Into the Woods Official Movie Thread- Page 179

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 5:30pm

"...the question is not whether Chris Pine is worried about what I think, but whether he should be worried about what ST fans in general think."

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 6:12pm

LOL. I think AHLifelock is a character someone has created.

[Len6677]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 6:13pm

Excellent film. It was a joy to watch (and hear) from start to finish. I was at a 1 pm showing and the theater was quite full, with a mix of ages including some families with very small children. I didn't notice anyone leaving early or much restlessness. People were very quiet at first but after "Agony" there were frequent laughs throughout. For some reason that song seemed to be the cue to people that they could laugh at this movie. It seems Pine is getting the biggest laughs everywhere and my theater was no exception.

The casting was pretty much perfect and everyone did their characters justice. I was surprised at just how likable Rapunzel's prince became in this adaptation. Magnussen really did a lot with this small role, as did Mauzy with her Rapunzel. It was actually kind of nice to see them get to ride off to a (possibly) happy ending.

The only thing I really missed is some of the brilliant dialogue cut from the second half--particularly in the scene where the group first encounters the giant. I absolutely love the way that plays out on stage and it did seem rushed here, but I know with there being no narrator or Rapunzel deaths there wasn't much they could do about that.

I am so pleased with this film and can't wait to own it on DVD. I always doubted that anyone could turn this show into a movie and do it justice, but Marshall and co. proved me wrong. An I'm very thankful for that.

[decast]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 6:15pm

Isn't the ST quibble about five years and 2 movies too late? Last years film grossed over $200 million domestically and they're about to do a third. I'd say Pine is doing just fine in the role.

He is one of my favourite parts of ITTW though and not just b/c he's pretty, it's just nice to see him do something different. I think they're all really good, but he and Emily Blunt were the ones I came away thinking, "well, they've just opened a few more doors for themselves."

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 6:20pm

^^I felt that way about Emily, James, Chris and Lilla alike. There really wasn't a performance I didn't like - but these 4 really got to me.

[Showface]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 6:21pm

Ne welcome addition in the scene with the giant was when Lucinda said, "Yes, I saw him there"! It was such brilliant delivery, and I wonder if that was in the script already, or if it were an ad-lib. But it worked!

There were a few more unexpected moments of laughter, like when Cinderella gently placed her show back in the tar. The audience reaction wasn't as strong as some mentioned her. It seemed like an average movie going experience reaction-wise. Agony did get a strong reaction, but the "Careful My Toe" scene got a very strong reaction, as did "would you like a blind girl instead", and "Whoooo cares!"

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 6:49pm

well i have seen it 3 times now with of course three different audiences and each of them laughed at all the mentioned scenes...each audience i sat with loved the movie...yes there were fidgeters and people getting up to go to the bathroom i suppose, but that's true in any movie...Cinderella played well in all three houses as did AGONY...and in each screening i heard people sniffling during the NO MORE musical interlude when the Baker cried into his wife's scarf...including me all three time...it is playing better now that i think more audience members are hearing what the movie is and isn't from others who have seen it...

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 8:37pm

I'm planning plans to see the movie on Monday or Tuesday, so hopefully they'll go through :)

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 8:37pm

There hasn't been a movie musical in awhile that ended up being #1 at the Box Office for its debut weekend... I really wish ITW ends up being that, but with Jolie's name attached to Unbroken and the appeal/word-of-mouth of that movie I have a hunch THAT will come in first or even Hobbit as fans returned to see it this weekend.

[bwaychae5192]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 8:57pm

Saw ITW today and I really enjoyed it!

I figured I would enjoy James Corden and Emily Blunt's performances the most, and I wasn't wrong. They were hands-down my favorites in this cast. Chris Pine was also a standout, and the audience I was part of seemed to only really react to his scenes (especially "Agony"). Meryl was great - I couldn't see another A-lister doing this role justice. I wanted to come out of the film adoring Anna Kendrick, too, but felt underwhelmed with her performance for some reason.

This seems a bit dark for very young children, but I didn't see too many people in my audience under 10. (It was mostly teens and adults, which seemed surprising for 4PM on a Saturday)

[RooMcGoo]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 9:22pm

Now that I've seen the movie, the casting fit really well in my opinion! I thought there were solid performances given all around. Definitely some "film singing" but everyone sounded great!


An Incomplete History of Into the Woods

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 9:41pm

Found this awesome quote:

Just saw Into the Woods for the second time (was fabulous!), but there was a little girl (maybe 5?) with her parents sitting in front of me. She started crying and her mom asked what was wrong and she said “The witch! She was just trying to be a good mother!” And I lost it.

[sarahb22]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 10:33pm

"I think they're all really good, but he and Emily Blunt were the ones I came away thinking, "well, they've just opened a few more doors for themselves.""

I'll add Billy Magnussen to that list (and not just because he's my avatar.) I'll wager just about nobody knew who he was before they saw this movie, but they sure know now. Everybody expected to be wowed by Chris Pine (and they were) but Billy was a real surprise to most people. A lot of people will be keeping an eye on his career from now on - not to mention his butt.

Updated On: 12/27/14 at 10:33 PM

[Len6677]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 10:47pm

I guess we have to thank Streep for Billy Magnussen's butt in leather pants, seeing as how she supposedly got him the part.

Meryl Streep: the gift that keeps on giving. :)

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 11:38pm

I saw it today and mostly loved it. My quibbles are minor. I was fine with no Mysterious Man, but perhaps then they could've done without that scene where the Baker hallucinates his father at the end. Maybe it was like Cinderella can talk to birds and the Baker can talk to dead people

I didn't really miss any of the cut songs and I think it maybe even "It Takes Two" could have been cut.

I think if a song was gonna do a fantasy flashback that song should have probably been Giants in the Sky and not I Know Things Now.

The Rapunzel story doesn't resolve properly, but it's not detrimental to the film overall.

I didn't really miss No More (again, I didn't really miss the Mysterious Man), but I felt like if I didn't know the musical beforehand, I would have wanted the Baker to have a song near the end before he rejoins the group.

[J_Jammer]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 11:56pm

Why have a flashback of the giants? That would just be a waste of money. Little Red Riding Hood's flashback was cheap and easily done.

Plus in an interview James Lapine explained he wanted to do flashbacks for that one, but it was just not within the budget (if I remember correctly).

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 12/27/14 at 11:57pm

Okay, you convinced me. Thanks!

[Hagenisnotakitty]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 12:11am

I gotta say, the "Audience Score" on RT is bumming me out a lot more than the negative critic reviews. Despite its flaws, I thought Into the Woods was far more enjoyable than Les Miz (though I did enjoy that film!), and I'm sad to see so many people unfamiliar with the show disliking it so much. I can’t understand how so many people can honestly justify saying “It should have just ended at the wedding.” It says a lot about people today that so many actually think the characters DESERVE a cut-and-dry happy ending after all the questionable things they’ve done. Tsk.

Still, I’ve been seeing a few unfamiliars get absolutely blown away by the film in a way that, frankly, I didn’t…so the magic of Sondheim lives on!

Updated On: 12/28/14 at 12:11 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 12:55am

The soundtrack is now #5 on amazon and #10 on iTunes!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 2:26am

^^^ That's awesome! It's probably up there with the OBCR for me. If I had all the money in the world I would first produce a FOLLIES version to match the lavishness of the original, then use the rest to get this same cast to record the entire original score, I just can't get over how perfectly Marshall cast each and every role.

PRS, I felt the same way about how much "Giants in the Sky" screamed for a flashback. "I Know Things Now" would have worked fine enough without them, and I don't even think I needed to see all of the Giants, but I would have loved to see something suggestive that still showed Jack's experience in the sky. It'd have been much more effective than the flashback during "I Know Things Now." I also think Lilla Crawford was so confident and captivating that it'd have been okay to leave the camera on her during the song, the audience was definitely into her and I was too. Huttlestone was fine, but something about that particular number seemed destined for a flashback.
Oh, and StageManager2 reminded me of how much I love the Witch's line in the original's Act II when she talks about not having her powers. Really, the original book is so tight and strong, but I still loved this version warts and all.

Updated On: 12/28/14 at 02:26 AM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 2:43am

I can’t understand how so many people can honestly justify saying “It should have just ended at the wedding.” It says a lot about people today that so many actually think the characters DESERVE a cut-and-dry happy ending after all the questionable things they’ve done. Tsk.

I think the lack of a physical narrator hurt the second half of the movie. If you remember, it's the death of the narrator that fuels a lot of the mishaps in Act II. Without him telling the story, there's nobody guiding these characters to their happily ever after and all Hell breaks loose. It's also the motivation for the characters to learn how to work together to defeat the giant. In the movie, the final act seems very random, and people who are not familiar with the stage show don't understand why everything goes into chaos.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 7:14am

I actually wasn't bothered by the audience's sparse laughter, and I can only tell you what was going through my own mind ...

The pace of this film and the plot and dialogue go by so fast, and there is so much to absorb both visually and aurally, that I found myself suppressing my own laughs for fear of missing the next phrase or lyric.

(And yes, I know this show well.)

I was caught up in "discovering" it again in the new medium of film.

So there were definitely times when I laughed out loud, but also times where I held it in so I could fully stay connected to the film.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 7:19am

Billboard now lists the soundtrack as #4 on the top soundtracks chart and #27 on the pop (top 200) chart.

[sueb1863]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 11:31am

The RT audience score would probably be higher if some audience members were more prepared for what the movie actually is. They either go in without knowing it's a musical, or they aren't expecting the dark, adult themes. They might have thought it was going to be something along the lines of 'Shrek', or the more typical Disney family film. It's produced by Disney but this is NOT a Disney type movie.

I also think the movie would have hung together better if they hadn't cut so much out of the second act. They really should have found a way to include at least part of 'No More'.

People are enjoying the movie - the soundtrack's at #5 on Amazon.com, and it's not just theater fans buying it. It's expected to end the weekend around $46 million, not bad at all. It won't be a flop. So, there's that.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 12:23pm