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POLAR EXPRESS Discussion

post #1 of 31
9/16/04 at 7:17am
Thread Starter 
I think the standard take on this is that it is going to be awful, it's going to give children freakyhanks-nightmares for years, and it's going to bomb at the box office.

Here's a link to the trailer
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/the...ess/large.html

For all the haters:
- Isn't it good to have a kid's film that is deeply freaky to watch (even if it's not deliberate)?
- When has Zemeckis not given us a really watchable film?
- The Grinch made so much money Jim Carrey was able to by his soul back from the devil.

'The Polar Express' is released in america on 10th November.
'The Incredibles' is released on 5th November.

Well?
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post #2 of 31
9/16/04 at 7:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trinity'sGusset
- When has Zemeckis not given us a really watchable film?
Forrest Gump
Death Becomes Her
Contact
Castaway
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post #3 of 31
9/16/04 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
A bit harsh on those films, except maybe Death Becomes Her, surely? weren't the others were, at least at a first viewing, entertaining?
I can accept that they become cloying or empty of you watch them again. Contact is still wonderful, despite me hating the ending. Forrest Gump is till funny, despite the now tired retard schtick.
And they all look and sound and move great. And his visual tricks are always fun, at least the first couple of times of viewing.
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post #4 of 31
9/16/04 at 9:14am
Contact and Castaway were ponderous to me the first time, but yeah on the first viewing Forrest Gump's gadgetry does hide its rather stinking ideology.

I think Zemeckis peaked with Back to the Future 2, it's all been downhill since.
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post #5 of 31
9/16/04 at 10:08am
I still love BTF 3.

I'd be interested to see this movie, but the trailer ruined the surprise that the kid gets to meet Santa at the end of the movie. What a total fucking spoiler.

When you think about it, isn't it kind of creepy how Santa WANTS all of these little children to come "visit" him and "sit on his lap" at the North Pole and then he gives them "gifts" (hush money)?

I'm predicting this to be the biggest flop of the year. The trailer is just going to freak people the fuck out.
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post #6 of 31
9/16/04 at 10:37am
There are those who grew up with the book, and they seem to be excited for it. I'd never heard of it, so I'm just scratching my head to see how WB's going to pull themselves out of the financial sinkhole this will probably be.
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post #7 of 31
9/16/04 at 11:31am
It's probably going to be a huge hit. Adults may find films like this or The Grinch or the Pokemons lame, but who knows what's going around a kid's head?

Plus you know they are going to market this film into hitdom, no matter how awful the film actually is.
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post #8 of 31
9/16/04 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Topo
Plus you know they are going to market this film into hitdom, no matter how awful the film actually is.
Just like Santa Claus, The Movie.
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post #9 of 31
9/16/04 at 4:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Topo
Forrest Gump
Death Becomes Her
Contact
Castaway

BAH!

You speak blasphemy.
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post #10 of 31
9/16/04 at 4:28pm
I know many teachers who read this to their kids every year at Christmas time. So, I think it has a good chance of doing well especially for the elementary school set.
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post #11 of 31
9/16/04 at 5:00pm
I'm really getting sick of movies where the morale is Santa is real. Pretty much Elf's only flaw for me (enough so though to take me out of it for the last twenty minutes or whatever). I know it's marketed at kids, but for fuck's sake teach them a lesson besides "believe in Santa and he gives you stuff." Think of all those disillusioned Jewish or poor kids who act really, really well behaved and never get Christmas presents.

Oh and this movie looks terrible, but this is the year where Garfield grossed 75 mill. This movie's going to steal some of The Incredibles thunder.
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post #12 of 31
9/19/04 at 5:40pm
Never underestimate the power of Zemeckis. His ability to sniff out hit material is amazing. Even a lesser effort like that stupid Pfeiffer/Ford ghost pic made a bundle.

I personally think that Zemeckis cares more about gadgetry and technology than telling a great story, but his track record speaks for itself.

As for Polar Express, I dislike the CG look of it, the plastic, dead look of the "actors" is disturbing to me. But I'm not the target demo. The kids will probably love it, and make it the #2 family movie of the season after Incredibles.

One thing to look for: Polar Express is being released on the 70mm IMAX format in 3D. This has never been done before and I wonder, technically, what the effect will be.
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post #13 of 31
9/22/04 at 5:34pm
Moriarty mentioned in one of his colums that he was at one of those Imax screenings, and promises to bring word of it soon, so it's worth checking AICN every now and then.

As for the movie, well it looks pretty surreal to me but I'll watch it anyway. Apart from 'What Lies Beneath' Zemeckis has never dissapointed me.
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post #14 of 31
9/22/04 at 11:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Topo
Forrest Gump
Death Becomes Her
Contact
Castaway
Um, those are all watchable movies.
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post #15 of 31
9/23/04 at 12:34pm
Thread Starter 
Well, there's a report on IGN from the preview screening that Moriarty went to:
there's nothing in the article except positive spin though. everyone was very impressed. it really exceeded their expectations. every frame looks like a painting. it doesn't look silly at all. so far, so on message.
let's see what Moriarty says.
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post #16 of 31
9/23/04 at 5:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrVenkman
Moriarty mentioned in one of his colums that he was at one of those Imax screenings, and promises to bring word of it soon, so it's worth checking AICN every now and then.

.
I wish someone would start a website that ran reviews of these screenings the very next day.
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post #17 of 31
9/23/04 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colt45
Um, those are all watchable movies.
Agreed. Multiple viewings for some, too.
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post #18 of 31
10/13/04 at 8:11am
The new (3rd) trailer for this (sure to be up on the main page today) is nothing short of astonshing. Just full of energy and life. The juggling waiters and the like reminded me of the stunning Be Our Guest sequence in Beauty & The Beast.

I just can't for the life of me imagine why anyone who has seen any of the 3 trailers online wouldn't think this to be looking a fantastic success and probably brilliant, technically first rate family Christmas picture. But I wouldn't expect anything else from Zemekis who, Forrest Gump and its questionable ideology aside, has yet to make a truly false step since I Wanna Hold Your Hand.

Unless it's de riguer to claim one is above having any kind of soulful experience unless it's the hip Charlie Kaufman-penned kind, I'm there wth an open heart with bells on.
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post #19 of 31
10/13/04 at 8:16am
Strax, that's the most refreshing post I've read all day.

I hope you're right too.
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post #20 of 31
11/11/04 at 12:45pm
I really enjoyed this movie a lot, i don't understand all the hate that it's getting from people that seemingly haven't even seen it. And yeah, Zemeckis has yet to disappoint me.
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post #21 of 31
11/11/04 at 5:16pm
Regardless of which is the better movie anyone who thinks the Incredibles is going to out box office the polar express is deluding themselves. (btw I loved the incredibles)
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post #22 of 31
11/11/04 at 5:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Creepshow
Regardless of which is the better movie anyone who thinks the Incredibles is going to out box office the polar express is deluding themselves. (btw I loved the incredibles)
I disagree. I think most people will look at the previews for this movie and say "Wow that looks creepy," and won't go and see it. I also think most people are not yet in the Christmas mood.
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post #23 of 31
11/11/04 at 5:26pm
http://chud.com/reviews/426
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post #24 of 31
11/11/04 at 5:43pm
I take it back, the movie sounds sweet

"Now it can be said, Santa Claus is a fascist dictator who likes to kidnap and endanger children so that they can learn the true value of Christmas."
-- Michelle Alexandria, ECLIPSE MAGAZINE
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post #25 of 31
11/11/04 at 5:50pm
She called Legolas "Bow Guy" in her FELLOWSHIP review.
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post #26 of 31
11/11/04 at 6:11pm
I just wanted to mention that that image on the main page looks like Tom Hanks vomiting blood.
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post #27 of 31
11/11/04 at 6:39pm
Well, INCREDIBLES beat it on Wed.

THE INCREDIBLES

$4,510,094

THE POLAR EXPRESS

$2,568,233
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post #28 of 31
11/11/04 at 10:32pm
seems the only significance (if any) this flick is going to have is going to be in visual effects


http://vfxworld.com/?sa=adv&code=57c...ticles&id=2289
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post #29 of 31
11/14/04 at 6:40pm
"anyone who thinks the Incredibles is going to out box office the polar express is deluding themselves. (btw I loved the incredibles)"

Final Nov.12th weekend take:
Incredibles 51 Million
Polar 23 Million

What's that about people deluding themsleves??
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post #30 of 31
11/22/04 at 2:43am
I just noticed today that there's a 3D IMAX version of this beast. I had no interest in seeing the film, but there's a chance I might try it for the 3D IMAX experience.

Would I be a fool?
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post #31 of 31
11/22/04 at 4:14am
Not at all.

I would have had no interest in this thing otherwise, but the Imax 3d presentation swayed me. It has to be one of the most visually amazing things I've ever seen. It costs a little bit more, but it's really worth it. Even though I didn't particularly like the movie, I'm tempted to go again, just to experience it another time. If you have the oppertunity, I'd say definitely go.
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