Cruella de Vil (2021)

we can always have a good laugh at this whole mess in this thread, haha

Just got back from the theater. Take Satan wears Prada and mix it with Oceanic's Eleven—then toss in a healthy dose of humor (not too much, not too little)—add some family drama, a touch of Joker madness, and set the whole thing in 1970s New York City. That’s essentially this movie. Cruella is a mess, but an entertaining one. I found certain legal technicalities a bit confusing—so it isn't perfect—but on a scale of one to five, I’m giving it a solid four. Honestly, I'm thinking about seeing it again, which is something I haven't done in four years. 🍿

The movie actually gets off to a pretty solid start, but man, it just completely falls apart by the end. It feels like they’re desperately trying to spin Cruella as this misunderstood sweetheart instead of an actual villain, like she's just some victim of circumstance rather than... well, herself. It reminds me way too much of how they handled that whole "Wicked" vibe back in 2003.🤦.

working on the sequel already

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/c...ey-1234989209/

ruggedfalcon28 said:Just walked out of the theater. Take note— Satan wears Gucci. And you’re mixing that up with— Eleven of the Atlantic.Look, you need to pack this thing with a decent dose of humor—not too much, not too little—but sprinkle in some family drama and a healthy helping of pure madness. It’s about balance. My own Thanksgiving dinners are basically a psychological thriller disguised as a meal, so I know how tricky that line can be. Get the tone right or don't bother. The Joker.Picture everything being transplanted into 1970s New York City—that’s basically this movie. Cruella is a total mess, but an entertaining one at that. I found myself tripping over some of the legal technicalities—it wasn't exactly airtight—so it isn't perfect, but on a scale of one to five, I’m giving it a solid four. I'm actually considering seeing it again; I haven't revisited it in four years. 🍿

The movie is a complete mess—just a chaotic jumble of everything under the sun. To be fair, the costumes and production design are top-tier; that’s easily the film's saving grace. Honestly, if anyone cares about that sort of thing, it’s still better than Maleficent.

I get it. They probably think kids won't sit through a movie if the lead isn't some mastermind straight out of Saw, but this whole "humanizing a psychopath" thing? It’s driving me nuts.
Who even gives a damn about her childhood or her hair? Like, seriously, who cares if she had a great mom or whatever? Does anyone actually care?

What an absolute joke of a movie—seriously, it was just boring and dragged on forever. It feels like they just threw in every single hit song from that era just to fill the space (which is a total letdown, honestly, kind of like what happened with Suicide Squad)... there’s absolutely no reason for a flick like this to run longer than two hours.
I honestly hated it.👎

Honestly, this movie felt completely unnecessary to me. And that’s saying something, especially since Glenn Close is the only one who actually nails the role of Cruella—well, if you count the animated version too, of course. It would’ve been a much better use of time to just make something brand new and innovative, or maybe adapt a story that actually deserves the big screen treatment.

This movie is truly top-tier.
I am not sure which version you all watched, but I think this one is excellent. It has everything—great acting, a solid plot, unexpected twists, and good music. It isn't overstretched either, which leaves room for maybe a few more great sequels. I would give it an 8.5/10. By the way, if people who claim to have seen thousands of movies and possess all the world's cinematic wisdom watch it, they might just dismiss it as some passing thing and leave negative reviews.🤦🤣

Absolute top-tier stuff... basically, this woman turns her dress into a parachute, slides down a literal skyscraper, and then somehow manages to climb all the way back up in a totally different outfit just to send her own mother straight to prison—all while gloating about how she played her perfectly...
She tricks her so well that even with hundreds of people standing right behind her, nobody makes a peep, giving her the perfect window to try and take her out... honestly, it’s phenomenal.

Honestly, it’s pretty terrible.

Honestly, such a great movie. 😁

I was watching something yesterday—just sitting there, letting the hours slip by.

When it comes to the typical Disney formula—there are definitely those moments of pure naivety that feel completely disconnected from reality, not to mention some instances of cheap, low-brow humor—but you have to give credit where it's due. The core story, the underlying concept, the acting, and the overall engagement level? That’s top-tier stuff. All things considered, I walked away feeling pretty satisfied; Emma Stone was absolutely fantastic in this. Still, if I’m being honest, I think Mulan holds up better. 7.5/10.

ruggedfalcon28 said:I just stepped out of the theater. Take my advice... Satan wears Gucci. And you’re mixing that up with—well, let me be clear—that's a completely different matter entirely. Eleven of the Atlantic's.Look, you really need to bake in a decent dose of humor—not too much, not too little—but then you throw in some heavy family drama and just a touch of pure, unadulterated madness. It’s all about that balance. The Joker. Truly an exhausting subject to revisit, isn't it? Everyone seems to have a different theory, a different obsession, yet we always end up circling the same drain. It’s that relentless cycle of chaos that keeps people coming back—that specific, unsettling magnetism that makes you want to look away even while you're staring right at him. Just when you think you've parsed out the psychology, the narrative shifts again. It's wearying, really.If you take all those elements and drop them right into 1970s New York City—that’s essentially what this movie is. Look, *Cruella* is a total mess, but it’s a fun kind of mess. I found myself tripping over a few of the legal technicalities—it didn't quite hold up under scrutiny for me—so it isn't exactly a perfect masterpiece, but on a scale of one to five, I’m giving it a solid four. Honestly, I'm already considering seeing it again; I haven't revisited it in four years. 🍿

This is an incredibly accurate review.

A fantastic, entertaining ride. It actually convinced me to go back and download both the original animation and the live-action version of 101 Dalmatians 😁

Emma Stone was absolutely incredible here—total Oscar material... 👍

When I first heard this movie was coming out, I didn't think I'd actually sit through it; I had this vague impression it was just some kid's flick. But since I was running low on things to watch, I ended up giving Cruella de Vil a shot.
I actually really liked it. The soundtrack is fantastic—I don't quite get why people are complaining about the inclusion of 70s hits, because honestly, what else were they going to play? They couldn't have put on some old Billy Joel track instead. There were so many great hits back then that you could listen for hours and still struggle to pick a favorite.
I generally avoid trailers and promos because they tend to ruin the experience for me, so I went in totally blind, not even knowing how old Cruella de Vil was supposed to be or what the whole premise was about.
The film felt like a trip back to my childhood when I used to read the books, and visually, it matched the imagery from those stories pretty closely. My only gripes are the seemingly random diversity casting and the fact that Cruella de Vil isn't constantly smoking, though unfortunately, those are just the kinds of things we have to deal with these days. It actually strikes me as odd that she isn't a lesbian; I'm surprised they missed that beat.

Ultimately, I walked away with a very positive impression. The visuals are sharp, the music is great, the plot is solid and Dynamic, and the humor lands well. It’s a Dynamic, entertaining ride, and I was genuinely pleasantly surprised. There are a few logical leaps and slightly forced situations here and there, but I can live with them. I also agree with the sentiment that the film feels like a mashup of several existing movies, but we're pretty used to that by now—as long as the movie works, it works.