Avatar "The Last Air Bender"

[KitAkira]

What Japanese film hasn't Hollywood fubared? Sucks that there isn't a strong live-action production industry in Japan, I can think of a number of shows that would make great live-actions so long as they were kept far away from the clutches of Hollywood

 

[DocmanCC]

Originally Posted by Mauro

The just comes a point in time where you have to put your foot down. Hollywood is racking it in because the movie watchers won't stand up and say " damn this **** sucks" no more until you correct yourself. Instead they continue to watch Garbage at crazy ticket prices.

You were warned by the horrible reviews yet you went anyway. Now you complain others should take a stand? Sounds like you need to take your own advice.

I was looking forward to this movie, too. The trailers seemed good but a little dark and focused too much on special effects without showing off any actual acting. Avatar the series is upbeat and fun despite the weight of the world literally on Aangs shoulders, so I was a bit worred at that point. Once the reviews started trickling in I understood why the trailers were shallow. Ebert's review and RT's 6% aggregate score help me make up my mind to skip it. Too bad.

 

[Mauro]

Watch the cartoon. Hell buy all of the DVD's. It's great for adults and children. There are a lot of good lessons and teachings in the cartoon.

If never seen the cartoon it would be "ok" at best....maybe not I take it back it sucked.
I really wanted to like it too.

DocmanCC-
Do want I say. Not what I do.

Best,
Mauro

 

[RFX45]

Originally Posted by KitAkira

What Japanese film hasn't Hollywood fubared? Sucks that there isn't a strong live-action production industry in Japan, I can think of a number of shows that would make great live-actions so long as they were kept far away from the clutches of Hollywood

Akira is one movie I hope they do no mess up. I think they are still considering it.

I heard they have the rights to remake Oldboy and iirc Will Smith was going to do the lead role, which I think is a huge mistake. Great movie but Hollywood will definitely ******* up for sure.

 

[Gradstudent78]

Originally Posted by RFX45

Akira is one movie I hope they do no mess up. I think they are still considering it.

I heard they have the rights to remake Oldboy and iirc Will Smith was going to do the lead role, which I think is a huge mistake. Great movie but Hollywood will definitely ******* up for sure.

Oldboy remake isn't happening. It wasn't so much a remake, as a readaptation of the source material anyways. They've done some good remakes in the past: Magnificient 7 and Fistful of dollars come to mind (I wouldn't say they necessarily exceed the originals, but they are good movies). Many people also consider the Ring to be superiour to Ringu, although most US adaptations of Japanese horror movies fail.

I wonder how japanese remakes of US movies tend to fair? I know they remade Sideways and last I heard they were also working on a Ghost remake.

 

[RFX45]

I sure hope Oldboy doesn't get made by Hollywood, since changing the ending will pretty much kill the movie and I don't think they are ready for that kind of ending int he U.S. anyways.

Everyone loved the Departed, I do not see the big deal to be honest but some people say it has exceeded it's Asian predecessor.

 

[Dewey]

Originally Posted by Mauro

OK. How do I start. Dear M. Night, Thank you for ****** one of the bond's I share with my daughter. How the **** could you screw up a movie this bad? It's not your right to add in what you might think is good. I dare to say if I ever see you in real life I will beat you badly. So badly, you will wish you could bend some elements to prevent the ass kicking you deserve. My daughter is 6 and she knew it was wrong to change the names of our beloved main characters let alone destroy something that was almost impossible to **** up, which you did. I do understand there is a lot to fit into the movie but you choose to either edit or leave out key pieces in the movie. For **** sake man do us all a favor and hang yourself. You make ****** movies and your cameo on entourage a few seasons back was just as lame and thegarbage you just put out. You could have made millions if not billions. Your an idiot and I hope that the people of paramount and Nickolodian black ball you so you can never pollute another child's mind and taint what was once pure. You sir are worse than a ********* offender and should be sent to jail for stealing. You are a thief. A thief of ones money and imagination. Shame on you M.Night. Kindly go *************, Mauro
Thanks Mauro. My kids, same age as yours, want to see this so much. I'll steer them toward Toy Story or Karate Kid and try to save them from such rapage by M. Knight's incompetence.

 

[robertorex]

I liked The Departed over Infernal Affairs, the acting was great and the resolution was much better I think.

I'm actually curious now as to what could have been so bad about this movie that Mauro, who strode in proudly with an attitude of victory comes out blasting it as a steaming shitpile. I don't think I've ever been to a movie and come out that angry - maybe I just haven't been robbed yet.

 

[ShimonEzra]

I heard they mispronounced the characters' names. If that's true, how the hell do they screw that up. I mean the names were said countless times in the cartoon. That is just laziness on the part of M. Night. Also, how do they screw up Zuko's scar on his left eye. It's like they never even watched the original show.

 

[Tck13]

Well, fwiw, I live about 15 minutes from the pagoda that they used in the movie. Don't find many pagodas around these days...

 

[KitAkira]

Originally Posted by RFX45

Akira is one movie I hope they do no mess up. I think they are still considering it. I heard they have the rights to remake Oldboy and iirc Will Smith was going to do the lead role, which I think is a huge mistake. Great movie but Hollywood will definitely ******* up for sure.
Can't wait to see a snow white Tetsuo... probably riding a Harley/Chopper (and of course the Clowns would be them dirty Japanese riding their imports)

Originally Posted by Gradstudent78

Oldboy remake isn't happening. It wasn't so much a remake, as a readaptation of the source material anyways. They've done some good remakes in the past: Magnificient 7 and Fistful of dollars come to mind (I wouldn't say they necessarily exceed the originals, but they are good movies). Many people also consider the Ring to be superiour to Ringu, although most US adaptations of Japanese horror movies fail. I wonder how japanese remakes of US movies tend to fair? I know they remade Sideways and last I heard they were also working on a Ghost remake.
The Ring was quite possibly the funniest (supposed to be) horror movies I've ever seen. (0)

 

[Mauro]

yes, it's true they butchered the names.

The karate kid was excellent and I was skeptic. I have yet to take Mia to Toy Story 3 but she does want to watch that.
I am telling you don't waste your time on "Air Bender" wait til it goes "on Demand for 4.00

When a 6 year old girl leaves a theater upset something is wrong.

 

[RFX45]

From Dante Basco, the guy who voiced Zuko in the animated series.

The Last Airbender: To Boycott or Not?

July 1, 2010
Dante Basco

Today is the opening of the film "The Last Airbender", a show based on Avatar, the animated series that I played the role of Prince Zuko, one if the lead characters. Now, with this event happening, I have been getting numerous emails and questions of how I feel on the casting of the film and ultimately does it warrant a boycott.

Now some come from fans that would have like to see me play the role I originated for the series, they want to see me play Zuko on the big screen, and I must admit, I would have loved to do the role. I was told many of the producers were pushing to make that happen but M. Night Shymalan, the director of the film had another vision. Also him casting his country man Dev Patel, doesn't bother me, he's a fine young actor and I'm sure he'll do a great job. For other's the question of boycott comes from the casting of the other character, mainly, Ang, Katara and Sokka. For those that may not know the series, when you break it down to the bottomline, many feel that "white" kids were cast as roles that were supposed to be "asian" kids from the series.

Now here is where the boycott question comes in, especially from the Asian American community and it's weighed heavy on my mind in these last few months. And this film is not alone in this problem. Recently "Prince of Persia" had the same dilema with Jake Gyllenhaal playing the lead, and my fiance is Persian, so I was able to hear the point of view of that community.

Should Hollywood be able to cast "white" actors to play "ethnic" roles?

Believe me, as an actor, it's no easy answer. My first gut feeling is, the best actor should be cast for the job no matter race... But maybe that's just an ideal that is unreal when it comes to making a movie, and making a big budget movie at that. See, my whole career is based on playing roles that were not written race specific, matter fact, if I had to wait for Hollywood to come along with a script for a Filipino American, I would have no career at all.

The fact of the matter is, in Hollywood... it's not fair. It's not fair at all, the tables are tipped unfavorably for ethnic actors. The percentage of roles for ethnic actors to white actors is something to the effect of: in 100 roles, there may be 12 roles for black actors, maybe 7 for latin actors and only maybe 2 for asian actors. And with stats like this, its a little distressing that when actual roles for Asians come in a big budget film, they don't get cast. Now I understand if you have to cast a big star like a Jake Gyllenhaal to warrant a budget in the hundreds of millions, but I think its different when you are casting unknown actors and children at that, with a franchise with an almost guaranteed. I think it's a missed opportunity for the voice and the face of the Asian community, when will a project like this and of tis magnitude come along again? I don't know the young actors they cast, I hope they do a great job, I myself was a child actor and I know the stress and joy booking a big film like this could be. but the crime is not giving the opportunity some Asian kids. See, we wonder why there are no real Asian stars in America, part of the reason is because of things that happen like this. Stars don't just happen out of thin air, Hollywood helps make them. This was an opportunity to give the chance to some Asian kids to become stars for the future generation and we missed it. See, if you can get some Asian actors in the machine of Hollywood and they exist as a viable commodity, it can spark more projects that can support the voice and face of the Asian community and level the playing ground a little. But when we can't even land roles that were so clearly created as Asian roles, its a bit disheartening. At least Dev Patel got cast, even though, I wanted to play the role, originally they had Jesse McCartney cast to play Prince Zuko.

So... to boycott or not? I still feel a loyalty to the whole project, I helped to make it popular and I hope the film does justice to a near perfect animated series. Boycott is a strong word, but I do know that I won't go see it opening weekend. I'm sure I will see it sooner or later, but my money won't be apart of the opening weekend tally. In this day and age, in America 2010... I just don't think it is at all viable for white actors to play ethnic roles... at least until they let us play white roles.

 

[Mauro]

let's riot and beat M.nights ass!!

 

[Reggs]

Originally Posted by KitAkira

What Japanese film hasn't Hollywood fubared? Sucks that there isn't a strong live-action production industry in Japan, I can think of a number of shows that would make great live-actions so long as they were kept far away from the clutches of Hollywood

Avatar is American.