Saeed sports his 3-D glasses
I didn't take any pictures of us after the movie. Saeed looked the same but I looked pitiful. I cried several times during the movie and my mascara was everywhere but on my eyelashes. All those issues I care most about were brought to life in front of my eyes: the greedy and powerful taking advantage of others, the invaders murdering the indigenous and their way of life, the destruction of animal and plant life as if it doesn't matter, the connection between humans/humanoids and other life forms (plants, animals), and so on. Chief Seattle's quote “Man does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” could have been the intro to this movie. I hope people who have not yet understood our (human) place amongst others have had that seed of realization planted in their consciousness as a result of seeing this movie. I could easily see discussion/analysis of Avatar turning into a course; there are so many departments that could offer it: Biology, Psychology, Ethics, Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, Art, Music, and of course Film.
In spite of my emotional reaction to Avatar I loved the movie - a true feast for the senses. I plan to buy the DVD once it comes out. Till then here's the trailer. I think it's really big and may cover my entire blog, but that's OK with me. It's a big movie in so many ways.
Official Avatar Movie
3 comments:
We loved it too.
-Shirin
I'm glad that you got to see it 3D. It's the first such film we've seen where the 3D was an integral part of the film's world, rather than a gimmick. Much of the film's fauna reminded us of the underwater world we've enjoyed snorkeling and diving, which makes sense since Cameron spent so much time underwater working on the commercial and documentary films of Titanic. This "other" world became more and more believable as the film went on. I especially like the hanging mountain islands.
However, I wish that he had spent half as much energy on the plot, as he did on the special effects. The story line was very predictable - Dances With Wolves in outer space. It would be nice to see such a film some day, where the locals rescue themselves, rather than relying on the Big White Buana to lead them to victory against the oppressors.
I wish this film had come out during the previous presidency. It's take on big brotherish military invasions and paternalistic attitudes would have been a real finger in the Bush administration's eye.
I would also love to see the locals overcome the oppressors, but that's just it - they can't. Oppressors are oppressors because they have some sort of superior mechanism. That's the whole problem. You cannot be an oppressor unless you have the advantage over the weaker element. It then becomes an issue of ethics: do I take advantage of this weaker creature because I can?
I liked the floating mountains too but I liked the beautiful flora even better. And again, I loved the way the Na'vi could connect and become one with the plants and animals, both literally and spiritually. That connection is an example of ubuntu which I blogged about not too long ago. Increasing our ubuntu would naturally lessen our desire to oppress because we would then be connected to the potential objects of our oppression, and how can you abuse that of which you are a part?
The Bush administration had their eyes closed and would never have perceived their resemblance to the damaging elements in this film. I'm quite sure the current administration also has their eyes closed based on our current foreign policy.. it's pretty darn depressing.
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