Paramount Pictures have put out the first 1 minute clip from Ghost In The Shell called Wake Up and I would think would be from the very start of the movie

The first twelve minutes of Ghost in the Shell expertly combines philosophical musings (the difference between (wo)man & machine, what it means to be human) with, well, copious shots ogling ScarJo’s butt. Which is to say, the film (or at least this preview) has its bases covered. It’s a pretty perfectly calibrated mix of the high and low brow, infusing each visceral gun battle with ponderous looks and thoughtful quotes.

For those unfamiliar with the namesake manga or anime, Ghost in the Shell – set in a futuristic Tokyo – focuses on a recently deceased woman (Scarlett Johansson) whose brain is put into a robot. After the operation, she/it struggles with her/its identity, becoming a violent tool for a shady intelligence department.

ghost-in-the-shell-footage-review
Image via Paramount Pictures
The twelve minutes screened in IMAX 3D Tuesday night basically consisted of two complete scenes from early in the picture: In the first scene, Major (Johansson) dies en route to surgery, only to be born again into a robotic body. The sequence almost plays like the big-budget, PG-13 version of Johansson’s transformation in Under the Skin, complete with a milky white backdrop and full frontal nudity. Except here the nude body has porcelain Barbie-doll like anatomy. The stark transformation of odd looking metal into the curves and features of ScarJo deliberately blurs the line between ‘it’ and ‘she’, sexualization used to highlight just how human machines may become (a la Blade Runner & Ex Machina).

The camera deliberately lingers (slow-mo) over each stage of the transformation, fetishizing not just the final product but also each bit of metal, the exposed brain matter, the flaking white skin… Objectification is the point, reflecting how each character views the re-born Major as a ‘thing’ first and foremost. To Juliette Binoche’s Dr. Ouelet, Major’s a ‘major technical achievement’ and ”a miracle”, but to Binoche’s shady male science partner, Major’s just “a weapon.” Neither, though, acknowledges their creation as anything more than a tool either for science or force. Later, even Major herself questions if she’s anything more than circuits and wires, staring at the remnants of a dead AI, comparing and contrasting it with herself.

Johansson’s played this part before, as an alien uncomfortable in human skin (the previously mentioned Under the Skin) and as a disembodied AI voice in Her. Ghost in the Shell seemingly completes Johansson’s triptych of people/things uncomfortable within their own flesh (or lack thereof). There’s a reason though why Johansson keeps returning to these existential heroines – she’s really really good at it, conveying vulnerabilities and depth sans any dialogue. There’s no other actress today that can reveal as much using so little. The thought of watching Johansson recreate the ‘other-ness’ of her Under the Skin performance in a film twenty times the budget is easily the most exciting prospect within this new footage.

ghost-in-the-shell-footage-review
Image via Paramount Pictures
In the second revealed scene, set one year later, Major tries to prevent the assassination (“hacking”) of a smarmy businessman (played by the always welcome Michael Wincott). It’s the scene you’ve more than likely seen glimpses of in various trailers: Major on the roof of a building, geisha AI attacking a group of businessmen sipping tea, Major slow-mo diving off the building and then breaking through glass, guns blazing… Yes, you’ve seen this type of slow-mo set-piece a hundred times before since The Matrix; but with today’s shaky cam, quick-cut action aesthetic, it almost feels revolutionary to linger for more than five seconds without a cut or to have, god-forbid, a wide establishing shot. Overall it’s a marked improvement for filmmaker Rupert Sanders, whose previous feature Snow White and the Huntsman suffered from the aforementioned shaky-cam aesthetic.

It’s hard to tell from these twelve minutes how faithful (or not) this new live-action Ghost in the Shell will be to the manga, anime or animated feature(s). But it does appear to be exploring the same themes of individuality, consciousness, and the intersection between the two. If the rest of the movie is anything like these twelve minutes, Ghost in the Shell may well be the deepest and strangest big budget film of its ilk in quite some time. I, for one, can’t wait.

Ghost in the Shell opens wide March 31st.

Credit: collider.com

I was going to hold off on these till tomorrow but there so pretty I could not wait, I have a nice little exclusive treat for you all tonight with additional 37 outtakes from the photoshoot Scarlett did with Variety last year. Please feel free to use them but give credit back and if you make any art I would love to see.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Studio Photoshoots > Photoshoots From 2016 > Set 003

When Scarlett was at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, She and a lot of over celebrities took part in a Portraits photoshoot for the event and one photo of Scarlett has now been released, I am hoping more come out as Scarlett looking amazing in it.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Studio Photoshoots > Photoshoots From 2017 > Set 004

Last in the night after the Academy Awards had ended and a dress, hair and makeup change, Scarlett and Joe made there way over to the annual Vanity Fair Oscar Party that was hosted by Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. I have added in over 100 HQ photos from the event to the gallery and hope to have more very soon.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Public Appearances > Events In 2017 > 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party – Press Line
– Public Appearances > Events In 2017 > 2017 Vanity Fair Oscar Party – Inside

I have added in screen captures of Scarlett on stage and in the audience at the Academy Awards, Were she was there to present the award for Best Original Song for ‘City of Stars’ from ‘La La Land’.

GALLERY LINKS:
– TV Shows & Interviews > Award Shows > 2017 – Academy Awards

So what a crazy night the The 89th Annual Academy Awards was, As you all should known by now Scarlett was there with her date her agent Joe Machoda to present the award for Best Original Song for ‘City of Stars’ from ‘La La Land’ and Scarlett was sitting with her Avengers co-star Chris Evans in the audience. I have added in over 300 new photos from both the press line and the show it’s still into the gallery for you all to enjoy!

GALLERY LINKS:
– Public Appearances > Events In 2017 > The 89th Annual Academy Awards – Press Line
– Public Appearances > Events In 2017 > The 89th Annual Academy Awards – Show

Today’s the the big day for all of hollywwod, The 89th Annual Academy Awards are upon as and are girl Scarlett is currently at the event and on the red carpet right now looking her best out there, I do have to say I just love this dress she has on this year the 2015 one was not my favourite but this is killing it. The first set of photos from the event are now up in the gallery but as it’s very late were I am and I have work in 6 hours the rest of updates for the event will be up some time tomorrow but enjoy these photos till then.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Public Appearances > Events In 2017 > The 89th Annual Academy Awards – Press Line

Scarlett is featured in the April addition of Plugged magazine with a two page spread and new photoshoot that looks like it was taken back when Scarlett was doing some promo interviews for Ghost In The Shell, Both the scans and the photoshoot are now up in are gallery.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Magazine Scans > Scans From 2017 > Plugged – april 2017
– Studio Photoshoots > Photoshoots From 2017 > Set 003

For the fifth time Scarlett will be the guest host on Saturday Night Live on March 11th to help promote Ghost In The Shell and will be joined by musical guest Lorde. So who else is ready for crazy Scarlett to come out and play

Scarlett Johansson has played an AI, aliens, and psychokinetic superhumans – but in Ghost In The Shell, the live-action adaptation of the cult manga franchise, she plays a cyborg with a human soul. And as you can see from our exclusive image, a cyborg with a healthy taste in cyberpunk leather and futuristic motorcycles. Take a look below, and click to embiggen.

Johansson plays The Major, and as she explains to us in the new issue of Empire, on sale this week, she’s at something of an existential crossroads when we meet her. “She’s living a unique experience,” the star explains to us from the film’s set, “as somebody who has an idea of who she thinks she was, and then who she is now, and the person that she feels she is, this sort of gnawing feeling she has in her ghost. Being able to play those three sides: the ego, the superego and the id… That was pretty enticing.”

Johansson also gave us a small insight into her apparent dip into naturism, glimpsed in the trailer – actually The Major sporting a flesh-toned silicone camouflage suit. “I don’t wear that too often, thankfully,” she grins sheepishly. “It’s hot where you don’t want it to be and cold where you don’t want it to be.”

This is just a sneak preview of six exhaustive pages of coverage on Rupert Sanders’ blockbuster adaptation – be sure to pick up the new issue of Empire, on sale from Thursday 23 February, to read the full on-set report. Want to get your copy before anyone else, for less than the cover price, with exclusive covers to boot?

GALLERY LINKS:
– Magazine Scans > Scans From 2017 > empire – april 2017

Scarlett’s new photoshoot for Playboy have just released a new exclusive video from Scarlett’s shoot with them. With a nice look at the shoot and a little Interview in there.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Studio Photoshoots > Behind The Scenes > Playboy March 2017