General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Max on November 02, 2019, 09:05:04 AM
Title: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 02, 2019, 09:05:04 AM
"Midway" is scheduled to open November 8th. I'm going!! :banana: :x
This may trigger an influx of new players. I hope Hitech can do something; anything to get some new blood into the game given the buzz this movie is generating.
As for the community, keep in mind what YOUR experience was like the first 10 minutes you arrived in-game. PLEASE, let's keep an eye out for new players on the roster, or sitting on the runway. Lend 'em a hand, get 'em up in the air and hopefully to the point where they can communicate by text bar or vox.
An opportunity such as this isn't likely to come around again for a long time; if ever.
:salute :old:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: turt21 on November 02, 2019, 09:06:38 AM
Perhaps an Aces High clip before the movie starts
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: The Fugitive on November 02, 2019, 09:48:17 AM
For those people who are into social media POST!!! hashtag the crap out of Aces High and Midway. Make Aces High pop up everytime someone looks for Midway.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 02, 2019, 10:02:50 AM
It looks hokey but I hope it brings in players. I saw the original in theaters when I was three years old. Still one of my all-time favorites.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Volron on November 02, 2019, 10:13:59 AM
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Trev95 on November 02, 2019, 05:35:11 PM
I will be going to see this one myself, not a huge movie guy but come on its about Midway who can say no to that. As for new players, I really do hope for the best. I am not sure what needs to change will change but hey, I thought AH had died many years ago then one day BOOM their it was on Steam. I subbed back in 2017 and haven missed a month sense. A huge reason I stayed was because a few people took the time "a few hours" to show a new guy the ropes. And to all my peeps out their who are in squads, you have the greatest pull of all. Show the new guys what team work looks like.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: DmonSlyr on November 02, 2019, 09:41:56 PM
"Midway" is scheduled to open November 8th. I'm going!! :banana: :x
This may trigger an influx of new players. I hope Hitech can do something; anything to get some new blood into the game given the buzz this movie is generating.
As for the community, keep in mind what YOUR experience was like the first 10 minutes you arrived in-game. PLEASE, let's keep an eye out for new players on the roster, or sitting on the runway. Lend 'em a hand, get 'em up in the air and hopefully to the point where they can communicate by text bar or vox.
An opportunity such as this isn't likely to come around again for a long time; if ever.
For those people who are into social media POST!!! hashtag the crap out of Aces High and Midway. Make Aces High pop up everytime someone looks for Midway.
This
This isssss a great time to market AH. People will be highly intrigued to wanting to fight in WW2 planes. This has potential to be a huge film. It will create a lot of enthusiasm. We are also going into the winter, where more people play video games. Marketing now could be crucial to bringing in new and old players. The market for WW2 is NOT dead.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Bruv119 on November 03, 2019, 01:28:29 AM
have you said it three times yet Max?? :bolt:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 03, 2019, 07:04:35 AM
Good ole Middy... I miss that knuckelhead
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: lutrel on November 03, 2019, 07:31:10 AM
I recently finished reading 'Shattered Sword' the untold story of the Battle of Midway, it went into so much detail that it was almost painful to read, but I learned a LOT about a battle that I had previously thought I knew a lot about. It details the differences in tactics, strategy, doctrine, carrier design and even military culture that decided the out come of the battle. I am looking forward to the movie.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Hajo on November 03, 2019, 08:21:18 AM
I may be a grouch. But the only air combat movie concerning the history of the air battle of the Pacific was Tora Tora Tora. Yep.......I'm a history nut. I like facts and accuracy. The last Midway movie with Heston, Fonda, etc. had some facts that were accurate but realize it was a movie made to make money. A catch-all if you will. The added stories, love stories etc are not needed in a factual account. The Movie Pearl Harbor was a complete joke! Ya right.............a P40 outmaneuvering an A6M on the deck over an airfield turned my stomach. I walked out later when the same two Pilots ended up flying B25s off a carrier in Doolittle's raid. Pahhhhhhhhlease! For you younger folks or older I suggest you read "The First Team." A book by John B. Lundstrom about Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway. You'll get the facts there starting in the beginning up to the battle of midway.
I won't be wasting my time or money on the "new" midway movie. Unless they provide Barf Bags free. Hey........I guess I am a grouch!
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 03, 2019, 08:53:16 AM
I recently finished reading 'Shattered Sword' the untold story of the Battle of Midway, it went into so much detail that it was almost painful to read, but I learned a LOT about a battle that I had previously thought I knew a lot about. It details the differences in tactics, strategy, doctrine, carrier design and even military culture decided the out come of the battle. I am looking forward to the movie.
I recommended this book to some people on here years ago. It was met with rave reviews. Having read just about every book on Midway ever written I find SHATTERED SWORD without peer.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Nefarious on November 03, 2019, 10:26:21 AM
I did a post on my Facebook blog "West Virginians at War" this morning about Ensign Ulvert Moore and AVRM1C Tom Pettry this morning. Both were from West Virginia and served in Torpedo 8.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: jimbo71 on November 03, 2019, 01:46:30 PM
I suspect there will be an ample amount of pwnage
Nuff said :salute
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: icepac on November 03, 2019, 03:34:27 PM
I remember experiencing the original where the theaters brought in huge subwoofers they last used in "earthquake".
I'm curious if any recent DVDs of that movie have a dedicated subwoofer track.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Ramesis on November 04, 2019, 03:02:56 PM
Is that not the way most, if not all, sequels and re-makes go? :aok
Ain't that the truth. lol
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 09, 2019, 04:12:28 PM
Went to see the movie this afternoon and must say; it was very good...definitely worth the price of admission. Woody Harrelson gave a good turn in of the Chester Nimmitz character. The CGI was well done.
I give it :aok :aok
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 09, 2019, 04:39:04 PM
Went to see the movie this afternoon and must say; it was very good...definitely worth the price of admission. Woody Harrelson gave a good turn in of the Chester Nimmitz character. The CGI was well done.
I give it :aok :aok
The original was the number six movie of the year at the box office. This thing won’t even break even.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 09, 2019, 05:33:51 PM
OK Debbie Downer :old:
And you've seen this remake, right? Uh huh...what I thought.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 09, 2019, 05:46:15 PM
Went to see the movie this afternoon and must say; it was very good...definitely worth the price of admission. Woody Harrelson gave a good turn in of the Chester Nimmitz character. The CGI was well done.
I give it :aok :aok
The one thing I want spoiled: Is the "lovey-dovey" Pearl Harbor level, Original (which I honestly do not recall seeing any. Can't find my damn DvD of it.), "acceptable"?
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: popeye on November 09, 2019, 07:01:00 PM
The CGI was very good. A little too much time spent on character development for my taste. And I kept expecting Woody Harrelson to pick up a glass and start polishing it with a bar towel. :D
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Puma44 on November 09, 2019, 09:46:55 PM
Went to see the movie this afternoon and must say; it was very good...definitely worth the price of admission. Woody Harrelson gave a good turn in of the Chester Nimmitz character. The CGI was well done.
I give it :aok :aok
Agree.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 10, 2019, 07:15:32 AM
"Gonna hit the brakes [in my SBD], he'll fly right by."
:rolleyes:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 10, 2019, 08:00:53 AM
ACHOO Midway FUSS :neener:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Shuffler on November 10, 2019, 11:50:24 AM
"Gonna hit the brakes [in my SBD], he'll fly right by."
:rolleyes:
Uh rgr Ghost Rider.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Becinhu on November 10, 2019, 05:42:46 PM
I thought overall the movie was very good. My one complaint was in every single air combat scene there was not a single solitary allied escort. Not even sight of a wildcat on a carrier deck, just SBDs and TBDs.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: The Fugitive on November 10, 2019, 05:53:29 PM
I thought they did a pretty good job. CGI makes the action scenes far more intense than the original. I didnt like the lead either (Ed Skrein, played "Francis" in the Deadpool movie). Had he played it more like "Francis" I think it would have played better.
They did spend a good amount of time on the Midway battle. The other battles, Pearl Harbor, Marshall Islands and the Dolittle raid were all short segments. The Midway battle included the intel operations , some points of view from the Japanese side with the struggles they had as well as the fight itself.
Over all a good movie and well worth the money. Ill be buying the DVD. :aok
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Ack-Ack on November 11, 2019, 03:05:18 PM
The original was the number six movie of the year at the box office. This thing won’t even break even.
It has gotten okay reviews from movie critics and it was #1 over the weekend box office. It also made more than expected, $27 million domestically, more than The Shining sequel. Rhe studio plans on keeping Midway in the theaters for some time, which will help it break even domestically. However, the movie is expected to make back its money internationally, specifically in China. It will be popular in China because of the perceived anti-Japanese sentiment of the movie.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Ramesis on November 11, 2019, 03:34:41 PM
The CGI was very good. A little too much time spent on character development for my taste. And I kept expecting Woody Harrelson to pick up a glass and start polishing it with a bar towel. :D
Character development is generally what people what... all action without it is uninteresting... but I will admit, the Pearl Harbor movie with Ben Afflect did suck :D
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Hajo on November 11, 2019, 09:27:48 PM
The Smithsonian Channel has a one hour documentary on the battle of Midway. The facts will be there. Unfortunately no CGI but you'll see the original aircraft used in the battle.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 11, 2019, 10:39:12 PM
It has gotten okay reviews from movie critics and it was #1 over the weekend box office. It also made more than expected, $27 million domestically, more than The Shining sequel. Rhe studio plans on keeping Midway in the theaters for some time, which will help it break even domestically. However, the movie is expected to make back its money internationally, specifically in China. It will be popular in China because of the perceived anti-Japanese sentiment of the movie.
“MIDWAY” (2019) cost north of $100M to make. It will not break even. It is underperforming in China ($15.7M weekend total), losing by $3M to a local drama already in its third week of release. Critics also are mixed.
Like I said...a dud, especially compared to the original*, which it will be lucky to catch even in nominal dollars ($43.2M domestic, $22M international, $65M total in 1976), never mind inflation-adjusted ($194M domestic, $100M international, $294M total).
As of today it has made $17M domestically (not $27M). That’s horrible. Internationally, “Doctor Sleep” is beating it by almost 2:1. (The original was Number 4 for the year internationally in 1976.)
“TOP GUN: MAVERICK” can’t get here soon enough, quite frankly...
—— * People simply don’t appreciate what a blockbuster the original “MIDWAY” was. It was such a hit they added footage and filmed additional scenes after the end of its theatrical run to make it a broadcast mini-series which aired regularly on tv for years to then-massive ratings.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Brooke on November 12, 2019, 03:48:21 AM
I did a post on my Facebook blog "West Virginians at War" this morning about Ensign Ulvert Moore and AVRM1C Tom Pettry this morning. Both were from West Virginia and served in Torpedo 8.
There is a great book on VT-8 -- I loved it.
A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight, by Mrazek.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: lutrel on November 12, 2019, 07:55:30 AM
I enjoyed the movie, it was much better than expected.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Puma44 on November 12, 2019, 08:45:19 AM
I often find that the case when the critics and other supposed experts trash a movie before it even gets started.
Critics are generally unreliable. In this case, since the reviews are mixed one can choose which unreliable half they choose to believe or disbelieve. The reviews for the original were mixed as well as I recall.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: CptTrips on November 12, 2019, 09:41:58 AM
I often find that the case when the critics and other supposed experts trash a movie before it even gets started.
Weird. I've heard several people say it was really not too bad. I am surprised. I was very skeptical. I mean the skate-boarder hammerhead did look a little much. ;)
I guess I'll give it a try at matinee some time this week.
I'm willing to support any WWII movie that at least makes an honest attempt to be good. If for no other reason than to reinforce the idea to those in charge that WWII topic is still viable.
:salute, CptTrips
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: SlipKnt on November 12, 2019, 04:23:05 PM
Dare I say, "Better than the original"?
:bolt:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: perdue3 on November 12, 2019, 08:31:21 PM
You guys are mistaking this to be some sort of remake or sequel. This movie is simply a movie about Midway, not an attempt to better or continue with Midway (1976). It is like comparing Saving Private Ryan to The Longest Day or Tora! Tora! Tora! to Pearl Harbor, these movies are separate despite them being about the same battle or events.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 12, 2019, 08:36:22 PM
You guys are mistaking this to be some sort of remake or sequel. This movie is simply a movie about Midway, not an attempt to better or continue with Midway (1976). It is like comparing Saving Private Ryan to The Longest Day or Tora! Tora! Tora! to Pearl Harbor, these movies are separate despite them being about the same battle or events.
They shoulda’ changed the name, then. There can only be one MIDWAY and that’s 1976. Any other is a pretender to the throne. :old:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: TheBug on November 12, 2019, 09:24:14 PM
Funny how Hollywood becomes the history..
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 13, 2019, 06:36:43 AM
He was my friend. Don't be jealous. Not just anyone can have an ironic name like Max. :banana:
#Burn
:banana:
"Any other is a pretender. . ."
My point is exactly what yours is. The new Midway is not trying to outdo or emulate the first, it is simply a movie about the Battle of Midway. Just as you, Vraciu, are not trying to emulate or outdo the first Vraciu. If you are trying to emulate Vraciu and the movie is an attempt to emulate Midway 1976, then my point is invalid, but then the movie is doing is exactly what you are.
The more grand point to my statement is that using the old 1976 movie as a baseline to judge this film is erroneous. Because the movies are not connected (only by subject), we cannot judge them, based on each other. Instead, judge the movie for what it is, then compare it to previous films about WW2, not just Midway. How does this film compare to Pearl Harbor, Dunkirk, Redtails (recent WW2 aviation films). How does it compare to older WW2 films like Midway, Tora! Tora! Tora!, Battle of Britain. How about aviation films between these such as Tuskegee Airmen and Memphis Belle? Essentially, you should critique the movie based on what you see, not on what you have seen. It is fine to compare, but to say "this movie is not as good as 1976 Midway therefore it sucks," is biased, subjective, and displays an extreme lack of academic discipline.
It is akin to judging a sports team's performance against that of another based on similar opponents (e.g. Georgia lost to South Carolina and South Carolina lost to App State, therefore App State is better than Georgia). There are WAY too many variables to consider and it is not just black and white. Or judging one general's genius based on another's. Whoever you claim is the greatest general of all time, it can be argued against using anachronism; this is unfair, which wraps up my point.
For what it is worth, I have not seen the film. I thought it looked very cheesy in the previews and more like a Pearl Harbor 2.0 than an academic film about the Battle of Midway. Unfairly, I am a harsh critic of films about history because I expect them to get it right. My thing is, we know what happened so how in the world can you f*** it up? It is just baffling. The answer, of course, is people need to be entertained or no money is made. There is not much entertainment to the general population in a movie about Alexander which features a lot of drinking, killing, and mindblowing battlefield tactics and intuition. Instead, we need hints of homosexuality (but not full on homosexuality?), a LOT of time spent dealing with Alexander's misgivings with his powerful generals, and a ridiculous backstory about Olympias of Epirus. These are the types of movies that have contributed to making me so cynical in dealing with the historical film genre.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: SlipKnt on November 13, 2019, 02:20:03 PM
I thought Ben Afflek was going to somehow make an appearance and win the war for us again...
:banana:
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 13, 2019, 03:13:38 PM
When are you coming back Middy? Your mighty Spit 8 awaits you!!! :salute
Hope he comes back. I love out rating him in my Mustang and watching the excuses flow on 200.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: DmonSlyr on November 17, 2019, 06:04:24 PM
Just saw it!
Have to say, I was very happy with it! Lots of action. Not a lot of downtime. It wasn't too cheesy. Great graphics. Really shows how brave those guys were. How unforgiving war is with unexpected deaths. Not too much lovey dovey drama. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time. Only gripe is I wish it would have shown more fighter combat with US v Jap fighters.
That ship ack is brutal.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Nefarious on November 18, 2019, 06:29:36 AM
I enjoyed it yesterday.
Glaring issue for me was the Devastator payloads, I knew I was going to see something that didn't jive. But I survived that too. ;)
Other than that, great flick. Film focuses more on the Enterprise than say Yorktown or Hornet, which I thought was kind of crappy. You get to see Yorktown at Pearl under repair, then burning from the bridge of the Enterprise. Some over the top scenes, but that's more understandable than historical issues IMO.
Chinese Hollywood is getting good.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: captain1ma on November 18, 2019, 12:20:00 PM
there should be a trailer for hitech creations at the beginning of that movie!!
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Bruv119 on November 24, 2019, 04:00:50 PM
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: TeeArr on November 24, 2019, 09:59:10 PM
I agree with Vraciu. "Shattered Sword" is a fantastic book, and shows, with Japanese documentation how the Kido Butai really failed at Midway. Although I haven't seen the Movie itself, I have seen the extended trailer. These are my impressions: The Pearl Harbor Attack: The Japanese Zeros weren't green. Not a single one of them. With a major portion of the Aircraft fighting and flying scenes done with CGI, they could have done better. Attention to detail. Remember this as I will say "see above" several times. The Doolittle Raid scenes are beautiful. The one view of the B-25 from the bow taking off is fantastic, as is seeing 16 B-25s sitting on the Deck of the Hornet CV-8. Too bad they are B-25Js (See above). The Midway attack by Torpedo 8 is cool. You get to see TBD-1 Devestators in flight (for a short time anyhow), but the TBD-1s never carried a pair of 500 pound bombs on it's wings...especially not while carrying a torpedo. (See above). There are several people who are depicted from real life; Dick Best, Wade McCluskey, George Gay, Jimmy Doolittle, and Nimitz to name a few. There were also plenty of people who were important to the telling of the battle who were not depicted, and probably should have been: Specifically; Stanhope Ring, Mark Mitscher, and John Waldron. I do plan on seeing the film, but I will watch it for story content and try to ignore the CGI mistakes.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: bozon on November 25, 2019, 03:18:38 AM
I agree with Vraciu. "Shattered Sword" is a fantastic book, and shows, with Japanese documentation how the Kido Butai really failed at Midway. Although I haven't seen the Movie itself, I have seen the extended trailer. These are my impressions: The Pearl Harbor Attack: The Japanese Zeros weren't green. Not a single one of them. With a major portion of the Aircraft fighting and flying scenes done with CGI, they could have done better. Attention to detail. Remember this as I will say "see above" several times. The Doolittle Raid scenes are beautiful. The one view of the B-25 from the bow taking off is fantastic, as is seeing 16 B-25s sitting on the Deck of the Hornet CV-8. Too bad they are B-25Js (See above). The Midway attack by Torpedo 8 is cool. You get to see TBD-1 Devestators in flight (for a short time anyhow), but the TBD-1s never carried a pair of 500 pound bombs on it's wings...especially not while carrying a torpedo. (See above). There are several people who are depicted from real life; Dick Best, Wade McCluskey, George Gay, Jimmy Doolittle, and Nimitz to name a few. There were also plenty of people who were important to the telling of the battle who were not depicted, and probably should have been: Specifically; Stanhope Ring, Mark Mitscher, and John Waldron. I do plan on seeing the film, but I will watch it for story content and try to ignore the CGI mistakes.
:aok
Yeah, how you can tell the story of this battle without covering Torpedo 8 is beyond me.
There was also a rather gallant Japanese fighter pilot mentioned in SHATTERED SWORD who deserves attention in telling this tale.
Too bad on both counts.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Saxman on November 25, 2019, 01:54:19 PM
Yeah, how you can tell the story of this battle without covering Torpedo 8 is beyond me.
There was also a rather gallant Japanese fighter pilot mentioned in SHATTERED SWORD who deserves attention in telling this tale.
Too bad on both counts.
The story was primarily focused on Dick Best (who was himself omitted from the 1976 Midway) and Bombing Six, so some things simply had to end up on the cutting room floor in a 2 hour movie (IE, not showing any of the fighters even though McCluskey was CO of Fighting Six before his promotion to CAG). I already said in my review this could have benefited tremendously from being a miniseries rather than a film because of just how much they were trying to cover.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: TeeArr on November 25, 2019, 02:26:29 PM
They did cover Torpedo 8, after a fashion by covering George Gay...the sole survivor from the TBDs on the Hornet. Perhaps they spent too much time covering the battles leading up to Midway, that could have been used to round out the story of the Battle. There is a book "A Dauntless Victory" which concentrates on how the SBD Squadrons were the real heroes of the battle...I didn't make it past two chapters of this self aggrandizing container of fewmets and have not picked it up again. Two other books however are fantastic and worth the time: "The Battle of Midway" by Symonds, and "A Dawn Like Thunder" by Mrazek, which covers the history of Torpedo 8 Before and after Midway.
I hope this helps.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on November 25, 2019, 05:48:25 PM
The story was primarily focused on Dick Best (who was himself omitted from the 1976 Midway) and Bombing Six, so some things simply had to end up on the cutting room floor in a 2 hour movie (IE, not showing any of the fighters even though McCluskey was CO of Fighting Six before his promotion to CAG). I already said in my review this could have benefited tremendously from being a miniseries rather than a film because of just how much they were trying to cover.
Cut out all the other stuff and focus on Midway. This is where the 1976 film was also superior.
This film is obviously scatterbrained. Too diversified to find an anchor.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: captain1ma on November 25, 2019, 06:33:47 PM
its about entertainment. accuracy yes, but mostly entertainment. were you entertained?
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Max on November 26, 2019, 06:48:17 AM
I saw midway this past weekend, all I could think was "My SBD-5 can't square off with a Zero like that..." I thought it was pretty good. :airplane:
Look for the episode “long odds” (if I remember correctly) of the tv series “Dogfights”. It has the story of an SBD vs 3 Zekes.
I am pretty sure that the zekes were 2-weekers number guys.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: DaddyAce on November 28, 2019, 10:25:01 AM
Watched it yesterday with my wife and one of my sons. We all enjoyed it and thought it overall very well done and pretty accurate, better that we expected. Sure, there's always some things they could have done better, or more complete, but we enjoyed it.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: DmonSlyr on November 28, 2019, 11:31:01 AM
Watched that on Amazon Prime with my boy on Sunday. Still a great movie! :aok
The new Midway movie, however, I'll wait for it to come out on Netflix/Prime/Whateverstreamingservice.
You'd be much better off watching it in theaters. Probably one of the very few movies in the last 5 years that's actually worth seeing on a big screen because of all of the battle sceens and the intensity.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: bozon on December 04, 2019, 06:52:39 AM
Saw it last weekend. My review in one sentence: a missed opportunity.
In a few more sentences: The decision to do the Pearl Harbor scene and the Doolittle raid was total stupidity. Took a lot of screen time and diluted the main story. It seems the spectacles were more important to the makers of this movie than a coherent plot or filling in details. A lot of “why is this happening” I had to fill in with previous knowledge of the events.
The good things: some view into the Japanese angle - I liked that and they should have given us a lot more of it had they not wasted 1/3 of the movie on Pearl Harbor etc. The CGI was good. Action scenes were good and mostly managed avoid being over the top like Hollywood usually do. Actors were mostly good, except the main one playing Best - there is something annoying about him. And above all - SBDs! Finally this little crate gets some respect for holding the line and doing the hard work inspite of being obsolete from day 1.
Final word: a good spectacle, mediocre movie, could have been a hell of a lot better.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Saxman on December 04, 2019, 08:53:12 AM
I disagree about not showing Pearl Harbor. It was important for Layton's arc (since his intelligence was being ignored, and he takes the failure personally) as well as framing the larger context. Also, as the movie focuses primarily on Bombing Six, the squadron did lose several aircraft when they arrived on a ferry flight during the middle of the raid so showing that fits into the squadron's narrative, as well. It also sets up the personal stakes for Dick since his family was in Hawaii.
I'll reiterate the problem I had with what they showed was simply that this should have either had a longer run time than two hours, or should have been a miniseries.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Shuffler on December 04, 2019, 09:19:30 AM
I disagree about not showing Pearl Harbor. It was important for Layton's arc (since his intelligence was being ignored, and he takes the failure personally) as well as framing the larger context. Also, as the movie focuses primarily on Bombing Six, the squadron did lose several aircraft when they arrived on a ferry flight during the middle of the raid so showing that fits into the squadron's narrative, as well. It also sets up the personal stakes for Dick since his family was in Hawaii.
I'll reiterate the problem I had with what they showed was simply that this should have either had a longer run time than two hours, or should have been a miniseries.
So it is not about Midway. That is what I am getting from most of the postings.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on December 04, 2019, 09:29:24 AM
I think you nailed it right there Sax. The problem with Midway is that it tries to bite off too large chunk of history in just 2 hours when a 10 or 12-hour miniseries would have done the job a lot better, given all three events the time it needs to tell the story and history the right way, and probably for the same budget.
It's why Chernobyl has a running time of 329 minutes over 5 episodes. Sometimes you need to slow down to go fast with the story.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: CptTrips on December 04, 2019, 09:51:06 AM
Nope. Way longer than 10 minutes. Or maybe it just seemed long because it was so annoying.
Pearl Harbor and Doolittle raid had MUCH more relevancy. It just needed some shortening.
- There was a five minute scene when they met over drinks and the kid asked for help. - There was the scene where Heston went to speak to the girl. - There was the scene where Heston went to bat for the girl to his old Annapolis bud. - There was the scene where Heston chewed the kid's arse out.
I haven't timed it but all that combined is right around 10-15 minutes of a more than two-hour movie. Let's call it twenty. That's a small fraction of the total screen time and I think it was more to give Heston a chance to show his acting chops.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: CptTrips on December 04, 2019, 11:39:53 AM
- There was a five minute scene when they met over drinks and the kid asked for help. - There was the scene where Heston went to speak to the girl. - There was the scene where Heston went to bat for the girl to his old Annapolis bud. - There was the scene where Heston chewed the kid's arse out.
I haven't timed it but all that combined is right around 10-15 minutes of a more than two-hour movie. Let's call it twenty. That's a small fraction of the total screen time and I think it was more to give Heston a chance to show his acting chops.
Yeah. 20 minutes sounds more like it.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Saxman on December 04, 2019, 01:12:58 PM
So it is not about Midway. That is what I am getting from most of the postings.
The central focus of the film is Bombing Squadron Six from the first day of the War through the battle, with Dick Best as the main character. Layton is the main subplot, but the central story is about Best and Bombing Six.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Vraciu on December 04, 2019, 01:40:44 PM
The central focus of the film is Bombing Squadron Six from the first day of the War through the battle, with Dick Best as the main character. Layton is the main subplot, but the central story is about Best and Bombing Six.
Should have called it SIX-MEN.
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: molybdenum on December 04, 2019, 08:35:48 PM
Fwiw, here's the best YouTube commentary on the Battle of Midway I've ever seen. Extremely well done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd8_vO5zrjo
Title: Re: MIDWAY - the movie
Post by: Slate on December 06, 2019, 04:44:11 PM
My Father and I sat in the Theater for the first Midway in 1976. Nothing compares to the big screen with no distractions. The first movie did a good job showing some Japanese perspective including the tyrannical act of interring american citizens in camps because of their heritage. That is really why you had the love story sideline.
Any new film bringing the WW2 history to a new audience is welcomed and honors those that fought for both sides.
"It doesn't make any sense, Admiral. Yamamoto had everything going for him, power, experience, confidence... Were we better than the Japanese, or just luckier?"