FLIGHT

Since this movie is only a month away and people have already begun talking about it in other threads, I might as well start it with trailer #3:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/the_po ... s/trailer/

Watching it again, it does look dazzling but the characters and the motion and the acting don't really seem to feel natural. I think I'd love to see it like a sky captain type movie where it's all real actors and mostly visual effects. I'd always prefer seeing Tom Hanks act rather than a motion capture trying to be as expressive as Tom Hanks.

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My name is Dave.

It's an horrible looking movie. Art direction is awful, why do they want to make hyper realism ? Make a live action movie like Lucas ! And all these guys dancing in the train...
Sorry, I'm rude with this movie but I really don't like what I've seen and I'm almost sure the story will be more slimy than melted sugar.

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Bannister.

Not really looking forward to it. Characters look stiff (the dreaded stiff neck problem), eyes look dead...Let's say I'm not charmed by it visually.
Storywise, looks like an ok family holiday fare.

I'd rather read the book first.

Well the book was amazing, I'd definately check it out.

I don't know - at first I was VERY doubtful about this movie - being CGI and everything. I thought it would have been much better as either live action or animation. But now that I see the trailer again...I don't know. I'll have to see it. If they stick to the theme of the book it should be alright.

And I happen to like the dancing waiters

Read the book. This looks and feels like half assed drivel cashing in on "making it animated because CGI is so HOT right now!"

Bollocks. I don't understand the lets animate it but make them look as "REAL" as possible thing. Man it looks so REAL!! So what was the point in animating it then?! Why not just use live action with special effects?

I give it -5 out of 5

I think we're all forgetting one thing that might be in Polar Express' favor (depending on how you look at it). Sure I haven't liked Robert Zemeckis' films past Forrest Gump but I have faith that he can churn out a pretty decent movie.

Visually... it's another thing. I think the actual look of the sets look pretty good to my eyes. It's the characters and the "final fantasy" realistic people that bother me.

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My name is Dave.

Dave, it's funny that when I mention Robert Zemeckis now, people see him as the guy responsible for this film, and most forget that he directed films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Forrest Gump and Back to the Future (I also really liked Contact). This is a testament to the power of the horrible trailer #2. It is burned into our minds. When I first saw the characters in action, I was appalled. It actually made Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within look good.

I feel that Mr. Zemeckis made a slight error in attempting this project, considering CGI isn't exactly his element. When people first talked about this film around the industry, the buzz around the film was good, if not great, with all the executives in a tizzy about how revolutionary this project was going to be. Once the trailers came out, people have been ashamed of just mentioning the film. It's really too bad, because I like all of the talent involved. I hope they do find some way to pull this thing together.

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Hehe ok just wanted to point something out... there is no question mark in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". Everyone does it but it annoys me to no end.

Ok anyway... yah I agree with you that it does make Final Fantasy look good (which i sorta liked also) but I think I'll take a chance with this one.

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My name is Dave.

Meh, couldn't really figure out what I wanted to say so I ended up editing this a few times. Anyways, it's actually better than the trailers let on.

Agremar, I planned to answer to your post and make a little mea culpa but I'm not finding it anymore. Anyway i've been a little rude with this one, I'm in my blaze mood these times and I don't like much things.

I love Zemeckis but I don't like at all what this movie looks. And I don't like Christmas movies either, so...

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Bannister.

God, this movie looks bad. I think theres something inherently kind and well-meaning when you make a christmas book. It teaches kids the value of the holiday (if there really is one) and you can actually GIVE it to them as a gift. But a christmas movie? I mean, if youre taking your family to the movies on christmas, then you should probably stop by the shrink on the way home with the whole gang. It could just be part of growing old, but I was raised on this book, I was raised on Cat in the Hat, and I loved Garfield; now these books are being bought and turned into cash cows.
Did you hear that Jon Woo signed on to remake Green Eggs and Ham with Vin Diesel and Lindsay Lohan?

PS: my favorite movie trailer moment of the month? "Do you have a grudge.com" priceless.

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"i wanna rock right now, my name is dave and I came to get down."

Ewwwww, I'd prefer that those movies not be mentioned Horrible, horrible crap.





N-....no.....no....I can't be! That's not true!!! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Hey guys, some clips are online now...

http://www.mtv.com/movies/maz/1492858/movie.jhtml

http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=tr ... 06&intl=us

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What crazy ass adaptation is John Woo not attached to? He's doing Might Mouse for Nickelodeon...He-Man..and no Green Eggs and Ham???


And yes the people in Polar Express look CREEEEEPY.
Surprising the advance reviews have been glowing for this film. But they do that think where they act like it is really Tom Hanks starring in the film...tricking you to think it's live action.


Whenever they adapt mostly silent picture books end up turned into movies they add to much plot...and add things that ruin the magic.

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It's yaytime...let's go!

You know, after seeing the clips, I can actually see how the creepiness can work in their favor. Like some of the best fiction for young adults, grotesque characters and scary, outlandish surroundings make for some of the most interesting stuff. The Conductor and the other Tom Hanks people on the train have a scary, robotic artificiality to them (perhaps a side effect of realistic CG) and that in some ways adds to the magic of the fantasy. Those clips indicate that the performances by Hanks are pushing in that direction, imbuing that feeling of strange madness. The big test, however, is if they can make those kids identifiable. In most scenes they're creeping me out, but in the scene on top of the train where the main character is listening to the crazy hobo Hanks, there's something about the way he acts that reminds me of a toy, and that in turn reminds me of stories like Babes In Toyland, or of the claymation figures of Rankin and Bass (he reminds me especially of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer). After seeing the clips, I am convinced that this thing just might work. If Zemeckis and crew can work on everyone's nostalgia of classic Christmas movies, and turn up the madness factor on the fantasy world, this may not be a disaster after all...

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