Xixax Film Forum

Film Discussion => The Vault => Topic started by: matt35mm on February 21, 2016, 11:06:16 PM

Title: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on February 21, 2016, 11:06:16 PM
Uh, it's probably about time we made a thread for this.

TRAILER!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on February 21, 2016, 11:30:53 PM
OMG
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: 03 on February 22, 2016, 02:07:08 AM
I'm so fucking proud of you gb
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on February 22, 2016, 02:45:43 AM
still waiting for the trailer, still excited because duh
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on February 22, 2016, 02:50:45 AM
Cockteaser trailer. I want more!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on February 22, 2016, 04:04:41 AM
it doesn't give me much to anticipate. i'm not dying to see what the dragon looks like. i'm dying to see the dragon sneeze, hairball, and/or roll on the ground. the kid is a mystery to me. it's got adults dropping e bombs, and that gets me worried.

because i'm easy but i'm sassy too. this is destined to be my favorite 2016 multiplex movie. for me the real kickers arrive in the helicoptering, tracking shots across treetops, and the general composition of the sequence with the kids turning around in the bus, then the kid turning around while on top of the bus, and:

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FLmzcXms.png&hash=b4501434cb797838192c09e0f91dff9f97aa1430)
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Lottery on February 22, 2016, 04:09:42 AM
Ayo, you know you've made it when your work is trending on twitter.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Kal on February 22, 2016, 08:09:11 AM
Looks incredible. Congrats David this is so awesome!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Alexandro on February 22, 2016, 09:45:15 AM
oh shit. my kids are gonna LOVE this. I'll be there on release day.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: modage on February 22, 2016, 10:55:43 AM
Looks great. I keep wondering how the Ghostboy vibe fits into the Disney machine but this looks like the perfect synthesis. Would love to know the BTS on the WTWTA nod on the poster.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Ghostboy on February 22, 2016, 12:17:51 PM
Quote from: modage on February 22, 2016, 10:55:43 AM
Looks great. I keep wondering how the Ghostboy vibe fits into the Disney machine but this looks like the perfect synthesis. Would love to know the BTS on the WTWTA nod on the poster.

Bizarrely, it never came up. When I first saw the poster I quietly sent an e-mail with the WTWTA dvd art in response but it was never acknowledged. The only concern was trying to not make it feel like Jungle Book or Good Dinosaur. I guess creatures peeking out from behind things are just embedded in the lexicon of poster designs. All in all, I'm really happy with the poster.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on February 22, 2016, 01:12:00 PM
Quote from: Ghostboy on February 22, 2016, 12:17:51 PM
The only concern was trying to not make it feel like Jungle Book or Good Dinosaur.

I was wondering how much Disney was worried about that as far as the marketing goes. It is a bit of a boom time for feral children and their large animal friends.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on February 22, 2016, 02:01:14 PM
synopsis:

QuoteFor years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of a fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) who works as a forest ranger, those stories are little more than tall tales until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley), a 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant green dragon named Elliot. From Pete's descriptions, Elliot seems remarkably similar to the dragon from her father's stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon.

reminder:

QuoteIn March 2013, Disney announced a reboot of the 1977 film to be written by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks
QuotePanavision Panaflex cameras
QuoteLive-action filming locations include Bay of Plenty, Wellington and Canterbury, while CGI will be done at Stone Street Studios.
QuoteThe film is set for an August 12, 2016 release

Oona Laurence: originated Matilda on Broadway

Music by: Howard Shore (Howard Shore)
DP: Bojan Bazelli (Paul Schrader's Patty Hearst, Stan Winston's Pumpkinhead, Ferrara's King of New York, The Ring, Hairspray, and Rock of Ages you motherfuckers "risky jk" (http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=12559.0))
Editor: Lisa Zeno Churgin (Gattaca [drops mic], and also Dead Man Walking and Pitch Perfect)
Casting: Debra Zane (clear Hollywood pro)

Production Designer: Jade Healy
^this is a favorite credit of mine because it could very well be, based on looking at imdb credits, that Lowery and Healy met on the set of Joe Swanberg's Alexander the Last, for which Lowery was a writer, an additional editor, sound recordist, Ry Russo-Young was wardrobe ffs, these were the wild west days of upcoming independent filmmakers, and Lowery was right in the center and indeed you can see Ghostboy on stage at a point in the movie. textures. i like those things. this job is bringing some textures, and other credits include The House of the Devil, Detachment, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, James White.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Ghostboy on February 22, 2016, 02:15:55 PM
Quote from: jenkins<3 on February 22, 2016, 02:01:14 PM

Music by: Howard Shore (Howard Shore)

Production Designer: Jade Healy

(my secret weapon)
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: wilder on February 22, 2016, 03:55:30 PM
Quote from: jenkins<3 on February 22, 2016, 02:01:14 PMMusic by: Howard Shore

Oh My God! Cross an item off the bucket list. :yabbse-thumbup:

QuoteDP: Bojan Bazelli
Editor: Lisa Zeno Churgin
Casting: Debra Zane
Production Designer: Jade Healy

Incredible collection of collaborators. Not to mention The Sundance Kid.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on February 22, 2016, 04:59:03 PM
Howard Shore is so littered with goldmines, he goes Sliver, M. Butterfly, Mrs. Doubtfire, Philadelphia, The Client, Ed Wood, and that's a '93-'94 stretch... i didn't list his credits because i guessed him locked into everyone's mind. i think of Howard Shore standing on his own name, like John Williams. to clarify that. and i think the manner of Ghostboy's reply has what i call the Lowery Touch. it's coming to Disney. it's a bit like this is how i'll see a person, who started with backyard rockets, this person lands on the moon while i watch on the screen. well, couldn't Pete's Dragon be called landing on Mars? it can be, because we're imagining. and these are big screen imaginations from Texas that landed at Disney. this tone with a dragon and emotions i'm excited about, this cast and crew, and his feature future i hear bits of news about... you know... this is only one planet on some type of space traveling career through cinema.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: wilder on February 22, 2016, 05:12:17 PM
Quote from: jenkins<3 on February 22, 2016, 04:59:03 PM
the Lowery Touch

Best Porn Titles Based On Legit Movies?
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: ©brad on February 22, 2016, 06:59:10 PM
YES YES YES YES YES.

GB you're the man. This looking amazing. I love the sun-kissed look of it all. In my mind that's a perfect trailer, or teaser rather.

I'll be there opening night.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: md on February 23, 2016, 08:44:20 AM
 :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo:
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Ravi on February 23, 2016, 11:31:30 AM
Wow, I can't wait to see this.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Just Withnail on February 23, 2016, 11:49:19 AM
Beautiful.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: N on February 23, 2016, 09:40:00 PM
Incredibly hyped!! Everything about this movie looks amazing. The poster, the trailer, it's been a long time since I've felt excited about a Disney movie.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Fernando on February 25, 2016, 10:53:57 AM
I always thought/wished that someone from this forum could make it, and fortunately GB is not alone.

I'm so glad that he's living his childhood dream, how do I know?

This is his first xixax post.

Quote from: Ghostboy on January 25, 2003, 08:19:17 PM
I've been writing scripts since I was about seven, but the first time I ever wrote one that managed to be feature length (i.e. over 90 pages) was when I was seventeen. And I went way over 90 pages...I think it was somewhere around 150.

I looked over it again recently, and was surprised to see that it wasn't THAT bad. Just too long, overly descriptive.

Now, the script I wrote when I was thirteen immediately after seeing 'Pulp Fiction'....now THAT'S bad. It even has a fast food monologue! Argghh. Live and learn. And get original.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Sleepless on February 25, 2016, 11:34:41 AM
So happy for GB!

This looks amazing. Following the production diary was amazing. The fact that there is already so much excitement among the general public for this movie is amazing.

Can't wait to take my 6yo to see this opening weekend. Be sure to let us know if you're doing any events for the release in DFW!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on February 25, 2016, 01:35:20 PM
the excitement from members who know Ghostboy through the years is really the best part of this. for sure. bonus points for mentioning kids. btw.

then, i wanted to treat it like a movie. a goddamn Disney movie, for crying out loud.
i think when i first watched the teaser i did the typical thing to do, which is i first thought about what i wanted the teaser to be.
and the Lowery Touch means he's making a movie only the way he would.
so, upon reflection and whatnot, i'd now say that stripping the boy of his background is a quality with features i appreciate, since, unable to know his background, the audience learns about him as a person before they learn about him as a definition.
that's some smooth operating, really, in terms of where you allow your narrative to roam.
this opens the movie into functions dictated not by definition, but by experience.
for kids, through Disney.
and it's laid out in the teaser.
that's impressive as hell, and i admire the pursuit of a particular vision within the multiplex realm, for fundamental reasons.
btw.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on April 15, 2016, 03:04:17 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.kinja-img.com%2Fgawker-media%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Fs--JS598iKL--%2Fdjx1ob18uoirqt8ngluc.jpg&hash=e18b48ec0d17750f316ba9bf4ebc2af8420c5ae7)

http://www.ew.com/gallery/summer-movie-preview/2561613_petes-dragon-august-12
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Drenk on April 15, 2016, 03:54:30 PM
It's a dog!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on April 15, 2016, 04:18:22 PM
I like how his fur color is definitely camouflage, with that deep forest green and an earthy brown. I wonder if it changes at all.

Alternate theory: the Dragon is actually a fiery hellbeast who masks his unspeakable visage with mind illusion, appearing to Pete as pictured.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: The Ultimate Badass on April 15, 2016, 11:02:57 PM
A furry dragon? The only other thing similar I can recall is Falcor from The Neverending Story, but I don't anyone considers him a dragon. I always thought of him as a creepy giant flying dog.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on April 16, 2016, 02:47:37 AM
Reading some site's comment sections regarding the new image, it's truly impressive how many people can simultaneously hold the viewpoints "Nobody does anything creative anymore" and "That's not what a dragon is supposed to look like!" without their brains liquefying from cognitive dissonance.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on April 16, 2016, 02:40:44 PM
^lol.

the earlier link i provided was to the EW slideshow, then because i was trying to google the trailer release date i found the full EW article (http://www.ew.com/article/2016/04/15/petes-dragon-elliott-first-look).

QuoteFirst things first: The original Elliott — he of tubby belly, fire breath, and goofy, bucktooth demeanor — isn't completely gone. "Certain things about the original design we loved: Big jaw, big snout, and a clumsy quality that we really wanted to not completely forget about," says director David Lowery, who treated those essential traits of Elliott as but the tabula rasa from which they could build a new creature.

But the first thing to go? Those hot pink spikes and wild neon haircut. "We explored pink, just to see what would happen," Lowery admits, but since this Elliott lives in a photo-real terrain, the bold splash of pink didn't exactly blend in with the foliage. "From the get-go, the aesthetic was always to make everything feel as handmade as possible, including effects," Lowery continues. "To really have it feel like a blur between a very grounded realistic world and a world in which a big green dragon that can turn invisible can exist." (Lowery's grounded approach may also apply to his next project: Disney's just-announced live-action remake of Peter Pan.)

"David saw this furry, soft dragon that kids could imagine, when they go into the woods, could actually be there," production designer Jade Healy adds, explaining that the 2016 Elliott is based primarily in the world of domestic mammals. Medieval illustrations and reptilian dragon archetypes were swapped for a more canine approach in order to build a soft, furry creature who wouldn't be as frightening in a more realistic setting.

Crazy as it sounds, another big part of Elliott's reinvention came from hours upon hours of funny animal videos online. To nail down the dragon's inelegant movements, animators at New Zealand effects workshop Weta went deep into a zoological YouTube spiral. "There's one video of a giant panda tumbling in his cave, and we looked at that again and again as our Elliott — this big animal who just doesn't know what to do with his body," says Healy.

Other animals are at play in the roughly 20-foot-tall beast, including the wings of an Australian flying fox, the fur of a polar bear, a roar somewhere in the vicinity of "lion, tiger, and elephant," and, according to Lowery, the idiosyncratic tics of another persnickety species. "On a personal level, I don't even see my dog at all...I see a cat," says the director with a chuckle. "So much of Elliott's behavior, when I gave direction, would just be based on this thing my cat did that morning when he was first waking up."

here is a legit photo of a flying fox:

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au%2F%7E%2Fmedia%2F0C4C508E61B4402FBF823DE391F223F7.ashx&hash=0d2baa0acb7ee8daf1d107cd60bcf1f46c63c7ac)
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Just Withnail on April 16, 2016, 06:55:07 PM
Look, up in the sky!

It's a cat!

It's a dog!

No it's...a flying fox!

No no no, it's a polar bear!

I tell you, that's an elephant.

A flying elephant?

Shut up you guys - it's PETE'S DRAGON!





Thank you thank you, I'm here all week.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on April 16, 2016, 08:22:28 PM
This is worth reposting (from the David Lowery thread):


Quote from: Lottery on February 19, 2016, 05:05:15 PMMaybe they were going for this?

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

First thing I was reminded of.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on June 13, 2016, 09:19:41 PM
new trailer tomorrow, there's a poster and a trailer for the trailer:

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FcUeYdcI.jpg&hash=585ce84edacf392154fa4f172cd76631a0da85a4)

Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on June 14, 2016, 12:39:16 AM
I just love that cut from close to wide when he jumps off the cliff.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on June 14, 2016, 12:32:38 PM
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on June 14, 2016, 01:11:37 PM
YES.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: ©brad on June 14, 2016, 01:53:36 PM
Wow it looks so freakin good. I can't wait.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Fernando on June 14, 2016, 04:55:30 PM
I really really hope this film is a success, it looks wonderful.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: jenkins on June 14, 2016, 07:12:02 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F8j87XeO.png&hash=a14eeb4edfbdd5975c2ea6fb3a6b4a6e83f8027f)
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on July 24, 2016, 03:21:46 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Ff7JYwxh.jpg&hash=2a50bf42b069517efb53b9239c46321504ad0990)

Right outside my apartment in Hollywood. Gonna pop my El Capitan cherry with this movie.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: samsong on July 25, 2016, 02:27:34 AM
Quote from: matt35mm on July 24, 2016, 03:21:46 PM
Gonna pop my El Capitan cherry...

i feel compelled to dissuade you from doing this.  it's one of the more regrettable ways i've wasted money of late.  saw finding dory there.  it's an utter tourist trap with all the inconveniences of going to the theatre where the movie is accompanied by the constant hum-to-roar of antsy children.  it makes enjoying a movie a chore.  screen and sound quality aren't ideal either.

i suppose you could go to a really late show in the middle of the week.  there is some charm to the historical aspects of the theatre, but i wouldn't recommend it.  i'd say go see it somewhere else first and go a second time for the sake of going to the el capitan, if you must.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on July 25, 2016, 09:45:41 AM
Ah, good to know. I had figured screen and sound quality would be top notch (they certainly promote it as such). But I trust you. Thanks!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Ghostboy on July 25, 2016, 04:25:21 PM
I think it's in 3D there which makes it not the best option for that reason alone.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on July 25, 2016, 05:26:51 PM
Yes, I was going to ask you whether 3D was the way to go on this... and now I have the answer.

Guess I'll remain an El Capitan virgin for a little while longer.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on July 27, 2016, 06:16:46 PM
Positive review #1! (http://uproxx.com/movies/petes-dragon-review/)

Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on July 27, 2016, 06:24:35 PM
Positive review #2! (http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/07/27/petes-dragon-review)


EDIT: Okay, I won't do a whole new post for each one of these. Here's more.

http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/petes-dragon-review-disney-remake-1201824343/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/petes-dragon-review-2016-disney-david-lowery-1201710357/

http://www.villagevoice.com/film/the-low-key-petes-dragon-dares-to-let-its-beast-mostly-chill-8910017

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2016/07/27/review-petes-dragon-a-magical-folk-tale-for-all-ages/#73bf57e521bd

http://theplaylist.net/petes-dragon-lovely-endearing-homespun-antidote-summer-movie-spectacle-review-20160727/

https://thefilmstage.com/reviews/review-petes-dragon/
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Jeremy Blackman on July 27, 2016, 08:54:20 PM
A couple highlights:

"Who knew David Lowery could make a better Spielberg movie than J.J. Abrams?"

"David Lowery's studio debut retains a personal touch with an unceasing supply of magic running through its lovable, full-hearted soul."


Phrases often used to describe it: "homespun," "kind-hearted," "sincere."
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on July 28, 2016, 01:32:05 AM
Thanks for not fucking this up, David. That would've made XIXAX look real bad.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on July 28, 2016, 01:47:55 AM
Quote from: IndiewireLowery is hardly the only filmmaker in recent years who's been plucked from the indie circuit and handed the helm of a blockbuster, but "Pete's Dragon" is one of the few cases in which it doesn't feel as though a minor leaguer was called up to the big leagues in order to act like a stooge for the studio. There may be individual shots in this movie that cost more than the director's entire pre-existing output, but make no mistake: This is a David Lowery movie — a movie imbued with the same tactile nature and uniquely American flair for myth-making that characterized his Sundance breakthrough, "Ain't Them Bodies Saints."

This is the only thing I've ever worried about this film, that David's voice would get lost amidst the Disney maelstrom, and to see that concern specifically called out and put to rest in the very first reviews is enormously heartening.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Lottery on July 28, 2016, 06:19:49 AM
Quote from: Jeremy Blackman on July 27, 2016, 08:54:20 PM
"Who knew David Lowery could make a better Spielberg movie than J.J. Abrams?"

Also:

QuoteLowery owes no small debt to Spielberg here, paying homage in various ways — as when characters stare wide-eyed at the off-screen dragon — and though the ambition isn't as giant, he has actually crafted the better film, one that succeeds in bringing audiences to the brink of tears in all the right moments.

I mean, that's got to be a good feeling.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: tpfkabi on August 04, 2016, 09:17:23 PM
I saw the Nightline piece last night.
I didn't even know they had camera cranes like that.
Granted, my film knowledge is mostly head knowledge, little field knowledge.
It must be a great experience, though also a lot of responsibility and stress.
Here's hoping it does well and leads to other things.

Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on August 04, 2016, 09:49:09 PM
Nice find. Here's the piece, for anyone interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii9Xi7FUS0s
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: tpfkabi on August 10, 2016, 09:25:25 PM
I really have no idea how Sausage Party will do or how Suicide Squad will hold up.
Those are R and PG-13, so at least there is not something else new for children.
When I made the last post, I didn't know or had already forgotten about Peter Pan.
There is a Q&A on the Pete's Dragon Facebook.
Regal Crown Club has the 2 different posters of the film up now.
(You earn points on your card at Regal Theaters and can redeem them for prizes)
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on August 12, 2016, 05:34:24 AM
Hooray! This is real good, y'all. Very fun to watch. Looking forward to discussing it with everyone soon, but I gotta pass out now (stayed up late for a midnight showing). Congrats, David!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on August 12, 2016, 09:55:40 AM
This is apparently only going to come out in Portugal in the dubbed version. I don't really like seeing dubbed movies, so it really pisses me of, but I don't want to miss it. May take me a couple of weeks to be able to watch it, but here's to hoping it does really well. Go David!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Fernando on August 12, 2016, 11:23:31 AM
Let's just take a minute to enjoy the fact that a xixax member made a film that is opening in more than 3,000 screens.

I'm fucking proud.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on August 13, 2016, 02:25:01 AM
I full-out cried in a theater full of strange children. I can think of no higher praise for the film than that.

In fifteen years or so, we'll be able to judge who the worthwhile young adults are by which of them cite this as their favorite movie from their childhood.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: modage on August 15, 2016, 01:21:46 PM
Obviously dying to see this.

Here's my dilemma:
My 5 year old niece is out of the country for the next week. Do I wait another week so I can take her to see it? Or see it by myself ASAP?

Help me, Xixax. You're my only hope.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on August 15, 2016, 01:32:10 PM
Quote from: modage on August 15, 2016, 01:21:46 PM
Obviously dying to see this.

Here's my dilemma:
My 5 year old niece is out of the country for the next week. Do I wait another week so I can take her to see it? Or see it by myself ASAP?

Help me, Xixax. You're my only hope.

I'd say both. It's re-watchable and worth experiencing it on different levels. See it by yourself to get past the weird fact that you know the guy who made it, and then later you can enjoy it in a more pure way with your niece.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: RegularKarate on August 16, 2016, 11:57:34 AM
I'll pile on more love here. This was great!
I was in love with this boy and his dragon immediately! Had that emotional burst happen a number of times throughout the movie.
So great how this is a studio film that felt like it was made outside of the Studio system.
I went right to Facebook to demand my friends all go see it. Take their kids.
I don't have kids, but the little girl five seats down from me was immediately invested. The moment that dragon (that AMAZING dragon) knocked over that crane or whatever, she yelled out "Elliot!" like he was HER friend.

SEE THIS!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on August 18, 2016, 10:39:51 PM
Who else got a collectible ticket?

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqCRLA5Xh.jpg%3F1&hash=01d86572008705750b14752103fd2a426b9bf766)


This is a lot of fun! I was so thoroughly impressed by how elevated the cinematic techniques involved were from 'Saints'. At times I couldn't believe what was being pulled off. I knew this was going to be a good movie, but I think I severely underestimated how much heart it would have. If it doesn't grab you in the first 5 minutes, you have no soul. It's great how it hits all of the notes of a classic disney film while looking so much more sophisticated than were used to. The first thing I noticed is how much darker it's shot than most movies in this genre would be, then it clicked- that's the Lowery touch! It serves the special effects of Elliot really well by not overdosing us on how he looks all at once and letting our eyes adjust to what this thing is. Also, gives it a signature of the 70's which I'd forgotten this was set in, but was so delighted that there wouldn't be any jaded kids too glued to their smartphones to care about this dragon. Then the cast is so stellar, definitely my favorite Bryce Dallas Howard performance. And with Isaiah Whitlock there I couldn't help but think to myself a few times "A DRAGON?!! SHEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTT" I always love to see The Wire cast spice up a movie. And Oakes Fegley exudes so much joy in every scene, there's not a hint of pretension in his performance. He really seems to be having a blast through the whole thing, it must've blown his mind to see the final product. I liked the villain guy, too..Karl Urban. He has just the right amount of sympathetic and evil in his face. There are some perfectly timed comic moments which 'Saints' didn't really have.. The best part is that it doesn't feel like a movie made by committee or that it's message was diluted whatsoever by the studio. In fact, there are many moments that break through the mold with the depth of emotions they bring up, and you really can't see how Disney would argue with any of Lowery's choices because they all serve so clearly enhance their product.

I'm gonna see it again, then let's talk spoilers!!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on August 22, 2016, 08:34:06 PM
I'm going to take this opportunity to clarify that's not actually my picture. Thanks for playing
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: tpfkabi on August 22, 2016, 10:15:49 PM
I got one of those tickets. 161 of 500 with the theater/town name on it. It has contest info on the back, but it ended 8/18.

I really enjoyed the film. I decided to go at noon on Saturday. It was in one of the smaller rooms, but it was pretty full with kids and parents. They all seemed to be into the film. After the emotional points during the end, I noticed how the room was pretty much silent except for sniffles. Then there was a theater wide gasp at the final scene.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: 03 on August 23, 2016, 12:51:47 AM
lol reelist i was trying so hard to be nice, i didnt want to ask you what the fuck happened to your face.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on September 01, 2016, 12:16:18 AM
Richard Brody wrote a glowing review (http://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/a-wondrous-remake-of-petes-dragon). He really seems to be getting at some deeper truths in the last paragraph.


Saw this again, and I know that it's a movie I'll revisit fondly. I'd like to catch it once more before it leaves theaters. It's such a cool experience to be able to watch something on the big screen when you're so acutely aware of how much work is behind it. On the first viewing, there's this very specific point where it shifts from feeling like a Disney film to a David Lowery film, and at that moment I was like "Holy shit, he did it! I'm not here watching this kids movie as some sort of favor, this is a journey I'm eager to go on." I'm really blown away by the visual effects, and how painstaking they must have been to accomplish. There are so many moments that I'm still scratching my head about how the hell they were pulled off, and I'll keep coming back to it to try and find out. 

There's so little fat in the script, it doesn't meander with any one character longer than necessary and has such a unique spin on a story that feels familiar but has never been told quite like this. We've seen a lot of characters like Pete before, but haven't witnessed what it's like for them to live and interact with a dragon. There's this relationship between them that's less like pet and owner than just two bros who grew up helping each other survive in the wild.


SPOILERS

it didn't click at first that Elliot was estranged from his family too, ( well, how could it until you see the end? ) Which gives such a broader scope to the story in explaining that Dragons do not inhabit this little town, they're up in the sky doing their dragon things and sometimes one gets left behind. So, Elliot's clumsiness, shyness, and inability to be vicious are from his never learning how to be a 'dragon'. His and Pete's trajectories mirror each other but ultimately must lead to one becoming civilized and the other untamed for the better of them both.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Drenk on September 07, 2016, 01:37:00 PM
SPOILERS

Tears have no value of their own and writing that I was crying when someone was holding the door for me at the exit of the cinema doesn't mean anything, but I don't see how I can write with my brain right now. The sense of wonder and, yes, magic I felt watching Pete's Dragon is rare. Well, I watched Peter et Eliott le dragon, actually, a dubbed version—but even that didn't take me out of the movie.

It's crazy how early the movie took me. I knew it would be a car crash and I grew tired of dead parents in a car crash at the beginning of a movie and then that shot happens. Pete whispering: wow. Then, we're with him.

It might be weird but the last time I thought that I wanted to see a specific movie with my children (if I have children) was when I watched Fury Road. Because I felt like a child watching that car chase. Cinema was magic again. And cinema was magic, too, in Pete's Dragon. Weta did a wonderful job, la mise-en-scène captures how Eliott could inhabit that world, and Oakes Fegley doesn't need to speak a word to mean the world.

An insane car chase or a little boy playing with his dragon? Same thing. And those hypothetic children will see both of them.

But yes, I can just talk about emotion right now. What I loved. I loved the scene when Pete is running on the street, looking for Eliott—yes, I really wanted him to be with Eliott. Strongly. So when the dragon came back to see Pete happy without him it broke my heart. I imagined the last shot during the movie. I thought it would be beautiful and it was.

And it still moved me when I was outside the cinema, pretending to watch the people swimming behind the glass because I was still crying.

My tears mean nothing. But I loved it. And I'm so glad it exists.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on September 07, 2016, 08:25:28 PM
Your tears do mean something! It's probably the highest compliment you can give a movie when they affect you like that. Like, how often do you cry at a really bad movie? Laugh, get Scared, Sure...but crying is for the big leagues. I cried too, but I didn't want to mention it because it felt like beating a dead horse with how much I already DO (http://xixax.com/index.php?topic=13484.msg344054#msg344054) talk about it. The reason my cry was so much better than all of yours is that I had a single tear roll down my cheek when the music swelled for the Title credit ( wasn't even the first, either ). And it wasn't like a bitchy, blubbering tear, but more out of this thing we've been talking about here for 3 years becoming a reality and being really good within the first 5 minutes.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Gold Trumpet on September 07, 2016, 10:45:22 PM
Ghostboy,

Wonderful film. Loved it. I'm still an asshole so still a tough sale for me with many movies but that was great.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Just Withnail on September 08, 2016, 02:19:15 PM
When, a few minutes in, there's a Days of Heaven-y shot of the bridge that dissolves into the chisel driven into a piece of wood perfectly aligned with the bridge, this felt very much like a Lowery film. That shot immediately sent my thoughts to a similar shot in Some Analogue Lines, where a shelf becomes a roll of film.

(see it here, at 04:19)
https://vimeo.com/5584736

Both shots insist: this is handmade! And it really felt like it.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Alexandro on October 03, 2016, 07:12:48 PM
I thought I had lost my chance at seeing this in the theatre. A busy month, travelling and all that crap, and I wanted to see it with my oldest son, who is 5 about to become 6.

Luckily I found one showing today just in the right time, stars aligned and we went to see it.
For all the praise (and money) that was thrown into The Jungle Book, I objectively found this film way, waaay superior in every aspect. It's all so understated, nothing is overdone, it slowly engulfs you. You sense a deep respect for the audience from the makers. And then it pays off BIG.

Let me tell you (and this is in sync with what others here are saying), I choked up a lot during the last quarter of the movie, but was surprised when I realized my kid spent the last 15 minutes of the movie crying his eyes out, like really crying. There's so much going on emotionally, and I can only imagine what this must be like for a kid who is still basically believing everything in a movie as if it's really happening.

Tremendous achievement all around. thanks, ghostboy!!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on December 02, 2016, 06:08:42 PM
Now available on Blu ray, DVD, Ondemand, Amazon, and for a select few VHS! (https://www.instagram.com/p/BNfiLQ1A5An/)



Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: wilder on January 08, 2017, 01:46:03 PM
The thing that really blew me away about this was the action sequences. Who knew Lowery was such a force in this area? I got more of a thrill out of Pete's run through town after his escape from the hospital and the initial capture of Elliot more than Mad Max: Fury Road (don't kill me, gang). Maybe it was just being more invested in the vision behind this film but regardless it was really impressive. The cinematography was also beautiful. So much care in the compositions that reminded me of the talented workhouse technicians that used to elevate studio films no matter the material.

For a moment I could swear there was a "From the window to the wall" reference when Pete is standing next to the glass in his hospital room before fleeing. Might be my imagination, knowing the filmmaker's inclinations, but even so any reminder of a PT film in a giant Disney behemoth has to say something about the quality.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on January 08, 2017, 01:57:17 PM
Quote from: wilder on January 08, 2017, 01:46:03 PM
For a moment I could swear there was a "From the window to the wall" reference when Pete is standing next to the glass in his hospital room before fleeing. Might be my imagination, knowing the filmmaker's inclinations, but even so any reminder of a PT film in a giant Disney behemoth has to say something about the quality.

Obviously the entire movie was inspired by this speech

Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Ghostboy on January 09, 2017, 09:43:57 PM
That hospital escape was my favorite day of production! So much fun. I think it shows.

I posted this rehearsal video on my blog a while back. We shot this when we first scouted the location.

http://www.road-dog-productions.com/weblog/2016/11/toby_tours_tapa.html

And also, there is one repeated line of dialogue in the movie that is a huge accidental nod to the Master. I didn't think about it when we wrote it but definitely realized it once we were editing it upon rewatching the movie. Must have been subconscious theft!
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: polkablues on January 10, 2017, 12:06:19 AM
I take it that's referring to "You're the bravest boy I've ever met." I just assumed that was an intentional allusion.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: matt35mm on January 10, 2017, 01:32:50 AM
Quote from: Ghostboy on January 09, 2017, 09:43:57 PM
And also, there is one repeated line of dialogue in the movie that is a huge accidental nod to the Master. I didn't think about it when we wrote it but definitely realized it once we were editing it upon rewatching the movie. Must have been subconscious theft!

I think it's pretty clear that Grace and Pete are really Master and Freddie meeting again in the next life.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Just Withnail on January 10, 2017, 06:11:03 AM
The connections grow...

Quote from: Lancaster DoddMarriage, previous to The Cause, was *awful*. Awful. There's a cycle, like life. Birth, excitement, growth, decay. Death. Now... now. How about this? Here comes, a large dragon. Teeth! Blood dripping! Red eyes! What do I got? A lasso. And I whip it up, I wrap it around its neck, and I wrestle! Wrestle! Wrestle him to the ground. I snap up, I say "Sit, dragon!" Dragon sits. I say "Stay!", dragon stays. Now it's got a leash on. Take it for a walk. And that's what-where we're at with it now. It stays on command. Next we're gonna teach it to roll over and play dead.
Title: Re: Pete's Dragon
Post by: Reel on March 17, 2017, 03:13:34 PM
Now streaming on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/search?q=petes&jbv=80098101&jbp=1&jbr=0)

Woot!