Episode 141 - The Shadow: LIVE! (w/ Pete Davidson)

[tomspanks 9039]

I can see Auden's point though. In my mind, WW has more developed quads, lats, biceps, etc. Gal Gadot just has a different physical appearance than my "ideal" WW. Sometimes, being different can be a good thing.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

I think the difference is that Ben Affleck and Brie Larson have impressive resumes that range from drama to comedy to fall back on. Gal who seems to have been a good choice so far had an imdb profile almost entirely composed of Fast and the Furious movies.

 

Slightly different but the only things I ever heard about Constantine were how Keanu Reeves looks or sounds nothing like the character.

That's exactly what I mean! Ben Affleck does not get torn apart for his physical appearance but rather can he bring the acting chops. I would actually love to instead talk about whether Gal has the acting abilities to pull this off because can we count FatF as these big acting tests? And I have unfortunately already seen and heard stuff about how Brie Larson doesn't look right so it's not like the fact that she just won an Oscar is saving her from any kind of bs. I'm sure it's all just reactionary and not logical thinking because people on tumblr and twitter are really trigger happy with their posts lol.

 

I do believe it about Constantine, though. I feel like Keanu is one of the few men that gets shit on for everything, including looks.

 

I can see Auden's point though. In my mind, WW has more developed quads, lats, biceps, etc. Gal Gadot just has a different physical appearance than my "ideal" WW. Sometimes, being different can be a good thing.

I can also see her point and inherently I'm not saying y'all are wrong. Mine is that while it would have been fantastic if a woman with an athletic muscular build had been cast, Gal was instead and focusing on her body and her looks makes me uncomfortable.

[Smigg 1488]

Believe me I definitely understand the frustrations of everyone that is cast being skinny and beautiful. But in objecting the casting of Gal based on her physical features it does appear to be tearing down the way Diana looks now because Gal is portraying her. In all honesty, Gal Gadot wasn't my first choice either, just like Brie Larson really wasn't my first choice for Carol Danvers.

 

It's just something I never really see when men are cast into roles about how they physically don't meet the standards. I never heard anyone say that Ben Affleck was too small to play Batman, which he clearly worked out for the role anyway, but it just wasn't talked about. Everything I heard was about his acting skills and that's what's really important.

 

ETA: Also, I didn't mean to come at you in a argumentative way.

 

I actually got pissed off when Matt Damon was cast as Francois Pienaar in "Invictus", because Matt Damon is 5'9" and around 185bs, Pienaar is around 6'3" and 245lbs So, Matt Damon is fucking TINY to be playing Francois Pienaar.

 

Just made a big, rough necked rugby player, playing in the scrum, into a midget pretty boy by comparison.

[Prezzydent 11]

I'm sure it's all just reactionary and not logical thinking because people on tumblr and twitter are really trigger happy with their posts lol.

 

You can find people on twitter who think the earth is flat. Can't put too thought into it.

 

[Prezzydent 11]

 

I actually got pissed off when Matt Damon was cast as Francois Pienaar in "Invictus", because Matt Damon is 5'9" and around 185bs, Pienaar is around 6'3" and 245lbs So, Matt Damon is fucking TINY to be playing Francois Pienaar.

 

You just made me think of Tom Cruise. Jack Reacher is supposed to be 6'5 in the books... hahaha.

[Auden 1809]

It's just something I never really see when men are cast into roles about how they physically don't meet the standards. I never heard anyone say that Ben Affleck was too small to play Batman, which he clearly worked out for the role anyway, but it just wasn't talked about. Everything I heard was about his acting skills and that's what's really important.

 

Many times when an action movie come out I would see the stars on men's fitness magazines covers. I would also see behind-the-scenes of the male actors working out. I think we don't hear negative opinions about the male actors' bodies is because they changed them. (Affleck in particular is huge when compared to before.) I can't imagine the criticisms if those actors are not swole.

 

 

I'm still going to watch Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot might not be my Wonder Woman, but she's still Wonder Woman. To paraphrase Danielle Schneider, I want a big-budget superheroine movie to succeed.

 

ETA: Also, I didn't mean to come at you in a argumentative way.

I know, me neither.

 

I saw this article in the A.V. Club and thought about your co-worker.

The internet’s most furious one-handed scribbler of gay erotic short stories has returned with his latest “Tingler,” Pokebutt Go: Pounded By ’Em All, with Tingle once more capturing the zeitgeist like one of those little cartoon monster things that you’re supposed to … eat?

[tomspanks 9039]

Auden - is everyone required to wear a t-shirt and jeans for the cover? How boring.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Many times when an action movie come out I would see the stars on men's fitness magazines covers. I would also see behind-the-scenes of the male actors working out. I think we don't hear negative opinions about the male actors' bodies is because they changed them. (Affleck in particular is huge when compared to before.) I can't imagine the criticisms if those actors are not swole.

 

I'm still going to watch Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot might not be my Wonder Woman, but she's still Wonder Woman. To paraphrase Danielle Schneider, I want a big-budget superheroine movie to succeed.

That is a very good point.

 

I heard James Gunn say that he actually refused to see Chris Pratt's audition because he thought he was too fat to play Peter, but then he was forced to and was blown away. So Chris was hired and then lost all the weight. It's definitely just frustrating all around to see so much focus still be on people's bodies.

 

I saw this article in the A.V. Club and thought about your co-worker.

HA! Omg that was a good laugh, thank you! I seriously hate that word now!!

[Auden 1809]

Auden - is everyone required to wear a t-shirt and jeans for the cover? How boring.

No. Sometimes the models don't wear a shirt.

 

I heard James Gunn say that he actually refused to see Chris Pratt's audition because he thought he was too fat to play Peter, but then he was forced to and was blown away. So Chris was hired and then lost all the weight. It's definitely just frustrating all around to see so much focus still be on people's bodies.

Wow, we almost didn't have Pratt's Starlord.

 

But yeah I agree on the focus on people's bodies.

[Smigg 1488]

My feeling on it is, if it's an existing entity or a biopic, I do have certain expectations of how they are presented in a movie. Case in point, they make a movie adaptation of the game "Sleeping Dogs", I expect to see Wei Shen, an athletic Asian guy, covered in tattooes. If Tom Hiddleston is cast as the lead, I'm gonna think "What the fuck?! Why is Tom Hiddleston the lead in Sleeping Dogs?!". Or if Jack Black was cast as Nathan Drake in an Uncharted movie.

 

There are exceptions to prove the rule though, Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, Will Smith in Men in Black, but they were absolutely outstanding in those roles, especially Freeman in Shawshank, he even beat out Clint Eastwood for the role, who was Irish-American in the book.

[tomspanks 9039]

My feeling on it is, if it's an existing entity or a biopic, I do have certain expectations of how they are presented in a movie. Case in point, they make a movie adaptation of the game "Sleeping Dogs", I expect to see Wei Shen, an athletic Asian guy, covered in tattooes. If Tom Hiddleston is cast as the lead, I'm gonna think "What the fuck?! Why is Tom Hiddleston the lead in Sleeping Dogs?!". Or if Jack Black was cast as Nathan Drake in an Uncharted movie.

 

There are exceptions to prove the rule though, Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, Will Smith in Men in Black, but they were absolutely outstanding in those roles, especially Freeman in Shawshank, he even beat out Clint Eastwood for the role, who was Irish-American in the book.

 

You mean like Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell?

[Smigg 1488]

 

You mean like Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell?

 

Pretty much, but I don't have as much of an issue with remakes for a different market. Case in point, there's a Japanese version of "Unforgiven" called "Yurusarezaru Mono", and that was outstanding, absolutely sublime. But the American version of "Oldboy", straight up garbage.

 

So, if they do remakes of Ong Bak, Warrior King/Protector, 13 Assassins, or The Raid, they better do that shit right, or I'm not gonna be happy.

 

If it's done well, or at least there's a little exposition to say why it's like that, I'm okay with it. But "Fuck you, it's this now", not so much.

[Auden 1809]

Pretty much, but I don't have as much of an issue with remakes for a different market. Case in point, there's a Japanese version of "Unforgiven" called "Yurusarezaru Mono", and that was outstanding, absolutely sublime. But the American version of "Oldboy", straight up garbage.

 

So, if they do remakes of Ong Bak, Warrior King/Protector, 13 Assassins, or The Raid, they better do that shit right, or I'm not gonna be happy.

 

If it's done well, or at least there's a little exposition to say why it's like that, I'm okay with it. But "Fuck you, it's this now", not so much.

There's a big difference between a dominant culture telling a story of an underrepresented culture and an underrepresented culture telling a story of a dominant culture.

 

For example, Shakespeare's plays are often adapted in the Asian entertainment industries. Off the top of my head, Hamlet was remade into the Chinese historical drama The Banquet, and Yukio Ninagawa's celebrated production of Titus Andronicus (it was performed at the Royal Shakespeare theatre) has samurais in them. When they do that, they are saying look at us, we understand you, we are as cultured as you are. In fact, I remember The Banquet being criticized by the Chinese for pandering to the West.

 

I'm actually fine with Hollywood remaking movies like Ghost in the Shell and Shall We Dance with non-Asian actors. I shudder to think of the end result were they to do a faithful remake. Using GitS as an example, a non-Japanese actress might be cast, might be a Chinese actress, and she would look just like all the other Asian actresses in Hollywood, as if there is only one type of Asian faces.

 

My main concern is that only a few Asian stories are being told in the West. Mostly stories about fighting. It's as if Western audiences aren't interested in Asian people unless they are fighting and drawing blood. Reminds me a little of the gladiators in Rome. I can't think of any Asian modern romance, comedy and drama being championed by Hollywood.

[Smigg 1488]

There's a big difference between a dominant culture telling a story of an underrepresented culture and an underrepresented culture telling a story of a dominant culture.

 

For example, Shakespeare's plays are often adapted in the Asian entertainment industries. Off the top of my head, Hamlet was remade into the Chinese historical drama The Banquet, and Yukio Ninagawa's celebrated production of Titus Andronicus (it was performed at the Royal Shakespeare theatre) has samurais in them. When they do that, they are saying look at us, we understand you, we are as cultured as you are. In fact, I remember The Banquet being criticized by the Chinese for pandering to the West.

 

I'm actually fine with Hollywood remaking movies like Ghost in the Shell and Shall We Dance with non-Asian actors. I shudder to think of the end result were they to do a faithful remake. Using GitS as an example, a non-Japanese actress might be cast, might be a Chinese actress, and she would look just like all the other Asian actresses in Hollywood, as if there is only one type of Asian faces.

 

My main concern is that only a few Asian stories are being told in the West. Mostly stories about fighting. It's as if Western audiences aren't interested in Asian people unless they are fighting and drawing blood. Reminds me a little of the gladiators in Rome. I can't think of any Asian modern romance, comedy and drama being championed by Hollywood.

 

I have a couple of Thai comedies starring Pechtai Wongkamlao, but it's the Jackie Chan style action comedy, like over the top parodies. But one of them got an uproarous laugh from me, and it was the stupidest thing I could have laughed at. Tony Jaa from Ong Bak has bit parts, and he does a short fight scene, and when Pechtai thanks him for helping him out, he calls him by the name he was in Ong Bak, and he just says "Wrong movie, asshole!", and I just cried laughing. But the sense of humour is so much different than the kind that I'm used to.

 

That's why I think that's I the reason why asian "fight" movie translates so well in the west is because it's universal, here's one side, here's the other, they're gonna have a bundle, we'll see who wins. Like 13 Assassins, that is, without a shadow of a doubt, the single best fight scene I have ever seen in any movie, it's literally a 45 minute sword fight. People understand a 13-on-200 sword fight, whereas comedy is so subjective, and so varied around the world, what's funny in the US, isn't as funny in the UK, take the difference in both versions of the Office as a prime example of this.

 

The original UK version is built heavily upon embarrassment and cringe, and the US is more about relationship dynamics, and both of those would probably be met with stone faces in the Asian market. But The Expendables, or Fast and Furious, there's no nuance to be lost there.

 

Like the French movie "Les Intouchables", no nuance to be lost. Wealthy disabled man hires petty criminal to act as his carer and assistant, great friendship is born out of it, that movie blew up, If you haven't seen it, I can't recommend it highly enough, I love it.

[Auden 1809]

That's a good point, Smigg. I can see that certain genres do travel better.

 

I'm sure Asian audiences will understand "The Office". Many Asians understand English and many Asian countries have English TV stations. Some countries even translate English shows into the countries' languages. Not to mention, there are Netflix and torrents.

 

I'll keep "Les Intouchables" in mind. Omar Sy made a big impression on me in "Jurassic World".

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Sad news alert. Come August 1st, Teen Witch will no longer be on Netflix.

 

Get in your second/third/fourth viewing in while you can, friends.

[Auden 1809]

Actually "Les Intouchables" reminded me of a point I'd forgotten to make. In the States we get untraslated European movies all the time, and they certainly have their own sensibilities. Asia also have straightforward movies about love, friendship, family etc. There's definitely a bias as to the kind of Asian movies that are being shown in the West.

[RyanSz 3140]

Constantine was bashed as a whole since it was an Americanized version of a British character/story (though to be honest I never felt the original Hellblazer series was all that great) and Constantine was created in the image of Sting. Affleck got some crap when he was originally cast as many said they couldn't see him as Batman, but that softened a bit when it was revealed he would be an older version of the character and he showed some of his workout routine. Cruise as Reacher was the biggest offender to fans of the book as the character is as the author claimed "a giant force of nature," at 6'5", mid 200 pounds, and with a 50" chest, but Lee Child also then said that he made a totally unrealistic looking character for anyone to play in a movie and that Cruise was his realistic choice.

 

The main complaint that I heard for Larson as Cpt. Marvel is that she's about 5" shorter which is negligible and that she's a bit younger as Marvel in the comics is a Colonel I believe, which is a hard rank for someone to have attained at 26 which Larson is, again negligible and can be fixed by making her a real hotshot who shot up the ranks. EVERY comic character in film gets picked a part for some reason, usually something small that was mentioned less than a handful of times throughout the run of the comics, but that's just how it is with the uber hardcore. I'm honestly amazed people weren't complaining that Blade didn't have an afro and a a bunch of wood stake daggers.

[RyanSz 3140]

But the American version of "Oldboy", straight up garbage.

See the American Oldboy for me was decent in terms of how bad it could have been. While it made the family dynamic of the antagonist a lot creepier, it cleared up how it came to be why he wanted revenge against Josh Brolin, which I thought was really convoluted in the original. Then the American ending was much more pleasing as it came full circle of shame and redemption while the original just had the dude getting a mindwipe so he could guilt free bang his daughter.

 

 

 

Many times when an action movie come out I would see the stars on men's fitness magazines covers. I would also see behind-the-scenes of the male actors working out. I think we don't hear negative opinions about the male actors' bodies is because they changed them. (Affleck in particular is huge when compared to before.) I can't imagine the criticisms if those actors are not swole.

 

Michael Keaton was a prime example of trashing a dude for not meeting the requirement of what the character was supposed to look like, it also didn't help that Keaton was primarily a comedy actor up to that point with few serious roles. I also want to say Hugh Jackman faced criticism when he started as Wolverine because he wasn't all that ripped, so then he went WAY over the top in getting big, to where people were telling him to slow down because it was getting out of control.

[Auden 1809]

Michael Keaton was a prime example of trashing a dude for not meeting the requirement of what the character was supposed to look like, it also didn't help that Keaton was primarily a comedy actor up to that point with few serious roles.

Ha. I had no idea Michael Keaton was noted for his comedic abilities. When I saw him on 30 Rock I thought, who knew Michael Keaton could do comedy!

 

I love Constantine. Everyone is good in it, even Gavin Rossdale. Tilda Swinton's androgynous angel Gabriel blew me away. The special effects are great as well. I'm glad to see that the director, Francis Lawrence, went on to helm a few of the Hunger Games movies. Constantine is on Netflix for those who are interested.

[RyanSz 3140]

Ha. I had no idea Michael Keaton was noted for his comedic abilities. When I saw him on 30 Rock I thought, who knew Michael Keaton could do comedy!

 

I love Constantine. Everyone is good in it, even Gavin Rossdale. Tilda Swinton's androgynous angel Gabriel blew me away. The special effects are great as well. I'm glad to see that the director, Francis Lawrence, went on to helm a few of the Hunger Games movies. Constantine is on Netflix for those who are interested.

Yeah up to that point Keaton's roles had basically just been comedic roles (Mr. Mom, Night Shift, Johnny Dangerously, and Beetlejuice). It wasn't until after Batman that he started doing more serious roles or roles as psychos (Pacific Heights, Much Ado About Nothing, Jackie Brown, Desperate Measures). Now he seems to bounce between the two genres which is really working for him.

 

I loved the Constantine movie as it apparently hit the idea of Constantine being a guy always on the lookout for the big con, even in a mystical world and all of the actors did great in their roles. Keanu gets a lot of shit for his acting, but if he's in the right role, which is usually a gruff badass, he is fantastic. Constantine along with Street Kings were two movie that came out about the same time and he was great in both. Then of course John Wick came out and he hit it out of the park with an amazing role in a well crafted world.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

Throwing out a South Korean upcoming release that I AM SO HYPED FOR

 

[Smigg 1488]

I also remember reading about how people reacted to Bruce Willis being cast in Die Hard. It was pretty much "What?! David Addison from Moonlighting is gonna fight terrorists? That guy?!" Which was made even worse considering that Die Hard was originally going to be Commando 2 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[Smigg 1488]

Also, everyone should keep an eye out on the various streaming services for "Humans", it's British remake of the Swedish drama "Real Humans", it's an alternate reality where droid technology has become highly advanced, and are used as everyday service workers. It's outstanding

 

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Matt Damon, whose physical transformation for the Bourne movies was almost absurd. Even his face changed quite a bit. It convinced me that steroid use wasn't limited to the provinces of professional sports and weightlifting.