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San Francisco, 2:51 AM
Mon Dec 21
12 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Falsoman Falsoman
    12/20/09

    In reply to When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?
    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.
     Reply
    Falsoman was starred Falsoman was unstarred
    Image of Golem100 Golem100
    12/20/09

    In reply to When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?
    Will wait to see before commenting.
     Reply
    Edited by Golem100 at 12/20/09 4:25 PM Golem100 was starred Golem100 was unstarred
    Image of bmoreDLJ bmoreDLJ
    12/20/09

    In reply to When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?
    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.
     Reply
    bmoreDLJ was starred bmoreDLJ was unstarred
    Image of Insomnia Bob Insomnia Bob
    12/20/09

    In reply to When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?
    I hadn't even considered the idea of "white guilt scifi", but now that I do, it DOES seem a reoccurring theme.

    Nice article.
     Reply
    Insomnia Bob was starred Insomnia Bob was unstarred
    Image of Aidan_ Aidan_
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    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?

    Yes. Yes it was. To this day it is the only movie I have ever wanted to walk out of.
     Reply
    Aidan_ was starred Aidan_ was unstarred
    Image of AngriestGeek AngriestGeek
    12/19/09

    In reply to When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?
    In District 9 he was hardly their savior. In fact, he messes up their plan to save themselves. He's only correcting his mistake.
     Reply
    AngriestGeek was starred AngriestGeek was unstarred
    Image of kamauhogan kamauhogan
    12/20/09

    And in the end payed for his mistake. In contrast to Avatar, he didn't choose to stay as an alien.
     Reply
    Meredith Woerner promoted this comment Annalee Newitz approved this comment kamauhogan was starred kamauhogan was unstarred
    Image of OddManOut OddManOut
    12/20/09

    @AngriestGeek: BUT he has gets to have his redemptive "You go...I'll stay and hold them off in a blaze of selfless glory" that makes up for that fact. As the film runs HE still makes the salvation of the Prawns possible (pending a sequel of course). He's still ennobled in the end despite the fact that he was a selfish tard for 80% of the film.

    And as far as correcting his mistake, it's very clearly written into it that he didn't HAVE to. He could have escaped in the mech, but he came back to SAVE Christian when he heard they were going to kill him.

    Given all that I think the OP makes a good point that even District 9 has racial elements similar to Avatar.

    Just MHO...
     Reply
    Meredith Woerner promoted this comment OddManOut was starred OddManOut was unstarred
    Image of AngriestGeek AngriestGeek
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    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?
     Reply
    AngriestGeek was starred AngriestGeek was unstarred
    Image of Whitworthian Whitworthian
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    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.
     Reply
    Whitworthian was starred Whitworthian was unstarred
    Image of Smeagol92055 Smeagol92055
    12/19/09

    @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.
     Reply
    Smeagol92055 was starred Smeagol92055 was unstarred
    Image of Whitworthian Whitworthian
    12/19/09

    @Smeagol92055: Sure... there's nothing stopping anyone from adapting any of the wonderful stories that appeared in the comics.

    For some reason, though, screenwriters in Hollywood don't really want to do that.
     Reply
    Whitworthian was starred Whitworthian was unstarred
    Image of cylon_conspiracy cylon_conspiracy
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    I liked the tone of the first 2. I'm completely fine with someone as gifted as Singer continuing to direct X-Men. Not sure why it's a bad thing.

    Still I'd like to see a new take on Batman that didn't involve Nolan.
     Reply
    cylon_conspiracy was starred cylon_conspiracy was unstarred
    Image of golddiggersof2033 golddiggersof2033
    12/19/09

    In reply to When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?
    Q: When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like 'Avatar'?

    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.)
     Reply
    golddiggersof2033 was starred golddiggersof2033 was unstarred
    Image of Azza Gibbo Azza Gibbo
    01:43 AM

    @golddiggersof2033: please go and enjoy it with any children you have in 3D, James Cameron & Weta digital have outdone themselves in their ability to bring a fantasy world to life, pure escapism. Brought out my inner child. Just my opinion. Merry Christmas.
     Reply
    Meredith Woerner approved this comment Azza Gibbo was starred Azza Gibbo was unstarred
    Image of Colander Colander
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    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).
     Reply
    Edited by Colander at 12/19/09 3:03 PM Colander was starred Colander was unstarred
    Image of jbq jbq
    12/19/09

    @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!
     Reply
    jbq was starred jbq was unstarred
    Image of Colander Colander
    12/19/09

    @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.
     Reply
    Colander was starred Colander was unstarred
    Image of okelay okelay
    12/19/09

    @jbq: she has something similar to a hate-filled-pineapple, I believe.
     Reply
    jbq promoted this comment okelay was starred okelay was unstarred
    Image of jbq jbq
    12/20/09

    @Colander: I hear you, but still, Constantine. Worst. Adaptation. Ever (/Comic Book Guy Voice).
     Reply
    jbq was starred jbq was unstarred
    Image of jbq jbq
    12/20/09

    @okelay: Sounds pretty accurate, sir.
     Reply
    jbq was starred jbq was unstarred
    Image of WestMantooth WestMantooth
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    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.
     Reply
    WestMantooth was starred WestMantooth was unstarred
    Image of Colander Colander
    12/19/09

    @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.
     Reply
    Colander was starred Colander was unstarred
    Image of Demonbird Demonbird
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    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.
     Reply
    Demonbird was starred Demonbird was unstarred
    Image of PistachioWildebeest PistachioWildebeest
    12/19/09

    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.
     Reply
    Lassus promoted this comment PistachioWildebeest was starred PistachioWildebeest was unstarred
    Image of Lassus Lassus
    12/19/09

    @PistachioWildebeest: "It really amazes me how X3 managed to screw up the Dark Phoenix storyline so very, very badly."

    They were years behind Marvel in this screw-up. It was just a different screw-up.
     Reply
    Edited by Lassus at 12/19/09 1:59 PM Lassus was starred Lassus was unstarred
    Image of braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. braak: You are, as usual, completely correct.
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    On the other hand, Singer gets to come back to the franchise after Brett Ratner, which is bound to soften the criticism of anything he does.
     Reply
    braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. was starred braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. was unstarred
    Image of Yellowphant Yellowphant
    12/19/09

    In reply to Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea
    Why Bryan Singer's Return To The X-Men Is A Bad Idea:

    X-Men
    X2
    Superman Returns
     Reply
    Edited by Yellowphant at 12/19/09 12:41 PM Yellowphant was starred Yellowphant was unstarred
    Image of firstanointed firstanointed
    12/19/09

    @Yellowphant: The first X-Men was pretty good (except for the sissy-fying of Rogue's character) but otherwise, yeah.
     Reply
    firstanointed was starred firstanointed was unstarred
    Image of Definer-not-defined Definer-not-defined
    12/19/09

    @firstanointed: Oh God, Rogue. I frickin wanted to be her (well, minus the not touching) because she was that awesome. Movie Rogue was just wrong.

    And Iceman? Really?

    Really?
     Reply
    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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