Migration | Universal/Illumination | December 22, 2023

[MysteryMovieMogul]

What's really going to hurt this film is the name. I just searched "Migration" on Twitter, and every post was about actual migration of humans and extremely political in nature.

[AniNate]

If Pixar could succeed on the title Up, Migration shouldn't be much of an issue. It certainly has a more poetic sound to it than "Ducks!". 

 

Also Universal/Illumination aren't the kind of political flashpoint on social media that Disney is. Any attempt to manufacture a controversy out of the title would be laughed off Twitter.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by AniNate

[MysteryMovieMogul]

14 minutes ago, AniNate said:

If Pixar could succeed on the title Up, Migration shouldn't be much of an issue. It certainly has a more poetic sound to it than "Ducks!". 

 

Also Universal/Illumination aren't the kind of political flashpoint on social media that Disney is. Any attempt to manufacture a controversy out of the title would be laughed off Twitter.

 

 

Huh? I mean, searching the name of the film on Twitter gives completely unrelated results to the film. It's all related to real-world politics, completely divorced from the film or Illumination, the studio.

[AniNate]

Yes, Migration means a lot more things than a movie title, hence why I referenced Up. 

 

I wouldn't expect the movie to have a whole lot of discussion at this point regardless of what it's titled. Not much is known about it and film buff circles are I imagine still dismissing it as a rote diversion for kids (which I do prefer to the seething hatred that Wish incited). If you search "migration movie" or "migration illumination" though that does narrow things down considerably.

 

It is gonna be holding sneak previews in certain European territories next weekend, so likely gonna get some reactions then.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by AniNate

[dudalb]

On 11/20/2023 at 8:58 AM, MysteryMovieMogul said:

Over a month to go and they're already using the Minion short to advertise the film.

 

That right there tells me all I need to know about the film itself.

I saw the trialers, and for all the talk about Migration being creator driven, it looks like just another, by the numbers, Illlumination  annimated movie.

I also sense they will "borrow" quuite a bit from Madasgacar.

But it will probably sitill make money for Illumination.

I don't why people still think Illumination is going to somehow become a creative studio. They have no reason to become that, they do very well with formula films.

[AniNate]

They haven't had a director with Benjamin Renner's kind of resume until now. If this turns out to be mid, sure, I'll accept that Illumination corrupts everything they touch, but gonna assume the best here until there's indication otherwise based on reactions to the final product. Lord knows we need some kind of original mainstream movie to break out.

[dudalb]

20 minutes ago, AniNate said:

They haven't had a director with Benjamin Renner's kind of resume until now. If this turns out to be mid, sure, I'll accept that Illumination corrupts everything they touch, but gonna assume the best here until there's indication otherwise based on reactions to the final product. Lord knows we need some kind of original mainstream movie to break out.

I can only go by the trailers, and Migration looks no different then most Illumination films.

[dudalb]

On 11/25/2023 at 11:01 AM, MysteryMovieMogul said:

Huh? I mean, searching the name of the film on Twitter gives completely unrelated results to the film. It's all related to real-world politics, completely divorced from the film or Illumination, the studio.

Put the word movie after Migratation in the search engine, the  movie is the first thing that comes up.

If using a term with as many meanings as Migratatin, you need to be specific about what you want. 

[AniNate]

Checked to make sure this guy thought Wish and Elemental were meh before posting this

 

 

[SpiderByte]

It doesn't seem terrible but... "assuredly one of the best of all time" is a reach and a half 

[AniNate]

It's more along the lines of "best in a long time", which isn't that big of a stretch, especially if you don't consider Spiderverse 2 a "family movie" so to speak.

 

That's the second person I've seen that phrasing from but couldn't vet the other guy's actual critiquing as well.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by AniNate

[SpiderByte]

I don't really see how Spider-Verse isn't a family movie.

[Grand Cine]

We have previews in France today , globally good reviews , the animation style is the highlight of the movie , the scenario is classic but good

[AniNate]

Looking at Letterboxd trends does seem like general reception trending higher than Elemental and Wish (no star ratings less than 2/5 yet which is a good sign for unpolarized consensus). Seeing quite a bit of praise for the Powell score as well

 

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by AniNate

[AniNate]

Normally I hate reviews that shade another movie in it (especially one I liked), but when it comes to early reactions they're probably the best indicator that the author isn't a quote whore

 

 

[MysteryMovieMogul]

Eh, Wish is the easy target right now. How is it compared to Elemental, or more importantly, Illumination's Mario film?

[AniNate]

Appears he didn't care for Elemental either, think he might've been more positive on Mario but doesn't outright say it.

 

I don't think "Illumination fanboys" are really a thing so much as "Disney fanboys" though, and I don't believe Mario fans are all looking to prop this up just because it's Illumination. Even for me, main reason I'm rooting for this to succeed is the "Ernest and Celestine director makes the big time" storyline.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2023 by AniNate

[MovieMan89]

Ohhhh Ernest and Celestine director is behind this? Yeah, that changes everything. I am now wildly curious to see what an Illumination movie that is more than just “good” could do at the box office. May have put my eggs in the Wonka basket for crazy holiday multi when it could be this one…

Edited December 3, 2023 by MovieMan89

[AniNate]

I don't know about "more than good", but I do hope it's at least Illumination's best reviewed film, which this year might still be enough to get it some awards attention. It seems like it's the kind of movie that doesn't aim real high but hits the mark it does aim for perfectly, which is sorta what Renner was doing w Big Bad Fox. 

 

Itis in a similar position Puss 2 was last year of having zilch competition for two months after release which should help it at the box office. Ideally this does well enough that Renner achieves the kind of clout w Illumination that Lord and Miller have w Sony, and they actually are motivated to aim for something as transcendent as Ernest and Celestine in the future.

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by AniNate

[MovieMan89]

22 hours ago, AniNate said:

I don't know about "more than good", but I do hope it's at least Illumination's best reviewed film, which this year might still be enough to get it some awards attention. It seems like it's the kind of movie that doesn't aim real high but hits the mark it does aim for perfectly, which is sorta what Renner was doing w Big Bad Fox. 

 

Itis in a similar position Puss 2 was last year of having zilch competition for two months after release which should help it at the box office. Ideally this does well enough that Renner achieves the kind of clout w Illumination that Lord and Miller have w Sony, and they actually are motivated to aim for something as transcendent as Ernest and Celestine in the future.

 

Wonka is 100% direct comp though. I could see the two splitting more audience than I initially thought if Wonka is just decent and this is great.