The "last movie I saw" thread

[Walter Sobchak]

My 5.1 system works pretty well, but the display is just a 50" plasma that's 5 or 6 years old. Should I skip this movie?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! You're golden. Turn up the volume until it hurts your daughter's ears, dial it back a titch, and then enjoy the show!

[pelagius]

Don't overthink this one like pelagius did (even though he admitted he enjoyed it).

I'm not sure I admitted that generally (just score and lyrics (and might have conceded too much there) and Zac Ephron, I think).

I grant I tend to highlight things that most people classify as overthinking, but even if I don't focus on the apparently "esoteric" the movie's got many non overthought problems. For example, virtually every second of the movie that involves the Jenny Lind character is a complete mess (horrible character development and plotting). I can understand why people are charmed by the movie given the backdrop of the near endless claptrap that are comic book movies and Star Wars, but that's about it for me. Personally, the opportunities I have to see pretty good quality musical theater for reasonable prices are plentiful enough (that soul damaging recent Alan Menken concert excepted) that I just can't ignore the awfulness and embrace the charm that the Greatest Showman legitimately does have.

I do like the social cohesion effects of something like Greatest Showman. It's in the sweet spot of old middle brow culture that's becoming increasing rare as a shared cultural experience. As a culture, I think we need more of these experiences; we can't rely on just Harry Potter forever.

[Walter Sobchak]

Yeah, pretty mixed view. Overall, I enjoyed it. Go if your wife likes musicals.

Don't overthink this one like pelagius did (even though he admitted he enjoyed it).

I'm not sure I admitted that generally (just score and lyrics (and might have conceded too much there) and Zac Ephron, I think).

I grant I tend to highlight things that most people classify as overthinking, but even if I don't focus on the apparently "esoteric" the movie's got many non overthought problems. For example, virtually every second of the movie that involves the Jenny Lind character is a complete mess (horrible character development and plotting). I can understand why people are charmed by the movie given the backdrop of the near endless claptrap that are comic book movies and Star Wars, but that's about it for me. Personally, the opportunities I have to see pretty good quality musical theater for reasonable prices are plentiful enough (that soul damaging recent Alan Menken concert excepted) that I just can't ignore the awfulness and embrace the charm that the Greatest Showman legitimately does have.

I do like the social cohesion effects of something like Greatest Showman. It's in the sweet spot of old middle brow culture that's becoming increasing rare as a shared cultural experience. As a culture, I think we need more of these experiences; we can't rely on just Harry Potter forever.

Pelagius' humor is underrated.

[pelagius]

Pelagius' humor is underrated.

Wow, can't imagine what lead to such a rosy initial assessment on my part.

[Topper]

Wow, can't imagine what lead to such a rosy initial assessment on my part.

That had me laughing. You made it sound like the next Hamilton.

[Walter Sobchak]

Wow, can't imagine what lead to such a rosy initial assessment on my part.

Perhaps you recalled that we don't attend musical theater for the "character development and plotting"?

[Green Monstah]

I was with Walt in the La La Land train, but I can’t get behind the Greatest Showman. It was the worst movie I’ve seen in years.

[pelagius]

Perhaps you recalled that we don't attend musical theater for the "character development and plotting"?

Oh brother, that's nonsense ... musicals are even supposed to have song plots.

[Walter Sobchak]

I was with Walt in the La La Land train, but I can’t get behind the Greatest Showman. It was the worst movie I’ve seen in years.

Pelag is at the head of the La La Land train. I'm just a happy passenger. Woo woooo!

Oh brother, that's nonsense ... musicals are even supposed to have song plots.

:rollseyes: Yet we still love Wicked et al.

[pelagius]

:rollseyes: Yet we still love Wicked et al.

Yeah, your example reinforces my point, so thanks (unless your hiding a lot in the et al). It's certainly true that Wicked is not as well structured (the the length of the source material makes that difficult) as the classics of the golden age (e.g., Guys and Dolls' structure is intricate in the way it weaves it's two plots together ... wonderful stuff), but Wicked does share something with all the best musicals (and surpasses many really good musicals over this dimension): a really great, powerful, and widely shared "I want" (the I want song in Wicked is "The Wizard and I"). That "I want" sustains the character development and plotting through its weaker and messier moments. The songs and book build on and explore the "I want" pretty effectively. I also think the Wicked I Want works really well within female/female buddy meta plot of Wicked*. It's certainly fair to say that Wicked needs really great vocal performances from its leads to work, but blowout vocal performances are almost never enough and fortunately Wicked has more.

Additionally, I would add that Wicked's other songs generally also serve the plot pretty well (ok, I do think the prologue is a mess). It does this in part by following convention where it can. For example, it includes a conditional love song: What is this Feeling?. Think Carousel's "If I love you" for the cleanest example of what is meant by a conditional love song. Wicked simply adapts the conditional love song for the female/female buddy meta plot. It even has conventional placement right after the "I want" song.


*Showman's B or C plot is a similar "I Want" as Wicked but it's such a ham fisted version of that "I want" it loses it power. Plus it's the B or C I want. Hugh Jackman's "I want" is prety lame. It's a two part structure "I want" (pretty classic structure ... hill beyond the hill stuff). His immediate "I want" is to be rich or successful or something. He hikes that hill and eventually realizes there is a bigger much more important hill. His actual "I want" is something like: "I want to be the perfect 21st century dad that achieves a good work/life balance so my wife doesn't run away to Daddy" (symbolized in the movie by the ballet and the elephants).

[Uncle Ted]

Pelag is at the head of the La La Land train. I'm just a happy passenger. Woo woooo!

:rollseyes: Yet we still love Wicked et al.

Yeah, your example reinforces my point, so thanks (unless your hiding a lot in the et al). It's certainly true that Wicked is not as well structured (the the length of the source material makes that difficult) as the classics of the golden age (e.g., Guys and Dolls' structure is intricate in the way it weaves it's two plots together ... wonderful stuff), but Wicked does share something with all the best musicals (and surpasses many really good musicals over this dimension): a really great, powerful, and widely shared "I want" (the I want song in Wicked is "The Wizard and I"). That "I want" sustains the character development and plotting through its weaker and messier moments. The songs and book build on and explore the "I want" pretty effectively. I also think the Wicked I Want works really well within female/female buddy meta plot of Wicked*. It's certainly fair to say that Wicked needs really great vocal performances from its leads to work, but blowout vocal performances are almost never enough and fortunately Wicked has more.

Additionally, I would add that Wicked's other songs generally also serve the plot pretty well (ok, I do think the prologue is a mess). It does this in part by following convention where it can. For example, it includes a conditional love song: What is this Feeling?. Think Carousel's "If I love you" for the cleanest example of what is meant by a conditional love song. Wicked simply adapts the conditional love song for the female/female buddy meta plot. It even has conventional placement right after the "I want" song.


*Showman's B or C plot is a similar "I Want" as Wicked but it's such a ham fisted version of that "I want" it loses it power. Plus it's the B or C I want. Hugh Jackman's "I want" is prety lame. It's a two part structure "I want" (pretty classic structure ... hill beyond the hill stuff). His immediate "I want" is to be rich or successful or something. He hikes that hill and eventually realizes there is a bigger much more important hill. His actual "I want" is something like: "I want to be the perfect 21st century dad that achieves a good work/life balance so my wife doesn't run away to Daddy" (symbolized in the movie by the ballet and the elephants).

Good hell... What is it with you two arguing about musicals in the early morning hours? Musicals are fun and entertaining but not worth this much energy, guys. Go listen to your Wicked and Showman soundtracks and chill.

[pelagius]

Good hell... What is it with you two arguing about musicals in the early morning hours? Musicals are fun and entertaining but not worth this much energy, guys. Go listen to your Wicked and Showman soundtracks and chill.

Broadway plays don't have soundtracks. They have cast recordings; so there is an error in your code somewhere, but at least you did sound mostly like a human.

[Uncle Ted]

Broadway plays don't have soundtracks. They have cast recordings; so there is an error in your code somewhere, but at least you did sound mostly like a human.

Yeah, If I could just prefect my neuronet learning algorithms I would be filthy rich... you should see what Apple, Google, etc. are paying the AI kids these days!

[Jeff Lebowski]

Broadway plays don't have soundtracks. They have cast recordings; so there is an error in your code somewhere, but at least you did sound mostly like a human.

[LiveCoug]

Rampage. It was as terrible as you might imagine.