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[swiacy]

I am culturally deprived. What is the definition of an "anthro type". And what does AAA stand for that was so offended? As a "Boomer", I think of AAA as an auto club that you call when having trouble on an out of town trip.

[3TrueFans]

The thing is is that the big bad military guy, or the big bad corporation is an easy go-to for an antagonist. It isn't particularly inventive or creative, it's been done to death, but when the real star of the show is the technology you don't need to break much new ground when it comes to the story. Now that we live in such a hypersensitive world everybody is just so eager to label everything as left wing or right wing when it's really just a movie.

It's not like this is a new concept, as you said, this is a basic rewrite of the Pocahontas story set in the future as opposed to the past. So why is this so political but Pocahontas wasn't, quality of each movie aside.

[Phaedrus]

I'm not saying I thought the movie was all that good, I've already said it was just decent. And I agree, the characters weren't that developed, but to switch the evil from the big corporations/military to the scientists only serves your agenda, and I don't see how that would be any better than the agenda you feel Cameron already had.

Why the need for evil? Lots of terrific movies where both sides have issues, and both sides have their good points.

I get that some movies are cartoons. I like unpretentious movies that aspire to just being cartoons. Unfortunately, Avatar is being hyped as a new religion by a whole bunch of folks.

The problem I have, is that Avatar, just like Cameron's other movies, starts out with so much promise, yet he always has to go full ****** with his plots.

[ISUPoker]

[burn587]

Why the need for evil? Lots of terrific movies where both sides have issues, and both sides have their good points.

I get that some movies are cartoons. I like unpretentious movies that aspire to just being cartoons. Unfortunately, Avatar is being hyped as a new religion by a whole bunch of folks.

The problem I have, is that Avatar, just like Cameron's other movies, starts out with so much promise, yet he always has to go full ****** with his plots.

Aliens and Terminator 2 never go "full ******" IMO. Two great movies. Haven't seen Avatar so I can't comment.

[Phaedrus]

I am culturally deprived. What is the definition of an "anthro type". And what does AAA stand for that was so offended? As a "Boomer", I think of AAA as an auto club that you call when having trouble on an out of town trip.

Post-modernist anthropologists are people who believe that you can only describe other societies in terms of the evils perpetrated upon them by white, european imperialism.

They dominate the anthropological world and are quite fun to be around.

AAA is the American Anthropological Association. Their sole purpose appears to be to provide a voice for the post-modernists to attempt to force their dogmatic views upon everyone else who works in the social sciences.

Oddly enough, the post-modernist anthropological viewpoint is incredibly dogmatic, arrogant and culturally imperialist in a weird, twisted way. If you look at the psychological term "projection", it fits them to a "T".

As an aside, reasonable anthropologists are making serious inroads into their profession; I have several anthropologist friends who are reasonable human beings, but they pretty much have to fight tooth and claw to find work/get scholarships/grants.

[Phaedrus]

The thing is is that the big bad military guy, or the big bad corporation is an easy go-to for an antagonist. It isn't particularly inventive or creative, it's been done to death, but when the real star of the show is the technology you don't need to break much new ground when it comes to the story. Now that we live in such a hypersensitive world everybody is just so eager to label everything as left wing or right wing when it's really just a movie.

It's not like this is a new concept, as you said, this is a basic rewrite of the Pocahontas story set in the future as opposed to the past. So why is this so political but Pocahontas wasn't, quality of each movie aside.

One of the real problems I have with the movie is the close meshing of current events combined with the "White Men are Evil" theme which dominates both movies. Much of the "bad guy" dialogue is lifted from George Bush/Karl Rove/Don Rumsfeld speeches. This is not a coincidence, imo.

Avatar is pretentious while Pocahontas was sold as just a kids movie.

Plus, plus, people are taking Avatar seriously. As in, they are abandoning their lives, painting themselves blue and living in the root systems of large trees. The movie has become a freak magnet.

This is disturbing to me.

[cyfan964]

The thing is is that the big bad military guy, or the big bad corporation is an easy go-to for an antagonist. It isn't particularly inventive or creative, it's been done to death, but when the real star of the show is the technology you don't need to break much new ground when it comes to the story. Now that we live in such a hypersensitive world everybody is just so eager to label everything as left wing or right wing when it's really just a movie.

It's not like this is a new concept, as you said, this is a basic rewrite of the Pocahontas story set in the future as opposed to the past. So why is this so political but Pocahontas wasn't, quality of each movie aside.

I can see both sides to the issue, and respect everyones opinion, but like I have stated previously I don't really care what the political implications are. I also highly respect the military and could see why it would be offensive to them.

From my point of view there needed to be a bad guy in the movie and like 3TrueFans says the military was an easy out. Could it have been done differently? Sure. However, that doesn't effect how I like the movie. If political connotations were the basis for this movie, I think Cameron failed miserably...

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but if I thought about politics when I went to enjoy a movie, I would consider my life to be dire and crestfallen.

[3TrueFans]

I still think that people try to dig way to deep into movies. I don't much care if the director was pushing a particular agenda, that's his perogative obviously, I only care if he made the movie enjoyable enough that I don't feel like I wasted my $7. But I am not a political person by any stretch of the imagination.

[Phaedrus]

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but if I thought about politics when I went to enjoy a movie, I would consider my life to be dire and crestfallen.

See, here is the nub of the debate. You, and many others see analysis and critical thinking as a "buzz-kill". Myself, and a few others find it extremely exciting and stimulating. I don't think either point of view is inherently wrong.

I find this thread to be fun. As you say, it really is "different strokes for different folks".

[Phaedrus]

I still think that people try to dig way to deep into movies. I don't much care if the director was pushing a particular agenda, that's his perogative obviously, I only care if he made the movie enjoyable enough that I don't feel like I wasted my $7. But I am not a political person by any stretch of the imagination.

So, have you seen "Birth of a Nation?" How about "Triumph of the Will?"

Both very excellent movies, and since you don't believe in so-called over-analysis, you should like them quite well....

You know, politics shouldn't matter, as they're just movies, right?

[jdoggivjc]

Actually the movie itself was an angry political extremist rant by James Cameron.

James Cameron = Political extremist himself. Google some of his public statements.

BTW, Titanic was an awful, awful movie that did a masterful job of targeting 13 year old girls, which made it box-office gold.

I actually had Titanic on VHS. If, when you bought it, you just threw out the first tape and watched the second tape (where the ship hits the iceberg) up to the point where Jack dies and turn it off right there, it's actually a pretty good movie.

[jdoggivjc]

One of the real problems I have with the movie is the close meshing of current events combined with the "White Men are Evil" theme which dominates both movies. Much of the "bad guy" dialogue is lifted from George Bush/Karl Rove/Don Rumsfeld speeches. This is not a coincidence, imo.

Avatar is pretentious while Pocahontas was sold as just a kids movie.

Plus, plus, people are taking Avatar seriously. As in, they are abandoning their lives, painting themselves blue and living in the root systems of large trees. The movie has become a freak magnet.

This is disturbing to me.

If you remember the protests this decade at U of Cal (over the U tearing down a bunch of trees to expand their football stadium), you would know that they had already abandoned their lives and were already living in the root systems of large trees. It's just them painting themselves blue is a new and peculiar behavior...

[cyfan964]

See, here is the nub of the debate. You, and many others see analysis and critical thinking as a "buzz-kill". Myself, and a few others find it extremely exciting and stimulating. I don't think either point of view is inherently wrong.

I find this thread to be fun. As you say, it really is "different strokes for different folks".

I agree that I am enjoying a somewhat political debate without getting political.

I definitely use analysis and critical thinking (as everyone does whether they realize it or not) when watching a movie, and after I've watched a movie, I just don't understand why a movie like this has to be considered political I guess. It's not the direct intent of the film.

[cyfan964]

So, have you seen "Birth of a Nation?" How about "Triumph of the Will?"

Both very excellent movies, and since you don't believe in so-called over-analysis, you should like them quite well....

You know, politics shouldn't matter, as they're just movies, right?

I've seen both of them... while I was in a films class at Iowa State actually. Both of those films were obviously political. I think you are kind of comparing apples to oranges with this one. I don't think Cameron thought, "hey let's make a highly political movie and just make the graphics so awesome that it get's hidden away."