[Chicken, He Clucked]

(Not really) Ghostbusters-adjacent news but Haunted Mansion has reviewed poorly.

I’ll reserve judgement but as a fan of ATC I note Katie Dippold is the script-writer… and this supports my view she was the weak link in ATC. (I may be in the minority who hated The Heat). How she continues to get big franchise work is a mystery.

And yeah the Hasbro delay is obviously due to the movie being pushed and a good thing imho.

[Kingpin]

For what it's worth, the people I know who have gone and seen it have enjoyed it/spoken largely favourably about it.
I'll be seeing it on Saturday so I can hopefully give some insight on if the critics are right or wrong on this one.

[Kingpin]

Just got back from seeing Haunted Mansion. Sadly I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would... That's not to say I hated it, but it just didn't grab me like the 2004 Eddie Murphy version did.

I wonder if in part the sense of jeapardy wasn't palpable enough... It didn't feel like any of the characters were really in any genuine danger or that their lives were at risk. I also wonder if the film's humour undercut the story...

I think maybe I'm feeling the same disconnect that I did with Jungle Cruise... That it should've been a film that hit in all the right places, but for reasons I'm not entirely able to articulate, it kinda misfired a little?

[RichardLess]

Just got back from seeing Haunted Mansion. Sadly I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would... That's not to say I hated it, but it just didn't grab me like the 2004 Eddie Murphy version did.

I wonder if in part the sense of jeapardy wasn't palpable enough... It didn't feel like any of the characters were really in any genuine danger or that their lives were at risk. I also wonder if the film's humour undercut the story...

I think maybe I'm feeling the same disconnect that I did with Jungle Cruise... That it should've been a film that hit in all the right places, but for reasons I'm not entirely able to articulate, it kinda misfired a little?

Oh don’t even get me started on Jungle Cruise. That movie could’ve been something special. It should’ve been. It didn’t feel “real” enough. Rewatching the first 3 Pirates Of the Caribbean movies it’s amazing how much of it is real. Or feels real. They built those ships, they smashed a ship in two, that 3 way wheel sword fight? That did that for real. Then they have these terrific CGI creations like Davey Jones & his gang to populate the world in. In Jungle Cruise it all feels like I’m watching people on a green screen. It never felt real or lived in. And as soon as you introduce that look it takes some of the danger out. The suspension of disbelief doesn’t kick in. And then there’s the other part of it.I love that they made it a period piece. That takes guts. But they don’t commit to it. Everyone looks and feels too modern. The vernacular isn’t right. To use the examples of the original 3 Pirate movies again, when you see the pirates and costumed extras, they look dirty. They have bad teeth. Yellowed skin. You can practically smell them. With Jungle Cruise you’ve got The Rock looking and sounding like a man in 2021.

Jungle Cruise should’ve felt like an epic journey. These are all based on Disney rides and anyone who’s been on a Disney ride knows that it’s not just about the ride. It’s the experience on the way to the ride. The haunted Mansion you’ve got all the tombstones and then the antechamber when the walls stretch and the lights go out. You are so caught up in the magic of it all that by the time you think “how did they do that?” you’re onto the next thing.

I think “haunted mansion” might’ve worked better as an animated movie. Just because we’ve soon so many live action haunted house movies and ghost stories that it’s really difficult to make it special and scary in a PG/PG-13 Disney context. When you do it animated you bring a different energy. You can make it scary in a “scary for kids” way because with animation you feel safe, especially kids. In live action it’s harder to get that tone right where you want genuine scares but also gags and a thrilling adventure.

Unlike you I remember being really disappointed with the Eddie Murphy version. I only saw it the one time but I remember thinking it should’ve been animated.

[timeware]

Is it worth the the hype then? Kind of had plans to see it but if it's a wait for video I think i'll wait for video or streaming. It's been years since I saw Eddies version but I liked it overall. As for Jungle Cruise it was your typical "Hey, i'm Dwayne Johnson. Your welcome for seeing my movie." kind of feel. (I like the Rock but Jungle Cruise felt like they were trying to copy the Mummy a bit in my opinion.

(Really hoping Blue Beetle does well. It would be a shame if Xolo Maridueña career starts off with a shitastic movie. Dudes a decent actor on Cobra Kai.)

[Kingpin]

Is it worth the the hype then?

If you've got the time and cash to spare, then don't let me dissuade you from seeing it as for all I know I might be the exception rather than the rule... As I noted previously quite a few of the people I'm connected to on social media who saw it seemed to enjoy it.

At worst, even if you don't enjoy it, it's still a nice shared experience to discuss it with the people you might end up seeing it with over a meal afterwards.


For me Jungle Cruise's disappointments are easier to pinpoint: it tried to hard to be the next Pirates of the Caribbean and borrowed too much from the formula... Instead of featuring cursed immortal characters, it should've focussed more on the plot involving Frank Wolff and Nico; having Wolff save his jungle cruise business from the much-more successful Nico, and going from fleecing tourists with a fake cruise to suddenly ending up experiencing the real thing.

(Really hoping Blue Beetle does well. It would be a shame if Xolo Maridueña career starts off with a shitastic movie. Dudes a decent actor on Cobra Kai.)

Unfortunately, even if it does well... It's a part of a DC cinematic universe that now has an expiration date on it.

[jonogunn]

Nevermind

[Chicken, He Clucked]

I went to see Turtles Mutant Mayhem instead.

And tbh although some changes were smart - I thought it skewed too young and visually didn’t come close to Spiderverse. It was like they originally had a claymation aesthetic - which was still used in some shots - but it wasn’t exciting enough so they added a subtle cel-shade filter and scribbles lines which was distracting and I didn’t like at all.

The 90’s movie remains the best turtles movies.
Will likely wait for Haunted Mansion on Disney+ based on your reaction, Kingpin.

[Alphagaia]

My kid is six. I'm afraid it might be just a tad to scary for him?

Talking about either Haunted Mansion and TMNT. What do you guys think? Am I 'stuck' choosing Casper and Emma over this?

[mrmichaelt]

Unfortunately, even if it does well... It's a part of a DC cinematic universe that now has an expiration date on it.

Gunn already commented it will be part of the new canon saying, "Yes. Blue Beetle (played by the wonderful @xolo_mariduena) & a handful of other characters will continue on in the DCU, even though the first DC Studios movie is Superman: Legacy (the first DC Studios project is the animated TV show Creature Commandos)."
https://www.threads.net/@jamesgunn/post ... Q2YQ%3D%3D

[Kingpin]

Interesting... I'd be concerned that he'd be starting the new effort off with some of the tainted products of the previous effort... But hopefully he'll be able to get it to work where others have failed.

[timeware]

I went to see Turtles Mutant Mayhem instead.

And tbh although some changes were smart - I thought it skewed too young and visually didn’t come close to Spiderverse. It was like they originally had a claymation aesthetic - which was still used in some shots - but it wasn’t exciting enough so they added a subtle cel-shade filter and scribbles lines which was distracting and I didn’t like at all.

The 90’s movie remains the best turtles movies.
Will likely wait for Haunted Mansion on Disney+ based on your reaction, Kingpin.

I got to live in New York during the Turtles debut in the 80's. It was awesome. I havent seen it and probobly won't. IIf the turtles grow up in the sequel I might take a second look. I didn't like Donatello's voice and yeah i'm not really a big fan of claymation. I'm just not a fan of Seth Rogan. He was okay in Super Mario Bros.

I saw all 90's Turtle movies in the theatre and they will always be the best. I complained about the Batman/tmnt animation style but I would take that over Mutant Mayham and Nickelodeons newer animated series. It was a shame TMNT 2012 got cancelled. It was good.

[mrmichaelt]

Interesting... I'd be concerned that he'd be starting the new effort off with some of the tainted products of the previous effort... But hopefully he'll be able to get it to work where others have failed.

Yeah, but I assume he's only alluding to his Peacemaker cast since he's grandfathering it, too, as he's doing a season 2 after finishing Superman: Legacy.

[robbritton]

I went to see Turtles Mutant Mayhem instead.

And tbh although some changes were smart - I thought it skewed too young and visually didn’t come close to Spiderverse. It was like they originally had a claymation aesthetic - which was still used in some shots - but it wasn’t exciting enough so they added a subtle cel-shade filter and scribbles lines which was distracting and I didn’t like at all.

The 90’s movie remains the best turtles movies.
Will likely wait for Haunted Mansion on Disney+ based on your reaction, Kingpin.

I got to live in New York during the Turtles debut in the 80's. It was awesome. I havent seen it and probobly won't. IIf the turtles grow up in the sequel I might take a second look. I didn't like Donatello's voice and yeah i'm not really a big fan of claymation. I'm just not a fan of Seth Rogan. He was okay in Super Mario Bros.

I saw all 90's Turtle movies in the theatre and they will always be the best. I complained about the Batman/tmnt animation style but I would take that over Mutant Mayham and Nickelodeons newer animated series. It was a shame TMNT 2012 got cancelled. It was good.

Personally I'd urge you to reconsider - I saw Mutant Mayhem last week and thought it was magnificent. Just really, really funny and exciting. I know everyone has 'their' Turtles, but as an old man who's been watching since the 80's cartoon first reached the UK, this new one was effortlessly my favourite TMNT film.

[liliath]

that's interesting! I haven't heard about it before. I watch new movies and tv shows on soaptoday. It is a popular site for watching movies and TV shows online for free. There are a wide selection of genres and categories, every user can find something to their liking. Esp I like that all movie collections are structured and I can use the filter to sort tv shows by genre, year of release, actor etc.

[RealGhostbusterJay]

Being a fan of the ride and going on it various times i saw the film for the sheer enjoyment of the ride and the nods to things seen in it, It was...OK. Not great, Not bad but OK. I liked some of it but in general it was a see it and forget it frankly but it does do far better then the first attempt at this film with Eddie Murphy years ago.