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Ghost in the Shell |OT| I was born in the sea of information

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navii

My fantasy is that my girlfriend was actually a young high school girl.
She knowingly took away a role that would have been perfect for an Asian actress. Doesn't matter if it was a casting decision by the producers. In the end, she accepted the role.

If she just stayed at home on casting day the movie would now be lead by somebody more asian?
 

Oddduck

Member
She knowingly took away a role that would have been perfect for an Asian actress. Doesn't matter if it was a casting decision by the producers. In the end, she accepted the role. [/SPOILER]

I would have preferred an Asian actress, and I agree that we need more Asian actresses in lead roles.

But let's face the facts. She didn't "steal" anything.

Scarlett Johannson worked hard to make herself into a bankable star that studios can depend on. She has been acting since she was 13-years-old. The role didn't fall in her lap simply because of her skin color. I agree that she may have received more opportunities in hollywood because she's white, but you can't deny that she's worked hard for her success.

She's one of the highest-grossing actresses of all time. She was the highest grossing actress of 2016. Her action movie "Lucy" ($40 million budget) made $436 million worldwide. She's been in six Marvel movies. The Avengers is the #5 highest grossing movie of all time both domestically and worldwide. She's been in critically acclaimed movies like "Lost in Translation" and "The Prestige". How many actresses -- regardless of race -- can claim to have this much box office influence?

Say what you want about Scarlett Johannson, but it's mind-blowing that we have a live-action movie based on an anime that isn't getting panned by critics. Remember Aeon Flux? 10% on Rottentomatoes. Remember Dragon Ball Evolution? 14% on Rottentomatoes. Remember Speed Racer? 39% on Rottentomatoes.

Edit: Err, I guess Aeon Flux doesn't count as an anime, but my point stands. Most live-action films based on anime and video games don't do well critically.
 
Eh I'm still unsure. I like Chris Stuckmann but I haven't agreed with him all that much recently and the dumbing down of themes was my biggest worry for the film over the visual effects.
 

Ratrat

Member
Aeon Flux is an anime?

Anyway, I wouldn't blame Scarlet Johanson. I doubt she knew anything about the movie prior and was satisfied with what the writers told her.
 

kaskade

Member
I tend to agree with Chris Stuckmann so I'm glad he liked it. I'd imagine someone who loves the anime that much would be a pretty harsh critic.

I never saw that video about the reactions from Japanese people about Scar Jo being cast, it's funny that they don't seem to care. There probably is a chance that if someone like her wasn't cast, this movie wouldn't have been made. It's a niche property and casting some fairly unknown Japanese actress wouldn't bring in the people.
 
I would have preferred an Asian actress, and I agree that we need more Asian actresses in lead roles.

But let's face the facts. She didn't "steal" anything.

Scarlett Johannson worked hard to make herself into a bankable star that studios can depend on. She has been acting since she was 13-years-old. The role didn't fall in her lap simply because of her skin color. I agree that she may have received more opportunities in hollywood because she's white, but you can't deny that she's worked hard for her success.

She's one of the highest-grossing actresses of all time. She was the highest grossing actress of 2016. Her action movie "Lucy" ($40 million budget) made $436 million worldwide. She's been in six Marvel movies. The Avengers is the #5 highest grossing movie of all time both domestically and worldwide. She's been in critically acclaimed movies like "Lost in Translation" and "The Prestige". How many actresses -- regardless of race -- can claim to have this much box office influence?

Say what you want about Scarlett Johannson, but it's mind-blowing that we have a live-action movie based on an anime that isn't getting panned by critics. Remember Aeon Flux? 10% on Rottentomatoes. Remember Dragon Ball Evolution? 14% on Rottentomatoes. Remember Speed Racer? 39% on Rottentomatoes.

She worked hard and her casting made sense in the film, but let's not act like Hollywood isn't designed to favor White actors with ample talent, opportunities, marketing, and budget in order to succeed. Their whole business model is built off of that.
 

DJChuy

Member
Saw it last night. My gf and I enjoyed it, and again, we haven't seen the anime. After seeing this film, I'm interested in seeing the anime. Anime is usually a miss with me, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

Anyways, the visuals and style are great. Sometimes I wondered how it'll look in 3D. Acting was also good, and I felt ScarJo did a great job as the Major.

I'm surprised how short the action scenes were, but a few of them were sweet to watch like tank battle.

The story was so-so. Definitely needed some work in the storytelling. You can divide the story into two because the first half has a different objective/purpose than the second.

It felt a little boring at times during the first half of the film, but I actually became interested in the second half when it shifted the story into
who am I?
The film kind of throws you into the plot for the first obhective, but it did some proper build-up for the second half which is why I became more invested in that part. It felt more grounded. That's not to say the first half sucks because it had some good things in it.

Overall, I enjoyed it. 7.5/10

Side note: while watching the movie, I couldn't stop thinking about how this was an anime adaptation. I couldn't believe it. When you put this film next to say Dragonball, you can clearly see the difference in quality.

Also surprised how many asians there were despite them being side characters or extra.
 

wazoo

Member
Saw it last night. My gf and I enjoyed it, and again, we haven't seen the anime. After seeing this film, I'm interested in seeing the anime. Anime is usually a miss with me, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

GITS anime is great. Innocence (GITS2) will test your cyberpunk anime tolerance.
 

Zakalwe

Banned
She worked hard and her casting made sense in the film, but let's not act like Hollywood isn't designed to favor White actors with ample talent, opportunities, marketing, and budget in order to succeed. Their whole business model is built off of that.

You didn't need to say that, the person you quoted acknowledged it...

Look at it from the point of view of a women achieving this in a male dominated industry if you have to, sure white people have it easier but her accomplishment is still remarkable.
 
Nothing in this live-action anime adaptation can be as memorable as Chris Klein channelling his inner Nicholas Cage in the Street Fighter film. No one comes close, not even once.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VjdE9Y8VQA

street_fighter_nash_by_digi_matrix-db40yd6.gif

street_fighter_nash_3_by_digi_matrix-db40ye1.gif

street_fighter_nash_2_by_digi_matrix-db40ydk.gif
 

Oddduck

Member
She worked hard and her casting made sense in the film, but let's not act like Hollywood isn't designed to favor White actors with ample talent, opportunities, marketing, and budget in order to succeed. Their whole business model is built off of that.

Like I said in my post, "I agree that she may have received more opportunities in hollywood because she's white". I don't deny that Hollywood tends to favor whites for lead roles.

But I take an issue with people saying Scarlett "stole the role". She was offered the role because she's the most bankable actress right now, and she has experience doing action films ("Lucy", six Marvel films).

Who did she steal the role from? Unfortunately, Hollywood would have given the role to another white actress if Scarlett turned down the role.
 

Ratrat

Member
Like I said in my post, "I agree that she may have received more opportunities in hollywood because she's white". I don't deny that Hollywood tends to favor whites for lead roles.

But I take an issue with people saying Scarlett "stole the role". She was offered the role because she's the most bankable actress right now, and she has experience doing action films.

Who did she steal the role from? Hollywood would have given the role to another white actress if Scarlett turned down the role.
'May' sure, it's just merely a possibility.
I can see maybe her taking the role and the film succeeding working to validate these casting practices. She wins, other women lose.
 
Like I said in my post, "I agree that she may have received more opportunities in hollywood because she's white". I don't deny that Hollywood tends to favor whites for lead roles.

But I take an issue with people saying Scarlett "stole the role". She was offered the role because she's the most bankable actress right now, and she has experience doing action films ("Lucy", Marvel films).

Who did she steal the role from? Unfortunately, Hollywood would have given the role to another white actress if Scarlett turned down the role.

I already agreed she didn't take the role from an Asian actress, but that was by default because they were never going to offer the role to an Asian actress.
 

Wereroku

Member
I already agreed she didn't take the role from an Asian actress, but that was by defaut because they were never going to offer the role to an Asian actress.

That's probably the saddest part of the whole affair. Secondary roles are a ok to be asian actors but dear god help a story that needs an asian main character. I wonder if every white actress passed on this if they would have finally cast an asian woman or just shelved the movie.
 

Blader

Member
Say what you want about Scarlett Johannson, but it's mind-blowing that we have a live-action movie based on an anime that isn't getting panned by critics. Remember Aeon Flux? 10% on Rottentomatoes. Remember Dragon Ball Evolution? 14% on Rottentomatoes. Remember Speed Racer? 39% on Rottentomatoes.

I watched the first Rurouni Kenshin movie over the weekend and was shocked by how good it was.

Maybe the problem is just Hollywood-produced live-action anime movies.
 

Sanjuro

Member
Maybe it's a good thing the original has largely been unmemorable for me going into this.

Debating watching before or after now.
 
Btw this movie will make sure you know exactly what Ghost means. Like it makes Nolan look subtle in terms of exposition.
As much as I love everything GitS, let's not pretend the original film was subtle in this regard either. Almost every line spoken in the first hour is exposition and spells out the entire plot, world, character background info and message behind the narrative.

Motoko's entire character for the first third of the film is an exposition machine.
 

Zakalwe

Banned
Yeah, I kinda did because its bordering on the meritocracy argument while putting emphasis on her work and not emphasizing enough on what made it even possible.

It just seemed a bit misplaced and downplaying her accomplishments. I get the frustrations, and the core of your point has obvious truths, but she no doubt had to fight for some of her roles early on and her achievements are remarkable.
 
Loved it. Visually stunning with great set pieces.
ScarJo plays that hollow role super well, as seen in Lucy and Under The Skin. The reveal of
Motoko
was pretty emotional for an action movie.
Batou was awesome, nailed him.

Only flaw was the weak baddie. Predictable and boring.

Hope they get to do a sequel....If the haters and moaners don't sabotage it.
 
I did think it was a little dumb
that they needed to give Batou's eyes an origin story
.

It's a symptom for the entire film. They couldn't have a main character who is just a cyborg and that's it, they had to make the plot about that fact. Similarly, they couldn't have
Batou having robot eyes, again origin story.

It's a 101 Hollywood scripting lesson: don't have any weird elements in your setting that could alienate the audience, except if it's specifically explained on the film.
Addendum: consider your average moviegoer dumb as a rock and totally ignorant.
 
Loved it. Visually stunning with great set pieces.
ScarJo plays that hollow role super well, as seen in Lucy and Under The Skin. The reveal of
Motoko
was pretty emotional for an action movie.
Batou was awesome, nailed him.

Only flaw was the weak baddie. Predictable and boring.

Hope they get to do a sequel....If the haters and moaners don't sabotage it.
Excitement increasing, glad this seemed to turn out to be a solid movie. Probably will it tomorrow evening.
 
It's a symptom for the entire film. They couldn't have a main character who is just a cyborg and that's it, they had to make the plot about that fact. Similarly, they couldn't have
Batou having robot eyes, again origin story.

It's a 101 Hollywood scripting lesson: don't have any weird elements in your setting that could alienate the audience, except if it's specifically explained on the film.
Addendum: consider your average moviegoer dumb as a rock and totally ignorant.

I didn't really mind the plot focusing more on Major's nature as a cyborg, that feels less like an unnecessary origin story, and more of the aspect that this particular take on the material decided to deep dive (heh) in. Whether it's fully successful in that theme, is another conversation.

I agree though, that this generally is a very Hollywoodified treatment of the material, the changes to the ending in particular point to that.
 
It just seemed a bit misplaced and downplaying her accomplishments. I get the frustrations, and the core of your point has obvious truths, but she no doubt had to fight for some of her roles early on and her achievements are remarkable.

No doubt but it's necessary to put it in it's proper context.
 
If she just stayed at home on casting day the movie would now be lead by somebody more asian?


Who cares? Seriously, who gives a shit if she got the role? From what I have heard, even the original anime director/ creator was ok with the body of the actress not being asian being a non issue.

Maybe, just maybe Scar Jo was the best selection for the role.
 
Because it's racism to support ScarJo in this movie.



3D is actually good. I saw it in an upgraded laser 4k theatre. It was really smooth and nice.

Please tell me how it is racist to support her in the film? That is the silliest thing I have ever hear.
If the director/ studio/ producers etc. are ok with the selection then its not racism. It is actually their freedom of interpretation of the movie/ role they are trying to create. What if people told Davinci what color paints to use on the Mona Lisa?
 

DJChuy

Member
Fucking lmao, so the tweet made that shit up?

The theater laughed at that scene, but I don't think it was meant to be offensive or anything like it considering that circumstance and the fact that
he was pissing next to her for a few minutes and both didn't seemed phased by it. He gave the wut look but looked unintentional.
My perspective at least.
 
Please tell me how it is racist to support her in the film? That is the silliest thing I have ever hear.
If the director/ studio/ producers etc. are ok with the selection then its not racism. It is actually their freedom of interpretation of the movie/ role they are trying to create. What if people told Davinci what color paints to use on the Mona Lisa?

I mean, it's not racist. Nor do I really believe, after seeing the film, that the film itself is outright openly racist. At worst, it's misguided in it's attempt to turn it's own whitewashing into a meta-narrative, but I'm still working out how I feel about that particular plot point.

That said, artists aren't immune to criticism just by being artists. The frustration from Asian-Americans about this are totally justified, and valid criticisms. No artist should ever be immune to criticism. It's a healthy, valuable, necessary part of the creative process. I'm sure that even Davinci encountered criticism in his day, and I'm sure that it pushed him as an artist.
 
Please tell me how it is racist to support her in the film? That is the silliest thing I have ever hear.
If the director/ studio/ producers etc. are ok with the selection then its not racism. It is actually their freedom of interpretation of the movie/ role they are trying to create. What if people told Davinci what color paints to use on the Mona Lisa?

Just look few pages back. I said that maybe there's no Asian-American actresses at the moment who can support the weight of a 120 million niche sci-fi movie. It's a suicide to even think to cast some unknown b-lister to this kind of movie. It's already a big risk with a huge star in its lead. That's why Scarjo is the lead in her tight latex suit. At least she brings the minimum back. It's just risk control.

I got called racist and was told that I said that Asian actresses can't act. They also said that I'm a liberal racist, which is an oxymoron.

But hey, supportiong ScarJo in the lead is racism! This the fucking world we live now.

ScarJo is one of the best things in this movie. :)
 
Chris Stuckmann's comment section is like a circle jerk of alt-righters. Disgusting. Disappointed that he made stupid excuse for whitewashing.

Edit: Wow, some of the responses in this thread. Didn't realize representation was such an obtuse concept that so many of you are incapable on understanding.
 

Ratrat

Member
Just look few pages back. I said that maybe there's no Asian-American actresses at the moment who can support the weight of a 120 million niche sci-fi movie. It's a suicide to even think to cast some unknown b-lister to this kind of movie. It's already a big risk with a huge star in its lead. That's why Scarjo is the lead in her tight latex suit. At least she brings the minimum back. It's just risk control.

I got called racist and was told that I said that Asian actresses can't act. They also said that I'm a liberal racist, which is an oxymoron.

But hey, supportiong ScarJo in the lead is racism! This the fucking world we live now.

ScarJo is one of the best things in this movie. :)
Pacific Rim made about as much as Edge of Tomorrow inspite of a noname leads. I wonder how much GITS will do. If it bombs of course it wont be the leads fault, right?
 
Just look few pages back. I said that maybe there's no Asian-American actresses at the moment who can support the weight of a 120 million niche sci-fi movie. It's a suicide to even think to cast some unknown b-lister to this kind of movie. It's already a big risk with a huge star in its lead. That's why Scarjo is the lead in her tight latex suit. At least she brings the minimum back. It's just risk control.

I got called racist and was told that I said that Asian actresses can't act. They also said that I'm a liberal racist, which is an oxymoron.

But hey, supportiong ScarJo in the lead is racism! This the fucking world we live now.

ScarJo is one of the best things in this movie. :)

That is crazy. I think people are throwing out a lot of hate for no reason.
 
Pacific Rim made about as much as Edge of Tomorrow inspite of a noname leads. I wonder how much GITS will do. If it bombs of course it wont be the leads fault, right?

Pacific Rim and Edge of Tomorrow were both considered box office dissapointments, especially domestically. Pacific Rim was only partially saved by it's strong performance overseas. Those aren't really strong examples, honestly.
 

Ratrat

Member
Pacific Rim and Edge of Tomorrow were both considered box office dissapointments, especially domestically. Pacific Rim was only partially saved by it's strong performance overseas. Those aren't really strong examples, honestly.
The argument is about whether starpower immediately determines a films success.
Hunnam is a nobody next to Cruise.
People also keep claiming minority leads will cause films to bomb in spite of there being no precent for this(I wonder why). Meanwhile Hollywood continues trying to manufacture stars that fit the same old mold and race. There is also a pattern of white actors getting multiple chances in spite of bombing. Maybe its a ton of nepotism in the back, who knows.
As it is, all people are doing is blaming minorities for things they havent even done.
 
The argument is about whether starpower immediately determines a films success.
Hunnam is a nobody next to Cruise.
People also keep claiming minority leads will cause films to bomb in spite of there being no precent for this(I wonder why). Meanwhile Hollywood continues trying to manufacture stars that fit the same old mold and race.

Right, and I agree with you. But saying: Niche Sci-fi movie A, without any stars, is a bomb but so is Niche Sci-fi movie B, which had a big star. Isn't what would, in the eyes of a studio, convince them they should take the risk on a minority. If anything, it paints the notion that the problem isn't the casting, but the genre itself. Such is the risk-adverse nature of studio filmmaking.

The success of the recent Star Wars films, and probably most notably, of the Fast and the Furious movies are much better examples of what diversity and minority talent can do for a film's box office, rather than the fact that Edge of Tomorrow and Pacific Rim were equally dissapointing.
 

Ratrat

Member
Pacific Rim 'bombed' and Hunnam, a poor actor from what I've seen, is given the lead in the blockbuster and planned franchise King Arthur.
Someone explain that. You guys seem good at that.
 
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