Escape to the Movies: Rango

[Stevepinto3]

I actually had a job as security for movie screenings a while back. It was an interesting gig, it made you feel like a super badass. I would go to the theater (dressed in a suit of course) and use a password to open up a case containing the yet unreleased film. Then we would scan the theater, searching up and down each row for anything that someone might have tried to sneak in, like a hidden camera. After that we waited for the people to file in and the movie started. While it was playing we would (I shit you not) use night vision goggles to scan the audience. Anyone using a camera, audio recorder, or even a cell phone would be immediately escorted out of the theater.

What was especially nice about it was that after the first twenty or thirty minutes you don't really have to worry about people trying to pirate the movie, because who wants to pirate only half a movie? After that you would basically get to watch the movie, before it came out, and get paid for doing so.

So, in summary why this was the best job I've ever had;
-Get to wear a suit to work and look like a badass
-Use night vision goggles
-Refereed to as an "agent"
-Get paid to watch unreleased movies

 

[daxterx2005]

Im with bob, piranha 3d was amazing

 

[LackingSaint]

(Wait, did Bob just say the movie is made worse by how mediocre the script is compared to the amazing visuals? Well crud, Avatar is the worst movie ever made!)

Also nice work brushing through any sort of vague "Actual review" in favour of deciding to weave a tale about your process. Here's an idea: Have a full episode so you can actually REVIEW the movie, then a full episode on the inner workings of the review process during a slow week. Don't act like "Well I don't have much to say about Rango" is a valid comment, you don't get any kind of magazine article cutting their reviews to half the length because the reviewer got bored, nor would I be forgiven for giving in a half-done english paper because I lost interest in the text.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Ooooooh, that last shot... did I see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqz5dbs5zmo

 

[pendragon177]

Thanks, I had never heard of Drive Angry until now and probably never would have heard of it until its DVD release.

PS: Oh god I hope you are right about Tanooki.

 

[MB202]

I'm surprised to see you review Rango, since it's a kids movie, and as you've said before, reviewing kids movies are mostly pointless because if the kids want to see it they will and their parents will just be along for the ride.

Personally, when I saw trailers for this movie, I wanted to see it, mostly because of the awesome-looking snake outlaw, but also because of the visuals which, as you've said, are amazing!

Nice to know the process of screening a film, but honestly, I doubt Piranhas 3D would of done any better had they screened it in advance. :/

Also, people seem to confuse the Tanooki suit with Raccoon Mario. Raccoon Mario is one of the main power-ups of Super Mario Bros. 3, while the Tanooki Suit was just an incredibly rare version of the suit that allows Mario to change into a stone statue. But whatever, I'm left thinking "What about the cape from Super Mario World? Or is that just not as cool as a raccoon tail?"

 

[drisky]

That is exactly what I expected of Rango, I was so blown away by the visuals when I first say the trailer that nothing else mattered, I have to go see it.

I find it difficult to believe that Rango looks better than Wall-E.

Have you seen the trailers in HD yet? Because I can tell you he's right.

 

[mykalwane]

Nice review, and did enjoy the second half better. Though I wish you had made some mention to Fido goes West. Since looking at Rango keeps reminding me of that. If they had some reference to crazy eyes of Fido Goes West in Rango I go and see it now.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I must be the only one who thinks Rango looks mediocre at best. All I see is high tech CGI, that's it. The character design and visual style has nothing going for it. As soon as the next big photo-realistic CGI movie is released, everyone will have forgotten about the visuals in Rango.

And what idiot thought it was a good idea to let Johnny Depp do voice acting?

 

[brazuca]

Yes that audience do exist, MovieBob, but it's too diluted. I'm typing from Brazil and there are how many people in the State of Rio de Janeiro that fits my demograph profile? Is it enough to make money? See this? That's how those guys think. Happens in the US, happens in Europe, everywhere on planet earth.

 

[OtherSideofSky]

This is depressing.
Mountains of schoolwork building up to midterms is now preventing me from seeing the second crazy Nicholas Cage movie this year as well as from going to PAX East even though I live in Boston (I actually broke down sobbing last year when I heard they had all those copies of Steel Battalion set up for multiplayer and I couldn't go).

As for Rango, based on the trailers I can agree with the assessment of the visuals as far as CG goes, but there are quite a few traditionally animated films I would argue are at least its equal in visual depth and personality.

 

[esperandote]

I was hoping for bob the give a final conclusion about the Oscars.

 

[roostuf]

Those graphics are a real example of modern day technology, but im not a graphics-whore sooo yeah not this time.

 

[WaderiAAA]

I bet the raccon suit in a 3D game (not necessarily visual 3D, but gameplay-wise) is something nintendo has been wanting to do for a long time, but have waited until they can pull it off. Fingers crossed.

 

[Srdjan Tanaskovic]

No mentioning of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?


sad

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

I don't know Bob, apparently Rango is getting unanimous good reviews...it may be worth more than just the good animation.

I always find your bits that aren't the review much better than the review itself. That's why I think Big Picture is better I guess...

 

[Nurb]

3D Animation isn't a substitute for story you dumb execs

 

[Flatfrog]

And yes, I include How to Train Your Dragon - I don't get what people saw in that film, which seemed to be yet another by-the-numbers Hollywood father-son bonding flick. (cf Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Madagascar II, etc etc). Plenty of good moments, very watchable, but nowhere near on a par with Toy Story III, let alone Up or Wall-E.

Lets see it draws humor from situation rather than pop culture references. It had a brilliant score, superb voice acting and visually distinct and unique style. Add into that a timeless boy and his dog story (really more this than a father-son one) and you have a real winner. Coupled with the fact it's new IP yeah people were right to care. And it should have won best animated.

I don't know, it just seemed so *predictable* - I don't think there was a single moment where I felt surprised or intrigued by where the story was going*. I agree that it's a huge improvement on other Dreamworks films because it's a story in its own right rather than just borrowing from other, better movies (I actually quite enjoyed Monsters Vs Aliens, but there was almost nothing original in it!), but story and character-wise it just felt like a box-ticking exercise - in the modern nerd genre of kick-ass girls and geeky heros who win through brainpower, all of which I approve of heartily but it's by no means ground-breaking these days!

Also, I realise this is just nit-picking, but the accents really pissed me off. It drives me crazy when a world full of scottish-accented parents produces a bunch of American-accented kids. It was a real distraction.

P.s theres also one other huge reason why it kicked ass, its one of maybe 3 moves that have used 3D to actually improve their film significantly (depressingly the other 2 are jackass and the piranha one)

I can't comment on that as I didn't see it in 3D, but really? What did the 3D add apart from a bunch of 'flying at you' action sequences? (That's a genuine question, by the way, not rhetorical - I'm interested to learn more)

*One exception (minor spoiler follows): The wooden leg moment at the end was a nice touch.