And the reviews are in.............Little Mermaid

[HokieRaven5]

Which one was that?

Strange World

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Strange World

ooohhhh TBH forgot about that

They've had recent success with animation studios with Encanto. I think people like original stories but even like back in their heyday in the 80s and 90s not all films were as loved as others. These days the problem is they just aren't releasing many if at all really (in the grand scheme) original content and personally that gets a bit frustrating. Whether good or bad I can't know if they don't release many for me to watch lol.

 

[HokieRaven5]

ooohhhh TBH forgot about that

They've had recent success with animation studios with Encanto. I think people like original stories but even like back in their heyday in the 80s and 90s not all films were as loved as others. These days the problem is they just aren't releasing many if at all really (in the grand scheme) original content and personally that gets a bit frustrating. Whether good or bad I can't know if they don't release many for me to watch lol.

Problem is general audiences are mostly paying to see remakes/sequels or movies from a beloved IP.

 

[Pooh's World]

Not going to watch this.

 

[BrianL]

Saw it today. It was too long. I didn’t like the new songs. Sebastian was my favorite in the movie.

This is another mistake they make with the live-action versions sometimes. The stories don't need to be that long - they are simple and straightforward. They were as long as they needed to be and more isn't necessarily better.

 

[BrianL]

ooohhhh TBH forgot about that

They've had recent success with animation studios with Encanto. I think people like original stories but even like back in their heyday in the 80s and 90s not all films were as loved as others. These days the problem is they just aren't releasing many if at all really (in the grand scheme) original content and personally that gets a bit frustrating. Whether good or bad I can't know if they don't release many for me to watch lol.

Strange World was doomed because thse "adventure" pictures never seem to hit well. Audiences want something with a catchy earworm of a song, so the musicals play well. Cute animals play well too. The sci-fi adventures never seem to, which is too bad because they are my favorites.

Strange World wasn't bad either. In 20 years it'll have a cult following and they'll be selling t-shirts at Boxlunch like they do for Atlantis and Treasure Planet today!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My daughter went to the movies last night and saw it. She's really not into The Little Mermaid to begin with so was surprised to wanted to see it but figure she just wanted to get out with some friends. She actually liked it. Said it was very good and glad she went.

 

[Scalemaster34]

You look at the top ten films at the domestic box office for 2023 so far... they are all remakes or sequels. M3gan is the only one that might be considered an original (if you ignore Pinocchio, and dozen other movies based on the theme of a doll coming to life).

In the end going out to the movies with the Family is a substantial expenditure.... people want to make sure it's worth doing. As it's really only a few months to watch it on TV... some only a few weeks to do as an "in theater rental". Also have to consider all that's coming out in the next two months...

I can see Little Mermaid doing well, but not as well as some of the past cartoon princess remakes. It's just a different time.

​

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Strange World was doomed because thse "adventure" pictures never seem to hit well. Audiences want something with a catchy earworm of a song, so the musicals play well. Cute animals play well too. The sci-fi adventures never seem to, which is too bad because they are my favorites.

Strnage World wasn't bad either. In 20 years it'll have a cult following and they'll be selling t-shirts at Boxlunch like they do for Atlantis and Treasure Planet today!

I'm not really meaning to get into the whole Strange World thing but it def. had a lot more issues from the public's perspective (not my perspective but speaking broadly) than just the sci fi part. For the main controversy around it I highly doubt it will be considered a cult classic and I'm not sure it really has staying power for being considered a cult classic by those who enjoyed it. It's already largely forgotten unless people are speaking about recent films Disney has tried out to be more up to date, it doesn't seem to enter into normal conversation. And I say that having DISer friends IRL and a new group we're just getting into the groove of meeting so meaning around high Disney fans and those fans I don't think are ones that even had an issue whatsoever with the main controversy with Strange World they just didn't find it a movie to write home about much less gush about when talking all things Disney and multiple of us in our main group like sci-fi stuff including me.

Treasure Planet is way different here, Treasure Planet was based off of Treasure Island of which Disney had already done a Muppets version which in turn was a version from Disney's Treasure Island so it's not an original take. I love both the Muppets and Treasure Planet versions but they were both just taking existing source material with different theming (muppets and space).

Atlantis while taking a myth expanded that with more original content. But the mythical land of Atlantis still grabs people, making them wonder.

Both in the case of Treasure Planet and Atlantis the animation styles and visuals tended to give it that cult following later on, the "really good/interesting for its time" looking at it. In the case of Strange World its animation style isn't any different than what we've gotten although visually I can see it working there.

***Way off topic here for the Little Mermaid though lol.

 

[BrianL]

I'm not really meaning to get into the whole Strange World thing but it def. had a lot more issues from the public's perspective (not my perspective but speaking broadly) than just the sci fi part. For the main controversy around it I highly doubt it will be considered a cult classic and I'm not sure it really has staying power for being considered a cult classic by those who enjoyed it. It's already largely forgotten unless people are speaking about recent films Disney has tried out to be more up to date, it doesn't seem to enter into normal conversation. And I say that having DISer friends IRL and a new group we're just getting into the groove of meeting so meaning around high Disney fans and those fans I don't think are ones that even had an issue whatsoever with the main controversy with Strange World they just didn't find it a movie to write home about much less gush about when talking all things Disney and multiple of us in our main group like sci-fi stuff including me.

Treasure Planet is way different here, Treasure Planet was based off of Treasure Island of which Disney had already done a Muppets version which in turn was a version from Disney's Treasure Island so it's not an original take. I love both the Muppets and Treasure Planet versions but they were both just taking existing source material with different theming (muppets and space).

Atlantis while taking a myth expanded that with more original content. But the mythical land of Atlantis still grabs people, making them wonder.

Both in the case of Treasure Planet and Atlantis the animation styles and visuals tended to give it that cult following later on, the "really good/interesting for its time" looking at it. In the case of Strange World its animation style isn't any different than what we've gotten although visually I can see it working there.

***Way off topic here for the Little Mermaid though lol.

Yeah, but both Atlantis and Treasure Planet were DOA at the box office. Seriously - major, major bombs! NOBODY was talking about them at the time. They came and went fast. Strange World is largely the same, and it's the same type of movie - a sci-fi adventure. They trend a little darker, but I think that's why they don't catch with the audience. Granted we don't know that it will eventually be popular with the kids that grew up with it, but I think it's likely. Also, that "controversey" would barely ping the radar in the overall scheme of things - especially in 20 years!

 

[HokieRaven5]

The other recent originals it’s hard to gauge how well they would’ve done at the box office given when they were released. Raya and the Last Dragon released in 2021 and simultaneously released on D+ premiere.

Encanto had a short box office window before it hit D+ and became popular. So would people have gone to see it if D+ never existed or did it become popular because of D+.

 

[BrianL]

The other recent originals it’s hard to gauge how well they would’ve done at the box office given when they were released. Raya and the Last Dragon released in 2021 and simultaneously released on D+ premiere.

Encanto had a short box office window before it hit D+ and became popular. So would people have gone to see it if D+ never existed or did it become popular because of D+.

Yeah, Encanto had everything going for it, and if it weren't for theaters still being soft due to Covid I think it would have caught on for sure. It's pretty obvious that it is quite popular despite the box office.

No excuses for Strange World though. It tanked. I wish it hadn't, but I could've predicted it too.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yeah, but both Atlantis and Treasure Planet were DOA at the box office. Seriously - major, major bombs! NOBODY was talking about them at the time. They came and went fast. Strange World is largely the same, and it's the same type of movie - a sci-fi adventure. They trend a little darker, but I think that's why they don't catch with the audience. Granted we don't know that it will eventually be popular with the kids that grew up with it, but I think it's likely. Also, that "controversey" would barely ping the radar in the overall scheme of things - especially in 20 years!

That's the definition of a cult classic..bombing but later on becoming beloved by a smaller group of people. That's precisely why I didn't mention box office..

But I'm speaking about the movies themselves. Just because a movie didn't do well at the box office doesn't mean it will become a cult classic and there are various reasons why movies become that way, I spoke to the ones you listed. I know from your prior comments you championed Strange World a lot. I really don't want to turn this thread into that kind of thread. I'm just saying that in the competition of what will be thought of as a cult classic Strange World doesn't really seem to have enough components to it to become that. Nor do I think just saying "it's sci fi adventures" as the reason it didn't do well even does any lick of justice to a serious conversation about recent movies Disney has chosen to make or their reliance on just taking old source material and making it "live". We have to update ourselves to think about why movies do and don't work out even if we don't have an issue with them ourselves.

Titan A.E. is another movie beloved now by the few and could be considered a cult classic because of its animation style (even if we all laugh at the end of the movie with the awful computer imagery it was great for its time) and its visuals along with adding in sci fi themes in a more jovial way. And it's also a movie I really like myself.

In any case this is a thread about Little Mermaid along with some talk about remakes and sequels.

 

[BrianL]

That's the definition of a cult classic..bombing but later on becoming beloved by a smaller group of people. That's precisely why I didn't mention box office..

But I'm speaking about the movies themselves. Just because a movie didn't do well at the box office doesn't mean it will become a cult classic and there are various reasons why movies become that way, I spoke to the ones you listed. I know from your prior comments you championed Strange World a lot. I really don't want to turn this thread into that kind of thread. I'm just saying that in the competition of what will be thought of as a cult classic Strange World doesn't really seem to have enough components to it to become that. Nor do I think just saying "it's sci fi adventures" as the reason it didn't do well even does any lick of justice to a serious conversation about recent movies Disney has chosen to make or their reliance on just taking old source material and making it "live". We have to update ourselves to think about why movies do and don't work out even if we don't have an issue with them ourselves.

Titan A.E. is another movie beloved now by the few and could be considered a cult classic because of its animation style (even if we all laugh at the end of the movie with the awful computer imagery it was great for its time) and its visuals along with adding in sci fi themes in a more jovial way.

In any case this is a thread about Little Mermaid along with some talk about remakes and sequels.

Did I say that every movie that bombs becomes a cult classic? Why would you even infer that? You don't have to agree, but Strange World is quite similar to those movies named, even Titan A.E. (another one I love - it and Atlantis are practically the same move!). It really does track in the same style. It's fine, you don't think it's the same, but it has been heavily compared to Atlantis/Treasure Planet since it came out - they are cut from the same cloth. Even visually Strange World tried something different with it's "matte painting" style backgrounds (though I do agree that all CG animation can tend to look similar). We'll just have to see in 20 years if we're still around.

 

[Disneychick13]

Disney just needs to get out of the “live action remake” business. At it best it’s still meh. Just make a movie with a good story with great music that caters to most people and it will probably succeed.

 

[HopperFan]

I don't think it helps no matter the movie at this point because there's fatigue around live remakes. Instead of just doing a few and calling it that they've done so many. And it's no longer like "oh this new generation can enjoy it" because the originals that they've been doing largely have stood the test of time so well it can go beyond generational bounds.

I'm not sure if I'll see if even if on Disney+ as this one just hasn't grabbed my attention which has nothing to do with any presupposed controversy it just didn't grab me. I think the last live remake I've seen is Aladdin?? But I could be forgetting one. I haven't see Cruella yet (which isn't a remake but still based off of an existing character).

Agree. I've seen most, and I'm usually left with "that was nice, but why?" A few were well done, Cruella is one. Like you say, not a remake but a different point of view, and Cruella for one answered so many questions from the first movie, and was different from the other live action movies.

We go to LM this Sunday. DS has been begging since the first trailer months ago. I've tried to avoid comments (didn't read this thread) but underwater looks very dark, so my feelings are not the same. I hope in person it comes off different.

My issue is (and it's not just Disney) STOP THE REMAKES! Often you can't even touch the quality of the first, we already know the plot line, beginning and ending and they tend to leave viewer underwhelmed. I don't know how the movie industry is going to fully come back if all they are bringing us is remakes and boring story lines. Where are all the creative people, where are all the original writers, where are the folks that read BOOKS and see a movie in them? The industry is hurting and they will only kill themselves off if they don't put something out there folks are excited about going to see.

 

[BrianL]

Disney just needs to get out of the “live action remake” business. At it best it’s still meh. Just make a movie with a good story with great music that caters to most people and it will probably succeed.

They don't though because the remakes all make huge money at the box-office. Disney shareholders are not chanting "stop the remakes!" It's our own fault - audiences go see them, so Disney keeps making them. I agree that it is creatively weak, but creativity will give way to the dollar every time.

 

[verleniahall]

as a 90's kid, not a fan of the remake - i will keep my animated version

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Agree. I've seen most, and I'm usually left with "that was nice, but why?" A few were well done, Cruella is one. Like you say, not a remake but a different point of view, and Cruella for one answered so many questions from the first movie, and was different from the other live action movies.

We go to LM this Sunday. DS has been begging since the first trailer months ago. I've tried to avoid comments (didn't read this thread) but underwater looks very dark, so my feelings are not the same. I hope in person it comes off different.

My issue is (and it's not just Disney) STOP THE REMAKES! Often you can't even touch the quality of the first, we already know the plot line, beginning and ending and they tend to leave viewer underwhelmed. I don't know how the movie industry is going to fully come back if all they are bringing us is remakes and boring story lines. Where are all the creative people, where are all the original writers, where are the folks that read BOOKS and see a movie in them? The industry is hurting and they will only kill themselves off if they don't put something out there folks are excited about going to see.

That is a good way of describing it. It does seem that the majority of the remakes people saying something to that effect. Like yes there's some good parts, maybe a song or two that really works but overall just not giving that feeling we all get when we see just an absolutely amazing movie. And then I think why did the writers think this would be an improvement on the existing version? Or at least as good as.

And this also spans generations. We have in our DISer group upper 60s/low 70s, around 40, mid-30s and right around 30 and we all say basically the same thing...please stop with the live action stuff. And given that we do weekly movie nights with our group we all have good in depth talks about how we feel about the movies over time and new movies that come out.

It's a good point about the movie industry as a whole between remakes and sequels. Dune a movie I really liked and am interested in the sequel is just a remake although visually stunning with amazing music and while I didn't see the original version I saw Children of Dune in my younger years. Fast and Furious okay at this point we just watch it because we've been watching it for over 20 years at this point and we just have to see how they top a car in space . We did see Guardians 3 but as much as I loved the music in that movie I really didn't like some parts to it to the point where I highly doubt I will ever want to see the movie again. But it is also a sequel. We didn't see Ant Man in movies but it's on Disney+ now so we'll watch it at some point but it's a sequel. Not sure why we needed a 3rd Magic Mike movie where it's really the same plot point again and why get invested again when it's just another love interest. And the list goes on and on. We are big movie goers but just can't muster the excitement to do it much anymore in theaters. We were the people to stand in line for hours and hours for movie premieres but there has not been a single movie in forever where I've wanted to do that and clearly the public doesn't feel like it's worth it either.

 

[HopperFan]

DS#1 and I just got home. Like I said "remakes" are usually fine, but why.

WELL .... I loved it. I loved the parts that were original to the first, the parts that were new. The new music was fine, I was expecting so much worse based on comments. The trailers implying it was only dark under the water were very misleading, it is very colorful. I loved the Caribbean angle and the casting. Loved the subtle parts that took the story up a notch.

My ONLY issue was technical, there were scenes where they had the camera spinning about making it hard to focus and easy to get nauseous. That aside I look forward to watching again.