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EdgeCrusher

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    Avatar

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Yeah, everyone seems to feel the need to get butthurt over every little concept, when it's a movie. A well crafted movie at that. But then again people who see this as offensive probably are the same that want to pick apart movies like The Matrix for religious undertones and push the image that there's a stereotype at every turn.

    Fact is, great movie, great visuals, and very touching.

    Avatar

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    First off, I really liked the film. But my enjoyment comes with some baggage.

    For one thing, it's sad that such a high concept has to be given such a Hollywood treatment. There are so many places to go with the concept of putting ourselves into alien bodies and experiencing alien cultures first hand and the film has this sense like it wanted to let the audience know it was aware of those things so it touches on them briefly before charging ahead with the usual "humans versus aliens" science fiction battle plot.

    I also am upset by some of the racial imagery associated with the film. The aliens draw direct parellels to native americans. Or, I should say, a White Man's understanding of Native Americans. That's the biggest problem with the film, in my opinion. It has a message of befriend nature and the native Americans were right, but as usual, White writers and directors (in this case James Cameron on both fronts) miss the whole point. Being in touch with nature isn't some mystical thing that's exciting and filled with graphic splendor. It's hard work and requires a loss of our comforts and our inflated visions of who we are as a species. Similarly, the Native Americans weren't magical shamans who respected nature because they could talk to it and feel its pain. It was common sense. Shit in your own backyard and you'll have to clean it up someday. Cut down all the trees and you may have a house today, but tomorrow your children won't be able to eat. When you kill an animal, try to end its pain quickly because it's not pleasant to watch anything die in pain. Cats play with their food. Humans have the ability to choose not to do that. That's part of what makes us special. These are common sense things but White people can't seem to ever call it for what it is. They always have to disconnect it with fantastical terms and mystical trappings.

    "Oh please," some folk might say. "You can't do anything these days without offending someone." Offending someone isn't the real issue, though. I mean, we took these people's land and murdered their kinfolk. We're kind've past offense. At this point, it's about education. Continuing to propagate a Native American stereotype as being "Tribal" or connecting issues of environment to mysticism isn't particularly an ill-intentioned decision. In fact, in Avatar's case I would say it was well-intentioned. Nonetheless, it's an uneducated decision and that can be dangerous.

    Other than that, the film is beautiful, well-acted, and is pushing forward new ways of filming that are going to reshape the industry... at least for those who have the millions of dollars to utilize the techniques. It's also highly reminiscent of Ferngully. There's one scene in particular where I was waiting for Tim Curry to make a cameo appearance and start singing about "slime beneath me..."

    Just to let you know, I read this post to my wife, who is native american, and her dad, that is very well versed in native american history and studies since he does work for the people in Cherokee NC, and they both laughed and said that you are way off. Just figured I'd let you know.

    Steam Holiday Sale

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I got Braid, Riddick Dark Athena, Ghostbusters, Atari 80 games in 1, Jedi Knight Collection, and the Borderlands DLC. 37 bucks well spent.

    edit: add Stalker Clear Sky to that. I had already got stalker the last cheap sale, so might as well pick this up too.

    Arkham Asylum 2

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    They haven't said what the game was gonna include, so no reason to jump to conclusions yet.

    Also, the site shows an uncle sam picture, with a split hat and jacket, one disfigured hand, etc. So Two Face is hinted around. And at the end of Arkham 1, Two Face was robbing a bank, so it maybe a direct sequel starting from the bank?

    Press X to watch Chapter 2

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    ???

    I didn't care for the halo franchise from the very beginning to now and I don't get called an idiot...

    If he felt that he was on rails the whole time then that's how he felt about the game.

    That's cause FPS on a console is for retards as well, or jocks, which are just as retarded.

    Point is, my viewpoint is valid.

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