Spielberg's Ready Player One (2018)

[ShadowDog]

That all makes sense. Sounds a lot more tame than the original version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory anyway. LMFAO

[Poe Dameron]

Read the book over the weekend. Kinda appreciated what the author was going for, but didn't think much about the execution. It felt like half the book was making a reference and then telling me what the reference was. C'mon, have a little faith in the audience. It also has the old problem of a main character and his friends that are all working at Sherlock Holmesian levels of brilliance one minute and then miss obvious holes in their plan then next. I don't think I was the only one that saw both the reversal and the deus ex machina of the climax coming from a mile away, but apparently no one else in this entire world could point it out. I'm still not exactly sure what Art3mis's problem was except they needed to keep some tension and mystery. I got bored with the repetitive set of eureka moments followed by playing vintage video games at a ridiculously high level. Seriously, that happened like 5 separate times.

 

It's really all kind of a mess, and the societal dilemmas it brings up are just kinda put off to the side outside of a weak speech near the end.

 

From what I can see in the trailers, they're just using the books as a jumping off point and that seems wise. Art3mis seems like she's going to have a different role. Good. There appears to be a whole lot more action which is, thank you. What's the point of all this if you can't have all your toys fighting each other? The narrative can do with plenty of chopping down and letting Spielberg have his fun.

[Tank]

I feel like this was a book that was meant to be a movie but the dude wasn’t in a position to do that. I’m sure somebody will crap a brick over this— but I bet the movie having to tighten, compact, and simplify things will actually make the story better.

[Odine]

I feel like this was a book that was meant to be a movie but the dude wasnt in a position to do that. Im sure somebody will crap a brick over this but I bet the movie having to tighten, compact, and simplify things will actually make the story better.

I haven't read the book so am speculating, but from what I've read about it, it's subject it lends itself to a visual medium very strongly. Film has the beauty of being able to condense down into a single shot what might've taken pages of meandering exposition in a book.

 

Would be interesting if they made it into a game, with VR capability. A game within a game within a game. Inception eat your heart out.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

I've not read the book and I only have seen the trailer for this film. Plot seems reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to me. The movie seems to go where the Matrix and Caprica have already gone before, but just packaged with all-new, nice and shiny CGI. The 1980s references were more like caricatures of the 1980s: something more for people who grew up AFTER the 1980s than for someone who lived through them. Maybe that is the point though? Either way, I am sure there will be some who are fans of the film, but to me, it doesn't look very interesting and I have about as much interest in seeing Ready Player One as I do A Wrinkle in Time.

[RamonAtila]

I also feel like the movie is missing the point of the 80s, which is ironic because Spielberg is the 80s director/producer.

[Tank]

What’s the point of the 80s?

[Poe Dameron]

I feel like this was a book that was meant to be a movie but the dude wasn’t in a position to do that. I’m sure somebody will crap a brick over this— but I bet the movie having to tighten, compact, and simplify things will actually make the story better.

I definitely feel this will work better as a movie, but I also think that it was a lack of skill that made me not think much of the book. I mean, he could have lopped off 10 pages from the book if he'd just not had manufactured tension of a scoring system for the game. A game that was pure race to the finish.

 

The references as well. I get the feeling I'll be watching the movie and thinking to myself: "Hey, are those the Battletoads? Cool!" While my niece is sitting next to me having no clue who the Battletoads are, and that's fine since they'll probably show up for like two seconds and you don't lose anything by not recognizing them or a thousand other little things. There's going to be stuff that I get and stuff that I don't. There will be stuff that she gets that I won't since they don't seem to have a problem bringing in characters from recent eras as well. I'm okay with that and think it'll make for a cool feature on the DVD if they include a subtitle menu or something that lists all the cameos they've got going. But part of the fun I got from the trailer is from making the connections for myself.

 

But in the book it would have been written like this: "And his avatar looked like Rash from the video game Battletoads. Originally published by Rare for the NES, 1991." That is... totally unsatisfying.

 

 

 

Plot seems reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to me.

 

That's not exactly a secret. I mean, they literally play an orchestral version of "Pure Imagination" during the trailers. Gene Wilder was even asked to play the part of the dying trillionaire but couldn't on account of his own fading health.

 

 

 

I also feel like the movie is missing the point of the 80s, which is ironic because Spielberg is the 80s director/producer.

 

I think focusing so heavily on the 80s is one of things that they junked from the original book. They seem to have pulled the licenses from whatever era they felt would be cool. That's fine, because you want to broaden the audience as much as possible. Us 80s children are starting to get too old to hog all the nostalgia market like we did 10 years ago.

 

Like I said, I'm totally fine with them redoing the plot from the book as it was just way too long with not much happening most of the time. That race sequence is totally new for example and looks like it's going to be the centerpiece of the first half of the movie. And it looks like a lot of fun. It also looks like there will be a lot more interaction in the real world between the characters.

[Tank]

The book wasn’t about the 80s, it’s about our obsession with pop culture to the point that the cycles of retro cool get closer and closert together until we no longer have a legit culture, just one of re-appropriation.

 

To that, in terms of visual pop in entertainment, the 80s dominates.

[RamonAtila]

What’s the point of the 80s?

I never read the book but from the trailer it seems they're trying to harken back to the cyberpunk vibe of that era, but really what they got is more like a charicature of cyberpunk in that era. It looks washed down, like Chalupa said it seems like its coming from the point of view of someone who lived after the 80s.

[Tank]

 

What’s the point of the 80s?

 

I never read the book but from the trailer it seems they're trying to harken back to the cyberpunk vibe of that era, but really what they got is more like a charicature of cyberpunk in that era. It looks washed down, like Chalupa said it seems like its coming from the point of view of someone who lived after the 80s.

See my previous post

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

That may all be true, but I still am not interested in this film, and really don't understand where they hype is coming from. The trailer looks like a generic CGI fest. With a Delorian thrown in. Big deal. Now get off my lawn and quit making so much noise. I have to go to bed so I can get up for the early bird special.

[Poe Dameron]

The trailer looks like a generic CGI fest.

 

At least they solved the whole "CGI looks like a video game" complaint that someone always trots out. Usually by simultaneously claiming it looks like it was running on their Playstation 2 (yeah right).

 

Seriously though, I kinda like the character design on Parzival's avatar. It's got some decent appeal points.

 

I do wonder if there's any real hype for this film though.

[Poe Dameron]

The book wasn’t about the 80s, it’s about our obsession with pop culture to the point that the cycles of retro cool get closer and closert together until we no longer have a legit culture, just one of re-appropriation.

 

To that, in terms of visual pop in entertainment, the 80s dominates.

I don't know. Maybe that was somewhere in the back of his mind, but it's undercut by the 80s revival happening specifically because of Halliday's contest. Not that cultural stagnation isn't a part of it, because the whole opening of the book is about how the world's not doing all that well, but the re-appropriation happened as a result of a disruptive force, not a natural shortening of the cycles.

 

Then again, the author did step on one of his other main themes in the resolution in much the same way:

 

 

I mean, the big words of wisdom from the ghost of Halliday that Wade should make sure not to spend all his life online don't make much sense. If he wanted to spread words of wisdom to the world not to spend so much time in his make-believe playground, why in the hell did he create a contest that guaranteed that millions of people would spend years of their lives in the Oasis searching for clues on how to deconstruct his silly nerd-culture puzzle?

 

 

So, who knows.

[Tank]

I think the intent was there, but the execution got muddled with still trying to make it a page-turner. Speilberg making the movie makes it somewhat ironic, which I feel like he’s totally aware of. That is what has me most excited about seeing it.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

A couple of co-workers of mine saw this movie. One said it straight up blew, the other said " I would have liked it if I were 10 years old."

 

 

 

EDIT:

 

 

Apparently I am an idiot. I walked in half way through the conversation. These 2 coworkers were talking about the preview trailers.

[Metropolis]

Saw this last night. Pretty good. The CGI was a little transformer-ish in that the action sequences were visual overload. This one is a definite purchase if only to see how many references I can find. I mean they kept the orb in the box Gizmo came in from Gremlins! My wife still preferred the book, though she's the one that wanted to see it more than I did.

[Tank]

I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. A few bits of annoying exposition because some suit was afraid an old wouldn't get how video games work. My son reacted to it like I reacted to Speilberg when I was his age, so I think that makes it a win.

 

My one big complaint is that it was obvious Disney wouldn't play nice as no Marvel heroes appear, and the lack of any Star Wars icons at all felt like a major omission. Even my kid said he was expecting some Star Wars stuff.

 

Buckaroo Banzai gets a nod of all things, but no Ghostbusters. I had hoped for some Big Trouble in Little China drops, but at least Christine was in there briefly to rep Carpenter.

 

The Shining sequence was a pleasant surprise. I'm pretty sure the first shot of the woman in the bath was actually from the original.

[The Choc]

I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. A few bits of annoying exposition because some suit was afraid an old wouldn't get how video games work. My son reacted to it like I reacted to Speilberg when I was his age, so I think that makes it a win.

 

My one big complaint is that it was obvious Disney wouldn't play nice as no Marvel heroes appear, and the lack of any Star Wars icons at all felt like a major omission. Even my kid said he was expecting some Star Wars stuff.

 

Buckaroo Banzai gets a nod of all things, but no Ghostbusters. I had hoped for some Big Trouble in Little China drops, but at least Christine was in there briefly to rep Carpenter.

 

The Shining sequence was a pleasant surprise. I'm pretty sure the first shot of the woman in the bath was actually from the original.

 

 

 

If it's 80s nostalgia would there be much Marvel stuff?

[Tank]

It's not just 80s. The 80s take the cake for sure, but there's stuff from the 90s and 2000s as well.

 

But to answer your question-- yes. Marvel in the mid 80s dominated. At the very least Hulk and Spidey were Saturday morning staples.

[Poe Dameron]

I enjoyed it well enough. I definitely liked that they gave Art3mis a better, more defined role. Giving her the job of infiltrating Evil Inc. was a solid call. I kinda wish they would have gotten rid of the idea that her birthmark was disfiguring. I'd say typical Hollywood ugly, but it was pretty much the same in the book. She acts like she's Two-Face, when it's a mild discoloration on an otherwise lovely face.

 

One thing I did think the book did better was in setting up the relationship between the two. It wasn't much, but they did take the time to build a relationship in the book. Here, he just blurts out that he loves her and gives away his secret identity like he's Batman after meeting her for like the 3rd time.

 

The challenges here were good and varied. Like I said, the original was arcane knowledge eureka moments followed by playing vintage video games. Also, much better that Wade got the extra life for stumping Og than pulling a perfect Pac-Man score out of his butt.

 

I don't know if it was the intent, but Ben Mendelsohn felt like a perfect 80s-dick villain vibe in the mold of Walter Peck, Dick Jones, or VP Vernon. Kinda ruined it at the end when he didn't have the balls to pull the trigger. Also, people in the future apparently don't know how to angry mob properly.

 

The secondary villains were a bit weak. I couldn't tell you what F'Nale's motivation was for homicide. And it felt like there was a scene missing giving us a joke and closure for I-R0k.

 

I was fine with the references for the most part. Obviously, there's a ton missing. It doesn't quite have a Roger Rabbit feeling where everyone got together and shared.

 

 

 

The Shining sequence was a pleasant surprise. I'm pretty sure the first shot of the woman in the bath was actually from the original.

 

I believe it was all original except the shots from behind, and eventually the old lady.

 

I think going with The Shining officially dumped the 80s stuff. I mean, technically it was released in the 80s, but it doesn't represent that decade in the slightest. It's definitely a movie with a 70s pedigree.

 

 

 

But to answer your question-- yes. Marvel in the mid 80s dominated. At the very least Hulk and Spidey were Saturday morning staples.

 

I think Super Friends wins that battle at least in terms of cultural mindshare. For what it's worth, I'd take Crisis/Dark Knight Returns/Watchmen era DC as well.

[The Choc]

It's not just 80s. The 80s take the cake for sure, but there's stuff from the 90s and 2000s as well.

 

But to answer your question-- yes. Marvel in the mid 80s dominated. At the very least Hulk and Spidey were Saturday morning staples.

 

 

Maybe we just had different tastes, I don't remember watching much Hulk or Spider Man at all.

[Tank]

POE is right, Superfriends we're still crushing the market share. It had been repeats from the 70s for awhile, but the 80s has them adding Firestorm one year, and Cyborg the next... I guess my bias set in earlier than I realized. When the X-Men cameoed on Spider-Man and his amazing friends I cried I wasn't ready with the VCR (even if Wolverine had an oddly prescient Australian accent.)

[Metropolis]

Was it me or did Zarkon's Castle on Planet Doom sorta resemble Vader's Castle on Mustafar?

[Tank]

I was more concerned they'd name check that and not show us Voltron.