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Ghost in the Shell (2017) Review Thread
- Thread starter Oersted
- Start date
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Rotten tomatoes was made irrelevant the moment Gone in 60 seconds settled at 23%
THAT WAS THE TWIST!?
This shit is the stupidest fucking thing. Oh fuck off, now I just hate the Scarlet casting even more.
Ovek
7Member7
Just finished watching this and from someone who is a big fan of GitS, I thought it was great and ScarJo was perfect as Major.
I quite liked the "twist", it was also a big fuck you to all the "white washing" noise the YouTube/internet drama queens generated.
Send death threats if you disagree.
I quite liked the "twist", it was also a big fuck you to all the "white washing" noise the YouTube/internet drama queens generated.
Send death threats if you disagree.
It's pretty obvious who has seen the movie and who hasn't - people are really clinging to these angry face thumbnail YouTube copypasta videos. "Can u believe it?!?! (like comment and subscribe!)"
The jokes comparing this to Mickey Rooney or Emma Stone are depressingly ignorant.
Like I said in the other thread, there wasn't really a precedent for the
body change in the original
And also, no shit they want to keep ScarJo.
Big fan of Ghost in the Shell, and I saw the movie last night. Aside from some hammy dialog here and there, it was an entertaining live action anime adaptation. There was actually more substance than I anticiapted out of it, as all I was expecting was a CG nonstop action fest.
I went in thinking it would be pretty bad, hoping it would be pretty good, and came out pleasantly surprised.
Also ScarJo was a fine Major, first performance by her I really care for to be quite honest.
I went in thinking it would be pretty bad, hoping it would be pretty good, and came out pleasantly surprised.
Also ScarJo was a fine Major, first performance by her I really care for to be quite honest.
The Fatal Englishman
Member
They could start by not handing the script off to a bunch of hacks responsible for Street Kings, two middle-of-the-series Transformers movies and that modern classic, Scream 3.
show me your skeleton
Member
i really enjoyed it. the script was passable and it would have worked much better as a series, allowing for a much deeper insight into the characters and philosophical questions raised, but overall it was definitely enjoyable.
my main concern, aside from the inherent issue of diversity in mainstream western cinema, was the score which is a huge shock for me as i rate clint highly.
my main concern, aside from the inherent issue of diversity in mainstream western cinema, was the score which is a huge shock for me as i rate clint highly.
Enter The 36 Chambers
Member
I don't like anime at all.
I'll go see this because of Scar Jo
I'll go see this because of Scar Jo
AmaterasuOni
Banned
You're in for a treat then.
I'm impressed this actually looks a lot better than what they did in Cloud Atlas. Something went wrong with the makeup in that movie.
watermelons
Banned
They literally say it's an obvious alias like two pages into the comic.
Funniest thing about this "controversy" are the Americans trying to identify with a character that's all robot except for maybe a brain, because of her name. Kusanagi(草薙
is meant to be a title referring to legendary blade. It's like the name Stephanie Excalibur.This movie has so much BS swirling around it , I both understand why anyone with Asian heritage would be pissed due this films casting but also understand understand why a studio in hollywood would do this.
Simply put - I feel they left this film in a weird limbo area - I still want to watch it so I can't say 100% for certain beyond trailers but they've set it in a nebulous sort of future hong kong but maybe not which isn't that much different than Oshii's film BUT they could have just pulled a blade runner and made it seem like it's just a future american megacity , fully adapt it into a north american made hollywood idea and use a cast that's as diverse as the country in which it's filmed.
Instead they seemingly want to keep the "mysterious asian cyberpunk super city" but still throw ton of white people in there. So , you piss off asians that feel exploited and underexposed in what could have been a break out role for an up and coming asian actress and the general movie going public doesn't really notice or care.
I mean, it's all about money really - they (hollywood execs) sadly do have the numbers to back up this seeming prejudice with casting. Audiences by and large will pass on films that don't feature white leads , this won't take into consideration the overall quality of a film (and it really should being honest) but somewhere an accountant in hollywood has a formula of what sort of story/genre sells combined with with sort of actors you can put for various returns and how much money it costs to make a film. Somewhere along the line during the production of GITS they realized they could probably increase brand awareness and overall box office receipts by 10% if they cast Scarlett as the Major. Thanks to the Marvel movies, people over the whole world know her as a big star actress. So while I understand the anger and frustration with not having your race represented fully on screen (and this goes for any movie really not just gits) because of the fact that I am just a random white dude , it doesn't make me angry. Just disappointed.
Due to this - I'm still interested in watching GITS , while I watch it , I plan to be critical of how the films world is depicted and whether the lack of an asian woman in the lead roll is a detriment to the film. I get the feeling that nothing would change but it would make ethnically asian people happier. From the standpoint of the people financing it though , well it's probably going to mean less money and really - if movies are meant to be taken in as works of art no matter how banal they might end up being - the box office shouldn't matter. Unfortunately, it DOES when a film costs more then 20 million to produce. Could this have been a great film to try and push an Asian cast ? yeah, that's why it's - again - disappointing that they didn't. It's not offensive enough to lead to a boycott from me but I'd probably feel different if I was Asian.
Simply put - I feel they left this film in a weird limbo area - I still want to watch it so I can't say 100% for certain beyond trailers but they've set it in a nebulous sort of future hong kong but maybe not which isn't that much different than Oshii's film BUT they could have just pulled a blade runner and made it seem like it's just a future american megacity , fully adapt it into a north american made hollywood idea and use a cast that's as diverse as the country in which it's filmed.
Instead they seemingly want to keep the "mysterious asian cyberpunk super city" but still throw ton of white people in there. So , you piss off asians that feel exploited and underexposed in what could have been a break out role for an up and coming asian actress and the general movie going public doesn't really notice or care.
I mean, it's all about money really - they (hollywood execs) sadly do have the numbers to back up this seeming prejudice with casting. Audiences by and large will pass on films that don't feature white leads , this won't take into consideration the overall quality of a film (and it really should being honest) but somewhere an accountant in hollywood has a formula of what sort of story/genre sells combined with with sort of actors you can put for various returns and how much money it costs to make a film. Somewhere along the line during the production of GITS they realized they could probably increase brand awareness and overall box office receipts by 10% if they cast Scarlett as the Major. Thanks to the Marvel movies, people over the whole world know her as a big star actress. So while I understand the anger and frustration with not having your race represented fully on screen (and this goes for any movie really not just gits) because of the fact that I am just a random white dude , it doesn't make me angry. Just disappointed.
Due to this - I'm still interested in watching GITS , while I watch it , I plan to be critical of how the films world is depicted and whether the lack of an asian woman in the lead roll is a detriment to the film. I get the feeling that nothing would change but it would make ethnically asian people happier. From the standpoint of the people financing it though , well it's probably going to mean less money and really - if movies are meant to be taken in as works of art no matter how banal they might end up being - the box office shouldn't matter. Unfortunately, it DOES when a film costs more then 20 million to produce. Could this have been a great film to try and push an Asian cast ? yeah, that's why it's - again - disappointing that they didn't. It's not offensive enough to lead to a boycott from me but I'd probably feel different if I was Asian.
Zoe
Member
Again, her history in the manga or anime is totally different from the live action. You can't take facts from those and apply it here.They literally say it's an obvious alias like two pages into the comic.
Funniest thing about this "controversy" are the Americans trying to identify with a character that's all robot except for maybe a brain, because of her name. Kusanagi(草薙
And Kusanagi is a real Japanese name.
watermelons
Banned
The person I quoted said her "real" name in the new film is Motoko Kusanagi. As far as I know they only mention her first name.
草彅 is a real Japanese name pronounced Kusanagi.
草凪 is another real Japanese name pronounced Kusanagi.
草薙 is a usually a mythical sword pronounced Kusanagi. And the name of some fictional characters usually related to mythical swords.
ffejeromdiks
Banned
It's definitely both, you see the full name at the end.
UnemployedVillain
Member
Yeah that's a myth that's isn't true. It's one of those cases where a lie repeated enough times became an established "truth".
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/h...-that-more-diverse-casts-help-the-bottom-line
And in one of these GITS threads someone posted a study from 2006 that said the same thing.
Zoe
Member
Nope.
Has the movies score been released?
Even though the music wasn't as good as the original I quiet liked what Clint Mansell did.
I can only find the soundtrack with the various artists on itunes http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219827/soundtrack but I'm looking for the Clint Mansell score.
Even though the music wasn't as good as the original I quiet liked what Clint Mansell did.
I can only find the soundtrack with the various artists on itunes http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219827/soundtrack but I'm looking for the Clint Mansell score.
smileyforall220
Member
Just went it saw it, the movie was pretty decent! The cinematography and visuals are top notch, I'd love to see what they could do with a bigger budget. The story dumbed down slightly but still enjoyable, great music. Really liked the side characters a lot. I'd recommend it as an enjoyable film
No one's saying you're a bad person for liking the movie. Other people have their own opinions. It can be weird when there's a lot of negativity for something you enjoy, but you have to be secure in what you think despite social interference.
It's amazing how many myths white people would like to be true suddenly become factual evidence.
kitchenmotors
Banned
https://mobile.twitter.com/tracksounds/status/847887508109131776
Looks like the release has been cancelled. Really a shame, as Clint Mansell's work is great. Maybe Mondo will pick it up and release it with some kick ass artwork, as they've been slowly releasing some of Clint's work on vinyl that was never released before.
Wow, that is brutal. I can't believe that's the ending twist. Jesus...
For anyone who
have seen the movie can you answer the question which song was used in the shelling sequence?
The movie was better than expected, and I echo the same faults others before me have offered : bad writing/dialogue/main plot.
The hate this movie is getting and the rationale people are putting behind their vitriol is putting many people on this forum to shame...
doesn't have a hard on for GitS bombing and
It was not the one I expected (anime version); odd, since they used that same sequence and song in their promotional material.
The movie was better than expected, and I echo the same faults others before me have offered : bad writing/dialogue/main plot.
The hate this movie is getting and the rationale people are putting behind their vitriol is putting many people on this forum to shame...
The Leewit
Neo Member
Cyberpunk bliss. It hit all the right chords for me, storywise, characters, and setting. And Motoko Kusanagi's presence is nicely integrated into this visual feast. And the music overall conveyed that cyberpunk wave, though I would have preferred something in the style of Vangelis in Bladerunner...and the end credit music pays homage to the original anime. Enjoyment: thumbs up.
Looks like film sites are picking up on the twist ending controversy. I wanted to make a thread about it but I felt like with two currently running GitS threads maybe another isn't necessary:
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/scarlett-johansson-ghost-in-the-shell-whitewashing-1202020230/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ing-arguments-about-the-whitewashing-charges/
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat...ell_s_twist_makes_the_whitewashing_worse.html
http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/...hell-whitewashing-worse-than-thought-possible
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/01/opi...ist-and-hollywoods-addiction-to-whitewashing/
http://io9.gizmodo.com/io9-roundtable-how-ghost-in-the-shell-fumbles-race-and-1793909653
http://collider.com/ghost-in-the-shell-racism-explained/
https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...ewashing-does-hollywood-have-an-asian-problem
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/scarlett-johansson-ghost-in-the-shell-whitewashing-1202020230/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ing-arguments-about-the-whitewashing-charges/
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat...ell_s_twist_makes_the_whitewashing_worse.html
http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/...hell-whitewashing-worse-than-thought-possible
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/01/opi...ist-and-hollywoods-addiction-to-whitewashing/
http://io9.gizmodo.com/io9-roundtable-how-ghost-in-the-shell-fumbles-race-and-1793909653
http://collider.com/ghost-in-the-shell-racism-explained/
https://www.theguardian.com/film/20...ewashing-does-hollywood-have-an-asian-problem
For specific subject I think another topic is fine.
formasymphonic
Member
gonna be difficult to title it without the title itself being a spoiler though.
GITS Whitewash bullshit, the shitty ending spoiled. There is your title.
Okay, give me a moment, guys I'm gonna try and make the thread without spoiling the ending in the title while still pulling quotes from these articles.
edit: okay, thread's up
edit: okay, thread's up
This is the most white person thing I've ever heard of.
WrenchNinja
Member
Funny analogy given the issue
Ugh, thank God this guy got kicked.
It's an original cue from (I believe) Lorne Balfe inspired by the Kawai original (hence the sparse sound and the choir).
What Mansell originally had for the sequence was a lot further away from the original but it was a *lot* more awesome.
What Mansell originally had for the sequence was a lot further away from the original but it was a *lot* more awesome.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
Sounds like this movie could use a directors cut with what Mansell originally intended
it's not exactly a twist, I'd say it's pretty obvious, and it's not played up as something "oh my god"-like.
Perfect. And yeh, it's in the title, her body is a freaking shell, the twist actually just underlines this with a heavy marker pen so all the whitewasher alarmists can maybe get it.. Apparently not..
UnemployedVillain
Member
You guys who thought Scarlett was the perfect Major need to rewatch literally any of the old adaptations. She acted very little like her. I feel like the director told her to channel Lucy when she should've been channelling Black Widow
Fixed2BeBroken
Member
So I saw the movie.....and I gotta admit, the movie itself, is solid, good even. Music was Amazing. Directing was great. They nailed cyberpunk to a T.
But I couldn't help the whole time thinking "man, this would have been perfect with an Asian actress" everytime I saw Scarjo. It just kept annoying me through the whole film.
Then after the twist it's like...really? I mean, the implication of it is just kinda ridiculous. Good film but so flawed because of casting. I mean, this would have been a 9/10 film with a good Asian actress. I firmly believe this.
Also, Batou was dope
But I couldn't help the whole time thinking "man, this would have been perfect with an Asian actress" everytime I saw Scarjo. It just kept annoying me through the whole film.
Then after the twist it's like...really? I mean, the implication of it is just kinda ridiculous. Good film but so flawed because of casting. I mean, this would have been a 9/10 film with a good Asian actress. I firmly believe this.
Also, Batou was dope
Good detail on the review.
Yeah, it's not to say that the original film doesn't have its own criticisms, but here, the storytelling is braindead shallow. So much of the dialogue is just meaningless action filler banter or everyone outright spelling out their motivations and reasons to exist in the movie, leaving nothing more to ponder. Action sequences just happen without any buildup and only shot to meet a bare minimum requirement.
I suppose there is a balancing act to making a standalone film and to appeal to people who enjoyed the franchise, but here they tried to piece too many things together and it comes off as scatterbrained and half-assed.
DangerMouse
Member
Agreed. I just saw it as well and I'm quite surprised at how much I really liked it.
While of course I would have liked a few scenes to restrain on spelling a few things out like they did, I came in expecting some of that, so I think they merged several of the stories from the movies and SAC pretty decently (obviously not perfectly, it's got its flaws) and I think ScarJo (and the actor for Kuze) did a rather good job and then once further into the movie,
particularly after the first real Kuze scene
Gonna also reiterate, Batou was absolutely perfect. I loved his scenes with the Major and even on his own. The actor nailed him.
And Aramaki, goddamn, just as boss as ever.
I liked the international Section 9, so more time with them indeed would have been cool and is kind of a flaw (Togusa had a couple of short nice moments).
And despite the trailer leaving me wondering how it would go, the admittedly "nerdy/hardcore" concern me and one other had in the other thread, they actually did, except maybe on one occasion, do a surprisingly damn good job flipping between "Major" and "the Major" when needed to feel smoother. Batou used "the Major" several times I recall.
Also loved the shot of the Major in her SAC gear on the roof starting another case to end the movie (and classic drop into stealth).
DOWN
Banned
This is the first movie in years I made sure not to see average scores for just because I love these sort of cyberpunk sci-fi visuals. My blind impression was that the visuals and style of effects were friggin good. Unusually good. ScarJo was unnecessary but didn't hurt it for me outside the basic issue of her being cast from a cultural consideration. Wasn't blown away, but was very into the visuals and sound.
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