There was something just a little bit off about Carrie Fisher, but I thought that they nailed Peter Cushing. I never had a single problem with the presentation of Tarkin.
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Grade, Review, Discuss Please Code Spoilers
- Thread starter Captain Craig
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Tarkin looked fine to me, but Leia stood out a little. But as mentioned, it helped that Tarkin was in shadow most of the time and hurt that Leia was in bright white light against a white background while wearing all-white, but you couldn't really help that given the setting aboard the Tantive IV and Leia's outfit in ANH. I guess they could have set it in the darker, grungier metallic escape pod bays, though it would have been strange for her to be down there at that time and not on the command deck.
Leia wasn't creepy uncanny valley Tom Hanks in Polar Express bad, it was just a little off. But given the limitations, it's not a big deal.
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I felt that both Leia and Tarkin were both inside the uncanny valley.
Tarkin was by far better, and the issues were subtler. But now I cannot unsee multiple events on the screen that my perception flags in a way that feels vaguely like bugs splattering on the windshield of my soul. It's like his lips are unnaturally dry and cracked when he speaks. Many of his mannerisms seem captured from the 1977 film, which gives him a robotic feel. (Excessive familiarity with the source material might be a liability here.)
With Leia, the problem could have been mitigated without going for the full frontal face and sticking to back of the head, a head turn, and only profile as she spoke.
Tarkin was by far better, and the issues were subtler. But now I cannot unsee multiple events on the screen that my perception flags in a way that feels vaguely like bugs splattering on the windshield of my soul. It's like his lips are unnaturally dry and cracked when he speaks. Many of his mannerisms seem captured from the 1977 film, which gives him a robotic feel. (Excessive familiarity with the source material might be a liability here.)
With Leia, the problem could have been mitigated without going for the full frontal face and sticking to back of the head, a head turn, and only profile as she spoke.
After the cultural event of Black Panther and the devastation of Infinity War, there was a certain need for a light-hearted adventure. Fortunately, that's exactly what Ant-Man and the Wasp was designed to do and it delivered in spades. The film was wonderful mixture of microscopic and macroscopic escapades, rollicking humor, tender moments, and a sympathetic antagonist. Like others have already said in the thread, I also enjoyed the low-stakes nature of the plot, which was a much-needed levity from the galactic stakes of Infinity War.
While Ghost isn't as strong an antagonist as Thanos, Killmonger, and the Vulutre, she was an intriguing character nonetheless and certainly better than Marvel's old track record for villains. I particularly liked how she wasn't an outright villain, merely acting on her own selfish cause (much like the Vulutre but with less malice), unconcerned about who she harmed in order to achieve her goals. We saw a flash of her corrupted side when she wanted to go after Cassie, but thankfully Bill was there to talk her out of it and pointed out the errors of her thought process, no matter what terrible pain she was suffering.
The asides with Sonny Burch and his gang were rather pointless, but the whole thing was made enjoyable simply because of Walton Goggins. More Walton Goggins is always a good thing, even as a flimsy villain. It's a shame he was wasted on such a meaningless role, but he certainly did his absolutely best with what he had.
While we didn't get to see much of her, I really enjoyed Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet and I hope she'll have a larger role if there is a sequel. Plus, she looked amazing with long, silver hair. I can only hope I can age as gracefully as her (even if that isn't her actual real-life hair).
While Ghost isn't as strong an antagonist as Thanos, Killmonger, and the Vulutre, she was an intriguing character nonetheless and certainly better than Marvel's old track record for villains. I particularly liked how she wasn't an outright villain, merely acting on her own selfish cause (much like the Vulutre but with less malice), unconcerned about who she harmed in order to achieve her goals. We saw a flash of her corrupted side when she wanted to go after Cassie, but thankfully Bill was there to talk her out of it and pointed out the errors of her thought process, no matter what terrible pain she was suffering.
The asides with Sonny Burch and his gang were rather pointless, but the whole thing was made enjoyable simply because of Walton Goggins. More Walton Goggins is always a good thing, even as a flimsy villain. It's a shame he was wasted on such a meaningless role, but he certainly did his absolutely best with what he had.
While we didn't get to see much of her, I really enjoyed Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet and I hope she'll have a larger role if there is a sequel. Plus, she looked amazing with long, silver hair. I can only hope I can age as gracefully as her (even if that isn't her actual real-life hair).
Whereas I was simply floored by how good the de-aging looked for Douglas as well as Pfeiffer and Laurence Fishbourne. They actually looked like their young selves, even more so than Kurt Russell, or even Douglas last time around.
While I understand the complaint, it's not much different from the physics in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, so I don't mind here either. Besides, I love the notion of carrying around a Hot Wheels container of actual cars whenever you need another set of wheels. The luggage handle for the lab was also a nice touch.
I thought Tarkin actually looked pretty good, but it helped that Cushing's face was so craggy at that point in his life and Tarkin was mostly in shadows. However, I agree Leia was poorly done, as if they actually overdid the process. Not only did her eyes look too far apart, but her face looked like she was airbrushed too much (speaking as a photographer, that particular aspect has always stood out to me).
Considering Ghost was largely rewritten for the film (backstory, some abilities, etc.), it seems odd to be particularly annoyed by the character's change in gender. Mind you I don't have any loyalty to the character since I've never read any of stories with Ghost, but I like seeing more female characters, especially as antagonists, in these films (and films in general). Hell, she's only the second female antagonist in twenty films (granted we were suppose to have one in Iron Man 3 but then Ike happened).
I also really loved the small scenes between Scott and Cassie and I'm not even a father. They really added a new dimension to the two films that are largely absent from most other Marvel films
Exactly. I like the fact that the stakes aren't world ending in every movie.
Well observed. Characters or films can have their own emotional tone, but in a so-called shared universe, when its all over the place, its as out of place as the point when comic publishers (in the 1960s) were barely trying to link individual titles into a single world, but they..and yes, had already taken the solo titles off on such wildly different character, plot and/or emotional directions, that the attempt to link the worlds was awkward at best, but largely unbelievable and forced just because they need it for sales. That should not be a problem for film producers who have the blueprint of the point when comic books started to get that right (up to a point). ...and yes, it is hard to believe this happens in the sane universe with the few Winter Soldiers level of films of the MCU (as few as that kind exist in the series).
It's exceedingly rare for me to laugh out loud at movies anymore but I did during this one. Fun film.
You might want to watch it on the discussion of pirated videos.
Wow! Langston is the spitting image of his father at that age. Thanks for the correction.Actually, Fishburne wasn't de-aged - that was his son Langston.Totally fooled me, too.
How? In real life wacky things happen to people in one part of the world while others get killed in gang crossfires somewhere else. That's life.
You're describing DC more than Marvel. Marvel always did the linked world thing better, at least until the late 80s when the X-Men writers got swelled heads and tried to make their comics their own world.
That's like saying you can't believe that stuff like Reality TV exists in the same world that the Syrian War is happening in.
Honestly man, just fess up and admit you dislike the Shared Universe concept and just want the MCU to take the lazy way out and have only one tone and one type of film.
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I saw it last night, quite enjoyed it. Think it's better than the first one, largely due to not being bogged down by exposition and establishing, really should have been called "Wasp and Ant-Man" seemed she did more of the actiony stuff. Liked the scene with Ant-Man "posessed" by the mom. Could go eitherway on Pena's character.
Douglas? Great.
Humor was good, but it seemed they "dumbed down" Ant-Man a bit, wasnt he a brilliant electrical engineer or something? Sure, quantum mechanics is over his head but not knowing what a wardrobe is?
Over thinking some of the "science" stuff raises questions and head scratches. When rolling the building around does all the furniture and stuff it it shift around? Don't buildings need things like foundations and connection to utilities? Liked the cars in the Hot Wheels steering wheel carrier.
But, I had fun and I'd give it an A or A-. Laughed a lot, good effects, fun action, and great cast. Also, another good "villain" (more antagonist) from Marvel.
Douglas? Great.
Humor was good, but it seemed they "dumbed down" Ant-Man a bit, wasnt he a brilliant electrical engineer or something? Sure, quantum mechanics is over his head but not knowing what a wardrobe is?
Over thinking some of the "science" stuff raises questions and head scratches. When rolling the building around does all the furniture and stuff it it shift around? Don't buildings need things like foundations and connection to utilities? Liked the cars in the Hot Wheels steering wheel carrier.
But, I had fun and I'd give it an A or A-. Laughed a lot, good effects, fun action, and great cast. Also, another good "villain" (more antagonist) from Marvel.
You might as well include "Thor" and "Captain America: The First Avenger", because those two films under performed as well. They made a profit, but not much.
From what I remember Thor outperformed expectations.
Marvel's expectations must have been pretty small. "Thor" made a profit of at least $299 million dollars.
Don't you think Pym would anticipate those problems and make his structures and vehicles intended for miniaturization and motion? Everything bolted down like on a ship that travels rough seas (or with electro-magnets or Velcro for the chairs and other things that need be mobile), self-contained power and waste recycling and environmental systems, reinforced self-supporting interiors that don't need a foundation, etc. I imagine there's an internal septic tank recycling really tiny turds in that Victorian Barbie Beach House.
The van lifted and tossed an SUV over it without any structural damage, much less a dent. Luis jumped the tiny equivalent of hundreds of feet through the air and the car chassis was fine. Obviously there are some exotic super light yet super resilient comic book materials in the structures and cars.
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