UPDATE: Zemeckis’ “Here” has moved up two weeks and will now be released on November 1. Still no word on fall fests, which I’m starting to doubt will happen for this film.
EARLIER: I’m not sure what to make of this first look image of Robert Zemeckis’ “Here.” We have our first glimpse at a de-aged Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. It looks a tad awkward, but it’s just one image. We need a trailer.
Sony has given the 104-minute film what THR is calling, “a prime awards-season spot on the theatrical calendar.” The film will go wide on November 15. Zemeckis' film is a risk-taking endeavor as it was shot from a single POV, without movement or zooms, across a centuries-spanning narrative
I kept hearing positive things about’ “Here,” which reunites Hanks with his “Forrest Gump” director (Zemeckis) and screenwriter (Eric Roth). Such as is the case with almost everything Zemeckis does these days, this latest project of his is steeped in the latest technological breakthrough.
Last year, Roth had mentioned to me, a few times, how proud he was about this film. Based on the test reactions, he might be right. Who knows. According to my source, “Here” is one of the highest-scoring films in Sony’s history. It scored a 95 in the top two boxes and an “87 definite recommend”. They’re so confident about this one that they’re positioning it for Oscars this fall.
“Here” is based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel and covers the events of a single room and its inhabitants spanning from the past to well into the future. Here’s a test reaction that was sent over to me, a few months back …
It’s an ambitious story, just one single perspective with fade ins/fade outs to change the time into the future or past and all about a single space of a living room in one house. Tom Hanks and Robin Wright are de-aged (surprisingly flawless for something still in production) and Hanks is as good and reliable as always. Zemeckis gives all the heavy and emotional moments to Wright here and she delivers a fantastic performance. Paul Bettany and Kelly Reilly are also really good, and both can totally steal a supporting actor nom. This feels like a Best Picture contender for me. It feels like a spiritual cousin to “Forrest Gump” with all the hopping through time and recounting important historical events of everyone who lives through this space and it’s definitely in the same home of films that Hanks used to make in the 90’s and stuff like “Big Fish” and “Life of Pi”; It’s a massive visual marvel.
In “Here,” Zemeckis is, again, attempting to be at the forefront of bleeding-edge technology as the film aims to use deepfake VFX to de-age actors with the help of effects studio Metaphysic. The technology will use “high-resolution photorealistic faceswaps and de-aging effects on top of actors’ performances live and in real-time without the need for further compositing or VFX work.”
I used to like Zemeckis, quite a bit, he was on a hot streak from 1980-2000 — “Used Cars,” “Romancing the Stone,” “Back to the Future,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” “Forrest Gump,” “Contact” and “Cast Away.” Hell, I even went along with the schlock horror of “What Lies Beneath.”
As expected, Snyder's latest is being torn apart by TIFF attendees. No mercy given. The film, which had its world premiere this evening, is being called by some one of the worst movies to ever premiere at the festival.