Quoran Answer Transplant: What do you think of Asians playing different Asians?

 What do you think of Disney casting a Korean woman to play Mulan in the upcoming Live-Action Mulan movie?

Question details: To be honest, I'm a little annoyed that they did that. I have nothing against Korean people; I just wanted a Chinese woman to play Mulan. Maybe I'm just making a big deal out of it because I'm Chinese myself…

Quoran Answer Transplant: ScarJo's Personal Responsibility?

Is Scarlett Johansson equally responsible as the production company for whitewashing Ghost in the Shell by accepting the role?

Question details: Considering she doesn't need the role, she has the money, the fame, and the respect. She's not a struggling actor desperate for her breakout role who can't afford to lose this opportunity. She can pick whatever role she wants. Shouldn't the blackfaced actor be held as responsible as the showrunner? 

The answer is an unequivocal NO, she is certainly not EQUALLY responsible as the production company, that's ridiculous. People are inclined to put actors and actresses up on pedestals but remember, they are employees NOT bosses. All those things you mention in the question details: doesn't need more money, more fame, more respect, etc. is technically true, but so what? Who says she must rest on her laurels or even be discerning about what scripts she accepts? Those decisions are hers alone.

On the other hand, is she absolved of any and all wrongdoing? Unequivocally NO yet again. As an A-list actress she has some influence at the very least insofar as she can draw attention to any issue simply by pointing a finger. If she cared to she could have turned down the role and publicly spoken about the subject of whitewashed casting in Hollywood. I'd believe that she's never heard of the Ghost in the Shell franchise but that's irrelevant. When she saw the name of the character she'd be playing, Motoko Kusanagi, it should have raised an eyebrow. But apparently it didn't, at least not high enough to prompt a reply of "I, um, I think I'd be miscast for this role".

Quoran Answer Transplant: Japanese Fan Reaction to Johansson as Kusanagi

How do fans in Japan react to Scarlett Johansson playing Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell?

While this is a fair question to ask and I don't wish to marginalize the reactions of the very people from whose nation the Ghost in the Shell franchise came from, I'm afraid their answers are being taken the wrong way and used to prop up some of the wrong-minded reasons some people support Scarlet Johansson's casting.

Quoran Answer Transplant: Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi?

How do Ghost in the Shell fans feel about Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi?

I'm angry and disappointed.

Again and again and again we see roles that could/should go to Asian actors/actresses get passed on to beautiful whites. If there was ever a AAA Hollywood movie where the monstrous gamble of casting an Asian American woman to play the lead might have good odds, it's a fucking adaptation of a popular anime franchise. There is a fan base already built in!

One of the arguments I see supporting Johansson's casting is, "Motoko Kusanagi doesn't HAVE to be played by a Japanese or even an Asian looking person because the character has an artificial body that also doesn't even look Asian". 

This is irrelevant and the reasoning is specious.

This isn't about Johansson's acting ability (she has it, that isn't under contention). This isn't about "looking like the character from the manga or the anime". 

"Anime characters never really look Asian any way, ya know?" 

Sure, but they don't really look like white people, or even real humans either. This is a drawn medium, the characters you see are representations of human beings, and usually not photo-realistic ones, either.

Tell me this looks like an actual white person you've ever met.

 If you actually want to argue that Lisa Simpson's ethnicity isn't white, you can stop reading now and go fuck yourself. In the Simpsons universe, this art style of human represents a white person.

This represents an Asian person.

 If you really don't think Asian-ness has anything at all to do with the character of Motoko Kusanagi then what was that whole CGI facial alteration thing about? It amazes me, the lengths to which Hollywood will go to avoid having to ACTUALLY use an Asian. They were seriously about to give Johansson the Sergeant Lincoln Osiris treatment. Do the guys in Hollywood even realize that the movie Tropic Thunder [2008] was a satirical piece aimed at them?

"They had one good part in here for a black man and they gave it to Crocodile Dundee."

Quoran Answer Transplant: Hotness - Good or Bad?

I'm still alive, everyone.

I'm sorry I haven't been very loyal to Blogger as a platform. All of my recent writing has been spent on answering questions on Quora instead. If it makes you feel better, I'm not all that prolific there either so you haven't missed out on too much. Nevertheless, in the interest of synchronization, from now on I'll endeavour to post any answers I write there to my personal blog here as well. To catch up this will begin a series of transplanted posts from Quora to Blogger.

Do That In Your Own Bathtub, Kid

So I saved a kid at my pool today.

Review: Thief 2014 a.k.a. Thief 4

This is my review of the PC game Thief that developer Eidos-Montreal released in 2014. It's been a long time since I've written a review for anything, hasn't it? So brace yourself for a really long post the likes of which you haven't seen around here since 2013! I've mentioned the Thief video game franchise in passing twice before. I'll reiterate: I consider the first two entries to be masterpieces of the stealth video game genre. The third one was a'ight. Therefore, of course I have a lot to say about this latest addition to the franchise.

American Sniper [2015]

I took the movie as a work of fiction. As such I liked it because of it's portrayal of the detrimental psychological effects that war has on soldiers. I'd put it on par with The Hurt Locker for depicting war in such a way that it did not glorify the violence and for its focus on soldiers coming back with PTSD.

On the other hand, from what I've heard about the real Chris Kyle, if this movie had been based on his book and told from his perspective it really would have been a jingoistic propoganda piece with none of the conscience and self-reflection that Bradley Cooper gives the character.

Even More Disgusting Than Disqus

Nothing good in theaters at the moment. (= =___) That I haven't already seen I mean. My coworker is looking forward to "22 Jump Street" though, release date mid-June. He still has a while to go. I really want a good horror movie at some point but it seems like the only projects getting funded are Paranormal Activity sequels.

The New Jeopardy Contestant

When I really think about the game show Jeopardy, I'm surprised a show that is so nerdy and 'intellectual' has had such longevity in American television. With mindless shit like Deal or No Deal I'm glad Jeopardy lives strong. May it last forever. Unlike Trebek's mustache.

Dream 2012/5/1

Background: As you know, I was a member of the Tae Kwon Do club at uni. (Wow, has it really already been two years since I've entered the 'real world'?) At one sparring practice session I kicked this girl and she almost started crying. She'd been having a bad day, might have been around exam/paper time, stuff like that. Anyway, I remember feeling bad about it. I didn't boot her hard but I could have played defensive. It was obvious she wasn't focused. I could have waited for her to attack instead. I wanted to give her a hug but she hadn't risen beyond Acquaintance level and I wasn't sure how she'd take it. (I give good hugs, by the way.)
==============================
 
Instead of crying, she sat out and said, "I don't like sparring. I just want to practice forms and techniques."
I sat down beside her and pondered what to say for a moment.
"Which is harder: marble or granite?"
"...ummm....... gra-"
"This isn't a 50-50 type guess. I want a true answer."
".........I don't know."
"How would you find out?"
"Ask someone?"

*I turn and ask fellow members, D-girl and some guy*
"Is marble or granite harder?"
'Granite.'  
'Marble.'
 
"So. That was helpful, huh. What now?"
"Ummm....Google it(?)"
 "No. You just have two slabs in front of you. That's it."
"Well...., people use granite to make huge buildings so that's probably harder. Marble's just for decoration, like sculptures and stuff."
"Speculation gets you nothing. You still don't *know* anything. How do you find out?"
"....Break them both, see which one's harder."
"Exactly. I think the same concept applies to us. You'll never really know your capabilities and limitations until you've applied force."

I stand up to go.
"You've heard the phrase: 'Tried and true'. Well, this is a trial."

Eventful Night

Hey guys, I'm still alive over here. (O_O)^
On the other hand, I can't say the same for a lot of people after last night. I dunno what happened but at least 8 people checked out with cardiac arrests in the night. I've never known that many individual people to go down in a single span of 12 hours. (Twelve hours is the length of my EMT shift.)
The outbreak of burglaries and fights didn't help things either.

=======================

In other news, Gearbox Studios really has the best taste in music for their Borderlands video game intros. Enjoy.

Blink

Never gave much thought to blinking before. Neither have you. It's entirely involuntary most of the time, isn't it. One of those things you pay no mind whatsoever when everything's working as it should.
Effortless.
Shutting the eyes takes a fraction of a moment. Less.
Means she must have left quick. At least shut the doors behind after you go.
Or windows, rather.
Her eyes never shut.
Never shut.

Memorabilia

So you remember those kewl taekwondo pins they're selling over in the Team USA shop?

When I get my hands on one of those I'm going to cherish it cuz it's so cool. But is it really something to get excited about? Is it really special and/or rare? Well, no. They sell 'em to anyone who wants one or three. But I think about it and I believe I could go my whole life and never encounter another person in the street with this pin displayed on their backpack. I believe that makes it rare in a de facto manner, doesn't it? There could be a giant stockpile of these left sitting in a warehouse somewhere when the 2016 Olympics come around but that doesn't mean anything to the rest of us, does it? Does it matter? Not really.

I still want one. When I click on the Shop link on the official London 2012 Olympics website it automatically re-directs me to the Team USA shop. You guys who live in other countries, does your Olympic shop sell different looking TKD pins? I'm pretty sure these products aren't individually designed, these are official London Olympic memorabilia.

The Dark Knight Falls... Flat On His Face

Watched The Dark Knight Rises [2012] yesterday. It was a mess. I don't know what that movie was trying to say. Isn't this the same Gotham that contained convicts that refused to blow up citizens on the other boat and vice versa? Isn't this the city that's "full of people ready to believe in good"? Well, apparently they really do get along with convicts just fine. To the point of shooting at cops with assault rifles and charging to meet them in battle like some kind of medieval engagement. The final street battle was all kinds of retardation and contrivance, by the way.

Apparently all it takes to make people repudiate Harvey Dent, their white knight, is for a masked madman to read from a ream of papers which he claims to be the true story of Dent's demise written by the police commissioner. That doesn't even sound likely even though it was true.

And Bane's character. Besides the use of the name 'Bane' he really had nothing to do with the Batman universe character of that name. They never made note of any strength-enhancing drugs, a hallmark of the character. He also wasn't a massive person at all. He was of above-average stature at best. He only sporadically exhibited any measure of 'super-human' strength. Without the name I'd have thought he was just an above-averagely strong man the entire movie.

Catwoman's character never really got any development. I think they just needed a pretty face and a happy ending for Bruce.

At the end of the film John Blake (Gordon-Levitt) reveals his legal name is 'Robin John Blake'? Not Dick Grayson? I was disappointed at that.

And, of course, Bale's "Batman voice" is still as ridiculous as ever. It seemed like everyone knew Bruce was really Batman and yet, when in costume, he'd still talk to them using that voice.

Swimming

I love swimming. It's the closest thing the human body can get to flying. Sky diving, BASE jumping, etc., all of that is literally falling with style. Your trajectory is inexorably downward.
Hang gliding is a close second. You are almost soaring through the air by yourself. But the big wing contraption is still there and you have to keep moving forward to stay aloft. When you're swimming, there's just you and the water. Up, down, those directions only limit you to the extent you can hold your breath.

There's some kind of irony in there about flying but having no air. Meh.

I use it as a wallpaper.

Pay Attention

I'm not saying you shouldn't pay attention to news. It's a small planet and it would behoove you to know what's going on in the neighborhood or even the neighborhood across town. A blind man may see nothing but only an idiot runs with his eyes closed. Ooh, I like that line. (O◡O )

I'm saying you should pay attention when you consume that news. Take everything with that proverbial grain of salt. Unless the story is about you or involves you directly, you probably don't know shit about what really happened. All you know is what they show you. And they show what they want to show the way they want to show it.

Do You Like Eating Shit?

You ever read or watch a news report about something you already have knowledge of? You ever notice how the reporter/writer gets facts wrong? If you've never had this experience, then congratulations. Apparently, you know nothing. About anything. Until you wiki/google it. Then you come back a fucking expert, don't cha?

There are only three words that are correct in this image.

Books. Do You Read Them?

Well, here I am reading Let The Right One In. And, just in case you didn't know, it's a book translated from Swedish just like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

So then. What if these books hadn't been popular enough in their home country? What if they hadn't managed to garner enough attention to warrant English translations and U.S. publications? How would I have come into contact with them? Beyond wild coincidence or some Swedish language class or further forays into "it was meant to be" tosh, I simply wouldn't have.

Extrapolate how much stuff we're missing out on that's happening outside our "territories". Man, once again, I imagine how much more thoroughly I'd be able to live if I had me some immortality.
How much do I know about Swedish pop culture? Not much. It's outside my cultural territory. And only a simpleton would imagine the Swedes didn't have a pop culture at all. They have references, and in-jokes, and stock characters, and I don't have any part of it. But I wish I did.

Everyone is missing out on a lot of stuff around them. I don't think most people give it much thought, and most of those that do just take it as a fact of life and don't lament it. Maybe it's easier to get by that way.

What was the last book you read and when? Be honest now. I mean more than just skimming. And I definitely don't count any one that you were assigned or required to read. I'm asking you what was the last book you read purely by choice.

Objective Complete

Silly sammich. He's got the L and the T but no B.

When was the last time you felt satisfaction at having accomplished something? Something worthwhile. I highly recommend getting that feeling, man. This shit is thoroughly good. I'll tell ya what it was later, I promised someone else I'd tell 'er first second so you just sit tight and marinate yourself with curiosity.