The Fountain (Darren Aronofsky, 2006)
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This looks incredible in every meaning of the word. My prediction is that it'll be a huge hit with the critics, but it'll do lukewarm in theaters. There are not many films I can think of that are sci-fi/drama that were successful in the B.O. except Close Encounters, E.T., and maybe Starman? (please correct if I'm wrong). That said, I really hope to catch this in the theater. It seems to demand the kind of attention one gets seeing it on the big screen, rather than watching it at home.
One more thing, wtf is with the R rating?
One more thing, wtf is with the R rating?
- miless
- Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:45 pm
2001: A Space Odyssey is the one that comes to mind for me (it was one of the top grossing MGM films of all time)... but The Fountain is not just sci-fi but also present day medical drama and conquistador epicflyonthewall2983 wrote:There are not many films I can think of that are sci-fi/drama that were successful in the B.O. except Close Encounters, E.T., and maybe Starman? (please correct if I'm wrong).
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- Antoine Doinel
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Maybe, but it ended up grossing over $50 million domestically and $190 million worldwide.
As for sci-fi films that have been a hit: The Matrix trilogy comes to mind immediately. Terminator films as well. The Back To The Future trilogy. Contact did very well. But like any genre film, I could probably easily list a bunch of films that bombed as well.
A 2500 screen opening is a big gamble but clearly the studio is going to be ramping up the promotion and feels the film can strike a chord with a large audience.
As for sci-fi films that have been a hit: The Matrix trilogy comes to mind immediately. Terminator films as well. The Back To The Future trilogy. Contact did very well. But like any genre film, I could probably easily list a bunch of films that bombed as well.
A 2500 screen opening is a big gamble but clearly the studio is going to be ramping up the promotion and feels the film can strike a chord with a large audience.
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Well, of course those films were hits. The sci-fi/action genre will pretty much be a safe bet for hit movies (of course there are exceptions though). What I meant though were the sci-fi films that with character as much as hardware.Antoine Doinel wrote:Maybe, but it ended up grossing over $50 million domestically and $190 million worldwide.
As for sci-fi films that have been a hit: The Matrix trilogy comes to mind immediately. Terminator films as well. The Back To The Future trilogy. Contact did very well. But like any genre film, I could probably easily list a bunch of films that bombed as well.
A 2500 screen opening is a big gamble but clearly the studio is going to be ramping up the promotion and feels the film can strike a chord with a large audience.
Not to say that those films mentioned above didn't. I'm just saying overall that I don't think The Fountain will do great business, but I'll gladly eat my words if I'm wrong.[/code]
Last edited by flyonthewall2983 on Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Fletch F. Fletch
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12 Monkeys was quite successful if memory serves and that tried to be a more serious SF film.flyonthewall2983 wrote:Well, of course those films were hits. The sci-fi/action genre will pretty much be a safe bet for hit movies (of course there are exceptions though). What I meant though were the sci-fi films that deal more with character than hardware.Antoine Doinel wrote:Maybe, but it ended up grossing over $50 million domestically and $190 million worldwide.
As for sci-fi films that have been a hit: The Matrix trilogy comes to mind immediately. Terminator films as well. The Back To The Future trilogy. Contact did very well. But like any genre film, I could probably easily list a bunch of films that bombed as well.
A 2500 screen opening is a big gamble but clearly the studio is going to be ramping up the promotion and feels the film can strike a chord with a large audience.
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- kinjitsu
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To save everyone the trouble, here is the Variety review.
Some highlights:
Some highlights:
A dear old friend of mine is in the film, so I'll try to touch base with him and maybe get an inside scoop.Leslie Felperin wrote:Backburnered four years ago after original star Brad Pitt pulled out, then long in the making, "The Fountain," third feature by one-time wunderkind Darren Aronofsky ("Pi," "Requiem for a Dream"), made more of a splatter than a splash on Venice's Lido with its world premiere. Greeted by booing at its first press unspooling, pic's hippy trippy space odyssey-meets-contempo-weepy-meets-conquistador caper starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz suffers from a turgid script and bears all the signs of edit-suite triage to produce a still-incoherent 95 minutes. A gush of negative word of mouth will keep B.O. figures at a trickle.
Visual effects, credited to a slew of different companies, are indeed striking with their nearly 3-D layers of golden haze. However, segment ultimately looks like a remake of the wormhole section of "2001: A Space Odyssey," as produced by makers of instructional videos for beginning yoga students.
No doubt the filmmakers' intention was to celebrate a love that transcends centuries, hence repeated use of lines, scenes and motifs. In the end, however, the effect is just monotonous, especially given overuse of Clint Mansell's mournful orchestral score, slathered over scenes as if in hopes it will paper over the plot's cracks.
Nevertheless, with savvy marketing "The Fountain" might yet find a niche audience, especially with softer-hearted femme viewers who will groove to the pick's rich costumes and honeyed tones.
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Fuck Variety. This is Aronofsky people... and will be genius. Can't wait!
By the way, a review has just been posted over at AICN. You can check it out here if you like. I don't recommend reading it if you don't want spoilers, but a couple of choice quotes are:
"Not many films can blow your mind and break your heart at the same time, but this one will."
"It's a lesson for me. A thrilling one. Because whatever I thought THE FOUNTAIN would be, it wasn't. Whatever I'd read and seen, the movie that Aronofsky made is so much more."
"The movie just sort of rattles around inside me, no matter what else I watch. I see an average of three movies a day right now, and this one ends up being the one I think about every night. And part of what I find so seductive about it is just how simple it is, but how complex it appears."
By the way, a review has just been posted over at AICN. You can check it out here if you like. I don't recommend reading it if you don't want spoilers, but a couple of choice quotes are:
"Not many films can blow your mind and break your heart at the same time, but this one will."
"It's a lesson for me. A thrilling one. Because whatever I thought THE FOUNTAIN would be, it wasn't. Whatever I'd read and seen, the movie that Aronofsky made is so much more."
"The movie just sort of rattles around inside me, no matter what else I watch. I see an average of three movies a day right now, and this one ends up being the one I think about every night. And part of what I find so seductive about it is just how simple it is, but how complex it appears."
- The Invunche
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- Andre Jurieu
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- Fletch F. Fletch
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The Independent sounds off on the negative reaction to the film and briefly mentions a sex scene that was cut out.
- The Invunche
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- blindside8zao
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- Barmy
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 3:59 pm
Oh Jesus Christ someone is posting crap from AICN? I didn't read it but I bet they thought Fountain was "awesome!"
Variety is probably the best single source for reviews.
The Hollywood Reporter is dismissive.
Variety is probably the best single source for reviews.
The Hollywood Reporter is dismissive.
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Genius? Based on what? The mediocre PI and heavy-handed, overwrought REQUIEM?soma wrote:Fuck Variety. This is Aronofsky people... and will be genius. Can't wait!
THE FOUNTAIN sounded like a disaster from the outset and the early reaction seems to bear this out. Thankfully this guy didn't get to bludgeon WATCHMEN to death.
- Barmy
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 3:59 pm
Handing "boy wonders" a bunch of "stars" and $$$ isn't necessarily a good thing. Big-themed movies are VERY hard to pull off, yet everybody wants to do them. Just because you are a good cameraman doesn't suddenly make you a philosopher. I will go see this but it sounds dire.
P.S. I give the Darren/Rachel "relationship" about 6 more months, at best.
P.S. I give the Darren/Rachel "relationship" about 6 more months, at best.
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