekend were to the laundry mat and the store.
Ansel was accused of sexual assault by a woman in 2020, and I think people forget that. I can’t stand him ever since reading the woman’s story, so eff this guy. I’m glad he’s taken a hit.
Well, I know one person who has not forgotten, and she’s the only one in this extended household who cares about musicals. She refuses to see it on account of him, and I am wondering if my daughter is not an outlier in this.
No, I don’t think so. I’m on Twitter and there are a ton of young people who have expressed disgust and will not see anything with Ansel. The young are on social media far more than most of us and they know about the issues with Ansel, especially young girls. Of course, there are still many young girls who think he is a heart throb no matter what he’s done. I’m a much older woman and I go to the movies fairly frequently, I’m vaxed and boosted and still wear a mask, so I’m not afraid to go to the theaters, I just don’t care for musicals.
Well I can certainly tell you he’s the sole reason why I’m personally not rushing to see it.
I don’t know who is less likeable, Elgort or Teller. I’d maybe have seen this film without Elgort but with him as lead? And a romantic one? Noooooope.
And to think there are movies with both of them……the Divergent Series. My dislike for both is equal, they’ve shown themselves to be jerks on many occasions.
Honestly, I keep forgetting he’s in it. I just wasn’t interested in seeing it because I thought the general consensus was, “this seems like a shot for shot remake; what’s the point?”
I realize that this version has a more diverse cast, and that’s wonderful, but if I’m looking for a movie to correct a diversity issue, an old white dude like Spielberg is not the guy I’d pick to helm it. I just don’t get why this movie was made.
this Is a more concise summary than what I was going to type. i just have no desire to see this and this jerk is just the cherry on top
Exactly. If you’re going to do a remake, especially if it’s a beloved classic, you have to make it fresh and different.
Yeah, this falls in the “Did this movie really need to be remade?” category for me. It really seems the only reason it exists is for Spielberg to fulfill his long-time dream of doing it–and that is not enough.
I saw it Saturday. It is not a shot for shot remake. The songs were rearranged. I think they put them back in the order that they were originally in on Broadway. I know next to nothing about Ansel, but he is a definite improvement over the original film version of Tony, as is this version’s Maria. At least they sing for themselves. Rita Moreno had a substantial supporting role and delivered the song Somewhere toward the end of the film.
Interestingly, it was brought up more than once that the two gangs in the film were fighting over territory that they were all about to lose to development anyway (historically the Lincoln Center project). It made their struggle seem pointless, which it was though none of them seemed prepared to admit that.
It took me a little while to stop seeing the original film version in my head as I watched, but it did fade back and I was able to enjoy the performances. Still, the original film’s street ballet remains an utter classic.
Maybe among younger viewers? But I’m 41, and Ansel Elgort isn’t someone most of my friends can name check. I’ve never actually seen anything he’s been in.
I think that the other culprits are covid and maybe some exhaustion from the all the live action Disney remakes. I know they’re not the same thing, but I think the combination of musical and old content might not be what people are thirsting for.
I LOVE musicals and I love Disney and I love Disney musicals and…..i’m over the Disney remake. I liked Aladdin bc I thought it added something new to the story, but so far I have not been impressed by any of the other ones. So yes, I do think that feeds into the boredom with this movie. Oh look, another remake.
I friggin’ love me some Shakespeare and love adaptations. The original West Side Story is an absolute classic, but I don’t understand remakes in general and this one I’m like “huh?” I’m sort of biased by all the articles saying this just isn’t a story for white guys to tell, but I also just don’t see any relevance to teenagers of today, Puerto Rican or otherwise. I would absolutely see a well written film about the lives of Puerto Rican teenagers in New York, but the passionate love affair thing irritates me. Like, who the hell needs to fall madly in love at 16 when you’re not gonna die of old age at 30? You know what needs a remake? Kids. HIV isn’t a death sentence like it was when Kids was released, but sexuality is perceived very differently now then it was then and there’s so much material there.
I read one review of this that basically said the love story is the weakest part but its the weakest part of Romeo and Juliet too. And its definitely the weakest part of the original. When I watch the original or listen to the soundtrack, I’m just in for Anita and Bernardo and the Sharks and Jets. Maria and Tonight are great songs, but I skip all the talking scenes around those songs, lol.
That said – I would have loved to have seen a modernized version of this (which is what I originally thought this was.) Like there is still obviously so much prejudice etc, they definitely could have made this work if it was set in 2021. The costumes would have been different, and the fight scenes would have been different, but it could have worked. If Baz Luhrmann could modernize it……Spielberg could have.
(and yes I know BL did R&J but you get my point.)
I agree that the love story is the weakest part across the board. I still think kids should read Romeo and Juliet, despite the absurdity of the love story, but even when the original West Side Story was released we were culturally in a time when teens rebelling against the world made sense in a more conservative society. Teens now live in a world where easy sex is an app click away. You hardly need to be passionately in love to justify a randy night with your forbidden lover. But socioeconomic inequality is just as relevant as ever, and there’s so much material for that. Throw in a romance if you have to, but spare us the remake. Just tell a new story.
People aren’t flocking to the new version of West Side Story because there was absolutely no reason for this film to be remade. Yes, I know that there are endless versions of A Star is Born, The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, Little Women (for God’s sake, she wrote other books), A Christmas Carol, those didn’t need to be remade either. The original had a story by Shakespeare, music by Bernstein, lyrics by Sondheim, choreography by Robbins, and a sublime performance by Rita Moreno. The new version makes very few changes,, except making I Feel Pretty irrelevant. And Richard Beymer was much prettier than Ansel Elgort.
I love the original. I’ve seen the play in London, and I would see the play again. But a movie remake? No thanks.
Naw, nobody ain’t going to the theaters like they use to.
There is always a ‘holiday’ movie for the household to enjoy together that comes out and they box office is steady. This movie was suppose to be it.
Yeah, I want to see it, but friends/family either aren’t musical fans or are still wary about covid. My sister would go with me but she’s 73 and is very cautious.
Yes, I think before Omicron (and Delta before that) have kept a lot of people out of the theaters. I think “Only in theaters” is a really, really bad strategy right now. There are about 5 movies I’d love to see, but I am waiting for streaming.
Exactly. I read that a prime demographic for WSS is older women, yet we are one of the slowest demos to return to theaters.
I’m surprised they didn’t put this up for premiere access or whatever. I would have paid to see it.
But my guess is that it will be available to rent/purchase online very soon, probably early January. I just bought Spencer this weekend, we bought the new Bond a few weeks ago, etc. It feels like even the big movies are moving to home access (for a fee) very quickly now.
Becks1, yeah, I was surprised to see the Bond get to PPV almost as fast as Last Night In Soho.
Ansel is 27 years old. The female lead in the movie was a teenager still in high school at the time the movie was filmed. Anyone think that’s creepy?
Yes, especially combined with the allegations against him.
They should have cast an actual star. Ansel isn’t going to get the job done. I don’t know what they were thinking.
Sexual abuse allegations and a story that has been told too many times. I wonder why it bombed.
I always think of Ansel Egort as some kind of well-connected nepotism-hire.
The other nepotism-hires in Hollywood at least have some kind of charisma or looks. This one, not so much.
Agree. I’ve read that his dad is a friend of Steven Spielberg, so that might explain him getting this part. Nepotism is alive and well. Ugh.
I am not interested in seeing the new WSS at all, Ansel Elgort being one of many reasons. The trailer makes it look effective but charmless. I am not a Spielberg fan, what he feels and wants us to feel at the movies is not what I want to get out of movies.
If Ansel is to blame, I’m going to pin it on his bland looks and punchable face. Like Miles Teller, there’s really something off putting that makes it difficult to see him as desirable. Renner has a similar face.
I don’t think he’s good-looking for a movie star.
I know that’s really shallow to say, but I have wondered if his looks are so bland that this prevents people from wanting to watch him. I think talent can override a lack of looks, but I don’t think he has that either.
I don’t thing someone needs to be “good looking” to be a movie star, not classic good looking.
But they need to be something other than bland generic white guy with a side of “may be a douchenozzle”. AE, MT both fall into that category for me, as does the guy who was the lead in the Han Solo movie, the Boyhood guy and one of the Hunger Games dudes, but I can’t remember which. Spielberg’s lead in Warhorse didn’t have the douche angle but he was another bland actor, the least interesting thing about that film IMO.
Charisma, something interesting about them, unique energy … all of that is missing with these guys.
Maybe with the right project they can break out, like MT did for a bit with Whiplash, but even then JK Simmons generated a lot of heat and Teller’s buzz faded quickly.
Teller and Renner look like they popped out of the same sneering smug-faced mold.
I dont know if he’s bland, but he just strikes me as very…..I don’t know. There’s no spark or charisma there. So I guess that is bland, lol.
Also, if you are a huge fan of West Side Story, then you likely have no interest in a remake unless it was one of those live TV remakes they’ve been doing the last few years, not a whole movie.
And this film did nothing to market itself to people who don’t know or care about the original.
Supposedly a lot of the film was in Spanish without translations? But yeah, Elgort isn’t really charismatic, and there doesn’t seem to have been a lot of publicity by the leads for the film.
But to echo others upthread, I didn’t see the point of a remake.
By translations do you mean subtitles?
I watched it on Saturday and didn’t realise there were none. Seems weird to not include them when some dialogue is entirely in Spanish or in Spanglish (although 80% of the dialogue is in English)
“Supposedly a lot of the film was in Spanish without translations?”
yeah, I heard that, too. and while it’s more authentic to have the PR characters speaking in Spanish to each other, not everyone speaks Spanish and can understand, including yours truly. is Spielberg just expecting that the context will tell the story? not sure that’ll work…I like the idea of the characters speaking in the language that they’d speak in, but I need subtitles! I wonder if he was using Coppola’s idea of not translating some of the Italian language spoken in The Godfather? eh, the more I read about this, the more I’m not interested in seeing it. and as someone above said, I had forgotten Elgort was in it…now that I was reminded, I’m not so keen on it.
They basically switch back and forth between Spanish and English, and even if you don’t speak Spanish (I speak a little) you pretty much understand what is happening due to the context. So the language really isn’t an issue, or shouldn’t be IMO.
I don’t think he’s big enough of a name to be a liability. Nobody really knows who he is. If WSS story bombed it’s probably because older audiences aren’t going to the movies and younger audiences don’t have that nostalgia for the original and could care less about musicals. The Affleck/Damon movie also bombed because I think if it’s not an all out super hero movie people say why see it in a theater?
That said I still think WSS will get plenty of nominations.
I think people in their early 20s are probably aware of who he is. I could also see them not being interested in him if there are a whole host of other stars on Netflix alone they can look to for entertainment.
This guy is always in some movie (I usually ask myself why???), which is why I know who he is (along with Miles Teller and Timothy Chalamet, the guy from the Kissing Booth movies, and the other one in the upcoming Hulk movie who is always in some Netflix movie), but I’m not sure if any of his movies have been successes.
There’s stuff that did okay, 2021 okay anyway, that isn’t a super hero movie.
The Damon / Affleck movie bombed likely because no one was clamoring for a film about dour bro-knights in armor having a pissing contest centered around a violent rape. (Even if that’s not what the film was that’s pretty much how it was marketed, along with Damon! Driver! In medieval garb! With angsty looks and mud on their faces! Plus Bonus Affleck with a silly hairdo!)
I remember watching the West Side Story original movie as a kid and I was bored to tears. I hated the song Maria, it sounded like the guy was so whiny and just repeating Maria constantly (I just rewatched the OG version on Youtube and my opinion still stands lol). I hated Romeo and Juliet as a kid too so anything based on that Shakespeare story is not going to be my cup of tea. Years later I saw the West Side Story revival on Broadway summer of 2010 and I nearly fell asleep, it was so tedious and boring. I saw no need to remake it just based on how terrible of a musical it is (America is an amazing song though I’ll give it that).
As for Ansel Elgort, there were rumors making the rounds on Twitter last week that he was DMing high school girls and telling them not to tell anyone he was messaging them. No idea how true the stories are but… it’s problematic.
I agree. I’d rather watch Singing in the Rain AGAIN. Fun, lighthearted and insane music and dance.
Singin In The Rain also has a cracking good story and script. “No no no!” “Yes, yes, yes!” 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Why do you keep watching it? Save yourself the boredom.
I’ve only seen West Side Story twice: the OG movie version as a kid and once live on Broadway in my early twenties. It wasn’t my choice to go see it on Broadway, I was working at a summer camp as a counselor and it was a planned field trip for the campers. The campers were also supremely bored when they watched it so I knew it wasn’t just me haha. I did rewatch the Maria song clip from the 1960s movie before I posted because I was wondering if it was as terrible as I remembered as I was so young when I first watched it. And adult me agrees with my kid self!
Living outside the US, is it possible that WSS is not that big? I’m in my 40’s and never really heard of it as a huge classic. Also, musicals are so boring to me. I am too impatient to listen to people sing what could have taken 5 seconds to say and dance their way through life with little steps and umbrellas, poles and lifting chairs in different ways. I fell asleep on la la land. I usually skip a lot of the signing on the kids’ disney movies except for maybe Aladdin. I guess there are the musical type people, i’m just not that type.
LaLa Land was really boring though lol. God I hated that movie. I think it’s why I can’t stand Emma Stone and avoid all her movies. That one just ruined her for me lol.
Lalaland should never have been nominated for anything as well as the actors because the movie was so blah & boring. Still can’t believe that Emma won best actress, she must have been due something good in her life, because she was not a best actress in that movie. I thought I was the only person who didn’t like it and come here and see others feel the same way is reaffirming! 🙂
@Sudie Oh yeah, La La Land should never have been in the nominations for most of what it was nominated for, but it was a moderately star-bedazzled cast with a navel-gazing Hollywood-centric plot that involved a tragic failed romance and majorly leaned into the Singin’ In The Rain style 1950s-does-the-1920s-or-30s aesthetic, but cooler because Jazz with an actual black person!, so…
Actually, breaking it down like that makes it sound like deliberate Oscar bait.
If Spielberg had cast Olivia Rodrigo he would have made a lot more money. That girl has FANS. I don’t know if she was a thing yet when he did his casting.
I don’t think she is latina, though. She is Filipino with Spanish heritage.
I at least appreciate his casting choices included actual latinos who can speak proper spanish.
Rachel Zegler is getting great reviews and has amazing projects already lined up. At least Spielberg got that right
People want fresh content.
Enough with the reboots!! We are SO over it.
Give the masses something NEW and relatable to consume!
One of the things missing is the ways the streaming release and the theatrical release play into each other. People who are staying home stream it, say how great it is, and the people who go to the theaters use that information to decide if they want to see it at home or in a theater. Watch it is the first decision, then where. If it’s only in theaters, people who aren’t willing to go to the theater are just ignoring it. It might as well not exist.
In my twitter feed the people who did see it loved it. I live in a walkable neighborhood with a movie theater that is mostly locals (no parking lot). Also, masks are required indoors and everyone is very compliant. There seemed to be a lot of people going to see West Side Story. I’m not, but that’s because I am strictly limiting my moviegoing for budgetary reasons and Spiderman opens next week, with Nightmare Alley coming right behind. Ain’t no spoilers to avoid with West Side Story. Loved Baby Driver, but throwing your life away for Ansel Elgort is a sign that you need an intervention, not understandable teen horniness. They went with a total unknown for Maria, couldn’t they have found some smoking hot dude with a mesmerizing voice in a college musical theater program? His name is adding nothing, and ended up taking away from the film’s potential.
How about the fact that West Side Story is depressing? One of my least favorite musicals. People die!!!!!
Besides they totally oversold the production. It’s not great marketing when the people that made the movie tell you how awesome it is.
As for depressing, you might want to take that up with Shakespeare and when you do, tell him that I don’t get all the fuss over Hamlet – another play in which all of the major characters end up good and dead!
I actually don’t remember seeing much of any promotions for WSS. I went on the strength of the movie review in the Washington Post.
Les Miserables would like a word, lol. Hamilton is also pretty depressing, I cry every time. I don’t think Phantom is depressing but it is dark.
And let’s not talk about operas, lol.
Fiddler on the Roof has entered the chat.
@Lightpurple – yes!! That one breaks my heart every time.
And even a lot of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals are depressing/dark. Carousel, anyone? And South Pacific, with all the great music and gorgeous scenery in the movie, is not that happy overall.
Lol @ has entered the chat
Then you will love this short film about opera!
It’s tongue in cheek.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vNReqUGtsc&list=FLnglBuVRSzVnyM6jh8o4z6g&index=184
I didn’t even know Answl was in this movie until recently. They marketed the entire movie on it being a remake of the original. So I have no idea who the audience is supposed to be. Either you love the original and then why bother with the remake. Or you dislike or don’t care about the original and then why bother with the remake.
I saw it this weekend and it’s really really good. I never loved the original, in part because Tony and Maria were miscast. I liked that Spielberg cast LatinX actors who could actually sing and dance. As for Elgort, they were well into filming when the stories about him surfaced, so it was too late to replace him. They delayed the release by a year. He might be a creep, but he’s pretty good as Tony. Maria doesn’t fall for Ansel Elgort, she falls for Tony. He has a theater background, so he can sing, and he and Ziegler sell the romance as well as it can be sold, IMO. It’s a problematic story, so there’s no getting around that.
I think it was definitely worth remaking. It’s similar to the 1962 version because both are adapted from the stage musical. They did make some changes, but kept what worked. I’m sorry it’s not doing better at the box office. It’s not that surprising, but the praise it’s getting is well deserved and I hope it wins some awards. Maybe that will drive more people to see it.
I’m glad it was made. I loved it and I’ve been listening to the soundtrack since Friday.
Glad to hear it. It has gotten great reviews, 93 per cent on rotten tomatoes.
I took my daughters (9 & 11) to see it on Friday and we all loved it. Elgort was, without a doubt, the weakest part of the movie but the rest of the cast was phenomenal. This version was far superior to the original imho. The actors who played Anita, Bernardo, Chino and Riff were particularly magnetic. I was hoping this would be a big break for them.
Rachel Zeigler (Maria) is going to star in the Disney Snow White live action movie. I’m not a fan of those but I’m happy for her, as it will probably get a much bigger audience. I agree about the other actors too. They were all great. Though honestly, I thought Ansel was just fine and certainly better than the actor who played him in the 60s version. At least he can sing.
WSS was number 1 at the box office this past weekend, so that must stand for something.
I didn’t even know about the allegations against him. I just find the actor boring and pretentious. “Baby-Driver” was a dumber version of Drive he lacks charisma.
It’s not really about Elgort or the film itself. As others have already pointed out, upthread, the overall box office is way, way down for the second consecutive year. Too much bad news, too much COVID concern. People seem to want to just stay home. And moviegoing has been such an unpleasant experience for so many years (traffic/parking, overpriced snacks, films not worth the bigscreen experience, rude audiences, uncomfortable seats, poor lighting/projection) that it was an easy decision to just let that habit go. It’s a pretty radical social change and the industry is trying to pretend it’s not happening.
Actually right now is good time to go to the movies. When I finally went to see Venom I was the only one in there. There have never been crowds at the showings I went to – first matinee on a Sunday morning, so it’s been great at our theatre.
Same here. Five total, including me, at the 1st showing of House of Gucci on a Sunday morning.
I thought the marketing for the movie was present. I kept seeing Rita Moreno’s name pop up (and something about Natalie Wood) so I was aware of the moving being out there. And of course the association with Spielberg became sealed in my brain.
But I’m not sure if following gossip sites help.
COVID might be to blame, but I prefer blaming Ansel – ha ha. I sort of hope he stops getting roles because I just don’t want to look at his face. In fact, I was a little too happy seeing him blamed for the failure of this movie in the headline. I might be a terrible person.
I don’t know – I’m happy to note that maybe we shouldn’t hire sexual predators, but I don’t know that that’s why it tanked.
Maybe people just don’t love seeing musicals in movie theaters, or just want to watch at their leisure?
I saw it on Sat and loved it. I don’t think it was him but I do think the audience for this movie is older and they’re not going to the movies right now. I think there should have been a pay per view release on Disney as well as box office. Covid ain’t over yet.
Every photo ever taken of Josh Duggar is gross.
Agreed. I think he has “resting smug-self-satisfaction face.”
Nope, for me it’s totally Covid. With an elderly parent, immunocompromised family members and Omicron on the horizon, I’m not going into an uncontrolled environment to see a movie I know by heart, no matter how shiny it is. I can afford to wait.
With omicron ramping up and posing a risk even for vaccinated people, fewer are going to risk going to the movies. The movie studios need to realize things have changed and are unlikely to go back to normal for a long time. This was the type of movie that would have benefited from streaming.
Yep. Releasing WSS only in theatres was Spielberg’s ego-driven mistake. If it was released in theaters AND streaming the week leading into Christmas, it would have done better; because Covid-careful families will be looking for something palatable for varying ages to watch together at home.
The Matrix is going to have an amazing opening.
Heh. I figured Tenet would have done way better if Nolan had set up pop-up Imax drive-ins and released it there. 😉 In all fairness to Spielberg, he probably figured that with vaccines, covid would have been on its way out by now.
A lot of older folks aren’t daring theaters with covid hanging on. (As well, are they interested in a remake of material they already know–and was pretty well done fine the first time? Heck as an old-head, I’d rather see “The King’s Man” or “Spiderman” than this. 🤪🙃) Younger folks like more contemporary material–and even then, musicals are still a dicethrow unless you have a “Greatest Showman” soundtrack-hits situations.
I’m in my mid 30s. I haven’t been to a movie theater since 2017. I didn’t see the point back then since I could see it on my overpriced cable subscription in a few months anyway. Only went because I was early in a relationship and it was a dinner and a movie date night. Before that, I last saw a movie in theaters in 2015. I know I’m likely the oddball but I just don’t see the appeal.
I was looking through movie listings and thought West side story looked interesting…saw Ansel’s face and decided not to watch it. Soooo I guess it’s not too off base to blame him?
To the handwriting question: yes. I’m an avid collector of fountain pens and ink, and daily handwriting exercises are part of my self-care. It’s almost meditative; I have dozens of notebooks filled with writing practices, along with my daily handwritten journals. It may seem silly, but I truly do value penmanship.
Old director dudes really don’t understand what’s going on. Pandemic wise and distribution wise . He should have made this a big deal on some streaming platform. It wouldn’t have “bombed” then.
I am 57 and loved the original film and seen it as a stage musical. I booked in advance to see the new version on Xmas eve and I am looking forward to making my own mind up. However I did read an interview with the leading lady which briefly mentioned Ansel’s situation. I genuinely thought the director had cast newbies for both roles and have never seen Ansel’s previous movies. I have seen the trailer and thought he looked baby faced and bland but assumed Spielberg had cast him for his teen appeal and after all he was cast and film shot before allegations appeared. I can understand the money guys wanting to cast one experienced lead and then take a chance on a hot unknown who might become a star.