#director Michael Gracey

[silveragelovechild]

I’m a fan of the Planet of the Apes films so of course I wanted to see Robbie William’s “Better Man”. This is his biopic where William’s is portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee. The story opens with young Robert (a chimp) and the CGI so charming, I immediately accepted this wild interpretation of his character.

Why a chimpanzee? In an interview director Michael Gracey explained that Robbie Williams always saw himself as a dancing monkey. (Now it makes sense!)

The movie follows Robbie William life from the age of 12, through joining the boy band Take That, and his eventual solo career, through about 2004.

Where the film is at its best is the musical numbers. They are dynamic and cleverly stage and edited. My favorites are: “I Found Heaven” depicting the early days of Take That; “She's the One” a montage of Williams relationship with Nicole Appleton; and I especially loved “Rock DJ” which made me giddy with its exuberance.

Beyond his musical career, “Better Man” emphasizes Williams inner demons: his struggles with depression, feeling of inadequacy, and his desperate need for his father’s love. These elements lead to Williams near downfall due to alcoholism and drug addiction.

If you’ve read any of my prior reviews about stories of addiction, you may know that due to my father’s alcoholism, I have little sympathy for addicts. Despite that, because of the high of the first half, I really wanted to love “Better Man”.

But there came a point during the Knebworth Festival sequence where it became too much. Williams imagines a Burly Brawl in the mosh pit where he fights and violently slaughters other versions of himself. (It’s a more bloody the burly brawl between Neo and Smith in The Matrix Reloaded.)

Another issue is that the Better Man wraps up with a fairly quick redemption arc of Williams entering rehab with a montage of him apologizing to those he hurt. The film is 135 minutes and only 5 of those were rehab.

The movie ends with Williams inviting his father onstage at the Royal Albert Hall to sing “My Way”. This scene gives the father another unearned redemption after father abandoning his family years earlier. BTW, this event did not happen in real life.

Based on the first half, Better Man is one of the most creative movies I’ve seen from 2024. Although I didn’t hate the second half, the movie as a whole is disappointing.

Here’s a clip from the RockDJ number:

[wundrousarts]

Kinda wish Nevermoor could have been written 20 years ago so we could have a movie adaption in the early 2000s that’s not plot accurate but by god does it have the vibes down

[chasingshadowsblog]

Review: Better Man - Something Beautiful

Title: Better Man Directed by: Michael Gracey Written by: Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey Starring: Robbie Williams, Alison Steadman, Jonno Davies, Stephen Pemberton, Kate Mulvaney, Carter J Murphy, Raechelle Banno, Frazer Hadfield Music by: Robbie Williams Choreography: Ashley Wallen Visual Effects Team: Wētā FX Visual Effects Supervisor: Luke Millar Production Design by: Joel Chang 

"It might be cabaret but it's world class cabaret and I'm the fucking best at it. Fuck yourselves."

There are fair comparisons to be made between Better Man and Elton John's Rocketman. Both draw on fantastical elements to depict the experience of sudden and extreme fame. Rocketman does so through colourful, high-octance musical sequences and the image of the singer shooting up into the sky like the rocket man he sings about; Better Man is more rooted in reality but depicts its subject matter - the musician Robbie Williams - as a CGI chimpanzee.

Williams has spent his life, it seems, hiding his anxieties behind a 'cheeky monkey' persona but it is not to this that the ape-suit refers, i in his own terms Williams has always viewed himself as "unevolved" compared to those around him and it is this idea that saves the the CGI chimp from being a gimmick and makes it a unique and engaging stylistic choice. It takes all of ten minutes to get used to the CGI chimp and after that ten minutes it's difficult to imagine a human face and body in the same role and it is not so difficult to see the human being behind the chimpanzee eyes. After that ten minutes, the effect is almost invisible. It helps that none of the other characters allude to the fact that they are talking to a chimp. There is no wink and nudge; Williams' story is told with sincerity, making his presence as a chimpanzee and the film's energetic musical numbers - a Take That montage that jumps and flips around Regent Street, a delicate sequence in which he falls in love with Nicole Appleton, and an unexpectedly violent scene in which Knebworth Stadium is turned into a gladiatorial arena where Williams battles past versions of himself - seem utterly natural.

While the ups and downs of Williams' career aren't so different to sudden fame and cocaine blues depicted in many a musician's biopic, the commitment to the stylistic punt pays off totally and utterly. The schtick will - hopefully - put curious bums in cinema seats but the heart-felt sincerity in which the story is told will keep them there. Williams and director Michael Gracey took a massive risk and it absolutely works. There is a magic in Better Man, in Williams' words and Gracey's committed directing, that somehow, combined, make the emotions in the film more heartfelt and stronger than they would have been had Willimas been merely a man.

Other bits:

I've only written two reviews so far this year and they both reference Elton John and Rocketman so I think I should be expecting a cheque in the post soon

Good evening everybody! My name is Robbie Williams. This is my band, and for the next two hours, YOUR ASS IS MINE!" - bruh

all the song and dance sequences were outstanding - it needs to be said, it needs to be SHOUTED

that She's the One number was so beautiful

again, the absolute commitment to the bit that this film did is really what made it for me. I kept expecting, after his rehab, that he'd turn into a man, but I like the insinuation that even after sorting himself out, Robbie Williams still sees himself as a chimpanzee

"I'm gonna be fucking famous!" "Shut up, you tit." "Oh, fuck off Glenn."

Alex Godfrey's review is brilliant and captures everything that was so brilliant about the movie: https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/better-man/

I wasn't a huge fan of Robbie Williams when I went to see this - I liked some of his songs but his peak as a musician was somewhat before my time - I enjoy music biopics and this one caught my interest as a bold and cool way to tell this kind of story, but consider me converted I'm absolutely sold on his music now

the Relight My Fire setting was so good and effective in conveying how overwhelming it must be as a musician to face that scale of an audience and venue

I realise that it is probably not his story to tell, but I would have liked if the film had been more explicit bout the fact that Nicole had to get an abortion because her producer wouldn't let her have a baby. It made me think of Sinéad O'Connor, who refused to get an abortion and how she is probably a minority among the many women who have been treated this way. I think it would have been a good opportunity to at least shine a light on the issue in a conversation or argument about it, even if they didn't want to dwell on it for the entire film

fucking Oasis

[grigori77]

2024 in Movies - My Autumn/Winter Runnders-Up Rundown

20. WOLFS – MCU Spider-Man writer-director Jon Watts returns to the criminal world of earlier works like his overlooked early gem Cop Car, albeit with a whole lot more humour this time round for this deliriously funny black comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt as two underworld fixers forced to work together after they find themselves double-booked to clean up a politically embarrassing crime scene. The film draws a huge amount of entertainment from getting to see the two Ocean’s stars reunited after so many years, and wisely plays to the strengths of their endearing chemistry.

19. BETTER MAN – The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey pulls off a similar trick to Rocketman (which he was originally slated to direct) with this bonkers musical-slash-biopic chronicling controversial singer-songwriter Robbie Williams’ rise to fame with Take That, fall from grace after his firing from the group, and subsequent battle to claw back his fame with a solo career. The choice to replace Williams with a CGI chimpanzee a-la Planet of the Apes (using some admittedly very impressive effects from Wētā Digital) was a very strange one, but it’s so well done that you’re used to it within ten minutes. Anyway, this whole film is worth watching for the Rock DJ sequence ALONE ...

18. THE ORDER – Writer-director Justin Kurzel delivers another introspective true story crime thriller after his breakaway masterpiece True History of the Kelly Gang with this fascinating account of the investigation into and resulting manhunt for Bob Mathews, the Aryan Brotherhood terrorist who, in the early 80s, attempted to start a nationwide insurrection across America. Nicholas Hoult and Jude Law are both exceptional as Mathews himself and the obsessed FBI agent ruining his own life in his determination to bring him down.

17. LONG DISTANCE – Otherwise known as Distant, this criminally overlooked sci-fi comedy adventure follows the misfortunes of two ordinary people (In the Heights and Twisters’ Anthony Ramos and Smile 2’s Naomi Scott) who find themselves separated by several miles of extremely hostile alien landscape after their colony ship crashes, leaving them only a tenuous radio connection and a malfunctioning spacesuit AI (voiced by Zachary Quinto) to help them find each other. This is a brilliant piece of work that deserves a whole lot more recognition than it received when it finally slunk in under the radar on-demand after a severely botched and badly delayed release schedule.

16. IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE – After making a such a big splash at Sundance, it seems almost sacrilegious that this just went straight to streaming on Netflix, it really deserved SO MUCH MORE. Video director Greg Jardin’s feature debut is a gloriously delirious riot of a black comedy sci-fi headfuck revolving around a group of one-time close friends who find all their resentments and neuroses coming out with a vengeance at a wild reunion party when one of their number introduces them to his brand new revolutionary tech which can transfer human consciousness from one body to another ...

15. MOANA 2 – While not QUITE as good as the original, this follow-up to the wildly successful Disney animated musical fantasy adventure nonetheless does the property proud as a new threat sees the titular Polynesian “princess” (the ever reliable Auli’i Cravalho) set sail once more to find a mysterious island and save her people from the wrath of an angered god. Dwayne Johnson makes a welcome return to one of the best roles he’s ever had as puffed-up demigod Maui, while the songs and set-pieces are as catchy and fun as ever.

14. HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN – I really don’t get the hate, I thought this stripped back, super-tight adaptation of one of creator Mike Mignola’s most beloved Hellboy comic stories was an absolute BLAST. Ron Perlman remains the best Big Red on screen, but The Strain’s Jack Kesy does a phenomenal job of realising a much younger version of the titular demonic blue-collar paranormal investigator. Director Brian Taylor (formerly one half of Crank’s Neveldine & Taylor) waves a darkly seductive spell throughout this moodily introspective horror thriller that feels more like a “case of the week” insight into the main protagonist’s daily grind ...

13. FLOW – I didn’t even know who animator and filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis WAS before I saw this fascinating little slice of digital heaven, but I’m definitely intrigued to dig deeper now. Clocking in at a svelte 95 minutes without ANY dialogue at all, this genuinely spellbinding animated gem follows an adorable little black cat who finds themself on an abandoned boat with an odd collection of other animals after a mysterious cataclysm (which seems to have eradicated all of humanity) sees the world sinking under a slowly spreading flood.

12. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM – Do we REALLY need an animated prequel to Peter Jackson’s LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit films, telling a completely original story from the history of the horse-based warrior lands of Rohan? Maybe not, but what we’ve got is surprisingly good, especially since it was directed by an anime master I’ve been a fan of for a while now (Kenji Kamiyama, who wrote the original Blood: the Last Vampire OVA before creating my very favourite anime series EVER, Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex). Maybe I’m biased, but I really enjoyed this one.

11. YOUR MONSTER – Looks like I have a new favourite adaptation of Beauty & the Beast, then … actress-turned writer-director Caroline Lindy’s feature debut is a wonderfully anarchic jet black comedy horror with a whole lot of heart that understands how complicated and messy love can be better than just about any movie I’ve seen in quite some time. Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey (Casual) are have incredible chemistry as a lovelorn cancer patient and the childhood “monster under the bed” she forms a strong connection with after he re-enters her life at its lowest ebb.

[upside-down-theater-kid]

There should be no more live-action remakes, especially of animated movies that I really like.

[kismetconstellations]

🔥 + anything Zac Efron related, please & thank you :)

(You can ignore the first one. I should really read instructions all the way through before sending in asks)

No worries. You are totally fine. ^//^

Let's hope this doesn't get too inflammatory.

I'm not a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a variety of reasons, and would prefer Zac never be a part of it.

I think Zac's indie dramas are infinitely more fascinating than his mainstream comedies (they also come with the added bonus of not humiliating and disrespecting him while also objectifying him at every turn), and hope that he continues to do more of them.

Honestly, anything that keeps him out of Hollywood and away from the toxicity of the industry is all right with me.

Seeing his malnourished Baywatch physique continually held up as some sort of "ideal" upsets me to my core. All the more so, knowing just how negatively the whole experience affected him, contributing to his depression and insomnia and causing him to tear up on-camera when he was finally able to eat carbs, again.

This will come as absolutely no shock to anyone who has been following me since 2016, when the world was treated to, as I like to call them, High School Musical Shitstorm: Parts Un and Deux, but I strongly feel that Zac doesn't owe the collective High School Musical fandom any reprisals of his role as the heart and soul of the franchise. Especially when so many people who consider themselves a part of that fanbase are all too keen to minimize or outright ignore Zac and Troy's significance to the original trilogy's success, mock and deride both of them as "boring" or worse, and leave nasty comments like this--

-- on social media posts of members of the cast reuniting. (Please do not seek out or bother any of the people in the above screenshot, by the way. I don't believe that you or any of my other followers would, but it's still a necessary precaution, just in case. Please be kind, everyone. Even when others are not.) I know it's immature and petty on my end, but I don't see why people who behave this way and treat Zac's professional attempts to distance himself from this franchise with scorn and further mockery, even though his past reputation as a "tween heartthrob" still colors directors' perceptions of him, resulting in him needing to prove himself worthy nearly twenty years on, should be rewarded. I feel for the fans who crave a High School Musical reunion because it would take them back to a simpler, happier time in their lives, but the films are right there and always will be there to be revisited at any time. The past is the past for a reason, and Zac, just like anyone else, should be allowed to move on.

Zac was perfectly cast as Phillip Carlyle. There is no one else who could have brought Phillip to life as immaculately, and no actor more deserving of the career revitalization The Greatest Showman delivered tenfold. My sympathies go out to Jeremy Jordan if he legitimately did have to sing live demos of "all of Hugh's songs", as well as Phillip's, before the studio executives while recovering from a nasty bout of laryngitis. That does not, however, make him entitled to a role he never so much as considered auditioning for.

Zac, on the other hand, had already been involved with the production for four years, alluding to a potential upcoming role in a movie musical as early as 2015, and contacting studios on director Michael Gracey's behalf to assist him, Hugh, and the rest of the crew in getting the green light.

Thus, you can imagine how thoroughly it rankles me to see fans of Mr. Jordan insinuating that Zac, a legitimate triple threat, was an inferior choice made to secure the support of Zac's larger fanbase, or- even more deluded- to placate the "ego" of show business veteran Hugh Jackman, who was supposedly "threatened" by Mr. Jordan's vocal prowess.

The Greatest Showman Cast is superior to the High School Musical Cast; in terms of talent, camaraderie, and maturity. You don't see any of them making backhanded comments years later about Zac being their "worst on-screen kiss", or their "favorite scene" with Zac being one where his character was "so dumb". (Even though Troy was very obviously emotionally manipulated into believing that something was going on with Ryan and Gabriella, by Gabriella. That's such a low, douchebaggy thing to say, and my already minimal respect for Lucas Grabeel has dropped to near non-existent because of it.)

---

And, I think that's about it. Thank you so very much for asking, and I sincerely apologize a million times over for it taking me so long to post this response! I've been quite busy babysitting my niece and tending to personal affairs, and haven't had the energy to properly run this blog. But, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things, and put more lovely things onto my followers' dashboards.

I appreciate your patience, and I hope that these answers prove to be worth the wait. ❤

[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: The Greatest Showman

Rating: PG

Director: Michael Gracey

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Keala Settle, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Paul Sparks, Sam Humphrey, Austyn Johnson, Cameron Seely, Eric Anderson, Ellis Rubin, Skylar Dunn

Release year: 2017

Genres: drama, history

Blurb: American showman P.T. Barnum founds the circus that will become the famous travelling Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

[usagoodnews]

The Haunted Mansion: 1 Step inside the terrifying horror world of the movie

If you are fond of watching movies, then get ready, Disneyland is ready to bring you a horror and comedy-filled movie named ‘Haunted Mansion’. You must be thinking that we have heard the name of this movie before, then you heard it right. It has taken its name from The Haunted Mansion movie which came in 2003 but its story is different from that and takes the audience to a different world.

Let’s know something about the film

This is a family film but through this film, we will get to see a lot of comedy along with fear. Haunted Mansion tells the story of a woman and her son who seek the help of spiritual experts to rid their home of evil spirits.

The Haunted Mansion movie premiered on July 15, 2023, at Disneyland, California.

The Haunted Mansion movie is all set to release in the United States of America on 28th July by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, which its fans are eagerly waiting for.

Movie Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjLKTz81bj8

The director of this movie is Justin Simien, who is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first movie was ‘Dear White People’.Photo: Haunted Mansion Movie’s Stars (by Instagram)

The film stars Tiffany Haddish, Lakeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Danny Devito, Dan Levy, Jared Leto, Rosario Dawson, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Katie Dippold is an American writer, producer, actress, and comedian who wrote the script for the haunted mansion.

Kris Bowers is an American composer and pianist who composed the music for this movie.

The budget for this film is $157 million.

The first The Haunted Mansion movie was released in 2003

The Haunted Mansion, released in 2003, is a delightful family-friendly comedy film based on the iconic Disneyland attraction of the same name. Directed by Rob Minkoff, known for his work on The Lion King, the movie offers an entertaining blend of spookiness and humor that captivated audiences of all ages.

The film revolves around the Evers family: Jim Evers (played by Eddie Murphy), a workaholic real estate agent, his wife Sara Evers (played by Marsha Thomason), and their two children, Michael (played by Marc John Jefferies) and Megan (played by Aree Davis). When the family gets caught up in a mysterious invitation to visit the ominous Gracey Manor, they soon discover they have become entangled in a centuries-old ghostly curse.

The film continues to entertain audiences to this day, reminding them of the joy and wonder that the Haunted Mansion attraction has brought to millions of visitors over the years.

Read More Article :- Why do fans of Kylian Mbappé and Kim Kardashian get angry after seeing them together?

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Are haunted mansion horror comedy movies suitable for all audiences?

2. Can you recommend more haunted mansion horror comedy movies?

Yes, most haunted mansion horror comedy movies are designed to be enjoyed by a wide range of viewers. However, it’s always a good idea to check the movie’s rating and content advisory to ensure it aligns with your preferences and age appropriateness.

3. Are these movies more scary or funny?

Haunted mansion horror comedy movies strike a balance between scares and humor. The intensity of scares and the level of comedy can vary from film to film, but the goal is to entertain audiences with a mix of both elements.

4. Do these movies have sequels or franchises?

Yes, some haunted mansion horror comedy movies have spawned sequels or expanded into franchises. For example, “The Addams Family” and “Ghostbusters” have multiple installments that continue the stories of the beloved characters.

5. Can kids watch haunted mansion horror comedy movies?

While most haunted mansion horror comedy movies are suitable for older children and teenagers, parental discretion is advised. Some films may contain mildly scary or intense scenes that could be unsuitable for very young viewers. It’s always best to review the movie’s content and ratings beforehand.

Thanks for Reading

[screenzealots]

"Better Man"

Yes, the main character in this biopic is depicted as an animated ape. And yes, it works.

Okay, so let’s get the weird part out of the way first: yes, the main character is an animated ape. And yes, many viewers have zero idea who Robbie Williams even is. The larger-than-life British pop star is represented as a CGI chimpanzee in “Better Man,” a movie that somehow works when on paper it has absolutely no reason to. Director Michael Gracey pulls off this wild creative decision and…

[jmunneytumbler]

Robbie Williams Devolves in the Cheeky Rock Biopic 'Better Man'

Robbie Williams Devolves in the Cheeky Rock Biopic 'Better Man'

Man! I feel like a Better Man (CREDIT: Paramount Pictures) Starring: Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Steve Pemberton, Kate Mulvany, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman, Raechelle Banno, Jake Simmance, Liam Head, Jesse Hyde, Chase Hollenweider, Tom Budge, Leo Harvey-Elledge Director: Michael Gracey Running Time: 135 Minutes Rating: R for Sex, Drugs, and Pop Rock ‘n’ Roll Release Date: December 25, 2024…

[hollywoodoutbreak]

If you're a showman, and somebody's going to make a movie about your life, it might as well be the director of The Greatest Showman, right? British pop star Robbie Williams would certainly agree with that logic. Williams spoke about working with director Michael Gracey on the biopic Better Man, Williams said he felt honored that someone of Gracey's stature would consider making a movie about him.  Better Man is currently playing in selected theaters and will open nationwide on Friday.

[cinelandia]

Entrevista (V.O.S.E.) con Michael Gracey y Robbie Williams, director y productor, respectivamente, de "Better Man" (2024).

[metacriticc-news]

How Hugh Jackman Inspired New Robbie Williams Biopic 'Better Man'

Better man filmmaker Michael Gracey knew it was time to shake up the musician biography. The subgenre is often slammed for its formulaic, sanitized stories that preserve the well-groomed reputation of its subjects. And after spending six years developing Elton John’s biography Rocket Man only to be replaced by director Dexter Fletcher, the Australian had little desire to tell another performer’s…

[biographyit]

Robbie Williams discusses Liam, Noel Gallagher's depiction in 'Better Man'

Robbie Williams has had his ups and downs with Oasis frontmen Liam and Noel Gallagher Robbie Williams discusses Liam, Noel Gallagher’s depiction in ‘Better Man’ Robbie Williams has revealed his guess about how Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher will react to their depiction in his biopic Better Man. In a new interview, Williams and the film’s director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman)…

[filmhoundsmag]

"I never wanted to address the ape" — Director Michael Gracey talks Better Man

"I never wanted to address the ape" — Director Michael Gracey talks Better Man.

Continue reading “I never wanted to address the ape” — Director Michael Gracey talks Better Man

[awardswatcherik]

2025 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) International Awards: 'Better Man,' 'The Brutalist,' 'Shōgun' Lead Nominations

  The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has revealed the nominees for the 14th International AACTA Awards.    Better Man, the biopic inspired by the life of Robbie Williams, dominates the nominations with six nods across key categories. Helmed by Australian director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film picked up an international nomination for Best Film, Best…