Crunching the Numbers: Third Time's The Charm - It's The Final Countdown!

[cookie]

[Ezen Baklattan]

When you realize that one film separates you and @4815162342 level doom.

 

I know you liked the initial version I sent you, but I changed......a few things.

[4815162342]

The Lonely

 

Well now that was unsubtle. Social Media obsession is bad. Personal interactions are good. The main problem with the film is that it lacks any direction, it just meanders ahead with repeated examples of the main character being oblivious and ignorant and the whole wash-rinse-repeat of his social media activities. Then halfway through the dream world hits and the film, instead of going down a route of examining what is a clear sign of mental illness, just bores full-steam into the dream world as essentially a real parallel universe (that is until the very end when it goes "Psych! of course this place wasn't real!). There's really no payoff, just a long, slow slide into a hamfisted cautionary ending. It's a just a sad, monotonous, bleak film that doesn't get you invested in the main character, in fact it goes out of its way to show he is an ignorant asshat.

 

Maybe Dark Side absorbed all of my writing and I need to take a break into a dream world of my own to save strength for the big shots to come.

 

3.7/10

[YM!]

45 minutes ago, Isle of Pasta said:

When you realize that one film separates you and @4815162342 level doom.

 

I know you liked the initial version I sent you, but I changed......a few things.

You’re next. And I know the feeling.

[Hiccup23]

1 minute ago, 4815162342 said:

"There's really no payoff, just a long, slow slide............. It's a just a sad, monotonous, bleak film that doesn't get you invested in the main character, in fact it goes out of its way to show he is an ignorant asshat."

 

 

That was my intention and vision for the film. I didn't want you walking away being like, 'Oh that was a refreshing and enjoyable film!" I wanted a monotonous, bleak, and nihilistic film that would depress you as you left the cinema. 

 

I never intended this to be a crowd pleaser or Oscar film. I'd compare it to mother! and A Cure for Wellness. It is very much an artisty film that I think would have a small cult following if released into the real world. 

 

 

 

[cookie]

8 minutes ago, 4815162342 said:

Maybe Dark Side absorbed all of my writing and I need to take a break into a dream world of my own to save strength for the big shots to come.

 

1 hour ago, cookie said:

 

[4815162342]

Just now, cookie said:

 

 

 

Well I was referring to Spark since that's next.

 

But maybe not tonight.

Edited April 25, 2018 by 4815162342

[4815162342]

3 minutes ago, Hiccup23 said:

 

That was my intention and vision for the film. I didn't want you walking away being like, 'Oh that was a refreshing and enjoyable film!" I wanted a monotonous, bleak, and nihilistic film that would depress you as you left the cinema. 

 

 

 

You misunderstand a bit. It's more that there's no arc and it's just a slow inexorable slide.

Edited April 25, 2018 by 4815162342

[Xillix]

3 minutes ago, Hiccup23 said:

I'd compare it to mother! and A Cure for Wellness. It is very much an artisty film that I think would have a small cult following if released into the real world. 

 

 

 

TBH it felt more like It Comes at Night to me. A long slow movie with a simple statement to make on human nature but no story, or backstory, or memorable characters...

 

Sorry, but hey, Trey Edwards Shults is okay company to be in right?

[4815162342]

1 minute ago, Xillix said:

TBH it felt more like It Comes at Night to me.

 

[Hiccup23]

4 minutes ago, 4815162342 said:

 

You misunderstand a bit. It's more that there's no arc and it's just a slow inexorable slide.

 

Again, that is what I wanted. 

[Ethan Hunt]

3 minutes ago, Xillix said:

TBH it felt more like It Comes at Night to me. A long slow movie with a simple statement to make on human nature but no story, or backstory, or memorable characters...

 

Sorry, but hey, Trey Edwards Shults is okay company to be in right?

Boo! ICaN rules 

[Rorschach]

It Comes at Night was one of the best movies that came out last year.

 

ICaN>mother!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ACfW

[4815162342]

3 minutes ago, Hiccup23 said:

 

Again, that is what I wanted. 

 

Then I guess you got the reviews you wanted.

[Xillix]

Just now, Hiccup23 said:

 

Again, that is what I wanted. 

Which is fine I guess but it's a weird comparison to make to Mother or Wellness. A LOT of shit happens in those movies. Granted, not all of it REALLY happens but they just keep moving. They're descents into mood but they're full of interesting crazy stuff. The stuff the happens in your movie is... guy is lonely, guy pretends he isn't lonely on social media, guy has dream friends, guy goes to a bar once, guy kills himself. You needed a lot more eels and freaky rotten faceless people and hearts flushing down toilets and baby-eating.

 

...metaphorically speaking.

[Hiccup23]

Just now, Xillix said:

Which is fine I guess but it's a weird comparison to make to Mother or Wellness. A LOT of shit happens in those movies. Granted, not all of it REALLY happens but they just keep moving. They're descents into mood but they're full of interesting crazy stuff. The stuff the happens in your movie is... guy is lonely, guy pretends he isn't lonely on social media, guy has dream friends, guy goes to a bar once, guy kills himself. You needed a lot more eels and freaky rotten faceless people and hearts flushing down toilets and baby-eating.

 

...metaphorically speaking.

 

I meant, I wanted it to be bleak and nihilistic like those films. 

 

 

[Xillix]

1 minute ago, Rorschach said:

It Comes at Night was one of the best movies that came out last year.

 

ICaN>mother!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ACfW

I'm on record in another section of this forum stating I greatly prefer Amityville: The Awakening to It Comes at Night and I stand by that. I like artsy movies sometimes (Mother being one example) but that just crossed a line for me where it felt less inspired than lazy. Like maybe it would have been fine as a short movie but if all it was going to have was a theme instead of a plot then it shouldn't have been a feature-length release.

 

But w/e now I'm off topic.

[4815162342]

@Isle of Pasta 

 

[Ezen Baklattan]

2 minutes ago, 4815162342 said:

@Isle of Pasta 

 

BUT THE LIZARD PEOPLE

[4815162342]

@Isle of Pasta you already had a lot of feedback from me in pre-read land, so this will be short and focus on the changes:

 

• No more Alex-bot is probably for the best
• I get the removal of the power removal bit, but the choice Alex had between saving Teen Wolf and restoring her powers had some meat to it, and the reveal of Teen Wolf having powers and his reaction was fun
• Perthena having a bigger role and not a sudden random death was nice. Character has more flavor.

Spoiler

 

I'm gonna be honest. The original Venchell was substantially better than the one we have here. It's a well-written role, but it feels too much like a having cake but eating it too scenario by going over-the-top at times in trying to have Venchell be righteous and sympathetic. The idea of the sins of the founders coming back to haunt them with targeted assassinations and terror is a good one, but I think it got muddled by the decision to make Venchell a Hero of His Own Story rather than an embittered, vengeful antagonist.

 

Also the Everett twist felt a bit better in the original version, with a cleaner explanation of what was really going on with him.

 

I think the best tactic would have been to utilize a good bit of the villain plot rewrite, but packaged with losing-his-marbles Jake G consumed by the need to make the others feel his pain and loss.

 

 

8.1/10 (pre-read version was probably a 8.6 or 8.7)