A Star Is Born (2018)

bnt · 07-06-2018 1:12pm #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbzyEJ8X9E

It's a story told many times before:

the 1937 original with a fairly unknown cast that included Janet Gaynor and Adolphe Menjou;
the 1954 remake with Judy Garland and James Mason;
the 1976 remake with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson;

and now Bradley Cooper directs and stars in another remake alongside Lady Gaga, with Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, and Dave Chappelle. So my first question is: do we need this movie at all?

Sad Professor · 07-06-2018 1:51pm

Sure why not? The two previous remakes were quite different from the original and from each other. Though this seems much closer to the '76 version than the earlier ones which were about the film business.

Impressive trailer. Music doesn't sound terrible which is essential for any kind of musical. I think this will be a big hit.

07-06-2018 3:15pm

This recent trend of asking "do we need this film" or saying "no one asked for this film" is just painful. They are just such ridiculously stupid statements that mean nothing. No work of art is needed or asked for when you think about it.

The trailer looks grand and its hardly enticing enough for me to go out of my way to see it but Sam Elliot, Andrew Dice Clay (who has been excellent of late in a number of films and shows) and Dave Chappelle mean that I'll watch it at some stage.

JP Liz V1 · 07-06-2018 11:54pm

Sad Professor wrote: »

Sure why not? The two previous remakes were quite different from the original and from each other. Though this seems much closer to the '76 version than the earlier ones which were about the film business.

Impressive trailer. Music doesn't sound terrible which is essential for any kind of musical. I think this will be a big hit.

Cooper does seem to be very like Kristofferson but I am glad Gaga is the lead and not Beyonce who was once attached

otnomart · 28-07-2018 6:03am

The trailer looks compelling and so sound the snippets of the soundrack, I am actually quite looking forward to the songs to be released.

elbyrneo · 28-07-2018 6:45am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This recent trend of asking "do we need this film" or saying "no one asked for this film" is just painful. They are just such ridiculously stupid statements that mean nothing.

Yeah but Ghostbusters (2016)

otnomart · 31-08-2018 7:43pm

Just red The Guardian review from Venice, and it gave it five stars.
Looking forward to see it !

Mr E · 06-09-2018 2:08pm

5 stars in Empire too.

I saw the trailer a few nights ago in the cinema and I'm definitely going to see this.

It's here on October 5th.

otnomart · 11-09-2018 5:25pm

The production co released 4 mini-trailers, here is one:

CatFromHue · 11-09-2018 5:33pm

otnomart wrote: »

The trailer looks compelling and so sound the snippets of the soundrack, I am actually quite looking forward to the songs to be released.

I've watched the trailer over and over just for the song.

otnomart · 02-10-2018 6:02pm

the full single Shallow has been out on Youtube since the week-end
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_efYhYU2A

Can't wait to see the movie in a few days, hope I will not be disappointed

Shelga · 03-10-2018 8:23pm

Saw it this afternoon, really good movie, except

I wasn't prepared for the fact that he killed himself in the end

Wasn't that familiar with the other versions. I thought he'd relapse but then there'd be a redemption speech followed by a climactic musical duet

Oh well, more powerful this way I guess. Just very sad, he had so much to live for.

Lady Gaga is getting all the praise but Bradley Cooper really conveys that deep sadness felt by his character so well.

gmisk · 03-10-2018 9:09pm

Shelga wrote: »

Saw it this afternoon, really good movie, except
I wasn't prepared for the fact that he killed himself in the end Wasn't that familiar with the other versions. I thought he'd relapse but then there'd be a redemption speech followed by a climactic musical duet Oh well, more powerful this way I guess. Just very sad, he had so much to live for.

Lady Gaga is getting all the praise but Bradley Cooper really conveys that deep sadness felt by his character so well.

Saw this evening spot on totally agree with your opinions.
I haven't seen any of the other versions so didn't know plot.
Bradley Cooper was standout for me as well, he did a great job directing it as well. I thought Sam Elliot did a lot with his small part.
Lady gaga is also very good and an outstanding voice, no doubt.
I do think the songs were a wee bit hit and miss the last song and shallows were standouts for me.
I can see it being a massive hit tbh

lots of tears in screening I was at with the ending

8/10

Addle · 04-10-2018 1:48pm

Another critically acclaimed film that I just don't get the fuss about.
I thought it was boring.

Lisha · 05-10-2018 1:07am

I can’t wait to see it. I love the song Shallow. It’s amazing..

gmisk · 05-10-2018 3:33pm

Addle wrote: »

Another critically acclaimed film that I just don't get the fuss about.
I thought it was boring.

I didnt find it boring at all...what were you expecting really? Was it the plot? How it was shot?
What critically acclaimed films this year werent boring for you?

Addle · 05-10-2018 3:47pm

Maybe I just had too high expectations of it so it was destined to disappoint. There was a couple of sweet moments, but nothing to anticipate and no climax.
Was I supposed to feel sorry for Ally and/or Jack? I didn't. I couldn't understand why people around me were crying at the end.

gmisk · 05-10-2018 3:53pm

Addle wrote: »

Maybe I just had too high expectations of it so it was destined to disappoint. There was a couple of sweet moments, but nothing to anticipate and no climax.
Was I supposed to feel sorry for Ally and/or Jack? I didn't. I couldn't understand why people around me were crying at the end.

Maybe the high expectations were the issue.
I still wouldn't call it boring at all, its a fairly simple story no doubt, but I thought it was excellently directed and the singing scenes were generally sensational.
Some of my favourite films this year people might consider boring e.g. leave no trace, lean on pete, but hey everyone entitled to their own opinion.

I did get some echos of crazy heart watching this, not a bad thing just an observation.

johnny_ultimate · 05-10-2018 10:58pm

I preface this by emphasising that I haven't seen any of the previous incarnations of A Star Is Born. I stress that only because when I say this film's fatal flaw is familiarity, I don't mean in the sense of it being the fourth (?) interpretation of the same story... more that I feel like I've seen this film a thousand times before.

Things start well enough - indeed, the first 45 mins to an hour are generally pretty good! Both stars give it socks (I confess that the sort of mumbling drunk approach adopted by Cooper is, while technically impressive, the sort of very particular prestige performance you see reasonably regularly - Crazy Heart being a perfect example). Cooper is an impressively steady hand as a director - he has a good sense of giving scenes all the room they need to breathe, and there's lots of smart touches in the editing and sound design. Visually, he and his team do a good job too - while much of the film is kept in intimate close-up, there's some bold compositions to be enjoyed when he chooses to zoom out (I'm always a sucker for a striking opening title as well). For the first act and into the second, the main romance was endearing and likable. And maybe it's just seeing it in a high quality cinema screen, but the sound pretty much roars out of the speakers.

Then the film peaks. Make no mistake: the Shallow scene is a killer, and totally sells the story's pivotal turning point. But it comes quite early. Once the star of the title is indeed born, the film doesn't have anywhere particularly interesting to go. Especially when it shifts focus from Ally to Jackson, I just felt left behind - the situations were predictable, the drama beats obvious (not to mention the

'pants pissing'

scene feeling far too overegged), and everything was paint by numbers. I think it rallies at the last minute to deliver a rousing finale - but, as enthusiastically presented as that scene is (

with one particularly impactful cut to flashback... managing to sell the brief flashbacks I'd actually kinda hated earlier in the scene

) I was emotionally tuned out at that stage.

Tears, in short, did not flow

. The film toys with ideas of artistic honesty and the perils of commercialisation, but ultimately offers few insights in that respect.

It's a perfectly decent film - an impressive debut; solid acting from Gaga especially; and with one or two properly great scenes. But one or two properly great scenes do not a properly great film make, and sadly too much of this film just didn't have the spark to overcome the familiarity of this age-old story.

otnomart · 06-10-2018 5:31pm

Seen it this afternoon.
I had seen the Judy Garland version and the Streisand/Kristofferson version years ago, only have a faded memory of them though.
Still, I knew the plot and mainly went looking for good music and good performances. Was not disappointed by those: thought both leads acted their socks off, and the supporting actors too.

I didn't care much about the final song: that felt really commercial and a way to channel both Whitney Houston and Celine Dion and looking for something iconic where there wasn't any.

mrsdewinter · 06-10-2018 9:37pm

Went to see it this afternoon. I'm another person who never saw any of the earlier versions, but I loved this incarnation. Bradley Cooper does a sterling job as the booze-soaked over-the-hill guy who's had his day. Lady Gaga is wonderful. I'll be interested to see how this fares.

twirlagig · 06-10-2018 9:39pm

Off on Monday, hoping to go see it.

0lddog · 06-10-2018 10:12pm

Every time I see

I think of

Is it just me ?

07-10-2018 12:41am

Went to see it with an open mind...hated la la land and wouldn’t be a big Lady Gaga fan.
It was excellent, she was great it in, but god I felt every single bit of emotion from Bradly cooper in every scene of his.

leex · 07-10-2018 12:45am

Went to see it tonight also. Cooper and Lady Ga Ga both excellent. Would recommend it.

Mrs Shuttleworth · 07-10-2018 8:20am

0lddog wrote: »

Every time I see

I think of

Is it just me ?

Hahaha brilliant. You have them rumbled there.

I went to see it last night. I've seen the Judy Garland one but not the others.

I thought it was a bit odd production wise to set it in that pop country/John Mayer field of music, given how we're drenched in synth pop and hip-hop in this current era. I liked that they didn't but I'm not sure how much it would connect with a new young audience.

I thought Gaga was excellent and also Cooper but the script was thin and the running time at two hours too short for this story. The Garland one is three hours with an intermission. This was always an "epic" slow burn of a piece and it all felt a bit rushed.

Shooting onto digital didn't help either, if he'd shot on film it would have had more soul and warmth.

Songs were great.

tunguska · 08-10-2018 6:05pm

Went to see it saturday night and I'd rate it as just ok. Lady Gaga is obviously getting a lot of praise for her acting, and rightly so. I mean after 5mins I forgot I was watching Lady Gaga, which says it all really. But I thought Bradley cooper was the stand out here. He's never been better and I hope he wins an oscar for his part. He co-wrote the screenplay and directed so he could bag a few awards. Its definitely an oscar bait type of film. But personally I just feel that at some point the film started to drift. It started off really well but then seemed to lose its way. Its a decent film with some decent songs and great acting, just not something that really did it for me(as La la land did). Although what do I know......at the screening I went to, there was a lot of people moved to tears by it(100% women I think). So I dare to say this is a movie that the girls will resonate with more than the lads.

MfMan · 10-10-2018 3:38pm

tunguska wrote: »

Went to see it saturday night and I'd rate it as just ok. Lady Gaga is obviously getting a lot of praise for her acting, and rightly so. I mean after 5mins I forgot I was watching Lady Gaga, which says it all really. But I thought Bradley cooper was the stand out here. He's never been better and I hope he wins an oscar for his part. He co-wrote the screenplay and directed so he could bag a few awards. Its definitely an oscar bait type of film. But personally I just feel that at some point the film started to drift. It started off really well but then seemed to lose its way. Its a decent film with some decent songs and great acting, just not something that really did it for me(as La la land did). Although what do I know......at the screening I went to, there was a lot of people moved to tears by it(100% women I think). So I dare to say this is a movie that the girls will resonate with more than the lads.

Agree with it resonating more with women than men.
Just don't get the outpouring of love for it myself. Lady GaGa very good and the story is well told, if nothing particularly new, (well it is a remake anyway.) Thought Cooper, as director, could have sharpened it up a bit with a bit more pace and less draggy bits. Cooper, as actor, I didn't feel his character progressed any; you wonder how he maintained his fame for so long, if he was drinking constantly like that. I found his performance just too sub-Jeff Bridges/Big Lebowski, always looking downwards and muttering his dialogue rather incoherently, (maybe I'm just a bit deaf though.) Was't able to keep up with or follow the location changes - where was each particular scene taking place? The songs itself were meaningless twaddle, like listening to a mindfulness self-help book. Or Ed Sheeran.

Basq · 10-10-2018 3:54pm

It was good to be fair.. I don't think it was a 5* movie but Cooper and Gaga are both very good and the soundtrack is largely solid.

To be honest, the most moving scene was

Sam Elliott's teared filled eyes reversing out of the drive after Jackson tells him he idolised him, as opposed to his father.

.

metaoblivia · 10-10-2018 6:01pm

I saw this last weekend and wasn't impressed. I thought it was an overly sentimental vanity project for Bradley Cooper. Lady Gaga was okay, not amazing. It started out alright but by the time we were in the second act it had taken a nose dive straight into the maudlin. The pacing felt off - some things happened too fast while the end of the film just lingered. The final song was supposed to be a showstopper and it just fell flat for me. Most of the music was crap, in fact. I couldn't invest in any of the characters because I didn't feel like there was any depth to them, so I didn't care what happened. It was a shallow film that tried too hard to make people feel something.

And they gave away the end

in the first 5 minutes. In the very beginning when Cooper's character leaves the concert and gets into his car, there's a huge billboard with 5 or 6 nooses right behind him and his profile is framed next to the nooses as the car starts to drive off. I thought to myself, "Well, now we know how he offs himself in this one."

For me, that was way too heavy-handed.

eviltimeban · 11-10-2018 10:58am

Basq wrote: »

It was good to be fair.. I don't think it was a 5* movie but Cooper and Gaga are both very good and the soundtrack is largely solid.

To be honest, the most moving scene was
Sam Elliott's teared filled eyes reversing out of the drive after Jackson tells him he idolised him, as opposed to his father.
.

Agreed, that was very subtle and very poignant.

banie01 · 13-10-2018 10:41am

I went to see this last night and absolutely hated it.
Its the 1st movie in a long time that I actually walked out of! I've stayed for the end of some awful awful stuff.
But the hackneyed niave script in this just irritated me.

The leads in isolation were ok, but together just never seemed to spark for me.
The pacing is awful, the foreshadowing is akin to a 1st year English student using every cliche imaginable to hammer home a point.

The cinematography, again it has no consistent style it jumps around like a poor music video.
In fact to my mind the movie feels like a collection of music videos tacked together into a movie with awful continuity.
One of the most irritating aspects for me was the shift in filming style when the leads were together to soft focus, blurred backgrounds and reflections. It seems as if they decided to use the lens in the same way as a bad writer uses italics to highlight a mood.

If you feel your audience is so stupid that you need to telegraph emotional context by camera tricks, stop and look at your script!

On the tearjerker aspect.
I honestly felt no connection at all with the leads, only one scene with Sam Eliott felt real to me and even that was telegraphed in the 1st act.
I knew from the start of the film what the end was, there was no suspense, no build to a reveal no actual desire on my part at least to follow the story.

I know I am in a tiny tiny minority here but the movie felt like an indulgent film school vanity project, not an Oscar worthy standout.

evil_seed · 13-10-2018 1:22pm

Went to this last night. 9/10 for me. The subject matter it handles from the traps of fame, alcoholism, depression. Fame must suck.

This is Cooper's best ever performance, lock it in for the Oscar. As a rookie actress Lady Gaga knocked it out the park, lock her in too.
As good as I thought the shallow song was when it was released in the context nof the movie its way more powerful, lock that song in for the Oscars too. There's a lot of meta references which I loved; Sam Elliott saying you stole my voice - Cooper's accent is based on Sam; Gaga's nose - we all know the history there.
I'm dropping 1 point for the following:
The blatant foreshadowing,
The complete emotional manipulation that this movie is. I hate emotional manipulation.
And also the encore scene; what kind of artist does an encore where the fans want to hear the biggest tunes of your career and he gets a complete unknown to sing an unreleased and never heard before song?
Other than that, the hype is real with this one. I might go again I think it's that good.

Wombatman · 13-10-2018 6:55pm

Saw it with the daughter yesterday. About as good as it gets for this type of movie. Outstanding performances from both leads. Cracking score alongside well portrayed musical delivery. Some well written set piece dialog too.

Pretty clunky, cliché story obviously. All starts very well but the central relationship and Coopers character both loose their authenticity as the movie progresses. Cooper tries to elevate the story with some skilled direction for a noob.

7.5/10

retro:electro · 14-10-2018 8:56pm

Saw this today. I liked it but didn’t love it. Casting was fantastic and the songs are amazing but something felt a little off, the script could have been stronger in parts. I would agree with those who said it lost its way in the middle.
I thought Gaga was incredible. Reminded me of Judy Garland.

Sweet.Science · 15-10-2018 9:47am

Was dragged to this by my other half

Amazing film

Noveight · 16-10-2018 12:02am

Saw this earlier.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought both leads gave excellent performances.

Possibly a tad clichéd in parts but for Cooper's first foray in to directing it certainly is a solid flick.

Would recommend, 8/10.

Mantis Toboggan · 16-10-2018 1:12pm

Seen this last night and thought it was very good don't understand all the hate.

Two main characters were excellent.

Did Bradley Cooper sing those songs?

eviltimeban · 16-10-2018 1:23pm

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Seen this last night and thought it was very good don't understand all the hate.

Two main characters were excellent.

Did Bradley Cooper sing those songs?

All the vocals in the movie were live. What you are seeing is them actually singing them. They weren't overdubbed after. So yes.

Mantis Toboggan · 16-10-2018 1:29pm

eviltimeban wrote: »

All the vocals in the movie were live. What you are seeing is them actually singing them. They weren't overdubbed after. So yes.

Serious musician so.

brianregan09 · 16-10-2018 10:14pm

Not a romantic film fan or a fan of musicals , but jesus I loved this

castletownman · 19-10-2018 9:57am

I dunno. Saw it last night with the missus and never got over invested in it. Riddled with cliches, and the pacing was all over the shop. Basically, no intermediary story between initial meet up, dragged on stage to perform, becomes star in own right, husband's downfall.....

Whats the craic with country and western stars with an addiction to pills/alcohol living in a cabin in the wilderness? (ala Walk the Line)

Her home set-up was a bit weird as well and wasn't explained at all. Was her father in some sort of polygamous, same-sex relationship with a load of wannabee Mafia lads or what? And the usual "fed up employee walks out on their job without any fuss" spiel was a bit tired.

The ending was telegraphed from early on, although I will admit that it was done in a slightly fresh way, as it seemed his hearing problems was as big a contributory factor as anything else. I did like the transition between her performance at the end and his performance of the same song to her for the first time though.

Lady Gaga was very good in her first lead role, while Cooper wasn't as painstakingly annoying as he usually is to be fair. I will say she is far prettier looking natural than when she is in "character" with her outlandish costumes etc. Although ironically she was smoking hot in the dyed red hair in this too.

Poor Charlie though

the interaction with his brother after rehab was touching too. I thought the humiliation at the Grammys scene was more funny than anything.

Overall, as a 30-year old male I wasn't the target audience, but it is watchable if there is nothing else on. Fans of Lady Gaga, and by extension fans of Bradley Cooper, would love it though, as evidenced by the number of totes emosh ladies at the screening last night

But for me...meh

titan18 · 29-10-2018 11:04pm

castletownman wrote:

Overall, as a 30-year old male I wasn't the target audience, but it is watchable if there is nothing else on. Fans of Lady Gaga, and by extension fans of Bradley Cooper, would love it though, as evidenced by the number of totes emosh ladies at the screening last night

As a 29 year old male who hates Lady Gaga (like Cooper though), I wouldn't be the target audience but I loved it. I also feel that only people with hearts of stone wouldn't cry at the end if this.

Cooper hanging there with the dog outside the door is heartbreaking tbh.

I loved the film anyway, and I find it really impressive considering youve got someone who's never directed or sang before in Cooper and someone who's barely acted in Lady Gaga.

I quite liked some of the songs too, Coopers intro song and Shallow being the two highlights.

lukin · 02-11-2018 11:43pm

It's a good movie but has been a bit over-praised. It would have been better if the relationship between the two leads was platonic and not romantic I thought.
Bradley Cooper's character seemed to only want to hook up with Ally at the start 'cause he wanted to get inside her pants and seemed to use his celebrity status to seduce her. Although I accept he did see her potential as a performer and that was part of the attraction.
I also don't think Lady GaGa is actually that pretty. She is not ugly but is only average IMO. I also though the character of the English music producer was a bit of a stereotype. I'm sure those kind of guys exist in the music industry but it was a bit cliched.
The movie is a lock for Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars. Gaga and/or Cooper may win acting awards too.

dark crystal · 04-11-2018 9:47pm

lukin wrote: »

It's a good movie but has been a bit over-praised. It would have been better if the relationship between the two leads was platonic and not romantic I thought.
Bradley Cooper's character seemed to only want to hook up with Ally at the start 'cause he wanted to get inside her pants and seemed to use his celebrity status to seduce her. Although I accept he did see her potential as a performer and that was part of the attraction.
I also don't think Lady GaGa is actually that pretty. She is not ugly but is only average IMO. I also though the character of the English music producer was a bit of a stereotype. I'm sure those kind of guys exist in the music industry but it was a bit cliched.
The movie is a lock for Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars. Gaga and/or Cooper may win acting awards too.

Like seriously, what has that got to do with anything? She made a point throughout the film that she had been rejected by music companies before because of her nose etc. Her looks have nothing to do with her becoming a star in the end. Nor should it!

I saw this last Friday and thought it was good, but didn't quite get all the five star reviews. I'm not a fan of Lady GaGa at all and this film didn't endear me to her a whole lot more. It felt like just another vehicle to promote herself if that makes sense. I just couldn't warm to her, but that's probably just bias on my part. Her switch from a great singer-songwriter with integrity to sudden corporate pop bot was never really tackled either. She mentions it once to her manager and then just seems to throw herself into the whole shallow popstar gig with gusto. The final song at the end of the movie was like watching a GaGa tribute to Whitney Houston at the Oscars,

not a heartfelt performance for her dead husband.

The real standout for me was Bradley Cooper, who in my opinion, deserves every accolade going. Having seen two of the earlier versions, I thought he outacted both James Mason and Kris Kristofferson and for me, was the real heart of the movie. I found myself constantly rooting for him, not the 'star'. It was a genuinely moving performance from him. I also thought he did a superb job of directing.

7/10

Johnwayne98 · 05-11-2018 9:34pm

otnomart wrote: »

Just red The Guardian review from Venice, and it gave it five stars.
Looking forward to see it !

I would highly recommend it

lukin · 06-11-2018 9:17pm

dark crystal wrote: »

Like seriously, what has that got to do with anything? She made a point throughout the film that she had been rejected by music companies before because of her nose etc. Her looks have nothing to do with her becoming a star in the end. Nor should it!

Yeah I know but I didn't see how Bradley Cooper's character could be so smitten with her looks.

evil_seed · 07-11-2018 1:52pm

lukin wrote: »

Yeah I know but I didn't see how Bradley Cooper's character could be so smitten with her looks.

Cos love. D'uh!

Addle · 07-11-2018 8:31pm

I thought her nude scene was completely unnecessary.

woodchuck · 14-11-2018 11:08pm

I saw this tonight and went in with no expectations at all. I hadn't heard much about it, hadn't read any reviews and had no idea it was the 4th remake.

I thought it was fantastic! The best movie I've seen in a good while (although it has been slim pickings lately). I'm not a particular fan of either Cooper or Lady Gaga, but the acting from both of them was amazing. I loved the music and the roller coaster of emotions.

It definitely deserves recognition at the oscars, but it actually feel like it was one of the typical oscar movies that try too hard. They really need a category for best animal though; loved the dog

branie2 · 17-11-2018 12:27am

I saw it this evening, and I thought it was very good.

A Star Is Born (2018)

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