Shang-Chi Appreciation 2021

[Drops Of Venus]

.... just... how in the hell do people even "know" that certain social media profiles are his? Are his friends (ex-friends?) "outing" him, who the hell invests this much energy in digging down these digital rabbit holes..? Fandom of anyone writ large is going to be increasingly problematic from now on...

People found out the Reddit was his because it was the profile that he used for doing a Q&A for a show he was in a while back. Apparently there was even a post where he says his name. So once people found this profile and knew it was attributed to him, they basically just went back on his post history and found everything. It's actually not that hard, specially when people have a lot of time on their hands.

Now that the movie came out, do you think the comics will give Shang Chi those ten rings? And if so, how soon do you think it would happen?

I definitely could see that happening, although I do wonder if they would give him the traditional 10 Rings, which are so different in the comics, or they would find a way to give him the ''arm rings'' from the movies and basically sell it as brand new artifacts on Marvel Comics lore. I feel like the second option might be better, 'cause then Shang could have his own mythology instead of feeling like he is ripping off the Mandarin stuff. I'm not even sure if connecting him to the Mandarin in the comics is a good idea since the MCU actually worked hard to erase that connection and show his father is not ''the Mandarin'' (he even mocks the name in the movie).

[Tien Long]

Thanks for posting this. Watched it twice now and find it to be nuanced and informative. Now, there are certainly parts that are huge aspects of Chinese-American and Asian-American history. I'm glad that the clip highlighted Anna May Wong, Vincent Chin, George Takei, and the atrocities that were committed against the Chinese in America during the 19th century. To be fair, the author is very complimentary of the film. The characters are humanized and the first act of the film touches on those aspects of Asian-American culture. Furthermore, there's nothing wrong with wanting to get in touch with one's background. But the criticism that the movie uses this otherness of a mystical idealized form of China and in so doing contributes to the perpetual foreigner trope, I'm not too sure. Did Shang-Chi and Katy have an "otherness" by fighting the Mandarin in a mystical Asian land? I think the humanization and grounded performance kept it from going into that territory. Also, that tension between obeying one's parent and carving your own path which was prevalent in the movie, that's an issue many Asian-Americans face. In that sense, there is a tension between the "Asian" and the "American."

Aside from that, I liked the clip. It highlighted aspects of the fight choreography. I was iffy on the choreography and thought it wasn't as clear as it could have been. BUT, Accented Cinema pointed out aspects that I didn't consider. So yeah, this clip, makes me want to see the film again.

[Tien Long]

Some other thoughts:

- As for China, if the film does or doesn't premiere there, I'm okay. Still I'd like the mainland Chinese audience to see the film. I'd like them to see a Chinese character becoming part of the MCU and the Avengers.

- Been reading about these findings on reddit and Twitter this and that for the past hour. So, if all of this is true (and again, that's a big if, because nothing seems to be substantiated here) I agree with John Venus here:

just because you understand why or how someone is a pedo does not mean that you support it and he is very clearly not sympathetic towards those who act on their urges.

Let's be very clear, hurting innocent kids in any way is wrong. People who do that should be punished. BUT, understanding pedophilia is not supporting it. Indeed, I've been hearing how a lot of individuals who have this condition are seeking help. To make sure they DON'T engage in it. Condemning someone who wants help, that just increases the problem. Also, I've heard Simu say something about women. I defer to what Simu said before, that he was immature at the time and that he's changed since then. (As a lot of people do by the way. That's how change is made).

- As for Shan-Chi and the rings, I think it would be cool if he delved into the MU Mandarin's mythos. In story, I could see how the Mandarin and Shang's father could have been rivals with Shang's father aimming to get those rings. That creates more backstory. Said it before that the rings are alien tech. Very easy to say that they morph their shape to become more like the rings in the movie.

[Tien Long]

SHANG-CHI #7
GENE LUEN YANG (W) • DIKE RUAN (A) • Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
VARIANT COVER BY FRANCESCO MANNA • DEADPOOL 30TH VARIANT COVER BY ROB LIEFELD
WHO WAS SHANG-CHI’S MOTHER? Arrows will definitely fly when we flashback to the first meeting of Shang-Chi’s parents! Who was Shang-Chi’s mother? And how did someone so virtuous and heroic fall for an evil warlord like Zheng Zu? Plus, in the present, the tides begin to turn against Shang-Chi, as the mastermind gathering all of his foes stands revealed!

[CosmiComic]

Maybe comics Shang-Chi can get his own set of Makluan rings

[Sutekh]

-They're trying really hard to sink Simu Liu. I hope they don't succeed. They're definitely going to try and twist this into him being a pedo sympathizer. Just because you understand why or how someone is a pedo does not mean that you support it and he is very clearly not sympathetic towards those who act on their urges. Unfortunately neither twitter nor reddit is the place for these discussion and smooth brainers will try to present this as something else and group think will force others to go along with it.

I feel like the same thing is happening here that happened to Brie Larsen back when Captain Marvel was coming out. Drag out every single thing they've ever said and try to frame it in the least nuanced way to spark outrage, because somebody has hurt fee-fees that a non-white-dude is getting a film, and tossing around crap like SJW and diversity push. Puh-lease. It's not like *I* was going to get cast as Carol Danvers or Shang-Chi, so it's not like *I* lost a job here, and white-dude actors like Chris Pratt or Tom Cruise don't need me to fight on their behalf from my keyboard.

[Spiderfan001]

I feel like the same thing is happening here that happened to Brie Larsen back when Captain Marvel was coming out. Drag out every single thing they've ever said and try to frame it in the least nuanced way to spark outrage, because somebody has hurt fee-fees that a non-white-dude is getting a film, and tossing around crap like SJW and diversity push. Puh-lease. It's not like *I* was going to get cast as Carol Danvers or Shang-Chi, so it's not like *I* lost a job here, and white-dude actors like Chris Pratt or Tom Cruise don't need me to fight on their behalf from my keyboard.

The cast of Marvel doesn't like Brie(via interviews, not taking about playing around.They seem annoyed by her) and her acting in Captain Marvel was bland to be generous .Simu doesn't share those problems w/ her.
Even in their response to allegations, Brie made a poster parody to criticize people who asked her to show emotions when acting.It was defending herself.
Simu made fun of people who were saying Shang Chi as a movie would flop, and used a funny stock pics to do so.He was defending the film.
Simu has been criticized to make everything about race like the "experiment" thing which he took out of context, but he didn't rebuttal that.
Nothing wrong w/ defending oneself but the criticism is solid for Brie and it's about her performance and it's not wrong IMO.Simu's was either after the movie against people saying it would flop or taking things out of context which he didn't rebuttal to.

This thing now is much bigger than all those, but again context makes it much more understandable.And the actor is much more likeable and his performance was solid, he'll be fine.

[CosmiComic]

Isn't the whole "cast hates Brie Larson" just from anti-SJW clickbait?

[BBally]

The film just hit 300 million worldwide.

[BlackClaw]

Isn't the whole "cast hates Brie Larson" just from anti-SJW clickbait?

It is. And plus if you look at pictures of the actors while they were filming they all got along pretty well with Brie.

[Tien Long]

Really great insight into the making of the rings for the Shang-Chi film:



The clip clarifies certain questions. No, the rings don't have ten different powers like in the comics. There is a singular power to them. At the same time they match the intention of the character.

Also, the BTS stuff is a little funny. Turns out Simu did those huge leaps and jumps because a VFX guy in a blue suit was giving him a boost. Movie magic folks.

[Tien Long]

The film just hit 300 million worldwide.

And apparently it will be top at the box office for a third week. Nice.

With all of this talk of Mainland China, NYTimes published an article detailing why Shang-Chi isn't a hit in China:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/b...na-marvel.html

We've discussed many of these issues already. Still, while it may never appear in Mainland, apparently it's been doing wonderfully in other parts of Asia:

Worldwide, the movie has earned more than $250 million, all but guaranteeing audiences will be seeing more of Shang-Chi, the title character. Big sales in Asia helped: “Shang-Chi” earned more than $23 million in the Asia Pacific region and debuted at the top of the charts in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore. It also set an industry record for a September weekend debut in Hong Kong.

While we've heard about angry Chinese posters on Weibo complaining how Shang-Chi is racist this and Simu Liu disrespected Mainland that, other Chinese praise the film:

Others, including some who said they had seen the movie, leapt to its defense.

“There is nothing wrong with the film and half of its dialogue is in Mandarin Chinese,” wrote a Weibo user. “Those who said it insulted China before were too irresponsible.”

Still, the movie has found some resonance with Chinese audiences who have managed to see the film. Jin Yang, 33, a Chinese film producer based in Beijing, praised the film after watching it in a theater in Hong Kong, which despite its own rising censorship operates under different rules.

“It’s a bit regretful that the film has not been released in mainland China,” Ms. Yang said. “It’d be great if Chinese audiences could see this film that combines Chinese and Western cultures so well.”

And South Koreans like the film due to the negative press it has received in Mainland (South Koreans have started to express more resentment against Mainland China for its human rights abuses):

“I thought that the movie might not be well received in South Korea because of the protagonist being Chinese,” Kim Hanseul, 31, a Marvel fan in Seoul, said. But, he said, the movie’s absence in China “has actually led to more Koreans watching the film.”

Hmm, the argument regarding Shang-Chi's popularity doesn't seem that cut and dry .

[Tien Long]

Shang-Chi has become this year's highest grossing domestic movie of the pandemic era:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mo...en-1235020747/

[MichaelC]

Really great insight into the making of the rings for the Shang-Chi film:



The clip clarifies certain questions. No, the rings don't have ten different powers like in the comics. There is a singular power to them. At the same time they match the intention of the character.

Also, the BTS stuff is a little funny. Turns out Simu did those huge leaps and jumps because a VFX guy in a blue suit was giving him a boost. Movie magic folks.

The Mandarin in the comics is a superhuman mystic chi-channeling martial artist, but seems to be a pure or nearly pure hardstylist. He's all about the karate-chops and kicks and that sort extremely aggressive striking. They seem to have given that to the movie Mandarin as well. They did their homework in that respect, at least.

[phonogram12]

Isn't the whole "cast hates Brie Larson" just from anti-SJW clickbait?

It really is. Don Cheadle's said so, himself.