Avatar *Here there be spoilers*

[WarpGirl]

Well it is kind of a big deal. Trust me, my chair doesn't only effect me. Most of the time I can't even go to my sister's to play with my nephew. If I had the chair they used in AVATAR I could.

[WarpGirl]

Well talk about raising a thread from the dead but I was watching AVATAR and realized I forgot to share some very big news... I GOT THE WHEEL CHAIR!

Okay so the back isn't just a strip of frabic, but it's very low and full of support. But the rest of the chair is all AVATAR. Well I got in black it matches every outfit, unlike Jake's yellow. Although you have to love a man confident to rock a yellow chair. It's a big deal.

[Distracted]

Sounds like an awesome means of transportation. Congrats!

[WarpGirl]

The only way I could be more free is if I had my own AVATAR, for now at least...

I know the Boss has the collector's addition like me. But has anyone else seen all of the footage that got cut? The scene where Jake goes on a hunt with his Ikran with Tsu'Tey and Neytiri is very important to the character development of all three. I'm just sorry they couldn't finish the celebration scenes. But the rough versions are in the DVD.

Another scene that should have been shown in the theaters was Tsu'Tey asking Jake to lead the clan because he was dying. I've heard a lot of people criticized it as a "white guilt, noble savage" thing but it totally wasn't. Tsu'Tey chose Jake because he knew Jake would sacrifice *anything* to protect Pandora and The People. He adopted him. Saying it's a "white guilt" plot device cheapens the Omiticaya characters, and I'm willing to bet that is the opposite of what Mr. Cameron intended.

On a bright note there are tons of rumors that Trudy might not be completely dead for the next two movies. I hope it's true, but how that will work is anyone's guess.

[CX]

Actually it totally is a white man's guilt film and a propaganda piece for the environmentalist/anti-capitalist/anti-military/hippie group of people. I also can't help but notice the complete lack of any actual human Native American characters at all in this film, whether as the hippie scientist types or as the space marines or as the corporate fat cat types. I also couldn't help but notice the subtle racism in the form of "mighty whitey" that effectively means the movie is trying to have its cake and eat it too by guilting white people while insisting that it takes a white man to do what none of the Na'vi could do on their own by uniting all the tribes.

You really should try watching the Plinkett review - he explains a lot of what's wrong with the film:
Come on, watch it, it's only about 20 minutes long

Really the only way this is a "good" movie to anyone is if they ignore everything but the visuals, or if they agree with the environmentalist/anti-capitalist/anti-military/hippie message of the movie. Now I don't mean offense to anyone if they actually do like the movie, even if for those reasons, but when you stop and look at the movie, that's what it really is.

[Cogito]

Well talk about raising a thread from the dead but I was watching AVATAR and realized I forgot to share some very big news... I GOT THE WHEEL CHAIR!

Okay so the back isn't just a strip of frabic, but it's very low and full of support. But the rest of the chair is all AVATAR. Well I got in black it matches every outfit, unlike Jake's yellow. Although you have to love a man confident to rock a yellow chair. It's a big deal.

I saw the first few minutes of Avatar a few times but could never be bothered to sit around and watch the whole thing. For the benefit of those of us who haven't see the chair you're talking about, what's it like?

[panyasan]

Congrats, Warpgirl, that's great news.

[WarpGirl]

I also can't help but notice the complete lack of any actual human Native American characters at all in this film, whether as the hippie scientist types or as the space marines or as the corporate fat cat type.

Okay as I can't get into a political arguement about the movie's message, because that's your personal business. I will ask one thing... Why is the lack of Native American characters relevent to this movie's worth?"

Oh Cogito about that chair, now you have a great reason to watch the movie!

Thank you Panyasan!

[Cogito]

Oh Cogito about that chair, now you have a great reason to watch the movie!

The main reason to see the movie is to be wowed by the special effects, and to be honest that doesn't appeal. Nice as it would be to know what your new chair is like, I don't fancy sitting through goodness only knows how many hours of CGI for the privilege. Can't you take pity and just tell me?

[WarpGirl]

Oh heck I'll post a youtube link... I swear sometimes I forget it's all CGI and that's with my junky tv. The wheels ar a bit different than mine. And I don't use a kick- stand I'm not paralysed. And kick-stands are annoying to use if you don't need them. They get in the way. But the frame is the same and it folds the same way.

It's the actual frame of a chair that counts. Wheels and backs can come off, but the frame is vital.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVWzLoqlxm8

[Asso]

The main reason to see the movie is to be wowed by the special effects, and to be honest that doesn't appeal.

In 1985, Telefunken produced a commercial for Italy, on TV, that entered the nation's collective memory, and has become a cliché: We could dazzle you with special effects and super-vibrant colors, but we are science, not science fiction.

I think there is a lot to ponder about that, is it?

[Cogito]

It's the actual frame of a chair that counts. Wheels and backs can come off, but the frame is vital.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVWzLoqlxm8

Yes, that's Avatar right enough, but where's this wheelchair?

[WarpGirl]

The clip should have had it... Hold on... The problem is all of the shots are head on. Darn okay, I have to do some more searching.

You know, if people don't like this movie because of it's politics I can understand that. But I have to defend it on one Level it did a whole lot of good for people in the way it portrayed a person with a disability. In the media people like me are usually treated in two extremes the Pollyanna way or the Miracle Worker way. And frankly both extremes don't reflect accurately on such a diverse group.

Was Jake Angry and bitter over his condition? Of course he was. To try and pretend otherwise is pointless. Nobody with a disability likes it. Nobody. We all get angry and bitter. So the Pollyanna thing is unfair to us. But the Miracle Worker thing is just as unfair. We're all grateful for the support and advocacy from our family, friends and teachers. But when it comes down to it, the strength that keeps us going is deep within ourselves. And only we can unlock that. Nobody can unlock that for us.

Jake's strength had been tapped into long before his injury, being in the AVATAR body had nothing to do with it, Neytiri had nothing to do with it... It was all him. And I appreciated it so much.

But I also find the anti-military claims unfair, James Cameron's Brother is a Marine, and the technical consultant on the film. I find it almost impossible to believe that if Cameron is so anti-military his brother would support and work on the film with him. How would it make sense for a Marine to do something like that?

[Cogito]

I know the main character was in a wheel chair but to be honest that didn't register as important. I didn't think the wheelchair was supposed to add a moral dimension to the story, I thought it was just another reason for him to particularly appreciate having an avatar. I really ought to go read a review or something to get some idea what the film was about. All I've got so far is big bad organisation threatening the rainforests and one of their representatives goes native and saves the day. Was there a deeper underlying message about disabled people or disabled veterans or personal redemption or something? Sorry, I probably missed that due to falling asleep or going off to do other stuff.

Anyway, more important, what's your new wheelchair like? C'mon, we're waiting here!

[WarpGirl]

Okay I'll have mom take pictures and post them I can't find the right pics to accurately describe this.