Because I just ain’t seeing it: “The Walt Disney Co.’s live-action remake of “Aladdin” crushed the competition at the box office this Memorial Day weekend, earning more than $207 million worldwide since its debut.” But here’s the important thing: a live-action Aladdin clearly resonated with people, because it’s making money. And since I don’t know why, clearly I need to be told why, so that I can apparently become less ignorant.
So. What’s the draw here? Again, straight-up. No need to justify it, if you wanted to see it. Just tell me what I missed.
Morbid curiosity, with an opportunity to directly compare charismatic Will Smith with manic Robin Williams forentertainment value.
.
I guess, anyway. It’s a theory.
It’s a decent enough theory; IF I go to see it that’ll be why.
Lack of competition for kid friendly fare? Detective Pikachu has been out a couple weeks, what does that leave, A Dog’s Journey, I guess?
Let’s see what are your options this weekend?
Endgame- which everyone in the universe has seen?
Detective Pickachu? No comment here.
John Wick? As others have stated,
Brightburn? Let it not be spoken of and never be forgiven. Let it rest in the shallow grave it has prepared for itself and may the nihilism of it’s creation and creators consume it.
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What was I talking about? Oh, Aladdin. My guess is nostalgia value. Aladdin was one of the great Disney rebirth movies, which began with Little Mermaid, got better with Beauty and the Beast, and continued with Aladdin, and on to Lion King. Simple, old fashioned stories with resonating values: Love, duty, honesty. Do not see much of that these days (and one of the reason superhero movies, if done right, resonate.)
Why did so many people want to see the live-action Beauty and the Beast that it cleaned up at the worldwide box office? Why are so many people hyped for this Lion King remake where every character is CGI? Answer one question and you’ve answered the others.
Personally, I think the answer is very simple. People love these stories. And seeing them this way makes them fresh, in a sense, all over again. I mean, we can show things with CGI today that were only really possible to show in animated form in the 1990s.
So there’s my answer. Not nostalgia, exactly. Just plain love.
I might have found a new interpretation of the story worth seeing if it wasn’t for the inclusion of the virulently racist (and terrible parent) Will Smith. He can hang out with Lin Manuel and the other jackwagons but no money from my pockets shall they get.