Time for Academy Award Nominations. Members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted and The Walt Disney Company racked up nominations in 6 categories with 7 overall nods (or 8 depending on how you count them). Best Original Song – Let it… Read More »Disney Scores 8 Oscar Nods
My own review of The Lone Ranger wasn’t as clear-cut negative as most of the critics. I thought it was a mixed bag, but most raked it over the coals (it has a 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Recently, one film aficionado has taken a… Read More »Are we all mis-judging Disney’s The Lone Ranger?
I was on vacation earlier this month and missed the news that Johnny Depp has signed on to return as the Mad Hatter in the Alice in Wonderland Sequel. That the sequel would be made was in little doubt after the original brought in more… Read More »Johnny Depp to Return as Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland Sequel
Disney’s The Lone Ranger had a horrible holiday box office managing to lasso only a paltry $49 million over the five days. Even when you add in the international box office of $23 million, it doesn’t match the $82 million made by Despicable Me 2 at the domestic theaters. So where did Disney go wrong with this film?
Let’s look at the growing list of complaints:
Disney’s The Lone Ranger rides into cinemas everywhere this weekend bringing a updated take on the classic TV show masked avenger to modern audiences. The film is a success and a failure to varying degrees. How much you feel of one or the other probably depends on your ability to just let go and have a good time. Although dark at times, the film isn’t meant to be taken too seriously and certainly pokes fun at some of the conventions we expect in a Lone Ranger story. Once you figure out who the villain is, and he reveals himself fairly early on, the pieces fall into place and the rest of the film is a can be enjoyed for what it is – well produced Hollywood fun.
Like Johnny Depp, I grew up watching reruns of the classic TV show edition of The Lone Ranger. The villains were inevitably corrupt businessmen and politicians or the standard mustache twirling dreamer up of evil plots. Tonto did his best to keep the outlaw lawman John Reid out of trouble and often swooped in for a well timed attack to save the masked avenger’s life. It was inspiring stuff to an 8 year old.
Sadly, I can’t recommend today’s 8-year olds watch this new edition of The Lone Ranger. The PG-13 rating is to be taken seriously for both violent scenes and fairly heavy subject matter.
Frankly, I don’t get why Disney is marketing The Lone Ranger to young kids with Halloween costumes, action figures, and the like. Was the part about cutting out and eating the still beating heart of one of the heroes not in the script when merchandise got their hands on it?
On the other hand, I recent sat through World War Z, a fairly graphic and bloody zombie attack movie, with a young kid right in front of me. He suffered no ill effect and was even suggesting dinner options on the way out of the theater (he must have had an iron stomach to go with his tolerance for horror and gore). But I digress.
Ostensibly about the journey John Reid takes to become The Lone Ranger, the movie actually dedicates more pages of the script to Tonto’s backstory. It makes sense since a large portion of the plot is driven by elements in Tonto’s life. The two start off as adversaries, but by the end of the film are ready to work together as a team to right the wrongs and bring the bad guys to justice.Read More »The Lone Ranger Rides Into Cinemas With Fun on its Mind
Disney and Cars.com are partnering to give away tickets to the next summer blockbuster – The Lone Ranger. The new drama-filled, action-adventure movie will be in theaters starting July 3. In the meantime, fans can visit www.Cars.com/nodrama for special trailer footage from the movie and… Read More »Disney Partners with Cars.com to Give away Free Tickets to The Lone Ranger
It sure looks like they’re having a lot of fun on the set of The Lone Ranger. The latest behind the scenes video focuses on Silver, the mythic horse for the story’s hero. Turns out they used four different horses on set, each suited to… Read More »Meet Silver, The Lone Ranger’s Horse in Latest Behind The Scenes Video
Disney’s The Lone Ranger promises a new sort of old western. Clearly a return to the classic genre, but with a twist that will keep audiences focused on the screen waiting for what comes next. Here are three recent behind the scenes looks at how the movie was made:
The Craft