Spielberg usually delivers a good film. I'll pass on this one though. "Bullitt" might be a good re-make, but I predict it will never be as good as the original. Why? No Steve McQueen or Jackie Bissett. Bradley Cooper is nowhere near as cool as Steve McQueen. In fact no one is anymore.
Interesting thread. Thing is, the film "5-25-77", which finally went into general release last year, and is now on Blu-ray, is everything the Fabelmans "should" have been. It's now on Showtime, I DVR'd it, and so far have watched it three times in three days. It's the true story of Patrick Read Johnson, a major film maker who recreates his story when he was 9 to 18 years old, and if you're a "2001" (which he saw at 9 years old in 1968) to "Star Wars" (he was the FIRST person to see a rough cut of it) to "Close Encounters Of The Third KInd" his life was an obsession to someday meet Douglas Trumbull. The cast is amazing, and the recreations of those films being made is a must see for scifi film geeks (like myself). A must see. (Has anyone here seen it yet?)
And one more trailer for "5-25-77". Interestingly, this one includes some brief short scenes not in the finished film.
Wow, that trailer is awesome. I want to see this movie badly. He was the producer behind American Graffiti? The scene with Wolfman Jack at the radio station is loosely based on the Mighty 690 radio station that my father and sister owned in the late 1950s and early 60's. My father was an early promoter of the Wolfman. He came to see my father at our television station many decades later, ironically our television station we put on the air was KTTY Channel 69, which it was designated by sheer coincidence, Lol.
Actually Gary Kurtz (who produced American Graffiti) is one of the producers on this film. And yes, there are things in this film that you won't believe, and visually it is stunning, and the long middle section where Pat first goes to Hollywood (at 18 years old) and meets Steven Spielberg, Douglas Trumble and John Dykstra (all spot on actor recreations) is simply remarkable.
it's gonna be very tough. Steve was a minimalist too, I don't see Cooper really pulling it off like that, and car chases have been so ramped up. Maybe if they go back to old school and shoot it real no CGI... the lead looks like a son of a Zemeckis
I don't think I've liked a Spielberg movie since Catch Me If You Can. Wasn't uncle Judd Hirsch fantastic? That was magic right there! Or what about the 'Dancing in the headlights' scene? Sam's girlfriend (who thinks Jesus is sexy) for some reason was another highlight for me. All in all, I loved the lighthearted tone of the film. It also reminded me of the filmmaking of the 70s'. Kaminski's camera work never draws attention to itself. It's all about the characters. And yes, the score fits the scenes like a glove. My favorite piece, one that worked very well in the movie, is Concerto in D minor (Bach). So yes, finally a good Spielberg movie but probably not one that I'm going to want to watch again any time soon. Maybe in 10 years ...
I loved the movie. Even watching a low def SAG screener I enjoyed it. However, both of my kids were in it (background and stand-in's), so perhaps that has something to do with it? I like the fact that it was filmed all on film, either 35, 16 or 8mm. And my kids were directed by the man himself. The greatest modern film director calling my daughter by name and explaining to her what he wanted her to do in a scene has to be a life highlight for her. It was for me. The film is good, sad as hell, but good. The shot of him projecting the film onto his hands, the camera setups, angles, Michelle, the music, lighting, David Lynch's cameo, the last shot in the movie breaking the fourth wall? C'mon, you know you want to watch it again..
That's about as special as it can definitely get. Olivia would be about the same age now as Ariana Richard's was when she played Lex in Jurassic Park.
Really enjoyed this—a must-see for anyone who ever shot 8mm as a kid. Tiny, tiny beef: Steven returns to his trademark slow zooms into people’s faces to hammer home the feels. But if I start to think he did this as a wink to us, I forgive him.
Finally saw The Fabelmans yesterday and the scene that she lays into, surely it’s not about Sammy using his film to make friends, it’s about Spielberg showing how Sammy learns the emotional power of movies. Thought some of dialogue was overwritten but didn’t find it overlong. The final scene at the studio was great and finishing with a visual joke was a lovely way to end it.
I did not care for this movie. It had an odd texture that I didn't care for. I didn't think the story was that special or presented in a special way. Maybe true, but I expected a little more positive or fun.
Actually, it's a dolly-in and then a slow tilt up as you go. Spielberg rarely, rarely uses a zoom lens per se. the "move in to the face" thing has become known as The Spielberg Face, and it's in pretty much every movie he's ever done. Don't get me wrong: it's a powerful technique, and it often works well. But at this point, I think we're all extremely aware that it's being done now. Yeah, it was presented as "the story of a teenager who eventually becomes the greatest filmmaker of modern times," but it's really about the tense relationships involved in a family going through a break up. I would've much preferred a story along the lines of 5-25-77, which has a lot more to do about the kid trying to be a filmmaker than his family life. At the same time, I get that The Fablemans is the story Spielberg wanted to tell; unfortunately, it's not a story I want to see, because it's boring as hell and was (in general) not fun.
How is this film getting all the praise of being brilliant? The direction was pedestrian as best. The script was, frankly, dense. To me it felt about as sophisticated as an ABC After School Special. Paul Dano was so cutesy and scrubbed as the father he came off more artificial than a bowl of wax fruit. Were people really so well-mannered and pleasant and well-dressed like they stepped out of "Miracle of 34th Street?" back tben? Come on. Take off the John Ford rose-colored sunglasses! The whole thing felt phony as hell, as Holden Caulfield might have said. When it comes to nostalgia film: Woody Allen > Steven Spielberg.
Pfff. I call it the "F.W. Murnau Face." Spielberg is great with the moving camera, but there were a few before him! As far as "kids making movies" stories, I liked JJ Abrams "Super 8" a LOT more. That's the way I felt about making movies as a kid (monster aside). And Abrams really captured a 70s feel. There was actually a real sense of period and real emotion in that film. And Spielberg produced it! "Super 8" felt more like a quality Spielberg film, circa CE3K, than the "The Fablemans" which lacked any sense of reality. I guess Spielberg made it to show his kids!
Love what you wrote, as that's exactly how I felt! I haven't seen 5-25-77 yet, but my interest is at peak after seeing The Fabelmans, which honestly didn't fulfill what I wanted from this film. I was, at the very least, expecting to see Stephen when he snuck onto the backlot of Universal for almost an entire summer when he really captured that "watched how it all gets done" stuff and then his early success, but this movie quits right when that "important" part was about to happen! Behind the scenes is what I want and NEED to see, hence why I loved the recent Godfather Paramount series The Offer, which I know that you weren't crazy about because they took too many liberties and I can appreciate that, especially from a true "behind the scenes" gentleman as yourself. This short clip, for this Spielberg fan, was better than anything that The Fabelmans offered, although I did love the scene when Stephen was making his little homemade summer family movie and (I don't want to spoil the rest of that scene for those who haven't seen it, but you'll know it when you see it!) And @Steve Hoffman why not share where your children are in the movie, as I find that far more interesting to me than this movie was as a whole.
Whoa, they made a movie about my life. 5-25-77 "Young, nerdy and alienated, Pat Johnson starts to make movies in his backyard after watching "2001: A Space Odyssey" in 1968. His passion for filmmaking grows even more when he becomes one of the first people to see "Star Wars" in 1977." lol. Exactly. "2001" and then Star Wars. Drove into NYC with my friend to see Star Wars opening day! Hahha. Trailer looks fun! (something lacking in the Fablemans)
Would you believe it if I told you that this dumba$$ (me), went to see "Black Sunday" that opening weekend, even though I could clearly see the buzz happening with the long lines right before my eyes at the theater! One of my most historic idiotic movie experience choices, LOL!
