The BFG

[Twed]

Load of boring shite. Paced in such a weird way. Not particularly charming. Manages to take a book full of fun language and events and turn it into a load of boring shit. Confusing too. The ending doesn't make sense

Spoiler alert

why does The BFG need his trumpet (a device they inadequately explained earlier on) to give the bad dreams to the bad giants if the military can just swoop in and deal with them before they're weakened from fighting each other? What's the point in the drama of the dream not affecting the main bad giant?

[close]

.

[Glebe]

Going by the trailers, it has too much of that ethereal CG thing going on. What happened to the great fantasy films that had a bit of reality to them? For instance, Spielberg classics Close Encounters and  E.T. were rooted in a real-looking world, which made the fantastical stuff more effective. Now everything is hazy computer bollocks.

[Twed]

Yeah. It was actually really hard to see anything (rainy drive-in).

The visuals were muddy and the only charm the movie had was in the occasional dorky grin of the BFG. Sophie's actress was good, but what they made her do and say wasn't great.

[Glebe]

Yeah. It was actually really hard to see anything (rainy drive-in).

Ah, so that's what you went to see... at the drive in!

[Twed]

That and Finding Dory.

[QDRPHNC]

Watched it the other night with Master Q. It was mostly not very good, although I thought the realization of the BFG himself was really tremendous, the design of him, the voice acting, the CG. Walking a good line between intimidating and sweet, felt real and relatable. A great character in a poor film.

[Smeraldina Rima]

I like the David Jason cartoon version.

[Steven]

This was more like a remake of Léon: The Professional.

[Johnny Textface]

Twed, are you in the US or Canada out of interest?

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Of course in real life a BFG would mainly be deployed in porn and wrestling.

What do you think of that, Dahl? If indeed that is your Roald name.

[Twed]

Twed, are you in the US or Canada out of interest?

Yes

But I am not of there

[Bhazor]

I'm just trying to come up with a BFG cross Doom pun. I can't think of one though. But I don't want people to think I didn't get the potential.

And post.

[Johnny Textface]

Yes

But I am not of there

Um, fair enough. Was only after a poutine review.

[Twed]

Shit below the border. Don't get me started.

Let's begin with cheese curds. Maybe I've never had good cheese curds, because I think cheese curds are shit. They taste of nothing. But I'm lucky if I ever see them when I order poutine, because here in the US they think it's okay to use mozzarella, cheddar and in one horrendous case cottage cheese instead. Imagine that plus some gravy from a packet and some oven fries. That's been my poutine experience. Would rather have chips and curry sauce.

It must be better than this in Canada.

[QDRPHNC]

It is.

[Custard]

Saw this in Bognor, for a whopping £2.50. Still feel ripped off

Nah, thought it was quite good. Made me laugh a few times, and the central relationship between BFG and the girl was very sweet.

Gonna rewatch the David Jason one later, to see just how wrong I am

[BritishHobo]

I do think Rylance was wonderful as the BFG. Lovely performance.

[im barry bethel]

Load of old pony, seemed to consist of 3 scenes with a load missed out. Felt like a BBC 1 Christmas teatime film, all the warmth and charm (plus the darker side) of Roald Dahl was missing, even the whizzpopping was obvious, still it was raining and it got us out the house

[Glebe]

still it was raining and it got us out the house

[Twed]

IMPORTANT BFG UPDATE

Went to a French-Canadian diner, had crepes and poutine with good cheese curds that were squeaky and it was most excellent.

[Glebe]

I'll probably never watch it, unless someone does a version with Mark Rylance's actual head CGI'd on. Now that I'd like to see...

[Pissant]

Load of boring shite.

I have to admit this opening line has prejudiced me incalculably due to it's snappy, pithy brilliance.  I almost want to watch the bloody film now, just so I can nod sagely throughout and know that in spite of my personal bias, as much as I want this film to be good, it will inevitably turn into a 'load of boring shite', as foretold by Twed and I will think: yes!  It really really, really is.

[Dannyhood91]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ey1PYsLGzE
The only BFG film you need maaaaaan.

[Twed]

I have to admit this opening line has prejudiced me incalculably due to it's snappy, pithy brilliance.  I almost want to watch the bloody film now, just so I can nod sagely throughout and know that in spite of my personal bias, as much as I want this film to be good, it will inevitably turn into a 'load of boring shite', as foretold by Twed and I will think: yes!  It really really, really is.

There was one good part: right at the end of the movie, after the credits, The BFG puts his hoary old face up to the virtual camera, quite uncomfortably close, and whispers: "When ooman beans reviews movies there is an implicitious understandin' that their opinions are subjectamative, and oi reckon anyones who takes them serious is a right jack of clubs".

[Twit 2]

Went in with lowish expectations and fucking loved it. Utterly charming and way way better than people are saying it is here, weirdly. One for the Kermode thread maybe, but I think his review for this was spot on.

[Bhazor]

Uncanny Valley the Movie

[Twit 2]

That's just Paul Whitehouse without makeup.

[Replies From View]

Was it done with motion capture, like The Polar Express and that Jim Carrey Christmas Carol?  I didn't realise how much the BFG would resemble Mark Rylance.  Considering they can make CGI creations look like anything, it's interesting how closely they often choose to match the actors.