The Big Picture: The New Originals

[vid87]

Sad to say, I'm not wholly interested in Pacific Rim, not because it's new or "foreign" but because, original or not, it looks like another brainless action-fest. Yes something can be "new" and "original", but that doesn't mean it can't be just as derivative or empty as an adaptation.

On that note, I'm surprised Bob has been going on about "support original stuff" and hasn't said jack about "Now You See Me." It wasn't the best thing I ever saw (frankly the "unknown benefactor" mystery was for me the sole point of interest in an otherwise mess of pointless CG and underutilized talent) but that premise - bank-robbing magicians - sure as hell isn't anything I've ever heard of and it's become a sleeper-hit: I'm pretty sure it's hit the 100 mil point. Where was praise for that? Certainly "Purge" falls in the same category and I half-suspect it was the premise that made that a success, even if it turned out that it sucked.

 

[Sabin Felea]

Why are all the episodes of this series ('The Big Picture') so good?! :'D

 

[Sergey Sund]

Wait, if it's based on a manga or anime - isn't that kind of like adapting a comic book?
It's Japanese comics, but that's just anticipating the depletion of American IPs to buy up.
Think about it: A minority in the west reads manga/watches anime. So, even any old, trodden out storyline of that genre will effortlessly seem new and fresh to this here audiences.

 

[Chloe Berg]

Support original movies? Never. I'll support GOOD movies, no matter where they're from. (And this looks good, I'm probably gonna see it tomorrow). Because it looks cool, not because it's an "original" film (whatever the hell that means - the idea itself is nothing new).

 

[darkorion69]

Pacific Rim is not an original movie. An original movie cannot be directly ripped off from an anime (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and rate the term 'Original Film' in my opinion. I suspect this film is reliant on anime nostalgia and tropes and that it will primarily draw the action movie audience that thinks the recent Transformers films are cinematic masterpieces. I intend to go see it solely because my finance got bitten by the 'Remade Transformers' and she wants to see some Robots duke it out with something. I hope that Del Toro has elevated the film with his presence, but I am skeptical that this will be anything more than special effects and action.

 

[Tribalism]

Bob, if you get any more preachy, we'll have to start sending altar boys your way, if you know what I mean.
Personally, I prefer the episodes of The Big Picture when there's some snippets of information on geek culture. Even if it's not that, it's usually a take on current events which is at least... refreshing. The content of this episode can nicely be summarised as "Go support films that are original in content".

ANYTHING that's popular will garner sequels or spiritual successors. This can be seen with the influx of films based on comics and I'm sure you know several other trends. Quality is never assured in anything. Even when reviews hit the internet/papers, you still might not like what they did. Hell, isn't that the foundations of a cult classic? The simple way to summarise this episode is "watch what you want to watch and want to see more of".

I'd outright boycott any more Pirates of the Caribbean films because I've had my fill of Captain Jack Sparrow being "wacky". I'm watching the midnight release of The World's End because I damn well love Simon Pegg as a comedy actor and found Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz to be comedy genius. Now, if he hit the mainstream success of having lead role in films released every year which decreases in quality as time goes by (see Adam Sandler), maybe I'd stop seeing them.

Should people see Pacific Rim? If they want to, sure.
Should people see Transformers 4? Again, if they want to.

With all that said, I'll be watching Pacific Rim in the near future, though your review and the general hype surrounding it was enough to convince me, not this episode.

 

[Pyrian]

So, how'd that work out? Opened below the second weekend of a pretty good sequel (Despicable Me 2), and below the first weekend of a terrible sequel to a bad movie (Grown Ups 2). I think you're losing this one in the U.S.; of course, Asia's another matter!