Justice League Lounge of Justice - Part 83

[KalvinEllis]

MCU Martial Arts Movie ‘Shang-Chi’ Marvel’s First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

Now we're talking. Used to crack me up when people were complaining they didn't cast an Asian actor as Iron Fist. I always thought that Marvel doing a Shang-Chi show or a movie would make so much more sense than race swapping Danny Rand to avoid the "cultural appropriation" thing. Can't wait. Now get on with that Namor movie, too.

 

[MbJ]

MCU Martial Arts Movie ‘Shang-Chi’ Marvel’s First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

Very cool.

 

[Polux]

The House That Jack Built

Jesus Christ.

My reaction through out most of the film:

I have seen some real messed up things when it comes to foreign films and real obscure stuff. I have no problem with most violence on film, it doesn't need to have any meaning behind it either. I have seen ALL of Lars Von Trier films, but they still don't make you prepared for this. I don't think this film will be available for wide release here anytime soon, but there is a crisp bootleg out there, if you know where to look, that is how I watched this. I know to always sit through a Lars Von Trier film on an empty stomach, and this was not the exception. There is brutal violence done on children and animals, he makes you watch like you're there, it feels real. Also, spoiler alert, the title of the film ain't a goddamn metaphor. I have not looked away at violent scenes in what feels like forever till I watched this. I legit had to close my eyes during a scene, I just didn't want to look. Having said all that, the first hour of this movie is the best hour of any film i've seen this year so far, which makes the next hour and a half so goddamn frustrating to watch. The last part is just Lars bathing in his own ego and HE KNOWS YOU THE AUDIENCE are going to hate him for making you watch the brutality and nonesense monologues that follow. This kinda felt like you was watching the director jerk himself off, and he is making eye contact with you all through out, but you can't look away because he won't let you. Matt Dillion deserves an oscar nomination for the first hour alone tho, but it will never happen. I'm also confused as to why Uma Thurman shows up in this only to be used as a prop that ends in brutal violence. I DO NOT recommend this film for the Lars Von Trier uninitiated, and even then, it is a tough sit. Still, I can't give it a bad review based on the first hour alone. 7/10

Well...you made me curious now...damn...

I haven't even seen that much LVT, but the movie's out in cinemas here...mmmm....

MCU Martial Arts Movie ‘Shang-Chi’ Marvel’s First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

So I guess now it's all about the battle for who beats each other for social progressiveness/inclusiveness in the genre....cool; I mean, it sucks that it kinda sidelines the "classics" (particularly DC, Marvel kinda use most of their classics already), and it's a shameless commercial exploitation trying to capitalize in current social movements, BUT the end result is a positive one I'd say.

 

[Enriquespy]

I, for one, am OK with the fact that representation is now economically and commercially in.

 

[KalvinEllis]

I, for one, am OK with the fact that representation is now economically and commercially in.

It's also part of the MCU. At this point pretty much anything they do would be critically and commercially successful.

 

[Polux]

I, for one, am OK with the fact that representation is now economically and commercially in.

Oh please, don't get me wrong! To the whole thing my feeling is that of about god damned time!! I just laugh at the classic PR BS of "we do this because is socially important" when they actually mean "we do this because is commercially viable", which at the end of the day doesn't really matter as long as it brings the much needed and long awaited representation.

That said, there's another downside that comes to it IMHO, and it's the excessive praise given to something because of representation and not actual merit; I might and probably will be crucified by this, but as important, culturally relevant and massively socially impactful as Black Panther is, well, as a movie I don't find anything particularly outstanding about it. I know that you can't say "if you remove the social elements/race/representation/etc, then the movie's nothing special", because it is THAT representation that makes it so culturally special....but, still, I don't find other aspects of the movie to be worthy of such praise.

It's like Wonder Woman, for example (movie which I absolutely love), I feel that a HUGE part of the praise it gets it's because of being the first female-led superhero movie of the modern era (hitting at the right time with the current social movements) more than its actual merits as a film; the same with Black Panther, being the first black superhero movie with a mostly black cast (raising my glass to Blade right now) and so on and so forth...

I don't know, I don't want to be misinterpreted about this, because I think what they started is massive and necessary and finally!! The nowadays intention to hire people in front and behind the camera to represent social groups whom never got represented before is a huge deal and should be praised....but a movie should be judged by its own merits, I think.

I dunno, I could be completely alone in this and now I'm afraid I didn't express myself properly...

 

[Polux]

On a completely unrelated note; Jason Momoa confirmed that this scene...

...was his "exit" in Zack's cut of JL, and that Aquaman pretty much picks up after that.

He said that he was with Vulko and Mera, and they tell him that there's trouble coming from the depths and he's like "I gotta go see my dad" and jumps on the truck; he also kinda revealed the opening scene in Aquaman...

Spoiler

So it picks up from the scene above more or less, he's on his way to visit his dad, but then the submarine situation happens and then after that he goes to meet with Thomas Curry.

I wasn't really upset by the spoiler, since I expected the movie to start with that sequence anyways.

 

[MbJ]

James Wan's going all in with the ridiculousness it sounds like, and I can't wait.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Someone call bald Reeves and take him off the project:

 

[Spider-Aziz]

MCU Martial Arts Movie ‘Shang-Chi’ Marvel’s First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

Sometimes I wish that Marvel still had the license to use Doctor Fu Man Chu as a character and keep him as Shang's father, and were able to adapt that bit to the screen without too much red tape surrounding the work.

 

[herolee10]

So if Aquaman truly ends up being the big hit that DCEU fans are hoping for, would you guys want him to be in line to direct Justice League 2 first or Aquaman 2 first?

 

[Spider-Aziz]

So if Aquaman truly ends up being the big hit that DCEU fans are hoping for, would you guys want him to be in line to direct Justice League 2 first or Aquaman 2 first?

Yeah, sure.

 

[Iceman]

So if Aquaman truly ends up being the big hit that DCEU fans are hoping for, would you guys want him to be in line to direct Justice League 2 first or Aquaman 2 first?

Aquaman 2 first. I’d be totally cool with him getting JL but I don’t want another JL until they have at least 4 or 5 successful solo characters (who will all appear in that film).

 

[_Superman_]

On a completely unrelated note; Jason Momoa confirmed that this scene...

...was his "exit" in Zack's cut of JL, and that Aquaman pretty much picks up after that.

He said that he was with Vulko and Mera, and they tell him that there's trouble coming from the depths and he's like "I gotta go see my dad" and jumps on the truck; he also kinda revealed the opening scene in Aquaman...

Spoiler

So it picks up from the scene above more or less, he's on his way to visit his dad, but then the submarine situation happens and then after that he goes to meet with Thomas Curry.

I wasn't really upset by the spoiler, since I expected the movie to start with that sequence anyways.

So we might get to see some of Snyder's work on JL.

 

[Bagide]

MCU Martial Arts Movie ‘Shang-Chi’ Marvel’s First Asian Film Superhero Franchise; Dave Callaham Scripting, Search On For Director Of Asian Descent

Carve up the Asian market.

 

[KalvinEllis]

Oh please, don't get me wrong! To the whole thing my feeling is that of about god damned time!! I just laugh at the classic PR BS of "we do this because is socially important" when they actually mean "we do this because is commercially viable", which at the end of the day doesn't really matter as long as it brings the much needed and long awaited representation.

That said, there's another downside that comes to it IMHO, and it's the excessive praise given to something because of representation and not actual merit; I might and probably will be crucified by this, but as important, culturally relevant and massively socially impactful as Black Panther is, well, as a movie I don't find anything particularly outstanding about it. I know that you can't say "if you remove the social elements/race/representation/etc, then the movie's nothing special", because it is THAT representation that makes it so culturally special....but, still, I don't find other aspects of the movie to be worthy of such praise.

It's like Wonder Woman, for example (movie which I absolutely love), I feel that a HUGE part of the praise it gets it's because of being the first female-led superhero movie of the modern era (hitting at the right time with the current social movements) more than its actual merits as a film; the same with Black Panther, being the first black superhero movie with a mostly black cast (raising my glass to Blade right now) and so on and so forth...

I don't know, I don't want to be misinterpreted about this, because I think what they started is massive and necessary and finally!! The nowadays intention to hire people in front and behind the camera to represent social groups whom never got represented before is a huge deal and should be praised....but a movie should be judged by its own merits, I think.

I dunno, I could be completely alone in this and now I'm afraid I didn't express myself properly...

You're not alone at all. In fact I think you nailed it. Props for expressing yourself on this topic better than I ever could. My way of expression on these topics usually tends to need way more work. Mostly because I either get too emotional and start flying off the handle without even realizing it, or the language barrier where I often stop to think of the proper English words and end up not expressing my point as well as I wanted. Touchy subjects can be a pain in the ass for me, because I want to participate if I feel like I have something to say, but at the same time I'm aware that people could get the wrong idea, so I often abstain myself from it these days.

 

[Iceman]

Oh please, don't get me wrong! To the whole thing my feeling is that of about god damned time!! I just laugh at the classic PR BS of "we do this because is socially important" when they actually mean "we do this because is commercially viable", which at the end of the day doesn't really matter as long as it brings the much needed and long awaited representation.

That said, there's another downside that comes to it IMHO, and it's the excessive praise given to something because of representation and not actual merit; I might and probably will be crucified by this, but as important, culturally relevant and massively socially impactful as Black Panther is, well, as a movie I don't find anything particularly outstanding about it. I know that you can't say "if you remove the social elements/race/representation/etc, then the movie's nothing special", because it is THAT representation that makes it so culturally special....but, still, I don't find other aspects of the movie to be worthy of such praise.

It's like Wonder Woman, for example (movie which I absolutely love), I feel that a HUGE part of the praise it gets it's because of being the first female-led superhero movie of the modern era (hitting at the right time with the current social movements) more than its actual merits as a film; the same with Black Panther, being the first black superhero movie with a mostly black cast (raising my glass to Blade right now) and so on and so forth...

I don't know, I don't want to be misinterpreted about this, because I think what they started is massive and necessary and finally!! The nowadays intention to hire people in front and behind the camera to represent social groups whom never got represented before is a huge deal and should be praised....but a movie should be judged by its own merits, I think.

I dunno, I could be completely alone in this and now I'm afraid I didn't express myself properly...

I think it’s simpler than that. WW and BP are good films and the majority of metrics agree with that. They aren’t world beaters. And you would expect any first to get more praise than it otherwise would; that doesn’t really need to be stated or contested. Whoever lands on Mars first or invents the cure to cancer first, or the first baby/animal/alien to direct a definitely good but non-world-beating film will also get a ****load of praise, while someone doing the exact same things independently with an equal amount of skill and success but coming in 2nd will get considerably less praise, unless they are significantly better.

 

[Black Narcissus]

 

[MbJ]

So if Aquaman truly ends up being the big hit that DCEU fans are hoping for, would you guys want him to be in line to direct Justice League 2 first or Aquaman 2 first?

Given we likely aren't getting JL 2 anytime soon, Aquaman 2.

 

[StarLord]

Lol at Lexi Alexander's replies. She will f*** them up.

 

[Greenlite]

lol. i'm not surprised.

some of my friends been hypin the movie up - but i'm like breh my wife's from asia - she watches chinese tv shows bout crazy rich asians all the time.
this ain't anything special to them folks from the old country.

It's like....a cultural difference between US Asians and Chinese Chinese....=P

it's always intriguing to see different types of Asians growing up in different part of the world....and the vision for "beautiful" is super different

e.g Hot Asian in the US

Hot Asian in Japan

 

[Black Narcissus]

Sarah Beattie on twitter and insta

The only political comedian worth following imo, and not for her inputs if you catch my drift. lawd.

 

[Polux]

You're not alone at all. In fact I think you nailed it. Props for expressing yourself on this topic better than I ever could. My way of expression on these topics usually tends to need way more work. Mostly because I either get too emotional and start flying off the handle without even realizing it, or the language barrier where I often stop to think of the proper English words and end up not expressing my point as well as I wanted. Touchy subjects can be a pain in the ass for me, because I want to participate if I feel like I have something to say, but at the same time I'm aware that people could get the wrong idea, so I often abstain myself from it these days.

Much appreciated

I think it’s simpler than that. WW and BP are good films and the majority of metrics agree with that. They aren’t world beaters. And you would expect any first to get more praise than it otherwise would; that doesn’t really need to be stated or contested. Whoever lands on Mars first or invents the cure to cancer first, or the first baby/animal/alien to direct a definitely good but non-world-beating film will also get a ****load of praise, while someone doing the exact same things independently with an equal amount of skill and success but coming in 2nd will get considerably less praise, unless they are significantly better.

Of course by virtue of being the first you're gonna get praised, but that's not the only thing I'm talking about; I'm talking about "misplaced praise" so to speak.

Let me give you an example: Years ago a friend send me this video, it was a "launch" video for a female music artist, now mind you, it wasn't a music video, I'm not even sure if the video included her music or what kind of music she made, but the video was basically introducing her to the world; she had a prosthetic leg. Now, the video would focus completely on the fact that she was "a new kind of pop artist" and that "she would change the music industry as we know it" but not a single demonstration of her musical skills were given, the WHOLE point of the thing, was to point out that she had a prosthetic leg (which actually was kinda of like a futuristic version of a pirate's wooden leg, metallic and angular) and because of this, she was deserving of praise.

And the thing is that I did see lots of people praising her in social media....and not a single musical track was mentioned when praising her; was it brave and bold of her to put herself out there in representation of a misrepresented group of people?? Absolutely. Does that make her a good musician?? No. Absolutely not. That makes her a marketing scheme.

That's what I'm talking about. Representation most definitely deserves praise, without a question; but just the matter of representing doesn't immediately make your product better than others. Any work of art should stand on its own merits, independently of who made it (at least IMHO).

 

[flickchick85]

Ok, I don’t keep up with Derrickson - what’s the story here? Why is he being attacked?

And BP and WW’s praise wasn’t “misplaced” because they were legitimately good films. Was it exaggerated because they were first? Of course. As Iceman says, that’s natural. But neither is a case of a bad film getting praised because it’s first. Look at their CinemaScores - they obviously pleased audiences and did their jobs well.

 

[Black Narcissus]

Ok, I don’t keep up with Derrickson - what’s the story here? Why is he being attacked?

Eh, Derrickson can be a bit too sensitive at times, but this guy was being a dick. Still, his mere 2k followers, he shouldn't get that much attention from a hollywood director, fam.