Giles ,'Lies My Parents Told Me'
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So, I admit that I know absolutely ZERO about Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, but the trailer has not increased my knowledge at all: [link] . It seems like Generic Superhero Origin Movie With Asian Characters. Which, eh.
I mean, I'll still see it. I'll watch any superhero movie, as evidenced by my willingness to watch Zack Snyder's movies and WW84.
Looks fun! I am pretty comfortable with not knowing what the deal is with superheroes, though. Preferable to Zack Snyder, for my money.
So, I admit that I know absolutely ZERO about Shang-Chi
I grew up reading it! It was one of the longest running Marvel comics in the 70s with the same writer/artist team (along with Tomb of Dracula).
Shang-Chi (which according to the comic means "the rising and advancing of the spirit") was originally The Son of Fu Manchu. Don't know if they're going to keep rolling with that in the movie.
But basically he's raised to be Fu Manchu's heir and then discovers his father is EVIL and so then spends his time fighting ninjas and whatnot to take down his father's empire.
It looks to me as if the Mandarin will be standing in for Fu Manchu in the movie. They might still name him Zheng Zu rather than Zhang Tong, but I think Fu Manchu is off limits for Marvel.
but I think Fu Manchu is off limits for Marvel.
I would expect so! Pretty racist Yellow Peril stuff.
Anyway, the trailer looks cool with lots of San Francisco locations and the 1 California bus being driven by Awkwafina.
There's a CinemaSins "Everything Wrong with Episode 2 of the Winter Soldier" (because of course there is) and my favorite part is him yelling at the screen about Bucky needing some competent goddamn therapy. I started out rather liking the therapist - they avoided the stereotypes, made her down-to-earth and straightforward - but wow is that not helpful.
Just found it - my favorite complainer about too-long logos and "you have to see this" cliches suggested "have that VERY CLEARLY DISTRAUGHT EX-ASSASSIN SIT HIS ASS DOWN AND DO SOME OF THE HARD WORK OF THERAPY!" It made me kind of proud of nerd culture.
I was entertained by the trailer but so much more aware than I used to be of all the tropes and stereotypes and how even "positive" stereotypes can be harmful and... a bit nervous. Hopeful! But nervous.
Having a Chinese "true" Mandarin doesn't distance them *that* much from Yellow Peril stories, though I guess he's the most progressive villain on the Fu Manchu/The Yellow Claw/Shiwan Khan/Charlie Chan/Ancient One/Ming the Merciless/Shang-Chi/Jimmy Woo spectrum.
I'm mostly here for Tony Leung, who's still dreamy AF all these years later. I'ma gonna be a pathetic villain apologist when this comes out, I just know it.
YES TONY LEUNG
Huh. I was unaware that Hulu is going to have a stop-motion MODOK series: [link] (trailer in the article at that link).