View Poll Results: Cruella

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Thread: Cruella (Craig Gillespie)

  1. #1

    Cruella (Craig Gillespie)

    Last Seen:
    Pantheon, S2 (C. Silverstein, 2023) ☆
    Pantheon, S1 (C. Silverstein, 2022)
    Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garc?a (S. Peckinpah, 1974)
    Crouching Tiger, Hidden, Dragon (A. Lee, 2000)
    Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (J. McNaughton, 1986) ☆
    Blowup (M. Antonioni, 1966) ☆
    Io capitano (M. Garrone, 2023) ☆
    Raging Bull (M. Scorsese, 1980)
    Network (S. Lumet, 1976) ☆
    Sideways (A. Payne, 2004) ☆

    First time ☆

  2. #2
    In the belly of a whale Henry Gale's Avatar
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    101 Damnneedledrops

    (Seriously, you hire Nicholas Britell to score your movie and then pay untold fortunes to license classic songs to play in every scene instead?! Perhaps a more sinister act than anything any character commits on screen.)

    Fairly enjoyable, mostly due to its cast, its stunning and tangible production design, and (as far as these live action Disney adaptations go) for feeling like it's attempting to do something different. Unfortunately, it's in needing to exist in the parameters of being an IP that feels like its biggest hindrance. Its very catalyst for existing as a movie about the character we eventually know Cruella to be in every other iterations of her story is what constantly constrains it from being the totally different type of story it seems to want to be. The movie basically pulls all punches with going anywhere truly appalling or even conflicting with her, and whenever it does tease potentially doing so, it always steers back to making her pretty sympathetic.

    So in that sense, looking at it closer to a alternate origin and timeline of the character going down a not-as-villainous path (like the Maleficent movies) probably works best, since it's hard to imagine Stone's Cruella later regressing to suddenly lack enough humanity or emotional stability to want to kill dozens of dogs for coats, since her where this movie leaves the character seems to want to assure she's shed most of the trauma and turmoil that drove her more wild impulses. Also, I'm pretty sure the third act twist could've been written out as it feels completely unnecessary and muddles much of what the script was seemingly leaning into wanting to say before that point, but at least it does give the two leads an opportunity to turn up their already delicious scenery-chewing even louder, which they deliver on beautifully.

    So basically, in viewing it as something other than a true prequel, while remembering the slick and fun heists and fashion-show-crashing stuff, as well as the two Emma's fantastic sparring, it all feels like a success, if one as mild as its very interpretation of Ms. de Vil herself.

    6.2
    Last 11 things I really enjoyed:

    Speed Racer (Wachowski/Wachowski, 2008)
    Safe (Haynes, 1995)
    South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Parker, 1999)
    Beastie Boys Story (Jonze, 2020)
    Bad Trip (Sakurai, 2020)
    What's Up Doc? (Bogdanovich, 1972)
    Diva (Beineix, 1981)
    Delicatessen (Caro/Jeunet, 1991)
    The Hunger (Scott, 1983)
    Pineapple Express (Green, 2008)
    Chungking Express (Wong, 1994)

  3. #3
    Not particularly interested in seeing this, but I have a feeling that this scene, and the expression on Cruella's mother's face (or at least, the complete lack of it, given the circumstance she's in) is destined for widespread meme-ing:

    []

  4. #4
    Quote Quoting StuSmallz (view post)
    Not particularly interested in seeing this, but I have a feeling that this scene, and the expression on Cruella's mother's face (or at least, the complete lack of it, given the circumstance she's in) is destined for widespread meme-ing:

    []
    Mmm, whatcha say?
    Mmm, that you only meant well?
    Well, of course you did
    Mmm, whatcha say?
    Mmm, that it's all for the best?
    Of course it is
    Last Seen:
    Pantheon, S2 (C. Silverstein, 2023) ☆
    Pantheon, S1 (C. Silverstein, 2022)
    Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garc?a (S. Peckinpah, 1974)
    Crouching Tiger, Hidden, Dragon (A. Lee, 2000)
    Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (J. McNaughton, 1986) ☆
    Blowup (M. Antonioni, 1966) ☆
    Io capitano (M. Garrone, 2023) ☆
    Raging Bull (M. Scorsese, 1980)
    Network (S. Lumet, 1976) ☆
    Sideways (A. Payne, 2004) ☆

    First time ☆

  5. #5
    Cinematographer Mal's Avatar
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    Its a childs memory or shall I say… incorrect memory. Dun dun dun. Cannot believe I liked this movie but Emma vs Emma was a lot of fun. Also Jasper and Horrace (Joel Fry and Paul Walter Hauser) are totally delightful chaps. I think I enjoyed this more than any other live-action disney cash grab in recent times since Cinderella. Its story has bits of darkness, though considering the center of it being Emma Thompson as such a mean, nasty designer, it all flows to its conclusion more or less successfully. Good, never great. Doesn’t need to exist, though for all its callbacks and setting, not done cheaply.
    Last edited by Mal; 05-31-2021 at 12:39 AM.

  6. #6
    Sunrise, Sunset Wryan's Avatar
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    A total surprise for me, and a delight often enough. This is a movie with two souls--one obvious, one devious. Some of the plot machinations are creaky and the need to remind audiences of its birthright mostly tired, yet much of it feels like someone streaking across the Disney parking lot. Not a revolutionary act in toto, but a game attempt nonetheless. It's best to go in having purged the memory of animation and Glenn Close (and "origin story," blech) as best you can, letting the movie work its way in via other avenues. Stone reminds us that she's often just super fun to watch as well as a fine actor. Thompson is miles above this material, but you never feel it; she wholly invests and creates a wonderful monster, even as comparisons to Streep's Prada are inevitable. There's a lot of awful cgi (canine variety or not), accompanied by an absolute fusillade of terribad wigs for Stone (even if they sort of fit the ambiance). But this is a romp, by turns puckish, fleet and barbed every which way. If there's something with more acid-tinged fingernails underneath trying to claw its way out, at least it's not suffocating.
    "How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive?"

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  7. #7
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    Very mild yay, due mostly to its performances. This is a deeply confused film, in that it posits itself clearly as *the* prequel to the animated film -- with all bits of characters and other stuff as groundwork, even when it barely fits the story like Roger -- but the story told over two long hours still barely points this character towards the original Cruella at all. Feels like a case of Disney wanting to have its cake and eats it too -- needing the original film for easy IP recognition, marketing, and aesthetic, but can't commit to the potentially alienating path of actual villain origin.

    Still, the core story here is fun enough that one wishes a more capable director has a go at it, as Craig Gillespie way over-caffeinates this the same way he did with I, Tonya, overloading the soundtrack and amping up the hyperness that once again reeks of insecurity in engaging the audience. It's especially egregious here because the fashion show background and heist operations should have some sustained spectacle or tension, but editing and rushing the set-pieces to ribbons dilute the surface pleasure down too much.

    The battle of its two Emmas, both excellent, remains fun enough to overcome that a bit though, along with their lively supporting ensemble (Paul Walter Hauser in particular seems to have an infectiously grand time). Stone especially injects both charisma and pathos into her characterization despite the direction and script. Her monologue at the fountain before the climax briefly and remarkably snaps the film back into human-sized dimension, which the film desperately needs by that point if the ending is going to have any impact at all. 6/10
    Midnight Run (1988) - 9
    The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - 8.5
    The Adventures of Robinhood (1938) - 8
    Sisters (1973) - 6.5
    Shin Godzilla (2016) - 7.5

  8. #8
    I'm the problem it's me DFA1979's Avatar
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    Quote Quoting StuSmallz (view post)
    Not particularly interested in seeing this, but I have a feeling that this scene, and the expression on Cruella's mother's face (or at least, the complete lack of it, given the circumstance she's in) is destined for widespread meme-ing:

    []
    That part looks really hilariously bad. Sure it's out of context but it doesn't inspire me to see this movie. I'll just wait until Disney+ pulls it off of premium.
    Blog!

    And it's happened once again
    I'll turn to a friend
    Someone that understands
    And sees through the master plan
    But everybody's gone
    And I've been here for too long
    To face this on my own
    Well, I guess this is growing up

  9. #9
    Evil mind, evil sword. Ivan Drago's Avatar
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    The opening scene may be poorly staged, some of the music cues don’t work, and it uses too much narration in the first act, but the script succeeded in making me feel empathy for Cruella despite her progression toward villainy, the cast was charismatic and clearly having fun, the makeup, production and costume designs are tremendous. I had more fun watching this than I expected.
    Last Five Films I've Seen (Out of 5)

    The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse (Mackesy, 2022) 4.5
    Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Crawford, 2022) 4
    Confess, Fletch (Mottola, 2022) 3.5
    M3GAN (Johnstone, 2023) 3.5
    Turning Red (Shi, 2022) 4.5
    Tokyo Story (Ozu, 1953) 5

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  10. #10
    A Platypus Grouchy's Avatar
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    This was precisely the fun romp it was made out to be, and a great vehicle for Emma Stone's most deranged performance to date. It's funny how Tim Burton's style has been so efficiently digested by the mainstream that it can be now delivered by other directors - makes me wonder what the man himself will turn out in the last stretch of his career. I do understand the legitimate complaint that she doesn't murder any dalmatians, although, seriously, what did you expect? Loses a few points by overstaying its welcome with a bloated third act.

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