Entertainment
Sponsored by

News of the World - 1st trailer

4,875 Views | 28 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by Tony Franklins Other Shoe
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG




I love this novel by Paulette Giles set in post Civil War Texas. I know there are some story points that have been changed, but I hope it holds up to the book.

Sorry just saw this in the movie trailers thread.
Desert Power
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Isn't he a pedo?
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Has anyone ventured out to the theaters to see this one? It's getting great reviews.
LisaMarie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We saw it over the weekend! It was pretty good! A little formulaic but enjoyable nonetheless. There were only 4 other people in our theater.
agmag90
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Saw it with the family, all thought it was pretty meh. Don't think I'll remember this movie exists after 24 hours
FL_Ag1998
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Wife and I saw it today.

Nothing extraordinary about it. It's probably a 7 out of 10. That is to say, it won't win any awards. Nothing revolutionary in the story, the performances were adequate (Hanks was his typical reliable self; the girl was definitely above average for a child performer), writing, directing....everything was better than average but not particularly noteworthy.

Overall I enjoyed it though. But I'm a sucker for Westerns, and loved the particular time period of this one. The stakes could have been higher....a little more danger along the trail, or draw out more the danger they did face. But it's not meant to be an action tale after all, so can't fault it too much for that.

If you like westerns, Tom Hanks, or just want to get out of the house, its a decent way to spend a few hours.
Tom Kazansky 2012
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I thought it was pretty meh. Didnt want to see DC crap WW84 and saw this instead.

Was incredibly meh. There wasnt really anything else to see that the wif and I could agree to watch for a movie date.

I was pretty bored the whole movie. I love westerns too. Had a (spoilers) pretty boring ending, no real twists or turns besides the wife being revealed to be dead.

Id give it a 5/10. not great but not explicitly bad.
Tobias Funke
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Surprised by the "meh" reviews. I thought it was the right length, had an original story, and was beautifully shot with a great score (the music reminded me of the score in Hell or High Water, which I loved).

If you like Westerns, and particularly if you're interested in a story set in old Texas, you'll really enjoy the geographic component of the movie. As stated, Hanks was his typical great self and the young girl was terrific.

watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Just saw it and thought it was one of the best movies I've ever seen. Seriously.

I realize we all have different tastes and art is subjective, but I honestly can't figure out how anyone can watch that and not be moved. It was beautiful, the acting was incredible, and the story... It was just so well done. If you are a parent, or have ever even seen a child, this movie should tear you up. And if you are a Christian, this movie was one of the clearest Gospel representations I've ever seen, even though it wasn't intended to be.
watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Also, the scenery was so familiar to me, it really helped me love the movie. So much of it was shot on land that reminds me of my family's land out in the hill country. I've spent so much time in land that looked like that, it sucked me right in.
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Watty, I agree with you on all of this.

I read and loved the book before I saw the movie. I think the main reason I loved the movie was because I loved the book so much. Of course the movie left out some of my favorite scenes so that was a little disappointing, but it captured perfectly the feel of what 1870 in Texas must have been like, even though it was shot in New Mexico.

The heartbreak of a child who has lost her family, not once but twice, was perfectly portrayed by the young German actress Helena Zengel. And Hanks could not have been more perfectly cast as the man who wanted to help her.
80s Guy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
watty said:

Also, the scenery was so familiar to me, it really helped me love the movie. So much of it was shot on land that reminds me of my family's land out in the hill country. I've spent so much time in land that looked like that, it sucked me right in.


I was just glad that Castroville actually looked like Castroville
aggiebird02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Yeah, he and his wife laid low in Greece (no extradition) when things got hot...
This message brought to you by the Entertainment Board Sneaker Thread Player Haterz Club President.
Post removed:
by user
OldArmy71
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I love Westerns.

This one is sort of The Postman meets The Searchers.

Let's say that there are six major story arcs in the film:

The discovery of the girl;
the fight with the three guys who want the girl;
the fight with the Big Boss who has set up his own society with him in charge;
the dawning realization by JoHanna that her Indian "family" slaughtered her original white family;
the discovery that Captain's wife is dead;
and finally, Captain's decision to make a family for himself and JoHanna.

The world depicted in five of those arcs is something right out of Cormac McCarthy: a post-apocalyptic hell similar to the universe McCarthy creates in Blood Meridian. Here, the Civil War was the Apocalypse that precipitated much (but not all) of the loss and suffering.

If we see the movie like that, it is a very dark one. It spends quite a bit of time dealing with a theme common to Westerns set in Texas, the issue of kidnapping and losing one's family--and as someone said above, losing one's family TWICE.

The movie reminds me quite a bit of a novel by Benjamin Kapps loosely based on the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, A Woman of the People. There are such poignant scenes in that novel as the kidnapped girls gradually forget their white families and become Indian.

Those scenes find a counterpart in this movie but in reverse, as JoHanna gradually remembers the literal way back to her past, a past she says she must visit and remember before she can move ahead. I found this part of the movie very emotional and well done.

The Old West in this movie is, except for the Captain and a mentally handicapped (I think) young man, filled with at best callous and at worst predatory types.

There are many seemingly good, sympathetic people but we only glimpse them at the readings that the Captain delivers.

The Captain's determination to save JoHanna thus makes him an epic figure who is able to overcome the loss and emptiness that afflicts so many others in the movie.


The scenery and cinematography are excellent. Hanks is dependable; the girl does a fine job.

It's a good movie, but not a great one.
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Your point about Cynthia Parker made we want to post this excerpt from the novel.

"Cynthia Parker had starved herself to death when she was returned to her white relatives. So had Temple Friend. Other returned captives had become alcoholics, solitaries, strange people. They were all odd, the returned captives. All peculiar with minds oddly formed, never quite one thing or another. As Doris had said back in Spanish Fort, all those captured as children and returned were restless and hungry for some spiritual solace, abandoned by two cultures, dark shooting stars lost in the outer heavens."

Excerpt From
News of the World
Paulette Jiles
https://books.apple.com/us/book/news-of-the-world/id1016460287
This material may be protected by copyright.
OldArmy71
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Beautiful passage. I'll have to take a look at that book. Thanks!
River Bass
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Quote:

Also, the scenery was so familiar to me, it really helped me love the movie. So much of it was shot on land that reminds me of my family's land out in the hill country. I've spent so much time in land that looked like that, it sucked me right in.
I thought the scenery was one of the main draw backs. The mountains immediately outside of Dallas killed it for me.
watty
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
River Bass said:

Quote:

Also, the scenery was so familiar to me, it really helped me love the movie. So much of it was shot on land that reminds me of my family's land out in the hill country. I've spent so much time in land that looked like that, it sucked me right in.
I thought the scenery was one of the main draw backs. The mountains immediately outside of Dallas killed it for me.

I agree that the timeline of the scenery didn't make sense. They were showing stuff that looked like hill country when the story was claiming north Texas. Even so, I was ok with it.
evan_aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't understand the release to theaters for three weeks first.

It is estimated to have brought in less than $10M in 4 weeks. Meanwhile, people over the holidays and New Years while at home could have rented this and splurged. There are probably 200-300M streaming accounts between services. Just 1% over the holidays would have blown away any traditional theater numbers.

Opening Weekend: $2,250,430 (25.5% of total gross)
Legs: 3.93 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share: 100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Theater counts: 1,900 opening theaters/1,986 max. theaters, 3.9 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $8,841,865
cbr
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Very good movie i thought.

I enjoy movies that dont reek too much of hollywood tropes or sjw bull*****
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
This movie deserves the big theater screen but I agree with the economics that you stated.
evan_aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Aggies76 said:

This movie deserves the big theater screen but that doesn't explain the economics that you stated.


Not sure exactly what you meant by "doesn't explain"?

I think there are plenty of movies that deserve the big screen but unless you are going to defer theatrical release by 12-18 months, then it makes most financial sense to distribute for $ when people are likely to pay $19.99. I was just saying the holidays was a missed opportunity.
jeffk
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Filmed in northern NM, right?

I thought it was entertaining and my wife and I both enjoyed it.
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yes, filmed around Santa Fe.
Aggies76
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I was actually agreeing with you about the economics. Sorry my wording didn't convey this and I've edited it.

I think that visually NOTW belonged on the big screen, but it didn't make sense economically.
Four Seasons Landscaping
How long do you want to ignore this user?
His complete and total lack of an accent was just as disorienting as the preposterous geography. The way they pronounced Castroville is some straight up Yankee *****

Only thing that felt culturally accurate was the German parents being hard asses.

oragator
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I finally watched this tonight.
If you would have asked me an hour and change in what I thought I would have said Meh, but loved the last half hour.
And maybe it's the history nerd in me, but the dust storm scene is one of my favorite scenes ever, no exaggeration. So much is conveyed in that scene with zero dialogue outside of her name being called, it's heart breaking and affirming too. That scene alone was worth the two hours for me.
Tony Franklins Other Shoe
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Four Seasons Landscaping said:

His complete and total lack of an accent was just as disorienting as the preposterous geography. The way they pronounced Castroville is some straight up Yankee *****

Only thing that felt culturally accurate was the German parents being hard asses.


Ca-STRO-ville. I had the exact same thought running through my head when I watched the movie.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.