Aladdin (2019) (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

I just read that Aladdin's opening is the highest Memorial Day weekend gross ever for a non-sequel.

I would definitely put an asterisk next to that.

Not technically a sequel, but it's not an original production either.

 

[Sam Favate]

Not technically a sequel, but it's not an original production either.

I think it's fair to call it a remake.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Spoiler

 

[Jeff Adkins]

I finally got the chance to see this last night. While it didn't meet my initial expectations, I still enjoyed it. I was surprised at how well Will Smith pulled off the Genie character. Those were some extremely big shoes to fill, but he did an outstanding job. The biggest disappointment was Lago (the bird). Alan Tudyk doesn't hold a candle to Gilbert Gottfried. Lago was pretty essential in the original film, and here he is just a throwaway.

The music was great and the cinematography was awesome.

Overall, I thought it was a good film but it's nowhere near the masterpiece that the original is.

4/5

 

[Bryan^H]

Spoiler

That is a funny video, but oddly enough it basically sums up the reasons just why I can't stand all of these live action remakes. Money makers for sure, but a tragic trend in current cinema.

 

[Jake Lipson]

but oddly enough it basically sums up the reasons just why I can't stand all of these live action remakes.

I'm pretty sure that was the point of it.

I still think a live-action Aladdin is not inherently without value -- it happens on Broadway eight times a week and is fantastic -- but this result leaves a lot to be desired.

I love that the video called out, in particular, how useless the new song is.

Spoiler

Does no one involved in the film see the irony of a song about her not being silent that she sings in her head while as far as the other characters in the scene are concerned she's being silent? The song motivates her speech to the guards afterwards, but if anything that moment should have been musicalized, so that the song is progressing the plot, not stopping it.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

And yet I sat there and I watched it and I felt absolutely nothing. I simply did not have any fun watching it. I didn't laugh or smile or emotionally engage with any of these characters. It did everything it should have done, but it just lacks charm.

I would certainly agree that there are many parts of the film where I felt the same way. However, you didn't find Will Smith's portrayal of the Genie charming at all? Perhaps it's because I had such low expectations for that character, but I was very impressed.

What about the "A Whole New World" sequence? I thought that was pretty charming. That's one of the only scenes where I felt any kind of chemistry between Aladdin and Jasmine.

The next time I'm in NYC, I will make an effort to go see the Broadway version.

 

[Jake Lipson]

you didn't find Will Smith's portrayal of the Genie charming at all?

Smith was fine. So was A Whole New World. I stand by what I wrote last week. It hit all the beats, but I wasn't entertained or emotionally invested.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I finally got the chance to see this last night. While it didn't meet my initial expectations, I still enjoyed it. I was surprised at how well Will Smith pulled off the Genie character. Those were some extremely big shoes to fill, but he did an outstanding job. The biggest disappointment was Lago (the bird). Alan Tudyk doesn't hold a candle to Gilbert Gottfried. Lago was pretty essential in the original film, and here he is just a throwaway.

The music was great and the cinematography was awesome.

Overall, I thought it was a good film but it's nowhere near the masterpiece that the original is.

4/5

I saw it today in 3-D IMAX and I liked it quite a lot. For most of the film, I had a grin on my face as I was very entertained by this film. The only qualm I have about the film is the actor playing Aladdin isn't a good singer in my opinion. With that said, I thought the actress playing the Princess has a lovely singing voice. I still enjoyed both leads despite my misgivings about the male actor's singing. As to Will Smith, he was great and I especially loved the closing dance sequence as it reminded of the one in "Hitch". Overall, my film grade is 4.5 out of 5.0.

 

[Robert Crawford]

One more minor criticism of the movie is it should have been about 10 minutes shorter.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I'm bumping this thread because the Disney Facebook page posted what amounts to a TV spot (though I don't know if it was actually aired on TV) which shows footage from the live-action film on top with corresponding shots from the animated film underneath. What interested me about this was the final shot. On top, it said "Aladdin - now playing" with the PG rating. On the bottom, it said "Aladdin - coming soon on Blu-ray, DVD and digital HD," along with the G rating (which refers to the animated film.)

Because I saw this on Facebook, rather than YouTube, I don't know if it's possible to embed it here. But this appears to be official confirmation that the animated film will return to print on disc this fall alongside the Blu-ray release of the new film. This is what I expected all along, but this is the first time I've seen Disney confirm that. The ad doesn't say anything about 4K, but since they did 4K releases for both The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, it would seem to be natural that Aladdin will get one as well.

The remake is already available for pre-order on Target and Best Buy's websites, and they are careful to phrase it as Aladdin (Live-Action) in the product title. I suspect this means there will eventually be a new listing for Aladdin (Animated) as well.

For the live-action film, Target has their usual filmmaker gallery book exclusive which uses the artwork from the Japanese poster I posted a while back. (https://www.target.com/p/aladdin-live-action-target-exclusive-4k-uhd/-/A-76565250). Best Buy has the steelbook, which has the teaser poster image of the lamp on the front and a shot of the Prince Ali parade on the interior. (https://www.bestbuy.com/site/aladdi...y-only--best-buy-2019/6350571.p?skuId=6350571).

No pre-orders are up yet for the animated film re-release, but I suspect they'll come later this summer. I can pass on the remake, but I'll definitely future proof and get a 4K version of the original film.

 

[holtge]

Saw this again this weekend. Really do like it! I even like how they gave Jasmine more to do and made her a really important character. All great choices, in my opinion. But as the dad of all girls, I guess I am pleased that the female empowerment bent in so many films lately (such as Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, and even to a certain extent, Endgame) is occurring. I like to think that my girls have positive role models in today's entertainment media.

 

[Sam Favate]

I just read that movies had a bad weekend this weekend, with pretty much everything under-performing expectations, except Aladdin, which over-performed.

https://www.the-numbers.com/news/239660830-Friday-Estimates-Toy-Story-4-needs-to-be-a-Monster-Hit

 

[Malcolm R]

Aladdin is around $725m worldwide and still climbing. I guess the slow/understated marketing plan for this film was nothing to worry about.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I still think the marketing was extremely light relative to what Disney usually does in advance of the film's release.

But it obviously worked.

 

[cinemiracle]

Really. you guys think "Aladdin" won't flop when the whole show was nothing more than a showcase for Robin Williams's comedic timing and talent as a voice actor and impersonator. Right. I guess hope really does spring eternal. Also, I guess no one has heard of the saying that past performance is no guarantee of the future.

ALADDIN is currently the number one box office hit in Australia. At least Marwan Kanzari who plays Jafar, keeps his clothes on unlike a previous film in which he is completely naked (full frontal).

 

[Edwin-S]

ALADDIN is currently the number one box office hit in Australia. At least Marwan Kanzari who plays Jafar, keeps his clothes on unlike a previous film in which he is completely naked (full frontal).

I guess people just enjoy watching warmed over rehashes of much better films. There is no accounting for taste.

 

[Tino]

At least Marwan Kanzari who plays Jafar, keeps his clothes on unlike a previous film in which he is completely naked (full frontal).

What does that have to do with anything??

 

[Sam Favate]

Wow, so much for those of us who may have doubted this movie's potential.

Aladdin just became the highest-grossing movie of Will Smith's career — and he wants to thank you


https://ew.com/movies/2019/07/01/al...B4744363C&utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_ew

 

[Jake Lipson]

I never doubted that an Aladdin remake could be successful, but I gotta say that those results surprise me in light of the relatively lightweight marketing campaign Disney waged for this one.