Sean Akizuki's Fantasy Critic

I do still miss the late Robin Williams but like Naomi Scott -- Will Smith does his part as the Genie rather well. No autotuning and I decided to really give the film its own credits. While I still go "BAH!" with Luke Evans singing "Gaston" -- Smith actually did good in his own way. Nostalgia is getting there but just listen to his remake version of Prince Ali.  Smith has plenty of acting experience to play a rather complicated, hammy character. What Williams has -- Smith has in his own way. We can see how he decides not to hide behind the greatness of Williams and become his very own genie. The movie even made some alternations to the Genie such as turning him into a human in the end. Also, the Genie singing the Arabian Nights song makes him his very own genie.

After considering that Jasmine being less attractive has its own charm (but I haven't changed my mind about Emma Watson as Belle) -- I still thought of a possible alternative casting. So here are my picks for Jafar and Jasmine... I thought the cast doesn't have to be of Middle Eastern descent. Will Smith is of African-American descent. Naomi Scott is half-Indian. Now, I want to think that the better Jafar over Tunisian-Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari could've been Luke Evans. Evans looked more like Jafar than he would as Gaston. Kenzari is what I'd call too hot to play the role of Jafar who wasn't known for being attractive. Kenzari could play any attractive villain which I think makes him not the best choice for Jafar. On the other hand, Evans wasn't really attractive enough to play Gaston. As said, that part should've been for the much younger Zac Efron. Although Scott did a good job -- I thought Victoria Justice could've made a more attractive Pri...

It's ironic how Naomi Scott made me hesitate over Power Rangers (2017) but hasn't done the same effect for me for Aladdin (2019). So how did Princess Jasmine being less hot actually work? Princess Jasmine (1992) is  too hot for her own good. Jafar in the 1990s version goes from a scheming vizier who soon got Jasmine's hotness into is head later in the game. But the 2019 version has a less attractive Jasmine actually worked. How do I think it worked? It doesn't distract me from the changes the story had. For instance, Jasmine being presented to be less attractive (but still attractive in her own way) makes you want her more for power than appearance. Jafar (2019) is more focused on, "I must marry the princess to legitimize my planned tyranny." He even attempts to marry her rather than that disturbing scene in the 1990s version where Jasmine was forced to become what could be a sex slave for Jafar. Jafar (2019) focuses on marrying Jasmine so he could finally ...

I know I've had issues with Disney capitalizing on their past successes such as Beauty and the Beast but I can't deny this cover is actually pretty good. I'd still like the original better (due to Lea Salonga-Chien singing Jasmine's voice) BUT I don't want to dismiss whatever good qualities this has. So, just sit down and enjoy although the end credits version is just facedesk due to how lifeless it is. Better than autotuning Emma Watson for the 2017 version of Beauty and the Beast. Though I still love this version for nostalgia reasons. Is a generation gap really affecting me or what? 

It's just a few days before Aladdin 2019 will screen in theaters. But now, I have a lot of concerns which should be WTF Disney why are we just getting BLAND REMAKES? Maybe, I can forever just say, "Well I can tolerate Naomi Scott as Jasmine looking like the Goddess of Mercy ." but there's more than that with the following... Bland remakes or covers of the classic songs. The digital age is supposedly there to help things out but what happened. No, I have nothing against Zayn Malik and Will Smith -- it's more of whoever was behind them just didn't direct it well. Is it me or is it just nostalgic sickness? Personally, I think I have it with Beauty and the Beast (2017) because I hold dear the 90s classic! But again the Prince Ali cover and the remake of A Whole New World makes me rewatch the old school scenes! I could talk about Jafar next. From a rather unattractive Gaston who looks like Jafar -- now we've got a HOT Jafar who could've made a...

As if casting Naomi Scott as Kimberly for the Power Rangers movie by Lionsgate wasn't weird enough (and I hope Toei and Hasbro will abandon the movie project altogether) -- I just felt casting her as Jasmine is kinda awkward. How so? Scott herself is half-Indian and half-British and not of Middle Eastern descent. It almost feels as awkward as Chinese TV series that make Chinese celebrities play non-Chinese characters, having American actors play French characters (ex. various incarnations of Hunchback of Notre Dame) or how several incarnations of The Monkey King have Indian characters played by Chinese celebrities! Her appearance in the Aladdin movie makes her look like Avalokitesvara the Bodhisattva of Compassion instead of Princess Jasmine. Right now, I'd rather imagine the actress playing the role of an Indian princess who gave up her birthright and swears herself to celibacy to achieve enlightenment, gave the ultimate sacrifice of giving her eyes and arms to cure her ...

I was shocked to discover that Aladdin was described as Chinese by the original tale.  However despite being described as Chinese, Aladdin's story had a very erroneous view of China like just the name Aladdin is VERY ARABIC and the "emperor" was more of a Sultan, Chinese emperors do not call their advisers as viziers and that "China" was actually the "utter east".  I've read more information of this China and it's very erroneously set.  In fact, Aladdin's story is more Arabic than Chinese especially when none of Chinese culture is mentioned.  Presumably, China was the rough draft in itself but the story was later rewritten to sound more authentic to be part of the 1001 Nights. In fact, the people in Aladdin's story are still very Middle Eastern in almost everything which some commentators set the story of Turkestan instead of the actual China itself therefore it feels more authentic to make Aladdin as he should be rewritten as- as an...

Disney's Aladdin was of course having a lot of changes for this version.  The most notable change has to be Jafar.  In the novel, the magician held no power whatsoever in authority except he was after the lamp and it was only later he lusted after the princess plus the royal vizier had a son, though in Faerie Tale Theatre, the princess Badroulbadour was set to marry the vizier than the vizier's son.  In Aladdin, the character of the Vizier was merged with the unnamed sorcerer creating the really scary villain Jafar.  So what's the deal with Jafar?  Jafar is probably 42 years old or even older, he lusts for power and later the princess.  Just made me think, he really is a creepy villain and remember Jasmine is only 16 years old!  The reason why he wants the lamp in Aladdin is to get its power so he can have lots of it. A master manipulator at best, Jafar is obviously the type to want power for himself and of course, he has been manipulating the Sult...

While there's the least obvious that Aladdin here has changed from Chinese to Arabic (as most adaptations did) but now let's see the differences... aside from Abu and Rajah.  In the original, Aladdin's father had died and his mother was shown in the fic.  In the movie, Aladdin was thought to be an orphan at the streets (homeless urchin) until the Aladdin and the King of Thieves movie.  So pretty much, much a difference.  Also Aladdin doesn't meet Jasmine earlier, he was a child at the beginning of the novel.  Jasmine was also shown to have been paraded when Aladdin first saw her. The first is the Genie.  In the original story, there is the Genie of the Lamp and the Genie of the Ring, two genies.  The Genie of the Lamp in the original story grants unlimited wishes, the Disney's Genie only granted three wishes.  Also, Disney completely removed the genie of the ring and created a sentient magic carpet in its place. Another great difference is ...

As a child, I pretty thought my now missing storybook called "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" was merely a rewrite of Aladdin which I thought was from the Middle East. So pretty much the names are very Middle Eastern yet amazingly, Aladdin was set in CHINA?! Yup, that's what I discovered and of course, the Disney's Aladdin is a radical adaptation with a lot of changes and most versions of Aladdin that usually stay faithful to most of the book's events are shown in the Middle East but China? It had me baffled. The French translator Antoine Galland added it into the collection. You can read more  here  to find the information. Yup I remembered watching Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp in Faerie Tale Theatre which was set in the Middle East. I don't know why only a few people knew of Aladdin being Chinese. In that one, Aladdin had the genies of the ring and the lamp (both James Earl Jones). The princess was originally named Badroulbadour and of course, the roya...