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Mon Dec 21
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As a person of "color", I think that this and other white written articles tend to over analize these themes and get more annoyed than they should...
I liked avatar, it's not original, and it is preachy, but it's also kinda fun.
I too, however think you touch very valid points about the recurrence of white people becoming the most awesome native. Would I like it more if they used more original ways of dealing with "issues"? yup.
I just don't think this is one of those movies you should go to see expecting anything more than a pretty flick with fun action scenes.
The film is not racist, but the humans are. If racism can be defined as the belief that race is a primary determinant of human(or humanoid) traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race, the humans exhibit their racism by believing their technoligical superiority proves their racial superiority, and is justification to remove the Na'vi from their home because the resource beneath it is more important to the humans than the well-being of those they deem the inferior race.
Seriously? You're citing The OC, Chuck and Gossip Girl as positive mentions on someone's resume for a property that had more depth than all of them even with people shooting rays from their eyes?
It's worth wondering why Fox seems scared to make movies set after X-Men: The Last Stand. Yes, it was a bad movie, but that bad?
Making a sequel to X3 means that the fourth installment has to do without Professor X, Phoenix, Cyclops, and must deal with depowered Rogue and Magneto. (Not that they couldn't bring 'em back, but that makes for some weak storytelling.)
It's also a case of diminishing returns and a lowered production cost. A fourth installment is likely to be less of a success than a reboot. By constrast, a reboot means Fox doesn't have to coax Jackman, Paquin, Berry, Stewart, McKellan, Grammer, Page, et al. to return, when they're likely going to be costly and reluctant.
@Whitworthian: Professor X returned in the end of the film. Also, Magneto demonstrated that the serum only lasted a few weeks, so both he and Rogue would be back to their powered-up states.
Cyclops never did much for me as a character, and James Marsden never really brought much to the character to begin with. Guy had like seven lines in the three films.
There are dozens and dozens of stories in the X-men universe to choose from, and there's nothing stopping anyone form doing any of those storylines.
Singer will do a good job of executing a story that really does not need to be told. They should've hired Schwartz to just write x4 (or turn the next Wolverine movie into 'Basically X4) because the movies feature young people anyway, so there's always a 'new class' anyway.
Let's just enjoy the Marvel features Marvel is handling itself--it will save us from further Fox-inspired disappointment (though I believe Lauren Donner--or whatever--has her heart in the right place).
@Colander: Lauren Schuler-Donner who decided that John Constantine needed to live in L.A. and be played by Keanu Reeves has her heart in the right place? Dude, she probably doesn't even have one!
@jbq: I dunno, she just seems, when I read her quotes, to be the person at Fox who at least tries. Listen to the X2 commentary--she seems pretty reasonable.
I've already said elsewhere. Just use Bishop or Cable in the traitor storyline if the franchise gets back on track and create your alternate "Star Trek" timeline. Then it's all new and different and you can redo the mutant cure and Dark Phoenix storylines differently with new stuff as well.
@WestMantooth: Yes, there are so many ways to remedy X3, which sucked, but didn't ruin the franchise by any means (I believe we're still in the process of destroying this franchise). They just need to grow some balls, get the band back together, get some new members, and make with the awesome.
I think there needs to be a universal policy for comic writing that should cover the books and movies.
Namely, write it like someone else has to pick up where you left off.
Unless of course the series is definitively without question ending.
This way things like the Last Stand killing chunks of the cast and making a mess of a job for any future sequels would likely not happen.
It really amazes me how X3 managed to screw up the Dark Phoenix storyline so very, very badly.
Not to mention killing off characters for no particular reason. And neutering Rogue. And letting Vinnie Jones anywhere near it.
Dream scenario: X4 does Days of Future Past. Kitty Pryde in an alternate future devastated by Sentinels, mentally sent back in time by Rachel, changes history. They'd only be accused of knocking off Terminator and Star Trek though, and it'd be confusing as all hell unless done very well.
firstanointed promoted this comment
Edited by Definer-not-defined at 12/19/09 3:00 PM
Definer-not-defined was starred
Definer-not-defined was unstarred
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12/20/09
I liked avatar, it's not original, and it is preachy, but it's also kinda fun.
I too, however think you touch very valid points about the recurrence of white people becoming the most awesome native. Would I like it more if they used more original ways of dealing with "issues"? yup.
I just don't think this is one of those movies you should go to see expecting anything more than a pretty flick with fun action scenes.
12/20/09
12/20/09
12/20/09
Nice article.
12/19/09
Yes. Yes it was. To this day it is the only movie I have ever wanted to walk out of.
12/19/09
12/19/09
12/19/09
Making a sequel to X3 means that the fourth installment has to do without Professor X, Phoenix, Cyclops, and must deal with depowered Rogue and Magneto. (Not that they couldn't bring 'em back, but that makes for some weak storytelling.)
It's also a case of diminishing returns and a lowered production cost. A fourth installment is likely to be less of a success than a reboot. By constrast, a reboot means Fox doesn't have to coax Jackman, Paquin, Berry, Stewart, McKellan, Grammer, Page, et al. to return, when they're likely going to be costly and reluctant.
12/19/09
Cyclops never did much for me as a character, and James Marsden never really brought much to the character to begin with. Guy had like seven lines in the three films.
There are dozens and dozens of stories in the X-men universe to choose from, and there's nothing stopping anyone form doing any of those storylines.
12/19/09
For some reason, though, screenwriters in Hollywood don't really want to do that.
12/19/09
Still I'd like to see a new take on Batman that didn't involve Nolan.
12/19/09
A: When white people stop paying to watch them.
(Race and ethnicity aside, I won't be watching Avatar because it looks like overblown pap and the preview alone is migraine-inducing.)
12/19/09
Let's just enjoy the Marvel features Marvel is handling itself--it will save us from further Fox-inspired disappointment (though I believe Lauren Donner--or whatever--has her heart in the right place).
12/19/09
12/19/09
12/19/09
12/20/09
12/20/09
12/19/09
12/19/09
12/19/09
Namely, write it like someone else has to pick up where you left off.
Unless of course the series is definitively without question ending.
This way things like the Last Stand killing chunks of the cast and making a mess of a job for any future sequels would likely not happen.
12/19/09
Not to mention killing off characters for no particular reason. And neutering Rogue. And letting Vinnie Jones anywhere near it.
Dream scenario: X4 does Days of Future Past. Kitty Pryde in an alternate future devastated by Sentinels, mentally sent back in time by Rachel, changes history. They'd only be accused of knocking off Terminator and Star Trek though, and it'd be confusing as all hell unless done very well.
12/19/09
They were years behind Marvel in this screw-up. It was just a different screw-up.
12/19/09
12/19/09
X-Men
X2
Superman Returns
12/19/09
12/19/09
And Iceman? Really?
Really?