I wasn’t willing to condemn the live action Ghost in the Shell film for whitewashing its cast as quickly as many others were. It may have seemed obvious at first glance, what with Scarlett Johansson–a Caucasian woman of Eastern European descent–being cast to play a character known best by the name Motoko Kusanagi, the star of a classic anime. But, as any longtime fan of Ghost in the Shell would tell you, Major Kusanagi’s origins are foggy.
I’m a Doctor Strange fan. The character has one of the most underrated backstories in Marvel lore, and I’m a sucker for any setting drenched in magic and mysticism. The new live-action movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe looks pretty darned good, and I expect a lot of movie-goers to come away with a new sense of appreciation for the character.
I have no plans to see the movie, though. The 90% Rotten Tomatoes score isn’t enticing me; even if the movie had a 100% score, I wouldn’t be shelling out any cash to watch it.
JEFFREY PAWLAK 