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InkyMae reports from the World Premiere of ALI!!!
Hey folks, Harry here. InkyMae has an interesting conspiracy theory about why he feels ALI sucks and why all the word has been positive, however he could be missing the obvious... People have different opinions. Tis true. People are allowed to think differently from others. This is my theory...
Hey Harry,
Just got back from the world premiere of the Ali at Grauman's Chinese Theater and as tired as I am I wanted to send you my thoughts on the film if you are interested..........
Let me start by saying that I had extremely high hopes for this film. I think Michael Mann is a great director and made one of the best films of the past 5 years. (The Insider) and in my humble opinion it should have won the academy award over American Beauty. The Insider was a film that had balls. It was a smart film with great performances that took on big tobacco and the big corporate media. It reminded me of the type of films Hollywood made in its last golden era during the 70's. So when I had heard that Mann had been selected to do Ali, I thought great choice. He can make a movie that hits all the high and low points of Ali. The legend, the myth and most importantly the man. He tries but he never ever quite hits it.
The film opens with a kind of montage sequence of Ali training, flashbacks of his youth, and Sam Cooke singing.. Mann uses the montage to set up the kind of person Ali is without spending too much time on him growing up and becoming that person. Apparently he believed it would be more interesting to just jump into Ali when he really broke out which was when he had the surprise victory over Sonny Liston. That seems like a good idea...I'll be the first to admit that I am kind of bored with the typical biopic stuff, the obligatory short scenes of growing up, blah blah blah...but you know what? the reason those scenes have become obligatory is that they are necessary to understand the person we are watching.
The film doesnt just focus on Ali's fighting career. It touches on a lot of things in the champ's life. His choice to defy the draft board, his conversion to islam, his bizarre friendship with Howard Cosell, and his romantic relationships. and thats it. Do you think I am not going into detail? Well, that pretty much is the film too! It touches and jumps around on ALI's life but never focuses, never develops, I never know what year it is, or what direction Ali is going or why. There are so many things they dont address that are the things we want to know to understand Ali the person. It never addresses how Ali was introduced to islam or how he met Malcom X and understanding how someone makes a religious choice that dramatically changes his life seems kind of important to me. We never see the debates that are made about his choice to defy the draft board. After his initial court hearing, we only get updates from phone calls "ali, we are going to appeal" "i just heard, i'm free now" wtf????????? even his relationships are pretty much just little one off scenes that never develop.
Now I know what you are gonna say. How are the fight scenes? How's will smith? how's the cast? how can the film be bad after all that initial good buzz? well friends, I have the answers for you right here........
1) Fight scenes are good. not great. I'd rather watch Raging Bull to see the real brutality of a boxing match and if I just want to watch a fight to cheer on the good guy, I'd watch a rocky movie. What really dissappointed me was that the film doesnt even really go into detail about the significance of Ali's opponents. or just how much Ali was the underdog. I know he's fighting Sonny Liston.......but they dont talk really talk or hype up what an upset that fight really was...instead Ali pretty much just takes us into the fight and then its over. and then suddenly he's the champ. NO DRAMA. Also, the film never really deals with his sudden riches and fame which seems to me to be something that would need to be addressed.
2) Will Smith is good in the role. I think he pretty much looked the part and caught the essence of Ali in about 1/2 of the movie, the other half on the other hand, he felt more like he was just will smith. His performance is good but not oscar material. Jon Voigt is good as Howard Cosell although I think his make up just looks like ALOT of makeup. The best two performances for me came from Mario Van Peebles as Malcom X and especially from Ron Silver as Angelo Dundee. (sadly, neither of them have big parts) Silver in particular really embodies the character and you find yourself wishing he had more to do.
So the big question guys is HOW COME ALL THE GOOD BUZZ ON THE INTERNET IN THE PAST YET THIS GUY SAYS THE MOVIE SUCKS? Well, i was trying to figure this out myself and I have a theory boys and girls. This film comes from a little old studio called Sony pictures. It is their biggest film of the year and they are famous for creating a certain fake critic by the name of David Manning. So guess what.....all that good buzz you have been hearing? They are plants. that's my theory. Sony got nailed for David Manning so now they are doing their hype anonymously through the net.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY WANTED TO LIKE THIS MOVIE PEOPLE. IT SUCKS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST DISSAPPOINTMENTS OF THE YEAR. JUST GO SEE LORD OF THE RINGS AGAIN.
sorry this is so rambling but I am tired and am sadly dissappointed.
from
The LEGEND OF INKYMAE
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Dang straight.
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The film looked like it wasnt gonna live up to its billing in the trailer. Will Smith, good screen presence as he has, just looks and sounds like a heavier Will Smith. This is the most disapointing aspect as I remember the performances Mann got out of Pacino And Crowe for The Insider and the elctricity between De Niro and Pacino in Heat. He is a great director, but this review has backed up my fears when I saw the trailer, that its gonna suck major ass.
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Well with $100 million+ on the table, I suppose a you would expect a average, safe film. Not however, if Michael Mann is directing, with help on the script from Eric Roth.
I think Mann has never made a bad film, haven't seen the Keep, but I've heard good things about it. The Jericho mile is a better TV movie than most cinema releases these days.
The trailer has me pumped, but then trailers tend to do that.
It sounds better than the Hurricane, which was very overpraised. I still have hope, at the very least the technical aspects, especially the score and cinematography, and the acting should be top notch. Smith looks as though he works his guts out, and Mann is like Soderbergh, he brings out the best in people.
By the way, that conspiracy theory is bunk, ludricous. It may happen occasionally, but not every single positive report. -
at least this review saved me from wasting money i shouldnt but it still sounds better than the hurricane. ill wait for dvd.
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Now that's what I'm talking about. Like Ali, I run like an elf and sting like tree (ent tree that is).
Can't we bring in another gushing LOTR review Harry? -
Ali is still alive and who wants to bash a legends life?
From the trailer I did not see Will Smith as Ali. I admire Ali, but this film looks disappointing.
This is just my point of view, thanks all. FRODO LIVES -
the running time for the film is almost 2 hours 40 minutes. but it seems like forever. the bottom line is the film does not have a narrative structure. it feels disjointed and in pieces. little scenes with no connection between each one of them. You dont understand Ali or the journey that you are supposed to be being led through. Mann's direction is good ( I like Mann) but the script is just a mess.
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let's get this over with, shall we?....
LOTR, LOTR, LOTR, FOTR, LOTR, LOTR,LOTR, PJ, PJ, FOTR, LOTR, PJ, LOTR, FOTR!!!!!!!!!!
-{whew} -
Sorry, whenever I try to take Will Smith seriously in a movie role, my mind just jumps to "The parent's just don't understand" video where he's running around in his pajamas with DZ Jazzy Jeff
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I was also looking forward to this film, but after this review I'm not too sure. Why cant anyone make a good movie about one of the greatest sports people of all time, its unfair. Cassius Clay will always be the most entertaining boxer of all time, everyone tries to immitate him without even getting close. Seems to me that movies about him try the same and again dont even come close. Maybe a film will give credit to the legend, I had hoped that Will Smith would pull it off. Do we really need Peter Jackson coming in and saving the day again for a film which will give the subject matter justice. If you cant do justice to the name of Cassius Clay then dont even try to make the film.
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Dec 14, 2001 4:27:31 PM CST
Why did Pete Travers of Rolling Stone put "Ali" as Number Two on
by smugbug
Why? And Lord of the Rings:FoTR as Number One? Why? I was looking forward to this movie BIG TIME! Right up there with Blade2, Spider-Man and of couse, LoTR. Oh and Ocean's Eleven- which we saw last night and yes, the dialogue was some of the best I've heard in a movie, but it was "okay". And after seeing the trailer for "A Beautiful Mind", add that to my list. But, but why does this movie suck? Why? ~~~~feeling kinda sad~~~pouting~~~~~
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let's get this over with, shall we?....
LOTR, LOTR, LOTR, FOTR, LOTR, LOTR,LOTR, PJ, PJ, FOTR, LOTR, PJ, LOTR, FOTR!!!!!!!!!!
-{whew} -
hey barzitt- it hurts when you think, doesn't it? kinda burns like a really bad headache, and sometimes you see large dots? that is because you are a retard. quit picking fights for no damn reason, or better yet take two bites of shotgun pie and spraypaint your moms bedroom wall. "fag lover" is not something i necessarily look forward to seeing when reading talkbacks. i love fags. bitch.
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unless I'm way out of the loop. Guess so... I mean, I wanted to see "ALI" as much as I wanted to see Vanilla Sky, or Ocean's Eleven, or anything that wasn't Fellowship of the Ring... Okay, I'm just a Tolkien fanboy - sue me. P.S. Barzitt: it helps to have a point.
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I told y'all that I have doubts this film would be good because of negative association of the film with Will Smith and Jon Peters. Remember, they made piece of shit Wild Wild West (the once-promosing director of The Addams Family has turned a hack like Ridley Scott before him). I'm not saying this to undermine Michael Mann's talent, in fact The Insider is one of the best films of the 90's. That movie should've won shitloads of Oscars over the piece of pretentious smug shit American Beauty. I liked Manhunter, Last of the Monicans, Heat and loved The Insider (despite the ridiculous email death threat scene), considering that film to be an influencial factor of why one should become a filmmaker out to make kickass quality films that Hollywood seldomly take risk nowadays. Michael Mann is the man, and I've read parts of Ali the making of movie book with a foreword by Mann himself and with a Roth/Mann script included and am impressed but was left with a question whether Mann would be up to par with the movie. I know - I haven't seen the movie yet until Christmas, but from what this disappointed reviewer said, it's the biggest disappointment of the year so my doubt may be valid. I've been rebuked for saying that I don't believe the film will be good despite having seen the kickass trailer. Here's the proof: http://www.aintitcool.com/tb_display.cgi?id=9618#320937 and the hilarious sarcastic response to a talkbacker's criticism of my questioning that Ali will be great http://www.aintitcool.com/tb_display.cgi?id=9618#321053 The original alias Father Death is banned so my post ain't there. I'm FD RESURRECTED!
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Manhunter was good. Insider was very good. But why do so many people hump Heat's leg? Heat was borderline tedious. Mann didn't draw anything out of De Niro or Pacino, it's not these two weren't already capable of it on their own (for all of the 20 minutes of screen time they shared, plus Val Kilmer was more or less wasted.) Other than that it was a typical flawed cop vs. sympathetic crook flick, except that it was THREE HOURS LONG, based on the "epic" nature of teaming De Niro and Pacino. I can sit through Heat easily, but , I'd rather watch the entire Godfather trilogy five times straight (INCLUDING III,) than watch Heat twice in a row. Heat was barely above average at best, ladies and gentlemen. Call me an asshole, ignorant, try to defend your position, whatever. Others have tried and failed. Heat is over... rated. And I am not alone in this assessment. Michael Mann is a talented director, but to say he hasn't had his off days is like saying Will Smith is gritty and artistically driven.
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This is the film which will confirm Will Smith as the pre-eminent actor of his generation. In years to come, this will be the film that children will look forward to watching on TV at Christmas. The Sound of Music, It's a Wonderful Life & Ali! SEE IT!!!! --- And for god's sake, stop picking on Sony, I happen to know that these people are the most honest, caring and downright perky chaps in the business. Sony rocks. Remember, David Manning told you so...
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I really hoped this movie would be good (and I still do), but this review sounded exactly like what I feared could happen to this movie. Trying to stick a life as rich as Ali's into one movie without really concentrating on single issues is likely to make the movie damn superficial. Also, after seeing Will Smith in the trailer, I realized that he is probably not the right one for that role after all. There's a lot of unknown or half-known black actors who probably would have had the right amount of "fire" for this role without making it seem like Ali was just some stupid comedian. And that comes from someone who is a Will Smith fan.
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I'll see it anyway. Who are we kidding?
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so i'm supposed to believe that this film 'sucks' because this ass saw it and wanted it to be like a Rocky movie? Fuck this idiot - Michael Mann is a god - he is a fucking legendary filmaker an di know that this film is gonna be good - I DON@T WANT TO SEE A FUCKING ROCKY MOVIE OR FIGHT SCENES LIKE THE ONES FROM RAGING BULL!!!!
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