Oscar History
Film Bitch History
Welcome

The Film Experience™ was created by Nathaniel R. All material herein is written by our team. (This site is not for profit but for an expression of love for cinema & adjacent artforms.)

Follow TFE on Substackd

Powered by Squarespace
COMMENTS

 

Keep TFE Strong

We're looking for 500... no 390 SubscribersIf you read us daily, please be one.  

I ♥ The Film Experience

THANKS IN ADVANCE

What'cha Looking For?
Subscribe
« Beauty vs. Beast: Ben v Jennifer | Main | La Dolce Linka »
Monday
Mar212016

YNMS: Ben-Hur's Wild Apocalypse for the King

So many trailers have recently emerged that we can't give them all full Yes No Maybe So treatment ... so let's collect them all in one place after the jump with a single decision on each.

We'll start with what is sure to be a misbegotten thickheaded testosterone fueled retelling of an Oscar winning classic. Even Morgan Freeman in dreadlocks can't make it look bearable...

BEN-HUR

Sweet Baby Jesus, No! They say you can always tell what time period any period piece is filmed in because it always gives the now away. This could not be any more obnoxiously early 21st century if it tried. It looks more like a rip off of 300 than a remake of a religious epic. 

Yes. I will get far more enjoyment staring at photos of Stephen Boyd and his homo subtext and miraculously deep cleft chin as Messala for the entire running time of the 2016 movie. I ♥️ Stephen Boyd in Ben-Hur (1959) SO. MUCH. 

THE WILD LIFE

No. If you want to die while watching a trailer it's not a good sign for surviving a full 90 minutes.

HIGH-RISE

Yes. On account of Tom Hiddleston. But I did not actually watch this trailer. Never watch trailers to thrillers if you're spoiler averse because they can't help themselves with giving too much a way.

X-MEN APOCALYPSE (TRAILER #2)

Yes. I will be there but I can't promise I'll enjoy it. X-Completist here. I blame my childhood. Still, what I wouldn't give to see the X-Men done as well as they've done The Avengers. (sigh) Yes X2 was a great superhero movie but it was still not really The Uncanny X-Men. The series has never felt much like the comics in the way the Marvel Studio movies always feel like the genuine article in a big screen adventure.

A HOLOGRAM FOR THE KING

Maybe so Leaning Yes. Tom Hanks has been outdoing himself lately but this looks potentially like a complete tonal mess -- why is he shouting Talking Heads lyrics at the beginning? But it features the wonderful Sarita Choudhury and we always like to look at her so that helps with the yes lean. Has anyone read the Dave Eggers novel this is based on? 

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN (TRAILER #2)

Yes. But only due to a general weakness (in the knees) for Tarzan movies. BUT I repeat ∞ "why is Tarzan wearing pants?" This is unnatural, nay, deviant behavior for a Lord of the Apes. 

Other New Trailers Recently Discussed: Nice Guys, Captain America Civil War, Florence Foster Jenkins, Ghostbusters, and Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children.

 

PrintView Printer Friendly Version

EmailEmail Article to Friend

References (1)

References allow you to track sources for this article, as well as articles that were written in response to this article.

Reader Comments (11)

Why is he shouting Talking Heads lyrics at the beginning? 80s Song fantasy sequences that ALSO look to be staged like advertisements (seriously, I half expected him to suddenly go "You got here because of Teamocil" based on how that was staged) would be my guess.

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterVolvagia

Not that it warrants another remake, but we should at least remember that the most famous and Oscar-anointed "Ben-Hur" was itself a remake.

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterJonathan

@ Jonathan

Yes, that and the Tarzan pants have been addressed in previous comments sections. ;-)

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterPaul Outlaw

I'm not liking the "300" tones for this latest Ben Hur remake. Morgan Freeman's dreadlocks are throwing me a bit as well.

"A Hologram for a King" has piqued my curiousity, and Tom Hanks has been delivering some great work recently - so I'm a yes.

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterLadyEdith

"Tonal mess" were the exact words I thought before I read your identical take. I am always warmly inclined towards Hanks but this just looks like a trainwreck.

Tarzan no. Wild Thingy no. Ben Hur, DEAR GOD NO.

X-Men I'm forced to say yes because it's X-Men. I have no choice.

High Rise yes.

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterDeborah Lipp

The "Ben Hur"remake seems aimed at the "300" action crowd.

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterJaragon

I'm confused why Tom Hiddleston is an automatic "Yes" for anyone. The only time I've liked him is in Joanna Hogg's films. He's fine, I guess, in the first Thor. Otherwise, I kind of count on him to completely tank much-anticipated arthouse films (as in Only Lovers Left Alive and The Deep Blue Sea-awful in both).

March 21, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterKate

Alas, High-Rise is a bit of a mess. Great production and costume design, though.

March 22, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterBenji

I didn't bother to watch The Wild Life or Hologram trailers, so I have no comment on those. As for the rest...

Ben-Hur: NO. Doesn't look compelling in any particular way.

X-Men: Apocalypse: Absolutely YES. None of the trailers have been home runs so far but I've really enjoyed all of Singer's X-Men films and First Class grew on me quite a bit, so I have faith that this will be in step with those.

High-Rise: MAYBE. It kind of looks interesting but it also looks like something I'd be perfectly happy watching on HBO in a year and a half.

The Legend Of Tarzan: MAYBE to YES. I've never given much of a shit about Tarzan and Waltz's bad guy act is played out now. In saying that, the trailer wasn't too bad and it has Margot Robbie in it. I'm torn.

March 22, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterDaniel Armour

Messala's "homo subtext" in Ben-Hur was William Wyler's idea. He discussed it with Stephen Boyd so that he'd play Messala as being in love with Ben-Hur, but he urged him not to tell a word to Charlton Heston, who would've been decidedly opposed to the idea!

March 22, 2016 | Unregistered CommenterMarcos

New Apocalypse trailer was pretty aces, so YES. High-Rise is a maybe, reviews were mixed. Tarzan, eh...

March 23, 2016 | Unregistered Commentertonytr
Member Account Required
You must have a member account to comment. It's free so register here.. IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED, JUST LOGIN.