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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 19, 2021 18:23:40 GMT
I really enjoyed it this afternoon. The cinematography and visual look of the film is just stunning, I loved the fantasy elements and the choreography, especially the big group numbers were just spectacular.
I thought Anthony Ramos was sensational, so likable, you were really rooting for him and he had an amazing aura about him. I also loved Melissa Barrera as Vanessa and Corey Hawkins as Benny has a fantastic voice. Olga Meridiz as Abuela was lovely.
It didn't disappoint me at all and this is defo for me something that works even better on film.
And all for free because of the lottery promotion! Lovely!
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Post by Mark on Jun 19, 2021 18:35:33 GMT
Really enjoyed seeing this today, lots of changes from the stage show but good to have the film a bit different. Thought everyone sounded fantastic. Will definitely be back again to see this. One thing that it did mean though is
the fact that we don't learn that Claudia wins the lottery until right toward the end, meant for a lot of lyric changes. I'm not too sure that change was necessary because i'd guess a large proportion of the cinema goers are already familiar with that point from the stage show.
I also missed Camilla as a character, and of course the cut songs (Enough in particular, but also Sunrise). I think they could have squeezed in a shorter Inutil aswell.
Oh, and dont you just hate it when small children talk all the way through? Why take a 5 year old to see this? Can't blame the kid, but parents should atleast tell the children to be quiet. Lots of people kept shushing them and they left about an hour into the film. |
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 19, 2021 18:50:43 GMT
Really enjoyed seeing this today, lots of changes from the stage show but good to have the film a bit different. Thought everyone sounded fantastic. Will definitely be back again to see this. One thing that it did mean though is
the fact that we don't learn that Claudia wins the lottery until right toward the end, meant for a lot of lyric changes. I'm not too sure that change was necessary because i'd guess a large proportion of the cinema goers are already familiar with that point from the stage show.
I also missed Camilla as a character, and of course the cut songs (Enough in particular, but also Sunrise). I think they could have squeezed in a shorter Inutil aswell.
Oh, and dont you just hate it when small children talk all the way through? Why take a 5 year old to see this? Can't blame the kid, but parents should atleast tell the children to be quiet. Lots of people kept shushing them and they left about an hour into the film. {Spoiler - click to view}
Wow I never even noticed they had gone! Of course now it's been mentioned I remember them from the show but I didn't miss them at the time. Now i remember Sunrise I really like that one so wish it could have been included, but nevermimnd! |
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 19, 2021 19:17:32 GMT
LOVED LOVED LOVED it.
Jon M Chu really understands musicals on film in a way that Tom Hooper has no concept of. Makes me very excited for what might happen with the Wicked movie (if that ever gets made...!)
Cast were pretty much all superb (although I wasn't hugely keen on Nina). Thought Anthony Ramos did a super job, Daphne Rubin Vega was great (although she's had some serious help in post production re her voice because she's never been able to sing like that!) And the Mr Softie cameo was GREAT.
There were two numbers in it that I think are two of the best movie numbers of all time (carnaval and 96,000).
I laughed, I cried, and I can't wait to see it again. So many movie musicals to come this year and I can't wait (even for DEH which I can't stand!)
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 19, 2021 19:44:16 GMT
LOVED LOVED LOVED it. Jon M Chu really understands musicals on film in a way that Tom Hooper has no concept of. Makes me very excited for what might happen with the Wicked movie (if that ever gets made...!) Cast were pretty much all superb (although I wasn't hugely keen on Nina). Thought Anthony Ramos did a super job, Daphne Rubin Vega was great (although she's had some serious help in post production re her voice because she's never been able to sing like that!) And the Mr Softie cameo was GREAT. There were two numbers in it that I think are two of the best movie numbers of all time (carnaval and 96,000). I laughed, I cried, and I can't wait to see it again. So many movie musicals to come this year and I can't wait (even for DEH which I can't stand!) All the big production numbers were just stunning. The work that must have gone into them. It was really a spectacle to watch, and yet also the intimate moments really brought you back down again. It really was great. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2021 21:11:01 GMT
Its amazing to think they cut so many songs and yet it still runs nearly 2.5 hours.
I didn't miss any of Kevin or Camilla's stuff, but i did miss Everything I know.
Also, exactely how was Vanessa going to pay for her downtown apartment, when she's working in the Salon??
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 20, 2021 16:02:14 GMT
Went back this afternoon to see it again and yeah, what an absolutely banging film.
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Post by sleepflower on Jun 20, 2021 16:18:26 GMT
Saw this today, really enjoyed it! I had no prior knowledge of the show, maybe not as instant as Hamilton but still some great songs. It touched on serious issues with a light hand, as is best in musicals.
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Jun 20, 2021 16:22:13 GMT
Saw this yesterday and LOVED it. I echo everything that’s been said on here about the production values, especially the large numbers. This is how to adapt a Broadway musical to the screen successfully. It’s not even the best source material, so my expectations weren’t especially high, but they managed to elevate it (in my opinion) to a real emotionally driven spectacle. Lovely. Its amazing to think they cut so many songs and yet it still runs nearly 2.5 hours. I didn't miss any of Kevin or Camilla's stuff, but i did miss Everything I know. Also, exactely how was Vanessa going to pay for her downtown apartment, when she's working in the Salon?? There are a few mentions early on about the money she had saved up already. I’d have to watch it again to remember exactly but she was quite adamant about her finances being in a strong place (just not in a bank!) over the phone when we first met her. |
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Post by Jon on Jun 20, 2021 18:02:27 GMT
Also, exactely how was Vanessa going to pay for her downtown apartment, when she's working in the Salon?? I did think that was stretching things just a tad, downtown NY is not cheap! Anyway it was a great film. Having not seen the original stage show, I was going in without having knowledge of what's been changed for the film. There's a great community vibe which I think has become even more relevant now than when they filmed it. |
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Jun 20, 2021 18:07:36 GMT
I really enjoyed, especially up until Paciencia Y Fe but after that it feels like there should have been a maybe 10 kinute epilogue but it was 20 minutes or so and definitely began to drag for me. The finale brought it back round and it ended strong but definitely could use a few minutes shaved off the runtime. Not sure where you'd lose it though because if anything I felt some characters didn't get given enough time! Overall came out very positive though.
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Post by distantcousin on Jun 21, 2021 10:52:20 GMT
I think I must be the only one not keen on the film version. The dancing is fabulous and there’s some wonderful visuals, but it took me many listens to the Broadway cast recording for the songs to properly stick with me and then they went and cut half of them. Plus, it’s one of those movie musicals where they seem a bit embarrassed by all the singing and so have added loads of spoken dialogue. (Rent, I’m looking at you.) And they’ve seriously dialled up the politics, and as a result Usnavi suddenly sounded like Alexander Hamilton to my ears. And once I’d heard that echo I couldn’t shake it. I basically didn’t like any of the book changes. Bah.
I have a feeling this is how I'd react too, so I'm steering clear and sticking with my good memories of the Kings Cross Theatre!
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Post by distantcousin on Jun 21, 2021 10:59:22 GMT
I saw In the Heights on Broadway and I never really understood the appeal beyond the fact that it celebrates the Latin community and utilizes Latin music styles. The story just isn't very interesting. It's mostly fluff and whatever problems are brought up rarely gain any depth or drama. The movie has tried to bring more politics into it, but didn't really dare to dig deep. And if there's no stakes for the characters, what interest does it have for the audience? The Greatest Showman had the classical "rags to riches" story as it showed Barnum's rise to the top of the entertainment world, we were there for him to make it to the top and there were plenty of interesting subplots and characters to engage us. Same with Jon Chu's previous work Crazy Rich Asians, which has some similarities with the In the Heights movie - but there was also a deep engaging conflict at the bottom, that of the newly arrived American "intruder" into the deeply entrenched chinese-Singaporean society and we rooted for her to make it and win her guy, but ALSO understood the guy's hostile mother. I'd still like to see In the Heights on the big screen to enjoy the big choreographies but I'm not surprised that it's not a big success and I think the current controversy isn't helping because so many people are sick to the teeth of virtually everything causing "outrage" these days and it just makes them turn away at this point.
It was fun and very entertaining on stage, but the book is nothing more than soap opera level stuff.
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Post by fiyero on Jun 21, 2021 14:47:41 GMT
Just watching for a second time and whole cinema evacuated just before the blackout!
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Post by alece10 on Jun 21, 2021 14:57:37 GMT
Just watching for a second time and whole cinema evacuated just before the blackout! Blimey. What are the chances of that happening at that precise moment. Hope you got back in to see the rest of it. |
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Post by fiyero on Jun 21, 2021 15:01:37 GMT
Just watching for a second time and whole cinema evacuated just before the blackout! Blimey. What are the chances of that happening at that precise moment. Hope you got back in to see the rest of it. Not yet. And rain instead of fireworks! |
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Post by alece10 on Jun 21, 2021 15:24:12 GMT
Blimey. What are the chances of that happening at that precise moment. Hope you got back in to see the rest of it. Not yet. And rain instead of fireworks! And cold instead of hot. |
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jun 21, 2021 16:25:52 GMT
Just watching for a second time and whole cinema evacuated just before the blackout! literal immersive theatre, AM I RIIIIIIIIGHT!? |
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Post by fiyero on Jun 21, 2021 17:09:14 GMT
Just watching for a second time and whole cinema evacuated just before the blackout! literal immersive theatre, AM I RIIIIIIIIGHT!? We were let back in and the film started again after about half an hour. They’d gone back about 20 minutes too! I felt bad for a family who had to leave early, they’d have been ok without the extra 20 minutes. We got a voucher for our trouble too which is great as it wasn’t the cinema’s fault. I was the only one who waited for the post credit scene and was being stared at by the manager waiting to let in the next audience! |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jun 22, 2021 8:50:34 GMT
I loved the big dance sequences and fantasy elements. Generally, I thought it was great if not a little too long and the sound was way too smooth and polished for my liking. I'll watch it again though as anything that name checks Chita Rivera gets my vote.
I'd like for the Usnavi & Sonny relationship to be examined in more detail. To me that's far more interesting then some of the other narrative.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 22, 2021 9:47:37 GMT
I loved the big dance sequences and fantasy elements. Generally, I thought it was great if not a little too long and the sound was way too smooth and polished for my liking. I'll watch it again though as anything that name checks Chita Rivera gets my vote. I'd like for the Usnavi & Sonny relationship to be examined in more detail. To me that's far more interesting then some of the other narrative. The sound was my only complaint really, I just never thought it was dynamic or thrilling enough, especially in the big songs and dance sequences when you want to feel immersed, the sound always was just a little too subdued for me and I constantly wanted to just turn it up and and slap a bit more bass into it. I thought that it was just my cinema/screening though so that's why i never mentioned it, but maybe it's just the mixing for the film in general. |
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Post by mkb on Jun 22, 2021 12:49:06 GMT
The sound was my only complaint really, I just never thought it was dynamic or thrilling enough, especially in the big songs and dance sequences when you want to feel immersed, the sound always was just a little too subdued for me and I constantly wanted to just turn it up and and slap a bit more bass into it. I thought that it was just my cinema/screening though so that's why i never mentioned it, but maybe it's just the mixing for the film in general. It's likely to have been the cinema. I like my cinema sound loud, for the aural impact, but most cinemas keep the volume well down from the level the director intended. Happily, that was not the case when I saw "In the Heights" in an Odeon iSense screen, which was played nice and loud through a Dolby Atmos system. There was a plenty of bass (felt as well as heard) and plenty of fine detail. I remarked afterwards how brilliant the sound design was and how unusual it was to be able to hear every word of dialogue. I disliked the stage version that played in Kings Cross a few years ago -- it's not really a style of music I enjoy -- but the film elevates the piece to respectable and entertaining three-star territory for me. |
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Post by anita on Jun 22, 2021 13:06:23 GMT
I disliked the stage version in Kings Cross so haven't bothered to see this.
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Post by firefingers on Jun 22, 2021 18:58:05 GMT
Conceptually I enjoyed it. I normally don't like live-action film musicals but this one does a pretty good job. I didn't really think the changes added a lot, and in fact in some cases detracted... {Spoiler - click to view}
Losing Camila, and thus 'Enough' is a travesty, and there didn't seem to be any reason for it. They essentially nerfed Kevin's character and he lost all of his growth and conflict. I can see what they were going with with moving "Paciencia y Fe" (and it did look stunning) but having her basically singing about how much of her life sucked made it feel like she had died having only very recently found happiness. 'Piragua' without 'Piragua (Reprise)' was just stupid. Just cut both or leave both. Sonny being undocumented I liked though.
Some of the changes meant you had some odd lyrics (resetting Champagne to Abuela's flat, and then singing how you brought the champagne next door...) whilst other lyrics changes felt totally arbitrary. I'd give it a 7/10 whilst for me the stage version is a straight 10/10. |
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 22, 2021 19:00:04 GMT
Conceptually I enjoyed it. I normally don't like live-action film musicals but this one does a pretty good job. I didn't really think the changes added a lot, and in fact in some cases detracted... {Spoiler - click to view}
Losing Camila, and thus 'Enough' is a travesty, and there didn't seem to be any reason for it. They essentially nerfed Kevin's character and he lost all of his growth and conflict. I can see what they were going with with moving "Paciencia y Fe" (and it did look stunning) but having her basically singing about how much of her life sucked made it feel like she had died having only very recently found happiness. 'Piragua' without 'Piragua (Reprise)' was just stupid. Just cut both or leave both. Sonny being undocumented I liked though.
Some of the changes meant you had some odd lyrics (resetting Champagne to Abuela's flat, and then singing how you brought the champagne next door...) whilst other lyrics changes felt totally arbitrary. I'd give it a 7/10 whilst for me the stage version is a straight 10/10. I don't know how to spoiler tag, but your point about Piragua would have been solved if you'd stayed till after the credits...! |
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