Comments on: A Humanist Call from Mt. Hollywood

By: Maryb

Maryb — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:37:52 +0000

George Monbiot’s review of the film in the Guardian yesterday –

‘Mawkish, maybe. But Avatar is a profound, insightful, important filmCameron’s blockbuster offers a chilling metaphor for European butchery of the Americas. No wonder the US right hates it.’

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/jan/11/mawkish-maybe-avatar-profound-important
~~~~~~~~~~
I think I will have to see it to see which of these differing opinions I agree with.

By: kalidas

kalidas — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:02:39 +0000

The majority of people commenting here have zero interest, let alone faith, in any Avatar.

The jokers who made this movie don’t either. Even if they might grasp what the word Avatar truly means, this would only disturb them immensely.

By: anthony innes

anthony innes — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:21:46 +0000

Tony an Doc thanks for the reply.Beauty is something that should not be exploited .Kalidas shows that the producers thast worked this rip were quite prepared to borrow all they could from classic hero worship (no intellectual copyright infringement)to suspend disbelief so they could make a buck.No arguement there.What I object to is that Atzmon is gatekeeping : real discussion about the movie would be that the sentience on Avatar in real life would go to earth and have this corporation up before the International Criminal Court .Maryb ‘s comment would have an extra sting if Obama had to explain that to his kids.
One more thing: “real life drone pilots ” are soldiers sitting somehwere safe while they bomb,weddings,funerals schools and hospitals etc .These “soldiers ” are selected on their ability to play electronic games and I would say are definitely screened for a complete lack of empathy with the targets.
Suspension of disbelief is a strong tool and I love clever fantasy,beauty and this planet,and alas as human also would like to see artist craft used to educate that war is a crime and punishable by LAW.You see I am getting at real fantasy not more of the same mindless violence and fairy stories of the indigenous winning any battles. In real life you die in wars and the victories go to the those who fight in court.

By: Maryb

Maryb — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 18:31:57 +0000

I wonder what the esteemed leader of the US of A thought of the film and whether he picked up its meaning.

‘But it wasn’t all sports for the Obamas – the family did find time to relax at the cinema also, with a private showing of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’.
The Obamas visited a cinema near their rented house yesterday morning for a screening of the 3-D hit, before the day’s regular screening’s began.
Mr Obama, a self-described film buff, left his compound with Sasha, Malia and wife Michelle before noon on New Year’s Eve.
The family have been in Hawaii since Christmas. They are set to return to Washington in the new year.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1239816/Surfin-USA-Obamas-daughters-hit-waves-Hawaii-dad-hits-links.html

By: kalidas

kalidas — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:47:58 +0000

Wow!

German philosophical thought. Perhaps a good intentioned usurping. (Vedanta?)

Bluish folks. (Krishna?)

V shaped tilaka markings on forehead. (Vaishnavism?)

Dredlocks worn for thousands of years. (Sadhus?)

Invaded and occupied country. (India?)

Mother Goddess. (Maa, Kali, Durga?)

“transplanted into his Na’vi Avatar” (transmigration?)

And I haven’t even seen the movie yet.

By: Tonyandoc

Tonyandoc — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:36:53 +0000

Anthony, I consider myself human and my awareness was lifted. As soon as I started watching the movie I saw all the messages that Atzman lists. Further, I saw the Avatars as a simile for drones; high-tech disposable artifacts, controlled by remote “warriors”, safe from danger, preying on relatively defenseless indigenous population. I was excited to think that some real life drone pilots might decide that “this is not what they signed on for” as well.
I have to admit that when I raised this with the others who saw the movie with me, I got some strange looks. So maybe, like beauty, the message is in the eye of the beholder.

By: anthony innes

anthony innes — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:49:51 +0000

Atzman is kidding himself and is part of the growing publicity for this glitzy,special effects drenched fable that does little to lift human awareness .
“Colonel Quaritch blames Jake for “betraying his race”. Jake indeed changes sides; he is doing it for a good cause.” Cameron wrote this turkey and it shows.The concept of race died with DNA .Rather than take Joseph Campbell’s “heroes Journey ” analysis of myth further Cameron gives us the same tired Bruckheimeresque crap extolling the military’s overwhelming dominance in the creation of the avatar. Another faceless corporation screwing everything for “unobtainium”. Give us a break!.
This is pathetic comic book cliched entertainment reinforcing the worn stereotypes which continue to drain the chance of real thinking from an audience getting enough propaganda as it is.
Confusing technical and production cleverness with culture and genuine breakthrough-thinking is what got us the military/police state we are struggling to bring to rule of LAW today. We do not need reductionist rubbish to be extolled as something great.
338 million dollars for this dud. This was thin fare and shows the creative bankruptcy of the studio system and its inability to deliver real impact with new insight. Compared with King Kong or Shrek (unabashed romps) Avatar hit the wall with its pretentious preaching. Any film that opens with hype for its computer game should give you an idea of the audience it aims at. Ascribing lofty ideals to Avatar misleads unwary filmgoers completely. A” humanist call” be buggered this was a commercial for its game and merchandising.