Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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Mooky
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Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by Mooky »

Self-explanatory :) Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm included.

1. Coco - 8/10
2. Cars 3 - 7/10
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - 7/10
4. Thor: Ragnarok - 6/10
5. Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi - 6/10
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales / Salazar's Revenge - 6/10
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming - 6/10
8. Beauty and the Beast - 5/10

Overall, a rather mediocre year and output. Lone bright spots are Pixar movies and I'm not even a huge Pixar fan.
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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1. Beauty and the Beast 8/10
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 8/10
3. Spider-Man: Homecoming 7/10
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 7/10

I liked all 4 of these. Tom Holland as Spider-Man was my favorite thing to come out of Disney this year, but I'd put the film itself below B&tB and DMTNT overall. I should be seeing Thor: Ragnarok in a couple weeks for my birthday. I'll see Coco on Netflix if Disney's still on there 6 months from now. As for the others, put me down for a most-likely-never.
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by Widdi »

1. Thor: Ragnarok 10/10
2. Coco 9/10
3. Spider-man Home-coming 9/10
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi 8/10
5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 7/10
6. Cars 3 5/10
7. Beauty and the Beast 3/10
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 1/10
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by Escapay »

1. Newsies (2017) - 10/10
2. Beauty and the Beast (2017) - 9/10
3. Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) - 8.5/10
4. Coco (2017) - 8/10
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) - 7.5/10
6. Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - 7/10
7. Descendants 2 (2017) - 6/10
8. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017) - 6/10
9. Born in China (2017) - 5.5/10
10. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) - 2/10

Newsies was brilliant from beginning to end, its cult fandom and limited theatrical screenings likely prevented more people from seeing it (but I guess that's what Netflix is for). One of the best pro-shot filmed performances I've ever seen. I desperately want it on Blu-Ray but Disney seems content to only keep it on streaming platforms.

Beauty and the Beast would be my #1 but given the unique nature of the production of Newsies, as well as the actual, live singing they do in that film (you know, compared to Emma Watson's autotune and Dan Stevens' lowered pitch), I had to edge it down to #2.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi is brilliant from beginning to end, even if it gets a little drawn out and padded in the middle act. Favorite line in the film is still Poe's "Where's my droid?"

Coco had me laughing, crying, and punching the air in satisfaction. Pixar works best when they're not focused on making a franchise, but actually telling a good story.

Spider-Man: Homecoming was such a refreshing change of pace from the usual MCU films because it was less about being a superhero and more about being a teenager. The humanity behind these superhumans makes for more compelling narratives.

Thor: Ragnarok decided if they were gonna be a threequel, to might as well go wild and have fun rather than try to balance Shakespearean tragedy with Michael Bay BOOMS!!!

Descendants 2 is just as bad as you think it is, which makes it all the more a pleasure to watch.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 is your basic, average, latter-phase MCU film.

Born in China wasn't my cup of tea, but still enjoyable to watch.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales should have stayed dead.

I unfortunately have a copy of Cars 3 that I promised a friend I'd watch, but still haven't gotten around to it yet. Given my apathy for that franchise as a whole, I'm sure if I did watch it before the year's end, I would probably still place it dead last.

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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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I only saw like two of these films. Um, I guess Coco #1 at 9/10 and Beauty and the Beast #2 at 7/10? Coco was one of the few films in this world that actually got tears out of me, something that's probably happening to me more because I'm growing up, but this to me is Pixar's most emotional film. Everything in it is good. It has a great journey and adevnture to a new, rich, fun world and wonderful, fun, and great-to-know chartacters. It just seemed to be missing something. I don't know what. I guess more of a journey and better lessons to learn? Beauty and the Beast is beautiful, and has a great story minus the Gaston in the woods and enchanted book that never comes up again plot diversions, but I felt like none of the characters really were very lively or gave much feeling. It doesn't help that the lead is CGI. And it wasn't directed very well. Good shots of emotions were absent.
Escapay wrote:Beauty and the Beast would be my #1 but given the unique nature of the production of Newsies, as well as the actual, live singing they do in that film (you know, compared to Emma Watson's autotune and Dan Stevens' lowered pitch), I had to edge it down to #2.
So what are the reasons it has such a high ranking from you?
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by JeanGreyForever »

These are the only ones I've seen and wish to see (although I'll probably catch Thor later on).

Beauty and the Beast - 5/10
I place it right in the middle since it did some things really well, a few things even elevated from the original film (very few though), but it butchered too much for my taste.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - 6/10
I loved the original, but I wasn't very fond of this one. I'm not a fan of Chris Pratt anymore so I wasn't too fond of the fact that the entire film was on him whining about his daddy (and mommy) issues again. I could have lived with any other storyline that did not revolve around him. Gamora felt sidelined as just "the supporting girlfriend" in this film. For all the complaints about Black Widow in Age of Ultron, I think those arguments really applied to Gamora here besides her brief subplot with her sister. The film's main redeeming factor was Baby Groot and Yondu, who I didn't care for in the original, but really loved here. The film wasn't as funny or dynamic this time around either.

Spider-Man: Homecoming - 8/10
I've always been a Spider-Man fan and this felt fresh because of how different it was from the previous films. I liked seeing Peter as an actual teenager, and in particular, a 21st century teenager, and I can't wait to see more of his films, especially since it's been rumored that Gwen Stacy will be in the next one.

Coco - 9/10
Didn't come in to this movie with high hopes, except from hearing the rave reviews it was getting. I loved the film! It was so heartfelt and the music has grown on me after listening to it some more (I heard it for the first time in the theaters), so my previous complaint about the music is gone as well. The singing and acting was very well done and I loved the supporting cast of characters. I was very glad for the twist as well, and I had been hoping that the film would go in that direction.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - 10/10
Absolutely loved!! I was already a fan of The Force Awakens and Rogue One, so I didn't need more reassurance from Disney that they can make a Star Wars film, but this certainly cemented it. I do enjoy reading the angry fandom churn about this film though, especially with their ridiculous petitions to remove the film from the canon. I suppose it had a little too much estrogen for them.
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by Escapay »

Disney Duster wrote:
Beauty and the Beast would be my #1 but given the unique nature of the production of Newsies, as well as the actual, live singing they do in that film (you know, compared to Emma Watson's autotune and Dan Stevens' lowered pitch), I had to edge it down to #2.
So what are the reasons it has such a high ranking from you?
Too many to list, so I'm just going to point to my review and two guest appearances on Aaron's Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod:

Alby Seeing You: Beauty and the Beast Review

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod: Beastly Kingdoms

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod: Beauty and the Geeks.

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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by Disney Duster »

I had read your review before, so when I have more time I'll have to check out the other two links.
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

Post by Vlad »

1. Beauty and the Beast 10/10
2. Star Wars - The Last Jedi 10/10
3. Coco 10/10
4. Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Men Tell no Tales 10/10
5. Thor - Ragnorak 9/10
6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 8/10
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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Well it took me forever, but I finally listened to why you like the new Beauty and the Beast, Escapay. Though that also means what I'm replying to is some stuff Aaron said. But here goes...

You convinced me doing a remake of the animated one was ok, even though I thought it shouldn't be because the original was perfect, I just wish the end result for this remake wasn't what we got.

Belle being an inventor shows she wants to bring change to the village…and then it doesn’t work, it doesn't amount to something, she doesn't change the village. We already knew Belle didn’t fit in her village! The new film basically says the village is even worse than the first film’s version.

Belle wasn’t flaky for running out of the Beast’s castle despite a promise in the original film. She was saving her life! And not just literally, but giving herself a better life by escaping him! That was a good thing for her character to do!

The Beast reading books was so thrown in. Belle and the Beast didn’t even share love of the same books. They didn’t talk about how great any books were except in how one liked a book and the other didn’t, and the Beast happened to be reading a book about romance and Belle likes romantic books.

Emma Watson a reserved character, with intensity? Ok, but I found her seemingly bored, stiff, and not very lively or intense at all. Why can’t she be joyful or lively? If Emma had done “No…” to Gaston like Aaron did, that would have been one good moment, but no, we get what Emma did.

I love the “Je n'ais se quoi” lines too. They are classic. Even though, of course, it doesn’t make sense that a French person wouldn’t understand the French words being said to him.

The whole “Where did you run off to this time?” line connection to the enchanted book was cool.

Um, Chip did move, not just talk, when he first met Maurice.

“Let’s go home.” “Can anybody be happy if they aren’t free?” So she calls it her home, like she has grown to like it? And thus be happy with it? But it’s also her prison?! Those lines conflict.

I liked the “he now accepts his inner self as his true self” thing you said about, “I am not a beast.” Didn’t think about it like that.

Thanks for the info on Paige O’ Hara first adlibbing, “How would you feel about growing a beard?” My friend’s boyfriend loved that line, too!

Your ranking of the 4 new songs is the same as mine.

“The wonder of us”…what did you mean? That the enchanted objects are singing of the wonder of them being hopeful in the universe? Or of everyone existing and being unique in the universe? Because, though that is a deep thought of yours, why would they go from “we’re under a spell, it sucks, but we have hope we’ll become human…” to “people existing in the universe is amazing!”?!!!

The Beast was punished for a lifetime of being a jerk, not a moment. Plus, the lines in the film about eternal damnation for a rose don’t fly because he didn’t receive eternal damnation in exchange for a rose. The lines just don’t really work.

I loved what you said about “Evermore” and how the Beast shares his feelings when he is feeling them most deeply.

Allowing the natural singing voice for Quasimodo works in the musical because it’s on stage, suspension of disbelief, it wouldn’t work for a movie like Beauty and the Beast.

I think “Who can make up these endless refrains like Gaston?” is meant to be “Who is so great endless refrains can be made about him?” Otherwise why would people be asked to think of a character joke that Gaston takes credit for things he didn’t do, when they’re supposed to be thinking of the humor that they are acknowledging they’re making endless refrains?

I liked your idea on the “Graduate” look for Belle and the Beast as they leave the ballroom.

I loved what you said about the extra lines in the finale of “Beauty and the Beast”.

I agree with you on the Beast CGI. And the transformation wtf far away shot.
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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Disney Duster wrote:Belle being an inventor shows she wants to bring change to the village…and then it doesn’t work, it doesn't amount to something, she doesn't change the village. We already knew Belle didn’t fit in her village! The new film basically says the village is even worse than the first film’s version.
Aaron and I are championing Belle's position not just as an outcast in her village, but an innovator who can see ways to improve village life - even if the village doesn't accept it. The general idea of innovation adds a new layer to her as a character. She's no longer just an outcast because she's the inventor's daughter, she's an outcast because she, too, is an inventor. What the rest of the village sees as tradition that doesn't need change is now getting challenged by her: teaching girls to read, mechanizing daily chores, etc. This is not about our reading of the village, but our reading of Belle.
Disney Duster wrote:Belle wasn’t flaky for running out of the Beast’s castle despite a promise in the original film. She was saving her life! And not just literally, but giving herself a better life by escaping him! That was a good thing for her character to do!
"Promise or no promise, I can't stay here another minute."

"Promise or no promise" - so regardless what she may have said before, she will make a decision.

"I can't stay here another minute." - the decision she makes.

He yelled at her. He didn't strike her. He didn't threaten to kill her. He did nothing but yell, "Get out" of his private place. You may argue that it's her survival instinct to flee, and that it's a good thing, but at the same time, it still paints Belle as going back on her word, and that's the definition of flaking out. No character is 100% good or bad, and Belle flaking out shows that even she is imperfect. Aaron and I make the argument in the podcast that we like how this version of Belle has chosen from the get-go that she will trade spaces with her father, because she already knows she will try to escape. Animated Belle isn't given that motivation, and so despite what she says, her actions later on still define her: she flakes on her promise. It's not about whether or not 1991 Belle is good or bad for her decision to leave, but that we accept this new character motivation in the new film.
Disney Duster wrote:Belle and the Beast didn’t even share love of the same books.
So what?

If Aaron loves Captain America: Civil War and I love Captain America: The Winter Soldier, even though we aren't as fond of the other film, then it's still factual that we both love Captain America films even if they're not the same ones. Belle and Beast can love books without having to have every single one of them be the same.
Disney Duster wrote:They didn’t talk about how great any books were except in how one liked a book and the other didn’t, and the Beast happened to be reading a book about romance and Belle likes romantic books.
Beast rolls his eyes at Romeo and Juliet because he's read other romantic books. Though Belle loves it, Beast knows there are other stories she would equally love, hence why he shows her his library. "You like romance? I've got a bunch more." He's sharing in his interest of romantic stories with her by inviting her to learn about more of them. Why is that a problem with the new film? It adds more to their respective love of stories and equals them, at least literature-wise. It's not the whole "I'll teach you to read" angle now, but "If we're gonna read, we've got a lot we can pick from."
Disney Duster wrote:Emma Watson a reserved character, with intensity? Ok, but I found her seemingly bored, stiff, and not very lively or intense at all.
Well, that's your reading of the performance, then. Clearly, we saw it differently.
Disney Duster wrote:Even though, of course, it doesn’t make sense that a French person wouldn’t understand the French words being said to him.
That's the whole point of meta-humor.
Disney Duster wrote:Um, Chip did move, not just talk, when he first met Maurice.
A talking piece of furniture is still more shocking than one that moves of its own accord. Especially for an inventor... you know, someone who creates things that can move of their own accord like figures in a music box.
Disney Duster wrote:“Let’s go home.” “Can anybody be happy if they aren’t free?” So she calls it her home, like she has grown to like it? And thus be happy with it? But it’s also her prison?! Those lines conflict.
Er, that's why I quoted them, because of the conflict. The two lines intentionally conflict because no matter how dressed up and comfortable a prison is... it's still a prison.
Disney Duster wrote:“The wonder of us”…what did you mean? That the enchanted objects are singing of the wonder of them being hopeful in the universe? Or of everyone existing and being unique in the universe? Because, though that is a deep thought of yours, why would they go from “we’re under a spell, it sucks, but we have hope we’ll become human…” to “people existing in the universe is amazing!”?!!!
This one got away from me in the discussion. But the general idea is that, no matter how terrible their current fate may be, they still hold on to some hope, some happiness, and that's what they sing about. The "wonder of us" is that they still have the ability to recognize and accept what they are in the grand scheme of the universe, not just in the limited scope of who these characters are within that one moment in the story.
Disney Duster wrote:The Beast was punished for a lifetime of being a jerk, not a moment. Plus, the lines in the film about eternal damnation for a rose don’t fly because he didn’t receive eternal damnation in exchange for a rose. The lines just don’t really work.
It's a metaphor. He's symbolizing his treatment of the old woman and the rose for his entire life. That one moment defined him more than a lifetime of vanity could.
Disney Duster wrote:Allowing the natural singing voice for Quasimodo works in the musical because it’s on stage, suspension of disbelief, it wouldn’t work for a movie like Beauty and the Beast.
Anything fictional requires a suspension of disbelief, be it stage, film, or television. It would work.
Disney Duster wrote:I think “Who can make up these endless refrains like Gaston?” is meant to be “Who is so great endless refrains can be made about him?” Otherwise why would people be asked to think of a character joke that Gaston takes credit for things he didn’t do, when they’re supposed to be thinking of the humor that they are acknowledging they’re making endless refrains?
It's basic grammar and more meta-humor. The line works because these are actors in a musical asking in lyrics about who else BUT the actor could sing those lyrics. It's not about Gaston taking credit, it's about Howard Ashman's lines directly asking the audience just how many more lines Luke Evans (or whoever would have performed Gaston) can sing. This is the part where you'd use that suspension of disbelief. A musical with a song in which the characters directly address that they are in a musical singing a song.

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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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Ok, so you were saying Belle trying to change the village is just a new layer to her (and the village seeing her even more as an outcast)? Ok, yes that's right. But she still doesn't change the village. I would say it still doesn't amount to anything aside from the new layer. Like it doesn't amount to something narratively. In the story.

I get you on Belle flaking on her promise now, but I would still say what she does in the original was good for her character to do, though the new plan to escape from the beginning is better.

Well if you love books but aren't fans of the same books, it's hard to build a relationship on liking different books, if not impossible. I love Disney movies but if my boyfriend to be only likes Disney movies that aren't even in my top 15 it won't work out. And does the Beast even have interest in romantic books?

Yes, we saw Emma's acting differently.

Ok, meta-humor. I thought meta-humor could make sense though? Maybe not?

The Chip and Maurice thing was about how I thought you said Chip only talked, not moved, because he thought he could talk if he didn't move.

Ok, so Belle sees it as her home...and a prison. Alright.

"Wonder of us", what do they see themselves as in the grand scheme of the universe? Or is it too deep to explain and I you have to "get it"?

I get what you mean on the Beast enchantress rose moment defining him.
Escapay wrote:Anything fictional requires a suspension of disbelief, be it stage, film, or television. It would work.
I think it would be a jarring change to go all metaphorical like that with his voice. You must agree, it doesn't fit with how the rest of the film was done.

As for the Gaston taking credit thing, that was actually what Aaron said the line was trying to show, and I was saying I don't think it was trying to show that because it was trying to be funny in the way you explained and I, don't worry, already understood.
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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These are the one's I've seen:

Beauty and the Beast (2017) - 8/10
Belle's autotuned voice really bothered me, but everything else was spectacular. I especially loved the backstories and the song Evermore.

Coco (2017) - 10/10
Love that it's not a remake or a sequel. REALLY well done, I was very impressed.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) - 7/10
I liked the movie, some of the scenes had me cracking up - very entertaining. I just hate that they keep dragging this series on.

Cars 3 - 8/10
This should have been Cars 2. The actual Cars 2 never should have happened. Had almost as much heart as the original. I just hope they end it here. I love original material - I know it saves them money to do sequels because they have the characters already charted out and it's easy money, but sometimes they think EVERYTHING needs a sequel or five.

Looking forward to 2018....
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Re: Rank and rate Disney's 2017 releases

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You know, I was thinking, Belle's washing machine, which I actually like, does lead to Gaston trying to get in her...marriage bed, and Belle refusing him and then singing her "I Want" reprise, so it actually does lead to something. Also, for the discusson with Aaron, if I remember correctly, he said we don't need art? Really? Do I remember that right? We do need art. We'd kill ourselves or just die from no expression of ourselves.
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