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Hollywood Eco-Terrorist Recruitment...seriously?

post #1 of 18
1/5/10 at 1:38pm
Thread Starter 
Okay I just saw this article posted by one of my Sierra Club friends on facebook:

http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/avatar-recruiting-eco-terrorists/2460/

It talks about the new movie Avatar and how it is a recruitment program for eco-terrorists.

My opinion: considering the fact that one of the biggest sponsors was the Big Mac, they weren't trying that hard to recruit. And another interesting point that this site makes (Green is the new Red website) is that the eco-terrorism scare is a plot to prevent people from being eco-friendly. I kind of find it funny...I'm probably considered an eco-terrorist. I almost got arrested 2 years ago for writing "No New Coal" in large friendly letters on the street in front of the governor's mansion in sidewalk chalk. I was threatened with a charge of criminal mischief, which I'm sure is just a nice way of calling me an eco-terrorist.

I just find this whole thing laughable really...but then again I find most of life laughable :)

PS, I loved the movie, I haven't seen something in a theatre in over a year but I had to see this one. It reminded me of Ferngully from the previews, which is one of my all-time favorite movies (talk about eco-terrorist recruitment, Hollywood was brainwashing me as a child too!)

PSS don't worry, I took my own water in a BPA-free reusable bottle concealed in my home-made handbag and they recycle the 3D glasses :)
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post #2 of 18
1/5/10 at 10:08pm
An excellent fantasy fiction movie! İ found the special effects fantastic and loved it and the story line about non-existent.

The bad guys were definitely bad and deserved what they got! The horribly multiuniverse company got slapped down!

İ didn't even think of what the Sierra Club is talking about. Seems to me to be a bit of a stretch but it does suit their purposes quite nicely. The poor aggrieved group attacked on the silver screen!

İ remember that while watching thinking that this is using every bit of American İndian folklore they could come up with. All the in touch with nature stuff they could dream up. Very little of which was true.
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post #3 of 18
1/6/10 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
Oh it was an excellent movie!

It was one of the columnists, Swier, at Red County (one of the most prominent right-wing blogs) that was making the claim against the movie for eco-terrorism promotion, though. It was just a friend of mine who happened to be in the Sierra Club that posted the article. (Irrelevant information I suppose I could have left out, habit from writing research papers I suppose!)

I thought they did an excellent job with actor selection and everything. I also saw the Native American references. The Mayans also have several images of their tree of life in carvings all over the Yucatan. The tree that all kings were eager to associate themselves with in imagery and ancestry. Myths with connections between human and animal consciousness are found everywhere in North and South America too. Pretty cool stuff!
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post #4 of 18
1/7/10 at 11:19am
I don't have TV so I haven't seen hardly anything about this movie; except for online, and I'm not into sci-fi looking stuff so I ignored it. After reading your guys' comments I went and watched the trailer and read the green is the new red article and I'm not seeing the connection between the movie and a total green agenda. Not having seen it I can't say, but technically this POV would mean any movie with folklore related to trees and animals is a "green movie." Seems like kind of an overly broad POV.

That one Swier article is off the charts nutty. He notes the movie is, "pure eco-propaganda released to coincide with the end of the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen." it just looks like fantasy to me. Plus this fella was talking as if Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and ELF are all in the same game; but obviously they're far apart in terms of how they act and get stuff done. It's amazing what people try to make a scene out of.

It sounds like you two liked it though so maybe I'll go see it. The special effects look pretty cool. 
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post #5 of 18
1/7/10 at 10:40pm
İ saw zero political about it though you can twist most anything if one tries hard enough. The ones worried about that part should find an outside interest - they are getting a bit of a narrow vision. İ agree the Swier fellow must be an absolute fruitcake! How he could get so much information from the show from is amazing.

The story line is not all that much but the special effects are fantastic. İ mean special effects as in general  - scenery and all - not as cars blowing up though the bad guys do get quite nicely dumped on in the end! 

My wife doesn't like sci-fi either but loved it.
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post #6 of 18
1/11/10 at 3:15am
An article on Yahoo news about the implications of the movie:

1) Racist - the white hero once again saving the primitive natives
2) The film also is an obvious metaphor for how European settlers in America wiped out the Indians.
3) "Pocahontas" story — "the Indian woman leads the white man into the wilderness, and he learns the way of the people and becomes the savior."
4) Many conservatives are riled by what they call liberal environmental and antimilitary messages? 
5) Adding to the racial dynamic is that the main Na'vi characters are played by actors of color, led by a Dominican, Zoe Saldana, as the princess

The film's writer and director, James Cameron, says the real theme is about respecting others' differences. 

Didn't realize what all İ missed! Maybe they went to a different film than İ did?

İ thought it was a rather so-so grade school story line but with fantastic special effects and scenery! Acting? Again İ certainly didn't see anything special.

Still think it was the best movie İ have seen for a while. İ normally only end up at the theater because my wife enjoys it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100111/ap_on_en_mo/us_avatar_racism
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post #7 of 18
1/11/10 at 8:24am
Now another side of the fans of the movie - from CNN:

As you might guess, İ have a great deal of difficulty understanding the type of people described. İt would seem to me they may not have too tight of a grip on reality/life to begin with. 
 http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie. 
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post #8 of 18
1/11/10 at 8:45am
Thread Starter 
I guess I did get the depressing thought after leaving the movie that "nobody get's it." But luckily I don't let such thoughts rule my life! All environmentalists must occasionally visit the thought that no matter how hard we try, some people are never going to see the planet as we do. But that is why we can be categorized as "environmentalists." We fight for a cause and try to enlighten as many people as we can! Depression never cured anything!!!

Movies are so very similar to "art", it affects the viewers all the same. Some people see a piece of canvas with some chemicals smeared on it, some people see mathematical workings, some people see cultural identity, and some people see pure emotion. I like seeing all the different reactions (hence my Art History degree, lol)

The people that think it is a real occurrence, however, is where I draw the line. Yes it was just a movie, yes it is meant to make you think, but no, it is not meant to depress you and make you feel hopeless and lost!!! Get off your butt and do something about that feeling, start giving something back to nature and you will realize that we already are connected to it, without the funny hair tentacles, LOL!

Quote from one of my favorite movies "I cannot abide useless people"

I guess the fact that they are communing on a forum is a plus, even if they are acting kind of silly, at least they are seeking help! I suppose I shouldn't judge :) I joined this forum so that I could have intelligent conversations with people I could relate to!
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post #9 of 18
1/11/10 at 10:50am
At the risk of sounding insensitive, I think these folks need to get a major grip. It's just a movie! PLUS it's a little disconcerning that so many people are upset with the state of things (according to the article) and their response is, "I wish I was dead" not "what can I do to change things" - really this is a little nuts. Very interesting stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ View Post

Now another side of the fans of the movie - from CNN:

As you might guess, İ have a great deal of difficulty understanding the type of people described. İt would seem to me they may not have too tight of a grip on reality/life to begin with. 
 http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie. 

 
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post #10 of 18
1/11/10 at 10:51am
Exactly! Maybe you should go post that on their forum :) 

Quote:
Originally Posted by srj0385 View Post

All environmentalists must occasionally visit the thought that no matter how hard we try, some people are never going to see the planet as we do. But that is why we can be categorized as "environmentalists." We fight for a cause and try to enlighten as many people as we can! Depression never cured anything!!!
 
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post #11 of 18
1/11/10 at 10:53am
İ have always thought that the best way to make changes is to be part of the system and be involved. Went to one demonstration in Portland, OR in the early 70's which the cops broke up and decided this is not an intelligent place for me to be!

İ believe you will not change the world on your own but you must do what is possible in your own section or area. Others have to do the same even if you have to shame them into it.  İ expect and believe that during my working years İ caused more change (small changes) by being in industrial management than the demonstrators in Copenhagen did. 

My wife tells me that here some of the chat is that the movie was about İraq or the middle east and oil. The tree was actually a reference İslam. Actually that same tree can be traced back to the oldest religions and has been carried forward to the new ones as time passed - recycled and possibly enhanced but the same old tree.



 
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post #12 of 18
1/12/10 at 7:59am
Now the Vatican weighs in on the Avatar! Everyone seems to be offended at one aspect or the other - no wonder it is raking in the mega-bucks! 
 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100112/ap_on_en_mo/eu_vatican_avatar

The Vatican newspaper and radio station have called the film "Avatar" simplistic, and criticized it for flirting with modern doctrines that promote the worship of nature as a substitute for religion.

L'Osservatore said the film "gets bogged down by a spiritualism linked to the worship of nature." Similarly, Vatican Radio said it "cleverly winks at all those pseudo-doctrines that turn ecology into the religion of the millennium."

"Nature is no longer a creation to defend, but a divinity to worship," the radio said.

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post #13 of 18
1/12/10 at 8:10am
Thread Starter 
What?! You mean that my worship of nature isn't a religion?! ::kidding::

Most people go for "spiritualism" and love of nature because they don't want institutionalized religion, LOL! I was raised Catholic, and I am pretty sure that former Pope JPII would have viewed this in such a positive light, this new guy on the other hand...well, perhaps I should avoid this...lightening might be immanent...oh wait, that is a phenomenon of nature :)

Oh I'm so evil O_o

I never would have thought this would be such a big debate, but I guess most good things must be questioned. That's what makes them interesting. Keep posting Russ, these are fascinating!!!
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post #14 of 18
1/12/10 at 8:14am
Thread Starter 
You know, I would have categorized it closer to ancestor worship than nature worship. They seemed pretty in control of nature not in awe of it, they were much more concerned with life, in any form.
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post #15 of 18
1/12/10 at 10:00am
You've got to be flipping kidding me. I can't remember the last time a movie got people so worked up. Lordy. It's getting fairly laughable.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ View Post

Now the Vatican weighs in on the Avatar!
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post #16 of 18
1/12/10 at 10:31am
The Na'vi considered themselves a part of nature İ guess but in charge and control of it - early on when defending Jake Scully the girl had to kill the bad cat looking things and İ think she was saying sorry afterward. They were in control of most everything to the extent that the 'overmind' of the planet allowed? 

İt seemed the Na'vi themselves functioned as equals with the two leaders overall in charge. And right - it seemed their primary target was to enjoy. Wow! Those dragon rides would have caused me some serious personal problems!

  
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post #17 of 18
2/6/10 at 9:55pm
Ok, Dave (the boyfriend) made me go see Avatar today finally and neither of us were too impressed. I liked the special effects related to the weird animals, but other than that I thought it lacked a plot and likable characters.

On the whole eco-terrorist stuff I did not see that at all either. In fact, I didn't see it as a green movie at all hardly - yes they liked nature but the eco-theme was not excessive in my opinion. I'm surprised everyone is making such a fuss over it. I really can't believe some people have been to see this over and over though. Three hours! I think three hours is way too long for me at a movie. I gotta get up and move I couldn't do that again.
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post #18 of 18
2/6/10 at 10:47pm
Agreed Jennifer, There is/was no story line or plot. The acting is nothing to write about for sure. İ enjoyed the scenery, animals, floating islands and special effects in general.

Would İ go see it again? What for on earth?

The domination of nature by the N'avi was supposed to be green maybe?  
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