The Backend
What a great sci-fi fantasy action comedy! I laughed my ass off and if you’re an eighties kid, you probably will, too.
In the end there was not a dry eye in the house (and that wasn’t because of the 3D glasses).
I knew I was quite excited about this most recent adaptation of «Ghost in the Shell». But until today, I didn’t really know why that was.
When I first watched the anime from 1995 I did it because I was still blown away by «Akira» and just wanted more of this kind of movies. By that time, «Ghost in the Shell» already had gotten the label of a cult classic. But I remember that after seeing it, I was a little bit disappointed (but it’s still one of the very few VHS tapes I didn’t get rid of). I never completely understood the plot and I’ve been wanting to rewatch it again, but never took the time to actually do it, maybe because I just wasn’t too impressed by its visuals – compared to «Akira», that was.
Well, the current adaptation surely doesn’t have that problem: Thanks to its presentation I’d go as far as to state that «Ghost in the Shell» is not only a good remake, but even superior to the original. I even like what they did to the plot that was streamlined (as far as I can tell, because this time around, I understood what was going on).
Even before the anime’s original soundtrack finally echoed over the end credits, the last iconic shots of the Major (Scarlett «will you marry me» Johansson) had almost moved me to tears because visually, this adaptation of «Ghost in the Shell» works great by going back to the «original» imagery and reviving it with current CGI work and beautiful production design, making it shiny, while keeping it very stylish, cool – even cold – staying very close to the original’s look and feel.
Though characters and plot are solid, they’re not too original or spectacular. But I think that has always been the problem with «Ghost in the Shell». The very intriguing premise never really leads anywhere, because it doesn’t leave much left to explore, being too fundamental for its own good. But nonetheless the deep questions about humanity, technology and consciousness are powerful enough to hold the visual spectacle together as a whole.
Sometimes, combined with Scarlett Johansson, who really wears her role like a suit – a very tight suit – that’s enough for me (and I really dig her cyborg-walk).
Finally, here it is: My nod to all this year’s «Power Rangers», «Transformers», «Ghosts in Shells» and other mechanoid-filled adventures:
RAFE NEW WORLD’s new header pic. I call it «HAMISPHERE».
My thanks go out to these awesome people who made this project possible:
While simultaneously trying to connect a new wireless speaker*, writing an article, and of course, watching a movie, I was considering to write some reviews of some «old» movies, starting with «Edge of Tomorrow» (which I’m enjoying right now).
But then I realized that my reviews don’t really work that way because they’re mostly spontaneous, in a train of thought, «Gonzo»** kind of way, which doesn’t allow reviewing movies too long after I’ve watched them (the first time). Maybe I’ll find a different format for that some other time.
That’s why I have a different treat for you today: My new header picture gallery!
When I began making them, I was trying to give my Facebook profile some extra flavour and ended up creating some images grounded in my love for movies, TV and comics, with a hint of «je ne sais quoi», something fresh, personal (let’s say a cute piglet) – sometimes successfully,… sometimes not so much.
Finally I built a whole website and blog persona around it.
Please enjoy!
To be updated…
* unsuccessfully – I’m finally giving up AirPlay, it’s just not reliable,… I tooth my music blue now, only.
** «Gonzo» might not be the apt*** word, but I wanted to use it anyway. (I just read the first paragraph about it in Wikipedia (as much as I got to read of «Nova Express», which is not by Hunter S. Thompson, I know.))
*** «Apt» might not be the apt word, I just google-translated it.
Man, full CGI movies have come a long way since «Final Fantasy – The Spirits Within»! Just discovered this gem on Netflix. It’s probably not really that good a movie per se but its stunning CGI-work and over-the-top action are just too damned impressive not to be blown away by it.
Give me more…!
Logan’s fun: A movie as solid as adamantium yet tender and bloody like a delicious steak.
I’d really love to see Kate Mara starring in a good movie… mostly because I really like to see her in just about anything,… getting lost in that gorgeous pair of brown eyes…
But «Morgan» sadly, surely isn’t that movie.
It’s just a really beautiful looking (cinematography, locations and production design are admirable) disappointment which might have worked well as an episode of «Black Mirror», but as a feature length film it’s way too predictable and much too thin – the script, of course,… not Kate. She’s perfect!
Also, Paul Giamatti is in this, stealing every scene he’s in… all one of ’em.
On a day in last december, I was watching and reviewing «High Rise» because the iTunes trailer of «The Neon Demon» was just too dull to have chosen it as the movie of the evening. As it turned out, that choice was a biiig mistake. Today I will try to correct that error:
As you may or probably may not know, I’m an avid admirer of Nicolas Winding Refn’s masterpiece that is «Drive» (even when I still neither know how to write nor pronounce his name correctly.)
If anything Refn’s movies are highly volatile: Lucky for me I got to see «Drive» and «Bronson» (another movie I love) before their predecessor «Valhalla Rising» gave me a good nap after boring me to tears while watching it on Netflix.
So let’s see what «The Neon Demon» has to offer:
It surely has the pacing of its siblings, the music style (again by Cliff Martinez who did it in «Drive») and a similar look and feel as «Drive». So we surely have two big pluses right here. So…?
Yes, definitively, yeah, I surely loved the movie. That much I can say. The cinematography (by Natasha Braier) and over all tone are awesome. And it sure makes an intriguing and gripping experience – on multiple levels. And it must be a think piece, ’cause I sure as hell didn’t get it in its entireness.
The movie starts out well behaved as a very pretty looking, interesting performed study about superficiality, the obsession with good looks, popularity, self esteem and surely some other big words relevant in social studies I don’t feel like looking up right now.
The fascinating thing about «The Neon Demon» is that not unlike in «Drive», its protagonist seems to be the most passive, least interesting thing about it. She mostly doesn’t act, she reacts, if anything, to her surroundings or nature given conditions. And this time, the protagonist’s role as a mirror to reflect the behaviour of the rest of the ensemble, and in the end, the audience, is even clearer and more effective.
And I was more than fine with all that.
Then the whole thing goes sideways (not in quality but in a making-sense-way). Let’s say the willingness to suspend one’s disbelief is just the start.
But interestingly enough, I was fine with that too. By the time the film really got strange, I was on board thanks to the slow pacing and almost ethereal storytelling, cinematography, soundtrack and performances. I felt like in a dream – a fever dream, very much so – but in a good way – whathever that means.
The movie really got me by surprise and entertained me, despite the lack of action and plausible character arc.
I think this movie will be getting more attention as it gets older. I know I will watch it again just to figure out what I might have missed and what the hell was going on. Let’s just say this film reminded me why I fell in love with movies in the first place.
And… SPOILERS AHEAD
Then, it got me: Of course! Vampires! and suddenly knew why Keanu Reeves is in this and why it reminded me of «From Dusk till Dawn».
But then again: with all the mirror shots and scenes in very bright sunlight, the movie goes a long way to make a point that the models carrying the story can’t be classical vampires. So I in the end, I still don’t know at all what to make of it, but still I surely enjoyed the movie a lot.
So I guess this review didn’t make much sense in any way, shape or form. But you know what? Neither did «The Neon Demon» at first sight, an I still liked the hell out of it. So there’s that.
I laughed. I cried. I was fully satisfied. Pretty fu*king great movie! (With a tiny, minor issue I can’t mention right now.)
Full disclosure: I hold some shares of Disney stock: So do the sensible thing: Go see «Rogue One» and your money me you give!
Meanwhile, you might want to check out my interactive visualization of the Star Wars Universe.
With «Rogue One» hitting theaters this week, it’s time for the updated interactive guide to all the important Star Wars characters and how they’re interconnected: Check it out on Blick.ch/5877096
Or directly via: https://storytelling.blick.ch/infografik/2016/starWarsUniverse