Superboy

I think the worst thing that could happen to this movie is that it stays to close to the book literally, but not thematically.

Also, the book was gut-wrenching enough. I do not want to see this movie.

hardercore

Saw the first clip but want to keep the others fresh... loved the book and the tone seems pretty spot-on. Look forward to seeing this theatrically.

Solid Snake

That scene with the kid is tough. It's a whoa..kind of moment.

Brian T

This is playing at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 13 and Monday, Sept. 14. I've got tickets to the first screening. It would be nice if the director/cast stick around afterwards to take questions, but you never know with some of the more high-profile pictures that play at TIFF.

sauce07

judging from early reviews, i don't know if they want to stick around.

Dr Mabuse

Not sure what you mean.

There have been many positive reviews since screenings started in 2008 or so.

Forgot to add:


http://www.esquire.com/features/movi...ie-review-0609

Superboy

There was a bad review of the film just recently by Variety magazine.

FinkPish

Todd McCarthy's Variety review is completely off the mark. He seems angry at something beyond the movie for some reason.

Cinematical's review is much truer to my experience and opinion.

Tarantino

Really looking forward to this one. That said, I will now stay out of this thread until I've seen it...

chris_sc77

Well the Road has been pushed back AGAIN to Thanksgiving!
:
http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/09/09/...-thanksgiving/

Brian T

Quick followup. Saw the premiere at TIFF the other night. This is a fascinating but unrelentingly bleak film, as it probably should be, from what I've heard of the novel. And, as everyone already suspects, it's nothing like the trailer. In fact, even the colours evident in the trailer have been dialed way, way down in the film itself, just to make the world of tomorrow even more grim (was this done between festivals, I wonder, or was it dialed up in the trailer to fit better with the "Action Action Action!" tone of that piece?). I seriously doubt this will get much lasting theatrical play outside of larger cities, even with award nominations, although the push back to make it award-bait was probably wise, as there are some extremely compelling performances here from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Hillcoat was good-natured but a bit fumbling during the Q&A, as if, because Bob Weinstein was in attendance, he felt he had to make a good impression one last time . . . or else! (or maybe that's just his demeanor; I don't know). If the Weinstein Company wants this to have any theatrical legs at all, they've GOT to ditch that existing trailer and come up with something more subdued and keyed to the film's award potential, otherwise audiences, most of whom probably won't have read the book, are going to be bored to death when they don't actually get what they were sold. If they stick with that trailer, this film might as well go straight to DVD via Dimension Extreme. I largely disagree with the Variety review, although it does point out a couple of legitimate concerns regarding the pacing and the episodic nature of the journey, which I felt were just . . . off somehow. The response from the screening was positive, but I really hope the filmmakers weren't using that as any kind of gauge; film fest audiences are a biased bunch, especially if the the stars of the film are in attendance and actually sit through the entire film with them.

That recent flip-flop in the L.A. Times smells bought and paid for to me.

Superboy

I think this movie just can't benefit from a good trailer. I mean, either the trailer will confuse audiences, or it will just make the movie seem like something it's not. Hopefully word of mouth will make this movie do well.

However, I still don't want to see it. Not because I don't think that it will be good, but the book was so god-awfully bleak and depressing I couldn't get it off my mind for months.

FinkPish

Someone posted a couple of tracks from the new Nick Cave/Warren Ellis compilation CD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZqvwr8h3Ds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mopKOdrjspg

Dr. DVD

Sounds like what you're saying is that even if it's a faithful adaptation in theme and story, it probably should have stayed a book. McCarthy isn't exactly known for being an optimist, and I know a lot of people who didn't care for No Country For Old Men.

RagingBull80

I just finished the book a few days ago and I can't wait to see the flick. It was the post-apocalyptic tale I had been waiting to read and I hope it transfers well to film. If early reviews are saying that it's too bleak and depressing then it's probably spot on perfect.

Dr Mabuse

My thoughts exactly.

All the "bleak and depressing" talk from the dummies is like a stellar review to me.

In general the 'average' dummy saying things like it was "boring", and "nothing happened" and it's "depressing" about a movie often indicates it's something really special.

Solid Snake

Sadly at times that translates to what it is. The average filmgoer at times doesn't see what a cinephile would.

Dr. DVD

Very much so I fear.

Brian T

I found THE ROAD to be a "fascinating but unrelentingly bleak film" as I mentioned earlier. I didn't realize I was a dummy for feeling that way.

Of course, depending on where you true cinephiles live, you could end up watching it for the first time on DVD, since that's where it's inevitably headed after it plays a few big cities (and that's coming from someone who felt it worthy of an 8 out of 10).

Especially with that Dimension Extreme-worthy trailer that is still making the rounds.

Even IF the Weinsteins overhaul the dreadfully misguided current promotional campaign for this film to give potential viewers a more accurate idea of what to expect--and it doesn't seem like that will happen at this point--such efforts would still be in the service of a flawed film, flawed independently of any bleak or depressing qualities the uninitiated (or the great unwashed, as the McCarthyites here may prefer to call them) might see in it. I'll admit to having not read the novel, nor wanting to before of after seeing the film, but that had zero impact on my expectations going in. I wanted to see something challenging, with a good cast and a talented filmmaker behind the camera, and that was about the extent of it. I came away with those expectations met, but also no doubt whatsoever that a story like this requires more than two hours' screen time (actually, it's less than that once you shear off the lengthy credits). Of course, that film would have even less potential to earn back its investment than the current incarnation does.

The word of mouth had better spread quickly.

Otherwise, here's hoping the director gets to expand his vision for the DVD.

bunkaroo

Dammit I didn't know this was a TWC film. That makes it much less likely we'll get a domestic Blu-ray release unless it gets nominated for Best Picture.

Dr Mabuse

Well now you know.



I'm assuming you got my point in spite of the joke, right?

The Bus

Blindness was depressing, and also a terrible movie.

FinkPish

So was Schindler's List. I don't see your point.

catchawave

Why does this keep getting pushed back? At what point do you just go direct-to-video with a movie like this? If it's that bad, either in production, acting or whatever, why not just release it and get it over with? Do they think it's going to get better with age, like wine?
It's been 12 to 18 months since I last read the book and have been waiting for the movie for over a year now.

FinkPish

It's not that the movie is bad, it's that it was never ready to be released last year, so it got pushed to this year. I believe the change from Oct to Nov was either related to the Weinstein's money troubles and/or wanting more attention for the film in terms of awards.

I think the film is excellent, is very true to the tone of the book but will probably not make tons of money.