Da Cap'n 2099 Posted November 4, 2016 Share Posted November 4, 2016 (edited) Sweeeeeeet. Did you go 3d? I'm gonna go in a couple o' weeks when the crowds die down. Totally looking forward to the visual zonkiness I saw in the trailers. Didn't go 3D, but wish I had. Might watch it again. Edited November 4, 2016 by Da Cap'n 2099 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keth Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 So this broke my top 5 I think. It was familiar, yet different. Very Iron Man-esque. I thought the fight scenes were fun and different (something I think Marvel could work on is losing the damn shaky cam during fisticuffs.) I agree the villan was meh, which is a damn shame, cause Mads Mikkleson deserved something more than what he was given. He acted the hell out of it though. There are two post credit scenes and both are great and add something to the whole film AND universe. And yeah the special effects were the real star. It was like watching an Escher drawing in motion. The music needs more praise too. Marvel could also use work in the scoring department, but the theme they used was memorable. Before the movie started, at the welcone screen they were playing some 80s style strangers thing type synth music, and I reallly wanted that to be in the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 This is a movie absolutely made for IMAX 3D. You're only doing yourself a disservice by not seeing it this way. Axels is right about the soundtrack; it has one of the most memorable themes for a superhero movie in a while. The whole vibe of the "trippiness" of the late 60s and early 70s is felt in the music--especially in the credits. The cloak of levitation should really be called the cloak of saving yo' ass. I was surprise dby the humor throughout this film--one reason I think people are comparing this so much tot he first Iron Man film. Another reason being Strange is much like Stark in that he's arrogant, sarcastic, and brilliant. The pacing of the film was great, and it clocks in at under two hours yet somehow feels too short. I think we could've easily done with another scene or two in Stephen's training. Mid-credit scene Most people would likely see this one coming given leaks about the cameo in Thor 3. Best part about it was the gloves! Post-credit scene It reminded me a lof of the end of Green Lantern--the whole amateur outshines the teacher and teacher turns villain base don a philosophical difference in their group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbie Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 (edited) Good Marvel movie with all it entails. Better soundtrack. I've seen mentions recently that Strange was a bit of a mascot of the hippy movement and even featured on a Pink Floyd album cover, so the trippy music vibe might be an homage to that? Or else just designed to fit with the whole Kathmandu spiritualist theme. I liked the fight scenes. One of the first Superhero movies in a while where I felt like they weren't overdone. Complaint 1: Didn't like Strange's personality, especially his humor, being basically Tony Stark 2.0 In all seriousness, you could recast this movie with a surgeon version of Downey's Tony and it would play the same. That's not a good sign for the character being his own man. I'd have preferred him to be a bit more explicitly haughty and disdainful as DOCTOR Strange and not so quippy. There's humor in that too if it's done right. Maybe they wanted to avoid House MD comparisons? Complaint 2: Mordo just goes suddenly evil and murderous?? I can accept that he shifts to seeing sorcerers as the problem with the world, but there's no sense in the movie that he has a ruthless streak so it comes too suddenly for me. Either he should have a longer sequence in a sequel to fall to the dark side or else this movie should have made us see him as a man willing to take harsh measures. But this movie actually positioned him as the guy most unwilling to cut corners and break rules. Special praise 1: Special effects, as amazing as they were, felt natural. A lot of it was subtle, like the mirror effects and a lot of it was in service to the fight scene or story. Special praise 2: Clever, unusual ending that was still superheroic. Because of it, I'm hoping Strange gets to tangle with Mephisto now. I feel like some of what they showed in the multiverse sequence was a setup for Mephisto. Something about the way parts of the voice over were paired with certain images.... Edited November 8, 2016 by Jumbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 per your spoiler: i mean, he's calmed down a lot since his days as the Operative for real, i didn't think it was a bad transition across the whole film, but then again my low bar is Sinestro in that Green Lantern flick, so yeah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbie Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 (edited) If Mordo had been the one to strand Strange on everest and leave him to figure out teleporting, it'd have been the kind of thing I'm talking about, where he seems like the kind of person who can push too hard. Instead, he was actively kind and wanted to go rescue Strange when he found out about Everest. There are only two places where he seems to have the fire for a villain turn which is when he said fight like you life depends on it and then again when he made some reference to Strange no knowing the things he's done in his life. I don't remember the details of the GL movie, but in the comics Sinestro turning bad was well signalled because of the way he used fear to maintain total order on his home planet as a GL. We knew this guy was a rule breaker from the start. Don't get me wrong. Mordo's disillusionment with his teacher and with the idea of soercery is well done. When he 'quits' at the end of th emovie, it was very believable that he was disgusted by Strange's recklessness and magic as a whole. But he was not murderous at all. And THAT is moment that had to be developed better. The post credit scene should have been him doing something more subtly evil, like stealing a book of forbidden knowledge from the library, echoing Stephen. It would have played to the idea of him finally breaking a rule and it would have felt more ominous because of the way it was used for humor before. Edited November 8, 2016 by Jumbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Cap'n 2099 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 When did Mordo murder tho (try saying that 5 times fast)? He took dude's power, sure, but he didn't kill him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Guys are kinda split on this one w/ Jay leaning more negative, but both bring up the problems with the film that've been mentioned before. I didn't notice the similarities with the Star Trek theme though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbie Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 (edited) Good point, Pancho, It was just the withering of the limbs at the end, not an actual death. I just kind of assumed it was a killing move. But I still stand by my point about it being out of character for what we saw of Mordo in the rest of the movie. Edited November 9, 2016 by Jumbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Cap'n 2099 Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Nah. He just saw to punish those who were exploiting magic. Not with death, but with correcting the "problem." Not out of character at all. And Haku, it was Mike that was leaning negative. Not Jay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Yeah, guy on the left that's the "brains" of that operation. My bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nemo McFly Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 (edited) Picked this up on blu today - just finished it. It was super-standard. I was expecting sum next-level stuff. It was so - damn standard. The humor really felt jarring and out of place - magic was just given to Strange by the movie - obligatory love interest, yet empty...it all felt really tame. Best way to describe it - standard and tame. FX looked cool, but...they were just FX. I would've liked a really unique movie - this felt like super-standard Hollywood fare. Good job of introducing the mystic side to the MCU - clear cut, easy to understand. Looking forward to Dr. Strange's part come the Infinity War. Giant missed opportunity for something really special. Kinda disappointed - but it's not a fail. Edited March 25, 2017 by Little Nemo McFly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Huh. Sorry to hear you were let down by it, Nemo. I wonder if I'll like it a smuch at home as I did in the theater. It was a great IMAX 3D experience, but that doesn't always translate to home theater for me. How were the special features on the BR? Worth the cost of a BR? I'm trying to decide if I want to pay full price for this or wait until Black Friday when it'll be $9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nemo McFly Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I can imagine the couple of set pieces being insane in IMAX - the FX were cool, but honestly - I wish there was more... ...of the kinda stuff like when he was first introduced to magic. Falling through the iris, all those little hands growing on his hands. Not talking necessarily nightmarish stuff, but just more interesting visuals...kinda like what we got at the end when he faced Dormamu in the Dark Dimension. That was the kinda ride I was hoping for. The Dark Dimension was on point. For the most part, the movie's FX were sparking lines of ember and folding buildings...I wanted sum 60s psychedelic / giant eyeballs stuff. (Dormamu's face was a great effect - that kinda stuff) I guess you can really only have access to that stuff when one is another reality altogether - I guess regular insane dimension hopping should have been a thing in this movie. The villain / antagonist / plot were soooo lukewarm. If it had a bigger plot (sumthing that lent itself to alternate reality jumping or alternate realities merging w/ our own), maybe provided by a more engaging menace - the opportunity to take the viewer / audience to a 'place / state' that didn't feel so...damn made-for-tv. (Everybody looked like they just got up off the make-up chair...the prestine sets...) Also, I didn't feel like Strange earned anything - he was told he could be healed by magic, went to location...effortlessly - was then given magic...simply, because. The whole thing could've / should've been better - not saying it's horrible...the best part was Cumberbatch as Strange - if you strip all that...awful, awful...awkward...trying-too-hard humor out. This movie could've been epic - on a lot of levels. A lot of Special Features - haven't gone through it all, yet, but it all looks sizable. It's got a Sneak Peek at Infinity War and Guardians 2. For 9 bucks? I say worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Yeah, your complaints in the spoilers are all valid--not enough training involved for Stephen, needed a bit more meat to the plot, could've done for some more magic. It's a solid film, but missing just enough elements to keep it outta the Top 5 MCU films... ...which are, in no order: Iron Man, The Avengers, Capt. America, Thor, and Cap II: Winter Soldier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Cap'n 2099 Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 (edited) Ahem, no Guardians of the Galaxy? Edited March 27, 2017 by Da Cap'n 2099 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nemo McFly Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Yeah, I've seen it legit like, 6 times now. Watched all the special features - still haven't done commentary, but I've given it a solid look. It's not a fail - by any means, just a weak...vision. As much as this movie gets praised for it's 'experimental film' level of FX (especially in the Special Features) they really could've pushed the premise father. W/ something like 'the introduction of magic' into the MCU w/ a character that is so very synonymous w/...'black light posters'..in a time when anything is possible in cinema / fx-wise...from an endless-wallet studio - my expections were high...especially after what Guardians did. It's not an utter...'not for me' / total misfire like, Ant-Man was (which is the rock bottom of the MCU for me) - but, I mean - Guardians of the Galaxy felt like it had more 'creative / artistic...COLORFUL hands than Dr. Strange did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Ahem, no Guardians of the Galaxy? Shit. You got me there. I'd have to kick out Cap 1 or Thor to make room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nemo McFly Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Aside all my complaints, I still think Dr. Strange has the single best moment / scene in the entire MCU - The death of the Ancient One. The conversation they have as she soaks in every last moment she can. When she lets go of his hand and he looks over and she's gone. Bam. New heights. THAT should have been the movie. For all the 'mysticism' they do - happy they don't touch the afterlife. They kept that moment as...'so where'd she go?' They didn't pull a 'return to the Life Stream'...disembodied voice-thing. That beautiful melancholy, mysterious vibe the sound a harpsichord gives off totally compliments that ultimate great mystery...and the tone the movie should've had: mysterious-ness-ness. Sucks the moment is punctuated w/ stupid cape antics. Next time anyone watches that scene and you hear the sound of a balloon slowly deflating off in the distance, when it's over...that's me. I'm sure they had a bunch of insane pitches from a bunch of insane visionaries. (It's Dr. Strange!) I kinda blame Disney / Marvel - I bet they wanted a tamer / non-controversial concept / premise for general audiences n' kids. Still hold that they should've focused on crazy dimensions / alternate realities...and out-of-this-world visuals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 ... Next time anyone watches that scene and you hear the sound of a balloon slowly deflating off in the distance, when it's over...that's me. Damn, thats fuckin' poetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nemo McFly Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 ^ LOL!!! I can't believe that aspect of the film got past test audiences - I think everyone felt the humor was kinda outta place. It felt 'serious' at times - like, the movie is playing it straight - then it hits the brakes to do Tony Stark / RDJ-silly adlib. The cape stuff was...damn, it was like Aladdin's magic carpet suddenly joined the cast. LOL - I was like, 'what are we doing here, guys?! We're doing slapstick now? Am I supposed to be laughing at this stuff?!' LOL People praise Ant-Man for being 'different' - but this flick suffers the same issue Ant-Man had...it seemed oddly focused on targeting the 'general audience'. I think Ant-Man and Dr. Strange live-action adaptions have the most potential for seriously insane visuals - and I think Ant-Man hit the bullseye on that front - but the humor and tone...seemed aimed at people who're 'gonna love it' but end up seeing the movie twice in their lifetime. Disney / Marvel needs to not be afraid to have unique 'chapters' in this 'Infinity Saga'. Would've loved to see what Ant-Man was before it changed artist's hands. Also, would kill to see all the pitches for the live-action Dr. Strange adaption. I'm sure there are decades worth on Strange. Sucks those two boats have sailed. They ended up being the most generic / standard of the bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted December 11, 2018 Share Posted December 11, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted December 13, 2018 Share Posted December 13, 2018 ^ Yeah, nice, but where my Mordo mention at tho? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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