Comments on: ‘Avatar’: The Wasteland and The Holy Grail http://www.grass-roots-press.com/2010/01/29/avatar-the-wasteland-and-the-holy-grail/ A progressive, alternative source of news and commentary in southern New Mexico Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:32:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Lynn Farquhar http://www.grass-roots-press.com/2010/01/29/avatar-the-wasteland-and-the-holy-grail/comment-page-1/#comment-2004 Lynn Farquhar Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:10:13 +0000 http://www.grass-roots-press.com/?p=2829#comment-2004 I just went to see the film last night and was astounded before it even started by the crowds, the hype, the over-the-top trailers for other coming attractions, but especially by the film short to recruit for THE NATIONAL GUARD!!?? Was this being shown with every showing of this film?... The infotainment of the National Guard was pretty dang awesome... everyone mega-buff and smart---rescuing people from the rubble of war (moving too fast to ponder which side may have produced the explosion) -helping distraught children and women in natural and war-made disasters --those children and women ever so grateful for the indisputably efficient and competent heroics of their rescuers and all their astoundingly efficient and competent military hardware---the unassailably moral and beneficent rescuers coming to the aid of a world in so so much trouble. At first I was annoyed at the plastic 3-d glasses one was required to wear for the film, since I was taken aback at its contradiction with the whole eco-friendly message about the indigenous, but since attempting to watch for the next hours without them would surely have resulted in a massive headache I wore them dutifully.... and paid my $13 ticket price in a state of shock and awe compliance. Normally I don't bother with the 'blockbuster' but this was sort of a cultural phenomenon I felt the need to see just out of an anthropological curiosity. The visceral feelings I had about it all last night have kind of faded after reading just today's news. I can't help but compare the film in my mind to the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the effect that that had on me... more than a little too much battle sequence... Way way way more than a little.... So today I find myself wondering why the short shrift given to any impulse for nonviolent creative responses to the massive violent land-grab domination of it all. As Vonnegut would have said... we have been entertained. I'm still wondering why. I just went to see the film last night and was astounded before it even started by the crowds, the hype, the over-the-top trailers for other coming attractions, but especially by the film short to recruit for THE NATIONAL GUARD!!?? Was this being shown with every showing of this film?… The infotainment of the National Guard was pretty dang awesome… everyone mega-buff and smart—rescuing people from the rubble of war (moving too fast to ponder which side may have produced the explosion) -helping distraught children and women in natural and war-made disasters –those children and women ever so grateful for the indisputably efficient and competent heroics of their rescuers and all their astoundingly efficient and competent military hardware—the unassailably moral and beneficent rescuers coming to the aid of a world in so so much trouble.

At first I was annoyed at the plastic 3-d glasses one was required to wear for the film, since I was taken aback at its contradiction with the whole eco-friendly message about the indigenous, but since attempting to watch for the next hours without them would surely have resulted in a massive headache I wore them dutifully…. and paid my $13 ticket price in a state of shock and awe compliance.

Normally I don’t bother with the ‘blockbuster’ but this was sort of a cultural phenomenon I felt the need to see just out of an anthropological curiosity. The visceral feelings I had about it all last night have kind of faded after reading just today’s news. I can’t help but compare the film in my mind to the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the effect that that had on me… more than a little too much battle sequence… Way way way more than a little…. So today I find myself wondering why the short shrift given to any impulse for nonviolent creative responses to the massive violent land-grab domination of it all. As Vonnegut would have said… we have been entertained.

I’m still wondering why.

]]> By: nancy anderson http://www.grass-roots-press.com/2010/01/29/avatar-the-wasteland-and-the-holy-grail/comment-page-1/#comment-2002 nancy anderson Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:20:26 +0000 http://www.grass-roots-press.com/?p=2829#comment-2002 I think the author is very "right on" about this movie, "Avatar". It points out the imperialist nature of our country, the United State of America. It puts the light on just what is wrong with our country. Too much of the power in our country is in the wrong hands. Oh sure, there are good people out there; many of our Congressmen got into Congress for the right reasons, but once there, they can't ignore the power and greed of being a "Congressman" with all of the power that it engenders. Maybe all of the Congressmen should go to "Avatar"; would they "get it"??? I think the author is very “right on” about this movie, “Avatar”. It points out the imperialist nature of our country, the United State of America. It puts the light on just what is wrong with our country. Too much of the power in our country is in the wrong hands. Oh sure, there are good people out there; many of our Congressmen got into Congress for the right reasons, but once there, they can’t ignore the power and greed of being a “Congressman” with all of the power that it engenders. Maybe all of the Congressmen should go to “Avatar”; would they “get it”???

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