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Am I Ready, Player One?


Yukle

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With some apprehension I await the release of the film Ready Player One. It is nearly out in Australian cinemas. It probably came out everywhere else sometime last decade, but we have to wait until our dial-up Internet can download it first.

I absolutely loved the book. I loved the way that it went back to the roots of sci-fi, about using technology to explore the strengths, the limits, the daring and the problems of the human condition. The novel discusses whether being in the online world can ever match the real world, whether we are neglecting the planet as it exists in reality for the world we have created in our collective imaginations that plunders the environment, it explores whether love and friendship can be truly simulated between parties who never truly meet.

To say nothing of the fact that, as with all well-designed settings, I felt I wanted to be in the world. Even though Hogwarts, Middle-Earth and Westeros are all terribly dangerous places to live for some, there's that lingering yearning when reading about them, of wanting the world to be real. We'd all love the ability to slip through a cupboard at will and ride through the Pelennor Fields, sword in hand, screaming curses at the orcs.

I had that feeling while reading Ready Player One. While I know that the novel never endorses the idea of living in a virtual world to excuse neglecting our real world, the sheer fun that could come from the OASIS as described in it is so gripping.

Which brings me to the film... movie trailers have a habit of spoiling the entire plot and I think that this film has done it. Given I've read the book, I feel bad for those who haven't realised that by watching the trailer, several key plot points have already been spoiled - but they won't know that until they start watching the film. (In case you're unsure, it's a central point as to whether the avatars the protagonist speaks with in the virtual world of the book are actually who they claim to be. Some are, and some aren't, and the trailer shows you who is who by showing them positively or negatively interacting with the protagonist).

It also feels like the majority of the novel's core discussions have been cast aside. It'd be like making Blade Runner into a generic film and taking out all of the questions about whether a replicant is truly human because we can't truly tell anyway, about whether their slavery is justified and so on.

The film seems to be a generic action film. And therefore... I'm not I want to see it... but I know that I won't be able to resist wandering into a cinema somehow. Especially since I've already arranged to go with my brother a few months ago. :P 

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8 minutes ago, A True Kaniggit said:

How many of the movies that Spielberg directed have actually been flops? I kinda wanna give the guy the benefit of the doubt for now. 

A lot more then you would think.

To be fair, I HATE the book. Like, I'd rather read the new Goodkind level of hate.

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33 minutes ago, Darth Richard II said:

A lot more then you would think.

To be fair, I HATE the book. Like, I'd rather read the new Goodkind level of hate.

Wait... wut?!!?

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RP1!!!

One of my favorite books of all time and one of the most fun books I've ever read, and reread, and reread again.

From what I'm hearing about the movie, it's going to be...ok.

From a logististical standpoint there is just no way it can be just like the book. The copyrights alone...

Speilberg is the director to do this movie though and under his umbrella he can bring a lot of what's good from the book to the big screen. Whether he does though, I'm getting a vibe this is definitely not going to be another Jaws, E.T., or Jurassic Park or even War of the Worlds.

I don't think this movie is going to bomb, but I think it will be one of those movies that does just all right and then is forgotten about a few months later. Maybe five to ten years later people will be like "Hey remember that movie Ready Player One? That was pretty good." Worthwhile to make it, worthwhile to see it, but not going to be a groundbreaking, record breaking, movie phenomenon or anything.

Just have fun with it though. Don't expect the book. From and adaptation standpoint, I think it won't be as bad as World War Z, but far from LOTR (please, if you disagree that wasn't a successful adaptation, just let it go this one time). The book will always be the real story, the real heart of the franchise, just think of the movie as a little side jaunt into a related universe.

Keep expectations down and I think it will be a pleasant movie going experience, probably nothing more, but nothing less, and that's not too bad.

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I also thought the book was pretty shit - a lazy mashup of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Snow Crash whose nostalgic leanings really never got any deeper than just listing things that the author is nostalgic about. If anyone can make a good film out of it it is Spielberg but the trailers aren't convincing.

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The movie is generating some serious positive buzz, like the standing ovation it received after premiering at the SXSW film festival.

Reviews have been pretty good too, 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The only real negatives about it is that it's a movie all about fan service, but as long as it's not nerd exploitation (Big Bang Theory*) but nerd celebration (Community) then I'm all for it.

I'm starting to get excited about this movie but still tempering my expectations.

 

 

 

 

*personally don't really have a problem with BBT for what it is, beyond it now just being so old and tired, but if I went to the movies for a big Spielberg film and just got that same kind of thing, lazy references and stereotypes with no real understanding or heart, I'd be disappointed.

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1 hour ago, drawkcabi said:

The only real negatives about it is that it's a movie all about fan service, but as long as it's not nerd exploitation (Big Bang Theory*) but nerd celebration (Community) then I'm all for it.

Urgh, the Big Bang Theory is putrid. It's not a nerd show, but a toxic misogynistic show. Have you noticed how many times the joke is simply, "Hey, woman! You're a bitch! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Or, "Hey, literally the only non-white guy. You're gay! HAHAHAHA! Just kidding. But no girlfriend for you. Gay."

The vitriol toward the book is surprising to me. :( I can understand a bland or indifferent reaction, though.

I'm not expecting the book, of course not, but I am hoping for more than just an action flick.

The comparison to LOTR is a good one: I'd like that. Use what works on the big screen, streamline it a little and keep the spirit of the story alive.

We were going to see it tomorrow night, with the premiere in Australia, but my babysitters (parents :P) are sick, so we'll leave it a bit later. Still going to see it, though.

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21 minutes ago, Yukle said:

Urgh, the Big Bang Theory is putrid. It's not a nerd show, but a toxic misogynistic show. Have you noticed how many times the joke is simply, "Hey, woman! You're a bitch! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Or, "Hey, literally the only non-white guy. You're gay! HAHAHAHA! Just kidding. But no girlfriend for you. Gay."

The vitriol toward the book is surprising to me. :( I can understand a bland or indifferent reaction, though.

I'm not expecting the book, of course not, but I am hoping for more than just an action flick.

The comparison to LOTR is a good one: I'd like that. Use what works on the big screen, streamline it a little and keep the spirit of the story alive.

We were going to see it tomorrow night, with the premiere in Australia, but my babysitters (parents :P) are sick, so we'll leave it a bit later. Still going to see it, though.

I liked TBBT a lot for the first few years now I'm just tired of it and I'm more aware of its negatives so I don't really care to watch new episodes or rewatch the older ones I used to like. 

 

I'm not surprised about the vitriol towards the book, since it first came out I've read comments here in the Literature section and other places from people who didn't like it. A majority of people loved it and raved about it but some didn't care about or couldn't relate to the nostalgia and so there was really nothing to the book for them so it seemed pretty worthless. So I've known it wasn't liked by some, which is fine, it's not for everybody, but the book is pretty special to those it does speak to.

Sorry about your parents. I'd going to try to see this movie in the theater but I don't know when.

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6 hours ago, Yukle said:

Urgh, the Big Bang Theory is putrid. It's not a nerd show, but a toxic misogynistic show. Have you noticed how many times the joke is simply, "Hey, woman! You're a bitch! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Or, "Hey, literally the only non-white guy. You're gay! HAHAHAHA! Just kidding. But no girlfriend for you. Gay."

The vitriol toward the book is surprising to me. :( I can understand a bland or indifferent reaction, though.

I'm not expecting the book, of course not, but I am hoping for more than just an action flick.

The comparison to LOTR is a good one: I'd like that. Use what works on the big screen, streamline it a little and keep the spirit of the story alive.

We were going to see it tomorrow night, with the premiere in Australia, but my babysitters (parents :P) are sick, so we'll leave it a bit later. Still going to see it, though.

BBT is blackface for nerds.

And also insulting to anyone with Autism.

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15 minutes ago, Darth Richard II said:

BBT is blackface for nerds.

And also insulting to anyone with Autism.

I'm stealing that quote, it's gold.

It's also incredibly awful to any teenagers watching it who think that's how men are meant to act and how women are meant to respond.

You're absolutely correct: it's absolutely awful to anybody with autism. It reinforces every negative - and disgustingly false - stereotype of people with autism.

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