1/3/2018 0 Comments Torrent Flesh Feast 3d½ Despite the familiar title this movie is actually a blend of the classic 1967 Jungle Book movie from Disney, and Rudyard Kipling's collective works based around the adventures of Mowgli. So basically you're getting bits that you will probably recognise taken straight outta the Disney classic, and bits that have been taken from the original stories that were left out of the Disney classic. Although I will say right now that I have not seen the Disney movie since I was a kid and I have never read any of the Kipling stories sooo.I know almost zippo here. Yet.I believe most of this is generally coming from the Disney version, more so than the original stories, seemed that way. The plot is very simple with this tale, simple and dumb. A baby Mowgli is left for dead in the Indian jungle after his father is killed by the ferocious tiger Shere Khan. Luckily Mowgli is found by a black panther named Bagheera and taken to a pack of Indian wolves to be looked after. The wolf Raksha raises Mowgli as one of her own in the depths of the jungle, Mowgli becomes a man cub. Everything is fine and dandy until one day Shere Khan decides he wants to eat Mowgli, so the wolves (and other animal friends) decide it would be best to send Mowgli back to his own people. So yeah you gotta take all this with a huge pinch of cosmic salt naturally. Firstly, the animals all have names because of course they do, secondly, they obviously talk.but some don't?? Don't question it. Strati, (pictured) which is Italian for 'layers', has a chassis made of one solid piece and was printed by Arizona-based Local Motors. Pound of Flesh 2015. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter 2014. Or My Mom Will Shoot 1992. Pride and Glory 2008. Blackhat 2015. Last Knights 2015. Feast of Love 2007. A Good Marriage 2014. CIA Code Name: Alexa 1992. Careful What You Wish For 2015. The Mummy Resurrected 2014. The Backpacker 2011. Thirdly, the plot makes no fecking sense at all, why didn't Bagheera take Mowgli straight back to the human camp (or any humans) when he first found him? What possible good could come from giving him to a pack of wolves to be raised?? Clearly he would never fit in because he's a bloody human being, hello? Lastly, why on earth does it take many years before Shere Khan decides he wants to kill Mowgli? Did he not notice the human child being raised by the wolves? I mean, they all live in the same vicinity do they not. Yes OK its a children's fantasy, but still, no sense whatsoever (and that goes for the Disney version also). Anyway this being a modern movie the main hook will of course be the visual effects, the visual CGI effects and how mesmerising they can be, but are they? Well they are and they aren't really, on one hand the backdrops and locations are gorgeous to look at, even of they are all fake. But if there's one thing CGI can do well its landscapes in the background and oh my this doesn't disappoint. What's even more impressive is some (or all) of these backdrops and landscapes are actually based on real locations in India (so I've read), so even though its CGI magic, its based on real mother Earth. That being said it still can't escape the dreaded greenscreen monster which always rears its ugly head against the live action Mowgli. I'm afraid I have the same complaints with the CGI creatures too. On one hand some of the animals look truly amazing, incredibly authentic.such as the elephants, Bagheera, the wolves, Shere Khan and various smaller mammals. On the other hand some animals look obviously CGI and in some cases hokey.such as Baloo the bear, the monkeys, King Louie, Kaa the snake etc.Another issue I had was the implementation of the actors features into some of the animal characters. This mainly stands out with both Baloo/Bill Murray and King Louis/Christopher Walken. Why the flip would you want either animal to have similar facial features to the voice actor?? It makes Baloo look ridiculous and King Louie look positively scary with his glaring sky blue eyes. Speaking of King Louis, my God! Since when is King Kong in this story?! Jesus Christ they really fudged up on that. Changing Louis from an Orangutan to a Gigantopithecus might be more accurate for the creatures native habitat but it will scare the shit outta the kids! Plus the whole size thing is ludicrous. Segue of sorts onto the voice work here, nope! Now don't get me wrong, most of the animal voices were fine here, mainly because I wasn't really sure who was providing the voices, and that's exactly what you want, what you need!! The casting of Bill Murray, Edris Elba and Christopher Walken was terrible! Absolutely terrible! Bill Murray is literally just doing his usual Bill Murray-ish, deadpan, sarcastic ramblings which might work most of the time, but lets be clear, doesn't work all of the time and in no way fit this character. Walken was clearly given the role to give King Louie a comical, light-hearted, crime kingpin-esque twist on the character which again isn't really right (plus he's too scary for the kids). And lastly Elba voices Shere Khan.so a Bengal tiger with a cockney accent, riiight. I'm sorry but these recognisable voices just didn't fit the bill for me and threw me right out of the picture every time. Naturally the two Disney songs forced in didn't help in any way either, holy schnitzel Walken's singing was atrocious. Without the background chorus from the other monkeys (in the Disney classic) the song just sounds bad, plain bad, all the oo oo oo's and so forth really sound stupid without backup vocals. But needless to say there was really no need for the songs at all, the movie is going for a more sensible approach based on the original stories, the songs were a Disney thing, the two don't really blend here. This ultimately just felt like a cheap nostalgia hook. I also found myself questioning many many stupid points and some plot holes along the way. It is mentioned that elephants are treated almost like Gods of the jungle, that they created the jungle by creating rivers with their tusks etc.wut?? How are they so God-like exactly? Oh and why do elephants apparently not speak? Come to think of it birds don't speak either. Near the start Mowgli is trying to escape from Khan, he finds himself jumping into a muddy trench which suddenly gets clobbered by a stampede of buffalo.yet he survives this by managing to grab onto a passing buffalo horn and riding to safety. Remember, this Mowgli is live action, not a cartoon. Towards the finale Shere Khan is able to beat all the wolves and Bagheera at the same time which in itself is pretty impressive, yet none of the other animals help, not even the rhinos who could surely beat Khan. As Mowgli races back from the human camp with a lit torch he accidentally manages to start a [b]HUGE[/b] jungle fire that spreads real fast, from a single ember? At the same time as this Mowgli also manages to run all the way back to the area he grew up in (with the wolves), from the human camp which I thought was a long distance away?? I mean, the whole movies runtime is spent following Mowgli progress further and further away from his home (with the wolves), because he's supposed to be going back to the humans (supposedly some distance from where the animals dwell deep in the jungle). But then right at the end he's able to run all the way back in an instant. Oh and I might mention that both Baloo and Bagheera see where Mowgli is headed at this point in time, but are unable to catch him.and they're animals. One final point which kinda sums up the cheapness of the plot here, Baloo is seemingly bitten badly by Khan in the final fight. I say seemingly because nothing happens with it, it happens, we see it, and there are no consequences. Next scene he's all good and we're moving on. Surprising actually as I was expecting a really gooey emotional moment with that. So in the end what does this offer over the Disney classic? Well not much frankly, visuals aside not very much at all and that's because this movie is essentially all about the visuals. They have used all sorts of new special effects jiggery-pokery for creating realistic animal animations (courtesy of Weta) which admittedly do look slick and sexy for the most part, and as said backgrounds and landscapes do also look fantastic. There are times when this does look more like an educational documentary, and I have since learned more about the jungles of India, but overall I simply can't help but think that's all this is. A glossy effects flick showcasing how good glossy effects can look with the right amount of dosh thrown at them. There was really no need to make a live action version of this tale, for me personally, it just doesn't look right, probably never will, and will always look better animated. In all honesty I can see myself saying the same thing about other future obligatory live action remakes ('The Lion King'). But yet again I find myself asking how this movie did so well, have movie standards really dropped so low? Do people just accept anything average now? Sure this is a fair ride but its nothing special, in no way. A bland, simple remake with shiny effects, generally bog standard A-list voice work, glaring plot holes and touch and go with whether or not its too scary for the kids, hmmm. The Jungle Book is a boring, mechanical, reimagining of a Disney Classic I never found too enticing to begin with. Despite a commendable effort by Sethi the film just lacks the authentic charm and warmth that it chooses to emulate. As a result the movie meanders from one over extravagant set piece to the next as we watch the awkward characters play out their roles with unbelievable motive around a child that is obviously being dictated to rather than having any semblance of free will. By the final acts I was practically begging for the movie to end. It seemed like only a matter of time before those in the Mouse House started looking through the back catalogue of hits for inspiration. The Jungle Book is a live-action remake of the 1967 Disney animated film, but it's only the first of many such translations to come. A live-action Beauty and the Beast is being filmed currently and plans are underway for a possible live-action Aladdin as well, though I pity the actor with the unenviable task of replacing the beloved Robin Williams. I was wary of director Jon Favreau's (Iron Man) version just because it seemed, on the surface, like a quick attempt to fleece the public of their hard-earned money with a repackaged movie. What I got instead was a brilliantly executed adventure story with a beating heart, amazing special effects, and ultimately an improvement on the original. Imagine that. Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is a boy raised by a pack of wolves. He tries to fit in with his pack but he grows a bit too slow and he can't help himself with 'tricks,' making tools. During a drought that signals a jungle wide peace between predator and prey, the feared tiger Shere Kahn (Idris Elba) lets the rest of the animals know his demands. The 'man cub' is to leave or Kahn will hunt him down. The mother wolf, Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o), refuses to part with her child but Mowgli volunteers to leave to keep his pack safe. Kahn chases him deeper onto the outskirts of the jungle where Mowgli teams up with Baloo (Bill Murray), a lackadaisical bear who makes use of his partner's affinity for tools and building contraptions. Mowgli's new life is interrupted when he learns Kahn has attacked the wolf pack with the desire for Mowgli to return and face his wrath. Mowgli must team up with the friends of the jungle and use all his bravery and skills to defeat the ferocious Shere Kahn who has been lusting for vengeance for years. Favreau's version of The Jungle Book is a thrilling and thrillingly immersive visual experience that opens up the big screen as an exciting canvas. The visual wizards have made an entire ecosystem look photo realistic to the point that if somebody said offhand that Jungle Book was shot on location in India, I wouldn't think twice. The environments are entirely CGI and they are brilliantly brought to life in a seamless recreation I haven't seen so effective since 2009's Avatar. It's stunning what can be accomplished with modern special effects, and then there's Favreau's smart decision not to radically anthropomorphize his animal cast. These are not some hybrid human-animal combination but rather flesh-and-blood wild creatures that just happen to speak English when they open their mouths (depending upon your territory). The animals don't fall into that pesky uncanny valley where your brain is telling you what you're watching is fake and unsettling to the senses (see: The Polar Express). The animals and behave like the real deal and further cement the exceptional level of realism of the movie. From a purely visual experience, The Jungle Book is a feast for the eyes that helps raise the bar just a little bit higher for the special effects industry and its proper application. The movie would only succeed so far if it weren't also for its engaging story. Let's be honest about the 1967 Disney animated film: it's not really a good movie. It's fun and has some memorable songs (more on that below), but as a story it's pretty redundant and flimsy. Mowgli bounces around one potential animal group to another trying to find a home only to move on to the next prospective foster situation. I never made the connection before but in a way the movie North is this plot, minus the talking animals and general entertainment value. There are long segments of the original Disney film that coast just on the charisma of the vocal actors and the animation. Certainly the Beatles parody characters haven't aged well. There was plenty that could have been added to this story and screenwriter Justin Marks does just that, making the characters far more emotionally engaging. I felt a swell of sadness as Mowgli is separated from his wolf family, his mother declaring that no matter what he still is her son. Marks also personalizes the stakes between Mowgli and Shere Kahn. Each side has a grudge to settle when it comes to vengeance rather than Kahn rejecting the 'man cub' out of general fear. This Mowgli is also a much more interesting protagonist; he's plucky and uses his 'man cub' other-ness as an asset when it comes to problem-solving. We have a better hero, a better villain, wonderfully brought to life through the velvety roar of Elba, and a small band of supporting characters that are more emotionally grounded. The wolf pack feels like a genuine family, a community. The relationship between Mowgli and Baloo becomes the backbone of the second half of a briskly paced movie, and the predictable narrative steps feel earned, from Baloo's con job to caring for his lil' buddy. The attention to the characters and their relationships provides a healthy sense of heart. The vocal cast is expertly matched with their jungle creatures, notably Elba (Beasts of No Nation) and Murray (St Vincent). Murray has an innate way to make his lazy character endearing. Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave) gives a much better motion capture performance as a wolf than whatever the hell she was in The Force Awakens. Scarlet Johansson (The Avengers) is a nice addition as Ka the serpent, and as fans of Her can attest, her breathy voice can indeed be quite hypnotizing. Even the small comic relief animals are well done including the brilliant Gary Shandling in his last film role. Motion capture for non-primates seems like an iffy proposition considering that you're either forcing the human actors to physically walk on all fours and pretend to be animals, which can be silly, or just copying the direct movements of animal models, which seems redundant then with the technological advances. I don't know how they did it but it seems like The Jungle Book found a working middle ground that still showcases actor performances. With a movie that works so well on so many levels, the few faulty areas tend to stand out, and I feel like somewhat of a cad to say that one of the biggest problems is the acting from its child star. I'll give Sethi some leeway here considering he was never interacting with much more than a giant warehouse of blue screens, which I think we've shown doesn't exactly lend itself toward the best live-acting performances (see: Star Wars prequels). When Sethi is in more action-oriented scenes, like running and jumping and generally being physically mobile, his performance improves. However, when he has to shift to portraying emotions beyond fight-or-flight that is where Sethi has trouble. When he's playing 'happy-go-lucky' early on with his wolf brethren, he's way too animated in that way that unrestrained child actors can be without a proper anchor to moor their performance. There were moments that made me wince. I see no reason why an actor under ten should be immune to criticism when warranted. We live in an age of amazing child acting performances, notably evidenced by the incredible Jacob Tremblay in Room. We should expect better from our smaller actors. Unfortunately for Sethi, the visual spectacle is so luscious that the one human element sticks out more when he is also delivering a mediocre to poor lead performance. The other minor detraction for Jungle Book is the inclusion of the two songs that really anyone recalls from the original Disney version, 'I Want to Be Like You' and 'The Bear Necessities.' I'll even charitably give 'Bear Necessities' a pass as it involves a moment of levity and bonding between Mowgli and Baloo and they're simply singing to themselves as they relax down the river. It's also the most famous song and if you think about it the 'Hakuna Matata' of its day. 'I Want to Be Like You' does not deserve the same consideration. It comes at an awkward time and undercuts the build-up of tension and does nothing short of rip you out of the world of the movie. At this point, we've been introduced to the hulking presence of King Louie voiced by Christopher Walken. The giant ape is portrayed like a mafia don and his sit-down with Mowgli has a real menace to it as he wants to provide 'protection' for the man club at a price. It's a moody moment and then this big orangutan starts singing and dancing. The illusion and reality of the movie is broken. At no other point does The Jungle Book come close to breaking its reality and it's all for such an extraneous moment. There's nothing conveyed in this song that couldn't have simply been communicated through speech. Instead, the live-action movie makes a tortured homage to the older Disney source material, and it's the one major misstep in its approach. The Jungle Book is a magical movie that actually improves upon its cinematic source material. It's a visual stunner that is completely transporting and another high-level achievement for the art of modern special effects as well as the proper usage of them in connection with fundamentally good storytelling. Favreau is able to open up a new yet familiar world and allow the viewer a renewed sense of awe. We also get characters that we care about, a strongly grounded sense of emotional stakes, and some thrilling action to go along with the CGI playhouse. I only have a few misgivings with Disney's new Jungle book and one of those is really a function of its homage to the older Jungle Book. I'll take the rare step and advise moviegoers to seriously consider seeing this in 3D (I did not). It's a great visual experience, however, that would only take the movie so far if it wasn't for Justin Marks screenplay adaptation and Favreua's skilled direction. Now The Jungle Book can be a great visual experience, a great story, and, simply put, a great movie. Nate'a Grade: A. Excuse me, but I had to puke just remembering this film (if you can call it that). Okay, who lets these people buy cameras and sneak their crap into the movie system? I started checking who makes the movies before I rent them, but this one slipped through,and believe me, the company is added to my 'don't rent' list.right up there with Fangoria. Don't get me wrong, I allow a lot of gray area for lower budget movies, because I am a die hard Horror fan, but I still believe if you spend money, you should at least be entertained, even if it is poorly. This, on the other hand was one of those movies that don't do anything. I think at one point, I forgot to take it off of pause when I came back from wandering around outside out of boredom and it was in screen saver mode. It took me a few minutes of thinking the action was getting better to realize that it was the name of the DVD player floating around the screen, and I put it into 'play' mode, missing the screen saver already. Hands down, this is a movie that shouldn't have ended up in the rental place. If folks want these, get them from Rhino, don't torture us normal people by sneaking them into the actual movies by making a cool cover, distracting us with boobs and neat monster art, fooling us int renting them.
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