Did We Even Deserve Jupiter Jones?

[@CEWThree]

Let. The. Wachowski. Sisters. Make. A. Star. Wars.

[@JM-mh1pp]

Well..after Rise of Skywalker I am confident that it simply cannot be worse so...you know...go ahead!

[@mcarts4722]

Lmao yes, tbh what do we have to lose anymore yk? We can only gain

[@coffeebeancoffeebean]

they’d be great at it, but i’d rather see them continue inventing worlds of their own!

[@q.barclay8562]

Absolutely 💯

[@HotWings728]

I think whats so fascinating and great about Jupiter's feminity is that she's fighting against being a maiden, mother, and crone. She takes initiative with Tattum, even if its goofy and clunky, but still refuses marriage when it doesn't suit her. She doesn't consider immortality for a moment, and her internal struggle to sell her eggs comes from everywhere but the desire of having kids one day. She hates being seen as these strangers' mother and being idolized; she makes selfless choices over and over again, but you can tell they're still weighing her down and she's so tired of the literal weight of the world on her shoulders. And it all culminates with "I am not your damn mother", she is herself and not going to take on anyone else's expectations. I compare JA to Sailor Moon a lot, but even Usagi's benevolence is sometimes raised to godlike status; Jupiter understands so little of the world but what little power she has she holds on tightly and snarls at anyone who challenges her.

[@epif1]

and she is not just waiting to be rescued, or introduced as superwoman but acts so childishly that then needs to be saved by the male protagonisth (like the 5th element). She is actually surprised someone came to help her.

[@jerzeeaj]

“I was raised on Xena. I was raised to slaughter.” Sis if you dont put that on a shirt...Imma fight you.

[@belkyhernandez8281]

Xena still rules. Amazing character arc. She was a horrible human being. She was a great human being. Jupiter circles back to tv wonder woman and bionic woman , imo.

[@theomcinturff1213]

CHAOTIC BISEXUAL on the back I'll take two no questions asked

[@robotrightsactivist]

I 100% agree that Jupiter Ascending would have been so much better as a series. I liked that they just drop us into the story, but there are so many moments and ideas that are introduced and then whisked away to never be mentioned again! One thing I kind of want to point out tho: that the Royal Family seeded and literally harvested entire planets of living beings for their immortality put a huge damper on my ability to be dazzled by many elements of the story. It's great that Jupiter put her foot down on defending planet Earth, but I was left asking 'what about every other planet they're going to 'harvest?' but maybe I'm missing something. Anyway great job as always!

[@Princess_Weekes]

and that would be a great thing for the series to tackle!!

[@pattheplanter]

I think they were hoping for sequels. _Jupiter Learning to be as Sneaky as the Rest of Her Family_ and _Jupiter Engaging in Diplomatic Negotiations._

[@johannageisel5390]

@@pattheplanter Yeah, I'm pretty certain that sequels were planned. I'm actually ok with the fact that we don't see everything of this universe in this one movie. We get glimpses of interesting things going on and therefor hunger for more. (Or at least I do. I'm feeling the pain of not getting a sequel.) Jupiter also doesn't completely understand the world she has been thrown into, so the viewers actually participate in this experience. In a sequel she could have discovered more and more.

[@username4570]

I actually did a fan edit where I cut the movie into a mini series, I know this isn’t really what you or Melina mean, but I do think it feels more at home in the episodic format.

[@ViolentOrchid]

It was meant to be three movies.

[@eliwilder9657]

For me, The Legend of Korra kind of demonstrates how audience misogyny will still deem female characters unlikable even if they demonstrate very "masculine" heroic traits. You talk about how Sansa and Katlyn are seen as weak or cruel unfairly in their story. I have seen countless times random people online decrying how unlikable Korra is because she is so combative and head on and the entire time I'm thinking that if Korra was a male character people would have none of these complaints.

[@JM-mh1pp]

I agree. While I have some issues with the series as a whole they mostly stem from troubled production (for example they had no idea if they will get second season which is why they had to make season one self contained and it ends with Korra perfoming her prestige- all bending demonstration) this troubled production made it impossible to plan out season ahead so each season is one story instead of building up towards something greater like Aang. But I loved Korra as a character, she was just AMAZING, most people have problem with her because they treat Aang as the default, as in this is how avatar should act (despite show itself presenting many different avatars, some of them far more combat oriented than Aang). Lot of people also dislike breaking the avatar journey, it is established in the lore that each avatar must learn other bending styles which is a good reason for them to interact with other cultures and make friends, Korra having 3 bending powers from the start was a huge turn off for a lot of people (again- production issues).

[@vadalia3860]

So true! I think the hate for Korra was because when we typically see the Strong Female Character, 1) she's not the main character, and 2) she's usually outclassed by the main male character (eventually, at least) Think of all the Trinity-like female characters who are badasses with years, if not decades, more experience than the male protagonist in whatever badassery the movie/show focuses on... only to be surpassed by him, usually after a quick training montage. So ultimately, that character is not a threat to the manliness of the male audience via their male surrogate character. Korra however, is both the main character and the most powerful character. Some guys may temporarily outclass her, like Amon or Tenzin, but eventually she surpasses them both- an absolute threat to the manliness of manbabies in the viewing audience.

[@eliwilder9657]

@@vadalia3860 "Some guys may temporarily outclass her, like Amon or Tenzin, but eventually she surpasses them both- an absolute threat to the manliness of manbabies in the viewing audience." This is made even more ironic to me because of how allot of Korra's criticism is about how she's not as good as Aang. Like Aang was explicitly shown to be a poorer waterbender than Katara and a poorer Earthbender than Toph. Did they just not care that they were better than Aang because they weren't the main protagonist? I think Aang was so awesome as a character because he subverted the need for the male hero to be "masculine" I think Korra is the inverse of Aang in a way because she's a female character with mainly masculine traits. Aang meant so much to me as a little kid because it was cool to see a boy hero who was sensitive and caring, and those traits were shown to be strengths. It makes me sad to think that some little girl out there really related to Korra for her action oriented attitude, but felt shutdown by salty neckbeards online.

[@tinymxnticore]

eli wilder Or maybe some people found Korra unlikeable because the first series involves her quelling a rebellion of non-benders, who are historically marginalized in the Avatar universe, without ever attempting to understand the perspectives of people who aren’t born with her privilege. She literally screams “YoU’rE oPrEsSiNg YoUrSeLvES” to a bunch of protesters in episode 1 and is ultimately proven right by the shoddy storytelling. It’s true that these are commonly accepted traits for male characters, but that doesn’t make them good or admirable in anyone.

[@vadalia3860]

@@tinymxnticore "She literally screams “YoU’rE oPrEsSiNg YoUrSeLvES” to a bunch of protesters in episode 1" Wow, you mean she did something not great in the first episode almost like a... gee, whaddaya call it... character flaw? No one seemed to have a problem with Aang even though in the first episodes he wanted to play around and goof off, ignoring the hardship and war going on around him (until it was brought home by seeing the genocide of the air temple monks first hand) Korra was dropped into a complex sociopolitical situation where she was immediately in over her head and said something stupid. Maybe don't expect a main character who doesn't need to grow in any way from the first episode.

[@magganonfatalis733]

Easily the most unbelievable thing about Jupiter Ascending was the fact that there was a race of sentient, space faring dragonfolk, and they didn't rule the universe.

[@buttsauceable]

possibly the character with the most horny fanart

[@johannageisel5390]

@@buttsauceable Haha, absolutely! It's a walking, flying incarnation of Rule 34.

[@Ramipon]

i got the impression was the dragonfolks where engineered dinosaurs from earth? they had control systems or things too probably the hybrids seems to have lower status the the "Pure" humans idk that's maybe just on my head :p

[@commandercaptain4664]

Well, at least the Wackys got the 'human harvesting" impetus correct this time, cuz the Matrix messed that up royally.

[@bigsiskrishere]

For me it was when Jupiter slaps a pad, sticky side down, onto an open wound, and it somehow still absorbs blood. Could not get past that. 😂

[@tariqthomas9090]

Jupiter Ascending definitely needs a tv reboot. While I did not *like* the film necessarily, it did have plenty of personality and great ideas that could be fully realized in a tv show.

[@eduardopantoja9115]

Reboots are given to sussessful movies and shows and JA didn't do that good at the box office. So the chances aren't good.

[@mattmclaren3067]

@@eduardopantoja9115 I do see your point. The most optimistic counter argument to this is "Buffy did it". But it is hard to see a gamble like that happen again really. :( Shame though; it would be interesting.

[@eduardopantoja9115]

Isn't Buffy a culture icon. I never watch Buffy but I'm aware of it's legacy.

[@mattmclaren3067]

@@eduardopantoja9115 Buffy is definitely an icon. But in it's original Incarnation it was a bit of a joke I don't know if you're familiar with the movie and sorry in advance if this reads as incredibly patronising: The original incarnation of Buffy was a movie from 1992 starring Kirsty Swanson and Luke Perry. It was not particularly well received at the time either critically or financially. The 1997 TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (which really solidified it as an icon) was kind of a gamble because of that. And indeed the kind of gamble a Jupiter Ascending TV series would be.

[@shadyjoanneboots]

My opinion of this movie: Great gowns, beautiful gowns

[@MmmKayHuuNay]

hahahahahaha

[@vickst0892]

Lmao

[@tinymxnticore]

I honestly had no interest in this movie before, but you SERVED with this commentary. Love you!

[@FaiaHalo]

As always!! She really made me changed my mind on many movies and series!

[@RaverHates]

Agreed. I badly wanna watch this film now!

[@GreenLanternCorps2814]

She convinced me to watch Birds of Prey and I loved it, so I'll be watching Jupiter Ascending too.

[@harriyanna]

i really feel like the movie got so much hate is because straight men were the main ones saying it was awful. i'm glad it has a cult following now cause i never thought it was terrible. like just because a movie isn't meant for you doesn't mean it sucks.

[@harriyanna]

@bertas ulozevičius i ain't gonna say him name (cause he's really popular and idk what he might do), but he really convinced us into believing that there was nothing to this film

[@JM-mh1pp]

Most men hated, and I mean HATED twilight...movies were big financial success. So I would say that movie got so much hate cause it is just really...REALLY bad. There are a lot of movies made with women in mind, men disliking them was rarely a problem.

[@JM-mh1pp]

@bertas ulozevičius Oh I am sorry, I had no idea my gender influences if what I am saying is true or not. edit Yes, with women in mind, unless you think that devil wears prada and most romantic comedies are made with men in mind? Each movie is made with a target audience in mind, that does not mean men cannot enjoy them (or vice versa) but that they are not the main focus.

[@matxalenc8410]

Hey, Harriyana. I see you on your channel. Keep up the good work.

[@asf8648]

I'm neither straight nor Male and I thought this movie was mostly boring with occasional nonsense. I say this as a lover of space opera like Star Trek. I saw it opening weekend with my mom and I just thought it was a mess. Idk I don't think personal identity is why people didn't like the movie, it was just not well crafted.

[@michikip45]

“I love dogs, I’ve always loved dogs.” has been my favorite pick up line since I saw Jupiter Ascending when it came out LOL

[@kellswitch]

I love this movie, flaws and all, and I loved that Jupiter didn't need to be the typical become a violent kick-ass character. I loved how she was allowed to be overwhelmed and afraid but still be strong. And I am heartbroken that we won't see more in this universe.

[@GilTheDragon]

It is a MASSIVE shame that Jupiter Ascending wasn't a hit but, as someone who loved it from day 1, seeing it become more appreciated gives me life also it is a travesty that the Wachowskis weren't signed to do Dune. it really would have been such a delight; JA shows they can do the SpaceMedieval vibe that Frank Herbert was going after

[@MattAndOlivia]

Thanks for making this-I really enjoyed it! Also, I'm having a low-key romance with your sweater. *Chef's kiss*

[@music_YT2023]

Hard disagree. In theory, I could like Jupiter as character (and I did love Mila's portrayal) but the positions and scenes in which Jupiter was continually placed always relied on her being saved at the end by the hyper-masculine DogMan. That didn't really scream femininity to me so much as learned passivity. Like, Jupiter, please save yourself. Figure out what you need to do to save yourself. Stop getting placed into these positions that necessitate saving in the first place. Don't keep getting pushed like a chess piece around this board! I don't need Jupiter to be Xena Warrior Princess and slice the bad guys head off, I just need MORE than a single instance of her sticking up for herself/Earth. A sequel in which she gains mastery of the political wrangling and takes down the rest of the family and their serum trade through laws would have been cool. And yes, that tacked-on romance was out of place. She had more chemistry with WhisperBro than DogMan.

[@Samwoww7]

Hard agree with your hard disagree. It felt like she had no agency in the whole movie. She was merely whisked from place to place and put in different pretty dresses. It felt like I was watching someone play with a Barbie doll.

[@leigy100]

Yeah, I am in this camp too. Look, I love me some bad movies (Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman) but Jupiter Ascending has a sexy lamp for a heroine, and two egregiously gay-coded male villains, but a militantly straight male hero. I mean, is this the eighties? (Imagine if Michael Bay was the Director, how homophobic that would come across?). Jupiter has zero agency in her own story and none of the visuals feel distinct. The wedding is taken visually and story wise from the Flash Gordon movie. The weird Brazil homage, cul-de-sac. At times it feels like the screenplay was written by a computer program that just took a bunch of sci fi screenplays and mixed them together. But if you love it, that is great! I love Clive Barker’s Nightbreed...but it isn’t a secretly great movie just because some people can connect with it.

[@commandercaptain4664]

Fourthed. All the time I was wondering what she was Ascending towards, being her own main character? She was given little room to develop the charisma of an interstellar leader, and fell from great heights at least four times in the movie for Tatum to rescue her. I actually really liked Redmayne's ASMR performance so much, I wish he never shouted but instead kept his cool even during times of duress; that would've been a character for the ages. Giacchino's score is possibly his best ever and I'm glad it got a double CD release from the start.

[@OpqHMg]

Fifthed. FIFTHED SO HARD

[@louisacatalina5248]

I want that for my character but if I’m being honest my fanfic involves me being saved and then maybe me getting some stuff done but being taken saved of yes please the deep part of my psyche I don’t understand

[@gudldj]

The Inuyasha connection would have made a lot of sense in this story, I think I would have really enjoyed that edit. I really liked the aesthetic of this movie and the basic premise but I think they needed an extra set of eyes and another 6 months work on that script, and I think the idea of doing this as a tv show is fantastic. The thing I couldn't get behind with this movie was mainly the idea that she agreed to enter a marriage contract with a guy she didn't know, in a society she doesn't know the rules for, and the guy is seeing her very specifically as his mother, with such high stakes and where she has something he very much wants, that she understands is valuable. It's just such a stupid decision, it's akin to someone getting tricked by an interest scammer. I think they just really wanted to have that wedding scene. That scene was epic looking so I see why but it needed more reason to happen.

[@princessnikoblackwood4041]

i definitely agree with that

[@throwthatassinaprayercircl2662]

Agreed. I assumed she was just stalling for time, and the way she slowed down speaking at the crucial moment suggested so, but then she seemed genuinely shocked that it was a ruse. The way she didn't even consider the implications for Earth when the other son held her family hostage, until the very moment she was going to sign, was also an issue for me. That should've been the first thing she thought of other than are they ok; I again would have been fine with her walking to that trap, if she'd done so with her eyes wide open and some sort of a plan.

[@username4570]

I recently made a fan edit where I cut this movie into a mini series of 20 min episodes. I did some restructuring and trimmed a bit of the writing/acting that I thought distracted from the stuff that is really great in the film. People who have watched this all seem to like it quite a bit, and a couple people who actually saw the original film and didn't really like it thought it was way better suited to the episodic nature

[@princessnikoblackwood4041]

can it be found somewhere?

[@EmptyFeet]

seconding niko's question, I'd love to see that!

[@madisoncallihan2813]

Same

[@Frogface91]

Please tell us where to find this! (If it's public)

[@lianalobinha]

Yeah!

[@DemiSemme]

I demand a sequel where Jupiter finally goes to deal with Titus and Kalique properly. Defeat Space Capitalism, dammit! Also, note on the prequel references... Natalie Portman was originally going to play Jupiter, but she dropped out. When I learned this, I was like "ROBBED. WE WERE ROBBED OF WACHOWSKI STAR WARS!"

[@johannageisel5390]

I'm really happy with Mila Kunis in this, though.

[@DemiSemme]

@@johannageisel5390 As Black Swan showed us, Mila Kunis absolutely can do what Natalie Portman can, but JA has so many prequels vibes at times that the presence of Padmé Amidala would have elevated the experience to a whole new level.

[@msfthe1st117]

But what if Natalie Portman was in this movie as the love interest tho? That’s the real robbery right there...

[@DemiSemme]

@@msfthe1st117 Well, you have a point there, Natalie does call Mila 'Sweet Lips'...😏

[@feezlfuzzl564]

"Chaotic bisexual, that's who I am." Same! I just want someone to build a cottage with and be nerdy wives together.

[@dragoniraflameblade]

Otherworldly pansexual just wanting a studio apartment with someone, lol.

[@walterobrien8045]

I want the phrase “garbage heap of our hearts” on a T-shirt

[@PrettyGuardian]

What I really loved about Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz is how she used empathy. She was collaborative. She started the heros journey alone but by the end she had an entire entourage of the scarecrow, the tin man, the cowardly lion, and probably a dozen other acquaintance level allies like Glinda, the Wizard, etc. Loosely speaking I think the Wizard of Oz was a bigger influence on the blue print of modern fantasy than any other book. Even in Harry Potter I think there are parallels to the Wizard of Oz, such as how Ron is like the Lion, and Hermione is like the Scarecrow and how Harry's journey mimics the journey of Dorothy.

[@collapsingwavefunction_.3356]

This is an interesting take I really hadn't considered. I tend to be a big fan of the Strong Woman trope, cliche as it is... maybe because I don't see much of it IRL but it speaks to me personally... regardless, I def applaud and see the need for variety in lead characters and hadn't thought of most of what you said here when I saw the movie. Especially after re-watching Avatar... Aang isn't exactly depicted as a strong guy in the sense of hypermasculine, but powerful, yes. But he doesn't have to kill to wield that power, and neither does Jupiter. In fact they go out of their way to find alternatives when most people would say killing is justified. There is something really moving about that, in any gender. Thanks for making the video.

[@rphuntarchive1]

This was so great. I loved Jupiter Ascending when it came out, and I almost felt like a rebel for it. The visuals were stunning, Mila's character was unique, and I did feel it was ahead of its time. Thank you for giving it some props. I wasn't aware there was a fandom for it. The idea of a TV series is interesting, but remember, JA's budget was humongous, a TV show would not be able to match the world created in the movie. But now I have to watch it tonight :)

[@8mad]

Jupiter Ascending would be absolutely fabulous as a series and wish one day the Wachowski's revisit this idea. Whether a proper series or hell a comic/graphic novel. While it has problems I very much enjoy it especially the visuals. Also personally I thought Tatum had more chemistry with Sean Bean. Like I am not opposed to Kunis and Tatum getting together but all the things you said plus the movie already has SO MUCH going on!

[@Spookybluelights]

I *love* this movie. It was like one of my wild, trashy romance books brought to life and it succeeds so much in that respect and Eddie Redmayne is so deliciously over the top.

[@booksvsmovies]

Jupiter Jones is the stylistic successor to Padmé Amidala and I live for every single gorgeous gown

[@martymcflown3707]

Eddie Redmayne saw Blake Ritson in Da Vinci's Demons and was like "Yes, this whisper demon speaks to me."

[@aragoonn]

I agree with you entirely on how interesting of a character Jupiter is and how unique her strength is. This is more of a take of the wider discussion of 'strength'. Why is so much of it presupposed on gendered traits? It frustrates me that most people talk first about what's masculine and what's feminine strengths. Like why is it a binary, why are there essential gendered strengths? It kinda excludes or reduces a lot of other people, their strengths, and experiences. An example; a trait of strength is having the courage to protect what you love. This isn't inherently masculine or feminine, but a lot of people will frame it as; "strength is fighting" and code it masculine. Whereas in reality, there are lots of ways to protect what you love. You can protect through empathy, through teaching your loved ones to take care of themselves, by self-sacrifice, and by the active action of fighting. Perhaps I'm biased being by an enby, but I think we'd have far more constructive conversations, and far more interesting male, female and NB characters if we stopped gendering inherent human traits.

[@shockofthenew]

I agree so hard with all of this. If fighting is 'masculine strength' then what about a man who's paraplegic and has to rely entirely on his wits? Is he inherently 'feminine'? What about an autistic woman who's absolutely not attuned to the 'feminine strength' of manipulation and diplomacy, and instead tends to rely on practical solutions? Is she inherently 'masculine'? I'm also nonbinary, and I used to think I'd someday start to understand gender - at least from an outside perspective - but I'm well into adulthood and it still isn't clicking. How are any of these traits inherently male or female rather than simply a response to circumstance and socialisation? So often 'masculine' and 'feminine' traits are the exact same thing with a different name. 'Intelligence and wit' in men becomes 'manipulation and sneakiness' in women, 'maternal instinct' in women becomes 'loyal and protective' in men, 'stoic' in men becomes 'self-sacrificing' in women etc. The only difference I've actually been able to observe between men and women in real life is physical strength - and how having or not having that affects which skills you need to learn in order to survive. But even that isn't a simple binary, as there are plenty of physically strong women and physically weak men. Beyond the survival reaction to physical strength, any other broad differences seem to be entirely socialised.* I would say rather than "we need our female characters to represent feminine strength" we just "need more characters of all genders with feminine-coded strengths." Of course we do need female characters with a wider range of strengths and personality traits, but saying this is an issue specific to female characters implies the standard, hyper-violent male protagonists is actually an accurate or positive representation of men. We're seeing women written as this bland, forceful, violent stereotype and thinking "hey, that's not right, we should be writing the women differently!" rather than thinking "hey, that's never been right, we should be writing people of all genders differently!" *I do want to note I'm not saying "gender doesn't exist" despite not experiencing it myself. I've spoken to quite a few people, both cis and trans, about what gender 'feels like' to them. However from what I can tell, those who experience gender define it as an inner sense of self, not a specific set of personality traits.

[@imjustdandy9799]

“Compassion is a privilege of the strong.” - Claire Stanfield

[@JM-mh1pp]

Fine, I am not strong so I will just use the little power I have to make life miserable for everyone else, fantastic quote, changed my life for ever!

[@throwthatassinaprayercircl2662]

@@JM-mh1pp I think the realization is that the strong don't have to pay as much a price for their compassion as the weak do, not that you should only be compassionate if you're strong.

[@tecpaocelotl]

Jupiter Ascending was a space opera Matrix. People who criticized it, I usually tell them to re-watch the Matrix. Lol. Same flaws they bring up are also in the Matrix.

[@ArtemisMoon12]

I just liked it because it was so bonkers. It was like seeing something I would have written as a kid- unbridled creativity without logic. It’s just wacky enough that it’s still got that passionate charm- rather than a “we are trying to be grim dark serious”.

[@JohnWilliams-cr2sz]

Oh my god, your idea about Caine's character having failed to protect Jupiter's past life and that is why he is there again is an amazing one! I wish that had been case. I remember seeing this movie opening day because the trailers looked fun, and walking about of the theater my biggest thought was that the whole movie was just one giant love letter to Science Fiction. Even with the weaker or more confusing parts, I loved this movie. I am so sad it never got any sort of follow up, its such an interesting universe that we only got the tiniest look at and I would kill to see more of it. Also, those gravity boots were just freaking awesome. I would kill for a pair of those.

[@Monochrome_11]

This kinda reminds me of "The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy" On the whole strong female protagonist front

[@dwdillydally]

This a book?

[@Monochrome_11]

@@dwdillydally yeah the author said she wanted to make a female character who isn't describe as muscaline in order to be strong

[@dwdillydally]

@@Monochrome_11 thanks for the lead!

[@emmacouperus]

Thanks for the recommendation, stranger! I looked it up on Goodreads and added it to my 'to read' list. The description reminded me of 'A natural history of dragons', whose protagonist is absolutely delightful, and just wants to study dragons. The series also features one of the only openly asexual characters I've come across in fantasy.

[@Monochrome_11]

@@emmacouperus what are the odds the protagonist of "the lady's guide to petticoats and piracy" is also asexual (or somewhere under the ace\aro umbrella) the story is set in the 17ths so I don't think its given a specific term

[@ricklewis4442]

This movie had so much potential. This is a universe where some elites literally harvested humans to gain immortality and wealth. The potential parallels to slavery and the ongoing consequences of our country's original sin would have been so easy to explore. Additionally the character of Jupiter had a choice to ignore the problem and let it go on or to embrace her role as one of the monstrous elites who actually had the power to fight the system. She took the path of just letting life happen to her instead of taking agency and the morally challenging decisions that power sometimes requires. Though I saw the potential, loved the visuals and think Mila Kunis is deservedly an A list celeb, the writing was shockingly weak. A good example of what could have been was the Empire Trilogy by Jan Wurst & Raymond Feist.

[@Tb40556]

I was on an international flight when I watched this. When she said she loved dogs, I started dying and worried a flight attendant.

[@_hunnybe]

"Wolf-man-dog-boy-soldier character" YES 😂

[@pattheplanter]

Dogboy was frightened of commitment to a relationship because of the way he had been brought up and the attitudes of the interplanetary society toward his kind, a caste system in a repressive tyranny. He was standoffish despite Jupiter coming on strong because he had been warped by that upbringing. Jupiter was clearly attracted by his looks, puppy-dog eyes, kind manners, genetically-enhanced loyalty and a desire to heal his pain. Two people who have suffered a traumatic time together can be afraid that there is no time to think about things. If they do not grab the opportunity it could be lost to space, time or death. They may make the mistake of thinking their fellow-feeling could be something more. For some it is not a mistake. Not the usual straight romance.

[@johannageisel5390]

Indeed.

[@anaiaram]

i'd never seen your content before but WOW i could listen to you talking about stuff for hours!

[@symonewest5449]

I will always be grateful to Princess for helping me realize that I'm not stupid for loving this movie and that haters can suck it.

[@Kjardeaux]

I'm so glad you brought up Hyperion as an analogy to how Jupiter Ascending is presented. Here you have two universes you know are fully fleshed out by the creators, but dang it all if they're going to explain anything. Just gotta lose yourself to the flow, and gosh how fun that is!

[@manicExpressivePDX]

“...and the generally incompetent!” 😂 😂 😂

[@Meskarune]

I loved Jupiter Ascending and reviewers are always panning it. It makes me so happy to see this review.

[@juddsplatoon]

I adore this movie and I love that you did a video about it and I would eat a Jupiter Ascending series right up! I gotta disagree re: the romance though. To me, the classic Cinderella/Prince Charming trope ("dropped into the plot") is fleshed out enough by a) their connection as fish-out-of-water misfits b) the tenderness they show to each other almost immediately (the sanitary towel scene exemplifies this for me). I also think there's a lot to be said about the "recurrences" as a commentary/play on the Divine Right of Kings, and what that does re Jupiter and Caine as a subversion of star-crossed lovers... Ugh I love this movie so much thank you for this video

[@user-hb4zz4gh5e]

I remember watching this movie as a kid with my conservative dad for the first time. A year or two later I found out how “bad” the movie had been according to critics, so I suddenly decided it was bad and judged it very harshly based only on what I could remember. My dad brought it up in conversation once and I immediately told him how poorly written and made the film was according to all these ‘clever experts’. He got annoyed with me and basically said that HE had really enjoyed it and he didn’t care what the critics thought. Coming from him (especially since he is usually very critical of movies) this surprised me. I then went and watched the movie again, and while it’s by no means perfect, I really liked it.

[@bookleaf72]

This was such a fun movie to see in theatre, the "I love dogs" scene had everyone rolling😂

[@zenithquasar9623]

It is clear to me Wachowskis usually already pick the actors before they even screen test. I think they really wanted to work with Kunis and Tatum.

[@perfectshot50]

This is SO VALUABLE, TY!!!!! I've always been a fan of this movie, even knowing its shortcomings, and you were able to really articulate points that I'd been feeling in such a smart way.

[@davidleonardflanagan]

I now want to play an RPG in the Jupiter Ascending world

[@ghostrealm19]

I LITERALLY just rewatched this movie then saw your upload!

[@theomcinturff1213]

god I fucking love this channel lmaooo you are the nerdiest nerd, every time you say stuff like "I quote Phantom Menace too much" it's like I'm hanging with my friends again

[@Iamjustherek]

“Toto is a day one dog” 😂😂 but seriously what if he’d been friends with Jupiter on Earth for years and she never knew he was an alien? She could’ve had a secret crush on him that she never would’ve acted on (playing on her low self-esteem) until she was put in such a life threatening situation.

[@Marley-Kabin]

Thank you so much for bringing love to my favorite wild and weird movie. Bees must love you because you’re a queen 👑

[@angelx9724]

Jupiter Ascending is one of my favourite films, I just love the opera of it all.. Thanks for doing a serious dive into it. Nice to see it not just be "hurhur film's messy".

[@BVBloom]

When you said Jupiter Ascending should have been a television series I literally shouted YES at the screen. You are absolutely right, this movie would have been SO MUCH BETTER AS A TV SHOW

[@TanyaItkin]

I feel like this movie would have been a favourite of mine if they didn't shove in the horrible "romance" plotline. It really wasn't necessary at all.

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

Honestly, this sentence could describe almost every movie ever =_=

[@TanyaItkin]

@@iiiiitsmagreta1240 I mean, yes, but I try to not let my aceness invade my opinions on movies. If only writers bothered to develop relationships instead of assuming them most of the time. I'm sure this specific movie would have been objectively better if Cain and Jupiter were allowed to be friends instead of even a well written romance.

[@throwthatassinaprayercircl2662]

Other issues that prevent this from being a favorite for me: she was incredibly naive when both of the Abraxsus sons tried to manipulate her into giving up her title. Just as a thinking adult, much less someone living a hard-scrabble life, there's no realistic way she would not have seen through those schemes. Also, it took her until too late to consider what her abdicating would imply for the entire planet. I want to see more of the universe, though. I love the epic, galaxies-spanning scale, the aristocracy element, and the way the high tech blends into the background without being too much of a focus.

[@laurenloo]

this movie has such "we had enough material for a trilogy but knew we wouldn't get there so here it all is!" and tbh i'm more than fine with that since it means we didn't get just a first movie than never gets the sequels it deserves

[@MiscellaneousAB]

WHEW! Great analysis!! i'm going to watch this now!

[@Annaiuq1]

I appreciate this commentary so much because as a child and as an adult I've been faced with the struggle of being a kind person by default. Whenever I choose kindness above cruelty (however warranted it may be...they be BEGGING for it sometimes👿👿👿😈😈😈) or pettiness I feel weak. It really resonated with me how you pointed out that Jupiter as the star of this blockbuster movie was able to just be kind without having to change that in order to fit the mold or earn her spot as the focal point of this story. Thanks for this.

[@necroxisz]

Ooof this is a spicy take. I always thought the movie was pretty trash, and I say that as a LGBT person, and it takes a lot of pretzel logic to find something good out of it tbh. I think the Wachowskis had a good template and their hearts were in the right place to make something that was truly good but the execution just fell flat on its face. The world building was wayyyy too dense for a single movie, the romance was shlocky and wholly unbelievable, Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum are so incredibly miscast and their acting is really poor, its just a big mess all around. You're literally the first person I've ever seen claim that Mila Kunis' acting here was good, I guess it's just a difference of opinion there. And that's not to even bring up the trainwreck that is Eddie Redmayne's role here. So does the fact that the movie had great ideas to start out matter more than what actually happened? I donno, I tend to believe no. Intent is great and all but we're judging what the actual product is. I do think the Wachowskis should have gotten a shot at Dune before anyone else though.

[@selim6033]

That is exactly my opinion.

[@JM-mh1pp]

I do think the Wachowskis should have gotten a shot at Dune before anyone else though GOD NO...please no. I will never understand why they enjoy such a cult following, their movies are nothing special in terms of plots and characters (seriously was there EVER as in IN HISTORY OF CINEMA a more wooden couple than trinity and neo?). Dune requires talent, vision, originality, if Lynch failed at Dune the idea that Wachowskis can do it is a strange one.

[@selim6033]

@@JM-mh1pp Man. Matrix is a abnormally masterpiece. I can understand the ideia behind it. But i agree that they would not make a great version. Their goodness is on originality. Dune needs to bring a lot of the content from the books. Politics, religion; serious matters that has to be part of it. They can make (they did, actually) movies/series about those things, but they need to be free to create. Dune would not allow it correctly.

[@selim6033]

I think part of the problem is that they, probably, fullfilled some agreements with the producers. These folks usually demands those kind of actors (to reach some specific audience; a stupid perspective about money). But that path was wrong. So wrong.

[@JM-mh1pp]

@@selim6033 Matrix is a abnormally masterpiece. Matrix is visually stunning. Story was already done in Dark City (some would say it was done better, I shall hold my voice) and it was also touched in so many anime that only people who never watched anime...or read cyberpunk could consider it original. On a basic story level perspetice it was VERY typical chosen one story. Average white middle class dude (he was a programmer in a corpo) discovers that his boring day to day life is an illusion and he really is chosen one meant to save the species...yeah...they are just dripping originality here. Sorry for sounding confrontational but I had so many talks with people who kept insisting that Matrix is such a deep movie and I simply do not get it... Dune is subversion of messiah trope- Yay he is our saviour! Not really, oh and BTW your religion was literally manufactured by Bene Gesserit to make it easier to control you. He will lead us to freedom. He will use you as a fighting force, then he will start great jihad kill millions, destroy your culture and turn you into sad parodies of yourself. If someone would want to summarise dune in one sentence it would be "NEVER TRUST A MESSIAH" . Wachowskis LOVE their special someone trope. I do not think they would feel the dune, in fact I am afraid that like Lynch before them they would make Paul actual messiah.

[@awhitney3063]

I loved this movie when it came out, and I never understood why people acted like it was so bad. Rewatch half the action flicks from the 90's and 80's and you'll find more contrived plots, flatter characters, worse acting and effects by a country mile, and NONE of them had the audacity to sit down and go 'huh, what would an action movie for women look like?' they were all identical and boring and safe. Jupiter Ascending is far from perfect but it's a hell of a lot better than the Star Wars prequels with Jar Jar Binx! Meesa said it, youssa know it to be true.

[@johannageisel5390]

So true!

[@Just_One_Tree]

Thanks for another great video! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@norahammen1275]

I am constantly amazed that you're able to post multiple videos a week and they're always well-thought out/researched/well-edited like omigod you're a witch

[@alsie8459]

This is the first video of yours I've watched and honestly I loved every bit of it. Your personality is EVERYTHING and I agree with your points regarding Jupiter Ascending.

[@the_artful_rabbit]

Amazing video! I saw the movie last night after watching your video (it's available on Netflix FR) and it was so much fun to watch ♥️

[@yulebones]

You had me gut-laughing all through this. I'm so glad I discovered your channel! "Being cruel doesn't mean that you're strong, especially when you're fighting a bunch of cruel people." S t e l l a r. Also you saying the Wachowskis would have eaten Star Wars made me SO MAD and I would like admission to that reality, please! Oh my god.

[@MaidOfPasta]

I always loved the movie, and I think you properly put into words why it resonated with me so much. I still listen to the soundtrack VERY often. It’s criminally underrated along with Jupiter herself.

[@megalina2]

I'm so glad I found your channel. The "this is pod racing " line had me on the floor

[@scottlypuff]

wow, this video randomly popped up and i am so glad i clicked on it. what a great perspective. i am glad i am not alone in wishing better for this series. can't wait to watch more videos!

[@crows2808]

I have always described Jupiter Ascending as two very good films with the most important bits on the cutting room floor. It jumps around too quickly. Here we are with these characters, and now there we are with a whole different set of characters. Too quick. These set pieces, by the way, are very French. French sci-fi comics, specifically. There's a strong Moebius feel to quite a bit too. Straight up, one of my favourite moments in the film is when she's told how many lives go into making one single vial of whatever the local spice is called here. And she's so surprised she drops it. And immediately we're as horrified as she is at what she's done. A casual waste of genocide. Glad to see someone finally openly love this film. Thank you.

[@johannageisel5390]

I love Jupiter Ascending and I want to see more of that universe. It seems there is still so much to explore! I really want a sequel. It would be much more interesting than a 4th Matrix movie. I love the aesthetic, I love the over-the-top characters and concepts, and I really love how well Jupiter holds up when confronted with dangerous and seemingly hopeless situations. I mean, just imagine yourself in her place - would you be able to do better? For an everyday person she's pretty badass. About that romance: I had the strong feeling Jupiter had a crush on Caine pretty early on and then she just took the initiative. Sure, that's probably not the great true love yet, but she also didn't say that. It was so cute and wholesome. No bickering, no coersion thinly veiled as seduction, no patronizing... It's just great.

[@maringouin42]

I enjoy the hell out of this movie and I'm so glad you gave it a fair look and shared your thoughts :)

[@yolispinner6653]

OMG, thank you!! You have put all my feelings into words.

[@patchworkdragon2588]

Caine should have been allowed to be gay in this film. The love between him and Jupiter could have been based on friendship and mutual respect for each other’s skills in dealing with the situation. Alas you are not going to get this pairing in a big movie hero genre anytime soon.

[@rafaela00002]

I'd have loved a jupiter ascending tv show 😭💕

[@Nastya-uj9bg]

i remember I saw it in the theater and it was fine popcorn movie. and then people started to say it's the worst thing on earth. omg it is fine and trashy and eddie's acting is hilarious!

[@JM-mh1pp]

Some of us want more out of a movie than just sitting in a dark room watching pretty pictures.

[@Nastya-uj9bg]

@@JM-mh1pp totally!! that's why you went to see the movie about bees and space-dogs. damn it, why wasn't it 12 angry man?!?!

[@JM-mh1pp]

@@Nastya-uj9bg This kind of thinking is what hold sci fi movies for decades, you can have bees and space dogs AND a good plot! One does not exclude the other. Want to talk about underrated movies? Cloud Atlas was f-ing dope and it had biorobots, made up strange language and agent smith in a dress.

[@Nastya-uj9bg]

@@JM-mh1pp but you have to admit that it is all about taste. like i recently rewatched blade runner and i think it is overpraised dumpster fire. and I have more problems with money-grubs like 455 movies from marvel or disney live actions or mummy with tom cruise. and i don't think this movie is that, i really don't. the wachowskis feel always earnest even when they are not at their top-game. i was not bored by this movie.

[@JM-mh1pp]

@@Nastya-uj9bg but you have to admit that it is all about taste Yes and no. Do I like some bad movies? SURE! I love some really and I mean REALLY bad movies (I like Gods of Egypt for example, I could tear this movie to pieces but I still just love to watch it, hell I like into the badlands and most of old hong kong kung fu movies and those had plots written on a piece of napkin...after shooting was over). But there are rules to making your movie...not good (if we had those there would not be bad movies) but engaging. Like for example - making your protagonist active, your protagonist should act not only be acted upon. Simple example...Frodo. Frodo is just your average dude, with fighting abilities sitting at comfortable 0. He is not badass like Aragorn Gimli, Boromir or Legolas. And yet, he is not a passive protagonist- while at the beginning he is acted upon (he needs to leave the shire, not much choice there) later on he decides to take the ring, and even later decides to split from the party. He CHOOSES to go knowing what is at stake, he acts. Another example- Harry Potter- at the beginning he is acted upon, he gets leter from hogwart, strange gigantic hobo guy takes him from his family and flat out tells him he is the chosen one. But soon after that he begins to ACT...he chooses to investigate matters about Flamel, he chooses to get the stone. He influences the story by his decisions and actions. Another example Katniss Everdeen- even more active protagonist- she chooses to become a tribute, she chooses her strategies, she acts all the time. If your main character is just along for the ride...it is not really a character, it is a package to be delivered. And Jupiter is such a package, she is constantly told how special she is but she is constantly kidnapped, rescued and kidnapped again, during the entire movie she makes ONE decision- to save her family. Another good story telling "trick"...your protagonist needs to care about the story...Jupiter does not. After learning a soul crushing fact that our planet exists to be harvested and there are many planets like ours, and that BILLIONS die to keep a small elite immortal...what does she do? Nothing, she happily returns to being a janitor. Imagine that Luke Skywalker returns to his farm after death of his uncle, or Harry Potter not caring about Voldemort and just staying in school etc. This should be a life changing revelation...but not for her. Entire jupiter ascending is nothing but a vapid fantasy of someone who only cares about themselves, she got a cute boyfriend, the end. I would be insulted if someone thought that this is my wish fullfilment fantasy.

[@walterobrien8045]

I’ve been thinking a lot about who should work on a live action Teen Titans movie if one ever existed, the Wachowski siblings are now on the list. Sorry if I misspelled the name.

[@samclean6779]

Finally someone who likes this movie! I remember when it first came out fandom called it "That self-insert sci-fi fanfic you wrote when you were 14" It's completely self indulgent and filled to the brim with potential with the extended universe they have and the lore they created. I did see there was a theory that Caine was actually past Jupiter's lover, and the noble he attacked was Balem, because he witnessed her murder. Think there was even concept art to support it.

[@ingwerschwensen8115]

Liked your vid, liked "Jupiter" too despite all its weaknesses, but: "Hyperion", how I remember forcing myself to read on through that bewildering beginning! And it was so worth it!

[@alexaaragon21]

This video is such a delight. While I totally agree with what you are saying. Your emotionality had me bouncing in my seat and focusing on the video when I usually just throw most youtube videos onto the background while I'm doing stuff

[@Amozon28]

your talking about the movie and what worked and what didnt work just made me realize halfway through that now that what would have in my mind fixed everything is a co-directed jupiter ascending shared between the wachowski sisters and guillermo del toro

[@Aishyo]

I never watched this but seen read and listened to a lot of reviews from people that loved it. And from what I got its a indulgent wacky femme power fantasy that many a young girl wrote. You know your first oc that drew on other characters that you like. Like how there are these wacky male peer fantasy movies that make little to no sense yet are popular. I don't know does that make sense 😩

[@liabw05]

I love your avatar! 💕🥺

[@fionatastic0.070]

Totally! Guys get to have good trashy fun but ladies? No way!

[@stephenmmcdowell]

totally makes sense, said something similar in my comment, i feeeel u

[@throwthatassinaprayercircl2662]

What's the power fantasy here? She is passive throughout the entire movie until she finally decides to say no. The action hero, the one who changes the course of the plot again and again, saving her bacon, is Channing Tatum. She's not written as smart either, since she falls for the first son's obvious ploy to marry and then kill her, and she doesn't consider the implications of abdicating under duress will have for Earth until she's already in the second son's hands. She is a princess who needs saving throughout this movie.

[@fionatastic0.070]

throw that ass in a prayer circle It mostly has to do with the attraction of being special and having someone to protect you. And although Jupiter doesn’t have physical power, she wields a lot of political power. The fantasy is having the ultimate power to right all the wrongs of the world because wouldn’t it be nice if it were that simple?

[@macmac_]

Amazing video as always!! Thank you for reminding me of what a lead female character could be! I always appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos and you always deliver w great quality. Truly a labor of love and passion and it resonates. Can't wait to see what's next! And yes, justice for our girl Sansa 😔✊🏼

[@letopizdetz]

And here i thought the movie flopped because it was badly written and poorly directed. I was quite interested in the setting/concept, the visuals were good, it had fine actors that worked really well in other shows, but the whole movie felt like a first draft written the night before the deadline.

[@letopizdetz]

@Dazed Hippie Yup, and even with the shoddy writing, it's missing that "hook". There are objectively badly written books and movies, that managed to captivate their target audience and made millions. Just take a look at 50 shades and Twilight, the audience was mostly women, and they did really well. So the whole "men didn't like it" shtick is no excuse for a flop.

[@throwthatassinaprayercircl2662]

Right. I just finished watching it to watch this video...and I'm underwhelmed. The MC was quite passive throughout, and was continually falling for or not catching onto obvious ploys. So it was frustrating, and I can see why it didn't do well.

[@zenithquasar9623]

And I think you full on nailed my feelings about Wachowski's vision at the end of the video. Like, that's exactly how I feel. Watch Cloud Atlas and its sci-fi bits, they look incredible!

[@quorraquar2677]

Yessss! I needed this! Ah! The Wizard of Oz parallels makes Jupiter Rising make more sense to me. Yesss I want to watch your version of Jupiter Rising!

[@EvelynDar]

Not gonna lie, the reviews for this movie has kept it buried in my ‘eh, maybe I’ll watch it one day when I’m super bored’ list. I’m now legit excited to watch it 😄

[@marksilla8276]

I'm loving that you are finally getting some recognition after you've been doing this for so long.

[@josephsmith2682]

I remember seeing this movie in theaters and absolutely loving the uniqueness of it. It's such a refreshing film, despite pulling from other sources.

[@TheCyborgMC]

I liked the world building concept of Jupiter Ascending, but Jupiter Jones herself as a Protagonist didn't actually "Protag". She was a passive presence in her own adventure. She was taken, kidnapped, escorted, or worshipped, but didn't often grab control of her own self determination and fight against the wind to get things done. Movie would have been a lot better if she had been a lot more proactive.

[@BrieyaSilverweb]

I saw 'Jupiter Ascending' and immediately loved it. I saw how it was blending a number of mythos, especially Greek. Yes, it was very 'Wizard of Oz' in space. As for the romance, I have a feeling editorial left it on the cutting room floor, not caring they made it clunky. They are more concerned with time frames, leaving important tidbits out. Her speech to Kane was to mirror how he talked about himself, trying to get him to see nobody is perfect. It would have been better if we had been given those missing moments. I watched it again with my boyfriend, and he loved it too. He really enjoyed the sci-fi and Jupiter's code of ethics, honor, and empathy. It didn't matter if her family wasn't the greatest, she was willing to do anything to help keep them afloat. You could see her struggle to not choose Earth over her family. Part of her wanted to be out of 'Oz' as fast as possible until she realized she couldn't live with the cost of this 'need.' The puppets made to be witnesses, the court of admirers, so many things when you look at Greek literature matches their depictions of the boredom and cruelty of the Gods. The 'Golden Apple' to grant ever lasting life came from the Tree of Life to be re-envisioned as Earth being the Garden with the apples, the apples being humans as the source of immortality. Goodness, this is just one of many. And for her to have the name of a God, not a Goddess, to revamp the position a leader should have, what a deity should be, yah, so many layers of awesome. I feel many had trouble taking in how much mythos, and not just from Greek, is woven into this movie. It is an information overload. You have to keep watching it and finding more pieces to reflect parts of nearly all myths around the globe.

[@zombiegaby]

Talking about female strength, i would love to have your opinion on The OA which in my opinion contains characters that dont have classic masculine strenght. I'm so sad it got canceled but the theories that came out after were so fun and the fans never let it go

[@janellelives5158]

I love The OA I’m so sad it got cancelled.

[@mikeciul8599]

I've been watching Orphan Black, and with the context of this video I saw an interesting contrast between two characters - Felix and Donnie. Both of them are surrounded by ruthless, violent people, but only Felix has the strength to resist that. Both of them seem gentle by nature, but I think Donnie sees that as a defect, and tries to emulate the violence he sees around him, while Felix distances himself from it and looks for peaceful solutions.

[@MSwede]

Alright. You sold me. I'm gonna watch this niw

[@florptytoo]

It's a play on the word Abraxas.

[@ribonichigo]

I honestly can't remember the movie's story but I only remember really enjoying the film. It was confusing to be fair, the romance felt forced. But oh god it was so beautiful and the world looked so interesting and I was hoping for more.

[@alvarocafe]

I watched Jupiter Ascending and thought it was awesome. Not so much when I watched it sober.

[@mcarts4722]

Lmao perfect description

[@beckaliz]

I love this movie so much, I just love that it's an uncomplicated fun couple of hours with a lot of pretty and cool things to look at, and people need to stop expecting this edgy deep plot stuff that hollywood likes churning out. Gimme more of this!

[@jmarch3467]

I remember feeling gleeful watching this movie. It felt like a ridiculous and fun love letter from women and girls to women and girls. Felt like it cared the most if we liked it and anyone else either had to go along for the ride or give it a pass. I hope that despite the financial incentives to do otherwise, we still get movies like this. Great video explaining why I enjoyed it so much---and your Inuyasha analogy is a fantastic idea to shore up the weaker romance, too.

[@zygoncommander1239]

Alright, alright, I’ll watch the damn thing. Great video as always

[@TacticusPrime]

I could not believe that Jupiter Ascending was not based on a YA novel. It has all the classics of the genre. Secret birthright, crazy adventure, multiple dudes obsessed with the protag (including one who is an angel/werewolf/bounty hunter with anti-gravity rollerskates).