Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" (July 21, 2017) - Part 2

[Kreem Pi]

But then again, this summer has been the summer of exceptions, where both Homecoming and Apes has had terrible legs despite being loved. The second weekend will really tell the tale of Dunkirk's box office run.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

https://***********/GiteshPandya/status/888768689440522240

Gitesh Pandya
@GiteshPandya

$19.8M opening day for #Dunkirk at #1, 24% from IMAX scrns. Wknd heading to about $52M. 60% male, 76% over25, playing just like WW2 pics do

 

[Kreem Pi]

It won't make it to 50 million at this rate, but still impressive.

 

[Snow Queen]

I just ordered my ticket for next week. 70mm IMAX, really looking forward to seeing it in that format.

 

[BatLobster]

But then again, this summer has been the summer of exceptions, where both Homecoming and Apes has had terrible legs despite being loved. The second weekend will really tell the tale of Dunkirk's box office run.

Though unlike a movie like Homecoming, it's not a movie that you expect everyone to rush out to opening weekend. You're counting on some degree of legs to carry a movie like this over the line. In other words, 50M is a strong start but that still leaves a lot of potential audience left who haven't seen it.

Apes I think is suffering from picking the wrong release date. Not sure how else to explain that one underperforming.

But yes, you're right- next weekend will really be the tell.

 

[Consona]

Yes it was simple in some terms but it worked and fit in with the fairly simple and straight forward story being told, the tension was there is spades, at least for me, guess it just didnt work out for you.



Yeah, again, simple but highly effective.

Guess that's why it didn't felt like a Nolan movie for me and felt so underwhelming. The script was just very weak in comparison to his other films, I mean, Memento, Prestige, c'mon, those are totally different league.

Soundtrack was effective at some places, but overall, it actually felt to me it substituted the "intense" which was not in the film but needed to be, I really think even small Following was much more intense film than Dunkirk, I don't know what happened to Nolan, but this was not him.

The soundmixing of the soundtrack is insane. It's mixed like it's part of the ambiance of the setting. You start to wonder if it's the horn of the score or the horns of a ship. Much like how Nolan has taken his style to its essential purity, so has Zimmer. He has experimented with score as sound effects in other films before, but never to this degree. I was listening to the score of the film on youtube and it sounds dramatically different in the film because of how it's mixed.

Yep, good observation. If there was anything really good and interesting about the score it was this thing. It felt like a part of the *film* itself, not a music.

 

[FunkMiller]

Estimated 51 million dollar opening.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4307&p=.htm

 

[The Shape]

I don't know what happened to Nolan, but this was not him.

 

[redfirebird2008]

It won't make it to 50 million at this rate, but still impressive.

Agreed. Even with Inception daily percentages from the true Friday number, it would end up around $50.7 million. That's the best case scenario and not likely.

Would guess it lands around $47-48 million, which is awesome. At one point the pre-release tracking said $30-35m weekend.

 

[harlequinade]

Guess that's why it didn't felt like a Nolan movie for me and felt so underwhelming. The script was just very weak in comparison to his other films, I mean, Memento, Prestige, c'mon, those are totally different league.

Soundtrack was effective at some places, but overall, it actually felt to me it substituted the "intense" which was not in the film but needed to be, I really think even small Following was much more intense film than Dunkirk, I don't know what happened to Nolan, but this was not him.


Yep, good observation. If there was anything really good and interesting about the score it was this thing. It felt like a part of the *film* itself, not a music.

What's the fixation on the script? Here it's structure that hid surprises and was so challenging and complex. Not every movie out there needs to have super elaborate, long script

 

[Kreem Pi]

Filmcritichulk is supposedly writing a long article about Dunkirk. Why isn't it here yet!

 

[OutOfBoose]

Was it Consona who said Apocalypse Now is overrated?

 

[Consona]

I'm a pure nolanite, I utterly love his mind-bending precise absolutely insanely thought out film-making, Memento, The Prestige... this wasn't it. This was not Nolan in his prime.

Go watch those two films and you'll notice what I'm talking about.

What's the fixation on the script? Here it's structure that hid surprises and was so challenging and complex. Not every movie out there needs to have super elaborate, long script

C'mon, harlequinade, t: we're talking about Christopher Nolan here, the master of super elaborate mind-blowing scripts. He dropped the ball with Dunkirk.

 

[Consona]

Was it Consona who said Apocalypse Now is overrated?

And I've said Man of Steel was fantastic... so, don't listen to me, guys, I'm evidently a moron. t:

 

[harlequinade]

I'm a pure nolanite, I utterly love his mind-bending precise absolutely insanely thought out film-making, Memento, The Prestige... this wasn't it. This was not Nolan in his prime.

Go watch those two films and you'll notice what I'm talking about.



C'mon, harlequinade, t: we're talking about Christopher Nolan here, the master of super elaborate mind-blowing scripts. He dropped the ball with Dunkirk.

Come on what? He dropped nothing. It's a ridiculous complaint. Why would a movie about Dunkirk evacuation need 'mind-blowing' script?

 

[Kreem Pi]

Nolan is 46. So I don't think he's reached his prime yet. So that's good news for us.

C'mon, harlequinade, we're talking about Christopher Nolan here, the master of super elaborate mind-blowing scripts. He dropped the ball with Dunkirk.

He wasn't going for that. So he didn't drop any ball.

 

[Consona]

Come on what? He dropped nothing. It's a ridiculous complaint. Why would a movie about Dunkirk evacuation need 'mind-blowing' script?

Because scripts are Nolan's thing. So when I go watch Nolan's film I expect some level of quality in this regard, did not get that with Dunkirk. I'm not saying it has to be crazily non-linear like Memento or Prestige or Following or Inception or... but even his Batman films which were far from Prestige level of screen-artistry were better written than Dunkirk.

 

[Kreem Pi]

Writing is more than about dialogue and plot. Every silent action and set piece in Dunkirk was written.

And scripts may have been Nolan's thing. But if you haven't noticed, Nolan is emerging as sort of a visual master these last couple of flicks. There is a reason why they are Imax events.

 

[Filmfan93]

Agree, this was like 99% Nolan. His style is all over the film. This was his passion project, it was never intended to be the next Inception or Memento.

People tremendously fail to understand that.

 

[Kreem Pi]

Both Memento and Inception were passion projects though. But you are right, this is Nolan. His style stripped down to its bare essence.

 

[The Shape]

I'm a pure nolanite, I utterly love his mind-bending precise absolutely insanely thought out film-making, Memento, The Prestige... this wasn't it. This was not Nolan in his prime.

Go watch those two films and you'll notice what I'm talking about.


C'mon, harlequinade, t: we're talking about Christopher Nolan here, the master of super elaborate mind-blowing scripts. He dropped the ball with Dunkirk.

I have seen those films many times. While I have yet to see Dunkirk (going tomorrow), I am fully aware that this film is not meant to be a "mind-bending, super-elaborate" film like some of Nolan's previous efforts. It seems odd to hold that as a strike against this film and what Nolan was trying to accomplish.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I do think the fact this is a WW2 film with a non-american focus impacted the Box Office a bit.

If not for Nolan I'm not even sure what % of Americans would be interested in seeing a film on the battle of Dunkirk?

 

[redfirebird2008]

Saw it in 1.43 Laser IMAX last night. Dear God. The phrase "LieMAX" has never been more true to describe the smaller fake IMAXes that have been built in the last decade. I saw the film in both formats on back to back nights and it is a completely different experience.

When they said 75% of this movie was shot on 70mm IMAX film, they were not kidding or exaggerating. It actually feels like a higher percentage while watching it.

The photography is so gorgeous. Even the regular 70mm footage looked great in Laser IMAX, much better than the 35mm footage of TDK/TDKR in 70mm IMAX.

It is hard to not be blown away watching this thing in a true IMAX auditorium. Even if you don't care for some of Nolan's choices, this is an incredible theater experience.

 

[Consona]

I have seen those films many times. While I have yet to see Dunkirk (going tomorrow), I am fully aware that this film is not meant to be a "mind-bending, super-elaborate" film like some of Nolan's previous efforts. It seems odd to hold that as a strike against this film and what Nolan was trying to accomplish.

Even Interstellar was so "nolanesque" and one could easily say it did not need to be. But it was.

 

[Kreem Pi]

I compare Dunkirk to Miami Vice. Now before y'all lose it, I am not comparing their critical reception. More about how they are the filmmaker's styles and concerns stripped to their bare essence. Both films mark the thematic and formal stamp of their filmmakers, but without the narrative and character bs. They are Nolan and Mann distilled. The soup that's left after you've slurped all the ramen. And they can be the tastiest.