Speed Racer

john · March 13, 2008, 03:28:33 AM

Quote from: pete on March 13, 2008, 02:07:44 AM
is it because all the trailers generate lukewarm and negative responses therefore they keep on coming out with new ones with different story arcs, hoping the audience would be confused enough to forget about the last trailer?

For the majority of the movie-going public "hype" is just how much publicity they've been exposed too. It could be the biggest, bloated piece of cinematic shit this year (my guess), or a revelation that not affirms the Wachowski Brothers "visionary" status... it won't matter either way. You put out enough trailers and enough billboards and people respond, "Let's see Speed Racer... I've heard good things about it." At least, for the first weekend, anyway.

When it comes to shit, those studios know their shit. Put something that actually IS good, or strange, or different in front of them and - to paraphrase Patton Oswalt - they're like Darth Vader with a basket of puppies... they go from articulate super-villians to near imbeciles..

'Hey Darth, how do you like those puppies?'

'Uh, well they're round...furry...to, uh, pet...here I don't really like puppies, here, take these.'

see: Where The Wild Things Are

©brad · March 13, 2008, 08:28:33 AM

i guess i'm the odd man out here but i think it looks pretty awesome.

diggler · March 13, 2008, 11:47:37 AM

it'll make one hell of a videogame tie in

grand theft sparrow · March 13, 2008, 01:35:37 PM

This trailer made me realize I'm looking at this all wrong. At the end of the day, this is a Wachowski movie for 8 year olds, and it's probably going to be the coolest movie aimed at 8 year olds since maybe ever. But it's a kids movie first with fanboys and NASCAR freaks along for the ride (no pun intended). There may not be much for any of us here but I feel like it'll be an honest kids movie as opposed to the Dreamworks animated feature method of fart jokes, dated pop culture references and pratfalls. I give the Wachowskis that much credit.

pete · March 17, 2008, 10:19:51 PM

that's no excuse. did the adults pffted at Indiana Jones when we were younger?

Stefen · March 17, 2008, 10:41:43 PM

fuck movies

grand theft sparrow · March 18, 2008, 05:47:19 AM

Quote from: pete on March 17, 2008, 10:19:51 PM
that's no excuse. did the adults pffted at Indiana Jones when we were younger?

Different situation. Indiana Jones wasn't made just for kids, I don't care what GT says. It was made by people trying to take the serials they got excited over as children and give them somewhat more mature sensibilities. This feels more like Tron, which the adults did pfft when we were younger.

Gold Trumpet · March 18, 2008, 07:34:18 AM

Quote from: hacksparrow on March 18, 2008, 05:47:19 AM
Quote from: pete on March 17, 2008, 10:19:51 PM
that's no excuse. did the adults pffted at Indiana Jones when we were younger?

Different situation. Indiana Jones wasn't made just for kids, I don't care what GT says. It was made by people trying to take the serials they got excited over as children and give them somewhat more mature sensibilities. This feels more like Tron, which the adults did pfft when we were younger.

Indiana Jones was made for kids. It just dealt with a more familar subject. Because you see it in many different movies you think it's a film that is meant for adults as well, but its just that a lot of films have an intellectual and emotional maturity meant for eight year olds. Audiences have become soft in what they require a movie to have.

I think the Speed Racer could be fun entertainment, but it looks "childish" because it deals with a subject and look that has not crossed over into any broader appeal. You pigeonhole yourself when you start to call on the ghost on Tron. I think the only difference between Indiana Jones and Speed Racer is with the popularity of the type of story.

grand theft sparrow · March 18, 2008, 08:44:34 AM

Quote from: The Gold Trumpet on March 18, 2008, 07:34:18 AM
I think the Speed Racer could be fun entertainment, but it looks "childish" because it deals with a subject and look that has not crossed over into any broader appeal.

That's pretty much what I was trying to say about Speed Racer in the first place.

Gamblour. · May 08, 2008, 10:29:22 AM

I'm with cbrad, this looks fucking awesome. Ever since watching the first HD trailer, I've been sold on this. I'm seeing it at Imax this Friday, and despite it's low rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I plan on enjoying myself. Those critics seem slightly out of touch so far.

cron · May 10, 2008, 02:22:58 AM

i think the critics, for the most part, are being unfair to the movie. there's obviously a lot of stuff to talk and debate about it , because it does some good, unconventional things to the blockbuster in the same way ratatouille introduced ideas which are more complex than the average morality lessons of a blockbuster for kids. it's more like metropolis than rocky, i thought. it's an inmensely interesting movie because of the fictional world it portrays and the way information is conveyed, both of which are absolutely easy to understand for an 8 year old of this generation, which is fascinating. we thought the old lady that was sitting right next to us was going to vomit with all those pastel explotions. i'm kind of blocked right now, but i was curious about what the score would be at rottentomatoes right after seeing it , cos it's a heavy case of love it or hate it. i was expecting more serious critiques even (or especially) if it's a kids movie. props to pubrick and picolas for having faith in the movie since the beginning. i caught interest when i saw there was a kandinsky in speed's classroom in one of the trailers.

Kal · May 10, 2008, 02:23:34 AM

Per my sources on Friday night, the movie has already tanked... I heard it made only 6-7 million opening day.

cinemanarchist · May 10, 2008, 11:25:07 PM

Dear lord did the critics miss the point on this one. Saw it in Imax today and it wasn't even a full house and if you can't fill an Imax screen on opening weekend you are FUCKED. I won't go so far as to say the movie is ahead of its time but I do think this will be looked back on fondly even if that's only by stoners. So out there and so innocent at the same time. What a blast.

72teeth · May 11, 2008, 05:51:10 AM

Quote from: cinemanarchist on May 10, 2008, 11:25:07 PM
I do think this will be looked back on fondly even if that's only by stoners.

sadly, no... i was high as a kite and was still pretty board at most parts... it sould have just been "the kid and monkey show", that stuff was great...

on weed.

MacGuffin · May 11, 2008, 09:45:07 AM

When I first saw the trailers, I was worried that this would be a blend of Spy Kids and "Yippee! Now this is pod racing." And while, yes, it does have some of those elements (it is aimed at kids after all), it also had a Dick Tracy overall feel to it that elevated it past total cheese factor. It doesn't have a Pixar maturity, but it also doesn't feel dumbed down to cater to smaller children. But those parts of the story are the weaker elements. The real reason to see the flick is because of the racing scenes. They have a great energy and excitement to them, and most capture the spirit of the cartoon.