'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[note2001]

I thought it was fun, very cute.

It's no classic for sure. Felt like they tried too hard with too many messages and lost sight of storytelling (Disney's primary goal in everything) in doing so.

 

[Disney Irish]

So we don’t know if a movie is an event until AFTER it comes out? So with Avatar 2 it wasn’t an event film until after the first weekend of ticket sales? Obviously not it’s been an event in the minds of movie goers for months leading up to its release.
Should be the same way with Disney films that come out every year or less. Obviously not to the same magnitude as Avatar 2 but people should be anticipating them. Unfortunately, they ve been losing the goodwill and trust of their audience of late. Obviously any movie with bad word of mouth will effect turn out.

Some films you know ahead of time that they will be event films, like an Avatar or an MCU Avengers film. Other films like some of WDAS' films you can't know until its been seen and word of mouth starts up. I mean us fans might guess, but its not a guarantee until it comes out and people start to go see it.

Also I think its clear that a majority of WDAS films should be musicals (especially the Thanksgiving weekend release) as that seems to be what most movie goers expect and appears to make the best word of mouth film for the studio. So they probably need to start getting Lin Manuel to start pumping out the songs for the next couple movies.

 

[Disney Irish]

What's the fun in that?

I mostly agree with you. What I am extremely skeptical of is that Burbank can change course quickly on this disastrous strategy for their family films. They really seem committed to this. I mean, my God, you had senior Disney Studio executives crying on Zoom calls earlier this year over how proud they are of themselves for making these films.

There are obviously layoffs coming in '23, and they may be able to trim some budgets, from $200 Million down to $160 or so. But Burbank certainly isn't going back to only spending $50 Million on their films aimed at families. So they better change course ASAP and start making films that parents with children will buy tickets to.

Either route they take on this problem, it will be certainly fun to watch from afar!

I think your definition and my definition of what they should "change" differ greatly. So lets not rehash the other stuff that you think they need to "change".

For me its just the budgets that need to be reined in. I think Disney can get away with between $80M-$120M range for a majority of their WDAS films. Just look at a film like Incredibles, it only cost $92M in 2009, that would only be $124M when adjusted for inflation. So yeah a few more cuts and its under that budget range I listed.

 

[TP2000]

Anyway, holds up well on a second watch - such an enjoyable film. Clever, colourful, a great world.

So why do you think Burbank didn't market it well at all? You could almost say they left it out to dry...

 

[TP2000]

So yeah a few more cuts and its under that budget range I listed.

Keep dreaming! Never let that dream die.

 

[Disney Irish]

Keep dreaming! Never let that dream die.

My point was they can do films for a more reasonable budget. And I'm sure all studio divisions, including WDAS will be asked to make cuts to their productions budget next year if they haven't already.

 

[Disney Irish]

She’s five. The kids are alright folks.

I'm happy your niece liked it and has watched it 3x.

The kids are always alright in these type of situations.

 

[Disney Analyst]

So why do you think Burbank didn't market it well at all? You could almost say they left it out to dry...

I have no idea. I blame the Chapek regime which gave one person all the budgetary power and took the power away from the studio heads for deciding things, like how to market…

 

[Phroobar]

I watched it today. I was pretty disinterested through most of it. It wasn't engaging. Maybe it was the cartoon start? At least the dad wasn't quite the dweeb I saw in the trailers. However, the son wasn't a very dynamic character. His crush felt like a checkbox and was unimportant to the story. The dog and blob were pretty much useless until the end where they get everyone to figure out the solution. The mom was a decent enough character. I had no idea what that guy driving the ship was for and why he kept appearing in weird places. The environmental message is hit over your head and the ending is predictable. It reminded me of Atlantis but Atlantis had a much better story and characters. The artwork was far superior. The look and feel was pretty ordinary and the whole movie just felt off.

 

[Disney Irish]

I have no idea. I blame the Chapek regime which gave one person all the budgetary power and took the power away from the studio heads for deciding things, like how to market…

Good point, if Lee and Docter had been in direct charge of marketing decisions instead of Daniel for the last couple of films for WDAS and Pixar would they have been marketed differently? I have to think at least SW would have been.

 

[TP2000]

However, the son wasn't a very dynamic character. His crush felt like a checkbox and was unimportant to the story.

What I was afraid of, and assumed. It's just a checkbox for HR, and so people can brag at brunch about their Important Work.

But it does nothing for the actual story. As a reminder, Disney people are supposed to be storytellers, not HR managers.

They even built a statue for DCA's relaunch in 2012 dedicated to the concept of epic storytellers. Seems like a million years ago now.

 

[TP2000]

Good point, if Lee and Docter had been in direct charge of marketing decisions instead of Daniel for the last couple of films for WDAS and Pixar would they have been marketed differently? I have to think at least SW would have been.

No kidding. How could it have been any worse?!

 

[LittleBuford]

What I was afraid of, and assumed.

Why not watch it for yourself and stop assuming?

 

[DKampy]

My mom wasn’t aware that Ethan was gay, so the first scene where this is revealed she says “wait, does he have a crush on him?!?”

My niece replies simply “yep!”.

She’s five. The kids are alright folks.

yeah…something tells me it is some adults who have not seen. The movie that are the most bent about it…Kids are not predisposed to be prejudiced

 

[brb1006]

I'm going to skip this movie in favor of "Wish". The concept art and character designs actually caught my interest.

 

[brb1006]

Why not watch it for yourself and stop assuming?

Because TP2000 prefers waiting for a physical release of this movie to reserve full judgment. Alongside not having D+.

 

[LittleBuford]

I'm going to skip this movie in favor of "Wish".

It’s well worth a watch. Wish is a year away, so plenty of time for both!

 

[LittleBuford]

To bring things back to the film (the ostensible topic of this thread), I’m glad Disney didn’t verbally or visually downplay the dynamic between Ethan and Diazo. It was great to see some real representation.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I watched Moana today while packing up my millions of dollars worth of Disney Christmas ornaments and realized two things… Strange World and Moana tell a very similar story, Moana is a kid who’s father wants her to follow in his footsteps and she wants to chart her own course, all while saving the world, Moana just tells it in an infinitely better story… and despite buying a dozen new ornaments every year (and having over 200 at this point) none of them are from a Disney movie made after Moana in 2016, Pixar’s done much better and I have ornaments up to and including Luca on a Vespa from 2021.

Recent Disney characters haven’t connected like characters from a few years ago.

 

[TP2000]

Recent Disney characters haven’t connected like characters from a few years ago.

American audiences seem to be agreeing with you more and more, with every film release lately.

Which is the bigger, and far scarier, concept here for Burbank. Or at least it should be.