39th nomination.

 

Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) - February 23 2025

 

Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing – Feature Motion Picture

Better Man / Paramount Pictures

Supervising Music Editor: Timothy Ryan

Music Editors: Craig Beckett, Lena Glikson, Cory Milano, Liam Moses, Joe E. Rand, Chris Scallan, Emily Rogers Swanson

Vocal Editors: Noah Hubbell, Anna Muehlichen

A Complete Unknown / Searchlight Pictures

 

Supervising Music Editor: Ted Caplan

Music Editor: Maggie Talibart

 

Deadpool & Wolverine / Marvel Studios

 

Music Editors: Daniel DiPrima, Oliver Hug

Scoring Editor: Anele Onyekwere

 

Dune: Part Two / Warner Bros. Pictures

 

Supervising Music Editors: Clint Bennett, Ryan Rubin

Music Editor: Joe E. Rand

 

Emilia Pérez / Netflix

 

Lead Music Editor: Maxence Dussère

Music Editors: Cécile Coutelier, Matthieu Lefèvre, Aristide Rosier

 

Wicked / Universal Pictures

 

Supervising Music Editor: Catherine Wilson

Supervising Vocal Editor: Robin Baynton

 

https://www.mpse.org/

 

 

I can't see any updated numbers for international viewings so info is a bit patchy

I read yesterday that Rocketman "only" made £30m - is that right?

The budget of Rocketman was £30m/$40m.

 

While its gross was like this:

- Gross US & Canada - $96,368,160

- Opening weekend US & Canada - $25,725,722

- Gross worldwide - $195,320,400

 

****************

 

I read some articles saying that the movie will have a more limited release in the US. Can anyone confirm that?

 

Haven't heard it.

 

****************

 

Robbie is apparently having a AMA on r/movies. A movie subreddit with 32M movie watchers, mostly Americans. Thursday at 6PM ET.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/s/jvfn99CoWY

What does AMA mean? :)

Sorry, I'm not any good with Reddit - never used it.

First Mondays of the year is traditionally lowest for cinemas in US and other (almost all) parts of the World - people back to work.

 

But interesting to admit that Better Man has the 2nd result 'per theater average gross' on January 6 in USA - 600 USD / per theater.

Only Nickel Boys got more - 772 USD / per theater.

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/date/2025-01-..._=bo_di_table_1

 

And Better Man jumped into Top20 of US Box Office at first time still having the lowest quantity of cinemas/theaters oer day (6) due to limited release.

 

So, not bad if analyse it!

The budget of Rocketman was £30m/$40m.

 

What does AMA mean? :)

Sorry, I'm not any good with Reddit - never used it.

 

Ask me anything/questions and answers in a thread like chat. It is going to be similar to what he did at TIFF but imagine audience asking all the questions for a couple of hours.

‘Better Man' LA Premiere Among Cancellations Due To Wildfire

 

Paramount has cancelled their Wednesday night LA premiere for the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man.

 

A studio spokesperson said, “Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are canceling tomorrow's premiere of Better Man. Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies.”

 

The Michael Gracey directed movie follows the crazy life of British pop star Robbie Williams. The movie begins its wide break this Friday in about 1,200 runs. In the movie, Williams is portrayed by a CGI monkey. Critics dig at 90% certified fresh with an audience score of 96%.

 

Better Man is among a slew of cancellations due to the Pacific Palisades wildfire. Tonight, Universal’s pulled the plug on their world premiere for the Blumhouse horror film Wolf Man, in addition to Amazon which nixed their LA premiere for the Jennifer Lopez feature Unstoppable.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/bette...id=BingNewsVerp

Edited January 8Jan 8 by Sydney11

It's impossible...

 

Or it's internal unluck there or it's an opposite - like somebody protects him.

 

Anyway...

I thought the same.

At the end of the day as long as everyone is safe is the important thing ... It is what it is !

 

The Hollywood stars caught up in the LA wildfires - Mark Hamill, Robbie Williams, Eugene Levy and more

 

 

The blazing fires also had an impact on numerous movie premieres and Hollywood events. Former Take That singer Robbie Williams, 50, was dealt a blow after the US premiere of the biopic, Better Man, had to be cancelled due to the "dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles," according to US media outlets.

 

A Paramount spokesperson was quoted as saying: "Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are cancelling tomorrow's premiere of Better Man.

 

"Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies."

 

 

https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/7...eles-wildfires/

Edited January 8Jan 8 by Sydney11

Found this 2-parts podcast (30 & 55 mins):

 

PART 1

 

fxpodcast: Director Michael Gracey & making Better Man

Posted on December 29, 2024

 

Listen here:

https://www.fxguide.com/fxpodcasts/director...ing-better-man/

 

Better Man is a 2024 bio-musical film co-written, produced and directed by Michael Gracey, based on the life of British pop singer Robbie Williams. We spoke with Michael to discuss the film, its complexity and challenges and how he approached this innovative and powerful independent film.

 

 

 

PART 2

 

fxpodcast: Better Man with Wētā FX

Posted on January 3, 2025

 

Listen here:

https://www.fxguide.com/fxpodcasts/part-2-b...er-man-weta-fx/

 

In the second part of our Better Man coverage, we speak with Wētā FX VFX Supervisor Luke Millar and Animation Supervisor Dave Clayton. This is part of our ongoing coverage of films in the lead-up to the Oscar Bake-off on January 11, 2025. The five final nominations will be announced on January 17.

 

 

 

 

Better Man is an independent film about the life of UK Rock star Robbie Williams. Wētā was not only responsible for the incredible animation of Robbie as a monkey throughout the film, but as Director Michael Gracey explained in last week’s Part One fxpodcast, they were key to getting the film made and green kit in the first place.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most complex scenes was the 500-person Regent St – Rock DJ Dance sequence, which nearly did not happen, as the team explains in this episode of the fxpodcast.

Rather controversial interview and funny end :lol:

 

Those are amaaaaazing pictures Alex .. Thanks a million for posting ..

 

 

Well Friday is D-Day with worldwide screening of Better Man so fingers crossed all goes well :cool:

@1876913774549999862

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Let's hope all these folk tell everyone else how good it is :)

Review: ‘Better Man’ Is A Wildly Unabashed & Remarkable Examination of Robbie Williams’ Life

 

On January 8, 2025 By Christopher Gallardo

 

Robbie Williams, one of pop’s legends in living color, might be unfamiliar to some. While he’s not as well known in the United States, like Elton John or Queen, his influence in the United Kingdom is undeniable. He’s shattered musical records, had several singles and albums top the U.K. charts, and still leaves a lasting impact through artists like Ed Sheeran and Louis Tomlinson. Yet, like all music artists, Williams’ upbringing was a rough journey to reach the peak of popularity. However, Better Man’s unusual concept of transforming Williams into a CGI monkey really makes this biopic stand out in the best ways possible.

 

What’s also fun about Better Man is the actual narration provided by Williams himself. Instantly, from those first few moments, Williams extrudes this extremely energetic personality as he introduces his childhood. There’s this comedic charm in his presentation of events that really captures this odd interest. Sure, it’s mostly relegated to the first half of the film, yet there’s enough wit in the narration to keep it entertaining, much like Williams himself. Of course, there may be some that’ll compare this to the format of 2022’s Elvis, but this element benefits the film rather than detracting from it.

 

In Better Man’s first act, it’s paced out somewhat quickly similarly to Rocketman. Since most of the dramatic details happen later in the film, it does need to be kept things moving along. Still, it has this emotional tug as the younger version of Williams figures out who he needs to be. Here, Williams’ childhood and complicated relationship with his father sets the stage for the type of biopic it’s going to be.

 

Throughout this act, there’s a certain ominous undertone that settles in as the disapproval of Williams’ father starts to influence his emotions. It revels in a light subtlety as the support of his mother and grandmother support his cause. Even though it’s not necessarily the full picture, it retains this lightheartedness even if it feels brash overall.

Past the first act, director Michael Gracey really emphasizes those more visually euphoric elements of Better Man. This goes for all of the music scenes and montages in the second act, each of which get livelier than the previous. However, the best of these comes during the “Rock DJ” scene, which is an entire spectacle on its own. The cinematography around that scene is absolutely stunning with all these visual cues and diverse set pieces that connect beautifully. Plus, its intricate choreography is perfectly executed as it captures the ecstasy of Take That’s rise to a tee.

 

Yet, the scene that will definitely get everyone talking is the entire “Let Me Entertain You” scene. Everything leading up to that point leads to this explosive moment where all the hallucinatory “iterations” of Williams collide. It honestly feels like something out of the Planet of the Apes films with the choice of the CGI monkeys. However, Gracey composes this scene in a way where it’s more representative of Williams’ state rather than just a huge action piece. As a result, there’s much more impact with each blow made, wonderfully symbolic of the bipolarity Williams faced.

 

On a broader basis, Gracey handles the more emotional aspects of Better Man with much grace, even if it seems pushed at points. This especially feels more so in the second act as we learn about how he’s coping by pushing every relationship aside. Jonno Davies channels Robbie Williams on-screen with this eccentrically flawed personality that’s emphasized through the motion capture. He’s very convincing with each and every phase Williams goes through, especially when his relationship with Raechelle Banno’s Nicole Appleton is explored. While some areas have a need to show rather than tell more, which could be confusing to those unfamiliar, Davies and Banno’s chemistry is still strikingly compelling.

 

 

To be honest, the choice to represent Williams on-screen as a monkey is very in-line with the out-of-this-world artist. Better Man is trying to balance Williams’ emotional “humanity” with his more performative “animalistic” side. Though it doesn’t show the full picture of his career, the film, overall, does a good job of creating a familiar experience to audiences curious about Williams’ life.

 

As a whole, Michael Gracey does an amazing job examining Robbie Williams’ career through this extraordinary theatrical experience in Better Man. As someone who is very unfamiliar with the life and musical talent of Robbie Williams, this film really kept me hooked in every way. It certainly stands out as a musical biopic that’s guaranteed to be unforgettable!

 

Rating

★★★★½

 

 

https://popternative.com/entertainment/revi...-williams-life/

 

 

@1877066071334654175

Edited January 8Jan 8 by Sydney11

Im dragging a friend with me today to watch the movie. He says the monkey is off-putting and a marketing gimmick and expects the movie to be bad. He says he'll turn off the brains for 2 hours. Starts in 20 mins. Let's see what will be the reaction at the end

Im dragging a friend with me today to watch the movie. He says the monkey is off-putting and a marketing gimmick and expects the movie to be bad. He says he'll turn off the brains for 2 hours. Starts in 20 mins. Let's see what will be the reaction at the end

 

 

:lol:

At The Movies: Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, Count Of Monte Cristo are electrifying tales

 

Better Man (M18)

 

134 minutes, opens on Jan 9

★★★★☆

 

The story: Britpop superstar Robbie Williams is a walking, talking, singing chimpanzee in an autobiography of his childhood through his three decades in the music industry, breaking away from the 1990s boy band Take That for solo success.

 

Williams has said he often felt like a performing monkey. Better Man by Australian director Michael Gracey presents him as he sees himself.

 

Bananas, maybe, but brilliant.

 

The simian creation – by Weta FX digital effects company of the rebooted Planet Of The Apes franchise (2011 to 2024) – is performed to perfection via motion capture by English actor Jonno Davies, with Williams narrating his origin story. Its irreverent candour is unmistakably Williams, even as it expresses, beyond Williams ever could, his feral self-loathing stemming from his father’s abandonment and the insecurities of fame.

 

A prototypical rise-fall-redemption celebrity biopic becomes in this fantasy realm an intimate confessional, dark and profoundly emotional. A tearful Chimp Williams wanders his Stoke-on-Trent neighbourhood, warbling his 2002 song Feel the day dad (Steve Pemberton) walks out on the family. Gracey, an animator whose only previous directorial feature is The Greatest Showman (2017), is inspired in re-contextualising Williams’ music.

 

The euphoria of Take That’s early ascent explodes into a flash mob dance of hundreds to Williams’ 2000 hit Rock DJ on London’s Regent Street, while Angels, his best-selling single from 1997, plays over the funeral of his beloved nan (Alison Steadman).

 

She’s The One (1999) is a sweet duet with then-fiancee Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno).

 

At no time do any of these humans – including his songwriter rival and Take That bandmate Gary Barlow (Jake Simmance) and his manager Nigel Martin-Smith (Damon Herriman) – notice he is proto-human, for his struggles are a surreal experience all his own.

 

Hot take: Williams and Gracey, two greatest showmen, fashion an electrifying spectacular.

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertain...ctrifying-tales