Film forum off topic/random chat thread

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I quite enjoyed the 3rd Bridget Jones, the 2nd one was rubbish though. This could go either way.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121819344#Comment_121819344

I know it is a shallow reaction but I struggle to watch her now after what seems like botched facial work? Helen Hunt also. The change is dramatic and not for the good... Not sure if social media has come up with a term for such an aversion yet.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121819545#Comment_121819545

It's probably just uncanny valley, except with a real person. 😄

pixelburp

Hadn't realised this was a thing wot is happening: Liam Neeson is starring in a Naked Gun reboot...  Akiva Schaffer's CV isn't the absolute worst, so maybe there's a chance; while not sure where I'd land on Neeson as the casting - it certainly fits the bill of picking a deeply straight-edge actor to play the deadpan goofball. And Neeson has appeared in comedies, again playing it straight within the comedy.

A long-gestating reboot of the “Naked Gun” franchise with Liam Neeson is finally moving forward at Paramount, landing a release date of July 18, 2025.

The currently untitled project will be directed and executive produced by Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the draft script alongside Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, reprising their partnership from the Emmy-winning film “Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers.” Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins are producing via their company Fuzzy Door. The new movie is based off the widely popular “Naked Gun” franchise and television series “Police Squad!” by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker.

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/naked-gun-remake-2025-paramount-tmnt-paw-patrol-sequel-2026-1235925545/

Tony EH

That sounds like an utterly terrible idea.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121832637#Comment_121832637

Hollywood has completely forgotten how to make comedies so I'd not give this a hope in héll of succeeding - it's weird given how much it was the backbone of mainstream entertainment for so long ... then suddenly everyone forgot how to write a good screenplay's worth of gags...

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121832773#Comment_121832773

Ummm...in fairness, most Hollywood comedies aren't that good really. They'll contain a few decent gags, but over all they're kinda poor fare, even the so called classics because it's just so difficult to sustain a consistent level of humour across a movie's running time. In fact I think I'd find it difficult to name 20 truly excellent comedies where genuine laughs occur, if I'm honest, especially ones that can stand the test of time. I watched 'Ghostbusters' again last week, and had to admit to myself that it really isn't that funny a picture. It's still a good film, but as a comedy there's really not that many laughs to be had in it. Other "classics" too that I've revisited recently had been met with a seriously nonplussed response.

That being said, those Zucker/Abrahams movies, like 'The Naked Gun' are usually good for a few giggles, because they're so quickfire. They're like an old style gag comedian. If you didn't like one gag, there's going to be one coming along that you will. But I find it hard to remember the last truly good comedy that I've sat down to. Something that I've had some actual laughs at. Probably 'Superbad' or 'Bridesmaids', maybe?

Like horror, comedy is one of the most difficult genres to get "right" though. Everyone's idea of what's funny is going to be different to others, sometimes vastly. And what you found funny a few years ago you might think is just stupid today.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121832986#Comment_121832986

 In fact I think I'd find it difficult to name 20 truly excellent comedies where genuine laughs occur, if I'm honest, especially ones that can stand the test of time.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?

/gets-coat

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121833090#Comment_121833090

...

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121833090#Comment_121833090

Best of the 3

johnny_ultimate

Few more consistently funny filmmakers in history than The Coen Brothers IMO:

https://youtu.be/G629a_3MkkI?si=EjPr3yUNoofpiNPE

silverharp

what changed that comedy "died" ? from the spoofs to Blue Brothers to Trains Planes, they were all very quotable from the 80's into the 90's. The only relativity recent comedy Ive seen was Daddy's Home , but wouldnt have gone to the cinema to see it if the tickets had been free.

CastorTroy

I prefer the comedies like Naked Gun, Airplane and Hot Shots over the favoured cringey or serious comedy done these days. The first 2 Scary Movies, Don't be a Menace..., and Not Another Teen Movie worked but the later spoofs like Scary Movie 3+ or Meet the Spartans, etc were just bad from what I saw.

While Leslie Nielsen was a serious actor before doing the comedies, he had a personality and voice that worked for it. Liam Neeson seems too dry for this role.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I watched Joy Ride the other night and found it genuinely funny. I laughed, out loud, multiple times and I was watching it by myself. But it did strike me afterwards that it's a long time since a film has made me laugh that much.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121834519#Comment_121834519

Nielsen also had great comic timing, even if he was playing Drebin "straight".

I'm not so sure Liam has any comic timing to speak of.

JP Liz V1

I enjoyed Neeson in Derry Girls

Is anything sacred, Nielsen is the only Drebin just like Chase was the only Fletch

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121835020#Comment_121835020

He’s as funny as someone riddled with full blown AIDS.

* it’s a reference not an insult

JP Liz V1

Steve Coogan is being sued for libel by a university official over his “devious” and “weasel-like” portrayal in a film about the discovery of Richard III’s remains, the High Court has heard.

Mr Coogan was a writer and producer of the The Lost King, which follows Phillipa Langley and her search to find the controversial king’s skeleton.

The lost remains of the Plantagenet king were found in a Leicester car park in 2012, more than 500 years after his death.

Richard Taylor, formerly deputy registrar of the University of Leicester, is bringing legal action against Mr Coogan, his production company Baby Cow, and Pathe Productions over his portrayal in the film.

At a hearing on Thursday, which Mr Coogan did not attend, William Bennett KC said his client Mr Taylor was presented as being “dismissive, patronising and misogynistic” towards Ms Langley.

Yahoo News

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121834820#Comment_121834820

Enjoyed that too. Also enjoyed Quiz Lady as an easy to watch comedy - not amazing but grand.

Loved ‘Bottoms’ recently too, though I get that its literal absurdist style of humour might be a bit of a subjective one!

Action comedy rather than straight comedy, but I also loved Polite Society.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121839948#Comment_121839948

I thought Quiz Lady was poor, to be honest. And I didn't love Bottoms either, although I it was watchable. Polite Society was good, I agree. I thought it was so fast paced that even if a joke didn't land it had moved onto the next one before you could be bothered by it.

JP Liz V1

In an Instagram post, Neve Campbell said she’s been asked back and is happy to return to the film, which for now is known only as Untitled Scream 7 and will be directed by original Scream writer Kevin Williamson from a script penned by Guy Busick

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121890873#Comment_121890873

They need some sort of a hook after the increasingly poor looking Melissa Barrera sacking. What odds on Neve being the surprise twist killer?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121890887#Comment_121890887

Neve coming back is the hook in itself. This franchise was dead and buried after sacking Barera and losing Ortega. Bringing Campbell back was the very obvious thing they needed to do to try and attract an audience back. It'll work too. I'm not at all surprised that Campbell seems to be lacking in principles, and the fact none of the new cast seemed to back her when she quit probably makes her think she's OK in doing this.

Spon Farmer

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/brian-cox-little-wing-didnt-get-shat-on-exclusive/

I thought this was the other Brian Cox even though I saw the other Brian Cox in the photo. Wait, which Brian Cox is the other Brian Cox ???

Spon Farmer

I’m really looking forward to the Pop Tarts movie

🤯

pixelburp

Looks like the famous French Noir Le Samourï is getting a 4k restoration.

https://youtu.be/PTFV07ah4fY?si=cCnLWCfeBemYvOX6

Agent Coulson

Popeye getting a new live action movie

The iconic sailor man and spinach chugger, who first appeared in comic strips in the late 1920s, will be the subject of a new live-action feature film from Chernin Entertainment and King Features.

The project is currently in development as a big-budget feature, and has attached screenwriter Michael Caleo (“Sexy Beast,” “The Family,” “The Sopranos”).This is the first live-action revisiting of the character since the 1980 film “Popeye,” led by Robin Willians. Directed by Robert Altman and co-starring Shelley Duvall as the sailor’s quirky love interest Olive Oyl, the film was panned upon release but has since gained cult status and critical reconsideration. It was also profitable, released by Paramount Pictures at a $20 million budget before grossing roughly $60 million worldwide.

Popeye celebrated his 95th anniversary this year, after appearing in the 1929 comic “Thimble Theater.” The character spawned both animated features and series in his heyday, and could be one of the earliest templates for mass merchandising across multiple generations. Two years ago, Popeye was named a key inspiration for menswear collections from Moschino, Supreme and A Bathing Ape. Popeye is still the face of McCall Farms spinach — in the cartoons, the vegetable offers the sailor superpowers to defeat his enemies — which carries the Popeye logo and face on canned goods.

Some devout fans (which Popeye still has) crafted a series of self-made movie trailers this year, all fictional, which have racked up millions of views combined. These trailers imagine the character as a castaway warrior with Dwayne Johnson proportions, which may well be the direction this is headed creatively. Producers are in the process of attaching a studio partner.

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/popeye-live-action-movie-chernin-king-features-1235945446/

The fan made Rock as Popeye trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egMG9RcVotw

pixelburp

The project is currently in development as a big-budget feature, and has attached screenwriter Michael Caleo (“Sexy Beast,” “The Family,” “The Sopranos”).

Wait... What?

Some people's Hollywood careers are just weird to read.

As to PopEye? Who the F even cares about him anymore that a producers would take a punt?

silverharp

this has to be the movie equivalent of releasing a car in Mexico called nova , what were they thinking lol

https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1769599110774948032

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121913592#Comment_121913592

Exactly. Most millennials wouldn't even have a clue who Popeye was, never mind the zoomers.

Bizarre choice character for a full length movie. Doubly so, considered the whole schtick of the cartoon was about two muscle bound idiots knocking ten shades of shite out of each other in order to win the affections of a skinny bird with an annoying voice.

😕