Register  |  Sign In
View unanswered posts | View active topics It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:18 am



Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ] 
 We Bought a Zoo 

What grade would you give this film?
A 33%  33%  [ 3 ]
B 33%  33%  [ 3 ]
C 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
D 33%  33%  [ 3 ]
F 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Total votes : 9

 We Bought a Zoo 
Author Message
loyalfromlondon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
Post We Bought a Zoo
We Bought a Zoo

Image

Quote:
We Bought a Zoo is a 2011 comedy-drama film based on a memoir by Benjamin Mee. The film is directed by Cameron Crowe, and it stars actor Matt Damon as the lead character Benjamin Mee. We Bought a Zoo tells the story of Benjamin Mee and his family who just moved into a dilapidated zoo. They took on the challenge of preparing the zoo for its reopening to the public.

We Bought a Zoo was released in the US box office on 23 December 2011. The film received a positive reception from film critics, and grossed a total of $23,399,816 as of 28 December 2011.

_________________
Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Sat Nov 26, 2011 9:25 pm
Profile
The Lubitsch Touch
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
Posts: 11019
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Cameron Crowe may want to be Billy Wilder, but he's really James L. Brooks.

This is much better than it should have been, mostly because of the cast. Also, Crowe's not exactly back in top form but he's a smart dude, and while this sounds like high concept hell, its never schticky or sitcommy. Like James L. Brooks in the 80s, hes just interested in smart people wearing their hearts on their sleeves and never shutting up about it. Audiences are gonna eat this shit up if they find it.

I am not as forgiving of his cynical attempt to turn that little girl into the next Jonathan Lipnicki...mostly because it clearly is going to work. Every time she spoke or walked or blinked, every woman in the audience cooed or actually shouted "SHES SO CUTE." She made me very eager to hate the entire movie, although it won me over eventually.

Low expectations [like mine] will help, but its solid.

_________________
k


Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:26 am
Profile
Sbil

Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm
Posts: 48626
Location: Arlington, VA
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
I'm going to love this, aren't I.

There are so many frigging movies I need to see over the holidays.


Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:42 am
Profile
The Lubitsch Touch
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:48 pm
Posts: 11019
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Libs wrote:
I'm going to love this, aren't I.

There are so many frigging movies I need to see over the holidays.


Oh, god, Libs. SO MUCH. You have no idea. The audience tonight--a lot of Libsie types--had all melted into puddles by the end.

Also I've decided Elle Fanning is the next Amy Adams

_________________
k


Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:56 am
Profile
Pure Phase
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am
Posts: 34865
Location: Maryland
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Review: http://www.worldofkj.com/article.php?i=527

_________________
ImageImageImage

1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game


Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:34 am
Profile
Pure Phase
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am
Posts: 34865
Location: Maryland
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Thought: Crowe should have cut the very final ending. The whole "Hoppípolla"/smiling-faces-at-zoo montage sequence was the right ending. Cheesy to a certain extent, but the whole movie is. Would have been a charming and fulfilling close. The whole coffee shop scene was a bit much...and a bit bizarre.

_________________
ImageImageImage

1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game


Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:37 am
Profile
Pure Phase
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:33 am
Posts: 34865
Location: Maryland
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Oh, and it's amusing, to me at least, how all the jaded Oscar-prognosticating types, with their screeners and screenings and inner circle, had to pay to see this tonight. I almost wonder if it'll get an easier ride to a certain extent because they saw it with a real audience. So they heard all the "awww"s and laughs and tears.

_________________
ImageImageImage

1. The Lost City of Z - 2. A Cure for Wellness - 3. Phantom Thread - 4. T2 Trainspotting - 5. Detroit - 6. Good Time - 7. The Beguiled - 8. The Florida Project - 9. Logan and 10. Molly's Game


Sun Nov 27, 2011 2:40 am
Profile
Let's Call It A Bromance
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:22 pm
Posts: 12333
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
I saw a free screening of this this afternoon and even with low expectations, this was really good. It is totally going to be the holiday crowd pleaser also. If the film is big enough, I do see Damon getting an acting nomination. I was thinking he would play just a typical dad character in this, but there are a few scenes where he really shows some good acting chops. The little girl in this is adorable but also for the first half of the film I wanted to punch the son in the face every time he was on screen. Thomas Haden Church was surprisingly amusing as well in this. This is definitely a film the whole family can enjoy. It has the animals for the younger ones, but also a strong, emotional plot for the mature teen and adult audience. Also, myself and the rest of the audience were crying or at least trying to hold back tears by the end. ***1/2


Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:04 pm
Profile WWW
Sbil

Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 3:38 pm
Posts: 48626
Location: Arlington, VA
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
A touching, genial film perfect for the holidays. It doesn't have the goods to stand alongside Cameron Crowe's classics (Say Anything, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous), but We Bought a Zoo is a decided improvement over the hodgepodge of Elizabethtown. Matt Damon is terrific in this role; he's sympathetic and comes across as a normal dad trying to hold his family and himself together. Over the years, I've become very impressed with his range, and this is another piece to that. Scarlett Johansson, showing more warmth than usual, exhibits chemistry with Damon and their relationship is handled well. The rest of the supporting cast is good. Thomas Haden Church gets to deliver some acerbic dialogue, Elle Fanning is delightful once again, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones is just about the cutest child actress I've seen in a while. Plus: animals aplenty. Who doesn't enjoy that? B+


Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:23 pm
Profile
 

Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:48 am
Posts: 6245
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Libs wrote:
A touching, genial film perfect for the holidays. It doesn't have the goods to stand alongside Cameron Crowe's classics (Say Anything, Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous), but We Bought a Zoo is a decided improvement over the hodgepodge of Elizabethtown. Matt Damon is terrific in this role; he's sympathetic and comes across as a normal dad trying to hold his family and himself together. Over the years, I've become very impressed with his range, and this is another piece to that. Scarlett Johansson, showing more warmth than usual, exhibits chemistry with Damon and their relationship is handled well. The rest of the supporting cast is good. Thomas Haden Church gets to deliver some acerbic dialogue, Elle Fanning is delightful once again, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones is just about the cutest child actress I've seen in a while. Plus: animals aplenty. Who doesn't enjoy that? B+

Jerry McGuire? Classic? Enh...

_________________
Mr. R wrote:
Malcolm wrote:
You seem to think threatening violence against people is perfectly okay because you feel offended by their words, so that's kind of telling in itself.

Exactly. If they don't know how to behave, and feel OK offending others, they get their ass kicked, so they'll think next time before opening their rotten mouths.


Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:50 am
Profile
You must have big rats
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:28 pm
Posts: 92093
Location: Bonn, Germany
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
[trixster]Jerry Maguire[/trixster]

_________________
The greatest thing on earth is to love and to be loved in return!

Image


Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:58 am
Profile WWW
loyalfromlondon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 19697
Location: ville-marie
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
You know you've made it when there's a forum tag named after you.

_________________
Magic Mike wrote:
zwackerm wrote:
If John Wick 2 even makes 30 million I will eat 1,000 shoes.


Same.


Algren wrote:
I don't think. I predict. ;)


Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:14 pm
Profile
now we know
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm
Posts: 66998
Post 
We Bought a Zoo

Sadly it was a flop for me. I wanted to like it as I love Crowe's other movies; Jerry Maguire and Vanilla Sky. But it was just too soppy for my liking. It was trying too hard to be sentimental, and while everything was in the correct order, it didn't hit the right notes. I would have preferred a story about how the zoo failed overall but it's about trying and learning along the way, but instead it was about succeeding in the face of adversity and we've seen that dozens of times before.

Damon was good in it, I liked his character, and when he wasn't on screen it was boring. Didn't like any of the other characters apart from his brother (could have been the comedic element but wasn't) and daughter (cute). Scarlet Johansson was better in this than when she's sexed up in The Avengers etc. - she doesn't ooze sex appeal and is much more realistic in a 'girl nextdoor' role (or Lost in Translation). Most of the dialogue was bad. I was sick of Damon telling me that it was "an adventure", ok Damon, we get it. And the films' title was mentioned three times. I did like the ending line though and how it linked back to earlier in the film, but the rest of the film was predictable. I would have preferred a few more details about the buying and expenses of the zoo; how much was left to him by his father? how much did the zoo cost? why not sell a few animals to help keep the zoo alive etc.. I would have preferred a more business approach to the screenplay.

Not as good as Free Willy or its sequel.

D+

_________________

STOP UIGHUR GENOCIDE IN XINJIANG
FIGHT FOR TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE
FREE TIBET
LIBERATE HONG KONG
BOYCOTT MADE IN CHINA



Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:23 am
Profile WWW
Keeping it Light
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 8:06 am
Posts: 11185
Location: Bright Falls
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
This is a decent family film with a fun cast. I'm not too much a fan of the writing, it's all a bit too cliched and it doesn't need to be a 2 hour film. But overall it's entertaining enough for a crowd pleasing watch, just with little repeat value.

B-


Sun Dec 17, 2017 3:21 am
Profile
now we know
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:31 pm
Posts: 66998
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
What did your wife think of it?


Sun Dec 17, 2017 3:53 am
Profile WWW
Keeping it Light
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 8:06 am
Posts: 11185
Location: Bright Falls
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Something in the line of "it's a good movie".


Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:16 am
Profile
On autopilot for the summer
User avatar

Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:14 pm
Posts: 21628
Location: Walking around somewhere
Post Re: We Bought a Zoo
Pleasant, but uneventful. A lifetime or Hallmark story only with a real cast. It's the type of movie you watch on a plane.

_________________
Image

Chippy wrote:
As always, fuck Thegun.


Chippy wrote:
I want to live vicariously through you, Thegun!


Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:21 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 17 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 50 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group.
Designed by STSoftware for PTF.