So you doubled down on the "motion capture" with Beowulf. You too Ms. Wright. You were in this. Or, rather, an unreasonable facsimilie of you was in this.
Actually, it's a pretty song, nicely sung (did you supply the singing voice, Robin?); but what's with the bizarre cutaway? I mean, you're already making me watch motion capture; couldn't you at least just tell the story normally? And why was Ray Winstone playing Beowulf? Wasn't he a Brit known for playing Brit gangsters up to that point? Thinking back on Beowulf, which, yes, I actually saw at a theater; I recall thinking they did a really good job of making Ray look like Chris Hemsworth (although he was just starting out then, so maybe I was thinking Brad Pitt?). But I was definitely thinking of British gangsters the entire time I was watching the movie. I mean, there wasn't a Skaarsgaard that couldn't have taken the role? Alexander maybe?
Actually, this movie didn't flop. It wasn't some crazy hit; but it did okay in the long run. Not so much your next feature; and I think the less we say about this, the better. 2009's A Christmas Carol. Released by The Walt Disney Company. I know this story, which I dearly love, literally has horror elements. But one of those, I'm thinking, really shouldn't be Scrooge's face. Here are some depictions of Scrooge, via the movies, over the years:
Moving on...
Flight (2012): Netflixed and chilled this one. Denzel Washington flying a jumbo jet upside down. Didn't The Concorde: Airport '79 aleready cover that? Don't you miss those movies that had the cast photos in a little grid on the poster? Let's take a look!
Yes, David Naughton; because I really think he got the short end of the stick when it came to his career.
Allied (2016): Now, I saw this at the movies. So you finally did get Brad Pitt! I liked it a lot. But I was confused by it. It didn't really seem to know what it wanted to be. It was kind of a remake of Above Suspicion; a Joan Crawford/Fred MacMurray vehicle that wasn't particularly popular, even in 1943.
Oh, here's my Barbie doll movie from the early aughts, if you're interested (WARNING: Contains genital-free sex!):
Now let's get back to The Walk (2018). I FREAKIN' LOVED THIS MOVIE! Talk about original. It was a movie about a French tightrope walker who did it between the World Trade Towers. A niche moment in history if there ever was one. What the movie really is, is a love letter to New York City and the Towers themselves. I saw it with Joseph in 2-D and loved it so much; went back by myself to see it again in 3-D. It was intense! I heard a lot of people walked out because they couldn't take it. And I'm afraid of heights! I was hooked when I saw the teaser trailer.
I have to thank you though. You are one of the few major directors who will do unusual material like Welcome to Marwen and The Walk.
Let me pitch a project idea that might tickle your fancy. It's the story of Klackers; the toy that got taken off the market because of its tendency to explode. It has a lot of your favorite boxes to check off: imperilled tykes, the late 60's/early 70's, unusual subject matter, quintessential Americana, rags to riches, etc. etc. And these "business model" movies have been all the rage. Aren't we getting one about Pop-Tarts?
Here's a commercial to get your imagination going:
Ciao.
CFR 4/30/24