Of course, you heard about Better Man's including to a longlist of BAFTA awards.

But I'm really surpised and upset there is only for one nomination.

Yes, I remember it's more Australian movie but there is more connection to UK than many others...

 

Anyway, here is a full longlist:

https://awardswatch.com/2025-bafta-longlist...british-voting/

 

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

 

10 films will advance in the Special Visual Effect category. Members of the SVFX chapter vote to determine the longlist and the nominations. In the final round of voting, all film-voting members will vote for the overall winning film. 82 films were submitted for consideration. A supporting Statement and a show-reel of the SVFX work (up to five minutes in duration) can be submitted and are published on BAFTA View.

 

Alien: Romulus

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

Better Man

Civil War

Deadpool & Wolverine

Dune: Part Two

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Gladiator II

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Wicked

 

@1875320586978914455

Let me say about some reaction on the movie in Russia.

 

- Well, everyday there are about 70 screenings and around 45 cinemas only in Moscow, while I do know that different parts of the country (even some small cities) shows Better Man.

 

- It doesn't matter all of these cinemas are full - no, but I glad to see that our promoters are trying to make this movie successful and noticeable.

Frnakly speaking there are not many foreign films get its official release in our country nowadays. How to say it better...

Well, many foreign films are purchased from Kazakhstan, Armenia, etc. or have their screenings non-officially. Yep.

Better Man is is one of the unique exceptions because it's an official release and I am very grateful for it. Feel the big luck here.

 

There are almost no adverts on TV because current situation is not about promoting the foreign stuff but I've seen small advert anyway! How cool it is!!

Regarding Internet there are plenty of banners, so it's OK.

 

- Then, we have a website aka our IMDB. Really great source I do like and use during last 15-20 years. It's called Kinopoisk (https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/4965186/votes/).

It's very interesting that the current mark for Better Man there is 7.7 too, as on IMDB.

 

Maybe it will be interesting for you to know this data too:

 

Average mark is here (1200 votes by now).

Interesting point that people under 18 years give the highest mark - av 8.00.

Also women like this movie more than men - 8.26 vs 7.62 (men).

And again, there some voters came not from Russian users while Russian watchers give av 7.95!

 

 

Regarding exact marks it's very interesting to see there are almost no the marks like 5 or 6.

For me it means the film leaves no one indifferent.

 

 

- There are not so many reviews in Internet - I have found arount 7 or 8 articles but mosly they were positive (5 of them).

 

 

- Well, waiting for the Box Office results from day to day.

But let me say again, it's very difficult to look at the figures ($) in our country where we mostly have a propoganda of the local movies nowadays (in the past we have a strong propoganda of US movies)

Aslo don't forget about the fact more people prefer (sometimes it's only one opportunity) to watch the foreign movies at home.

 

Aslo we also do have winter holidays and there are very long (since Dedember-30 to January 8) so families would prefer to go for other stuff.

 

But seeing such good response on Better Man from people who have already watched it makes a big sense!

Thank you to everyone who keeps us updated with the many interviews etcetera. Alex, thank you for the information about the Russia release. It is good that they decided to officially release the movie. I am not looking at statistics, but in the last days the reactions on twitter are more positive, maybe because of more Europeans now watching and twittering. I still do not think that it is lost for the American Market. Let's see. They need to get the budget in worldwide. I think then we would even get a BM pat 2 some day.

Yes, huge thanks for all the facts & figures, makes for very interesting reading , Loving all the interviews , He has worked so hard over the past two months promoting the movie. Tonight we have the Golden Globes , it's streaming live on Paramount+ in the US but not in Europe ..

This is an interesting review with some more personal opinion and emotions.

 

 

'Better Man is a fun movie, but I must discuss the elephant (aka monkey) in the room.'

 

Tara Watson

Senior Entertainment Producer

January 2, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

I will admit, I was a little surprised by some of the songs that didn't make the cut in this film.

 

'Bodies', 'Millennium' and 'Supreme' went without mention, and as an Australian (a fandom on the other side of the planet that has made him millions), a little nod to the Kylie Minogue duet 'Kids' would have been welcomed.

 

It's curious that he omitted some of these hits but performed two full songs that were not his own tunes.

 

 

 

If you're a fan of Robbie Williams, there's a lot to love about this film, and even if you're not, it's still an entertaining ride with a ton of catchy tunes and emotional impact that will have you sobbing between scenes.

 

And yes, there's a singing monkey.

 

https://www.mamamia.com.au/robbie-williams-...ter-man-review/

 

 

 

I don't think that this reviewer understood why certain songs were selected to fit in with the storyline & not just his greatest hits ... It's ridiculous . Cmo'n . "get with it reviewer !! :banghead:

Edited January 5Jan 5 by Sydney11

See I like this honest opinion. People's minds can indeed be changed & I have seen many similar posts in recent days on other social media platforms :)

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/lorna.penfold.7

Edited January 5Jan 5 by Sydney11

:)

 

***

 

OK, let's back for 2 days ago and follow the Palm Springs Festival again.

 

 

Palm Springs Intl Film Fest 2025 Kicks Off with Better Man, Michael Gracey Unveils Robbie Williams’ Story

By Film Threat Staff | January 4, 2025

 

The 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival opened with a cinematic blast, spotlighting Michael Gracey’s audacious Robbie Williams biopic Better Man. Moderated by TCM host Dave Karger, attendees were treated to a post-screening Q&A with the director, who delved into the quirky origins, artistic decisions, and jaw-dropping challenges behind the making of the film.

 

Gracey kicked off the session by recounting his unexpected introduction to Robbie Williams, courtesy of Hugh Jackman. While filming The Greatest Showman, Jackman couldn’t stop referencing Williams as the gold standard of showmanship. A fateful meeting at Williams’ home led to the pop icon championing the music of The Greatest Showman, helping the film—and Gracey’s directorial career—survive a critical juncture.

 

“Robbie’s enthusiasm is infectious,” Gracey noted. “He’s the type of guy who’d offer to bludgeon Hugh Jackman with a teacup just to play P.T. Barnum. That passion fueled this movie.”

 

Gracey’s vision for Better Man was as unconventional as Williams himself. He emphasized the biopic’s fantastical elements, leaning into a musical’s heightened reality. The decision to have a CGI monkey embody Williams caused initial confusion—both from financiers and Williams’ own wife—but Gracey stuck to his guns. “Once you start exploring someone’s internal life, why not go all the way?” he quipped.

 

The Q&A also shed light on the film’s challenging production, particularly the ambitious Rock DJ dance sequence filmed on London’s Regent Street. The shoot was derailed when Queen Elizabeth II passed, resulting in a total loss of the initial budget. Five months later, Gracey rallied his team, securing additional funding to bring the pivotal moment to life. “That scene is pure joy,” he said, “and it’s something the audience—and this film—desperately needed.”

 

hen asked about Williams’ involvement in the film, Gracey revealed that the singer was deeply engaged, throwing live concerts that were used as settings for the movie’s larger-than-life sequences. However, Williams wasn’t keen on the repetitive nature of filmmaking. Gracey recalled a candid exchange in which he told Williams he’d never make it as an actor due to his aversion to multiple takes. Williams’ response? “Don’t you just need to be a better director?”

 

With Better Man, Gracey captures the chaos, charm, and charisma of one of pop music’s most enigmatic figures. The film’s premiere signals an explosive start to the Palm Springs International Film Festival, setting the bar high for the days to come.

 

 

https://filmthreat.com/interviews/palm-spri...williams-story/

 

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''The film received positive reviews from critics but bombed at the box office, notably in North America where Williams has never developed a significant fanbase.''

 

This is on the film's Wikipedia page, but I thought it hasn't had a wide release in North America yet? If it has made 2.1 million box office worldwide that is slightly higher than 'Greatest Days' box office of 2 million. But that film was only released in the UK and Ireland, recieved next to ZERO publicity --especially in comparison-- and dissapeared out of the Top 10 after two weeks.

 

Is the 2.1 million figure correct? The film 'Here' with Tom Hanks only took 13.4 million worldwide and that was deemed the biggest commercial flop of last year.

Edited January 5Jan 5 by nirvanamusic

Isn't it a bit early to say it bombed at the box office with only 6 cinema's in America showing it yet and the cinema's elsewhere since January 2nd? It would be a pity though and if so I hope it will not shatter RW's will to try whatever he has in mind.

The number is correct. It is a rolling release in a hope that the word of mouth gets out and sparks some interest. It set the expectations low with the premise. A bit too low maybe. But it just might work. Fingers crossed 🤞.

It's really being promoted today with lots of TV ads showing different excerpts from the movie .

If the movie will not be a success than it is not down to lack of promotion. Paramount invested in ads ad Rob promoted like I have not seen him promoting any album since I am a fan. Also the soundtrack seem to do quite ok, despite everyone knows the songs at least outside of the USA. Still hope is there.

Yes, I agree with Liz.

 

---

 

Well, and before Golden Globes I suggest you to watch and listen this interview - one of the best during his promo at all.

The US inteviewer made a great job preparation with interesting questions.

 

Aslo I see The Collider supports him and the movie.

 

I also agree. I am not giving up yet :cool:

Yes, I agree with Liz.

 

---

 

Well, and before Golden Globes I suggest you to watch and listen this interview - one of the best during his promo at all.

The US inteviewer made a great job preparation with interesting questions.

 

Aslo I see The Collider supports him and the movie.

 

 

 

 

Great interview. Loved what he said about the song Something Beautiful . I think the movie soundtrack has given him some ideas for the upcoming tour, it should be very exciting ...

..

& yes Rob is indeed very brave ..

Great interview. Loved what he said about the song Something Beautiful . I think the movie soundtrack has given him some ideas for the upcoming tour, it should be very exciting ...

..

& yes Rob is indeed very brave ..

Yes!

 

Who knows maybe we will re-think about other old songs for a near future as well? :)

Yes, new arrangements could be used on Tour too.

 

---

 

 

Robbie Williams hopes 'Better Man' seals long-held bid for worldwide fame

 

'That's the reason I'm doing this whole thing. I want to be Mr. Worldwide,' British pop star says of new musical biopic

 

Mark Daniell

Published Jan 04, 2025

Robbie Williams has sat through countless screenings of Better Man, a new biopic that chronicles the tumultuous life of the British pop star. But in his mind, so far there’s one reaction that has guaranteed the film will hit the right note with moviegoers.

 

“I remember the first time watching the movie looking to my left and right to see if my friends were crying. I knew if they were crying it was going to be a hit,” Williams, 50, tells Postmedia in an interview. “All my mates were in bits and I was left with thinking, ‘Thank God this is a great movie.'”

 

Better Man, which is now playing in select theatres and opens across Canada this Friday, charts Williams’ meteoric rise from obscurity as one of the singers in Take That to his career as a solo artist who has sold more than 75 million records worldwide.

 

Williams’ own reaction to the Golden Globe-nominated film differs with each viewing, but he’s always emotional watching parts of his life unfold on the big screen. “Every time I watch it, I feel like if I start crying I may not stop,” he admits.

 

The no-holds-barred journey captures Williams’ messy relationship with his father (played by Steve Pemberton) and his fall from grace. It also charts the newfound resurgence of the British pop superstar, who is popular in almost every corner of the world except North America. To underscore this point, this week in Australia, Williams was one of the notable entertainers who was on hand to help ring in the New Year in Sydney.

 

But the film is a twist on the musical biopic genre. Williams is portrayed as a computer-generated chimpanzee. Filmmaker Michael Gracey, who helmed the 2017 musical smash The Greatest Showman, wanted to try something different in telling Williams’ story.

 

Instead of being scared of the idea, the Angels singer, who narrates the feature, embraced the wild concept of sharing the ups and downs of music stardom with the help of Weta’s motion capture technology and the actor Jonno Davies.

 

“Before (Gracey) got to the end of the sentence, I was totally in. I want everything I do from here on in to be slightly unusual and this is way past slightly unusual,” Williams chuckles. “This was a seven-year project. I had built it up so much in my head that when I sat down and the film started I thought, ‘What if this is crap?’ So to watch it and to have all of my wildest dreams fulfilled was an exhale.”

 

It was his wife, X Factor judge Ayda Field, that took some convincing.

 

“I would say to her, ‘Guess what, everyone’s human and I’m a CGI monkey,’ and she wasn’t onboard,” Williams laughs, recounting her initial reaction to the pitch. “She had the casting vote and she’s the ministry of finance. But fortunately, once she saw some clips, she came onboard heavily and she’s now a big fan.”

 

Gracey, who helped develop the 2019 Elton John biopic Rocketman, said he became intrigued about adapting Williams’ life story for the big screen after the two worked together on The Greatest Showman.

 

“That’s how we knew each other. We had conversations after that, and in those conversations Rob would talk about his life … And after speaking to him I was aware that there was a great story in Rob’s life,” Gracey says.

 

Initially Gracey, who co-wrote the film with Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole, had no plans to direct the musical biopic.

 

“As time went on, I started to record the stories Rob was telling me,” he recalls. “Whenever I was in Los Angeles, I would visit with him. Wherever our paths intersected, we would have these conversations.”

 

Thanks to the success of Rocketman and the Oscar-winning Bohemian Rhapsody, which centre on the life of Freddie Mercury and Queen, investors were receptive to the idea of mining Williams’ crushing experience with fame.

 

But they bristled when they heard a pitch that included mentions of a CGI monkey.

 

“It was so hard to convince people because it was a huge commitment financially,” Gracey says. “But when we found someone and convinced them, you knew they were in.”

 

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“Fans are going to sit there and be able to enjoy it,” Williams says. “They know that I am crippled with insecurity and need affection, need compassion, need empathy and need love — probably more than most people because I have a sensitivity dysphoria or whatever it is.”

 

The two-time Grammy nominee is more interested in seeing how people who don’t know who he is receive the film. Williams is also hoping that Better Man serves to reintroduce his music to audiences in North America.

 

“That’s the reason I’m doing this whole thing. I want to be Mr. Worldwide,” he quips.

 

When I point out that I knew people who liked his music, Williams breaks into a grin. “Who ‘liked me.’ Boom … there’s the problem. This facilitates the third act of my career where more people can like me, present tense.”

 

Even if the film doesn’t move the needle to increase Williams’ popularity in Canada and America, he’s already got his eye on what comes next.

 

“I’m going to be incredibly busy. I’ve got an empire to build. I’m building buildings, literally. I’m writing TV shows. There’s clothing. I want to build a university. There’s hotels,” he says. “I want to see how far I can push my luck.”

 

 

https://torontosun.com/entertainment/movies...-worldwide-fame

 

BETTER MAN (2024) has me beyond words.

 

Sunday, January 5, 2025

 

The life and times of singer Robbie Williams as told by the man himself. As a result we see Williams as he sees himself as a monkey.

 

Whatever you think this film is based on the trailers and clips- it isn't that, but something much more special.

 

This is a one of a kind film that is real and raw, foul mouthed, fantastical, magical and completely unafraid to portray its main character as a dick. Yea, we like Williams, and his story moves us but at the same time the film doesn't sugar coat that he needed to be smacked at times.

 

It's a film full of sex and drugs and rock and roll.

 

It's a film with perfect needle drops, glorious dance numbers and probably the best use of My Way in cinema history because quite frankly it caps an entire film that is the very embodiment of story about doing it Williams' way.

 

It's show business tale about a big star that never loses sight of the very broken person at the center who is filled with self-loathing. It's a film about us and as such we connect to the tale way more than we should.

 

This film should not have worked - and yet it does and it had me applauding mid-film, laughing at things that I probably should have but which it shows humorously and ultimately reducing me to tears with the tale of a survivor who is still standing and still performing.

 

WOW and then some.

 

I have no idea if you will like it, but assuming you click with it you will probably feel as I do.

 

While I know it's one of the best films of 2024- I will also say that the film should get multiple awards for the work done with the monkey make-up/motion capture because the range of emotion we see is beyond words.

 

I absolutely love this film.

 

Go see it on the big screen with big sound.

 

I repeat this is one of the truly great films of 2024

BETTER MAN goes wide across America on Friday.

 

http://www.unseenfilms.net/2025/01/better-...yond-words.html

''The film received positive reviews from critics but bombed at the box office, notably in North America where Williams has never developed a significant fanbase.''

 

This is on the film's Wikipedia page, but I thought it hasn't had a wide release in North America yet? If it has made 2.1 million box office worldwide that is slightly higher than 'Greatest Days' box office of 2 million. But that film was only released in the UK and Ireland, recieved next to ZERO publicity --especially in comparison-- and dissapeared out of the Top 10 after two weeks.

 

Is the 2.1 million figure correct? The film 'Here' with Tom Hanks only took 13.4 million worldwide and that was deemed the biggest commercial flop of last year.

 

I have always thought and continue to think that Take That fans in UK are far more loyal than RW fans - they are very, very supportive of everything, whereas UK RW fans (IMO) do tend to be a bit more critical and less avid. Rob gets his numbers from Europe and Australia where there is still a lot of loyalty. But that is just my thoughts.

 

I'm not giving up on the numbers just yet either. :) I can't believe the amount of glowing reviews this movie has received. It has been amazing to read.

 

I was trying to work out if I would rather it were a critical success and a box office failure or a critical failure and a box office success.

If I'm honest probably the latter. :lol: but if it does bomb (and I'm not saying it has yet -I prefer to think "slow burner" ) then at least he can say, his song was nominated for a Golden Globe and he was a part of something beautiful and remarkable. :wub:

 

I watched an interview with him the other day (can't remember which one it was -there have been so many) and he did appear to be quite relaxed about whether the movie would make him a star in US -a bit different to how he was talking a month ago when it seemed it meant a lot to him. I wondered whether someone had whispered in his ear to manage his expectations. But like I say - I'm not giving up yet. Like elisabeth said -hope dies last ^_^

It's still only in 6 theatres but it's holding it's own

 

My dream would be that he won a Golden Globe & really put the cat amongst the pigeons but I am holding my breath really as I think the Oscar catastrophe might impact the voting panel somewhat or maybe not :unsure:

 

Anyway best of luck to him tonight :drink: