Please tell me we’re not going to call JunkieXL by his legal name…
During the movie, in one of the chase-action scenes, I made the comment “This movie also has an awesome score”. Always a sign of a good score, when you notice how good it is, in the middle of nowhere.
Hard to believe, but this is actually Burwell’s first Oscar nomination.
Finally resaw this for the first time since opening weekend and, man, i liked it so much more the 2nd time. The awful Dbox-experience (which was as thrilling as someone kicking your chair periodically) and washed out look of post-processed 3D really diminished my appreciation of the movie. On a home theatre experience, I was amazed at how beautiful the cinematography is. It was also just easier to pick up more of the world building lore, which seemed less goofy this time around. And I also really liked the music and how it drove the action, which was also the case in Road Warrior. The music is so much more impactful than in Force Awakens, for instance.
I wonder how this movie would have worked out if they’d kept Mel Gibson as Max - probably distracting and his scenes with Charliez wouldn’t have worked near as well, although they could have gone for a more benevolent paternal relationship, which might have tied into the flashbacks of his daughter well.
I’d like to see more from George in this world, although if this is all we ever get from him, it was a hell of a finale, which sure washed away the wretchedness of Thunderdome.
I love the idea of this, particularly since Max is a hero I grew up with. It would have been cool to see him aging along the rest of us and I love the dynamic you’re suggesting with Furiosa. It certainly served Force Awakens well. However, Mel Gibson has far too much Crazy Old Man celebrity baggage at this point. It would have to be another older actor. Hmm. Let’s see. Richard Jenkins*?
-Tom
- kidding**
** not really
Yeah, I think you’ve got the right of it. While Old Max could be a neat concept, nobody is touching Mel Gibson these days.
For good reason, mind you. Could you imagine being the marketing director for a film trying to keep Mel from saying something horrible/ dumb? You’d be popping Tums like candy.
Harrison Ford.
Dwayne Johnson with CGI to make him look old.
I recently read a good bit about how mysterious it is that guys like Polanski, Mike Tyson, etc. can continue to get good work despite committing literal felonies (and in Tyson’s case, heading to jail for it, albeit under dubious circumstances), while Gibson mouths off (in an, admittedly particularly foul way) and is shut out for life. I don’t think it’s a particularly novel line of thought (Googling to find where I read it recently tuns up a ton of thinkpieces over the last 5 years), but the disparity’s a little odd from my angle, at least.
I don’t know that I have a good answer for it, or more accurately I have an answer I think has at least some truth to it, but that truth is somewhat depressing.
The key difference is the presence of video, or in Mel’s case audio. An easily digestible, endlessly repeatable, clip that every news station can run with. Case in point: Ray Rice. Once that video came out he was done.
So because Mel Gibsons transgressions are recorded for all to hear, and his current propensity for making such statements, it would seem more risky for said marketing person. Who knows what he’ll say on some late night talk show!
Doesn’t mean it’s right, or that I agree, but that seems to be how it is.
So for that reason alone I’m glad they did a new Max, the movie was good, wouldn’t want that specter tarnishing it at all.
Gibson was o.k. in Expendables 3, but I agree with your point - he’d just be too distracting and his wretched past would feature into every review or consideration of the movie.
I think CraigM is right that a video makes it harder for anyone to forget - it wasn’t such a big deal when Gibson said offensive things after being pulled over by a traffic cop - it was really only when his audiotaped abusive calls came out that he was done. I wish he was still able to get money to direct movies though - that I don’t really understand, as he consistently produced interesting films with incredibly high ROI.
It also doesn’t help that he hasn’t tried to hold off aging, and drinking and unlucky genetics have had him age badly. While a guy like Paul Newton or Clint looked great no matter what the age, Mel looks like crap now, and is just doesn’t look like a leading man any more.
I thought Fury Road was a bad movie. I finished it, but just barely. I was shocked that it got a best picture nomination.
>_>
…
Why didn’t you like it, Olaf?
Seems he found $55M. His new movie is in post production.
Why? Dude’s entitled to his opinion regardless of how minority it may be. I’ll repeat Pogue’s Law: there is no <thing> that is so awesome that someone doesn’t hate it. Also true is Pogue’s Corollary, no <thing> is so awful that someone doesn’t love it.
YOU CAN TAKE MY STAR CONTROL 3 INSTALL DISC FROM MY COLD, DEAD HANDS!!!
I subscribe to Pogue’s law, too. In all honesty, I was just looking for a cheeky excuse to post that .gif. I absolutely hate some films that are pretty much universally adored (eg: The Avengers), and liking or disliking something is never, ever an accomplishment or something to be proud of. That said, I would love to hear why Olaf thought Fury Road was a bad film.
I’m kind of shocked that Fury Road received a best picture nomination, despite the critical acclaim. I can’t think of another time the academy recognized an action film.