Ghost in the Shell | March 31, 2017 | Scarlett Johansson | Paramount | New Trailer on page 43!!!

[Wadey Wilsoney]

11 hours ago, RedX said:

What issues did you have? How do you think critics will react? 

I can only speak for myself of course, but I found it... a bit difficult to be emotionally engaged with any of the characters for at least half the film. There's a lot of lines and exposition where characters talk in an almost monotone way, that it felt like it was keeping me at arm's length with regards to emotional engagement. When some of the characters were in danger I didn't really fear for them because I basically didn't feel anything all that much for them to begin with.

But the second half picked up the pace considerably, and more importantly, made me care about Major. Also, Aramaki doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he's a total badass and would fit right in a John Wick movie.

 

I have no idea how the critics will react. Honestly it feels like it can go either way. I can see them calling it dull and exposition-heavy. I can see them picking on Scarjo's one-note performance, even though not showing a lot of emotion is kind of part of her character.

My buddy who saw the film with me and is a huge fan of the original, said that the film has also been simplified. Not dumbed down, mind you, but made more palatable for mainstream audiences. I'm not sure in what ways it has been simplified since I haven't see the original in almost 18 years. So yeah, critics who are big fans of the '95 version might take issue with this also.

 

7/10 

[Mulder]

4 minutes ago, Wadey Wilsoney said:

I can only speak for myself of course, but I found it... a bit difficult to be emotionally engaged with any of the characters for at least half the film. There's a lot of lines and exposition where characters talk in an almost monotone way, that it felt like it was keeping me at arm's length with regards to emotional engagement. When some of the characters were in danger I didn't really fear for them because I basically didn't feel anything all that much for them to begin with.

But the second half picked up the pace considerably, and more importantly, made me care about Major. Also, Aramaki doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he's a total badass and would fit right in a John Wick movie.

 

I have no idea how the critics will react. Honestly it feels like it can go either way. I can see them calling it dull and exposition-heavy. I can see them picking on Scarjo's one-note performance, even though not showing a lot of emotion is kind of part of her character.

My buddy who saw the film with me and is a huge fan of the original, said that the film has also been simplified. Not dumbed down, mind you, but made more palatable for mainstream audiences. I'm not sure in what ways it has been simplified since I haven't see the original in almost 18 years. So yeah, critics who are big fans of the '95 version might take issue with this also.

 

7/10 

Is aramaki evil like the trailers suggested?

[Wadey Wilsoney]

10 hours ago, shayhiri said:

 

Would you please share details and thoughts on the visuals - that's the only thing that matters to me.

 

Is the whole movie throughout as good as the three scenes (intro, fight in hotel, fight in water) that were released? What about the (original) music?

 

Thanks,

The Shay

1. I though the visuals were superb throughout. You can see where the money was spent. For me it truly felt like they recreated the look and feel of the original. I do think they overdid it with the giant people-holograms on the buildings though. It became a bit comical when you had two characters having a serious discussion only to have a 50 foot jogger in the background. Also, a bit too much unnecessary slomo at times. For the most part cinematography is pretty ace with a lot of imagery pulled straight from the original.

 

2. The thing about those three scenes is that they all feature Scarlett in a skin-tight bodysuit. So of course the rest of the movie isn't as good... Except dat ending.

 

3. The music just sort of faded into the background for me during most of the film, I'm afraid.

[Wadey Wilsoney]

21 minutes ago, Mulder said:

 

  Hide contents

Is aramaki evil like the trailers suggested?

 

Spoiler

No

 

[RedX]

4 hours ago, Wadey Wilsoney said:

I can only speak for myself of course, but I found it... a bit difficult to be emotionally engaged with any of the characters for at least half the film. There's a lot of lines and exposition where characters talk in an almost monotone way, that it felt like it was keeping me at arm's length with regards to emotional engagement. When some of the characters were in danger I didn't really fear for them because I basically didn't feel anything all that much for them to begin with.

But the second half picked up the pace considerably, and more importantly, made me care about Major. Also, Aramaki doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he's a total badass and would fit right in a John Wick movie.

 

I have no idea how the critics will react. Honestly it feels like it can go either way. I can see them calling it dull and exposition-heavy. I can see them picking on Scarjo's one-note performance, even though not showing a lot of emotion is kind of part of her character.

My buddy who saw the film with me and is a huge fan of the original, said that the film has also been simplified. Not dumbed down, mind you, but made more palatable for mainstream audiences. I'm not sure in what ways it has been simplified since I haven't see the original in almost 18 years. So yeah, critics who are big fans of the '95 version might take issue with this also.

 

7/10 

Wheat other things did you like? The original film is known for some long winded pontificating on one's identity and philosophy. Is that still there? Thanks! 

Edited March 23, 2017 by RedX

[Wadey Wilsoney]

1 hour ago, RedX said:

Wheat other things did you like? The original film is known for some long winded pontificating on one's identity and philosophy. Is that still there? Thanks! 

Spoiler

The film is mostly centered on Major learning who she was/is, so there are discussions on identity. But philosophizing seems a bit of a stretch. There was never a moment where I felt it's time for a character to "just please shut up already". The film mostly says what it needs to and moves on. That isn't a criticism.

 

[RedX]

1 hour ago, Wadey Wilsoney said:

  Hide contents

The film is mostly centered on Major learning who she was/is, so there are discussions on identity. But philosophizing seems a bit of a stretch. There was never a moment where I felt it's time for a character to "just please shut up already". The film mostly says what it needs to and moves on. That isn't a criticism.

 

That's good tbh. It's really one of the main flaws of the movies, especially Innocence where there's an insistence on navel gazing 

[KevinPr]

Here are some videos from the Tokyo premiere:

 

 

 

 

There are no incidents during the premiere. I think the Japanese public is enthusiastic to see Scarlett's performance.

Edited March 23, 2017 by KevinPr

[The Futurist]

Is @La Binoche more in this than Let Them Fight ?

 

 

[Klingo]

7 hours ago, Wadey Wilsoney said:

1. I though the visuals were superb throughout. You can see where the money was spent. For me it truly felt like they recreated the look and feel of the original. I do think they overdid it with the giant people-holograms on the buildings though. It became a bit comical when you had two characters having a serious discussion only to have a 50 foot jogger in the background. Also, a bit too much unnecessary slomo at times. For the most part cinematography is pretty ace with a lot of imagery pulled straight from the original.

 

2. The thing about those three scenes is that they all feature Scarlett in a skin-tight bodysuit. So of course the rest of the movie isn't as good... Except dat ending.

 

3. The music just sort of faded into the background for me during most of the film, I'm afraid.

Don't be surprised about holograms and being giant around buildings.  We already have giant banners and tv screens advertising like that.  Just not hologram.

[antovolk]

Embargo brought fwd to Sunday?

 

[RedX]

42 minutes ago, antovolk said:

Embargo brought fwd to Sunday?

 

May be a silly question, but this would be for all critics? 

[antovolk]

5 minutes ago, RedX said:

May be a silly question, but this would be for all critics? 

Good question. I have a nagging feeling they'll stagger it country by country (or rather language by language). People from Germany still saying the 29th.... Curiously that DanielR guy said he can talk about the film on Saturday, suggesting that it applies to all critics.

 

In any case, makes it even worse for North American critics who don't get to see it till the 29th.

[RedX]

Interesting, we'll see

[antovolk]

Review in French: https://www.senscritique.com/film/Ghost_in_the_Shell/critique/113481263

[DMan7]

They must have incredible confidence in the quality of this movie to bring up the embargo.

[Arlborn]

5 minutes ago, DMan7 said:

They must have incredible confidence in the quality of this movie to bring up the embargo.

Let's hope they're right.

[Barnack]

7 minutes ago, DMan7 said:

They must have incredible confidence in the quality of this movie to bring up the embargo.

 

No review yet on RT, the embargo is probably still on, I'm not sure but it look like a review of a regular viewer that write reviews on a equivalent of a french IMDB.

[antovolk]

2 minutes ago, Barnack said:

 

No review yet on RT, the embargo is probably still on, I'm not sure but it look like a review of a regular viewer that write reviews on a equivalent of a french IMDB.

Yeah, that review is a fan one not a press one.

@DMan7 was prob referring to bringing embargo forward to Sunday, then again the only reviews we'll see, like with Fifty Shades and IDR, will be UK, Australia, NZ and foreign language ones.

[Barnack]

In some market the embargo was after the release of the movie to the main audience, it was hardly a sustainable one.