'Shazam' movie official thread (because he deserves one too) 3 3

[WolverineX]

1 hour ago, AnkurJ said:

Fun movie. Not as good as GOTG or Avengers or Iron Man etc. 

Also not kid friendly. The demons were too scary for them.

yes, for a comedy I was surprised how scary some of the scenes were

[ADAMANTIUM]

5 minutes ago, Wolverinex said:

What does prescreen mean?

I saw it 2 weeks before it came out in theaters... then again a week before with a "pre-screen pass"

The websites that I get them on is 

Backstageol.com

If you check out the website and search there may be prescreenings in your area too

 

[WolverineX]

1 minute ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

I saw it 2 weeks before it came out in theaters... then again a week before with a "pre-screen pass"

The websites that I get them on is 

Backstageol.com

If you check out the website and search there may be prescreenings in your area too

 

Whoa, that's awesome!

[ADAMANTIUM]

Just now, Wolverinex said:

Whoa, that's awesome!

I just looked it up on the phone, it looks more laptop/computer friendly than phone friendly....

Or I know how to navigate to different city's on a computer rather than phone...

[bronze_rules]

Another enjoyable surprise from DC. Really did not expect that surprise toward the end (not the end end other surprise, but the carnival one), and glad I didn't see anything that would spoil it.  Wonder if that was really a great decision for future films, though.

[@therealsilvermane]

I liked Shazam!, but I also had some problems with it. The best parts were the funny scenes that riffed off "Big", where our "hero" is trying to be an adult. With the wisdom of Solomon, I figured Billy would have made better choices (was ;this movie Shazam or Hazam?). The messages  I got from the movie were mixed. While I appreciated the theme of family, I also got that biological family sucks? The 7 deadly sins were a little weird, and the third act started to drag until that surprise ending (I haven't read the New 52 Shazam!), which I totally did not see coming, but the little kid sitting next to me called out (saw it in a theater full of kids from a boys home or something which was interesting). The theater audience definitely perked up after that. Not sure how I feel about that scene cinematically, but I liked the message of power. A bit socialistic, but a little socialism never hurt anybody. I give it a 6/10. While I am a bit biased, I can say I definitely enjoyed the MCU's Captain Marvel more. I've gone back to see that film multiple times, while I think one viewing of Shazam! was enough for me.

Edited April 8, 2019 by @therealsilvermane

[Bosco685]

39 minutes ago, @therealsilvermane said:

I liked Shazam!, but I also had some problems with it. The best parts were the funny scenes that riffed off "Big", where our "hero" is trying to be an adult. With the wisdom of Solomon, I figured Billy would have made better choices (was ;this movie Shazam or Hazam?). The messages  I got from the movie were mixed. While I appreciated the theme of family, I also got that biological family sucks? The 7 deadly sins were a little weird, and the third act started to drag until that surprise ending (I haven't read the New 52 Shazam!), which I totally did not see coming, but the little kid sitting next to me called out (saw it in a theater full of kids from a boys home or something which was interesting). The theater audience definitely perked up after that. Not sure how I feel about that scene cinematically, but I liked the message of power. A bit socialistic, but a little socialism never hurt anybody. I give it a 6/10. While I am a bit biased, I can say I definitely enjoyed the MCU's Captain Marvel more. I've gone back to see that film multiple times, while I think one viewing of Shazam! was enough for me.

Glad you liked the movie. Though if you go by your experience, Shazam was about how real families are a terrible thing??!! It was Billy's background which then required where he landed as an orphan after being abandoned. Kids in orphanages either are adopted, on rare occasions reunited with their family, or age out of the system (or worse, but didn't want to go there). Don't you think the story would have been disingenuous if all of a sudden he reunited with his family after all he went through as a kid, and the world was a peachy-bright place again?

Reading this had socialism influence (??), I think you may have other things going on in your mind outside of comic books. Again, it was all about he is an orphan taken in by a foster family. Rosa and Victor, who experienced the same challenges as Billy in being foster kids, take him in with the rest of their foster kids to show him love and care. Even throughout the film their message is all about support, family values, positive outlook on life and during crisis willing to rush to his aid when they go out searching for him. Where did you get from that 'biological family sucks'? They were his replacement family in a very tough situation. But only in this situation of a group of foster kids for the story.

There are definitely slow points where Sandberg wanted to build out more of the character experiences versus a lot of action. Kind of like Carol Danvers sitting in a bar with Nick Fury telling each other tales versus rushing into a story or loads of action so you learn more about them through their learning about each other. So I got his point, and approach.

I won't touch on your bias message, as that is a personal outlook not for me to attempt to change. I like them all, so don't have to fret over studio competitions or forcing myself to see the world through one studio's view of filming. It makes for a diverse experience, and more enjoyment of these films.

Edited April 8, 2019 by Bosco685
spelling error - oops

[@therealsilvermane]

7 hours ago, Bosco685 said:

Glad you liked the movie. Though if you go by your experience, Shazam was about how real families are a terrible thing??!! It was Billy's background which then required where he landed as an orphan after being abandoned. Kids in orphanages either are adopted, on rare occasions reunited with their family, or age out of the system (or worse, but didn't want to go there). Don't you think the story would have been disingenuous if all of a sudden he reunited with his family after all he went through as a kid, and the world was a peachy-bright place again?

 

I think the mirrored story of Dr Savanna's family sort of drove home my perception of biological family in the movie. They were so mean to him as a kid and Dr Savana did them 100 times worse as an adult. I think I might have even appreciated some glimmer of caring from Dr Savanah. I mean he just tossed his brother out the window without a thought and left his dad alone with that monster. I know his dad was a jerk, but that's his dad.

Billy's scene with his real mom was pretty sad and terrible for Billy. Maybe some redeeming moment for the mother or something? I know that can be a reality, but this is a movie with lots of biological families in the seats. Just my perception of it. I have a feeling other people in the audience felt the same way, though.

Edited April 8, 2019 by @therealsilvermane

[The_Captain]

I am surprised by how much I like this movie. I admit, I didn't like the New52 approach when I first read the stories, and probably still don't, but it works for the movie. After watching the trailer I imagined it to be a total disaster and expected a scary movie kind of approach. Checking the trailer again after having watched the movie, I feel like they didn't choose the best scenes to represent this movie. Except, of course, the scene on the roof where he transforms. The movie isn't epic, but it's a very good approach to a hero and story that most didn't know about. Having in mind the GA characters I didn't like Billys and Freddies characters as much at first, but they turned out to be very likeable throughout the rest of the movie. However, most of all I admire the message behind the team and how well they work together. 

Could the costumes have been better and the villains more convincing? Sure. Considering the budget, how much I did not like the previous BvS and JL and an entirely first and fresh start at a hero who's not been in the public eye for about half a century, I really, really liked the outcome and am very positively surprised. Looking forward to seeing more.

[Bosco685]

5 minutes ago, @therealsilvermane said:

I think the mirrored story of Dr Savanna's family sort of drove home my perception of biological family in the movie. They were so mean to him as a kid and Dr Savana did them 100 times worse as an adult. I think I might have even appreciated some glimmer of caring from Dr Savanah. I mean he just tossed his brother out the window without a thought and left his dad alone with that monster. I know his dad was a jerk, but that's his dad.

Billy's scene with his real mom was pretty sad and terrible. Maybe some redeeming moment for the mother or something? I know that can be a reality, but this is a movie with lots of biological families in the seats. Just my perception of it. I have a feeling other people in the audience felt the same way, though.

Like a Killmonger or Loki where a studio wants you to feel emotionally attached and sympathetic towards their antagonist, Sandberg revealed how Sivana came to be the way he was. Again, in order to give us a healthy dose of reality what was going on in his mind. Including having the powers of a god offered to him, and then snatched away when he is AGAIN told he is not good enough like his family conveyed to him. We didn't see all they did to him. But his brother feeling the father's injuries came from Thaddeus gives you a good feel for what could have gone on over the years.

Billy's mom was a minor story point so as not to drag out the details further. After all his efforts as a kid to find out what really occurred (avoiding spoilers), it made you feel more for Billy knowing what really occurred.

[1Cool]

Saw it last night and I really liked it.  It was obvious I was not their target audience and it did a bit forced in parts but overall it was funny and I left the theater feeling happy and wanting to see more.  Definetely a super hero movie that needed to be made to counter all the dark and gloomy movies DC has put out.  Fun - fun flick that everyone should see.

[@therealsilvermane]

1 hour ago, Bosco685 said:

 

Reading this had socialism influence (??), I think you may have other things going on in your mind outside of comic books.

The idea of Billy sharing his wealth of power at the end, and saying "What's the point of power if you can't share it?" is what made me think there was a slight socialism message, which I didn't mind as I lean a little left anyway. I get that it also added to the family support message, too. But I think the end scene resonated especially with the kids in the audience, because in the end, it's not just Billy who gets to play, but all the kids. As I said, I liked the message, didn't have a problem with it.

I did leave the theater wondering if that might have been better left for the sequel, and just let Billy shine and prove his heroism in his origin movie. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

I'll probably end up seeing this the weekend after Endgame. I'm just too busy until then.

[AnthonyTheAbyss]

22 minutes ago, TwoPiece said:

I'll probably end up seeing this the weekend after Endgame. I'm just too busy until then.

I'm not even sure I'll be seeing it in theaters...even after seeing the good reviews.  Captain Marvel was a "must see" because it is tied to Endgame.  And any movie sandwiched between Captain Marvel and Endgame is a wait (cause I ain't rich).

[@therealsilvermane]

5 minutes ago, AnthonyTheAbyss said:

I'm not even sure I'll be seeing it in theaters...even after seeing the good reviews.  Captain Marvel was a "must see" because it is tied to Endgame.  And any movie sandwiched between Captain Marvel and Endgame is a wait (cause I ain't rich).

Yeah, I think Shazam! would have been better served screening after Endgame. There might have been some strategy releasing it on the heels of Captain Marvel, but Endgame is going to probably kill Shazam’s box office.

[Mr.TawkyTawny]

[Jaydogrules]

18 hours ago, Bosco685 said:

'Shazam' Opens To Thunderous $159 Million With Open Road Ahead

 

Scott Mendelson disagrees.

Predicting much more modest $350MM-$400MM (after China "flameout".

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2019/04/07/shazam-box-office-dc-films-zachary-levi-gal-gadot-jason-momoa-batman-captain-marvel-avengers/amp/

..and using Hughes'own past formula, "breakeven" is actually $350MM, Or 3.5X its production budget of $100MM (which is probably about right given that it will not have crazy, disproportionate, stingy-to-the-studio Chinese BO skewing the international totals higher).

Funny thing about Hughes,  when Venom premiered last October, with its identical budget to Shazam, when he (incorrectly) estimated that film would debut with the same ~$50MM that Shazam did (he was ultimately wrong, Venom went on to hit $80MM) with the identical production budget it "could add up to problems" for Sony. Whereas with Shazam those same "problem" numbers that he originally estimated for Venom, are "a big win" for Shazam.  

Here's the link to his Venom article for a good lesson in blatant "journalistic" hackery.  

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2018/10/05/review-venom-is-the-bane-of-sonys-superhero-plans/amp/

-J.

 

 

[Mr.TawkyTawny]

[Capn17]

Saw it over the weekend with the wife.  Overall, entertained by it.  Agree it is not for an all ages audience.

I felt like there were mixed messages as well.  There were no real signs of Billy being "of true heart".  He gets the powers, then  he and his "brother" do a lot of "selfish things".  Then later, the "brother" gets mad that he does "selfish things" and won't do the one thing the brother needs ("selfishly").

It's Superman meets Big meets Greatest American Hero meets Hancock.

 

Entertaining?  Yes.  Will I see the sequel?  Most likely.  Does this movie get added to my personal library for future re-watching?  Probably not.

[bronze_rules]

Don't know much about Billy Batson's origin, but I did feel the film origin here strongly borrowed from ASM 15 origin. E.g. Abuse of powers, with great powers comes great responsibility moral.  I suppose it would be archetypal for any naïve youth coming into power...

Edited April 8, 2019 by bronze_rules