Into the Woods Official Movie Thread — Page 171

hummm...my site says a total of 34 TOP CRITICS with the breakdown 29 fav v. only 5 neg...odd

also METACRITIC.COM has a 28 fav to 5 neg listing as well...

IT'S A HIT!!!...

Updated On: 12/25/14 at 08:05 AM

It must be on my end then, perhaps it's because I am in the UK. :)

AwesomeDanny, yeah, I also caught that music when we first go to the ball. I was so happy about that. I'm glad others heard it too. Such a wonderful movie. I want to take Chris Pine home. :)

I agree that the importance of RT isn't important as art is subjective but all things considered critical success is very important to sell a film and convince the general audience to attend if people here terrible reviews they don't want to see the film. In this day and age people like other people to make their minds up for them and tell them what to like.

Expected to make $30 million according to the Hollywood Reporter.

I just saw the movie. Where do I begin? It was magnificent, glorious, beautiful, and moving! A stellar adaptation of a stellar musical!

When the trailers started, I couldn't help but feel there were too many, and I wanted the film to start! Then, the lights dimmed, and I knew I was about to see something magnificent. The opening words in voice over said, "once upon a time", and the opening number started with the opening "clang" we all know. This number was amazing. The camera zooms, the quick pace, and the rhythmic pulse of the music boomed through the speakers. In just these few moments, I could tell the cast was brilliant! My favorite part of the number came when James Corden (who delivered a magnificent performance) said with fear in his eyes, "it's the Witch from next door". Then Meryl Streep completely transformed as the Witch (my favorite character entered). She killed the rap! She brought humor and excellent acting to it. The rest of the opening number was equally magnificent! I thought I was dreaming many times.

I could go on and on about all the scenes and how each scene was perfect, but for the sake of this review, I won't.


Performances...as I said before the cast was excellent!


Meryl Streep- Wow! Talk about a stellar performance! Her Witch had so many layers to it, and she brought it all out in a way it never has been before, though that may have to do with the intimacy of the film compared to the stage, The love for her daughter that she brought out was beautiful, and she made excellent choices in line readings (which were all spot on). There was this one moment that really resonated. It was just before her big transformation, and she found out the ingredients were wrong. Other actresses who played the role just chased the Baker and the Wife around the stage as she said "yes", but Meryl Streep said this she was not monstrous! Instead tears welled in her eyes as she knew that her dream of pleasing her daughter would not be fulfilled; the love she brought to the Witch caused the audience to root for her all the way through, and when she transformed (a wonderful transformation I must add, and I am still trying to process why people doubted she could pull it off), and when she was rejected by her daughter, she made the Witch's heart turn to stone...she was sarcastic and seemingly unfeeling. Brilliant performance Ms Streep! Last Midnight...just...I get chills thinking about it,


Blunt and Corden- They were magnificent, and their chemistry was off the charts! It made me enjoy It Takes Two which was never a favorite of mine. Blunt was magnificent and brought so much to the Bakers wife....Moments in the Woods alone should give her every award she's nominated for and I hope she wins the Golden Globe. Corden broke everyone's heart in the seen that would've been No More. There was one
small change in their relationship in the 2nd Act from the stage show, and it was much welcome!


Anna Kendrick- She was very good and excellent...she brought a younger and more modern tone to Cinderella , and it was wonderful!


Chris Pine- The raves are true! Though I wouldn't say he "stole the show" , he was very good in his scenes, but I think Billy Magnuseen needs more praise for his performance. See the movie and you will see why....he was very funny, and for the first time, I thought Rapunzel's prince was more than just this 2-dimensional character.


Everyone else was just as fantastic, and Lila and Daniel were perfection in their roles, and I hope real kids are cast in these roles again, as it brings more meaning, feeling, and emotion to No One Is Alone.



In summary....


GO TO THE WOOD!!!

Updated On: 12/25/14 at 04:34 PM

i am seeing ITW again as well in another movie theatre here in Palm Springs in one hour...lol...i am in love...:)

(i waited since this thread first went up in dec of 2012 to see this movie...read through all the posts and pages in anticipation for this move and it has come and i won't let go of it easily...lol...)

Updated On: 12/25/14 at 04:50 PM

So happy to hear such good word of mouth on this board.

Here's to INTO THE WOODS' future success at the box-office.

I forgot to mention how beautiful the film is visually! Not only were the performances wonderful, but the visuals were amazing. Colleen Atwood's costume design was inspired. Even though the costumes were mixed from different time periods, they still seemed unified. Yes, even Depp's costume! And, I must add Depp was not bad. I understand why people says he is playing a wacky version of himself now,though. Actually the way he was costumed, and the way his number was staged, I couldn't help but think, "Michael Jackson! Thriller!" Those of you who have seen it should know what I'm talking about.


The Visual Effects were very well done. Some highlights include:

-The Witch's Rap Flashbacks: SPOILERS I loved the on screen transformation to the hag SPOILERS

-Transformation: I understand CGI was not used in this scene (except for a moment or two), and I can see that! The true effect in this scene is Streep's movement. When she is ugly she is old and withered. Then, when she is beautiful, she completely transformed, and not only were the costuming and makeup a big help in making this transformation huge, but Streep's mannerisms. Bravo!


-Last Midnight: Absolutely magnificent. The effects really shine through at the end! With the lightening, Streep's performance, the rapid and swirling camera movement, and when the ground rose beneath Streep. A visual highlight!

-The scenes with the Giant(s) we're also very well done!

Updated On: 12/25/14 at 06:16 PM

...and imagine what Streep would've done with Lovett! I really liked Bonham Carter, but dang!

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Add me to the list of people who absolutely loved this film.

If I had to give it one (minor) criticism, it's the opposite of what I find in most movie musicals, which more often feel ponderous with deadly slow pacing. I felt "Into the Woods" clipped along at such a breathless pace with clockwork timing that I didn't have time to catch my breath or ponder some of the wonderful sentiments, ideas, and weighty lessons learned before I was hurled into the next "moment" in the woods.

This is not a bad thing at all, just that I wanted small "breaths" to ponder. No big deal. I did my pondering after the film.

I'm still pondering.

Don't get me wrong, I know this show. I saw the original, the LA Cast, and many productions from high school to college, etc. since.

But today, I felt I was seeing it with fresh eyes because of the new medium. The film captures so many subtleties that resonate long after they are experienced in the movie theatre.

The acting is uniformly excellent and so is the singing, particularly for the specific characters. There was not a weak link in this large ensemble cast, and I also felt a true sense of ensemble (no real leads popping out here). That's a good thing. The story doesn't need to have leads. It's about a community of people (in a fairy tale world) coming together to face their fears and dreams in the woods.

The highlights for me were many, and I don't understand the criticisms about certain characters or portrayals of characters. I loved everyone from the Witch to the Steward and all roles in between. Distinctive transitions in Little Red, Cinderella, and the chemistry between Blunt and Corden was pure magic.

I was choked up a few times unexpectedly. Even minor, random things, like when Jack hugs his cow after he trades her away and lets out a tearful sob. It choked me up! Cinderella at her mother's grave was also very touching. But the moment where I let the tears go was when Blunt sang the reprise of No One Is Alone while Corden held the baby. Her voice is so moving, not showy but REAL. It has such truth and depth in it. THAT's a singer to me. A perfect singer. Not someone who can belt a high Q above Z. Who the frig cares? That's gymnastics, not singing. Emily Blunt is a singer. She may not call herself one, but she's got the goods.

Other brilliant moments: Steps of the Palace, Agony, The Last Midnight, Stay With Me, It Takes Two ... and so many acting moments ... I loved the stepsisters' schtick, and I loved Tracey Ullmann's careworn mother. I loved the hopeful confidence of Jack and Little Red, and seeing them change in the second half (Jack devolves into defensive bewilderment and Little Red adopts a bitter edge).

I also loved how seamlessly the music and dialogue flowed together. I know how hard Sondheim and Lapine worked on that for the stage, but with the "buttons" at the end of several songs missing and the immediate segues back into spoken dialogue (along with the absence of audiences applauding) kept things flowing so that I barely noticed a song had finished and dialogue began or vice versa.

And I thought the staging of the numbers was brilliant. Choreography that didn't feel "danced" and evolved out of the situations and props and settings and felt as organic as the songs did.

I"m going back again to the woods. More pondering, more moments to explore, more subtleties to pick up. Can't wait.

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Updated On: 12/25/14 at 06:54 PM

Just got home from seeing the film. A very crowded theater, and a very tepid response. A few laughs here and there, but ultimately the audience was not enchanted.

I know I'm in the minority on this board, but I just didn't get it. It wasn't a bad film, per se. But I did not fall in love. I felt like Meryl was doing the same deliver and wink line readings she has been doing for a decade now. I wanted to love her in this, but it was her same old shtick even when accompanied by the score.

Having said that, I loved Emily Blunt. Such a charismatic and talented woman. She deserves to have the wonderful career that has eluded her for whatever reason.