The Fabelmans 4K UHD (2022)

[willo007]

Originally Posted by houseca

Spielberg was a great filmmaker... about 20 years ago. He has only made 2 great movies since then IMHO: Munich and Bridge of Spies. Ready Player One was good but not at that level.

Other than that, I just can't stand his recent movies. The West Side Story remake and The Fabelmans don't interest me at all.

This just further demonstrates what Brian De Palma once said.... that when director's get well into their 50's, the quality of their movies starts to deteriorate. It's ok though, the man has a body of work that rivals just about anybody in movie history. It's time to retire Steven.

Yea he was, has the record for directing the most #1 highest grossing of films of all time, 15 films passing the $100 million US gross, Has one of the profitable production companies in film history: Amblin. Has had his own film studios Dreamworks SKG, DreamWorks Animation and Amblin Entertainment (Storyteller Dist.). Has the most recognizable name of any director ever and made the term "Director" a household term. + 2 Oscars.

Name another director that can hold a candle to all that?

He is a living legend.

[mpls1981]

Originally Posted by houseca

Spielberg was a great filmmaker... about 20 years ago. He has only made 2 great movies since then IMHO: Munich and Bridge of Spies. Ready Player One was good but not at that level.

Other than that, I just can't stand his recent movies. The West Side Story remake and The Fabelmans don't interest me at all.

This just further demonstrates what Brian De Palma once said.... that when director's get well into their 50's, the quality of their movies starts to deteriorate. It's ok though, the man has a body of work that rivals just about anybody in movie history. It's time to retire Steven.

Hardly time to retire. Even if you don't like his recent movies, it doesn't mean that they are bad. Fabelmans is a great movie even if it's not to your liking.

And speaking of directors, James Cameron has produced 2 out of 4 of the highest grossing films ever, after he turned 50 and they are arguably the most visually stunning movies he's ever made. Spielberg ain't done yet.

[houseca]

Originally Posted by willo007

Yea he was, has the record for directing the most #1 highest grossing of films of all time, 15 films passing the $100 million US gross, Has one of the profitable production companies in film history: Amblin. Has had his own film studios Dreamworks SKG, DreamWorks Animation and Amblin Entertainment (Storyteller Dist.). Has the most recognizable name of any director ever and made the term "Director" a household term. + 2 Oscars.

Name another director that can hold a candle to all that?

He is a living legend.

I agree to all of that. Never said he was anything less than a legend. It is because of his incredible legacy as a director/producer that I feel so let down over the recent years.

Originally Posted by mpls1981

Hardly time to retire. Even if you don't like his recent movies, it doesn't mean that they are bad. Fabelmans is a great movie even if it's not to your liking.

And speaking of directors, James Cameron has produced 2 out of 4 of the highest grossing films ever, after he turned 50 and they are arguably the most visually stunning movies he's ever made. Spielberg ain't done yet.

I was only being a bit sarcastic when I said he should retire lol. I do know that despite him being well out of his prime, there is still something left in him. He seriously needs a great script... and then let's see what he can do.

I didn't mean to say others shouldn't like Fabelmans (thus the "IMHO"). I am not a movie critic, just a beer-drinking hockey-loving american that LOVES great movies. Nothing more. I didn't like it, but indeed that does keep it from being a great movie in the eyes of others. I was just shocked that at no point could I garner enough interest to get into the movie.

[willo007]

I do think because he has done it all it might be difficult for him to find a project to do or to feel really passionate about. I do think that Cruise really pushed him on the two movies they did together. And I trully love Munich. I felt Ready Player One was really good but it relied too much on CGI, which I personally think is a filmmaker talent killer.

[Matt89]

Of all the directors over 50 years of age whose films have begun to deteriorate, Spielberg is...not exactly a good example IMO.

I can understand some of his more recent films not being for everyone, but West Side Story for example was a fantastic film, and a really good remake. The guy still makes quality films.

He's one of the VERY very few filmmakers active in the '70s and '80s who still makes successful, critically-acclaimed films.

[Matt89]

I do think there's an argument to be made that his films are sort of cookie cutter at times. Like he directs on autopilot. Janusz Kaminski as DP, John Williams as the composer, etc. But I dunno, I'd say his formula still works for the most part. And he's made a lot of good films in the past 20 years.

[Winslow Leach]

WEST SIDE STORY is one of my favorite Spielberg films.

[alexdg1]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Of all the directors over 50 years of age whose films have begun to deteriorate, Spielberg is...not exactly a good example IMO.

I can understand some of his more recent films not being for everyone, but West Side Story for example was a fantastic film, and a really good remake. The guy still makes quality films.

He's one of the VERY very few filmmakers active in the '70s and '80s who still makes successful, critically-acclaimed films.

I loved both West Side Story and The Fabelmans.

Of the post-2005 Spielberg films that I've seen, the only one I have not enjoyed is The BFG.

[happydood]

Originally Posted by houseca

This just further demonstrates what Brian De Palma once said.... that when director's get well into their 50's, the quality of their movies starts to deteriorate. It's ok though, the man has a body of work that rivals just about anybody in movie history. It's time to retire Steven.

Well, I mean... if you say so...

[Jay Mammoth]

Wasn’t Scorcese in his 70s when he did Wolf of Wall st? That’s one of my favorites so that argument of a directors age is BS.

[houseca]

Originally Posted by Jay Mammoth

Wasn’t Scorcese in his 70s when he did Wolf of Wall st? That’s one of my favorites so that argument of a directors age is BS.

I was going to mention Scorcese as an exception. It's just a general rule. I loved Wolf of Wall St and The Irishman as well.

Oh, and De Palma said it, not me

[bradnoyes]

Originally Posted by willo007

I felt Ready Player One was really good but it relied too much on CGI, which I personally think is a filmmaker talent killer.

Half the story (maybe more?) takes place in a virtual/digital world. I'm typically sympathetic to criticism of CGI overkill but this is one instance where I think you can cut the director some slack. The movie couldn't exist without a ton of CGI.

[jayrobb9]

Wanted to see this in theatres. Didn't get a chance. Despite living in a big city, the nearest theatre showing it was 35kms from my home, was limited to one screening per day (7:30pm, I start work at 8pm), and was only shown in Gold Class ($50 per ticket).

Talk about not giving a movie a CHANCE to succeed.

Real shame, Spielberg is my all-time favourite director, but due to circumstances I wasn't able to see this or West Side Story in theatres. Can't wait for the Blu-Ray (April here).

[unberechenbar]

Originally Posted by jayrobb9

Wanted to see this in theatres. Didn't get a chance. Despite living in a big city, the nearest theatre showing it was 35kms from my home, was limited to one screening per day (7:30pm, I start work at 8pm), and was only shown in Gold Class ($50 per ticket).

$50 per ticket? That's ridiculous.

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by houseca

Spielberg was a great filmmaker... about 20 years ago. He has only made 2 great movies since then IMHO: Munich and Bridge of Spies. Ready Player One was good but not at that level.

Other than that, I just can't stand his recent movies. The West Side Story remake and The Fabelmans don't interest me at all.

This just further demonstrates what Brian De Palma once said.... that when director's get well into their 50's, the quality of their movies starts to deteriorate. It's ok though, the man has a body of work that rivals just about anybody in movie history. It's time to retire Steven.

[y2jman]

i'm still wondering if i should get this tomorrow if my walmart has it its not greats movie and there's really nothing to buy this week nor next

[BNex99]

I dunno; I guess there's only so many times you can redefine cinema in a single career. But all things considered, I think Spielberg is still making really good films.

READY PLAYER ONE actually improves on the source material, IMO; it's the final draft the frankly awkward novel needed. WEST SIDE STORY is a bravura act of showmanship, and THE FABELMANS is remarkably self-aware and much less starry-eyed than it's been marketed as.

I'll admit THE BFG was lacking, but LINCOLN, BRIDGE OF SPIES, and THE POST form a really interesting trilogy examining the function and/or dysfunction of American democracy over the years.

[chucktatum]

Spielberg has always had the gift of making it look easy and what's amazing is that he's still pulling it off after all these years. He continues to direct with the energy of a younger filmmaker and is still challenging himself. There's the beauty and vitality of the "America" number and the tracking shot in the high school gym in West Side Story. The perfect, precise marriage of music & visuals in a key revelatory sequence in The Fabelmans. Younger filmmakers like Tarantino, Del Toro, and PTA are in awe over how he continues to do it. He is a once-in-an-industry figure.

[moviemaker]

After having had time to reflect I think the scene with Judd Hirsch feels like the most poignant moment. It's what the film should be about. That conflict within Sammy to choose between his family and his art. Unfortunately, the mother-father drama unintentionally pulls away from this central conflict instead of adding to it. The result is that all these various dramatic events sort of cancel each other out resulting in a film that is more weepy than really dramatic. Events that may have been life-defining for Spielberg, but feel very middle-of-the-road in this film.

It's interesting that the film lacks many of Spielberg's signature flourishes or music cues. It's as if he purposely chose to pull back. In a recent zoom interview with the director of RRR, Spielberg says he was crying during the filming of many of the scenes or had to look away. I think he was too close to the material, and the film suffers for it.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by houseca

Spielberg was a great filmmaker... about 20 years ago. He has only made 2 great movies since then IMHO: Munich and Bridge of Spies. Ready Player One was good but not at that level.

Other than that, I just can't stand his recent movies. The West Side Story remake and The Fabelmans don't interest me at all.

This just further demonstrates what Brian De Palma once said.... that when director's get well into their 50's, the quality of their movies starts to deteriorate. It's ok though, the man has a body of work that rivals just about anybody in movie history. It's time to retire Steven.

Sidney Lumet was 52 when he directed Network, one of the greatest movies of all time, and still directed fantastic movies after that. De Palma was 56 when Mission Impossible came out. One of my favorites of his and one that I thinks disproves his own thesis.

Edit: David Lynch was 56 when Mulholland Drive came out. Akira Kurosawa was 75 when he directed Ran. Robert Altman directed Nashville at 50 and continued having pretty successful movies late into his career.