Wonder Woman (film)

[bassman]

They’re still spreading the 80’s love in their self promotion, now with this famous John Hughes poster reference.... https://twitter.com/FionaUnderhill/s...510624256?s=20

[MinionZombie]

They’re still spreading the 80’s love in their self promotion, now with this famous John Hughes poster reference.... https://twitter.com/FionaUnderhill/s...510624256?s=20 Interesting that Spider-Man: Homecoming did the same gag (scrolling down that Twitter thingy a smidge) ... although I'd totally forgotten about that (or is some fanboy making it up? Conspiracy! ) Anyway, the 1980s should provide enough glam and lightness, but at the same time I don't want the DC movies to lose sight of their darker edge, which is something they've always done better than Marvel. I don't want my DC movies to just be copies of Marvel movies, you know? It's just a balancing act, one that didn't work in the utterly split Justice League (but considering its buggered up production and two different directors with very different vibes, it's hardly surprising).

[bassman]

I agree that I don’t want DC to lose some of what set it apart, but at the same time, I think they can find a good middle ground between the two. Patty Jenkins did a pretty great job with balancing the darker tone, while also peppering in some levity to keep it appealing to wider audiences. I enjoyed Snyder’s films, but there’s no question that he went a bit too far with the darker, serious tone. So here’s hoping that Jenkins can continue the good balance that she began with the first WW film. If nothing else, I’m glad to see DC kicking in some variety into their films. There can still be the dark and grounded stories like we’ve seen before, with more on the way(The Batman, The Joker, etc), but there is also variety with Aquaman appearing lifted and Shazam rightfully leaning into the more comedic elements of the story.

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, Wonder Woman got the tone right. It was dark when it needed to be dark, it was light when it was appropriate to be light (and in context, too), and it was also able to inject the good old comic book vibe in here and there (e.g. dark comic book supporting villain - the doctor lady with the face mask, for instance). When the humorous moments came along they were almost always born out of the situation - hence my "in context" comment - and the fish-out-of-water experience for Diana, not to mention the absurdity (as we now recognise it in the 21st Century) of the way society operated a century ago (and I'm sure we'll look positively quaint in some way to those living a century from now). Now, Justice League on the other hand, really made a balls up of mixing the tones and it all comes down to two very different directors working on the same project. Whedon's sense of humour is very self aware and kinda snarky, and it doesn't always work, and even feels a smidge dated now (it can feel a bit 1990s at times). Then again, so much of American comedy resorts to "state the obvious" or "just say what's happening on-screen, but in a high pitched squeal of disbelief" instead of anything crafted with a bit of wit. Annnnnnyway, while something like Batman v Superman did lean very heavily on the darker tone, it did have a consistent vision behind it. BvS could have used a smidge more levity here and there, but even still, I really enjoyed that movie. I've seen it a couple of times now (in the three hour director's cut version) and that movie got way too much flack. Yeah, it takes things seriously and it's not always successful and there's an awful lot of CGI in it, but it's a solid superhero flick and a good blockbuster watch. The trailer for Aquaman looks kinda cool - it's like "yeah, we're riding big ass fish into battle ... what of it?" and looks pretty badass while doing it. I enjoyed Aquaman in Justice League, and speaking of that film I enjoyed The Flash in it too, although the snarkiness didn't always land (basically down to what was being said, rather than the fact that something was being said, at certain points ... if that makes sense? See above point about Whedon's style of humour).