And I really, really wanted to make this a daily occurrence (at least on work days). Well, that's why I haven't told anyone about this yet, I guess.
How about a movie review?
Recently, I saw the film "Into the Woods." It was out about a year ago, so I'm behind the times, but I thought quite a bit about it after watching it due to it's storytelling.
For those who don't know about it, "Into the Woods" was a popular play that mixes together different fairy tale characters. The central characters are a baker and wife who need to complete certain tasks for a witch who has cursed them so they can't have kids. These tasks then lead them to run into Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame), Cinderella, and Rapunzel.
The acting is great, the songs are fairly catchy, and the movie is fun...for the first three-fourths of it's running time.
You see, this play was not intended for kids. It has adultery, violent revenge fantasies, and death in it. This is a problem when turning it into a film - especially if you're Disney (who got the rights).
Think about it - you're a kid-friendly brand and you're telling people that you will be making a film with fairy tale characters and singing. How is this NOT meant to be for kids?
Disney did get Rob Marshall (who made the awesome "Chicago" film) to direct it, which was a good start. But Disney needed to decide if they wanted to go "full adult" with this, or change the play so it's more kid-appropriate. Instead, they try doing both, and ended up with "meh."
Actually, when I was watching the film with my 11 year old daughter, there was a point where I thought Disney could have ended the movie and been all right.
To explain (MINOR SPOILERS ALERT), the story doesn't have a solid three act structure. It actually seems more like four acts. The cursed couple eventually get the curse lifted and have a child, Jack saves his farm with money from the beanstalk, Rapunzel is rescued, Red Riding Hood is saved from the wolf, and Cinderella gets married.
They could have stopped the movie there, amped up a little of the "funny" in the film, and Disney probably would have been fine. Instead, there is a whole additional act where things just get crappy for everyone, and the film ends on a kind of downer note.
My daughter was pissed, and it made me feel frustrated.
As a play, I can see this working. But as a film - especially one semi-marketed to kids - it doesn't work.
There are plays that are only meant for stage, books that are only meant to be read, and films that shouldn't be translated for either. Each media is unique, and needs to embrace what makes it special.
How about a movie review?
Recently, I saw the film "Into the Woods." It was out about a year ago, so I'm behind the times, but I thought quite a bit about it after watching it due to it's storytelling.
For those who don't know about it, "Into the Woods" was a popular play that mixes together different fairy tale characters. The central characters are a baker and wife who need to complete certain tasks for a witch who has cursed them so they can't have kids. These tasks then lead them to run into Red Riding Hood, Jack (of beanstalk fame), Cinderella, and Rapunzel.
The acting is great, the songs are fairly catchy, and the movie is fun...for the first three-fourths of it's running time.
You see, this play was not intended for kids. It has adultery, violent revenge fantasies, and death in it. This is a problem when turning it into a film - especially if you're Disney (who got the rights).
Think about it - you're a kid-friendly brand and you're telling people that you will be making a film with fairy tale characters and singing. How is this NOT meant to be for kids?
Disney did get Rob Marshall (who made the awesome "Chicago" film) to direct it, which was a good start. But Disney needed to decide if they wanted to go "full adult" with this, or change the play so it's more kid-appropriate. Instead, they try doing both, and ended up with "meh."
Actually, when I was watching the film with my 11 year old daughter, there was a point where I thought Disney could have ended the movie and been all right.
To explain (MINOR SPOILERS ALERT), the story doesn't have a solid three act structure. It actually seems more like four acts. The cursed couple eventually get the curse lifted and have a child, Jack saves his farm with money from the beanstalk, Rapunzel is rescued, Red Riding Hood is saved from the wolf, and Cinderella gets married.
They could have stopped the movie there, amped up a little of the "funny" in the film, and Disney probably would have been fine. Instead, there is a whole additional act where things just get crappy for everyone, and the film ends on a kind of downer note.
My daughter was pissed, and it made me feel frustrated.
As a play, I can see this working. But as a film - especially one semi-marketed to kids - it doesn't work.
There are plays that are only meant for stage, books that are only meant to be read, and films that shouldn't be translated for either. Each media is unique, and needs to embrace what makes it special.
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