Welcome, USA Today readers! (Be sure to check out the rest of our crazy hypocrite-hunting.)
Why is it that the guys who’ve got the biggest piece of the pie keep telling the rest of us we don’t deserve what we’ve earned?
Its story unfolds on an alien planet in the 22nd century, but director James Cameron says his new film “Avatar” is a metaphor for the way humankind treats Earth today…
Set on a distant planet called Pandora, in the heart of a vast tropical forest, it recounts how strife erupts between an indigenous tribe and an Earth-based consortium pillaging for a precious mineral.
“I see it as a broader metaphor, not so intensely politicised as some would make it, but rather that’s how we treat the natural world as well,” the Canadian-born filmmaker said.
“There’s a sense of entitlement — ‘We’re here, we’re big, we’ve got the guns, we’ve got the technology, we’ve got the brains, we therefore are entitled to every damn thing on this planet’,” he said.
“That’s not how it works and we’re going to find out the hard way if we don’t wise up and start seeking a life that’s in balance with the natural cycles of life on earth.”
James “King of the World” Cameron is lecturing you about your unearned sense of entitlement. Isn’t that cute?
Is there an industry with a bigger carbon footprint than moviemaking? That flick cost something like $300 million to make. How many “natural cycles of life on earth” did it disrupt in the process? How much evil, evil carbon dioxide was produced? How many continents’ worth of mango trees would you need to plant to make up for it? Why is it okay for James Cameron to devote whole rooms full of energy-sucking computers — and the Red Bull-sucking nerds in front of them — to creating photorealistic cat people, but I get a lecture when I leave my cell phone charger plugged in?
It’s not enough to be rich and famous if you’re not somehow “relevant.” Whether it’s Prince Charles or Al Gore or Leonardo DiCaprio or any of these other guys, they all have the same message: “Hey, I deserve to live like this. Now shut up and shiver in the dark, you peasants.”
In other WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE FROM GLOBAL WARMING news: Environmentalist bête noire Phelim McAleer gets kicked out of another global warming event for asking a global warming preacher about global warming.
And speaking of Carbonhagen! You’ve probably seen this already, but it really is worthy of further study:
Yet another ludicrous computer model intended to make you stop asking questions about global warming. These earth-saving Eisensteins were so busy art-directing this little masterpiece that they didn’t realize they were undercutting their own narrative. Because, you see: The little girl wakes up. None of it was real. Some very naughty grownups just filled her little head with horror stories.
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
Update: Some guy from the New York Times says I’m not reasonable, meaning that I really am.
Oh, and his “more reasonable” example, the NYT’s own Andrew Revkin, also happens to be the one who shut off Phelim McAleer’s microphone for daring to disagree with Al Gore. That’s using the power of reason for ya. So I’m quite happy to be a part of the group of which Revkin is not a member.
Although it’s nice to be quoted by the New York Times and receive credit for it. First time for everything!
Update: Entertainment Weekly asks Cameron if he thinks Avatar will make a profit. He replies:
“If we announce Avatar 2, we made money. If we didn’t make money, we’re a bunch of dumb f—s. But we still made 2,000 jobs for three years, and that’s a good thing.”
Job creation is indeed a good thing. That is, if you don’t care about the natural cycles of life on earth. You’re here, you’re big, you’ve got the guns, you’ve got the technology, you’ve got the brains…
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‘We’re here, we’re big, we’ve got the guns, we’ve got the technology, we’ve got the brains, we therefore are entitled to every damn thing on this planet’,” he said.
And that’s a bad thing because??
It’s bad because the earth will avenge herself, or something. Quite frankly, I’d be amused to sit on a mountaintop with a case of cheap beer watching the earth blow itself up.
Save me a seat Bill. I also want to point out another hypocritic trait that I hate about Cameron. A theme in a lot of his movies is technology vs nature. For someone who likes to preach about the evils of technology, he sure does use a lot of it to make his movies all pretty and almost watchable.
I can’t wait for this to bomb.
*sigh* Another scifi plot ruined by needless politics and “message” crap. Just give me an entertaining yarn and leave the sermon out of it.
James Cameron wants us all to jump in our SUVs and go to huge, climate-controlled rooms filled with hot lights and electronic equipment. To watch his movie about environmental destruction. You got a problem with that? Me too.
I love seeing movies where Naitves with bows and arrows defeat eveil capatilistic military machines bent ondestroing the Natives natural way of life. Never mind that it has never happened and that no matter how great the special effects, a stone spear will not brin down a tank or stop bombs from falling on your heads.
Dances with Smurfs will do well at the box office thanks to people like Neil Miller at FSR and others who will kiss most of hollywoods ass no matter what they churn out.
http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/reviews/review-avatar-neilm.php
I’m in with Bill and Irish. But I refuse to drink cheap beer! I’m brining the Red Hook ESB and a case of 21 yo single malt. And maybe a bag of Dorito’s.
Let’s hear about ya’lls favorite brew!
James Cameron has enormous talent. He also has an enormous ego. Usually the latter eventually crowds out the former, so that Cameron no longer remembers the well-balanced story line that drove Titanic. Instead, he now believes the way to an audience’s heart is to overwhelm them with lavish special effects. (It’s not.)
I will join you on that mountain top with my Blue Moon beer and some oranges.
An alien planet in the 22nd century? If it’s an alien planet why is it the 22nd century? Did they begin their calendar simultaneously with us by chance? Or is it our 22nd century? Which is only 90 years away and we don’t even have our rocket cars, and jet packs yet. And who named it Pandora? The aliens who shouldn’t know anything about ancient Greek mythology? Or the Earthlings. And when did I become Comic Book Guy?
Worst. Comment. Ever.
Okay I have it!!! The final solution to “Global warming”!!! And it’s so simple, it can be done in just a few, short minutes!!
Carbon dioxide is the problem yes? Carbon dioxide is emitted by humans right? Okay then, if all the people that want to “help the world”, or “heal the planet”, or “stop global warming” simply STOP BREATHING, imagine the levels of carbon dioxide that will plummet! Hoo-ray! Earth will be saved! All you global warming idiots, err…I mean patriots will finally WIN!!! It will be so great! I say we put this plan into action right now!
You’ve probably seen this already, but it really is worthy of further study:
It’s a desert, getting flooded by water. I’m not sure how this is bad ..
Cheap beer is simply more entertaining. And if the world is blowing up anyways, I’m going for the 50 year $2500 bottle of Glen Livet. And the PBR.
The only way this cliche-fest could be redeemed is if the Marine gets the alien girl in the end — and it turns out that her species reproduces by the female forcing an embryo down the male’s throat, where it develops until it bursts out of his chest.
Is it just me or do all the trailers for this movie look like a mashup between Starcraft and Warcraft? Terran Marines versus the Draenii
God I am such a dork . . . .
I…have seen no evidence that James Cameron has any talent whatsoever. Seriously. An ego that could sink a ship, yes, but not talent. (See what I did there?)
I like The Terminator, and I kinda like Aliens, but not as much as Alien. I still have my giant Alien action figure, and an original “Nostromo Hat” that I ordered out of Fangoria Magazine. God I’m such a nerd. Who wants to punch me. Don’t answer that!
Aliens was not as good as Alien. I know this dates me, but one of the best scifi I have seen is Blade Runner. (The Solution…vote 2 confirming your idea)
Okay, “The Terminator” was good. But that was due to the T-800 endoskeleton, which despite that Harryhausenesque animation was scary as hell and still gives me nightmares, 25 years later. I still think Cameron is simply a jumped-up Michael Bay.
I for one will not be going to see Avatar.I prefer not to be insulted by the movies I pay to watch.
See update.
Gah I’m so embarrassed for these people sometimes! First we have to pretend the James Camerons of the world make great, thought-provoking movies when they’re really crap. And we have to pretend global warming exists because Al Gore said so. Really, it’s just awkward sometimes!
Personally I can’t wait for the earth to avenge itself on global warming hacks. One day soon Gaia will become so dang frustrated with that bunch of elitist blowhards. Volcanoes will erupt as blinding wind and rain sweeps through the earth and a huge crack appears in the crust, sucking down every last ignoramus who ignored facts and insulted the earth.
Now THAT movie I would pay to see!!
Gah I’m so embarrassed for these people sometimes! First we have to pretend the James Camerons of the world make great, thought-provoking movies when they’re really just crap. And we all have to pretend like Al Gore has a legitimate opinion, when we all know global warming is a lie. It’s just so awkward! (til it becomes infuriating again)
Personally I can’t wait for the day when the Earth revenges itself against global warming hacks. Volcanoes will erupt as tidal waves crash over the earth. Blinding wind and rain will sweep through cities as a giant crack opens in the Earth’s crust, swallowing every last ignoramus who ignored facts and insulted the Earth.
Now THAT movie I would pay to see!
I…suddenly have much less desire to watch Dances with Smurfs. Unless I can get it back into my head as Fern Gully for Grown-Ups.
….but the Fern Gully villain was so cool. And the Avatar villain is like…definitely not a blob of oily smudge singing awesome catchy songs.
Crap. Now if I do go see Avatar, I’m going to hear this in my head the whole time:
There’s a place called the rainforest that truly sucks ass
Let’s knock it all down and get rid of it fast
They say save the rainforest, but what do you know
You’ve never been To the rainforest before
Getting Gay With Kids is here
To tell you things you might not like to hear
You only fight these causes ’cause caring sells
All you activists can go $*@& yourselves!
I don’t understand, are we supposed to start spending trillions of dollars to combat every imagined danger kids have nightmares about? Boogey men in closets, and monsters under the bed are just as valid to destroy our economy over.
“blah blah blah There’s a sense of entitlement —blah blah ‘We’re here, blah blah we’re big, blah blah we’ve got the guns,blah blah we’ve got the technology, blah blah we’ve got the brains, blah blah we therefore are entitled to every damn thing on this planet’,” he said. blah blah blah blah imperialism blah.
This is the guy who cashed all sorts of paychecks for True Lies?
Hey, you shush. Hexxus was COOL!
We’re supposed to be spending money to keep Willem Dafoe from hiding under our beds. THAT’S a cause worthy of my donations.
And BTW, why don’t Canadian filmmakers (other than Guy Maddin) ever finance and make their films in Canada?
I’ll sit on that mountain top with some homemade wine and a big juicy steak. James Cameron has not been able to make an entertaining movie for about twenty five years or so. How many poor people in the world can be helped with that 300 million? Instead, the self righteous nag makes another piece of garbage that nobody will ever sit through if they have two brain cells that rub together. Also, now the movie’s done. What will happen to all those people that had those jobs? Not supporting them on your check, eh, Jimbo?
I like James Cameron’s work. That said, I knew from the trailer I was going to preached to in the movie. I grew up on late 80s-early 90s children’s TV, I remember Ferngully, I remember Captain Planet, I’ve been hearing we’re all going to die for a long time now. I also know now, you can’t fix one thing without breaking another. Did you hear the Montreal Protocol that pretty much banned and phased out ozone killing CFCs resulted in renewal of the ozone over the Antarctic that is now causing temperatures to rise there quicker than estimated? Nearly 40 years ago science was predicting a ‘Little Ice Age’ and now the temperatures are rising. How do they explain the discrepancy? Well, we have better instruments now. Who’s to say 40 years from now we wont have better methods still? Oh, but then they ask, can we afford the risk? I say yes. Human beings will do what human beings have done since the race inherited the Earth. They, we will adapt.
Somebody do a carbon footprint on this film.
I remember how James Cameron destroyed the livelihood of urchin fishermen next to the “Titanic” set. For the safety of the actors, the water in the tank in witch the boat replica was build was pool-level chloride water. At the end of the shooting, they dumped the water to the saline sea. Result? The Urchin disappeared and the fisherman lost their livelihood.
Now, the same Cameron want to makes us cry about a movie putting “Evil Capitalists Vs. The Local People” when he built his own reputation as a film maker by being one of those Evil Capitalists? That’s hypocrisy.
I don’t understand-what the hell do “mango trees” have to do with anything?
Don’t ask us, ask Coldplay.
Pasta:
They named their planet Pandora because they like music.
Yep. I like that site. It’s on all the time at work. You can listen to anything you want, and not a Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix song as far as the eye can see. Unless that’s what you want. But why would you?
Also, Pasta: The early reviews on Avatar are extremely positive. Ebert says this IS about more than expensive effects (as even I had surmised from the early buzz, which seems to have been well off the mark).
So if you’re waiting for this to bomb, you might be waiting a long, long time. Sorry to break the bad (good? guess it’s a POV thing) news, fella.
A more productive use of your (and everyone who comes here to hate) energies might be to realize that God often gives enormous talent to, well, assholes. Sometimes He even graces them with great wealth. Such is the way of the world. Hoping Avatar fails (unlikely) won’t change that.
Simon, don’t you understand? He’s just ASKING QUESTIONS about what’s going on in OUR SKEWWWWWWL.
I guess we’ll see.
Yes indeed, and quite soon, too. These days the Opening Weekend is all-knowing, so all will be revealed next weekend.
By the way, Roger Ebert gave “Paranormal Activity” three and a half stars…
“so well made it’s truly scary…”
“For extended periods here, nothing at all is happening, and believe me, you won’t be bored…”
I’d be careful about trusting that guy too much.
Agreed, Pasta. That’s why I also linked to a bunch of other critics, who as it happens agreed with Ebert. And just to be clear, I agree with the basic premise that Cameron’s an egotistical ass. It’s just that he’s probably not going to be brought down low by this film.
Don’t tell us, tell James Cameron. He’s the one who thinks you’re uppity.
You’d think someone writing for the NYT could manage not to use the term “trodding”. It’s “treading”. “Trodding” is…well, not a word. Yes, it’s a nitpicky thing, but someone who’s tossing around terms like “right-wing muckraking” really needs to have his ducks in a row.
I don’t know Snitch you might be right. I’m just not interested in another message movie where the Earth needs saving and everything is our fault. That’s the premise in a nutshell right ? I could be wrong, but what do I know, I think “Big Trouble in Little China” is the greatest movie ever made.
Pasta, you can come watch movies at my place anytime.
Pasta:
You make a really great point. I myself don’t mind a ‘message’ movie (despite Louis B. Mayer’s feelings about them). In fact – I usually insist on it. I love films like The Fountainhead, Fight Club, Groundhog Day, and The Shawshank Redmeption for their great messages. But Avatar is making the same point the reworked (and very badly at that) Day the Earth Stood Still made. It sounds as if we’re in for ‘Leftist Cant 101′ – war is bad (no such thing as glory or honor in war), big corporations are evil (they often ARE, of course, yet no viable alternative for them is ever offered), etc. Yes, it’s another film about war-mongering, rich Republicans who also by the way want to rape the planet. Won’t know for sure until the film is out, but it does sound as if at least that part of the ‘message’ is, frankly, politically-safe (for the left) and trite (for anyone).
Interesting that the goal of Avatar’s planet-rapers is some substance that solves the energy problem which is portrayed as pretty desperate. Apparently we’re going to be subject to a reworking of the ‘no war for oil’ mantra. And yet, the oil/energy is demanded by EVERYONE. Those complaining the loudest do not volunteer to do without, they simply point to someone else (not them!) as the real reason for the problem.
Cameron does not strike me as a reflex-left kind of guy, so I have some hope that he won’t follow the usual worn-out path so predictably. But who knows. I just saw Robin Williams’ latest HBO special, where he did all the obligatory Palin and Cheney jokes. Doesn’t matter that they’re not exactly current news, it’s red meat for the left. Williams is better than that, he’s too talented and intellectually wide-ranging to stoop to that – yet there he was, stooping away for the cheap, predictable laughs. Sad.
Simon:
I know from sad experience that there is no point in trying to explain to an asshole that he’s an asshole. It’s rather like using a diagram to show a blind man why he can’t see. The only difference is that, with a guy like Cameron, he’s got all the money one could hope to have and the world beating a path to his door. Few men in that position manage to become anything BUT an asshole. Some men may be self-made, but assholes always get plenty of help.
That is fargin’ brilliant.
Right on Elle. You supply the popcorn, I’ll bring the Elmer’s Glue. (It’s a surprise)
Awwww, Pasta, are you going to make popcorn art? Will there be glitter?
Thank you kindly, Beige. I know I can run on a bit, so it’s gratifying when someone stays till the (bitter) end!
Long interview with James Cameron in the latest ‘Entertainment Weekly.’ Didn’t touch much on the plot of ‘Avator’ or the writing. Mostly dealt with special FX, marketing, and JC’s ego. One interesting thing: He said he took no pride in this early work — ‘Terminator’ was singled out — up until ‘Titanic.’ For my money, that’s about the point where he took the power-dive into the dumper.
Setting aside his hypocrisy, I do agree with his point. We humans do have this sense of entitlement. Sometimes we feel like the world owes us something when it really doesn’t. We should get over this mentality.
-Denise
Not until I get my space pony.
Interesting, RNB. The only part of “Titanic” I found even mildly interesting was when the ship sank.
If it’s wrong to have a sense of entitlement in relation to the earth, why is it not wrong to make similar demands on other people and their money?
ohhhh. Blue Moon rocks jenn. But I will bring the Fat Tire to the top of the mountain with my SUV.
And if he feels like this, then why not spread the wealth?
Pastafarian,
You have a “Nostomo Hat”? I didn’t know such a thing existed…
*weeps uncontrollably with envy*
Yes, am I a geek.
Simon, I see that some of your more incisive–and entertaining–remarks about Cameron were reproduced in USA Today. Congratulations on going MSM.
Of course, the MSM sucks…except when it quotes Deceiver!
And if the world is blowing up anyways, I’m going for the 50 year $2500 bottle of Glen Livet.
…and paying for it with a credit card.
The inevitable hypocrisy of ‘Avatar’, as I expected, is more subtle and lies in something of a different direction than this post depicted. Two aspects of it are well-and-succinctly put in this NY Times review:
“…something absurd about a movie that asks you to thrill to a natural world made almost entirely out of zeroes and ones (and… feeds you an anticorporate line in a corporately financed entertainment)”
Of course, the reviewer had the advantage of having actually SEEN the film first, whereas this post had to sort of guess at the nature of the problem.
Re my previous comment, here’s another review that launches itself along those same lines:
“Will audiences marvel at the movie’s groundbreaking production methods enough to forgive Cameron’s curious choice to frame everything on a script that is, almost above all else, obsessed with the evils of technology in the wrong hands?”
I don’t think Avatar will see Titanic-level numbers. But I don’t think too many reviewers will miss the film’s many inherent vanities and self-contradictions, either.
Not all CG artists are “Red Bull Sucking Nerds” I consider myself a decaf cg artist. We work very hard to give you the public an entertaining movie. James Cameron is not my enviornmental guru and if I leave my charger plugged in all the time cause I step on if it wasn’t. If he wants to B*tch about something he should attack anyone who dares to own a HUMMER or even rent a stretch HUMMER limo; a waste of gasoline. Or why not attack and say” Vegans’ voracious demands for organic produce drives the prices of all our groceries up? The enviornmental lectures and the stereotyping is just ridiculous.
As long as I am going on endlessly and the site owners are not renting their garments (no that’s NOT what it means) and crying out ‘ENOUGH! TAKE YOUR INANE DRIVEL ELSEWHERE!’ (which I could, like, so totally understand), there’s another issue besides the ‘hypocrisy’ that was the starting point of all this. And that is: The utterly derivative and unoriginal nature of Avatar.
As noted in the PopSci review I linked above:
“…anyone who’s seen Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai, A Man Called Horse, Soldier, Pocohantas, Enemy Mine, or a host of other outsider stories should be able to call every plot point Avatar offers. In fact, it’s astounding how similar Avatar’s plot plays when compared to Kevin Costner’s Oscar-winning Wolves.”
It gives the lie to much of Cameron’s self-promoting (self-congratulatory?) ‘groundbreaking’ hype to realize that this film is, at base, just a (cynical?) retooling of a proven formula. And that, I suppose, could be considered a new facet of Cameron’s hypocrisy. He’s not out-of-the-box – he just swiped the old box we liked, slapped his own label on it, and promoted it like his ass was on fire.
I came back because I realized the 22nd century is in 990 years not 90. Hurrr! I’m smart!
Shikatehead,
Yes on the “Nostromo Hat”. That’s what I call it anyway. It’s like the one Brett wears in the movie. I ordered it out of Fangoria magazine or something, and it was REALLY expensive, like $20 at the time and I was like 9 years old or something. But I wore the holy Hell out of it. I was thinking of putting the patches on a new hat but it’s a kinda cool souvenir no? We’ll see.
…I may be the only person here who has seen this movie. I went in with no expectations except for great special effects and was quite disappointed. Seriously, Final Fantasy: Spirits Within looked just as nice, and it’s almost ten years old. (Plus it had a CGI Steve Buscemi.)
I came back because I realized the 22nd century is in 990 years not 90. Hurrr! I’m smart!