A company choosing to market "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" is a business decision. Apparently a good once since the trend is growing. Don't take it so personal. I think it would make more sense to take it personal when commercialism masquerades as something holy.

Why in the name of all that is good and decent would I pay good money to see a film that makes the United States Marines the bad guys? Tell me you are kidding me!!

Maybe you missed it, Frank, but the movie makes it clear in the first 15 minutes that soldiers you see are paid mercenaries, *former* Marines. They're a private army paid for by the RDA (evil corporate bad guys). So really they're supposed to be like Blackwater instead of the USMC. I think Cameron did that so he could make the same kind of anti-military/anti-capitalism/anti-America statement w/o the HUGE backlash that would've occured had the bad guys really been under the banner of the USMC or some other American service branch.

"You see, this is exactly my point. In spite of anti-American/military/people of this movie and so many like it, you have conservatives recommending conservatives to go see it".

You nailed it. Conservatives are wusses. Dedicated Leftists will walk over hot coals for their ideology.

One easy way to tell a Republican from a Democrat is Growltiger's Rule

A Democrat will ALWAYS put party first, ambition second and screw the country.
A Republican will ALWAYS put ambition first, country second, and screw the party.

There are exceptions to every rule, of course. Nixon put the country first TWICE and Clinton put ambition before party (The Monica broughaha – but look how the Democrats, even Al Gore, an idiot but apparently a faithful and loving husband) put PARTY first and stood behind Clinton, and it might have cost him the y2K election.

Their policy should be more like: "if you're not sure then with Happy Holidays". If you're sure, then go with "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hannukah". Making it a strict policy seems dogmatic and clerks should be trusted with making the on-the-spot decision.

But their policy is not a "freedom of speech" issue. It's their company. They can make any policy they feel will keep their guests happy.

I'd rather boycott Target for funding the Zinn Education Project than for their greeting policy. And I am.

I see very few parallels between Iraq/Afghanistan and the fictional assault on the Na'vi. The movie takes issue with corporate greed and exploitation of the environment and indigenous peoples. I don't see the USA exploiting indigenous peoples or the environment in Afghanistan/Iraq. Well, if you consider spending trillions of your own money in an attempt to build up those countries "exploiting". What happens to the Na'vi in the movie would likely compare to the USA dropping a nuclear weapon on Baghdad or Kabul. That simply doesn't happen.

One could make a fair comparison to what Europeans did to the natives in North/South America before colonizing those continents.

I agree, GT. I refuse to buy anything GE. The store brand light bulbs work just as well. I know that I certainly won't put GE out of business, but I sleep better at night knowing I haven't contributed to GE's anti-American BS.

"the bad guys in the movie are the United States Marines."
No. The bad guys are a giant corporation, which is bigger than the US, both economically and in military power. There are no US Marines in the film, only hired mercenaries, some of them ex-Marines.

"Apparently, in the future, the world has become one big country that seems to be controlled by the United States."
You wish, but the film doesn't mention that at all. The corporation may be originally American, but it's not controlled by the US. Probably the opposite, with it's majority shareholders (not chosen by US voters) probably controlling the world.

"The United States Marines are sent to the planet of Pandora to destroy the opposition to the New World Order’s acquisition of its substitute for oil which just happens to be located on Pandora."
See above regarding Marines, all else correct.

Maybe you should see the film again, this time only with the 3D glasses.

I would comment further on my views of the movie, but I'd probably loose your target audience.

the bad guys in the movie are the United States Marines. Apparently, in the future, the world has become one big country that seems to be controlled by the United States.

No, they're not. The security people in the RDA camp are hired security drawn from various military services; the good guy and bad guy are both ex-Marines. That's stated flatly in so many words in the first few minutes of the movie. It's not as obvious in the movie, but the RDA itself, which runs the starships and the mines, is an NGO started by two entrepreneurs in the early 21st century (Google?).

James Cameron should apologize to the American Military and should make a statement that he does not truly feel this way about them. He should also apologize to the American public for painting our young men and women that defend this country as cold-blooded killers.

Well, your mistake, since he makes it quite explicit it's not the US military. Maybe you owe Cameron and the Big Hollywood readers an apology for being inattentive and not doing your homework.

The military then attacks with pure hatred and determination the locals on the planet. They do not care for the sanctity of the alien life, whether it be women or children. And, they attack with sophisticated weapons against the bows and arrows of the natives.

Look, I'm very pro-military, especially the US military. That said, however, I'm also a member of the Choctaw Nation and have Cherokee ancestors as well. Go look up the Trail of Tears and the Sand Creek Massacre and tell me that Americans would never, never ever, do that.

Ditto for the marines… but I happened to stumble on a video of Cameron acting like a horses ass to a guy asking for an autograph. That nailed the coffin… the guy doesn't get a dime from me.

Also, you can't miss his message in THEBIGBOAT movie: rich capitalists-evil innocent poor-saints

I fail to understand why more people don't realize what Hollywood is doing. They are producing propaganda film after propaganda film and people, conservatives and liberals both, are eating it up. My former pastor on his facebook today posted in a positive manner that he and his wife are on their way to see "Avatar", complete with comments on his posts praising the film. (he is, in fact, former Navy)

Will he see it for what it is? I doubt it.

Look at it this way, those who only have access to broadcast television are usually the lower income people. Those people are then forced to get their news from the 3 major broadcast networks and Public TV. How could they NOT then vote liberal? If they would only realize the liberal agenda is NOT to lift up the lower class, it's to BRING DOWN the middle and upper class.

Not exactly. I think the Marines were sent on a legitimate rescue mission but the Company had its own agenda which they knew nothing about. Burke came along ostensibly to act as an expert on the colony's facilities and to "represent the Company's interests." His real mission was to bring back an Alien. He tried to get Ripley and Newt impregnated for that purpose. He also would have sacrificed the entire Marine contingent to further his ends. So in this case, the Marines were used by the Company as unwitting (and ultimately unwilling) tools – victims of the greedy capitalists.

This worked, more or less, in an action/adventure film from the 1980s. Since then, it's become a major science fiction cliche. Anyone using it today is guilty of paint-by-numbers filmmaking.

OK, I'm writing my movie script. Who's going to be my antagonist? Evil Corporation? Paranoid Government? Ruthless Military? Aliens Who Look Just Like Humans? Snidely Whiplash? Oh, it don't matter – I'm writing a sci-fi action/adventure flick, not War and Peace…

I'm not giving Cameron the benefit of the doubt. In the past, he has made other films with veiled references to evil big bad business, and a generic military being enthusiastic but unwitting tools for them. You can make excuses for his views, I won't, and I won't see the movie. I heard that Sherlock Holmes edged it out this weekend. Good for that, I say.

I'm not a big fan of McDonalds either, so this is another reason to go to other fast food chains when on rare occasions I need my greasy fast food fix.

Hasn't James Cameron admitted this is a 'message film'? And hasn't he admitted he's commenting on Iraq and Afghanistan? I don't see why that's even still being debated. And it's absurd to even try to defend it as not being anti-American. As others have pointed out, the thing opened internationally the same time it opened here. Foreign audiences see "evil Americans", no doubt about it.

The movie's not doing as well as one would expect for a technologically ground-breaking action epic, but I don't think it's all because of a political boycott (although that certainly accounts for some audience back-turning). I think it's the previews and stills that are turning people off. I can't stand the look of it. Those blue things … I just hate how they look. The previews look like a thousand movies that came before and the movie is about blue people. It's not as easy a sell as Hollywood might have thought, and going out to the movies is a very expensive proposition. Foreign audiences are digging the anti-American slant, but the Chipmunks are in a tie and Sherlock beat it this week. Embarrassing, to say the least. No wonder Cameron is cursing out fans who ask for autographs.

The McDonald's tie-in is beyond hypocritical. I have been told time and again not to buy McDonald's food because they supposedly destroy rainforest acreage in the chain of events that gets a burger from a steer's butt to your to-go bag. So … um … James? What say you?

Whether it's rooted in truth or not, the narrative rules.

With an "e" on the end.

For what it's worth, I don't care how people greet me at Christmas.

Totally agree. When someone wishes me Happy Holidays I shoot back Merry Christmas. Most of the time they respond with a Merry Christmas. Screw the thought police. I tweak them as often as I can LOL

Oh gosh chas, wtf has the Indian history got to do w/avatar/cameron anyway? Go look up any of Alan Eckart's EXCELLENT books on the history of this country before we were a nation. The Indians were massacaring and eating eachother for a verrrry long time before we got here.They were the original "gangbangers", for crying out loud!If you were an Indian and got caught in another tribes "hood", you'd better pray(or hope, I guess) for ONLY torture followed by a life of slavery.
That being said, I personally would NEVER approve of the atrocities that were committed against the Indians(mostly in retaliation,btw), especially against women and children.I'm sooo sick of all the harping by Indian people about atrocities. They enjoy sovereign status inside of our nation!! What have they done with it?? Nothin', that's what.BTW, big qualifier here, my maternal great-grandfather was a full blooded Cherokee Indian. I don't have a vendetta against Indians, only revisionist history. 2 sides to every story, right?Just sayin"….

As the son of another former marine I thank you for your service it has allowed me to live the life of a slacker. but as a slacker I never denegrated the brave souls who afforded me that freedom. Let us turn our backs on those who belittle our service men and women and kickdust in their ungrateful faces

That's right, el gordo. If they are identified as Americans, what's the difference? Why couldn't they have been Russians, or muslims? The over riding implication is there, for all to see, well…maybe not all.

Wha?

I dunno…only two weeks out and it's made close to $500 millions worldwide. That's not even counting what they got for the McDonald's tie ins, etc. It may never do "Titanic" numbers, but it'll be in the black before it ends its theatrical run.

CONT'D

IT'S IN THE PAST. It's over and done with. That's what the biggest complaint is about these things. The majority of people in this country know the history, or at least the basics of it. Why do we need to be beaten over the head with it OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Does that work in personal relationships when people just keep bringing up the wrongs you did in the past over and over again? Probably not.

Not US Marines? Take another look at those uniforms. Although the film takes place 150 years in the future, they wear the exact uniforms of Marines in Iraq today. Same color, same cut, same everything, including the fold at mid-arm that reveals the lighter shade inside the material. (The Marines do this to look different from the Army.) The rank insignia looks like something borrowed from one of the NATO countries. By the way, anyone wonder what Marines wore 150 years ago? Google John Brown Harper's Ferry 1859.

It's 'business' decision more and more companies are REVERSING.

Wake up. Many good firms have readopted 'Merry Christmas'.

Secular humanism is garbage.

[...] that, despite Avatar’s being a Fox release, they’re going on the attack.  Clearly Frank DiMartini over at Big Hollywood hasn’t seen Cameron’s Aliens, where the military is also ready to put human life in [...]

great analysis. thank you for your service

While I agree that forbidding employees to wish others "Merry Christmas" is ridiculous, I think your response misses the point.

As much as a despise the hotel's anti-Christmas policy, I do think that corporations should be allowed to put some restrictions on employee speech. When you are working for a corporation you are not acting as an individual, you are being paid to represent that company to the public. If a clerk at the hotel started cussing loudly at the customers, that should be a reason to fire him based on speech. Or, suppose the hotel clerk were to smile at each customer and say, "Have a nice day. Vote for Obama!". That would also be reason for firing the employee based on speech. You are not paying the employee to swear or push a political view, so its reasonable to stop employing him if he insists on doing so.

Making this a free speech issue misses the point. The battle we are fighting is not really about free speech, its about the larger issue of political correctness and an anti-religious attitude that is spreading in our culture. If you want to boycott the hotel by all means do so. Forbidding people to say "Merry Christmas" is ridiculous and as customers we should let the management know we disapprove of the policy. But the hotel's policy is just a symptom of a larger problem, the PC attack on all things Christian and conservative. Putting the focus on the free speech rights of employees misses the bigger picture.

Not going to see it. Not interested. Cameron is repulsive. I'm confident that I'm not missing something grand, inspiring, intelligent, witty, humorous, thought provoking, or even entertaining.

I, my spouse, and 3 kids will NEVER go see this freak show.

I would like to share a point of clarification. As a Starwood employee I can tell you definitively that across our company we encourage each of our associates to be sensitive to and respectful of the holidays and traditions of our guests around the world.

There is not a corporate policy against associates at our hotels wishing guests a "Merry Christmas." We encourage our staff to make rich, personal connections with our guests and we would always encourage them to interact in a manner that fosters that relationship.

Pray tell, what did the Europeans do that the "natives" weren't already doing to each other? We need to get off of this idea that the indigenous people of the Western Hemisphere were peaceful and kind to each other. Sure, they weren't considered to be technologically advanced, like their European opponents, but their ability to act in a barbaric manner was every bit the same as any other human's natural instinct at that time.

These were people that were still practicing human sacrifice. Hardly a humane bunch.

I didn't imply that the events we're constantly reminded of didn't happen or were not as bad as some people make out. I do disagree with those who contend there was a long-running, consistent policy of "genocide" against Native Americans. As usual, history was more complicated than that – anyone who tells you otherwise is ignorant or agitating or both. But the point in a movie is not to educate the audience – it's to get them to have an emotional reaction. If you have to simplify American history and warp it beyond recognition in order to get people excited, then that's what a writer or director will do.

if you see the movie as anti-american or anti-military you are clearly over-sensitive about liberals 'ruining your entertainment' with propoganda, so you start off this 'review' by blantantly misrepresenting key plot elements to support your anti-liberal spittle. are there some crazy liberals? hell yeah. nut jobs. but tunnel vision right wing authoritarians are no better and it's a damn shame most of them have taken control of the republican party. this movie is more anti- corporate military industrial complex and it has the horrible hippie message that maybe you shouldn't kill a bunch of creatures that aren't white like you and destroy their land (for a made up wonder substance, not oil) because a profit can be made. what a…liberal message. worst thing in the world if you ask me. i hope companies keep making bombs and guns until we need to start using the moon to start storing all the stuff we've made to kill each other. but thank god we made money from it. and we've got to keep making money because that's all that matters and anything that gets in the way is just socialist and should be killed anyway

FYI, I think that's the "tragic outlook" that conservatives are so famous for having.

Yes, the past wasn't pretty. But, in these revisionist stories there is no room for any inkling that the culture has learned from past mistakes. There is no objective evidence that the modern US military (or even the past US military) AS A WHOLE acts the way some did during the 19th century. And yet we get countless films making such analogies, or Iraq war films making explicit accusations.

Look, what many of us are annoyed with is being preached about past wrongs as if no one has ever taught the blemishes of US and/or Western cultural history before. Many commentators have already pointed this out. We do not need a rich, abrasive, arrogant jerk of a filmmaker like Cameron to lecture us on the dangers of humanity's dark side.

This might not have been as big an issue if Cameron himself hadn't stated publicly that he was making references to Iraq & Afghanistan and America's spotty history with the native tribes.

As many others have pointed out, the progressive idea that paints any native culture as in perfect harmony & peace and thus superior to Westerners insults not only Westerners but also indigenous peoples.

These stories rob the characters of any dimension. They're cookie cutter. This is a flaw with a lot of Cameron's writing. He makes great action thrillers and and can build superb action plots. But, when it comes to depicting any nuance of human character or interaction, he often fails miserably.

I couldn't agree more, Keith! They don't care what we think of the move. All that counts (literally!) are the box office receipts.

For the life of me I cannot comprehend the logic of financially supporting something that insults everything you stand for and believe in.

Injecting your values into a more mainstream or heroic character has been a hollywood mainstay for generations. Frank Capra was a 5'5'' dark skinned Sicilian American. He used a more mainstream American -Jimmy Stewart – to play George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life". Cameron knows that the most universally respected institution in the U.S. is the USMC. He is not honoring the USMC. He uses Sully as a prop. Like the enemy, Sully is a working class hero victim of capitalist greed and white/earthling imperialism. He could not have cast a "Socialist Jew" as Sully because a "Socialist Jew" would not need to be converted to Cameron's anti-captialist, anti-God, anti-U..S., anti-Caucasian, anti-Devil Dog point of view.

Business decisions made positions of fear or misplaced self-preservation aren't good decisions. The prevalence of bad decisions, or growing trends, isn't an accurate measure of "good." Social kudzu is still something that should be eradicated.

Sully was wearing a U.S. Marines t-shirt when he got off the transport on Pandora

It could be they believe hyper-sensitized is better than de-sensitized.

Conservatives are bombarded every minute with what horrible people they are. I can certainly understand being sensitive about it.

After all, the Left did it first, and raised it to an art form with any criticism of Obama being called racist.

It's getting old from both sides.

This is part of the reason why I rediscovered anime…yes, they have their "moments" too (*coughFullmetalAlchemistcough*), but at least they focus more on entertaining you than preaching to you. Additionally, I'm sure there are some older movies you haven't seen yet. Go for those!

Umm…two back-to-back $75 million dollar weekends in the USA alone is pretty damn good, by any count, especially considering the level of competition in theaters right now (Sherlock, Chipmunks, Blind Side and a Disney 'toon make for a very full slate of movies the whole family can choose from), and the fact that Avatar tickets are generally priced higher than normal because of the 3D. It's also #1 in 107 out of 108 foreign markets (according to Nikki Finke's site) Taking a gamble on the guy who made the highest grossing movie ever seems like a pretty good one to me. (Investors didn't sign on to make a half billion dollar movie. Costs rose during production, as I recall they did on Titanic as well.) They'll make it into the black next weekend for sure, and the happy meal, toy and video game money will turn a nice profit for investors. It's not a fiasco by any means, no matter how people are letting their dislike of Cameron color their judgement of the film. And as I recall, Titanic took a very long time to break box office records–and it stayed in theaters for a very long time. Chances are no-one is going to give Cameron another half billion to make a movie. But if Michael Bey can keep getting roughly 200 million for giant robots, Cameron will still find people willing to bet on his bloated vision.

Don't insult The Lion King like that.

Having risked my life to save the no good POS, Cameron, you can be sure he'll not get dime one of mine. And nothing from my WWII Marine aviator father or son, currently a Marine in Afghanistan. Make this bomb like the other ones that try and send a message, instead of entertain.

With the US military presently fighting two wars, with the US military stationed around the globe providing security for our allies and with the US military here at home providing security for the US, why in the hell would anyone pay to see a creepy cartoon that negates all that the US military has done and are still doing?!?! Small wonder the left is so successful at hawking this crap, when those who should know better go along with the liberal status quo.

James Cameron's brother is a US Marine.

No there are not some crazy liberals, they are all crazy. Take you for instance. btw what plot points were misrepresented?
… authoritarians, as in, taking over the financial system, Government Motors, 1/6 of the economy, energy, plus others to numerous to mention, and still more few if any know anything about. Is that what you mean by authoritarian?
You do know that 'brown wars' currently take more non-white lives than you can imagine? Of course not, you get your news from Avatar and self-hating white liberal propaganda media. History of this species is full of constant war by every country and race. Get off your high and holier-than-thou attitude. Whatever race, whatever country, whatever ethnic background you have, your ancestors are steeped in blood, you are no better than anyone else.
Ya, we are so evil, making money on weapons. Unlike Russians selling Iran seven nuclear power plants and sold Saddam tanks, and small arms, and sells weapons all across Africa and the Mid-east. Or the Chinese who are supplying North Korea and Pakistan with nuclear technology, missile tech to Iran, NK, Paki's, radars, small arms. Not the mention the Russians selling 100,000 AK's to Chavez, a small arms factory, and will supply them with missiles, Iran is selling their nuke tech (from Russia) in return for Uranium. So ya, just go ahead and blame only the US. I expect nothing less from a no nothing ideologically blinded liberal.
Be careful that you don't become what you hate. <— Applies to you.

they'll never stop making them – rather it will become the norm, and that slush fund – er, stimulus will be there in times of need.

no way will i watch this piece of propaganda (crap).

Frank got it wrong with his recommendation to see this movie.

This was Hollywood's highest grossing weekend EVER, capping a banner year–why wouldn't that make all the people in the private meetings very, very happy? You're right, perhaps we're talking at cross purposes. (No, no-one's going to make another half $bill movie, but as I said, they sure will make a couple more sure-fire $250 mill ones) But Avatar was made to make money, not please the film making community at large, and it's doing just that. For all the people on this site who routinely boast about how they never go to the movies anymore, clearly most Americans still found plenty at the cineplex to swell Hollywood coffers in 2009.

Whenever someone wishes me a merry Christmas, I feel warm inside. The same, obviously, goes for a happy Hanukkah. Whenever I am wished a happy holidays, however, it just feels sterile and insincere.

Also, I'd just as soon not receive such a generic benediction, when numbered among the "holidays" could be things such as Saturnalia, the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, or whatnot.

Yeah, I've seen a lot of that. "Who cares, the effects rock!" I don't care about effects. I could download something from the Finnish demoscene from 15 years ago and be more impressed (they would routinely deliver beyond cutting edge graphics that would play on even weak computers and be delivered in under 1M file sizes). Some better filmmaker will later take any advances Avatar might have accomplished and make a better movie that doesn't want to preach to me. Or, maybe the pendulum will swing the other way and we'll finally be back to the movies of the '40s that effortlessly outshine any modern effort without a single effect in sight.

I'm also not impressed with Cameron no matter what the effects. He describes what he wants and signs off on the results, but it is the effects team making it happen and making whatever advances might be needed.

Not alone. Before I knew about any agenda, I said, "Man, those blue things are stupid. No way am I watching a two hour-plus movie about them."

I have heard the same thing. But they can't prove the Captain was pushed. One thing that was proven was the captain was not the most competent. Thus was easily influenced.

Regardless Cameron used it, which I used to bolster my point.

Nothing but an overblown Dances with the Lion KIng cartoon and the plot is rehashed superficial tripe. The story is only an excuse to show off technology and political message.

I want my three hours and twelve bucks back.

Yes, atrocities were done by the U.S. against Natives and vice versa. It was all bad, all wrong, on both sides. No side was perfect. Do I need film after film after film to tell me this crap? No, I don't. I can bet you dimes to donuts that every group of people on this planet from the time homo sapien sapiens first came on the scene, has either been oppressed or been the oppressor. SO THE HELL WHAT? I can't take it anymore. Nothing I can do or say will ever change that. There is no reparation, no movie, no book, no nothing that will change that. All we can do is MOVE ON and try to make things better in the future. Native groups in trouble can try to get themselves out of trouble and the gov't can get out their way so they can do that. Of course bigotry should be a shameful act and should be punished accordingly.

That's all that can be done. What can be done for my family, in Poland, for what FDR and Churchill did to them after WWII? Nothing, that's what. Me complaining about it won't help my family over there and their complaining about won't help themselves either.

I've yet to see "Titanic"……………………………..and I have ZERO desire to see this anti-American propaganda piece either.

Really, your rant is about 100 times worse than the author's rant about the movie. Oh, that's right, if you dare to criticize you must be a racist. We got it. Yawn.

What are Dixie Chicks? Didn't they used to be a girl band or something?

Actually, the Dixie Chicks "boycott" worked wonders. They had to cancel numerous concert dates due to horrific ticket sales (even in markets where they sold out their previous appearance). And other shows never even went on sale after that disastrous first day where some shows barely moved a few thousand tickets in 20,000 seat arenas.

As far as Avatar goes, I can't for the life of me understand why Conservatives would deservedly rip the liberal slant and then recommend it anyhow. This is why we lose election after election and will face a disappointing fate next November. There is literally no reason to see a movie that is an outright, deliberate attack on the USA and our military. But so-called Conservatives are happy to pay good money (14 dollars or so for 3D) and then bend over and take it in the rear end for nearly 3 hours.

The Marine Corps that Mr. Cameron mocks so childishly in Avatar have and would lay down their lives to protect his right to make such films.

Enh… depends. Ghost in the Shell I could roll my eyes at a few comments regarding the "American Empire" but shows like Blood+ kept slamming America so much I got disgusted within a few episodes. (Though when it aired on Adult Swim I'd just watch the opening animation because I liked some of the songs. Oh and GiTS had Tachikomas. That makes up for a lot of politically-slanted crap.)

Fullmetal Alchemist is okay. The parts about the military aren't as annoying to me. The government in question is a military dictatorship, not a constitutional republic. The military of that sort of government isn't going to be like the US military in it's actions and at least some of the officers (Mustang, Armstrong, Hughes, etc.) are rather decent people. Others… not so much.

"We'll fit you"?! Oh please. You're just another anonymous coward blathering behind a keyboard. You'll never actively participate in any action against those you obviously hate. Too dangerous for your delicate little hide.

I have seemed to notice the same thing. I was wondering if it was just me. Hmmmm.. Christmas coming back, Liberal failure states losing residents to more conservative ones, individuals thwarting terrorist attempts (faulty detonator or not), Liberalism in general decline among the populace. America waking up out of its slumber.

Yes Obama….elections do have consequences.

I have been studying and creating 3D art since the 80s. I am a super GEEK. I was using VR goggles from the beginning. Enough that I know tricks that can cancel out the headaches, BTW. That's how hardcore with 3D immersive displays that I am.

I've been waiting for this technology to come to fruition since 1989 when the first article about this particular tech became available. To see a movie with this tech made using these cameras is a big deal that I've been waiting for, PATIENTLY, for 20 freakin' years. To say I've dreamed about seeing 3D done right with the proper cameras and replay technology would be a complete understatement.

I will never see this movie.

Marines, thank you so much for your service and putting your lives on the line for the Constitution.

Merry Christmas!

Hi Former Marine, I made a small indie film called FORGOTTEN HEROES back in 88 to 90 and I show the US Marines in Vietnam as real heroes. Hollywood refuse to pick up the film even after three years of multiple screenings by everyone out there. FORGOTTEN HEROES is exactly the opposite of this massive anti-American propaganda made by a Hollywood malcontent. http://www.forgottenheroesthemovie.com is my site go see for yourself . I honored you and your service to this great country and for that I paid twenty years for it.

On Christmas, say "merry Christmas". Simple as that. Anything else is not being "sensitive" to other traditions, it is being INsensitive to Christians. You are simply choosing "who" to offend.

Muslims? That wouldn´t make a lot of sense in this kind of story. But if the humans were representative of Earth population NOW (never mind the 22nd century) they would be at least two thirds Asian. There is like one Asian guy in Avatar and even he looks American to me.

Even the bad bunch from Die Hard was more "diverse". By the way, having arrogant foreigners as baddies did nothing to hurt the international busines of that movie.

Aren't you lucky. I've seen Titanic once and ONLY once.

I thought it was stupid honestly. It would have been depressing if I'd actually liked any of the primary characters.

So who are the liberal nut jobs? Care to name a few who control the Democrat party today? Or was that just a sop to prove how centrist you are before you laid out your feverish fantasy about conservatism?

Why must every post by a liberal quickly degenerate into a lecture about their perception of conservatism when it is utterly clear that they have never made an effort to understand it and all they know is what liberals have told them (no, skimming blog comments does not count as effort).

The problem with Avatar is the same: being ideological, it has nothing to do with how the world really is. For example, we do not in fact bomb natives for profit. Does that revelation shake your world?

Now take my story of an independent filmmaker with NO funding to fight this "Hollywood leftist Mob". I live and work in the Land of the Tolerant that will NEVER EVER allow a film out into the public arena that is the complete opposite of their spewing their leftist brain dead bullshit. They stopped me at every turn and I still after twenty years am fighting these whores and I refuse to let them win.

I am selling my DVD over the internet at http://www.forgottenheroesthemovie.com I made this film to honor and pay tribute to a generation of Americans who were spit on when they came back from NAM and they for the next 30 years they were pissed on by the leftist cowards in film after film after film.

I had over 350 screenings with the major studios, mini-majors, major independents, AFM distributors over a two and a half year period. I got multiple screenings for all the five major studios, they don't waste their time or money of a shit film. They keep asking me for screenings over and over again. I made an old fashion war film that shows the Vietnam Vets as heroes, there are no F bombs in my film, I honored all of our Vietnam Vets and they shut me out big time and I have no funding to counter-act their game playing.

Now, i am touching the American public directly through blogs like this, I have done over 90 radio shows getting the word out there. If all you bloggers who come to BIG HOLLYWOOD on a daily basis and are FED UP with films like Avatar and REDACTED then support FORGOTTEN HEROES. Send a message to Hollywood buy my film and give them the finger. For every dollar you give me it is a victory for our side. They will NEVER FUND a pro American film, I don't care who you are or how many oscars that person has. It comes from filmmakers like me who raise peanuts in the private sector and then try to get the film out to the public. If I had access to the kind of money that Mel Gibson has FORGOTTEN HEROES would be all over this country and I would go after the entire machinery called Hollywood and expose them for the sons of bitches that they are.

I even got a DVD copy to President Bush in the Oval Office back in July of 2008 and he sent me a wonderful letter that is on my site. I am making sales but not in the huge numbers. I need publicity to get out there, I need sites like BIG HOLLYWOOD to do a full blown story on this war I am in with the left so people like yourself who want to see films that honor and pay tribute to our troops can buy them.

I can't do it without the support of conservatives that are totally fed up with the crap coming out of Hollywood and by huge blow-hards like James Cameron who thinks this shit don't stink. We pay this SOB to live in that rarified air. The other day he insulted a fan because the guy wanted an autograph. We are doing this bastard a favor, he is doing nothing for us but taking our money and giving us a film with no real story and lots of SPFX, who cares.
Part II

SUPPORT CONSERVATIVE FILMMAKERS or NOTHING will change. I want to attack these bastards and their religion on film. I can't do it without the financial support of the millions of conservatives out there that read this blog. BUY FORGOTTEN HEROES and 25% of each DVD sale goes to the American Disabled Veteran for Life Memorial Fund. You think you will see the likes of Cameron, Moore and Stone give away 25% of anything to America's veterans. Don't hold your breathe.

So Cameron is a conservative now? Why doesn´t he apply his "tragic outlook" to the Navi then? Did I miss the scene where they sell their unobtanium for guns so they can massacre the neighboring tribe?

Didn´t think it through, did you?

I thought of something similar (though not as humorous) awhile back. If we just pretend the "earthlings" are from a socialist one world government…. it's a little easier to relate to the smurfs. Er.. I mean the N'avi.

Not much of a boycott when your blog features an advertisement for a Starwood American Express Card on the right hand column. Happy Holidays!

Can you prove it?

It´s certainly not a duty, no matter what some of the more excitable fanboys here think.

Well, when you call your MAIN audience names, you are asking to be boycotted. SO I guess Hollywood has been (and actually, if you look at the numbers has gotten), asking for a boycott for a long time.

It feels like a cliche because it is. Which reminds me – it´s been years since we have seen a movie about the McCarthy era. That cannot be! Hollywood is dropping the ball on McCarthyism!

Congrats Bugs, but that's really not the point. You concede to one minor principle then slowly and slowly you'll concede to even more. Before you know it all you are is a walking zombie who cares about less and less.

Here is a quote from Avatar's lead actor, Sam Worthington, "Anyone can do push-ups. I hung out with Jim's [Cameron] brother, John David, a former Marine."

It is also listed in his biography at Turner Classic Movies:

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?spid=275...

Before I see a movie, I find out who the actors, directors and producers are. I refuse to see works put out by leftists pushing an agenda to run down America.

Lat time I checked, Christmas was the Federal holiday. Schools are closed, Post Offices are closed. Most stores are closed. I agree Target sucks for doing that and I won't shop there. Should we ban saying Happy 4th of July becauce we might offend someone is not American. I work at a liberal non-profit that frounds on the Merry Christmas greeting. I walk around and say it proudly. I put it on my emails. Its funny when I do that it makes people nervous. I was in a store last week buying a gift and I said to the clerk, Merry Christmas and she looked stunned and said it back, I was reday to drop the gift and walk out if I did not get a Merry Christmas in return.

My GF works for Target and has for the last 10 years, when they tell her to not say merry Christmas she tells them that they need to handle all the customers instead of her. Most of the actual stores don't enforce the policy but simply mention it as corp B.S.

Funny! I think some readers are not getting the irony. Actually, you point to some choices Cameron might have taken – though maybe not literally – if he was as subversive as he thinks he is.

The movie has made $615 million in 10 days according to boxofficemojo.
I guess they broke even on the costs. Geez, how can you spend $500 million making and marketing a movie? This could have been done on the scy fy channel in an episode of stargate for a fraction of the cost.

I hate how he is portraying the military.

Former Marine pretty much spelled everything out however I'd like to point out the "soldiers" in the film speak English with American accents. If he didn't want to portray American soldiers he could have given them an accent.

Though, I can hardly believe it took him so long to come up with such an infantile plot. (Unobtainium!? Who thought that up? His 8 year old?) If it at least had believable CG work it might be something. That fails too as I can readily see the CG effects when watching even the trailer.

This is like listening to an old rambling man at the bus stop! Find a thesis and use topic sentences, dude! You sound like Grampa Simpson.

I just read an interview that James Cameron wrote this script back in the mid 90's. Nuff said!

Apparently, Starwood hotels does NOT have such a policy:
http://www.hollywoodrepublican.net/

Actually, if you cared to pay attention to the plot or even bothered doing twenty seconds of research on the film on its wikipedia page, you would see that the human fighters are ex-Marines who were hired by the mining corporation as mercenaries. While there certainly are parallels, perhaps the message is about human greed and how war in the name of money is horribly immoral, and not that Cameron hates American soldiers?

But hey, don't let facts get in the way of your tirade. I mean, it really is obvious that Hollywood is trying to make us all socialists… you know, thus running themselves all out of business, right?

Not only are they not marines, they are also not Americans. Where else do they come from? The movie doesn't say. No government is mentioned and no American flags are displayed on the uniforms. And the male lead has an Australian accent. But don't let that stop your persecution complex.

Yeah.. because wiping out humanity would be SOOOO much better than people actually bothering to learn a lesson and change their ways..

Good shot

FYI- His youngest brother is a decorated USMC Grunt Vet of the first Gulf War. This is a widely known tidbit of info available on any bio on James; journalism much?

Jesus Christ, you're right. Americans NEVER do anything wrong. Never mind the fact that America is never mentioned once in the film, by the way…

Can't you see its just a fantasy adventure film with roots in history and fairy tale that has been transplanted to a sci-fi setting?

By the way, its obvious that the GOOD GUYS were the Americans. You know, the ones who promote living together in harmony despite our cultural differences, the ones that stood up for what they believed in and fought against tyranny. The good guys were also the ones victimized in a 9-11 like fashion with the destruction of a large, tower-like object, destroyed by the bad guys who didn't understand and didn't like the others' way of life. How did you guys miss that?

That's really odd, because the movie is supposed to take place in the year 2154, so his brother would have to be REALLY old! lol

Thankfully, the Marines are not the whiny, needy, little flimsy people that Mr. DeMartini is and can handle this fictional portrayal.

Mr. DeMartini makes me think of the tiny, yappy dog in the cartoon that sticks up for the larger, tougher dog -unnecessarily – in order to appear to be the larger dog's friend.

I stopped watching the Ghost in the Shell series due in some part to it's "American Empire" bs (shame, because the music for the series is pretty good and the tachikomas are the best part).
Also, the Read or Die series had some similar anti-American slants at the end – by which time I'd already bought all the dvds. At least you can't blame the American hollywood for these – it's all the Japanese. It's even more expected.
Current anime has gotten rather boring and predictable. Probably because the series go on forever (usually due to the manga series running concurrently).

Would you say the same thing about the Holocaust and WWII? That "IT'S IN THE PAST" and we should just move on? That we should forget? BC that's what you seem to be implying here…

He means James Cameron's younger brother is a decorated vet.

As many have pointed out the bad guys were not United States Marines but mercenaries employed by a corporation but Frank you wouldn't have been able to write this piece without that lie as your starting point now would you?

Rubbish! If you are going to piss and moan please don't start out with a clear lie. It takes all the fun out of it for the rest of us.

Oh and as for Christmas…Christians co-opting a clearly non-Christian mid-winter day declaring it Christ's birthday offends me.

Do keep in mind that most of the American mercenaries are former military people, having served in the nation's defense in the past years. When they get honorably (or dishonorably) discharged from the military, some of them goes on to offer their military expertise and background skills to private military or security companies for load of money and bonus incentive$ that even Uncle Sam can't give when they were in the military. Corporate rules are not the same as government rules such as RoE, so these mercenaries are given the free reins to do whatever they can do, as long as they get paid handsomely for their experiences. You know, some might be adrenaline junkies who wanted their "war fix" and actions without RoE.

That's the suck side of it.

There is no such thing as "ex-Marine". Once a Marine, always a Marine. Even the ones who retired from the Marine Corps and no longer serving the country as active, they are always Marines.

http://www.answers.com/topic/ex-marine

The acceptable term is a "former Marine" (one who's no longer serving or retired).

There is no such thing as "ex-Marine". Once a Marine, always a Marine. Even the ones who retired from the Marine Corps and no longer serving the country as active, they are always Marines.

http://www.answers.com/topic/ex-marine

The acceptable term is a "former Marine" (one who's no longer serving or retired).

Good Post…Hanzo.
I've read all of Mr. Eckart's books about this countrys' early history, several times, and he pretty much tells it like it was.

Being both American-Indian and Mexican myself, I recognize how blessed I am to be what I am and where I am.

However, I find it sad that, to this day, we segregate ourselves by our ancestors as opposed to simply being Americans.

Yes, I agree "Taking Chance" is a great movie. My kudos to all involved in that production.

Were any of the characters ex-military from another country, no. They were all Americans. And, that is Cameron's viewpoint. America is bad. If he wanted to say otherwise, there would have been Brits, French, Russians, Chinese, etc. Nope, they were all Americans.

Let me ask you one question since you are so sure of your hypothesis. Was their one character that was not American? Was there any Chinese, Russian, French, Indian, etc? This movie depicts Americans in a bad light and not humans. Think abou it.

Ok. How do you know what nationality the characters are? It's the year 2154. What makes you think American will even be around then? Much less in any sense that we know it as now.

So it's possible those people were all from nations other than America, and that perhaps English is just the accepted world language then. What about that?

Or how about the most likely scenario, that the people who portrayed those characters were the best actors chosen for those parts? How do you know that people of other nationalities didn't try out for the parts and just suck? It's possible that those spots could've been filled with a U.N. of variety, and even then you people would whine about it.

It depicts ALL humanity in a bad light, because we as humans are exactly the way the movie suggests. Regardless of country, race, color, whatever… there is greed in every country, and since the beginning of time, we've been guilty of killing each other to get what we want. I'm not saying humanity is evil, I'm just saying what that movie depicts is a trait that is universal, not American. Unless, of course, you're saying that no other country has even been that way… if you yourself are in fact the one saying that Americans are that way!

Actually, I think that's what a lot of you people are doing. I think you're all just imposing that it's America on a corporation with no flag or nation. You want to believe they're talking about America and not humanity, and so you just impose your own prejudices and false assumptions onto a movie you haven't even seen, or didn't watch with an open mind to begin with.

Can you prove it? Hah! Just google it.

But you still have not seen the film, have you?

2 sides indeed. My mother is full blood Chorotega (from Costa Rica), yes, one of the many different tribes regularly harvested for cut-your-living-heart-out atop the sun pyramids by the "civilized advanced" indians. Needless to say, they were very happy to see the European newcomers change the "way of life" forever.

"a film in 1977 that changed the biz as well, if only I could remember that movie… "

Something about a dark side and an old robed guy named Augie ben Doggy or something like that yes?

wow, Micheal Moore set up another ambush?

So many of you seem to be experts on how Marines, or the military for that matter, seem to identify themselves after they are no longer serving. You know what, why don't you ask an "ex-Marine" how he/she identifies himself/herself. The Marines I have met seem to still identify themselves as Marines. Bottom line: it's a dig at the military, both currently serving and retired. If you really pay attention you will see that there are many shows out there that portray our military as dangerous, evil individuals. I recommend you not watch any of them.
(And, btw, why don't all of you anti-Blackwater folks research how Clinton used them during his administration.)

Look they made a movie 40 years ago where the Indians whipped the US military, called Comanche, good film actually from what I can remember it's being a year or two since I've seen it.

Anyway in it the US military is simply the enemy not some evil war monger corporate troops. They're not the kind one would enjoy seen killed in droves. In the film to the Indians are not painted perfectly like the Na'vi but are good and respectable none the less.

The most important thing in the film is though, they're not trying to paint them as the current US military, you can scream "mercs" all you want about Avatar but they stylized after US Marines and they use terms like "shock and awe". Comanche doesn't go off making references to the Eisenhower administration, they don't use non-relevant things like Soldiers calling the natives "communists" or talking about the "Domino theory" so as to tie them to the current day wars.

The film was there to entertain and maybe inform us of the past not try to push a political agenda on the present

You should ring up the families of the five burned blackwater guys on that bridge and tell them it's okay because they're not military and therefore calling them evil warmongers is fine and celebrating their deaths is good

Good reply! But how does this moving imply it is happening today when its occurring in the future?

Your example of a story about a future Holocaust is a good one, and I happen to think a movie about that which displays universal truths (killing a people is wrong) would work. Would it be fair if the villains were Germans and that's all? No. But what if they weren't just Germans, but fascists? A future government that was racially motivated (shades of the Empire in Star Wars)? Then yes, it works. And if it was made by Germans, would it make sense to have the villains be Germans? Sure, since countries usually make the protagonists and antagonists of their films be pple from their own country.

So bringing this back to Avatar, the film isn't saying America is evil and bad (just as a future Holocaust movie wouldn't say Germans are evil and bad), but saying that corporate immorality and certain policies regarding other cultures certainly are.

And bringing it back to my MAIN point, which was a reaction to ladykrystyna suggesting we don't need to hear about genocide against indians bc "everyone knows about it, let's move on, etc etc". Famous quote: those that don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it.

I'm sorry, but this movie was stunning. I don't usually gush over visual effects, but this movie was incandescent. This is coming from a life long conservative, Reagan, GHWBush and GWBush supporter. Look, you can find politics in anything if you look hard enough. The smurfs were communists, Rainbow Brite promoted gay marriage, the Fraggles worked for the KGB, etc. etc.

I don't think the concept of the hyper greedy corporation is something American. Do we want it to be? What are we trying to defend here? Avatar involved a company (not a nation or a GSE) that wanted to destroy native life for the purpose of profit. Profit isn't the boogieman, but profit (and the quest for it) at ANY cost is. Again, is there something reprehensible and un-American about seeing that profit is earned ethically? Also (and I acknowledge this has been said already), these weren't Marines working under the auspices of the U.S. Government. Nor were they Blackwater. They were hired guns that had military training. They followed orders for money. They were mercenaries, bounty hunters. A pretty large leap of logic(and fact) is required in order to impute that these mercenaries were there for the good of the nation and/or to protect the homeland.

The guys in Avatar were anything but the brave souls serving in our Armed forces, who do, in fact, serve our nation and its people. They're corporate grunts with guns and military training. They left the armed services long before picking up a gun again this time for the sake of the dollar.

The company that these mercenaries worked for was anything but American. Then again, perhaps I hold America to be above the type of soulless panhandling this Avatar corporation embodies. Don't you?

So, really, I don't see the need for the outrage. It's fiction. It's a movie. A stunning one, at that.

it's a little late but … merry christmas!

it's sad that political correctness has gone so far that something like saying merry christams is banned.

They're supposedly meant to be mercs but they seem to be stylized after the Marines, one person even pointed out every detail of their uniform matches which is really stupid even if they are Marines because in 2154 the outfit would probably be far different however if one wants to make a villain out of the US then having them look like today's Marines does it pretty well.

It's kind of like that L&O episode with the successful, blond female conservative pundit in her forties who yes is not Ann Coulter herself but is clearly meant to be her

Famous quote: those that don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it.

I agree with that

The problem I have with Avatar, as well as it being a film which is stacked to the roof with leftist idea it also seems to go out of it's away to depict a force which while not the US military is exactly like them which isn't necessary they could have made a far more generic force, even Halo with actual Marines descended from the current ones is a good model, different outfits and half the soldiers are of foreign origin. Just drop the Marine terms and US military ones, then you'd have a good international corporate force we could all despise

As for the Germans making the German movie, well you'd find the Austrian equivalent of me probably objecting to it as well. (I say Austrian because I'm not an American (as you can see from my name) but I object to the portrayal of a country of linguistic and idealogical similarities to my own being bashed without merit)

As for ladykrystyna I don't think she's honestly saying, "Never bring up the Indians again forget about that" but when you rehash it and adapt it to pin it on the current US military and imply they've never stopped since then, which is what some people who don't know anything about the US might think, the same people who think you can get an Uzi in a Happy Meal because a TV show or movie told them so

Forgot to mention I'm an Australian, I just realized it sounds like I'm an Austrian since I cite my name which only includes 3 letters found in both country's names.

Ahh so I take it you liked seeing those five Black water guys get murdered and have their bodies hung from a bridge since they're just "unevolved corporate gunners" according to you

Yes but the heroes changed sides hence they are traitors to humanity aka the Space Americans

The point of the film is then that the American military represented as "Mercs" are a group of tyrants who's actions the heroes are worthy of rebelling against..Therefore America is evil and anyone who fights it is good

Technically this isn't like the American revolution where the Americans rose up against the British and Americans who sympathized with them. If it was like that then the Na'vi would be some Earth colony which the Space Americans exploited and abused, the Na'vi are more like Native Americans crossed with the lefts view of Iraqi "victims of evil America" because of their "war for oil"

I had to stop midway through your article because it was just too much of an effort to continue reading. Starting the article off you already say people should go see it, but contradict yourself by saying that it's a film with live actors, but not a fully integrated live action film. So either you are just trying to pick something apart or you came into this movie with unrealistic expectations. Did you think all that glowy stuff and flying mountains were real? Did you think we actually had mech technology? I'm trying to be clear on what you are talking about.

Also, this film was NOT a stab at Iraq and Afghanistan. I think you have seen an entirely different film, because there is really no gesture here that lets me think back to those wars. Instead I thought it was more of a heavy green message and a bit of a jab at how the US treated Native Americans in the past. Instead you think because they speak English and obviously don't have the name tags that read US Marines, but you found this to be a slight to the military.

Then again maybe you missed the ONE scene that actually said that they were no longer soldiers, but mercenaries working for that company who is on planet. So this is more of a slight on Blackwater and groups like that.

I'm really trying to understand why you are an idiot.

"James Cameron should apologize to the American Military and should make a statement that he does not truly feel this way about them."

But what if he does really feel this way about them? It's his right. And I say that as a proud veteran of the U.S. Army. You say Cameron should issue an apology for portraying these particular Marines as bloodthirsty? I didn't see the Marines as bloodthirsty. I saw them as doing what service members do — following orders. In this case, those orders came from a hierarchy that clearly didn't give a damn about the natives of the planet they were invading. Guess what? That's not far from the truth in a lot of real-world cases.

The whole purpose of the movie is to comment on the cost of imperialism. Was Cameron ham-handed in the way he portrayed the military? Sure. But it was exaggeration for dramatic effect.

I also find it ironic that you insist Cameron apologize for what is clearly political allegory — no matter how ham-handed that allegory was — just before going on a free speech rant. Ever ask Glenn Beck to aplolgize for his anti-liberal or anti-Muslim rants? How about asking Rush Limbaugh to apologize for saying the torture at Abu Ghraib prison was just "kids blowing off steam"?

I'm sick of people — liberal and conservative — demanding an apology every time someone says something offensive to their delicate sensibilities. As if said apology would be in any way sincere. I'm also sick of the conservative view that you cannot criticize the military — even in allegory — without being somehow un-American. Guess what — when I served at the headquarters of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, I found that military brass is made up of human beings — some good, some bad, some unutterably incompetent, some utterly heartless when it comes to the well-being of anyone who doesn't look like them. That's not a criticism — just an observation that the military is a cross-section of ordinary humanity. And as such, it is open to criticism. And since the military enforces this country's will with force of arms, it is vital that we DO feel we can criticize it if we feel we need to.

Cameron doesn't owe an apology for allegorical commentary. To suggest otherwise — especially in a "free speech" blog — is reactionary idiocy. And no, I'm not apologizing for that.

" If it was like that then the Na'vi would be some Earth colony which the Space Americans exploited and abused…"

I dunno, that's exactly what it looked like to me…

Its funny that everyone keeps saying the bad guys are *obviously* the Americans, and yet they don't express any of America's ideals, not a SINGLE one. So what do you see in the bad guys that you recognize in yourself, or in your case (since you're an Aussie), Americans? Just the fact that they all seem to be of European descent? And yet, EVERY single good quality that we Americans cling to as being a part of our national identity, everything we hold dear, IS expressed in the good guys' behavior.

Its about fighting corruption and greed and immorality- NOT fighting America- and if everyone sees that as an American thing while ignoring the true American ideals of fighting against tyranny, being a force for good, and living together in harmony with those who are different, then some of us are blind and just looking for trouble.

Exactly. If I cared about how we treated the native americans (I dont) I might find something useful but I'm not a liberal so I have no need for movie that tries to get me to feel anything for the plight of a alient species that gets in the way of human progress. Who knows maybe this "unobtainium" was neccesary for humans to space travel or unlimited energy production. If we hadn't treated the native americans how we had we'de probably be speaking navaho now. I , and probably most of my non liberal friends were rooting for the corporation in this movie. Somtimes eggs have to be broken to make an omelet.

These weren't Marines. They were mercs acting at the whim of a corporate board. These were Blackwater scum portrayed, not our proud service core. Stand down.

Just an absolutely terrible attitude you've got there.

Yeah. Yikes! Machiavelli's calling!

You're comparing Avatar with Atlas Shrugged? C'mon. Why don't we also compare Plato's "Apology" to Nicholas Spark's "The Notebook" while we're at it?

Apples and Oranges.

Indeed, more depth and wisdom is found and a real portrait of who we are and where we may go is found when we see all aspects of our past.

If you want to see left wing propaganda watch Astro Boy with your kids.

So, would forcing diversity in the cast have assuaged your feelings? Diversity wouldn't have added anything to the movie – except to detract from the possibility that the politically sensitive viewer impute meaning where none was intended.

Indeed I will, till ten minutes after I'm dead… and even then I doubt I will stop.

Ok, going back to knuckledragger mode…

*slinks off to corner to pick at his fleas*

Ah, I call mine mr. happy

The Jews didn't commot atrocities against their own kind and others, as far as I know. perfesser

 IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>I call mine Hanzo</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>

Hit em where it hurts………NO MONEY FROM ME.

There is no steel more sharp or deadly than Hanzo Steel!

Sonny "The Streetfighter Chiba?

 IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Acyually, DW, Hanzo Hattori was the patriarch of the largest, most dangerous and feared Ninja clan in feudal Japan. His clan virtually ruled Iga Prefecture. Tarantino actually usurped his good name for \”Kill Bill\”.</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>

color me impressed. Not many here in the West know that the Yamabushi were the ones who birthed the Ninja.

Agreed asking him to apologize is pointless considering that leftists lie all the time anyway it wouldn't mean anything anyway.

I wouldn't consider this crying or complaining though. That would be having an anti-Avatar tea party which would be very pointless and a waist of resources and it would make it a joke. Better to just hit the leftists like Cameron at their core, the government

No problem Hanzo!

I was replying to LadyKrystyna's implication that atrocities made in the past, in particular those against the Native Americans, shouldn't be brought up anymore, that essentially everyone knows about it, there's nothing we can do about it, and thus we should move on. I wondered if she would say the same thing about Jews and the Holocaust, or if we should just be choosey about what atrocities we decide to remember.

Look obviously the film doesn't match true American value but those perceived by leftists and foreigners not the real values of the US.

As I said in one of my other posts, it aims at the same people who think you guys can get Uzi's in happy meals just because it's shown on a TV show or movie.

As an Australian I know how people think about you guys over here how the media effects perception. Most people don't know you were designed around the idea of small government or that the 2nd amendment is not about duck hunting or even individual self defense but about overthrowing a tyrannical government, they think you're all duck hunting racist rednecks because pop culture and Michael Moore said so

I don't think they were U.S. marines. Weren't they working for a private company making them a private security force? The colonel and Scully USED to be Recon Marines if I remember.

Conquistadors, more badasses

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/10...

He may have come up with the idea 15-20 years ago, but apparently he does see it as a commentary on Iraq.

James Cameron:

“I’d always wanted to take audiences on a visit to another planet. We’re not trying to compete specifically with the richness of Tolkien and his world. But this is my version of that,” he said. “Because in a sense you’re competing with the real world and nature is extremely rich in imagination,” it is all in the details.

While the “Avatar” story sets up military might vs. an indigenous people – the blue-skinned 10-foot-tall Na’vi – Cameron is not anti-war.

“It’s not meant to be that. I have a great deal of respect for the U.S. fighting men and women. My brother is a Marine. I celebrate the Marines in the movie; Jake (his ex-Marine hero) has the can-do indomitable spirit.”

If anything, “Avatar” is “a cautionary note for people to look at what their government is doing.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/movies/...

Oh dear this film certainly has touched a raw nerve. As the film has been in development loooong before Iraq and Afghanistan your claims that this it is about these two wars is dubious at best, as are the claims that it is a slap in the face to US serviceman and women. Perhaps you right-whingers should be asking yourselves why you are so 'infuriated" by a piece of entertainment instead of rubbishing James Cameron and everyone associated with the film. So you lot didnt like Wall E because it was "leftist propaganda" and now this. GET A LIFE.

[...] Science calls it “every militant global warming supporter’s dream come true”—it has also been described as “blatant anti-military” and “anti-American.” The idea of the corporate partnership itself [...]

Every soldier I know has told me they will gladly fire upon American or foreign civilians if ordered to do so. The trucks full of Iraqi "insurgents" being blown up and killed in various Youtube videos could easily be a truck full of American patriots fighting a corrupt US government. They wouldn't hesitate to fire upon nonhuman blue catmonkeys. I will always remember the Bonus Army of 1932, man, woman, and child, being shot down and charged by US Army soldiers in the "good old days." (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/snprelief4.htm... The winners write the history books, the government makes the law and bends it to it's will.

Avatar was primarily written in 1994, but yes it "is obviously a political comment on Iraq and Afghanistan.

*overthrow anyone __against__ their interests. Sorry, typo.

Peace and love and thanks to all the brave soldiers who aren't bat-shit racist, trigger-happy crazy like my uncle and his sicko redneck friends.

So you think the idea of corporations that don't care whether a whole planet dies is unrealistic, as long as an immediate profit is made?

Science fiction is all about asking questions and possibly preventing the repetition of history. So I think this fits.

Couple points:

It doesn't really matter what they were doing before we got here. What really matters is the fact that we wiped out an overwhelming majority of their population.

I guess by "in retaliation" you mean because they were just there….or they didn't like the fact that repeatedly broke our promises and forced them to change their way of life for our convenience.

Your mention of Indian heritage = Hey I have a black friend!

What exactly are they supposed to do with their limited numbers and large poverty problem?

 IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Couple points:</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>We didn't\”wipe out an overwhelming majority of their population\”, an outright lie by you.</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>You have a black friend= does that make you black?</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>The rest of your inane comments are nothing more than hyperbole. Try to come up with a cognitive thought, then try to couch said \”thought\” in asentient, lucid fashion. First though, learn history, then go back to mommy's basement and re-think your life. Have a nice day and God Bless….</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>

First, Marines is a termlike Soldiers and Sailors – they are not exclusively American. Second, a lot of what he is saying about future corporations, their powerand their mercenaries are standard science fiction stuff. Third, "New World Order" was George Bush Sr.'s term, remember? Fourth, most modern members of the GOP wouldn't know a conservative if one bit them on the arse. Fifth, lighten up IT"S A MOVIE!!

i will not spend a dime at these movies or any communist store like target i don't care if 100 million lose their jobs at these communist institutions

hey free speach police you suck the big one as far as i am concerned

they did have those cool hats

I'm not gonna read all these comments I will however say my piece. To the asshole writing this article. Grow the fuck up. I went to see this movie with a friend of mine who is IN the military. He is an apache helicopter pilot in the United States Military. If he didn't have a problem with it, neither should you. Shut the fuck up!

I guess alot of people "lie" about it, but if you have deluded yourself into thinking that the Indian population before and after contact with Europeans didn't change much, there isn't much I can do it about it.

http://hnn.us/articles/7302.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20060922030249/http://...

I'm white, I was referring to often made excuse "I'm not racist, I have a black friend", i.e. I just said something ridiculous, but it's OK because……..

I guess all that documentation regarding treaties granting the Indians land and resources, that were repeatedly rescinded, is all part of a plot to make Europeans and Americans look bad. Forcing the natives to become Christian and attend school was for their own good. But I guess all this is more hyperbole.

 IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Hmmm…interesting, to say the least. I didn't say the Indian population stayed the same after Europeans came to America. What I didn't say was that we didn't \”wipe out an overwhelming majority of their population\”, you said that.</DIV> <DIV> You can joke about race relations,with the quip \”hey I have a black friend\”, that's really funny, in your eyes. I do have black friends, grew up with them, fail to see your \”enlightened\” liberal humor, more typical dross verbiage, how can you be taken seriously? That's right , you said it's OK because…</DIV> <DIV> Forcing the Indians to attend school was a bad thing? None of the Indians wanted to learn? Introducing them to Christianity was bad? The Indians didn't want to live in houses and quit eating eachother?</DIV> <DIV> It's worse than hyperbole, it's RACIST. You're saying they weren't good enough to learn a higher form of existence. Do you live in a wigwam, use buffalo dung to heat yourself and your family? Do you torture, maim and eat other people because they are from a different \”hood\”?</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>Now go rethink your life and try to get a grip, I don't believe your revisionist history is going to work. Once again, I refer you to the eminent historian Alan Eckart, if you'd like to get a true take of life in this country before we were a nation.</DIV> <DIV>And puh-leaze don't try to malign my comments anymore. I also said that I don't condone the slaughter of ANY people, regardless of the situation.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>You know, I'm an indigenous, native American, why can't I have sovereign status with special rights regarding everything from fishing and hunting rights to mining, logging and use of other resources? Have a good day, God Bless….</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>

Actually, it very much represents that kind of glee. The truth hurts, yea?

Well said. john1schn, well said. If the Aztecs (and for that matter, Zulu) had the naval power capable of sacking London, they damned well would have. As for the film, yeah, there are some slightly leftist points of view in it…but…at least the entire cast is not made up of transgenders (as suggested by one group that boycotted the film for some spurious reason). I loved Avatar, as a film, it was a wonderful experience for the eye, every minute of it. But the plot could pretty much be figured out from the get-go, and…well…it is the wonderful, damned unpredictable time called the Future…and…it is just a film…see it for the aesthetic value, suspend your disbelief, and take the two+hours out to enjoy a good old fashioned bit of what is at its core mindless escapist trash.

Of course its realistic. Jesus Christ, you think corporations are in the business of making other pple feel good? No, they're about making a profit. Making other pple feel good only works if it helps their bottom line. If it doesn't, then they don't give a shit. Perhaps its YOU who is living in the fantasy world if you think that big business is all about happy fairy tale endings and are incapable of being fallible.

Corporations ARE NOT necessarily bad. Corporations run with immoral practices and infected with greed are. Its that simple.

Science fiction movies where evil corporations destroy civilizations and strip mine planets are NOT realistic. You've been watching (and taking to heart) too many of these movie and TV shows and the propaganda has warped your brain. Yes, robber barons existed, and eminent domain still exists and they're deplored by both the left and right. Yes, things like that have occurred in the past on a much smaller scale. History is full of examples – not just US but world history. But its only what the government of a country allows to happen. Corporations can't get away with what you're fantasizing, but governments can.

What a bunch of retards you guys are.

They aren't marines, they're hired mercenaries..

if you ask me, the mcdonalds tie in is nothing but a money deal,

they see a giant cartoon and think the kids will eat it up,

and since the film is basically James camerons star wars attempt, it probably will happen,

for the record, I laughed at the titanic, because I thought the people falling off the boat was funny.

I don't think this is so much a political film as it is a poor attempt at trying to out-beat Steven Speilberg,

It looks kind of interesting, but I think it looks like its trying to hard to be imersive.

It might even be an attack on blackwater or something, but as it were, I don't care about it, at least it isn't broke-back mountain.

THE MOVIE WAS WRITTEN IN 1994! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Happy holidays should be the wrong statement. Christmas is the HOLIDAY! hanukkah is the HOLIDAY! Its the same as saying happy holiday on the 4th of july. I dont understand why there are so many stupid people in America…………

Is this guy retarded?

I think, what some of you are forgetting is that Pandora doesn't actually exist and this happens to be a Sci-Fci film, imagined up by a writer, who is trying not to recreate something that was done 20 years ago.

Don't forget these films are here for our enjoyment. It's never going to happen in life and you know that. Yes we live in a free country and we can say what we wish. But don't forget that others can also say what they wish. So boycotting is not really an option!

As far as I see it it looks like in this film the Americans are potrayed as the first to create a spaceship that can travel for 5 years to get somewhere millions of miles away! If your living in "The Avatar" world, then the posibilities are endless.

Nice comments though.

Are you a whack job?

Truth hurts, eh?

You put forth your interpretation of the film, then say Cameron should apologize for said interpretation. The banner on your website is a color that reminds me of my dead grandmother, and this is distressing. Should I demand that you publicly apologize for the color of your site's banner?

I also advocate the boycott of all businesses that do not wish me a Joyful Saturnalia. As the older faith, it trumps Christmas.

Wait, wasn't a former Marine Grunt the hero of the film?

Propaganda how?

"he bad guys in the movie are the United States Marines."

No they aren't. They are ex-marines who have sold out their principles for money. The main character says that pretty specifically within 5 minutes of landing on Pandora.

"substitute for oil which just happens to be located on Pandora."

In no way is that allagory made. They simply say that unobtanium is an extremely valuable mineral. It could be the new diamond (of which the Dutch DeBeers seems to prefer over the natives of Africa – it doesn't all have to be about America and American corporations).

Hahahaha. This is where it gets truly amusing for me. So, its the "rich hollywood elitists" that are in league with the ignorant lower income people? Really?

…and have you not looked at the demographics of who self identifies as "conservative" at all? Wait, that was a 4 syllable word. That look on your face illustrates my point.

There is a lot of easily offended people on here crying like children. Jesus folks, don't see the movie and shut up. And, to get offended anytime a guy in a camo uniform with a crew cut does something bad…I think you are FAR more ashamed than some of those you are pointing fingers at. Thou dost protest too much, have a guilty conscience or something.

But to jump the shark into lower income people, 3 major broadcasts and the demonic cult that is Public TV…wow. You get the prize.

That makes James Cameron a TOTAL FREAKIN' @ZZHOLE. Just sayin'….

I am impressed that people can take nearly anything nowadays and claim its anti-American. Heck, you refuse to even watch it, but you're suddenly leading some crusade against "anti-American propaganda".

You do realize that this is a movie about a bunch of mercenaries and aliens on a pretend planet, right?

Now, before people start telling me that I'm a liberal wimp, or I'm willing to let people trash talk my country, I'm currently Active Army Airborne Infantry. I saw this movie in uniform in VERY liberal Seattle. Guess what? Nobody cursed at me, spit at me or glared at me after the movie over. Everyone could tell this was fiction, and had nothing to do with current events.

The Armed Forces appreciate people standing up for them, but at least pick something real and important. Not some movie you decide you don't like.

Your lifes probably a waste anyway

Satire!ha ha ha……right?

"You seem to be saying that a corporation can unilaterally do that on their own."

Never said that.

"It's getting less like apples and oranges to more like beating a dead horse."

I agree.

The revelation of this fact merely points to James Cameron is indeed VERY demented. It seems as though Cameron's younger brother got all of the kahunas in the family, leaving poor james neutered.

You should apologize to everyone on this site for bringing regurgitated pablum to the discussion, instead of any semblance of lucidity or a sentient, cognitive thought process,Mr. rosanadanadana.

Look in the mirror and understand.

Bravo! Such a lucid, sentient and cognitive thought process! Did you make it out of elementary school(just askin')?

 IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Tee Hee Hee….</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>

If you let everyone tell you "what you need to know", you're not going to get very far in this world.

Make your own decisions or become a mindless slave.

that's quite a reach from making a decision to either see or not see a movie based upon a review and extrapolate that to one being a mindless slave. go troll somewhere else.

<<<The glee with which the American Marines participate in this massacre is appalling and does not show the true feelings and concerns of the real United States Military. James Cameron should apologize to the American Military and should make a statement that he does not truly feel this way about them. He should also apologize to the American public for painting our young men and women that defend this country as cold-blooded killers>>>

Which planet were you living on buddy? The USMC and its fellow services have been the spearhead of an imperial government almost their entire history.

Remember this?
"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

That was Gen.Smedley Butler USMC, among the US military's most decorated soldiers ever. While there are several members of america's military who have served with honor and conscience, there are many more who have gleefully speared, bombed, and even nuked entire nations. So there is a lot to be ashamed of. Jim Cameron is from Canada, a nation that occupies a moral standing several rungs above that of the US, so it is justice that a foreigner has shined a light on the gruesome side of the US. While at its best the US can be many good things, at its worst it is but a prettier version of Imperial china.

And you are from where, coward? Go back under your rock to try and come up with more juvenile,inane ad hominem attacks.

The U.S. Marines don't make dumb ass, stupid decisions. They aren't the ones making a profit off of War. that is the job of their Owners: the Pentagon and the Congressional Industrial Military Complex that President Eisenhower warned us about……..

That's the thing I couldn't get past. The main character totally rejected his own entire SPECIES. Plus I couldn't stomach things like the completely ridiculous assumption that in the future we will entirely destroy our own ecosystem. Also, the Na'vi "worshiping" the tree all in one accord, so to speak. The same folks who thought that was so wonderful would completely get freaked out by a church full of spirit filled Christians worshipping as one. The "shock and awe" cheapshot and the like were nothing.

"He tells me what I need to know," tells me all I need to know about you. Its one thing to read someone else's review and decide "maybe its not for me."

Its another thing entirely to read someone else's review and then declare unequivocally that its propaganda. That's quite a reach.

Finally, a person with their head on correctly. It's nice to know that a few of us actually watched the movie.

[...] I’m sure anyone that saw Avatar could see this next statement coming a mile away. Conservatives are out on the prowl and looking to boycott the movie as it is “Anti-American”. Taken from Breitbart: [...]

Unobtainium, is a term that has long been used in the theoritic engineering and scientific community as a concept for any extremely rare, costly, or physically impossible material needed to fulfill a given design for a given application. The properties of any particular unobtainium depend on the intended use. For example, a pulley made of unobtainium might be massless and frictionless. However, if used in a nuclear rocket, unobtainium would be light, strong at high temperatures, and resistant to radiation damage.

Ironically, then two stories have ALOT in common. Everyone wants to complain because the movie portrays a colonial type people being oppressed and exploited by a bigger and more advanced culture. Ummmmm…. unless I missed a big chunk in history class, isn't that the way our country was born??? For freedom from oppression?! Wow, wake up people! You're complaining about the very thing that makes us Americans!!! Anti-American? Somehow I don't see it.

The "Anti-military" aspect of the movie? Once again, didn't see it. And the funny thing is, I'm a U.S. Marine and have been for over 7 years. I've been deployed twice, once to Iraq, once to Afghanistan. Guess which side I cheered for in "Avatar"…. Here's a hint, it wasn't for the ones firing rockets at a tree. And ya know why? They were morally and ethically wrong!!! Since when is it morally acceptable to annihilate an entire race because they refuse to relocate just so a stronger civilization can come in for financial gain? I don't remember that ever being acceptable. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the U.N. has sanctions AGAINST that. So "Anti-Military"? I don't see it.

Mr DeMartini,

You don't have to go to another planet to find people who believe that the US military-industrial complex are the bad guys, if you actually go outside the United States you'll find there's actually whole planet out there who are vehemently against this new American unilateral militarism.

I'm not talking about terrorists or islamists or this-ists or that-ists. I'm not talking about bleeding heart leftists or communists, I'm talking about ordinary men and women who are disgusted by what they have seen the US military do in Iraq and elsewhere, torturing people, kidnapping people and generally flaunting the rule of international law at every turn and acting with complete impunity. Not just within the theatre of US operations, but throughout its gigantic, unsustainable network of military bases – official or otherwise – and by flying troops, contractors and rendition missions through the airports of officially neutral countries. And for what?

…Look at all that cheddar.

Incidentally, you're missing an important distinction between being anti-Marine and anti-military-industrial complex. I would have thought the distinctions made in the movie were quite clear. If you watch the movie, rather than just react to it, it does not, for a moment, state that the US Marines are the bad guys. For one the hero is an ex-marine, or in his own narrative, feels he is still a marine. Shortly after this he says that the people here were fighting for freedom, but came to Pandora as mercenaries. So if the movie is anti-anyone, it's anti-Blackwater and its ilk.

It's against for-profit warfare and guess what, judging from its phenomenal success, millions of people throughout the world agree. Therefore Cameron is far more in touch with the global zeitgeist than your jingoistic jarhead-worship is. This particularly timely since there is no shortage of people serving within, or who have served within the US armed forces in recent years, including Marines, who took their oath to kill or be killed in defense of their country, and left come home utterly disillusioned. These people have seen first hand the their brothers (and sisters) in arms killed in defence of corporate interests. Said-same corporate interests which control the US political system through a system of donations, bribes, think-tanks and lobbyists, who have for decades outsourced American jobs overseas, hollowed out the entire US government to the point where the very infrastructure of the country is collapsing and are now continuously turfing out families onto the streets before collecting their enormous bonus cheques.

But hey, who cares, so long as guys like you keep banging the wardrums your country need never be short of young, unemployed and desperate men and women willing to enlist as they can see no other prospects.

Wake up and smell the bullshit America.

As to the movie being anti military. I'm ex military and I'm anti military. The military does not issue you a wife, a family, a consciouness, or an objective and complete version of everything political, or social. I fully indentify with the main character Jake Sully who apparently is a marine, a "a trigger happy jarhead" as Sigourney Weaver's character calls him in the begining. I think the message here is obvious for anybody that wants to see it. There are institutions, and sociities and governments, or corporations and then there are people who make individual choices.

Now per free speech. Think of this. The U.S. hasn't always been a paragon of free speech as people think. Look at the patterns throughout history and connect the dots. Alien and Sedious Acts, the jailing of Henry David Thoureu for oppossing the Mex Am War, the ostracization of Abe Lincoln for oppossing the same war as a congressman, the two Red Scares of the 30s and 50s(i.e McCarthy Era), and the COINTELPRO of the 60s. Problem is that artists like screenwriters, and painters, and authors are loose cannons. They can't be controlled by the Left or the Right. The Soviets couldn't control them. However our system is being very wise in not trying to control them because it learned from the upheavals of the 60s. It's better to bend then to break, and since Avatar doesn't cause millions of dollars to all of a sudden go to organizations like AIM or the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee why not let it run, entertain, and just do what capitalism does best…Make Money.

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