Off Topic: Alita: Battle Angel and CGI

2»

Comments

  • bluejauntebluejaunte Posts: 1,990
    Odaa said:
    SixDs said:

     

    SixDs said:

    I find the reaction to the treatment of the character in the movie to be rather curious. I have not seen the movie itself, either, but I have seen the trailers and stills. I suppose I must admit to a momentary episode of the "uncanny valley" when I first saw the character, but that was relatively quickly and easily overridden by the realization of the fact that she was deliberately not-quite-human. I have seen a lot of negative comments varying from repulsion to disappointment and even anger over the representation. Heck, its a movie, guys! Lighten up. Also interesting is the fact that on this site and elsewhere there are a multitude of representations of humans in almost every conceivable way that are not rigidly realistic, but you don't often hear people objecting to that. Maybe its the juxtaposition of humans and the near human that unsettles people. But people seemed to have no big issue with Jessica Rabbit. Go figure. My advice would be, for the time watching the movie, to suspend disbelief, which is kind of necessary anyway given the subject matter.

    I only saw the second trailer, and thought it looked well-done. Haven't enjoyed a Cameron film since The Abyss, and burned out on the GIRLS-GUNS-TECHNOLOGY! school of anime a long time ago, so probably won't see this one. 

    Valerian was an amazing film if you could ignore the fact that the main leads couldn't act (or couldn't respond to the direction, or lack thereof, that Besson was giving them), didn't look anything like the characters in the source material, had all the chemistry of people who hated each others' guts, and were pretty mediocre eye candy even if you were willing to overlook all of that. I mean, I don't like Hayden Christiansen's and Natalie Portman's performances in the Star Wars prequels, but they were attractive, well-styled people with interesting, exotic clothes. Turn off the sound, or switch to a non-English dub with solid voice actors, and their scenes become fairly palatable. I can't say the same of the two losers in Valerian.

    Now, now... saying Cara Delevingne is not attractive is a bit of a stretch. I found her super hot in that movie.

    Alita's big eyes are probably helping with the uncanney valley rather than hurting. Because when something is so obviously not realistic it's easier to suspend disbelief than when something is just slightly off, which is exactly the problem with the uncanney valley. 

    I'll watch the movie at some point but can't say I'm stoked about it in any way. Also can't help but feel that they could have just as well used the actual actress face instead of CG. Doubt the movie would have been worse because of that. She's pretty enough and has eyes big enough too. The argument of wanting to properly bring an anime figure to CG is understandable, but then why is everyone else not anime? Is this actually in the original manga? Only Alita looks anime?

  • wolf359wolf359 Posts: 3,936
    edited February 2019
    wolf359 said:

    I never heard of the Alita Manga until this Movie was announced
    I will see it in home release.

    In the last two years, My favorite CG heavy movies Are,
     Ready Player One and Valerian.
    I am heavily anticipating the upcoming GUNDAM movie by Sunrise!!!laughheartyes

    https://www.engadget.com/2018/07/06/gundam-live-action-movie/

    Wait a minute...there's a GUNDAM live-action coming out?!?  WOOHOO!!!!

    It is being made by the same people who made pacific rim uprising
    (which has me greatly concerned)frown

    There is a very blatant GUNDAM "easter egg" in Pacific Rim uprising

    I this shot a yeager pilot  ejects and lands at the feet of a statue
    that is clearly not a yeager but indeed a GUNDAM.

     

    I just hope they base it on the GUNDAM 00 timeline with celestial being
    and the geo-politics of that future.

    gundam.png
    800 x 695 - 869K
    Post edited by wolf359 on
  • frankrblowfrankrblow Posts: 2,052
    edited February 2019
    Odaa said:
    SixDs said:

    ... but then why is everyone else not anime? Is this actually in the original manga? Only Alita looks anime?

    Alita, as an anime, was in the original manga. Maybe because she's a 300+ year old cyborg from an Utopian era, now living in a recovering civilisation? 

    Edit: As for the Valerian movie, I found it unmemorable; good in parts, but generally boring. But then, I still like to watch some of the old B&W classic SciFi that had good stories, like Forbidden Planet that I watched back in the 50's- I even have Metropolis (silent film) on disk.

    Post edited by frankrblow on
  • dragotxdragotx Posts: 1,147
    wolf359 said:
    wolf359 said:

    I never heard of the Alita Manga until this Movie was announced
    I will see it in home release.

    In the last two years, My favorite CG heavy movies Are,
     Ready Player One and Valerian.
    I am heavily anticipating the upcoming GUNDAM movie by Sunrise!!!laughheartyes

    https://www.engadget.com/2018/07/06/gundam-live-action-movie/

    Wait a minute...there's a GUNDAM live-action coming out?!?  WOOHOO!!!!

    It is being made by the same people who made pacific rim uprising
    (which has me greatly concerned)frown

    There is a very blatant GUNDAM "easter egg" in Pacific Rim uprising

    I this shot a yeager pilot  ejects and lands at the feet of a statue
    that is clearly not a yeager but indeed a GUNDAM.

     

    I just hope they base it on the GUNDAM 00 timeline with celestial being
    and the geo-politics of that future.

    I saw the staatue in the movie, and figured it was just a tribute to this:  https://soranews24.com/2017/09/25/tokyos-new-giant-gundam-anime-robot-statue-is-complete-and-its-awesome【photos】/

    I hadn't heard they are working on a live action movie

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,715
    wiz said:
    nicstt said:
    Agree on Ready Player One; with Akita, I too haven't seen the film (trailer only, but I will), but I was able to ignore the issues largely because of Akita herself; she so obviously (isn't real) to me that it wasn't an issue.

    I don't know. I thought Akita was a real dog.

     

    Harsh.

    Somewhat alien looking and a cyborg-look about her. Obviously not human, or only partly so the large eyes are not an issue - considering there are mechanical body parts that are more obvious that isn't surprising.

  • RedfernRedfern Posts: 1,647

    Whoa!  "1 to 1" scale

    nicstt said:
    wiz said:
    nicstt said:
    Agree on Ready Player One; with Akita, I too haven't seen the film (trailer only, but I will), but I was able to ignore the issues largely because of Akita herself; she so obviously (isn't real) to me that it wasn't an issue.

    I don't know. I thought Akita was a real dog.

     

    Harsh.

    Somewhat alien looking and a cyborg-look about her. Obviously not human, or only partly so the large eyes are not an issue - considering there are mechanical body parts that are more obvious that isn't surprising.

    Unless you're simply playing coy, I believe you are missing the joke.  The name of the character is "Alita" ("Gally" in the original Japanese manga and anime), but the first person quoted misspelled the name as "Akita" with a "K" instead of an "L".  "Akita" is a breed of dog, so Wiz decided to have a bit of fun with the misspelling.

    As Foghorn Leghorn would often say, "That's the joke, son.  I keep pitching them at'ja and keep swingin' misses."

    Sincerely,

    Bill

  • Seven193Seven193 Posts: 1,144
    edited April 2019

    Alita is a fully CG character. Her hair, clothes, etc... are all CG. If you don't realize that, then I think this movie has passed the uncanny valley test.

    Post edited by Seven193 on
  • E-ArkhamE-Arkham Posts: 733

    I loved this movie, but I'm biased and enjoyed the manga years ago.

    The love story angle is mostly forgetable, but the fight sequences were really slick and easy to follow.  Thought the story was pretty well handled, and I didn't mind the ambigious ending thanks to all the characterization we got for Alita.

  • GreymomGreymom Posts: 1,142
    E-Arkham said:

    I loved this movie, but I'm biased and enjoyed the manga years ago.

    The love story angle is mostly forgetable, but the fight sequences were really slick and easy to follow.  Thought the story was pretty well handled, and I didn't mind the ambigious ending thanks to all the characterization we got for Alita.

    I think the ending was intended to lead into the next (I HOPE!) movie, which would probably include "Headbanger's Ball and Ars Magna" as Alita/Gally strives to be Motorball champion. Given the changes, not sure how they would set up for the next story arc, but it would be easy to do the Barjack Wars.  I am hoping they get to go all the way through the second series: "GUNNM Last Order".

    For those who are old time fans of the manga, the THIRD series:  "Mars Chronicle" is coming out now.  It details Gally/Alita's early life, her training under Panzer Kuntz High Warrior Gerta, etc.    I will wait until I have them all to read them.

     

  • RedfernRedfern Posts: 1,647

    I saw it earlier this evening.

    The 12 to 15 yaer wait (whenever I learned James Cameron had acquired the film rights) was NOT in vain.  True,story elements were shuffled, some dropped and others not present in the original manga, but overall, I am stunned just how faithful the movie is to the source material!  I will definitely purchase the deluxe Blu-Ray when it is released!

    Sincerely,

    Bill

  • Dave63Dave63 Posts: 49

    I haven't seen it yet, but the glitzy "rollerblade" sequence looks like it could betray the overriding themes of the manga. Aren't these folks supposed to be living in a junkyard of Elysium's waste?

    Did they have the guts to kill her boyfriend because he wanted to go to Elysium? That was the scene with the most pathos in the manga.

  • RedfernRedfern Posts: 1,647

    I hope you'll forgive me as I won't publicly answer that second question and possibly "spoil" it for anyone who has not yet seen the movie, at least for several days if not a few weeks.

    Sincerely,

    Bill

  • I was introduced to the manga somewhere around 15 years ago, heard Cameron was interested then, and have been waiting ever since.  I wasn't amazed by the movie itself, but thought it was good an enjoyed it a lot.  I went in worried about 2 things:  Being PG-13 instead of R would limit the amount of body horror from the manga, and trying to put 4 books into 1 movie is a stretch.  Both those worries were allayed.  It worked just fine without the major body-horror, and they did an excellent job of mixing book 3 in with the earlier segments and hinting at book 4.  

    What they did with Nova will make things a bit awkard tie-ing in later, especially for the Granite Inn.

    The line about other flying cities that fell is interesting.  While it doesn't hold with the manga, there's also no evidence that it's true.  It could easily just be propoganda that the kids think is true.  Which I wouldn't put past Melchizedek at all.

    I was a bit disapointed that they didn't do more with the plasma fingers, but I guess it made a better visual when paired with the sword.

    I brought a friend who knew nothing about Alita.  Her favorite character was Murdock, which I can't disagree with.

  • RedfernRedfern Posts: 1,647
    Redfern said:

    The 12 to 15 yaer wait (whenever I learned James Cameron had acquired the film rights) was NOT in vain.

    Doing a bit of casual research, it appears my wait was closer to 16 years.  It was in 2003 that James Cameron stated his intention to adapt the property.

    I remember when the manga was first translated into English and distributed in the U.S. by VIZ.  I didn't purchase the individual issues at that time, instead, waiting several years to start collecting the compendiums.  I also can't remember if I saw the one-shot anime before or after I purchased the first couple of collected volumes.  But I do know I was a fan of the material by 2003 when Cameron announced his plans because my reaction was something akin to, "H3LL, yeah, baby!"

    Sincerely,

    Bill

  • I did harbor a long-time 'what if' of Cameron teaming up with Wheadon for Alita, as the character type is his specialty.

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,715
    Redfern said:

    Whoa!  "1 to 1" scale

    nicstt said:
    wiz said:
    nicstt said:
    Agree on Ready Player One; with Akita, I too haven't seen the film (trailer only, but I will), but I was able to ignore the issues largely because of Akita herself; she so obviously (isn't real) to me that it wasn't an issue.

    I don't know. I thought Akita was a real dog.

     

    Harsh.

    Somewhat alien looking and a cyborg-look about her. Obviously not human, or only partly so the large eyes are not an issue - considering there are mechanical body parts that are more obvious that isn't surprising.

    Unless you're simply playing coy, I believe you are missing the joke.  The name of the character is "Alita" ("Gally" in the original Japanese manga and anime), but the first person quoted misspelled the name as "Akita" with a "K" instead of an "L".  "Akita" is a breed of dog, so Wiz decided to have a bit of fun with the misspelling.

    As Foghorn Leghorn would often say, "That's the joke, son.  I keep pitching them at'ja and keep swingin' misses."

    Sincerely,

    Bill

    Jokes only work if the audience understand the references; I don't, as although I watch/read anime/manga occasionally, I haven't with Alita. It does, however, look, like an interesting story, so I probably will.

  • RedfernRedfern Posts: 1,647

    Yes, one could argue this is effectively a "PR stunt", but it still gave me the "warm fuzzies"...or that might just be the tribble stuffed in my shorts. wink

    Sincerely,

    Bill

  • Wow, that's cool.  Though before I looked more closely at the picture my thought was "Oh, a teaser of Lou Collins from a sequel." - Which would be cool in a different way.

  • I finally got to see this the other night and I absolutely loved it. I felt like I was eight years old watching a movie on a Saturday night, a rarity with movies nowadays for me. I used up my other two movies for the week from AMC on Happy Death Day 2U and the Prodigy, but if Alita's still playing in IMAX this weekend, I'm going to go see it again in that format. It was truly inspiring at what we can do moviemaking wise now. 

  • Saw this this week - loved it.

    I haven't read the original Manga so I don't know how it would be for a fan of that, but as a live-action manga/anime-style in general I thought it was great. The set design and the cinematography really brought that style to life.

    The CGI is still CGI but it works well within the world and unless you're really looking for it, you won't notice. Alita herself doesn't trigger any uncanny-valley feelings for me, perhaps because she's supposed to look like that.

    Motorball looks like fun (like a high-speed rollerball on a larger track...with cyborgs) and those sequences were good too.

    A fair bit of telling for the world-building - and a need for a sequel or two to get a real conclusion - are the only downsides I can think of.

  • GreymomGreymom Posts: 1,142

    There's plenty of great material for sequels!  The Motorball championships, the Barjack wars, and in the second series (Gunnm:  Last Order), the space sector team combat championships (which is a cover for the real mission), and Gally/Alita in the Imaginos body.

  • FirstBastionFirstBastion Posts: 8,049
    edited February 2019

    Went watch it last night with my son.  Great movie.  Can easily see this being a trilogy if it makes enough money at the box office..

    Post edited by FirstBastion on
  • I saw Alita Battle Angel and loved the movie wholeheartedly. As the character was nonhuman to begin with the whole “uncanny valley” thing was a non issue as I never expected her to look completely human in the first place.  Actually I thought her first “body” ( the beautifully decorated ceramic-ish one) was very pretty.

     

     

Sign In or Register to comment.