by John | Nov 2, 2017 | Movie Reviews and TV Reviews, WriteMovies News, Writing Insights
Disney. Marvel. Superheroes. Every time I feel like I’m done with the genre, Marvel seems to release a film that draws me back in… well, a little bit. This year that film was not THOR: RAGNAROK, it was SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING. But without Spidey’s refreshing re-introduction I wouldn’t have even thought about watching the third THOR installment.
Before the SPIDERMAN reboot, my interest in the MCU had fallen so low.
I have no strong feelings, one way or the other about these films. I didn’t care for CIVIL WAR, which I still haven’t watched, and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve missed anything from it. But there is no doubt that Marvel still produce some solid and entertaining films, even if they have no massive impact on my life.
THOR was a very nice mix of superhero, steampunk sci-fi, and comedy – a real good dose of comedy. I was impressed with how the film and director, Taika Waititi, balanced the odd blend of tone and genre. The comedy certainly had the New Zealand subtle, monotone style which Waititi employed brilliantly in one of his previous films, EAGLE VS SHARK. The comedy came naturally within the story and characters and hit all the right beats. Hell, this film might be the confirmation that Chris Hemsworth is more of a comic actor.
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD… The story had a solid premise – with the death of Odin, Thor’s evil and power-hungry sister (Cate Blanchett, who is her usual brilliant self) was released from an other-worldly prison, and she was set on taking her throne back. The film takes Thor to unique and interesting places, but as with most superhero films, you don’t ever feel he’s in any danger.
THOR: RAGNAROK represents my biggest issue with the Marvel films, though. Yes, it’s solid, it’s funny, it has decent action, it keeps your attention but… it doesn’t do anything else. This is the type of movie you put on TV if there’s nothing else to watch – you don’t hate that you’re gonna watch it, but there’s better things out there. For me, that is every single Marvel film. There is no film in the entire roster, from IRON MAN to THOR: RAGNAROK where I would go “Oh man, I gotta watch this again!”
These Marvel films just don’t do anything spectacular – not really. They aim to grab and maintain the attention of most of its main demographic, and hey, they do that super well, but at some point, we (and by we, I mean me) need something a bit more different. There was some variety here, in HOMECOMING and even in ANT-MAN, but each of these felt like there were two hands on the wheel – the director and Marvel. As much as I could see Waititi’s style on THOR, or Edgar Wright’s on ANT-MAN, I could feel Marvel’s influence just as much.
THOR: RAGNAROK was a fine film, I enjoyed it, but that’s it. Each Marvel film is a solid 7 out of 10 now – they’ve got their formula and it works. But there’s no WOW factor. Sooner or later there needs to be some change, some variation in these films and the genre as a whole… otherwise, I might think about watching some DC films… OK maybe not, but you get my point!
What did you think of THOR: RAGNAROK? Was it another home run for Marvel, or just another superhero flick? Let us know on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
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by John | Mar 24, 2017 | Movie Reviews and TV Reviews
A BEAUTY AND THE BEAST review from Susan Wloszczyna at rogerebert.com. How does the live action remake compare to the beloved animation?
Top movie review website rogerebert.com has recently looked over the new BEAUTY AND THE BEAST remake… adaptation… whatever you want to call it. It’s an intellectual and intriguing review for a film that somehow managed to balance skepticism and enthusiasm before its release. (more…)
by WriteMovies | Apr 8, 2016 | Trainees' Examples
“The script adds important modern twists to a classic fairytale structure, with Anna being misled by the seemingly perfect Hans…. It is also unpredictable and refreshing that Anna is not brought back to life by true love’s kiss.…” Extracts from a script report by our trainee Daniela Piper-Vegh, based on a reading of the script FROZEN: CLICK HERE to read the script.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
YOUNG PRINCESS ELSA and QUEEN ELSA (F/ approx. 21) Struggles to control her magical powers, and accidentally hurts her sister with them.
YOUNG ANNA and PRINCESS ANNA (F/ approx. 18) Elsa’s younger sister who helps bring her back to Arendelle, and saves her life.
HANS (M/ approx. 20s) Deceitful opportunist who tricks Anna and tries to steal the kingdom.
KRISTOFF (M/ approx. 20s) Falls in love with Anna, helping her with her mission.
LOGLINE: A young princess must learn to control her magical powers, which have damaged her relationship with her sister, and threatened to destroy her kingdom.
TITLE: FROZEN DRAFTDATE: 9/23/13
AUTHOR: Jennifer Lee COVERAGE DATE: 3/3/16
SYNOPSIS
Young sisters Elsa and Anna play happily together in their castle in the Kingdom of Arendelle. Elsa has magical powers, allowing her create and control ice with her hands. However, a young Elsa does not yet have complete control over her powers. As the sisters are playing, Elsa accidentally strikes Anna in the head with her magic, knocking her unconscious. Elsa’s parents burst into the room, angry at finding Anna, who is ice cold. The King takes his daughter to a Troll, who heals Anna and erases her memory of Elsa’s powers. The sisters grow apart, as Elsa is told to conceal her dangerous powers. It breaks Elsa’s heart that she must keep her distance from Elsa, especially after their parents die at sea.
An 18 year old Anna is delighted that the castle doors are finally opened on Elsa’s coronation day. Anna bumps meets a male admirer HANS, and they hastily agree to marry. Elsa refuses to give Anna and Hans her blessing. Anna angrily provokes Elsa, causing her to accidentally reveal her magic. Elsa runs away, and the evil DUKE of WESELTON convinces everyone that she has cursed the kingdom with snow in July. Anna goes to find Elsa, claiming she is not dangerous. Anna entrusts the kingdom to Hans, in her absence.
Anna meets KRISTOFF, asking him to take her to the North Mountain to find Elsa. They meet OLAF the snowman, who was created by Elsa. All three companions finally reach Elsa’s ice castle, but Elsa does not want to leave, as she is afraid of hurting anyone else. Elsa accidentally strikes Anna in the heart, and she is forced to leave without Elsa. Kristoff takes Anna to the trolls, who notice that there is chemistry between them. The trolls also tell Anna that if the ice in her heart is not removed, it will freeze her forever. Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart. Anna and Kristoff rush back to the castle, hoping that Hans can thaw her heart. A dying Anna asks Hans to kiss her, but he reveals that he never loved her, and only wanted control of the kingdom. Hans and the Duke plan to kill Elsa. Kristoff goes back for Anna, after realizing his love for her. Anna herself finally learns what love is, and sacrifices herself to save Elsa’s life. Anna turns to ice, and is shattered into tiny pieces by Hans’ sword. Suddenly, Anna begins to thaw, due to the true love that she has experienced. Hans and the Duke are overthrown, and Elsa and Anna regain control of the kingdom. Anna and Kristoff also reunite. The gates of Arendelle are left open, and Anna and Elsa enjoy the relationship they have always wanted.
COMMENTS:
The script focuses on the relationship between two sisters, who are pulled apart due to Elsa’s dangerous magical powers. The story has plenty of situational conflict, as well as emotional and inter-personal. There is a strong cast of supporting characters, such as Olaf, who offers comic relief throughout the script. Elsa’s magical powers are also a curse, as she struggles to control them, and repeatedly hurts her beloved sister by accident. The story sets clear goals, with Elsa needing to learn to control her powers, in order for her to have the close relationship with Anna that she has always wanted. The audience is able to empathize with the main characters, as Elsa is forced to hide her powers, and suffers ongoing emotional turmoil. It is rewarding for the audience to see Elsa develop, learning to embrace and control her power, rather than isolating herself from everyone she loves. The story has a happy ending, with Anna and Elsa reuniting, and overcoming the evil powers who tried to seize their kingdom. The script adds important modern twists to a classic fairytale structure, with Anna being misled by the seemingly perfect Hans. It is also a development from the conventional fairytale structure, that Anna rather than Elsa finds her perfect partner. Elsa’s story focuses more on self-improvement and familial love, rather than romantic love. It is also unpredictable and refreshing that Anna is not brought back to life by true love’s kiss.
The script has great, catchy musical numbers that hold great commercial promise. In particular, the ‘Let it Go’ song has the potential to be a distinctive and memorable catchphrase for the script. The musical numbers also help to move the story along, but in an especially exciting and uplifting way. The visual effects in the script, with the fantastical and creative use of magical snow, also increase the commercial potential. Although stunning, the visual effects would make the budget very high.
To see the full industry-standard format we use for Studio Coverage, either commission your own (CLICK HERE) based on the script you submit, or purchase The Confidential Studio Manual to get the inside track on how the industry will really assess and process your script (CLICK HERE)!
I have no strong feelings, one way or the other about these films. I didn’t care for CIVIL WAR, which I still haven’t watched, and to be honest, I don’t think I’ve missed anything from it. But there is no doubt that Marvel still produce some solid and entertaining films, even if they have no massive impact on my life.
These Marvel films just don’t do anything spectacular – not really. They aim to grab and maintain the attention of most of its main demographic, and hey, they do that super well, but at some point, we (and by we, I mean me) need something a bit more different. There was some variety here, in HOMECOMING and even in ANT-MAN, but each of these felt like there were two hands on the wheel – the director and Marvel. As much as I could see Waititi’s style on THOR, or Edgar Wright’s on ANT-MAN, I could feel Marvel’s influence just as much.