Snowpiercer - New Joon-ho Bong Film (The Host)

Shiraz 4.99

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

the leaked version is missing half an hour though

Wiki, RT & Leaked NFO all quote 2hrs 5mins runtime.
Happy to see on Wiki that it's already made profit on it's South Korean release alone.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

but it should be 2h35m iirc for the uncut version

Sad Professor

The rip is from the forthcoming French Blu-ray which is uncut. Bong had a big bust up with Harvey over the edit. He won and the film will eventually be released uncut in the US/UK. But to spite him and the film, Harvey is trying to bury it. Same thing happened with The Immigrant and The Grandmaster. Usual bs from TWC.

Sad Professor

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

but it should be 2h35m iirc for the uncut version

Bong's original cut was 125 minutes.

S.M.B.

The leaked version does not have any English subtitles and there's some key dialogue in Korean.

Shiraz 4.99

Sad Professor wrote: »

The rip is from the forthcoming French Blu-ray which is uncut. Bong had a big bust up with Harvey over the edit. He won and the film will eventually be released uncut in the US/UK. But to spite him and the film, Harvey is trying to bury it. Same thing happened with The Immigrant and The Grandmaster. Usual bs from TWC.

Explains the idiocy of a having a DVD release before a main region general release.
Cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Reading about The Grandmaster

There are three versions of the film that have been released. First is the domestic "Chinese Cut" of the film that runs 130 minutes.[4][24] Second is the version of the film that debuted at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival at 123 minutes.[4] The third, released by The Weinstein Company, is a more linear version that includes explanatory text for Americans less familiar with the story[25] and runs at 108 minutes.[26]

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

Sad Professor wrote: »

Bong's original cut was 125 minutes.

really? as I was googling I saw several sites that said 2h35m was the uncut time

either way, not too far until it's in cinemas here

Sad Professor

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

really? as I was googling I saw several sites that said 2h35m was the uncut time

either way, not too far until it's in cinemas here

There does seem to be some confusion online, alright. But I'm pretty sure it's 125. The film had a different distributor in France, so definitely wouldn't be cut. But as said, the eventual US/UK release will be uncut anyway.

ekevosu

S.M.B. wrote: »

The leaked version does not have any English subtitles and there's some key dialogue in Korean.

There are English subtitles for it I think, not great ones, but the actual Korean spoken is a lot funnier than the translation....really enjoyed the movie.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

actually when is it out here. I thought i'd read april but I can't find any info online at all

pixelburp

Great, so the thread's going to be full of 'seen it' posts from people downloading the leak? Ordinarily I wouldn't bat an eyelid at the pirating of a film but in this case, given the stand-off between Bong & Weinstein that has resulted in Weinsteins blatant attempt to bury this film, I would urge people that if they want to see it they shell out for the privilege, be it in the cinema or via home release. If this movie sinks it'll simply validate Weinstein's policy and attitude & that's certainly not an outcome we should be happy with *


[*] of course, as before, it may yet be a stinker so its sinking may not be a bad thing, but early tattle suggests otherwise

Mickeroo

pixelburp wrote: »

Great, so the thread's going to be full of 'seen it' posts from people downloading the leak? Ordinarily I wouldn't bat an eyelid at the pirating of a film but in this case, given the stand-off between Bong & Weinstein that has resulted in Weinsteins blatant attempt to bury this film, I would urge people that if they want to see it they shell out for the privilege, be it in the cinema or via home release. If this movie sinks it'll simply validate Weinstein's policy and attitude & that's certainly not an outcome we should be happy with *


[*] of course, as before, it may yet be a stinker so its sinking may not be a bad thing, but early tattle suggests otherwise

Not condoning downloading, but paying to see the butchered version in the cinema will also sort of validate his approach. Best way seems to be importing the French Blu-Ray at the moment.

pixelburp

Mickeroo wrote: »

Not condoning downloading, but paying to see the butchered version in the cinema will also sort of validate his approach. Best way seems to be importing the French Blu-Ray at the moment.

But it won't be butchered IIRC; Bong won the argument to have it released untouched, but Weinstein will only allow a limited distribution.

Mickeroo

pixelburp wrote: »

But it won't be butchered IIRC; Bong won the argument to have it released untouched, but Weinstein will only allow a limited distribution.

I did not know that.

pixelburp

Mickeroo wrote: »

I did not know that.

Yeah, I think the positions amounted to an edited version and General Release vs. an uncut, directors edit and Limited Release. Bong stuck to his guns and his film should be untoched in cinemas (what few will show it)

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

pixelburp wrote: »

Yeah, I think the positions amounted to an edited version and General Release vs. an uncut, directors edit and Limited Release. Bong stuck to his guns and his film should be untoched in cinemas (what few will show it)

*casts a hopeful eye towards carlow omniplex*

Corholio

So just to clairfy, is this 'leak' an unedited version then?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

Corholio wrote: »

So just to clairfy, is this 'leak' an unedited version then?

seems to be, although with supposedly less than stellar subs

sabat

Corholio wrote: »

So just to clairfy, is this 'leak' an unedited version then?

I dunno, there are a few places where it seems like a minute or two are missing. As for the film itself, it's a decent action thriller, like The 300 on a train meets Logan's Run with a Terry Gilliam vibe.

TerrorFirmer

Not sure what I saw but it came it at 125m, there was the bones of a good movie within it but I felt a lot of it was lost in a sea of mediocrity. It certainly wasn't bad exactly, but it did suffer pacing issues and a comparatively weak opening segment that was a disservice to later scenes.

Overall, I'd consider it a 6/10, a worthwhile watch but occasionally too slow, and at times, a little too abstract for my personal liking. Can't fault the acting, which was decent throughout.

Decent overall though.

charlie_says

Jesus, that was a frickin mad movie!

What a insane hoot. Some incredible scenes and some downright ridiculous plot holes mixed together with a high does of extreme hatchet violence then generous drizzled with a dose of sci-fiesque "what does it mean to human and where are we going as a species?".

As mentioned above the start wasn't very strong, but the middle was certainly a fun ride and a bizarre ending made for something bigger than the sum of it's parts.

Great fun.

hefferboi

Just watched a pirate version having heard nothing about it. Thought it was very good tbh. Something different which makes it unique. A lot of big actors in it too. Can't understand why it hasn't been promoted much when you see some of the sh1t thats being released these days. Will definitely watch in the cinema when its released but only if its a proper uncut version. Will recommened to my friends to do the same.

jester77

Watched this last night on the big screen. The idea is great, takes the idea of different classes in a modern day train and applying it to a society living on an endless train journey. I really enjoyed the Host, but this has lots of holes and some parts make little to no sense. Visually amazing and what the big screen is made for, but overall it left me thinking, hmmm, wtf. Pity.

Hootanany

Watched it last night great story ending wasnt my cup of tea

TerrorFirmer

I watched the whole thing sans any subtitles. Hmm.

Skerries

the ending

Hopeful or a doomed ending?

ekevosu

Skerries wrote: »

the ending

Hopeful or a doomed ending?

It's a Korean director so you'll never get a perfect happy Hollywood ending. Here is a fairly good analysis of the movie if you have the time to read. His view of the ending was as follows "..whether or not the human race survives is irrelevant. What is relevant is that they are free and that their survival depends on their own independent minds. This is the movie's final message: the importance of freedom; damn the odds." http://thekoreanforeigner.blogspot.ie/2013/08/the-philsophy-of-snowpiercer.html

Sleepy

I really enjoyed this. It reminded me of Equilibrium: a decent, if not spectacular dystopian sci-fi that could have, had it been backed, been far more successful than it is destined to be.

TerrorFirmer

Sleepy wrote: »

I really enjoyed this. It reminded me of Equilibrium: a decent, if not spectacular dystopian sci-fi that could have, had it been backed, been far more successful than it is destined to be.

Equilibrium was a box office flop though, this has actually done good business at the box office even before a full international release, so ultimately I think it will fare very well.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Saw this last night. Ya, ok, pirated copy but I was bored on a Monday evening.

Overall I thought it was decent in parts, if horrendously uneven most of the time. Chris Evans is an awful actor, brings nothing to the lead role

The cannibal reveal is way too ridiculous

Pity, because I liked the premise. Execution was terrible though

Skerries

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

The cannibal reveal is way too ridiculous

they weren't eating the lower cast, I thought they were eating bugs formed into the jelly?

Duggy747

I think he was referring to

Evan's reveal of him and others resorting to cannibalism years beforehand.

Which I found a bit funny because he shouldn't have been so horrified at

the bugs since he knew what babies tasted like

:pac:

timthumbni

Watched this one last night (without subtitles). Thought it was one of the worst films I have ever saw. And I'm talking ps I love you standard here.

I love weird movies (big twin peaks fan), alternative future etc but this film was so bad that it made me laugh out loud. The acting was worse than abysmal.

Tilda Swinton obviously watches the league of gentleman as her character was a mirror image of the woman who works at the job seekers office in Royston Vasey. In fact I checked the credits for Steve Pemberton at the end.

Billy Elliot's Irish accent was totally uncalled for and offensive. Chris Evans lack of performance in itself was offensive. The 2 bad guys in the gray suits reminded me of the 2 camp villains from James Bond. (Mr Wint and Mr Kidd) but at least in bond the director was knowingly taking the piss.

There was so many plot holes that you just stopped caring. Who maintained the tracks on this round the world jaunt? Why were the axe troop baddies wearing balaclavas that covered their eyes? That shooting scene around the curve. I mean wtf?? Why does john Hurt play effectively the exact same character in every single fecking film he is in? He annoys me almost as much as Bill Nighy. In fact I'm quite surprised that Nighy wasn't in this film as it would just complete the clusterf&ck 100%.

Personally I blame the French for this camp high farce of a movie.

Overall I give this movie 0 (zero) out of 10. As a guide ps I love you gets 1 out of 10. (Though that 1 was only for Gina Gershon as I would always give her one... Ho hum)

Shiraz 4.99

The premise, although interesting, is so full of plot holes it renders the whole process redundant before even starting.
The carriage analogy of a train is a nice way to break up the groupings of society but it should have remained an analogy.

Who maintains the tracks ?
What happens if the tracks crack due to the extreme cold ?
What happens if there's an avalanche or snow on the line ?
Who replaces the moving parts of the carriages (not the engine) ?
Why not use the perpetual-motion engine to power to power a heater in a huge space instead ?

It's very hard to put these most obvious questions to one side but I still gave it a chance.
Some of the flourishes during the fight scenes were very well done, focusing on the blood on the windows during the big fight scene was nice, the colours & innocence in the school carriage was also very good.

We may have forgiven the director for plot holes in the premise but that becomes more difficult when they appear in the story at the end.

Why does Curtis stick his arm in the gears at the end, could he have not found a long solid object in Wilford's (Ed Harris) IKEA kitchen ?.
It would seem that Wilford & Gilliam (Hurt) were complicit in the plan & had nice long chats at night, why remove your only ally in the rear carriages if 82% of the occupants are getting killed anyway ?
Why did the 2nd kid who appeared from under the kitchen cabinets decide to get into the front section of the engine once exposed ?
Where did the black kid they rescued from the gears find that perfectly fitting mini fur coat when they went outside at the end ?

Too many plot holes & silly character decisions to seriously rate this film.
Overall, 2/5

pixelburp

A new (redband) trailer has come out for this, heralding its belated release in the US/UK. It seems to emphasise the action beats, and feels a tad spoilery, so watch at your own risk. The Western release is still set to be the uncut version, and by all accounts this dystopian vision doesn't appear to be subtle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXm_Wx4Vq_o

johnny_ultimate

I was lucky enough to catch this on the big screen tonight. It is a magnificent film.

It takes its absurd concept and uses it as a vessel to explore social, political, environmental themes in a rich and provocative way. Sometimes the commentary is quite blunt (there's a sobering scene involving sushi which articulates the value of sustainability in a rather memorable way) but there's a lot of subtexts left bubbling and building under the surface. It's a story about class division and dynamics, power politics, drug abuse, environmental ignorance, the complexity of revolutionary movements and more besides. Much of it is troubling and thought provoking, offering some unexpected commentary and reversals over easy answers. You've seen the posters saying Edge of Tomorrow is a 'blockbuster with brains'? A movie as thematically and socially engaged as Snowpiercer highlights how over generous that description is.

Taken as a sci-fi action film it's also a gem. The astonishing visual energy of the film demands the big screen treatment, meaning its distribution limbo all the more heartbreaking. But the setpieces are easily the best I've seen in a spectacle film for a long time - a beautifully melancholic brawl by torchlight, a cross train gunfight and an inspired visit to a classroom. The journey through this railed, failed utopia is a delight, offering near constant visual and set design pleasures.

The tone - dancing between serious and slapstick and then back again, often within single scenes - is endearingly ramshackle, reminiscent of vintage Terry Gilliam (a character named Gilliam surely isn't coincidental). But Joon-ho's direction is both expertly controlled and entertainingly unhinged. It's the sense you get when a film is throwing every idea they have at the screen. Sometimes, that fails miserably. But with Snowpiercer, Joon-Ho has succeeded spectacularly - a film that's wild, exciting and intelligent. You can see how Harvey Scissorhands wanted to have his wicked way with it - there's loads of indulgences, scenes that stall the core action's forward momentum. But it's those moments when the nuances emerge, the character details and themes that make this far more than just another straightforward assault on a fortified base (one of action cinema's most popular tropes of the moment, it seems).

There's nothing like Snowpiercer, and illustrates how such a seemingly wacky premise can be taken in a plethora of fascinating directions. A wider release frankly cannot come soon enough, even if Weinstein has sabotaged its commercial potential. At least artistically this is a triumph.

pixelburp

Well even if it doesn't get a wider release, sounds like the film's on the right track towards cult status if it's that good a piece of work. Pretty excited to see it now; has an Irish release date been confirmed?

johnny_ultimate

Well it's on US release from the end of the week and I saw the UK premiere (which is insane for a film that has been knocking around for a year now), so it's finally been cleared for release. Would say the UK/ Irish release will be July or August.

I'd also imagine there's a chance it will play at the Galway Fleadh, but that's mere speculation - certainly a possibility if a theatrical release is coming over the next few months based on past scheduling at the fest. Keep on eye on the programme launch anyway.

FearDark

96% on rotten tomatoes.

It's a steaming pile of shit.

So.many.plotholes.

johnny_ultimate

An intellectually engaged film that is primarily interested in the vast allegorical potential of its setup (in an incredibly playful way) and creating a rich and exciting visual and stylistic experience. And the primary, and for many only, criticism is there's a couple of 'plot holes' There is nothing in this film that fits into that category that remotely affected my enjoyment of a film that deserves a far deeper discussion that mere plot nitpicking. In fact, Bong-hoon does not for a second pretend this is a scientifically or even practically accurate representation of a railed ark. He embraces instread the inherent cartoonishness of the setting, and becomes much more interested in wondering what it can articulate about our world.

If people don't like it, cool, I can see quite a few reasons why that might. But to me dismissing the film for 'plot holes' alone is doing it a grave disservice.

BopNiblets

It's about a train flying around the world in The Day After Tomorrow, of course it's not going to have a few questionable plot points! :pac:

I enjoyed it, some cheesy lines and performances and a mismash of other films settings, but it was a bit of fun, The Hunger Games on a Train!

Gbear

I can't decide whether it's a really good thing or a bad thing that I laughed out loud when Chris Evans said, completely seriously,

"Baby tastes the nicest."

That, the school scene and a few others made it stand out from your bog-standard post-apocalyptic violence-fest.

I enjoyed it.

Tilda Swinton seems to be doing a few of those eccentric women with false teeth and OTT speech affectations at the moment.

I've had the Blu-Ray sitting beside my TV for the past few months and each time I got up to take it out of the plastic I though that a cinema release is how to best experience this one. Held out as long as I could and after being told by the manager in both cinemas here that they would not be getting the film in I finally relented, took the playacting off my French Blu-Ray and sat down this afternoon to watch it.

That a film this damn good has had such a tortured release is a crime, Snowpiercer is an exquisite piece of cinema and one that is incredibly rewarding. The set up is pure SyFy movie of the week and about as absurd and over the top as you will find yet Joon-ho Bong uses it to tell a story steeped in deep philosophical themes.

At heart it's a film about the class struggle, the dynamics of the haves and the have-nots which is explored through the politics of power. The film deftly touches upon issues ranging from dug abuse, how power corrupts, how environment shapes the individual as well as the whole and most importantly of all it deconstructs a revolution powered by ignorance and manipulation. I expected something a little different from the film but was genuinely shocked by just how intelligent it is. There's not a wasted minute and I can't imagine just what the Weinstein wanted to excise as every moment here plays a part.

Tonally it's a film that changes from moment to moment and is a masterclass in how to marry the absurd with the serious and back again time after time. in the hands of a lesser filmmaker all the ingredients for a travesty are present but in Joon-Ho's assured hands he molds them into something extraordinary. It really is just a joy to behold. A sci-fi film that recognises the limitations of it's set up and just goes with it. There's more intelligence, wit and devilment on display here than you'll find in pretty much any other film this year.

With Transformers 4 blowing up the box office this weekend it really makes you wonder how such a flaccid franchise can sell out theaters while genuinely great cinema such as Snowpiercer struggles to find distribution. Anyone who enjoys science fiction or for that matter cinema owes it to themselves to seek this out.

Was it just my imagination or did Tilda Swinton pop up near the end during the scene where Namgoong is grabbing the Kronole lumps.

Watched back through the film and I'm certain that Swinton does in fact pop up as a second character, I've attached an image from the film below.

fluke

Deleted User wrote: »

Watched back through the film and I'm certain that Swinton does in fact pop up as a second character, I've attached an image from the film below.

in the afro? Probably her. Well spotted!

Mickeroo

Finally saw this yesterday on Netflix, bummed I didn't get to see it on the big screen but I had no choice in the end.

Really enjoyable film all round and it's a real shame it got buried as it's so far ahead of most of the big hollywood movies of the last year. The premise is silly but the film is anything but. I can't wait to see what Joon-Ho Bong does next.

Weinstein had gold in his hands and he flushed it down the toilet.

2smiggy

Mickeroo wrote: »

Finally saw this yesterday on Netflix, bummed I didn't get to see it on the big screen but I had no choice in the end.

Really enjoyable film all round and it's a real shame it got buried as it's so far ahead of most of the big hollywood movies of the last year. The premise is silly but the film is anything but. I can't wait to see what Joon-Ho Bong does next.

Weinstein had gold in his hands and he flushed it down the toilet.

irish netflix ?

Mickeroo

2smiggy wrote: »

irish netflix ?

Sorry, it's on the US one.

2smiggy

Mickeroo wrote: »

Sorry, it's on the US one.

pity , but will give it a watch, just a bit more bother !!