Escape to the Movies: Jupiter Ascending - Tries But Fails

MovieBob

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Jupiter Ascending - Tries But Fails

Jupiter Ascending feels like something was left on the cutting room floor.

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Evonisia

Your sinner, in secret
Jun 24, 2013
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I was expecting it to just be poorly executed, at least judging by the trailer. I didn't realise that it was a film that just couldn't reach the heights that it had originally planned to surpass.
 

Jman1236

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Jul 29, 2008
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I was on the fence on this one for a while, glad to see your cold is finally gone.

Also wtf is pixels?
 

Sylocat

Sci-Fi & Shakespeare
Nov 13, 2007
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Fun fact, The Matrix was also supposed to be much smarter than it was... that ridiculous twist about the human bodies being used to "power" the Matrix? The high-concept was originally supposed to be that the brains of the humans were being used for processing power of the robots' machines, with the consciousnesses being dumped into a simulation to keep them occupied... and when Neo still had his powers after manifesting in the real world, that was supposed to be another "layer" of the Matrix, with the added social commentary that the cut-and-pasted "Revolution" Formula has already been merchandized, and if you really want to rebel against the system, you need to think outside the "Outside-The-Box Box" as well. But studio execs felt that the audience was too dumb to understand distributed computing (I'm not sure why they ditched the other twist, though... maybe someone wanted to keep the reassuring "fight-the-man" message at the expense of pointing out that it's really not that simple?). And now it looks like their vision has been cut down again?

But of course, in the days of the original Matrix, they didn't have Director's Cuts on DVD. I'll probably still see Jupiter Ascending in theaters for the sheer spectacle of the thing (and, I confess, just to support a new IP from the Wachowskis... it's a shame they didn't title this "Marvel's Jupiter Ascending, it'd make so much money that, well, that the Wachowskis would be signed to direct five sequels to it), but still, I too am looking forward to the Deleted Scenes at least.
 

Lightknight

Mugwamp Supreme
Nov 26, 2008
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I particularly enjoyed Bob's use of images to emphasize his points in this video. Top notch and I'm sad this movie didn't hit the mark. I was really hopeful. Unfortunately this is the genre that Bob and I usually agree with so I don't have much hope that it'll turn out differently if I actually see it.
 

ryukage_sama

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Mar 12, 2009
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That's heartbreaking. The earliest trailers showed so much potential for a universe spanning, socio-economicly themed, political intrigue infused, sci-fi action laden space opera, but in the context of a Hollywood blockbuster vehicle, its nigh impossible to get all those parts working within a theatrical run-time. Its hard to say at this stage if the action focus came out of mutually agreed necessity or studio interference, but I would have loved what the film was trying to be. It seems like the best kind of science fiction literature a la Dune or Legend of the Galactic Heroes, but falls short cinematically. I still want to buy my ticket to see it, even if only to support the effort to maybe do this again next time, but I expect the film to only further diminish the studio clout of the Wachowskis.
 

Sylocat

Sci-Fi & Shakespeare
Nov 13, 2007
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Goliath100 said:
Sylocat said:
Fun fact, The Matrix was also supposed to be much smarter than it was... that ridiculous twist about the human bodies being used to "power" the Matrix? The high-concept was originally supposed to be that the brains of the humans were being used for processing power of the robots' machines, with the consciousnesses being dumped into a simulation to keep them occupied... and when Neo still had his powers after manifesting in the real world, that was supposed to be another "layer" of the Matrix, with the added social commentary that the cut-and-pasted "Revolution" Formula has already been merchandized, and if you really want to rebel against the system, you need to think outside the "Outside-The-Box Box" as well. But studio execs felt that the audience was too dumb to understand distributed computing (I'm not sure why they ditched the other twist, though... maybe someone wanted to keep the reassuring "fight-the-man" message at the expense of pointing out that it's really not that simple?). And now it looks like their vision has been cut down again?
Do you have a source for all this, or is it just fan speculation?
I have this [http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/19817/was-executive-meddling-the-cause-of-humans-as-batteries-in-the-matrix] for the distributed-computing thing. I confess I thought the theory about Zion being part of the Matrix was confirmed instead of a theory [http://www.cracked.com/article/18367_6-insane-fan-theories-that-actually-make-great-movies-better/], but it makes so much sense, and would have that added commentary whether or not it was intentional.
 

wizzy555

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Oct 14, 2010
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Well I must admit "the matrix in space" sounds a lot more appealing than "the hunger games" in space which was what I originally took it for.
 

OManoghue

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Dec 12, 2008
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Something that's been distracting me is the disgusting fucked up lips on who I assume is the main shit head sibling. The one who rises out of the pool of blue, rich space man goop.
He has like, C-List porn star levels of gross plastic surgery lip going on.
It's honestly kept me away from the film.
 

Andrew Majik

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Jul 31, 2013
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Perhaps the cinema gods (industrial complex) will see fit to give us a director's cut, with all the weightier stuff in it when she goes to DVD? One can only dream.
 

The Great JT

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Oct 6, 2008
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I get the feeling this is going to be one of those movies where the Directors/Extended cut is going to be very sought-after come home video release.
 

Stupidity

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Sep 21, 2013
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This movie always made me nervous.
Ive been waiting for a big budget original sci-fi IP for what feels like forever and when I saw this the first time it just seemed like a waste.
I couldn't get over the whole toilet scrubber inherits universe and must use their everyperson non powers to save the world concept.
 

ryukage_sama

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Mar 12, 2009
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Goliath100 said:
Sylocat said:
Do you have a source for all this, or is it just fan speculation?
I've heard this speculation before from people who wanted the sequels to be smarter. It's a compelling theory, but I don't know if the Wachowskis have would ever confirm it.

Of course, since Star Trek: Voyager did it, I don't know who would want to do it again.
 

JackgarPrime

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Jul 17, 2012
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If your speculation is indeed accurate, I certainly look forward to maybe seeing a Director's Cut version of the film someday. But as is, it seems like something I could stand to skip in its current form.

Also that one dude has gross lips.
 

Casual Shinji

Should've gone before we left.
Legacy
Jul 18, 2009
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Sylocat said:
Fun fact, The Matrix was also supposed to be much smarter than it was... that ridiculous twist about the human bodies being used to "power" the Matrix? The high-concept was originally supposed to be that the brains of the humans were being used for processing power of the robots' machines, with the consciousnesses being dumped into a simulation to keep them occupied... and when Neo still had his powers after manifesting in the real world, that was supposed to be another "layer" of the Matrix, with the added social commentary that the cut-and-pasted "Revolution" Formula has already been merchandized, and if you really want to rebel against the system, you need to think outside the "Outside-The-Box Box" as well. But studio execs felt that the audience was too dumb to understand distributed computing (I'm not sure why they ditched the other twist, though... maybe someone wanted to keep the reassuring "fight-the-man" message at the expense of pointing out that it's really not that simple?). And now it looks like their vision has been cut down again?
I prefer the "battery" approach myself. Yeah, it doesn't make much sense, since they could just hook up a shitload of elephants for the same result, but humanity being enslaved to serve as consumption feels way more dire than humanity being enslaved because the machines need more RAM.
 

ArcaneGamer

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Dec 21, 2014
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Jman1236 said:
I was on the fence on this one for a while, glad to see your cold is finally gone.

Also wtf is pixels?
Based on what I could dig up via IMDB,it's about when aliens misinterpret video signals from Earth (specifically, an arcade) to think it's an open declaration of war, a group of 1980's arcade players have to team up with the military to fight off the aliens. The trailer looks cool enough, then you learn Adam Sandler's in it. /facedesk
 

Remus

Reprogrammed Spambot
Nov 24, 2012
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Meh. I was on the fence as well. was looking forward to a fantasy double-feature. But both this and Seventh Son seem to be getting a shrug and nothing more from reviewers. I may do it anyway, just to turn my brain off and escape for a day.
 

P-89 Scorpion

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Sep 25, 2014
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Yep don't see this show those film studio bosses that only sequels and remakes make money and original IP's are pointless /s

We all know that MCU 11 and Star Wars 7 are going to be the highest grossing films this year right?

Also yeah I can see WB cutting a big chunk off of this while turning a short book into a trilogy, goddamn fuck film studio bosses.
 

Aiddon_v1legacy

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Nov 19, 2009
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Oh it could just be that even the Director's Cut will suck because the Wachowskis have been, for lack of a better term, washed up. It happens. Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas flopped for a reason: because they weren't very good. And this is their third in a row. I think it's safe to say the world has left them behind.