Some may say that Spider-Man 3 was where the franchise went wrong. Of course since Sony rebooted it with The Amazing Spider-Man, it really hasn’t gotten any better. So as fans call for Sony to make a deal or just give the rights back to Marvel, Sam Raimi is finally admitting that Spider-Man 3 was awful, and if he were to make another Spider-Man film, he wouldn’t make “that movie.” But it doesn’t stop there, Raimi also talks about his most recent hit Oz the Great and Powerful.
The director stopped by Chris Hardick’s Nerdist podcast, where he opened up about some of the best and worst movies in his directing career. Hit the jump for more.
What an odd and oddly-wonderful Oscars. As the 86th Academy Awards winds down, we reflect on the shocking wins, disappointing losses, and memorably unusual moments. But here we focus on the Disney elements, whether prominent or more subtle, that persisted throughout the show.
Frozen thawed the cooler hearts of some voters, scoring it two wins. And the other Disney nominees? Not so lucky. Yet the influence of the Mouse could be felt throughout the theatre. Let’s analyze Disney at the Oscars 2014.
The Walt Disney Studios has once again impressed Hollywood with the news that it has topped the $4 billion mark (worldwide) for the first time ever. 2013 saw the releases of numerous tentpole pictures under the Disney brand, including films from Marvel and Pixar. But is this strategy, which appears almost go-big-or-go-home at times, positive?
The numbers tell a story, but so do the quality of the pictures. In many ways Disney beat other studios that suffered from major financial failures (most notably, Sony, which saw disappointing figures for many of its summer releases). But even with one box office bomb (sorry, The Lone Ranger), Disney made major strides. Let us explore what worked, and what could be improved in the future.
If you keep up with my reviews, you know that I wrote up a review of the last time I saw this movie, which happened to be in real IMAX 3D, and you can find that review here.
A quick recap of the story, Oz (James Franco, This is the End), finds himself in the land of Oz, where he goes on a journey to prove himself, with some help from a few witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis, Family Guy), Evanora (Rachel Weisz, The Mummy), and of course we can’t forget about Glinda, (Michelle Williams, Dawson’s Creek), who I thought was one of the highlights as far as acting is concerned. And yes Dorothy, cause this is a Sam Raimi (Spider-Man Trilogy) film, be on the lookout for a familiar chin, Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead) has a cameo appearance.
Oz: The Great and Powerful Blu-ray/DVD/Digital l Blu-ray/Digital l Blu-ray 3D/Digital l DVD/Digital DIRECTOR: Sam Raimi WRITERS: Mitchell Kapner, David Lindsay-Abaire STARRING: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Zach Braff, Joey King, Bill Cobbs, Tony Cox, Bruce Campbell
Walt Disney Home Entertainment RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2013
When we first heard back in 2010 that a new movie based on the fantastical tale The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum titled Oz the Great and Powerful was on the way with American Beauty and Skyfall director Sam Mendes and Robert Downey Jr. possibly attached, there was certainly intrigue, but there was also a whole lot of question as to the sanity of Disney. 1939’s The Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic, beloved by millions, and despite it being a remake in its own right (see older versions here) the thought of someone even trying to do anything set in the land of Oz seemed absurd. But as I said over three years ago, Baum’s world and characters are eternally ripe for reinterpretation.
Eventually The Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimibecame attached, then stepped away from the planned World of Warcraft movie to take on Oz. Some complications arose, as is always expected. Downey Jr. was replaced by Johnny Depp for the lead, then James Franco was eventually cast to replace Depp. Obviously things settled down eventually and the movie got made, but does it recapture the same magic that the ’39 classic had, or does it swing and miss?
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press
