News of the World (2020) (1 Viewer)

[Colin Jacobson]

Anyone seen this yet?

Curious to know if it uses the usual Greengrass "super shakycam" method. The trailer looks pretty steady in terms of camerawork - definite handheld but not SHAKY! - but I've been burned by Greengrass and won't see one of his movies on a big screen unless I'm pretty sure it'll leave my stomach unturned!

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Anyone seen this yet?

Curious to know if it uses the usual Greengrass "super shakycam" method. The trailer looks pretty steady in terms of camerawork - definite handheld but not SHAKY! - but I've been burned by Greengrass and won't see one of his movies on a big screen unless I'm pretty sure it'll leave my stomach unturned!

I'm curious too. I'm going to try and see it Sunday or Monday and I'll report back.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I’ll definitely check it out once it becomes available for home viewing - is this one of those Universal titles that’s supposed to hit PVOD like 17 days after release?

 

[Jake Lipson]

I would be surprised if there wasn't at least some shaky cam in it. That seems to be the Greengrass stamp.

is this one of those Universal titles that’s supposed to hit PVOD like 17 days after release?

Under the terms of the deal that they have with AMC, Universal is not allowed to officially announce the PVOD release date until the movie has been out for two weeks. However, they are allowed to utilize the 17 day window if they want to do that, and I would be really shocked if they don't.

Amazon has pre-orders of the Blu-ray up now. I went ahead and locked that in. I hope that you guys who are going to go to the theater for this stay safe. But it doesn't feel safe for me. So the pandemic will turn this into a blind buy for me. I'm willing to pay $20 for it, but if I'm going to do that I would like to own it. So I will pass on the $20 48-hour PVOD rental and just wait for the disc, which will probably be March or April and that's fine.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I would be surprised if there wasn't at least some shaky cam in it. That seems to be the Greengrass stamp.

Yeah, I don't expect zero shakycam - just wanna know if it's used to the stomach-churning level of the Bourne flicks or "United 93". I literally couldn't make it through those on the big screen because they made me motion-sick!

Under the terms of the deal that they have with AMC, Universal is not allowed to officially announce the PVOD release date until the movie has been out for two weeks. However, they are allowed to utilize the 17 day window if they want to do that, and I would be really shocked if they don't.

Amazon has pre-orders of the Blu-ray up now. I went ahead and locked that in. I hope that you guys who are going to go to the theater for this stay safe. But it doesn't feel safe for me. So the pandemic will turn this into a blind buy for me. I'm willing to pay $20 for it, but if I'm going to do that I would like to own it. So I will pass on the $20 48-hour PVOD rental and just wait for the disc, which will probably be March or April and that's fine.

Is the "Croods" sequel available on PVOD yet? It's been out more than a month...

 

[Tino]

Is the "Croods" sequel available on PVOD yet? It's been out more than a month...

It’s been available to rent for about two weeks.

 

[Craig S]

Anyone seen this yet?

Curious to know if it uses the usual Greengrass "super shakycam" method. The trailer looks pretty steady in terms of camerawork - definite handheld but not SHAKY! - but I've been burned by Greengrass and won't see one of his movies on a big screen unless I'm pretty sure it'll leave my stomach unturned!

Saw it this afternoon. To answer Colin's question, I found the film free of shaky-cam. A few noticeable handheld shots, but nothing to the level of many of Greengrass' previous films. To be fair, YMMV as I have only seen one theatrical film in my life that has made me nauseous, and that was "Blair Witch Project". I've been fine with the other Greengrass films I have seen on the big screen ("United 93, "Captain Phillips", "Green Zone", the Bourne films).

As for the film itself - we don't get many Westerns these days, so it's always a pleasure when one comes along AND it's as good as this one. Hanks excels (when doesn't he) as the Captain, a traveling "news reader" in post-Civil War Texas who reluctantly finds himself the guardian of an orphaned child (shades of "The Mandalorian"!). I wasn't sure Hanks would "fit" in a western, but he settles into the saddle nicely, carrying the weight of a man who has seen and done too many things he wishes he hadn't. His young co-star, Helena Zengel, is good enough to share the screen with Hanks for almost the entire film and not get overshadowed. She does a lot of her acting with only her eyes and just nails it.

Outside the two leads, there are a number of smaller roles, most very well played. You'll see a few familiar faces (Mare Winningham, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel) who all make the most of their limited screen time. Also kudos must go to the production design, score and cinematography.

I found the story compelling. Not much action but what's there is well done, especially an extended shoot-out in some bluffs. The only issue I had was a mid-movie scene set in a town whose only existence seemed to be to provide labor for a very bad man. The villain and situation came across as a bit on-point and cartoonish, and the whole predicament was too easily resolved. This bit is far from a deal-breaker, however.

Bottom-line: "News Of The World" is an entertaining, old-fashioned Western with strong acting, and a satisfying story. Highly recommended for everyone, but especially fans of the genre and/or Hanks.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Saw it this afternoon. To answer Colin's question, I found the film free of shaky-cam. A few noticeable handheld shots, but nothing to the level of many of Greengrass' previous films. To be fair, YMMV as I have only seen one theatrical film in my life that has made me nauseous, and that was "Blair Witch Project". I've been fine with the other Greengrass films I have seen on the big screen ("United 93, "Captain Phillips", "Green Zone", the Bourne films).

Thanks for the info!

If I get sick when I see it, I'm blaming you!

 

[TravisR]

Thanks for the info!

If I get sick when I see it, I'm blaming you!

I got so motion sick during Captain Phillips that I think the characters in the movie had a better time than I did seeing the movie.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This was a picture I really wanted to see in a cinema just because it was a Western. I just love sitting in a cinema watching a western. I think the last one I saw in a theater was Hostiles, which was just wonderful. Really a fantastic theatrical experience. I'll see this in the home theater but am sad to miss the chance to catch it on the big screen.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I got so motion sick during Captain Phillips that I think the characters in the movie had a better time than I did seeing the movie.

Ha ha - yeah, I knew better than to see that one theatrically!

I think my last theatrical Greengrass was "United 93". Before I saw it, I thought maybe PG just went shakycam for Bourne movies, but my screening of "U93" implied he did it for ALL his flicks, so I skipped "Phillips".

Greengrass plus a film set mostly on the water screamed "gonna make you sick!"

 

[Scott Merryfield]

To be fair, YMMV as I have only seen one theatrical film in my life that has made me nauseous, and that was "Blair Witch Project".

Are you sure it was the shaky-cam that made you sick on that one?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Are you sure it was the shaky-cam that made you sick on that one?

Funny - I just happened to post my review of the "Blair Witch Project" Blu-ray today, I reviewed the DVD way back in 1999 but only recently saw the Blu-ray, and that required major revisions to my 21-year-old discussion of the film,

I think "BWP" was a victim of its own success. It got so much hype that it couldn't live up to all the publicity promises.

I think it's a solid little creepfest - it's just not the big, overt horror show many expected...

 

[Jeffrey D]

I got so motion sick during Captain Phillips that I think the characters in the movie had a better time than I did seeing the movie.

Odd- I didn’t remember the “shaky cam” look in that film- I’ll have to give it another look. The second Bourne film- I despised how that was shot- the shaky cam stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I see that this is now available on PVOD and hope to see it soon.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Really looking forward to seeing this but I will likely just wait for the Blu-ray which I think will be released on March 23. I looked at the on demand rental and it was $19.99 and so I'd rather just buy the blu which will be about that price when it comes out.

 

[cinemiracle]

I watched NEWS OF THE WORLD last night. I am not a western fan (with some very rare exceptions) but it was a good film despite the predictable ending. Tom Hanks was his usual excellent self as an actor. I may be wrong, but did I see some 'day for night' cinematography in some scenes.? That always annoys me.

 

[Mark Booth]

Excellent film and well worth the $19.99 rental. We would easily spend way more than that for my wife and I to go to a theater to see it (snack bar visit included).

The Booth Bijou gives 'News of the World' 4.5 out of 5 stars. I will buy the 4K Blu-ray when it arrives.

Mark

 

[Jeffrey D]

I watched NEWS OF THE WORLD last night. I am not a western fan (with some very rare exceptions) but it was a good film despite the predictable ending. Tom Hanks was his usual excellent self as an actor. I may be wrong, but did I see some 'day for night' cinematography in some scenes.? That always annoys me.

You’d think with today’s technology that day for night could be made to be less obvious.