#motoko is SO complicated i have GiTS thoughts at all times

[rad-roche]

So, I will admit that I have no idea what's going.

But by name alone... wouldn't ghost in the shell fit more Nick than DiMA?? (again, no idea what that is in any way shape or form :P I could be totally wrong... in that case, enlighten me, if you wish please? :D)

oh i'm talking about smash hit, deserves-all-the-praise-it-gets movie from 1998!

i won't get too too much into it in case you want to see it yourself and it's really something on the first watch, but the long and short of it is 'robotic cop housing the brain (or potentially the memories of) a woman gets entangled in a case involving sentient computer twin'. absolutely shreds

[donnerpartyofone]

What were your thoughts on Ghost in the Shell 2?

Thanks for asking! My main reaction to INNOCENCE is that it's extremely cluttered. The snowballing mass of literary citations is interesting at first, and then it becomes so dense and relentless that it just started to feel haughty and I worried that it was taking the place of actual writing. It added extra stress to my already-paltry ability to keep track of what was going on in the movie; I had the feeling that the story wasn't as profound as the first film, and Oshii made up for lack of depth by just making everything really complicated. Overall I found it ambitious but sort of pretentious.

I had a similar problem with it visually, like some of it is absolutely stunning, and then at some point it just becomes cluttered with so much detail that no distinct visual statement emerges. I think sometimes the desire to throw absolutely everything at the wall interferes with the movie's ability to articulate itself: Like, that CGI convenience store obviously took a lot of work, but it is so starkly different from everything around it that all I could think about was the craft and I was taken out of the story; or the parade looks great, but then there are those seagulls that are so cheap-looking I wondered if I was still watching the same movie.

I didn't hate it, though. I would say that I actually LOVED the first 30-40 minutes of it. The scene with Haraway was one of my favorites out of either movie, and I enjoyed the proof that Batou is charismatic enough to carry his own feature even though Motoko really dominates GITS iconographically and Oshii must have known that we would all be wondering if she would appear the whole time. I basically enjoyed INNOCENCE and I'm really glad I saw it in a theater, even if in the end I think it shoots itself in the foot by being overburdened with details, references, and various other complications.

When we got home we watched AVALON which I hadn't seen in a really long time. It's such a weird movie; for something that's partly an action film it's incredibly static, and it suffers from a this brooding silliness, but it takes itself so seriously that I kind of have to admire it, like there's just no self-doubt in it. I guess I sort of like it even though I would have a hard time saying it's really "good". And sometimes it's beautiful, naturally the dog-feeding scenes are the best thing in the whole picture. What is even going on with Oshii, I think he would turn into one of those dogs if he could.

[randomlygeneratedstring]

10 Characters, 10 fandoms

I got tagged by @daisytje to participate in the 10 Characters, 10 Fandoms, thank you!

As you will notice, I actually chose 10 characters, but from 9 fandoms. Harry Potter is here twice, because this fandom was the first one I was part of in online world and even now it is very important to me.

I tag: @lepetitchoucommie​ @vorchagirl​ @slothquisitor​ and anybody who wants to participate.

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here we go.

1. Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell) At first, I envied her the full cyborg body. And her hair :) She was one of the main reasons I choose computer science as my major, I wanted to be as smart as her. As independent as her. Later, when watching GITS Standalone Complex, I was more and more aware of all the consequences of her life in cybernetic body. How would she cope with the immutability of it? No going grey, no muscle and mind degeneration. The danger of body switch. Is immortality a gift or a curse? Also, in her world, where everything is online or a computer of some sort, how does one stay alone? Why, of course. I wear a watch.

2. Eowyn (Lord of the Rings) I have read the trilogy ... five times by now? And all the books from Middle Earth as well, though not so many times. The movies are not my cup of tea, but I do not hate them. Anyway, back to Eowyn. When I have read the books for the first time, I thought her some creepy stalking bitch, who would in the end just "settle" for Faramir. Mind you, I was 15 when I read them for the first time. Fast forward nearly 20 years (uhm), I think she is one of the bravest characters in the books. She cared for King Theoden, braved Grima Wormtongue's insults and in the end defeated Nazghul. Also realized her love for Aragorn was a young-girl's crush and had enough self-reflection to let it go and in the end live happily with Faramir.

3. Miranda Lawson (Mass Effect) Choosing one character from ME was a tough one, because the trilogy is packed with awesome characters and for all the years I have been playing (and reading about) ME[1..3], I am still learning new things about them. Sorry, got sidetracked again. Miranda. I picked her, because for my femShep, she was the first person Shepard could trust in ME2. She was told to make the impossible happen by resurrecting Shepard. No pressure, right? Both Shepard and Miranda know failure is not really an option for them. Both have learned that being on top is a very lonely place to be. She has not parents, her father is a madman. Last but not least, Miranda has an identical twin, like me, and I have always encouraged her to get her to know Oriana, because of the great bond twins share.

4. Leia (Star Wars) Growing up, she was one of my heroes. Brave and smartass, she defended the galaxy she believed in.  

5. Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter) One of the most complicated characters. In the books, we see him trying to find his place in the world, though he is no saint and his methods are questionable at best. He tried to so much to be like his father (even taking the Mark), only to find out it was all a lie and the bright future he was promised as pure blood wizard is in reality just racist bullshit. He is smart, doing all he can, and hopes for a quiet life, but in the end ending widowed.

6. Claire Underwood (House of Cards) I love two things about her: her ruthlessness and her marriage. Let me elaborate. Her marriage is more like a contract. She and Francis are partners, working together towards (a set of) goal/s. But she is not simply following his lead. She fights to be treated as an equal, to have her own goals fulfilled. And she learns that she has to be ruthless to achieve them, because (more or less) everybody is a liar in politics.

7. Spock (Star Trek) Yes, I love logic. I use logic in every part of my life, even to a fault. Spock's life was based on logic, trying to hide his emotions, even though it must have been painful to watch or his (human) mother. But in the end, he finds love and friendship and realizes he not just Vulkan or Human, he is simply Spock.

8. Cullen Rutherford (Dragon Age) Someone on tumblr (I cannot find the post now, so I am unable to cite, sorry! Anyone has the link?) argued that Cullen is aspie. I love this and completely agree with it. I admire his devotion to the Inquisition and his love to Inquisitor, his bravery to make hard choices and live with the consequences. He was able to learn from his hard past (Kinloch, Gallows) and own his mistakes. Now, he is loyal and dedicated, following, but not blindly. On a personal note, I admire his fight with lyrium addiction.

9. Lady Jessica (Dune) She was the embodiment of everything I wanted in a mother, but did not have. I wanted her Bene Gesserit training and her wisdom. She was proud of her kids, and encouraged them, but did not shield them from the outside world.

10. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter) I love you, Hermione, but I do not get it ... why did you end up with Ron of all people? How about Draco, hmm? He would be your intellectual equal and your relationship would show the haters they were wrong about him. Anyway, you can tell I am big dramione fan. But back to Hermione herself. Younger me (like younger teens), wanted to be like her. If you work/study your ass off, dear Strings, you would be appreciated and would find friends. Heh. Sorry, hun, it does not work that way. But without Hermione, I would not even try.

Oh, this got rather long. If you read it all, you have my respect and all my coffee. No, wait, not all of it. But one coffee with muffin will do :)