Comments on: “Things I Missed Over the Holidays” PRESENTS! The Complex and Sophisticated Politics of James Cameron

By: belledame222

belledame222 — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:41:37 +0000

“It’s like Das Kapital, with boats.”

And how would Madam like her Internets, and where shall they be delivered?

By: kalmiopsis

kalmiopsis — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:11:33 +0000

Thanks for this, Sady.

Thought you may enjoy this synopsis:

http://imgur.com/JmRmb

By: snobographer

snobographer — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:35:03 +0000

@Amanda – I’d start with the fact that it’s Playboy. And then that he’s perpetuating what he admits he realizes is a problem by writing female characters to cater exclusively to dudes, particularly dudes who don’t want to have to deal with “real women.” And that “You can try your whole life and not understand them” line is the cherry on top.
That’s a handy quote to bring out in all those discussions about what a feminist Cameron is though. Sarah Connor in T2 was a fluke.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:28:03 +0000

Cameron’s actual interview with Playboy is even more entertaining. For instance, this excerpt in which he describes why he purposefully created an unrealistic ideal female lead:

“Most of men’s problems with women probably have to do with realizing women are real and most of them don’t look or act like Vampirella. A big recalibration happens when we’re forced to deal with real women, and there’s a certain geek population that would much rather deal with fantasy women than real women. Let’s face it: Real women are complicated. You can try your whole life and not understand them.”

It’s just offensive on so many levels I don’t even know where to begin.

By: Athena Andreadis

Athena Andreadis — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:25:20 +0000

Word! My contribution to the sheer shock and awe that is Avatar: Jar Jar Binks Meets Pocahontas

By: Twitted by airgonaut

Twitted by airgonaut — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:43:58 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by airgonaut [...]

By: snobographer

snobographer — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:07:55 +0000

Trite and offensive plot aside, I’m just sick of CGI. It’s overused. You can make a totally crap movie anymore and get a Best Pic nomination just for making it look pretty with them newfangled computer contraptions.

By: emjaybee

emjaybee — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:03:56 +0000

I saw a quote somewhere where Cameron admitted that he “had” to give the female Na’vi breasts, even though it made no sense since they weren’t “placental mammals”. He HAD to. It was Hollywood Law.

I noticed it was also Hollywood Law to have the species be gender-dysmorphic in the same way (males bigger than females) as humans are. Also quadrupeds who walked on their hind legs. Blah blah blah. I mean, Star Trek did this too with the whole Aliens = Humans with Funny Skin and/or Foreheads meme, but at least that got started way back in the 60s, when they didn’t have CGI. Real aliens wouldn’t be just humans that looked like blue supermodels, more than likely.

By: Farore

Farore — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:38:05 +0000

Scott, me too. Hee!

My discussion with my roommate, who went to see Avatar in theaters (I’ll be waiting til it’s out on div’d, thanks) was kinda-sorta along these lines.

Him: Avatar was AMAZING!
Me: You do realize that the plot is basically just the same tired old trash about ‘going native’ and how white men and corporations are evil, right?
Him: I dunno, I wasn’t paying attention to the plot. I was just looking at the cat people.

**TIME PASSES**

Him: Hey remember that stuff you said about the plot of Avatar?
Me: Yes… ?
Him: I thought about it, and holy shit, you are right, that movie was pretty but it is amazingly offensive when you take the plot away from the graphics.
Me: TA DA!

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:28:35 +0000

I got a kick out of the idea that a movie made with half a billion dollars worth of the latest and greatest equipment/techniques/etc. could try to sell us on the idea that technology is bad. BAD I SAY!