#god i have no faith in this film and it hasn't even come out yet

[theneworchestra2]

The fact that it's not even "THE Minecraft Movie", it's just "A Minecraft Movie"...

...that tells you everything you need to know right from the get-go.

[peterlorrefanpage]

If you haven't read Connie Willis's "Remake," I recommend at least checking it out.

"It's the Hollywood of the future, where movie-making has been computerized and live-action films are a thing of the past. It's a Hollywood in which Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe are starring together in a remake of 'A Star is Born,' and if you don't like the ending, you can change it with the stroke of a key."

Your post just brought that to mind, the eventual producing, if not mass-producing, of whatever we want whenever we want, no matter how egregiously fake.

Part of my own "No" is because we (collectively) cannot afford to forget that no matter how far along we get with AIs, and AIs creating AIs, fundamentally at the base & core of whatever it is we create, it was created by a human. A flawed, complex, crazy-ass human. With all of our good parts AND our bad parts. I came across a phrase long ago that said something like, "We believed in a god who was no better than the worst of men." Gives me the bad shivers, that.

And we are terrible at seeing even 20 seconds ahead, let alone 10 years ahead, with all the things we create that end up doing massive irreparable damage.

If we get the tech to generate someone's voice and film image, it wouldn't take much more to implant that tech in a robot/android form. (In fact, as I type this, I think I did read something about a robot that just happens to look like an actress - yes - ScarJo Bot)

I definitely agree that no AI can even hope to get near the flickering of intense expressiveness that is within the real Peter Lorre. It would be more like some of the more appalling caricatures and cartoons that exaggerate a physical facet (eyes, voice, corrugated brow, etc.) that is completely disconnected from who and what he was, because it's lazy and easy for the so-called creators to do.

And I fucking hate CGI using dead actors or younger versions of actors just to ret-con them into an extension of yet another remake of a plot.

As far as fooling people, well, I'm already beyond irritated at people who think the world didn't exist before they themselves burst into squalling birth upon its surface. Add that to the oddity of how people put their faith and belief in whatever comes across the screen flickering before them, and, well…we're an easy to fool species is what I'm saying. It's nothing new, it just has new methods of delivery. And it's like we're losing our ability to question things in front of us. We're becoming passive passengers in our own lives, which makes us ripe for being overtaken.

Anyway. On a tangent, I was also quite jolted by your post because just last night, I had a dream that involved AI and CGI! It was sort-of about Classic Doctor Who, wherein I was at an opulent house party (the kind where it's always summer and there's a wide flagstoned veranda beyond the open French doors painted in antique white, leading to the vast expanse of a back garden), and among the posh guests was a much younger Peter Davison running about, and Bill Hartnell looking just as crotchety as ever but at least in full Technicolor. And there was also my beloved Doctor, Tom Baker, in his own full glory of hat & curls & younger face, the one I knew best.

In the dream, I knew he was CGI just like the others, because he hasn't looked like that for ages, he didn't even look like that when they were showing the Fourth Doctor on PBS! (The show was already two Doctors on by that time.) So I knew he was Not Real.

And yet. I was drawn to him, and the more I talked with him (carefully, so carefully, having just seen him scorn one of the other female guests for being overly fangirly), the more he became more AI than CGI. More responsive, more enticing, more alluring. It gave the impression that he was becoming more "real" by the moment, that this AI could bring forth the man. But even in this halfway state where he was still a construct, I STILL wanted him, wanted him to want me.

So dangerous. Even in my damn dreams.

this month's unwanted thought: AI-generated Lorre

I want to make this clear from the start: I'm very much anti-AI when it comes to art. I'm not opposed to the development of AI technologies to say, remove pointless drudgery from our lives, but the fact that we seem so keen to mass-produce creative endeavor instead of supporting actual artists in a meaningful way is maddening to me.

With that out of the way, I can't stop thinking about intrusive "what-ifs." What if somebody used AI voice technology to generate Peter's voice? What if someone tried to recreate his film image? Would we even want that?

My first reaction is no, I absolutely don't. Something about it feels wrong. It gives me the same uncanny valley creeps as those horrid CGI commercials with long-dead actors shilling for Coke or whatever. It's not even like an impersonation because impersonations require skill and practice for performers to get right. When we laugh at impersonations, we're appreciating the skill of an actual human being. It's still something real and there's feeling behind it--and with any luck, they get paid for their efforts.

I've always loved how distinct Peter Lorre was in every way. His voice, his appearance, his mannerisms all add up to something so unique and instantly recognizable. Could an AI do that? Could it fool me, if I heard my master's voice replicated by AI? Part of me would, I admit, be impressed if it could be that convincing. It would be the ultimate test of its abilities--go ahead, fool the sad, die-hard fans into thinking the AI recording is a piece of lost media from Peter. But somehow I don't believe that it could. Peter's range of acting was so vast, so subtle and yet so expressive, that I don't think we're anywhere near replicating it. Not even by other human beings.

It's driving me nuts, though. I can't stop thinking that one day it would happen, and I don't want it to. What do you think?

[thecanadianowl]

Justice league Snydercut review

Wow talk about a long movie. Remember Mass Effect's 3 shit endings that were later improved (sorta) with DLCs. Well that is kinda how this movie is.

Before we start this, I just wanna say that I was very impartial throughout the whole snydercut movement. I wasn't part of it but I do see the good that they did in regards to some of their charities and with how the fandom itself has been painted in a negative light. So its good that they got what they have been demanding for quite some time. Snyder as director for me, I really am not the biggest fan of. His movies have some great cinematic moments that look amazing but the context around it is what muddles it for me.

Is it better than Whedon's JL? YES. To start I'll look at some of the things that I do like.

I do like how it was split into parts.  Gives it that miniseries/Comic book feel

Thank god they removed that stupid cringy flash landing on top of Diana's chest scene.

Darkseid looks good. I know some people have issues with it but I liked it. I mean looking at it first glance has me convinced its Darkseid. His voice isn't too bad either. Reminds me a bit of Injustice 2.

As much as I have issues with Darkseid being introduced so early I do like that he had a brief confrontation/glaredown with the League, foreshadowing a possible in person encounter and that the League needs to expand if they are going to fight against Darkseid.  

Steppenwolf's design has greatly improved and looks better than before.

Loved the scenes between Alfred and Diana.  Wish there was more of that.

I loved how the movie added Cyborg, Aquaman and Flash attempting to stop Superman from getting to Batman. I also liked how in this version,  Batman pleading to Clark's humanity telling him that world needs him and he needs to snap out of it.  Also bonus for taking out that scene of Batman on the ground groaning about how old he is getting.

Okay seeing Clark get the black suit and having the voiceovers of both his father's merge together works in terms of Clark's arc into becoming the person he was meant to be. Also like the use of Zimmerman's Ideal of Hope score wished they let it play out a little longer.  Probably my favourite moment in the film is where Superman just takes Steppenwolf's Axe like its nothing and freezes it.

Now to go into some of the more critical stuff that bugged me when watching.

For a movie that is 4 hours long, pacing issues were bound to happen. I think the first example of this can be found in the opening with the Superman scream wave (which started to get a bit hilarious when his screams could be heard every now and then) hitting all three mother boxes. they are shown individually reacting to it and it takes time, where it could have just showed them together or an compilation of each of the motherboxes waking up. I know it Snyder's thing but tone down on the slow mo. Like some instances its fine (like with bullet time or Flash's scenes) but other instances I'm just like alright I get it.

The scene involving Cyborg transferring money into that single mother's bank account. Is he gonna do this for all the people suffering just like her? or just for that one person? I mean if you can hack into the world monetary system, you can solve a lot of financial issues affecting  the majoirty and not just one person. Did I miss the scene but why did Cyborg go from helping one poor person, suggesting the potential good he can do to change the world for the better  to "Fuck the world". Seems a bit inconsistent in character. Especially since he knows who Diana is (from what he says)  and that Parademons are after the motherbox. Maybe her offering help, you should take it? idk Vic. Also the whole Auto defense system malfunction, would it not be better if this was established beforehand where we see Vic struggling to maintain his body's autonomy leading up to the Superman confrontation? Prior to that it seemed he had it under control and his biggest conflict throughout the movie seemed more to be with him coming to terms with his new body. With that being said, Cyborg's character here is much more interesting and better than it was originally. I can see why Ray Fisher is so pissed (well that and the abuse he faced).  I am glad this was improved and gave the character a lot more to do.

The movie still has the same issue as before in regards to the whole motherbox plot and how convenient it was that all three are located on earth. You would think that with the involvement of Darkseid/Steppenwolf that separating them to distinct locations across space would make it more difficult to collect them. I mean we know that the Green Lanterns exist (we saw one get chomped), you'd think that they or the guardians would take one and secure it on Oa. The pushback to this would be "well there was only one green lantern and he died, so how could they retrieve the box?" which begs my question, why send only one? I mean it has been established that Darkseid is a known conqueror of worlds, you'd think the Guardians would be smart enough to send more than one Lantern to aid Earth in their fight.  Did they not think it would be a good idea to have the corps be more involved/keep an eye on earth since it is the only planet that was able to repel Darkseid's forces?

Why is it that the best idea of security when it comes to humans is to bury it? Would it not be better in optics to look over it and know its location instead of dropping it somewhere on the off chance that someone might find it due to being  curious or the land changing/altering  making the box more easy to attain? A situation as dire/serious as this, you would think that the Amazons/Atlanteans would have been better prepped with armor/weapons for such an event. I mean you have the arrow of Artemis that shoots quite a distance to give Diana a message but not some kind of weapon that hurts/cripples Steppenwolf? Or better yet, how about the moment that the boxes started acting up after Superman's death, that Atlantis/Themiscarya would put aside any differences they had with one another and to the outside world to come together to secure the boxes?  How could Darkseid forget the name of the only planet that was able to force him to retreat? nor does he know that it harbors the anti life?

Did this movie break Aquaman's continuity? because from the dialogue between Mera and Arthur, its implied that Atlanna abandoned/left Arthur at Tom's doorsteps whereas in the movie,  we see Atlanna spend a couple of years with Tom and raising baby Arthur before she was forced to come back. You'd think Zack being a producer for the Aquaman  movie would have edited that line or made it more clear. Well that or James Wan F'ed up when making the movie.

"I've never seen a being as strong as Steppenwolf" Did Diana just forget Ares aka the god of war who killed the Greek Pantheon/Old gods and orchestrated the first World War? Hell from the looks of the flashback it seemed Ares (I'm assuming its Ares, if its Hades, my bad) was getting some good hits in on Darkseid, who is superior to Steppenwolf.  While we are on the topic of Diana, it's a bit odd that Snyder who  was a producer on WW84 where one of the biggest focuses on the movie that Patty Jenkins talked about was how Diana doesn't solve her problems with violence (even though her primary weapons in this movie are a sword and shield but okay. Then again New 52 hasn't done a good job in disproving that), yet in this movie we see her using her gauntlet smash to fucking kill the one remaining terorrist. Like sure you can argue that they were terrorists and deserve to die, but given how easy and quick it was for her to take out the previous guys, why do something that runs the risks of destroying the very building that you are in (with hostages). I mean from the look of the blast and how much debris fell from the building outside, and it was a miracle no one (but the terrorist) got hurt/killed.

Why did Steppenwolf  kidnap  them in the first place? Just use that mind extracting device you used on the Atlantean soldier to see if they know. Seems like a waste of time to collect them in one location only to interrogate them later.

Okay, I'm sorry but even in this cut I still don't like Miller's Barry Allen. He isn't as bad as he was in the theatrical cut but man does it stick out. When he is helping to escort the kidnapped civilians out, why doesn't he just grab them and transfer them to a safe distance? He even makes a comment about how slow they are going. Can I also just say how weird it is for Barry to take time saving Iris to caress her hair and look at her more creepily in slow mo? Like yeah its in slow mo but still I think your priority should be to get everyone to safety as quick as possible and check if anyone else could get hurt.  I will admit that Barry's speech as he is running so fast to reverse time at the end was really good. Tho the more I think about all the slow mo Flash scenes are good.

They still kept the "Let's use the mother box to bring back Superman plot". Why? This is a piece of tech that you don't fully understand how it works and you are going on the whims of someone you just met. Especially if they come back as a different person/mindset all together.  If Superman 's death was the reason that allowed for the Mother box to call to Steppenwolf/Darkseid, what the hell were they doing prior to Superman's arrival on earth? I mean we've seen how easy it was for Steppenwolf to attain the two boxes even if they were guarded, so why the wait ?. I get that Batman is going through an arc and trying to change from the person he was but how does go from "1% chance of absolute certainty" to "let's go on a whim and have faith" when it comes to resurrecting Superman? 

Its gonna be awkward as to how Clark will explain his sudden return from the grave around the same time Superman came back.

I was wondering when the Knightmare scene will play out. Jared leto's Joker isn't over with me, it seems way too try-hard to be edgy. Other than that yeah, not much I can say about it. Tho do we seriously need another iteration where Superman (or someone with Superman like powers) is evil?

I also love how nonchalant Bruce is about J'onn appearing in front him. However the revelation that J'onn was that army general all the time breaks so much of continuity (and just why now did you decide to show up and help and not idk the time Zod invaded and nearly  terraformed earth, HELL WHY TF DIDN'T SHOW UP TO HELP THE LEAGUE IF YOU KNEW ABOUT DARKSEID, I'M SORRY TO RAG ON BUT REALLY THIS CAMEO JUST OPENS UP SO MANY QUESTIONS, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN "PALPATINE WAS BEHIND THIS ALL ALONG" KIND OF THING ).

In terms of getting a sequel, I am not sure if WB is going to go through with it given that their current vision seems to be a different route than the one Snyder intended so who knows. Despite my criticisms I do believe this is Snyder's best DCEU film to date and probably one of his better films. You could tell that he put in a lot to make this. The movie itself does have issues mostly due to the plot surrounding the motherbox as well as pacing. I would say it's worth the watch at least once, though I think its best to watch it in doses rather than one sitting. Ultimately this is the version that we should have gotten and I can see why so many people who were supportive of Zack wanted or vouched for him to finish it. Regardless, I think the very least I am happy for Snyder. If you like Snyder's previous stuff, you will like this one, if you don't, your perception of the film won't change significantly other than some cool bits here and there.