Good or New Movies Review

Arkandel · May 12, 2016, 2:59 PM

@Ganymede said in Good or New Movies Review:

This isn't just any generic A-list film, however. It is an A-list film based on material that has a very strong connection to Japanese culture. I mean, you wouldn't cast a Scotsman as an Egyptian God, right?

Oh wait.

I wouldn't cast a Scotsman as a Spartan either but... damn.

TNP · May 12, 2016, 3:18 PM

@Arkandel said in Good or New Movies Review:

That's what I'd like. Characters who are played by whoever can do a better job, as long as we avoid pointless blackface phenomena. As long as it's not a stretch, that's all I can ask.

It would be nice. Hollywood only has to look at Broadway to see that race doesn't matter shit.

Kanye Qwest · May 12, 2016, 3:24 PM

I'm all for good roles being played by whoever auditions the best, but it's sort of a separate conversation, isn't it? Whitewashing is a very specific issue, and is an issue simply because there's so little diversity to start with. If non white actors were regularly being cast in leading roles, or even dominated the casting in Hollywood movies about their cultures, it wouldn't seem as noteworthy. But, that isn't the case, and as tired as people may get of them...these conversations are the first step to changing that.

And not for nothing, Iron Fist is not just a rich boy turned martial arts vigilante. He's the rich son of a rich man who discovered a mystical city where everything is martial arts, honor and dragons and everything is Chinesey. There he becomes the bestest of all the scrubby native students, and duels a dragon that burns a dragon tattoo on his chest, and learns how to channel his Chi into an amazing IRON FIST.

Man, reminiscing about it has killed any enthusiasm I had for the series. Whoops.

saosmash · May 12, 2016, 3:26 PM

They've pulled some pretty great stuff with DD and JJ and I'm looking forward to LC. I can see why they chose to do IF last -- it's going to be the hardest sell.

Ganymede · May 12, 2016, 3:33 PM

@Kanye-Qwest said in Good or New Movies Review:

And not for nothing, Iron Fist is not just a rich boy turned martial arts vigilante. He's the rich son of a rich man who discovered a mystical city where everything is martial arts, honor and dragons and everything is Chinesey. There he becomes the bestest of all the scrubby native students, and duels a dragon that burns a dragon tattoo on his chest, and learns how to channel his Chi into an amazing IRON FIST.

Being Chinese, this fills me with an immense amount of loathing. That said, if they could make Kingpin and Stick compelling ...

Arkandel · May 12, 2016, 3:42 PM

@Ganymede said in Good or New Movies Review:

Being Chinese, this fills me with an immense amount of loathing. That said, if they could make Kingpin and Stick compelling ...

I think producers underestimate us. I get both major arguments being used here; that they need A-list names for big productions and to create a sense of identification in their intended audiences ('white folks identify better with white characters'). They are just wrong.

The new Star Wars movies seem to work really well - and they are led by ladies. Ray isn't a great heroine, she's a great character, and I can't wait to watch Rogue One when it comes out. Would I have liked a kick-ass Jedi guy spinning lightsabers? Sure, I watched Anakin do it for two movies and it was kind of blah, not because he wasn't male enough but because those films sucked. Conversely I can't bear to watch Aeon Flux or Resident Evil, but that's not because females star as action heroes in those, it's because they were horrible!

Make a good movie, make it make sense and it will work. Don't and it won't.

How hard is that?

Vorpal · May 12, 2016, 4:30 PM

@TNP said in Good or New Movies Review:

@Arkandel said in Good or New Movies Review:

That's what I'd like. Characters who are played by whoever can do a better job, as long as we avoid pointless blackface phenomena. As long as it's not a stretch, that's all I can ask.

It would be nice. Hollywood only has to look at Broadway to see that race doesn't matter shit.

Or opera. There's no possible way you could confuse me for a 17th century Scottish man (unless he had been on a cruise through the Caribbean first), but I've done Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor- and I've seen Hispanic and black sopranos sing the role of Madam Butterfly (one of them was imposing and close to six feet tall, which would totally have disqualified you for Geisha training in 17th century Japan- but nobody gives a shit because holy hell her voice is pure sonic orgasm). But I guess there's a difference between opera and Broadway in that aspect- Opera requires suspension of disbelief, because it's not whether you 'look' a part that is important but whether you can sing it. Broadway does still have requirements for physical type ('look', height for specific roles), but it doesn't extend to race.

ThatGuyThere · May 12, 2016, 4:35 PM

@Kanye-Qwest
You forgot to mention the city was mostly populated with alien plant people.
Or had the Bryne Submariner series been forgotten or ret-conned since then.
And in the bagging on Iron Fist let us not forget the old Power Man and Iron Fist was pretty ground breaking as a series Not only did the African American character get first billing it was one of the few instances in any media in the late seventies were you have a white and black character acting as equals even with the white guy often deferring to the black guy.
That said I would much rather see a Shang Chi series even though I likes me some Iron Fist too.

tragedyjones · May 12, 2016, 4:48 PM

Shang Chi is going to be in Iron Fist.

Vorpal · May 12, 2016, 5:10 PM

@Arkandel said in Good or New Movies Review:

The new Star Wars movies seem to work really well - and they are led by ladies. Ray isn't a great heroine, she's a great character, and I can't wait to watch Rogue One when it comes out. Would I have liked a kick-ass Jedi guy spinning lightsabers? Sure, I watched Anakin do it for two movies and it was kind of blah, not because he wasn't male enough but because those films sucked. Conversely I can't bear to watch Aeon Flux or Resident Evil, but that's not because females star as action heroes in those, it's because they were horrible!

Why did you have to remind me Aeon Flux was a thing? Dear god, that movie was the cinematic equivalent of a Greyhound station bathroom in Amarillo, Texas.

Arkandel · May 12, 2016, 5:12 PM

@Vorpal And yet that lady is so easy on the eyes.

Kanye Qwest · May 12, 2016, 5:14 PM

@Vorpal said in Good or New Movies Review:

@Arkandel said in Good or New Movies Review:

The new Star Wars movies seem to work really well - and they are led by ladies. Ray isn't a great heroine, she's a great character, and I can't wait to watch Rogue One when it comes out. Would I have liked a kick-ass Jedi guy spinning lightsabers? Sure, I watched Anakin do it for two movies and it was kind of blah, not because he wasn't male enough but because those films sucked. Conversely I can't bear to watch Aeon Flux or Resident Evil, but that's not because females star as action heroes in those, it's because they were horrible!

Why did you have to remind me Aeon Flux was a thing? Dear god, that movie was the cinematic equivalent of a Greyhound station bathroom in Amarillo, Texas.

Have you actually been to the bus station in Amarillo, TX? Because I have. This made me lol.

Vorpal · May 12, 2016, 5:22 PM

@Kanye-Qwest i HAVE!

OrcRiot · May 16, 2016, 2:23 AM

On Bat V. Supes. I liked the Supes stuff, definitely didn't like what they did with batman.

Minor spoiler:
I would like to see a movie based on the dream.

Kanye Qwest · May 16, 2016, 7:26 PM

@DnvnQuinn
Huh, I was exactly the opposite. I liked Batman, and Bruce Wayne, and ESPECIALLY Alfred (omg Jeremy Irons), but got really tired of "Superman Reads Mean Tweets".

Mad respect to Lois Lane for continuing to live her life and get shit done even with a big mopey boyfriend bullet zooming in and out of her life.

Jaded · May 16, 2016, 11:17 PM

Sadly I thought BMvsSupes was a train wreck of a movie. It was like they tried to squish 5 movies into one telling. DC will have to set a different tone from Marvel and not try to play catch-up in two films.

In other news, Idris Elba as Roland the Gunslinger for the upcoming Dark Tower trilogy? I can get behind this. I think he's a fantastic actor and I've enjoyed a majority of what he's been in.

In other other news, I think an all female cast remake of Ocean's 11 could hold much more potential, and go over better than the all-female cast remake of Ghostbusters. Casting and treatment of the source material will be key.

ThatGuyThere · May 17, 2016, 1:36 PM

@Jaded
Since both versions of Ocean's 11 are basically all about the cast. I think an all female one could work but casting would have to be spot on, but that is true of the male cast ones as well.
In my case I loved the original Rat Pack version, did not care much for the modern one.

thebird · May 17, 2016, 9:56 AM

@Arkandel

I can't even, with Charlize Theron... She's so awesome. I've seen Aeon Flux way too many times because of her =/

She's also the reason I saw that god awful, new Snow White movie with Kristin Stewart, and the reason I'll be seeing the sequel, or whatever it is >>

Also, Captain Amercia: Civil War was a bit of a train wreck, too....somehow I think I'm in the minority there.

At least I got to watch Mad Max: Fury Road again (so many times...), shortly after Civil War <<

Arkandel · May 17, 2016, 1:29 PM

@thebird said in Good or New Movies Review:

Also, Captain Amercia: Civil War was a bit of a train wreck, too....somehow I think I'm in the minority there.

Heathen! Leave your nerd card at the door until you are ready to repent for your sin.

Jaded · May 17, 2016, 1:36 PM

@ThatGuyThere

I liked the Rat Pack version too. I also did enjoy the Clooney one. I think that in both cases it was the casting that made the movie more than the narrative itself. The characters were just a joy to watch. I do agree with you, think an all female version will have to be done the same way to be successful.