I saw Avatar the day before yesterday. I hated the movie. You must see it so you can hate it with me.
I was shocked and dismayed at the special effects we were shown. They were magical. If I had been from another planet I would have stood in awe of the humanoids who could produce such a spectacle.
I would have concluded that if they could create such as was shown on the screen in Avatar, they would be a species that could transcend the animal instincts of hate, killing, war, greed, and the insatiable quest for power. And that they would be able, instead, to find creative ways to care for the poor, to make love the overriding human emotion, to cure sickness and, in the end, to create a heaven-like place on earth for their brothers and sisters.
Instead, what made me hate the movie was that its theme was not love, but war; its message was not forgiveness but killing and hate. Its heroes were killers in the end. The story was the genetic story of mankind.
We have only so many stories in our human suitcase of stories. We have romance, love, betrayal, hate, killing, greed, and the rest of the human potpourri of stories; but they are limited. We cannot have a story without the conflicting story. Love without hate does not exist in the human experience. Nor can caring exist without greed. Peace without hostility and fear.
The sadness of the movie is that it could explode in its technical magic, but it was shackled to a totally predictable, banal story of the same human characteristics that will eventually destroy us and the planet. It is the same story that existed when man came swinging down from the trees more than a million years ago. We make no progress, none, in reshaping our souls. We are confined to our primitive selves.
We may wish to change. But we cannot. We can yearn for beauty and grace, but we cannot shed our primal core of war. That this was proven to me at the movie is why I hated it. I wanted it to lead us out of ourselves. Instead, it taught me once again that we are trapped in our animal origins from which there is no escape.
Gerry Spence's Blog 
At last there is someone who disliked this film even more than I did.
But however banal and offensive you found the story, at least you felt that there was one.
To me the film was a technological extravaganza. But the “story” was thinner than a threadbare carpet in the cheapest room of a flophouse hotel. I told my friends that the plot could have been written on a napkin and that they could all save ten dollars and three hours from their lives by skipping the movie and reading the napkin.
But your suggestion that others see this film may be misguided. For as the box office receipts for Avatar build, rest assured that Hollywood will make more and more of this type of thing in the future. Did you know that Avatar has already made approximately one BILLION dollars worldwide?
In the meantime, smaller “independent” films that are made from the heart, and which address the soul of the human condition, find no audience. That is the real tragedy of the American cinematic arts.
Jules: Well said.
Gerry
Yes, well said. I want to add that I also hated the movie. My son bought the DVD and made me watch it. The writing is deplorable! I was shocked at how badly written this script is. I asked him in all seriousness, “was this a kids movie?” because the writing is very base, very unintelligent, filled with bad cliches; it’s like watching South Park, but worse. The special effects are ok, but I couldn’t stomach the script. Maybe if I turned off the sound. Nope, not worth it. Better ways to spend my time aplenty…
Sarah, one has to ask: What does it tell us about the level of the American people’s intelligence that this movie became one of the largest selling flicks of all time?
gerry
hail! very well thought… to be frank, i was indifferent to the movie for the same reasons mentioned in the review… it’s just sad that we fail to witness what we are, and what we ought to be 😦
World without end, Amen, brother Spence.
But there are plenty of reasons to take heart and be joyfull. I will point to just two.
Yourself for one. Eighty one years old and you gave the movie a chance. I am much younger than you and I hated it without seeing it-
still do. I thought ” sci-fi,
3-d, made by James Cameron who figured out how to get teenagers to keep paying to see the same movie 6,8,10 times.
The movie has no soul.”
That story may make me clever in a smartass sort of way but it makes you a more positive soul more open to the possibilities for goodness- score one for the world.
Second. I think that movies that endorse horrendous violence in defence of all that is sweet and gentle have a subversive effect on powers that actually want to go to war. The people who are asked to fight ask themselves if they are being asked to defend the gentle, ask themselves if the enemy are truly monsters. I am sure that that is what happened in Vietnam. We saw ourselves as acting like the Germans in African Queen who were setting fire to villages and we were sickend.
The world moves forward by fits and starts, lurchs to the side and backward pratfalls like Frankensteins monster trying to get to the place where he can be human.
You’re a little bit ahead of us but don’t lose heart we’re coming.
Why do you despair?
We are what’s left after eons of natural selection. Who but those genetically predisposed to selfishness and savagery could remain?
Those pre-disposed to selflessness and generosity were weeded out a long while back. All that’s left is us sinners.
With that nature, have we not done admirable things – individually and collectively?
Who is greater – the one naturally filled with love who acts consistent with his nature, or the one with a black heart who does what is right because it’s right?
Worse yet, this is what we choose to teach our children. Thank god for Professional Wrestling, and Sponge Bob.
yes. Skeeter.
gerry
Gerry, Once again you bring us all back to reality. I think of how I have treated members of my own family and I fit in that movie, which I have not seen. You also make me want to change for the better, to say something loving instead of something disgustfull. I agree with you that we are all primal in our life as we have been from the beginning of time. I also believe that if just one person takes the time, puts forth the effort to bring a smile to a complete stranger, just one a day, it will make a change. Not in the world of people but the change will come from within. That to me is where good must start, we must feel good about ourselves others will notice and watch and hopefully take up that inner banner of love, peace, kindness. Without hope we have nothing, here’s to you and I, maybe we can start something that will be better than both of us.
Bill “someday maybe”..Cheers
I do not need to see the movie to know more of the human conditions of which you speak, “hate, killing, war, greed, and the insatiable quest for power.” Pretty predicatable an uninspiring. But just how does one oppose such atrocities? What does one do to stop hate and killing and greed and the like? Because if one does not stand up and challenge them, if one stays silent then we are accomplices in it. Do you take up your weapons to fight it and thus become as violent as that which you are trying to change? Or is there a way of the peaceful warrior that can prevail? For the way of the peaceful warrior seems to get you beat up and defeated. And to become like the evil you are trying to make better….is well, no better. Can we be strong and stand up and be nonviolent while trying to make the world a better place for both man and animals and the earth too? We need to be the change we want to see in the world. No matter the odds or even the outcome, we have to try.
Please don’t be discouraged. There are lots of us out here who don’t live by hatred and war, although every day is a struggle. We believe in the goodness of humanity. It’s doesn’t have to be this way. There are lots of beautiful kind compassionate individuals looking after each other. Greedy opportunists take advantage of the gentle humans. Please don’t stop hoping for the future. It’s the only way forward for humanity. You’ve given me strength through your intelligence and insight. There’s good in the world. We must keep trying.
I have a friend, whose reaction was: he could not wait for the movie to end.
I do not plan on seeing it.
Who neends $ 400 million is special effects, whose major affect is such bombarding negativity.
Thanks for a review, so I did not get sucked into the herd mania, of dehumanizing digital drivel.
What would this heaven on earth look like? Would it bore us to tears? Would the nightmare have to start all over just to escape the boredom of relentless agreeability?
At minimum, we have to change to survive. Change causes fear and that brings about conflict with those who out of fear oppose it. It’s a conundrum. Not sure there’s any way out. Only thing we can do is minimize the harm done while accepting it as as an inevitable by-product of change.
Even so, this does not mean we’re totally stuck. While we can never reach perfection, we can still cast off the worst of the demons and make the world a better place. I think we’re on the verge of doing that now. The corrupt institutions are crumbling. Their credibility is shot. We are suffering through the ancien regime like France but on the verge of revolution.
It will soon be apparent to a critical mass of people that the corporate monster must be transformed or put to sleep.
It will be painful but circumstances will compel us to make the changes needed to bring our conduct more in harmony with assuring the survival of others– even people in far away places who we’ve never met– and the needs of the planet.
Dave:
Hope you are right, dear friend. But over a million years of history tells us that the human species is trapped like a chicken is trapped in its own genes. It can only lay eggs and the roosters can only crow.
Gerry
In order for your wished-for world to exist, EVERY human would have to believe the same way, and unfortunately, that is too much to wish for. I guess the best we can hope for is that the evil don’t prevail. So good men (and women), stop doing nothing!
Love ya, Gerry!
” Nobody ever went broke by underestimating the taste of the American public.”
H L Menken
The beauty is within the dichotomy of human nature. Perhaps the darker aspects of our species are the catalyst for the evolution of conciousness.
Well, we are animals afterall, and often we act just like the lion on the savanah ravishing the gazel. Add to this the fact that many have their brains muted by flouride, mercury and other toxins their entire lives and you got a bunch of hairless apes running around thumping their chests, stealing from each other and masterbating in the bushes….and that will continue to be the case until we no longer allow these toxins to be put into our water, food, and medicine, or we stop allowing our kids to ingest them.
It is well past the time to get back to the garden and embrace nature, becuase in our natural state we would evolve and not de-evolve like we seem to be doing now.
I have not been to the movie theater in over 5 years and this review is not going to get me to go anytime soon. I mean who needs 3D glasses when life is in 3D everyday!!!
Live!
Love!
Learn!
Welcome to the Grumpy Old Men blog!
Come on now, I am already having trouble dealing with the fact I turn 40 in a little over a year and now I end up in the Grumpy Old Men’s blog……..oh wait, gotta run I think I have a bite in my fish-house ; )
Hello Gerry,
I have not seen the movie yet, but have read the reviews and so forth. The human speices is indeed a violent greedy species. It does make for a very bleak outlook. However, I do believe that it could be made better, probably never perfect as it is the human nature, but non the less better. It would take great change throughtout the entire planet but especially here in the United States. Will it ever happen? I hope so.
Scott
Have not seen it but I thought it was a way for Cameron ( the director )to make a statement about “colonialism” and possibly about the seeding of this earth by aliens. Avatar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar
bad guess on my part ?
Without the epoxy of love, tenderness, and the genteel; the hostile and physically aggressive would devour all. I choose to believe in the quiet strength of the meek.
I may just be naive
Forever grateful for you, Reticent Renate
Yeah, Gerrys’ still kickin – good for him.
I have no burning desire to see this because most critics have panned it, even if Gerry wants me to see it so I can hate it with him.
Greed, religion, and laziness are endemic & epidemic today – the bain of humanity. That said, a film is entertainment. Period. I think he’s lost sight of that.
I haven’t seen the movie. I’m not a big fan of spending money on movies or sporting events in the first place – too much escapism (ignorant hero worship of the greedy/wealthy elite) in this country already. I really made my mind up not to see this movie after I read how the director, James Cameron berated and belittled someone at LAX asking for his autograph, which Cameron could have given in much less time than he took being an S.O.B. In Gerry Spence’s critique of this movie, sounds like the director’s true character came out – violent, selfish and ugly.
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Yes, I will rush out to get a fix of hate, seeing digital leaping giant bird images, as if that is
so interwoven with my life. Will I see Argus, or other insane people jaws ajar, taken in by
light show of delusions.
It may be the most watched movie in the world
Or, I could just avoid the call to hate, and watch Nancy Grace on T V, instead, on all that unfolds in 2010, Tiger and the latest show on suspected killer in the bushes, who has some slick lawyer
spinning a tale to pull the wool over all eyes of the enthralled.
enthralled.
I didn’t see the movie, Gerry, and I don’t read your blog very often, yet you are a special person to me, (even though you didn’t let me come to your trial lawyers college, and I am too broke and embarrassed to apply again).
But today I must write to let you know that you do err in taking to heart the vain stories of the evolutionists, because man did not come swinging down from the trees. The truth is that the creator did make the world, and the stories we learned on our mothers’ knees are true, (yet much more complex that the versions we learned as children).
It is true as you say, that progress cannot be made by man’s own self, and that we need the help of God and that one cannot reshape one’s own soul; but that does not stop progress from being made and the soul from being renewed.
Gerry, you are a hero to many, and I hope that after leading such a shining life, you will take care not to lapse into pessimism. It is true that we live in these animal bodies, yet we are free to enter into the spirit world through concepts and words.
Some people try to stay away from any beastly passion; others enter a dream-state and live apart from the realities of the world. The truth lays somewhere in the middle, harnessing the physical body with the spirit, for the spirit world rules the physical world and was before it.
As the end of the ages scenario plays out, we will soon see the triumph of beauty and grace despite the wars and tribulations necessary to get there. As individuals, we can change, and the whole object of the creator is to teach us his ways.
You latch onto a mighty truth when you point out that we cannot have a story without conflict, love without war, and peace without hostility and fear. But that is not the end of the matter. Progress is being made, but that progress is in the spiritual arena. We are going through these tough times in order to develop character.
There are people alive today who know much deeper truths than you can find from the rabbis or the pastors. There is a movement called Messianic. Truths gleaned from the ancient Hebrew sages combine with modern insights to give us deeper understanding than those of our fathers and grandfathers.
Now why did I say all that? In order to point out something you already knew–that one must not take to heart the manmade stories of movies.
Seems to me the movie, costing what it did to make, and bringing in what it will for the fat cats that produced it, is really a corporation. Why would we expect a different story to be told by a corporation? Peddling death, hate, killing to fill their pockets because of all the great special effects. This movie is, in my humble opinion, a movie of our time. Corporations hauling in money, peddling death, hate etc., disguised as something else with the only real interest being having the people fill their pockets even fuller. Nothing was actually created, nothing will “grow and prosper and help” from this film and yet the corporation gets filled again and the gluttony continues, with nothing really to show for it other than fat cats getting fatter. Damn….that story is certainly a sad one but it continues to repeat itself again and again. Makes me sad.
It’s only a movie. A piece of “art” produced for the sole purpose of generating a profit. Nothing more, nothing less. Your concerns, once again, get at the heart of the human condition. People revel in the suffering of others and are suspicious of portrayals of human goodness, always seeking the alterior motive. In short, people generally suck and that’s why I prefer to spend my time with my dogs. It’s unfortunate, but man will never be man’s best friend…
Dear Mr. Spence,
I have no desire to see this movie and most likely won’t, unless my husband insists on it. It seems as we, as “humanoids” have failed to evolve for we continue to settle our differences by killing one another. We, as Americans, continue to do this not only to gain power over other countries but on our street corners as well. I am a fan of Bruce Springsteen and you too, of course. I have often considered the two of you talking together for together, the two of you could change this sorry world of ours. I hope you live another 100 years; we need voices like yours!
Thank you for everything you have taught me.
Donna
Gerry, I have often asked myself if it is possible to “hate” something that can’t hate you back. I know a grammar would okay your title for this piece, but “hate” seems to me to imply a human emotion that can only really exist in the presence of something equally strong – and the only thing as strong as that is some other human emotion or idea, something that lives in a human mind. I am wondering if it is not the movie itself you hate, but the ideas in the minds of humans – or the humans themselves – that would create the movie?
Aggression sells. The lizard brain is easily stimulated, even if done so in a sophisticated manner. Our society seems to be based upon stimulating our darker impulses.
That why we have to change things. We have to use our intellect to create a society in which the better parts of our nature are stimulated and rewarded. Of course this means going against the grain– but so be it.
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
–George Bernard Shaw
I could write more on the cheap digital Bird- man movie, but bottom line you can not pay me enough to see that movie.
You appeal to invoking my hate, simply will not fly( I e. work) .
Love a necessary illusion?
An old rattled brain cannot deal with those four words.
Life a bottle of ketchup?
Gerry
I am glad that someone as prominent as Gerry Spence can freely express his hatred for such a film. He made a great career out of being passionate and plain-spoken.
Conversely, it is sad to see that such films attract the masses, and collect mega-bucks. I myself despise movies that are empty, i.e. too much reliance on computer-generated images, weak plot, lots of explosions, neanderthal dialogue, gratuitous violence, etc.
Wonderfully Said! Expressed my feelings exactly.
Wow,
The Pope and Gerry Spence agree on something.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/vatican-slams-avatar-prom_n_419949.html
I personally liked the movie. The theme for me was that mother earth is God. The Vatican did not like the movie because they were jealous of Mother Nature and the worship of mother nature and not an omniscient being. But in fact I believe they were jealous because Mother Nature or God in the movie was referred to as a “She”.
Love, Hans
A younger co-worker of mine, by all respects a good young man, reasonable, intelligent and demonstrably kind, often plays video games in his free time at work. I sometimes walk up behind him and watch over his shoulder. This good, kind and reasonable young man plays unending versions of the same cyber violence. To advance, to win, to reach the next stage, one must explode and kill. Gnomes, Gangsters or Aliens, Demons or Soldiers, ultimately it’s the same game, the only real variation is what combination of buttons you press, the only evolution is gaining points or gaining better weapons inwhich to kill.
One day, he was playing a very realistic Point of View World War 2 game, you ran through a city in siege. Killing “enemies” and in turn being attacked by opposing soldiers. It was in short an interactive war movie. I watched as he deftly, automatically pressed the buttons, toggled the mouse, to duck, dive, lob grenades and reload machine guns.
I came up behind him and asked “What combination of buttons do you press to negotiate? , What if you suspect that the guy in the trench over there is just scared, and really just wants to go home? Is there a bonus button for Peace?”
He just laughed…and played on. No he explained, the only way to win, was to take the city. To kill or be killed….it’s a very realistic game.
“Guess that’s why I’m not so good at video games” I admitted.
Having shared that, I’m afraid you are wrong Gerry. Very, very wrong. Don’t blame Avatar, don’t hate Avatar. Don’t encourage people to see Avatar to share in your hate of it. I haven’t seen Avatar…I’ll admit that upfront, but it seems to me that if your expectations of a movie are for them to always be reflective of a what you think humanity should be, as opposed to often what humanity is, then you will be disappointed in most movies, films, plays and music and dance. If that’s your criteria for a Thumbs Up review, you might as well mail your opposable thumb to Roger Ebert because you won’t be using it.
” Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.”
Yes, the history on mankind is full of war, hate, greed but you are wrong if you think Love without hate does not exist in the human experience. Hate is not the conflicting story to Love, Hate is a real but totally separate entity. It’s not as simple as Love or Hate…more often it is Love or Indifference. To say we are trapped by our animal instincts and incapable of escape is to give no credence to choice or no belief in transformation. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see…you must maintain a belief in transformation the possibility of transformation.
You sound down Gerry, I know, that you know every generation is born anew. You’ve witnessed them, and yes they always succeed and fail to individual degrees. But as long as somewhere children laugh freely and with innocence then in my opinion humanity has a chance.
We are not perfect, the litany of human weakness exist. It can be reflected in our art, games and music but not as an opposite, not as a canceling force, because it is so much more than that, so does the good. How about instead of “Why I hated Avatar” it was “Why I didn’t love Avatar”?
Once we scratched stick figures on cave walls, pictures of men with spears, hunting and killing. The tombs of Egypt bare evidence of conflicts and wars. But our art also reflects our ability to love, cry and share the entire scope of humanity, which in my humble opinion is not a predestined march to failure, it’s an evolution, a clumsy beautiful waltz towards either oblivion or transformation. The choice is ours.
Go watch a movie you do like. Find inspiration in the laughter and innocence of youth. Watch a dog stick it’s head out of the window of a moving car. Do something to make yourself believe in the possibility of transformation. In my opinion anything sold as a happy meal at Mc.Donalds really isn’t worth hating. Save the hate for the more important battles.
Valid points, but I’d like to offer a different perspective.
“Instead, what made me hate the movie was that its theme was not love, but war; its message was not forgiveness but killing and hate. Its heroes were killers in the end. The story was the genetic story of mankind.”
I’d have to disagree to the above. During the duration of the movie, we experience with our eyes, how an ex-soldier struggles within him to make a decision between blindly following orders from his violent and mischievous superiors, or to follow his heart.
He quietly and slowly realizes what he is asked to do. He wakes up to the reality around him. He can finally see.
He goes against all he has been trained to do: blindly follow orders, be a killing machine, “the few, the proud, the marines,” just-do-it type of reactions… and can finally THINK and most importantly FEEL!!
At the end we see how the enemy of the humans, “the new world creatures”, are not the enemy anymore. They are “people” in their own world, minding their own business, and living life in their own terms.
And we get that! The movie makes that clear!
The hero gets that! He even falls in love with these people of the ‘new world’
And at the end, a catastrophe is avoided! A stand for the truth and good is created! This ex-soldier rose up and defied the ‘matrix’ he had been living for, the very matrix that had fed, and educated him for many years from the day he was born, and he went against this powerful system although he knew it could mean his life.
Because to him, it was the right thing to do.
And it was done in the name of logic, and love.
There are many subliminal messages in this movie.
Yes, they fought at the end. And it is a tragedy. It would have been much better if they could do a peaceful protest and the war would stop. Or if they could stop the war with the power of some mystical process, but that was not possible. That would even look dumb to us if the movie even attempted to do that, because we know that is not true. We are not aware of such superhuman powers that can stop bullets in mid air, or get into other people’s minds and control their decisions. And even if we do, it would be so far reached for the regular Joe watching, that he wouldn’t be able to follow it.
But the message is simple. It is a message of how we should think more, and feel more. Love more. And break away from the very system that has been feeding us when we know it is the right thing to do.
The other world was not our enemy, it was merely a world we wanted to conquer, and it took a very unassuming hero to ignite that and help accomplish that.
At the end, the differences didn’t matter much. The two main protagonists fell in love. What was left, were not differences in skin or cultures, but a similar bond connected in spirit, acceptance, logic and the good feelings of love.
It is easy to see how this movie is doing more about turning down our people’s hate and war-mentality, that all of our politicians, media, and other sources combined.
Firstly, because of the mass appeal. Everyone is watching it. Secondly, because of the subliminal messages, which get into our subconscious easier. And the subconscious is a powerful thing.
It is easy to see how this is the story of what happened to the Native Americans when we the white people wanted this paradise we had found. And how the same story is being repeated in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places, with the means of war or devious maneuvers. And how it could happen to Iran, if we and they let it happen.
That is why I loved this movie!
Nick,
I am right there with you on your interpretation of this film. I rarely make it out to the movies, but I was glad to see this one. I hope the movie inspires a whole new generation of Earth Warriors to protect our oceans, forests, and prairies from unchecked greed.
I heard on PBS Radio that they are having to set up counseling sessions for all ages to help people that saw Avatar. They feel they are living that life now and that there is no hope left.
People need a Pick me Up, Not a Put me Down about now.
Have never been a fan of Cameron.
You remind me of my son. We were about to go — of all things — to the movies, all of us as a family. But he had pain in his stomach bad enough that he didn’t want to go into the theater to watch. So he and I decided to go for a walk together. Then he felt like he couldn’t really walk much farther. So we crossed a street and stopped at a little place to sit in a grassy area in the shade of a tree. It was a hot summer day in Endicott, NY. Something was really wrong. Then he spoke. “Why are there always wars? Why do people always just try to get what they can for themselves? Sometimes, I wish I could just go and live on another planet.” He was 7.
Chip, I learn more from children and dogs than gurus.
gerry
I didn’t care for this movie either. In fact, I found the trailer disturbing when I first saw it, when I went to see “A Christmas Carol” — which was beautiful. So I don’t know why I went to see “Avatar”. I think it’s because the New Yorker magazine gave it a good review, and they don’t give anything a good review — well, rarely at least. But I was disappointed. It was a violent movie about violence. It was visually beautiful, and it does make you wonder how a race that can create something so visually beautiful can be so violent. That’s the strange dichotomy of the human race. We are capable of such beauty and such ugliness, all at the same time.
“If we don’t halt population growth with justice and compassion, it will be done for us by nature, brutally and without pity—and will leave a ravaged world”.
Nobel Laureate Dr. Henry W. Kendall
Take care, George
Gerry – Our planet has fallen into a horrible quagmire. In such a crisis, its easy to feel that we are trapped in our ugliest animal origins from which there is no escape. The dark and ugly forces of greed and fascism are winning. The minds of the young and impressionable (and that is almost all the minds) are easily hypnotized by sick and negative stories packaged in a slick and flashy wrapper for easier swallowing. And James Cameron is the King of slick and flashy crap. He has the power of huge corporations behind him, spending millions to manufacture the “slick and flashy crap brain injector” that is his newest movie, Avatar.
But Gerry, swallowing ugly lies in fancy packages, well, isn’t that the job of the defense attorney when he addresses the jury? Isn’t it your job, as the plaintiff’s attorney, to wake those jurors up, look into their eyes, and get honest with them, so they can do the right thing? Would you have won one single case, if inside each juror, there DID NOT lie a good heart that wants to do what is right? Hasn’t it always been your task to peel away the calloused and closed doors to these hardened and empty hearts, hearts sometimes hidden from the heart itself, to find that part of the heart that is good, that is kind, that has compassion, that knows what is just and right?
You are rare. You win by looking for the humanity in your jurors. And if you think about it, haven’t you been surprised how many times you’ve found that humanity, even when you might have sworn that the next morning your client would be destroyed by the evil side, and not the pure side of your jurors?
Don’t give up on the jurors, Gerry. Don’t put the jurors in that same box as James Cameron. “We the jury” are not the defendants in this case, James Cameron is.
Give up on the defendant if you want. James Cameron, backed by a soul-less, sociopathic, profit-mongering global corporation, does indeed reflect the very base and primal core of war, of the debasement and hatred of mankind and the human spirit. That’s the corporate spirit in a nutshell, Gerry. Rail against that if you want, curse that sickening dark beast, stab it with your pitchfork, slay it with your sword. But don’t confuse the corporate black hole with the human spirit.
I’m a juror. A human juror, sitting here in the jury. You say: “Love without hate does not exist in the human experience. Nor can caring exist without greed. Peace without hostility and fear.”
I agree, counselor. Each heart, each soul, has a dark and a light side. But we here in the Jury Box truly want to do justice. We want to do right. We want to reach into the light and honest side of our hearts and arrive at the true and proper verdict in this case. You have guided us to the edge, shown us the ugly, true nature of the defendant, then mistakenly told us what to decide. Who the hell made you the judge and jury, Gerry? Get back over there behind the plaintiff’s table where you belong. I’ll give you the verdict, pal, not the other way around, and you just have to have faith and trust that we the jury will do the right thing, once you’ve made your case.
So who’s side are you really on, Gerry, because I don’t believe this “mankind is shit” argument coming from you. You know as well as I do that “Corporate-kind is shit,” but how dare you confuse a world where “we the people” have been hoodwinked and overwhelmed by this artificial man-made robot called “Multinational Corporations” and confuse that with “humans”? Every juror who ever listened to you and agreed with you knows that your present “people are shit” argument is complete and utter bullshit. What is this, the angry mutterings of an old warrior gone bitter because he could not save the world? Do you not recognize a lifetime of victory, Gerry? Victory isn’t in whether you win every battle. Victory is in how you fought the good fight. And in that, know that you have been a champion.
And to think you can besmirch us by calling us animals, as if all animals are these slimy spirits with nothing but evil hearts! You insult the animal kingdom by making that comparison. Animals have the capacity to show both kindness and savagery, indeed, much less savagery than humans. I think they can even love, one to another, and know what it is to be loved by and to love mankind. That is a strong testament to the goodness of the human race, that we are sometimes worthy of kindness from these animals whom we have so badly abused.
Goddamn it Gerry, you have done so much to raise us “mere humans,” up out of the crap, to help us see what truth is, what honor is, what justice is. Are you so blind to yourself that you don’t realize that you’ve given us hope, and let us “mere humans” realize that we are not alone – that billions and billions of us feel just like you do – we hear your voice and say “Finally! Here is a lawyer that thinks like I do!” (you see, it’s not the other way around, or is it? 😉 ). Gerry, you suffer disappointment because virtuous men are always disappointed. It’s not because humanity is not virtuous that you, Gerry Spence, are losing faith in humanity. Rather, it is because the virtuous in humanity are losing their battles against these evil multinational corporations, oligarchs, the sociopathic slave-owners and fear mongers. So was it with the Emperors, the Papists, with the Kings. The war against tyranny is not new, but the mass of us virtuous humans have always hated them and wanted to fight them. We the People are not them. Forgive us if we are so mesmerized by the evil doers magic tricks (aka Avatar), that we don’t know who or how to fight back. Forgive us mere mortals for swallowing the propaganda, for that is what it is. Propaganda designed to make you give up on the good in mankind.
Speak for yourself if you want, but we all live in our own cow pastures, with the daily shit on our boots sticking us to the ground. That’s farming. That’s life. You have been the person who asked us all to lift up our eyes from the crap, and to look around to see the beautiful humanity in the world that surrounds us.
It’s there, Gerry, the beauty is all around you, right where its always been. Get your eyes up out of the shit. Don’t watch the shit. For god’s sake, I coulda told you to NEVER NEVER NEVER go see a James Cameron film expecting to get anything positive out of it. Geesh. The man’s a corporate hack.
Mr Spence, I see on the web news that this movie has been “Golden Globed”. I don’t go to movies, haven’t seen one in years. Not going to see this one even it it hits a movie channel. Blue faces are not appealing to me. Your description of what it is about is even less appealing. Why didn’t you just get up say “This movie sucks” and leave? I mean vote with your feet and voice — right? With all do respect, Del
Your synopsis of the history of man cannot be denied. However, man (ie. MALES) have always been in control until very recently. With women assuming higher and higher status throughout civilized countries, the huge biologically necessary NURTURING EFFECT has now come into play.
2. Since the planet’s resources cannot sustain the c ontinuing growth of population, if universal health care world-wide does not soon constitute MASS VASECTOMIES, we will not have a planet to worry about.
As an addendum to the above:
In order to use taxpayer’s funds wisely and also to save the planet, Universal Health Care shall be turned “right side up” and constitute the following:
a. Universal Health Care WILL now cover vasectomies.
b. Universal Health Care will NO LONGER cover Viagara for any and everyone.
And thank you, Gerry.
Don’t give up too quickly on Avatar. As much as you don’t like the idea of war it may be what gave us altruism. This article makes that case – Ancient warfare: Fighting for the greater good
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17255.
At least the movie stimulated thought. I like that more than a movie that doesn’t even make you think.
In his book Mysticism and Logic, Bertrand Russell begins his essay “ A Free Man’s Worship” with Mephistopheles telling Dr Fautus about the creation of the world. Mephistopheles says that the earth was created because God had become weary of angels constantly singing his praise, and so he resolved that a great drama should be performed for his entertainment. So the cosmic stage was set with a hot nebula whirling aimlessly through space, from which grew planets, life, and mankind. Soon tiny humans were struggling to find their purpose and fighting against each other and against sin. At the end of the tale. God sends anther sun crashing through the sky, which collides with Man’s sun and returns everything to a hot, whirling, nebula. After which He murmurs, “It was a good play, I will have it performed again”
Gerry,
I thought this analysis of Avatar …. was well done.
Part 1 http://www.facebook.com/l/1411a;www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTe3cMkf-OI
Part 2 http://www.facebook.com/l/1411a;www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1xZGDK_coI
Don Q.
I felt nearly the same as you did. I found the effects breathtaking while feeling sad as it was like a Billy Jack story where the government didn’t win. a tear slipped down my cheek here and there during the movie. I thought it sad that soldiers had to betray their government to be heroes. Maybe that’s the way it’s going. So many laws. I like your blog I can’t wait to see what you’ll say next.
To Norm:
“Love a necessary illusion?”
Me thinks you wouldn’t want to step between a german shepard and his/her master to find out the answer to that question!!!
First “Great wealth insulates from common sense” and now “Love is simply an illusion”.
You can pull up “Skeeter”, Gerry. I’m off. Afraid it might be contagious!!
Hey Gerry: Now that this film is approaching “2nd run”, maybe it’s time for a new post…
Right. One coming soon.
Gerry
Avatar. The most expensive cowboy’s and indian’s film I’ve ever seen. A total waste of money and time. I hated the lack of soul and creative energy, plus the must be stupid to enjoy it… a film for the mindless , like so much of Hollywood these day’s….
2 out of 10………….
Thanks for your contribution, really.
Loved your text and I feel exactly the same. In fact, I had a long discussion with my friends about it.
What a relief to read these blogs. I just left the movie and I thought I was standing alone. I really cannot stand Hollywood anymore. They are so influential with our children today and this movie was sooooo violent. Please, tell me why they must have all the characters naked?? Perhaps we will soon find our children wanted to dress like a Na’vi for Halloween. So distasteful and absolutely no reason for it. Two thumbs down for this waste of money.
Gerry: I am a lawyer and a filmmaker. I teach filmmaking to little kids as a hobby. I saw the movie Avatar with some 10 year olds. People in the theater applauded after the movie was over. The kids were delighted, and saw some good things in the film that my old eyes and brain did not. We had fun talking about some things the movie-makers may have gotten wrong, like why they couldn’t come up with a better wheelchair that far in the future! I agree the story was hokey, but the children understood the theme of environmentalism and some other worthy elements the makers rather heavy-handedly laced in: forgiveness, the process of maturing, becoming less selfish, etc., so I felt like writing to you to comment on your feeling that “we make no progress, none.” I must very respectfully disagree.
One boy chose, unusually, his favorite character as the not-much-on-screen heroic female helicopter pilot. I thought about the time I took my grandmother, who was then 94, to see the Meg Ryan war film Courage Under Fire in the mid-90s. I felt then how amazing it was that my grandmom had lived through a century to bring her to a time when a woman could win the Medal of Honor for combat duty, when people could cuss and swear in a movie (whether you go for that kind of thing or not), in color no less (!), and where a plot about a woman could be focused on something other than romance.
Suddenly, just fifteen years later, I feel the same as my grandmother must have felt then. Stunned by a movie with realistic violence, but also able to see another world, to peek ahead. I have lived fifty years and have arrived at a time when we can, more perfectly, see the future, albeit just one of our imagination. If we choose to imagine war, we can see it. You are worried we become inured to its horror, perhaps others who see it would be less apt to engage. War may always exist – you’ve acknowledged it’s the human condition, and whether you grew up with John Wayne or Arnold Schwarzenegger, you may choose to find your escape watching battle scenes. It sounds like that’s not your bag, although I bet you fancy a nice courtroom battle on the big screen. Me, too. I think the movie has its place. It is indeed “just a movie”, as I said aloud during the film a couple of times in fear that the kids might be alarmed at the realism, which, at least the ones I was with, were not.
I’d venture to say it’s not much more than the shock people felt at the Wizard of Oz at the time. Or that old war movie, Gone with the Wind, unhappy ending and all. But rather than focusing on just Avatar’s silly plot, or the fact that we think the movie-maker squandered his first crack at his new great technology with so much focus on violence, I would argue that with this film we have progressed, because of how this novel approach will forever change our ability to see.
People won’t just use this new camera system for war movies, they’ll use it for everything. There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. ;- ) That’s what Cameron intended and is counting on, because he knows he can make money off his new camera, not just his movie. And little filmmakers, like the ones I teach, will find a million ways to make it new over and over again. Give him his indulgence and style, people are seeing the movie not for the over-told story of war (well, not all at least), but for the light show that goes with it. Because of him and his remarkable determination to create a camera so that we can see what was in his head and more closely to the way of the natural human eye, we can see science & medicine, we can see the world, we can see love and compassion more richly, we can show a jury what we mean all the better than we did before. And so, I think we have progressed, immensely.
Now that I’ve seen the movie I get it. You don’t hate the movie, you hate that that you don’t live in the avatar world. We all long to return to the Garden of Eden. But then, isn’t that what life is all about?
I just read your review and I appriciate your line of thought. I disliked the movie without seeing it because the use of the name “Avatar” is just for effect. It is my understanding that avatar is the title given for an enlightend being giving man a refresher course about the truth of peace and love?
At any rate I did not like Cameron hijacking the word for effect, I am not from india, and you affirmed my suspicion.
I wont be seeing the movie, my mind is special effect enough.
Thanks for your review
Avatar don’t sound like any garden of Eden it sounds like a big zoo for giant vultures. Wait, that is the new world order, giant vultures roaming the new deal ventures of subprime loans, derivatives, and other things that devour the ordinary blokes of the world–road kill , 101
No special effects, all fine print.
Avatar is artifical intellegence carried to the 1oth degree to negate any thoughtful human mind-set…
It is sad this movie did not flop, never underestimate the bad taste of the PUBLIC.
Some birds contained DNA links to some dinasours.
If man is trapped in his DNA( genes) like Gerry says,then that must be why health care costs
are bankruptying America.
When the boomers all develop azheimers,
and are put in fuuny farm wards, the revolution will be near ready to commence.
Gerry knows being trapped in a body with DNA
linked strands is no picnic.
Gerry, don’t let Argus and Mountain woman see the movie, it might be the final staw to drive Argus over the edge.
Nick has a thoughtful review, but the military industrial complex so complete controls America, that one guy waking up to fall in love with Android birds is a cross between Jurrisac
Park, Al Gore’s Warming theories, and Tarzan sequels.
I finally got around to seeing Avatar. The story was primal, a conglomeration of themes that should be familiar to most, taking from other movies like “Dances with Wolves”, “A Man Called Horse” , “The Last Samurai” I could go on. The story was so familiar, it makes it almost a waste of time to review. Almost.
The only reason I offer anything is there was a key, relatively unique element to the story that I think is getting overlooked.
Yes you had “Warriors”, and a Movie culminating with almost the obligatory video game producing battle sequences. Again it was the ancient story of Defenders and Invaders. Despite the “Video Game” action, I do think the conflict is shown as ultimately horrific and futile in result. The defending indigenous people of Pandora while shown fighting valiantly ultimately are losing against the superior technology of the invaders. (another ancient truth). But here is the significant twist that I think a lot of people are overlooking. The tide turns for Pandora, when the Planet itself fights back. When the “prayer” of Jake Sully is heard by the earth mother…the planet itself fights back.
I have to give Avatar a little credit for this. Because I think that is significant if you are going to criticize it for being ultimately just a “war movie”. Nick, above say’s the other world was not our enemy, well not figuratively, but literally, It Was, the planet itself fought back.
I think a lot people miss that point. Because if you view the movie as Indigenous Defenders vs. Invading Takers, then it just is a replay of ancient themes, valid but cliche in their sad repeat.
But how wonderful would it be if we recognized our planet as a living entity? An entity that could respond to violations of “her” well being immediately. What would it be like if we took too much oil from our planet, and the planet responded by sending lightning and wind storms? What if the next Strip Mine coal explosion was thwarted by every bird in the hemisphere showing up in the area?
That’s where Avatar goes beyond it’s criticism here. Yes it’s the story of defender and invader but ultimately it’s the story of a living planet and an indigenous people that could quite literally connect directly with that planet.
What if we could plug our pony tails into the ground underneath a great tree and hear a million voices telling us to stop killing each other, digging up coal and polluting the earth. And what if we didn’t listen, we had to deal with the IMMEDIATE and real reactions of the of a cognizant, self aware planet?
Fictional? Yes. We plug ourselves into things but unfortunately they are not the interconnected nerve system of our own living planet and earth spirit. We plug ourselves into far less healthy video games, televisions, computer screens and even imperfect 3d-Movies.
I agree that ultimately Avatar succeeded better as a light show, as a visual gimick than it did as a story. But I think there is just a “little” bit more to that story than most here are giving credit.
I hated it too. It’s amazing it’s done so well. The 3-D is beautiful & some of it is stunning. But peel that back and what you have is a very violent black/white, good/evil telling of environmentalism. It followed all the stereotypes. The love the earth types vs. the evil government.
It was so over the top. I esp. hated the Rambo type scenes of violence.
They thew in a little bit of everything to please everyone. A love story. A scifi, an adventure flick, and a drama…
The enemy isn’t usually someone who has declared war on the earth. It’s not people who want to destroy and who hate. It’s everyday people and companies (like me and you) who use a lot of resources and who’s lifestyles are wasteful.
Thanks for allowing us to distance ourselves from the real problem.
-Janet
While there are many of us who understand and embrace the message, there are others who still have to see and/or experience violence to come to the realization of its futility. I know many who have come to that realization the hard way via Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Iraq. For example, see http://contagiousloveexperiment.wordpress.com/
I was inspired that the good guys won in the end against overwhelming odds.
Kinda useful perspective or aspiration in our line of work
PL&R
Jim
Let’s play it 24 hours a day in terrorists cells to get information from them!
Geez – it was just a movie. I didn’t think it was at all worth the hype, and it’s a shame technology is being used to deaden the masses rather than enlighten, but ‘hate’ the movie? Mr. Spence, I love your ideas and outspokenness, but what are you/what is your firm doing about the deadening of America? For all the complaints supporting you, what are people doing about it besides dancing around having tea parties? People need to get serious and and focused about change – but how?
Gerry, I haven’t seen the movie Avatar, but my friend and neighbor has – he seemed to enjoy it, but his girlfriend did not – she hated the gore and killing parts. Could it be that women will lead us away from the ugliness of hatred and killing, since giving birth and loving life is a natural thing for women, and a nurturing thing? Also, I think movie violence & war are reverberating themes in our culture – ours has this dark side – the pull to repeat the ugly mistakes of the past, teach them, and continue to repeat a formula, however wrong some parts of that formula may be. But not all cultures are so violent. What we need is to draw on is the best traditions and rid ourselves of the worst ones, lest we continue to repeat violent acts in our culture. Doing that takes dedicated groups that lead us into a new enlightenment, and people supportive of broad progress and wellness with success translated in society at large. Equity and the values of sharing and caring need to take precedent over selfishness, fear, control, and repeating the bad components of what is familiar. To motivate us there is seeing the joy in others, the euphoria from enlightenment and shared enlightenment, merit for better methods both in a group setting and as individuals, and a whole host of motivators where powerlust, fear, and greed are relegated to an unfortunate past. Checks and balances we might we wisely extend further in our democratic experiment. If the rules are fair, progress comes to all. Just my hope for our future.
Ms. Sally,
Mr. Spence is probably just very busy these days praying for guidance about whether he should become the attorney in America for the Pope-on-a -rope!
I once ate at your table Gerry, having lived free for many years pushing the joyous and troubled noise we made finally in your barn one night on the other side of Togettee Pass.
Managed to stay free pushing pixels, art and fantasy for many years after that. Today I find myself in the classroom teach the young what is to own your own life from beginning to end.
Dale Barcellos
(formerly of the Great Wizard Band)
avalanchechoir.com
I went into the movie Avatar expecting to hate it (after all, I did read your blog beforehand).
Instead, I left the movie thinking “I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Spence himself helped make the movie.”
Bold statement? Perhaps, considering you have already voiced your opinion. But, allow me to make my winning argument………..
The movie does depict war and violence (which is why you hated it) and Mr. Cameron does profit handsomely by making this movie, but so do trial lawyers when they go to war against big corporations. I do not hate you for profiting from these type of battles. We as a people need lawyers with cash in their pockets capable of taking on these types of cases (I learned this from your books).
Secondly, the movie showed the evils of the almighty initiative for the dollar. It showed the destruction that it causes. Would a utopian worldview of a movie have been able to do this in the same kind of way? If we are to learn anything about war, how do we take war out of the equation?
So I ask you, Mr. Spence, how else do you expect the people to listen if you don’t entertain them through the ways of Hollywood? Are we then, the evil? There are plenty of people out there trying to get their messages across on these issues, but how many are listening? Is it any surprise that we all go to see big fancy motion pictures and that documentaries on war are not consistent blockbusters? As a trial lawyer you first have to get your audience’s attention. Mr. Cameron did that. He may not be doing this picture to protect the rain forest per say; I am not calling him a saint in disguise. But if I were asked to state what the underlying message of the movie was about, it would certainly not be that war was a good thing. In fact, I left the movie feeling bad that humans were destroying the avatars habitat (and for money of all things!)
Maybe you could have been a filmmaker in this life instead of a trial lawyer. If you had, I expect that you would have made something very similar.
So I say, if you hated Avatar, you must have not cared for Schindler’s List either. Because that movie depicts hate and violence. You must also not have liked the end of Braveheart where George Wallace cries out for “Freedom” because that movie is also about war…….You must not like any movie then that shows how we have are as a people.
I do not think that is what you really meant to say. No, your beef is not with Avatar, not at all.
Why how ya doin old Ger?
Just checking in to say hello . If ya ever need a few funny comments to keep the old tribe involved…..just give me a whistle; you know how to whistle, don’t ya Ger….
(Or email me again direct, as before. )
Happy to help out anytime in the future.
Love, Carol
For a great movie/story see the Legend of Bagger Vance.
It is terribly disconcerting that you feel there is no hope for mankind. I have attended one of your seminars and followed your career for a long time. You, sir, are absolute proof that there is hope f
Yo my man Garry… I am reading your book “How to argue and win…” and I absolutely LOVE IT!
So clear, simple, yet profound.
Your messages keep transforming us.
And I am not a lawyer!
I hope you are doing well!
Have a lovely summer,
Nick 🙂
Gerry,
I am so impressed with your site and your insight and leadership. My first time on your site was about a month or two ago and I immediately wanted to become a trial attorney, as I recognized the job for the first time as that of a “Freedom Fighter”, rather than just another attorney.
I too saw AVATAR and saw a different side of inspiration, which was that of the cost of freedom itself, which is constant alertness and constant willingness to fight back.
It also displayed that as individuals we can do much but as a group we can do more.
Unfortunately many times the group does not wake up until it is dire. I love this quote:
“First they came …” is a famous statement attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.
“THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for me and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
To me the story displayed the need to trust and see the best in each, as many of us are in the same boat, but when the unjust Kings are hanging our brothers and neighbors there is something that can be done about it.
We cannot merely sit back and say well this really has nothing to do with me.
We must do something about it or, support those who are willing and actively doing something about it.
We must each get some skin in the game as spectator ism is probably the largest contributing factor that allows war to exist, again read the quote above.
Gerry thanks for putting together a forum where individuals can learn the truth of your experience.
I have a read much on the site and it has made a difference for me personally as someone who believes that we can and will create a place where war is a thing of the past….the alternative is simply to gruesome to accept and in my opinion those that accept this reality as inevitable are in some small or large way contributing to its ability to exist.
I saw Avatar, and while I was enthralled by the effects, I found the story to be annoyingly flat and predictable. That said, it mirrors things that are actually happening now. Since you fight for the preservation of wildlife and natural habitat, I would have thought you would identify with that. As well, though most humans were bastards (and that’s what really annoyed me), there were a few characters who were part of the good-people-who-do-bad-things-because-they-also-need-to-eat group, and then took up the cause with our protagonist. As well, love did triumph in the end. I thought that the movie was presenting a case, and while I (a characterization/plot snob) didn’t find it satisfying, it did convince many people that it is wrong to destroy precious and unique natural resources for the sake of money. To most people, it was quite a fantastic argument.
I disagree with you on some level.
Didn’t most of the audience relate to the movie? Did it not make you feel that no mineral is too important to destroy the planet? If it did, even a little, then the movie’s humans do not represent our own selves
I bet everyone gets out a 12 pack when Skeeter gets on the blogs!
Dear Gerry:
I won’t give the movie industry one penny to rent Avatar or watch it ten years from now on TV. I follow your advice and wisdom very closely.
Saw the relatively young fella who concocted “Avatar” in an interview on the telly the other night. Are any of you aware that his little 7 year old daughter LOVED a story that had blue /green animals in it so he took it and ran with it to please HER!!
Tells you how much deep thought was put into the story, doesn’t it? It was all about the COLORS his little girl loved!!
We learn more from our children and dogs than the gurus.
gerry
No mosquito; it’s true!
There seems to be a not so subtle “greens need to be violent to preserve nature” message going on, along with a bit of ‘white man’s burden’ is wrong. When movies are basically meant as entertainment an attempt is to weave a more ‘modern’ morality play could only be excused because of the story being cast in the future. If it’s any consolation science fiction movies are always about man now, not what can be in the future. How else to connect to the audience?
The movie spent most of the story line establishing the noble savage and the baser instincts of the ‘white man’ (earth man). Because the movie is intended as the first of three, perhaps we’ll see everyone (left alive) being redeemed as was the hero in the first. The question is whether or not your dislike of the story is sufficient hook to wish to continue hating the sequels? That Avatar is the highest grossing film to date says perhaps it pushed a lot of different buttons to address a wide audience.
I hated Avatar too – mainly because it was just a rehash of Last of Mohicans/Aliens/ET. Has every story already been told? Too much reliance on technology — too little reliance on heart.
It is not our animal origins we have to shed, it is our “human nature” that is our excuse for every bad deed committed. Animals only take from the environment what they need to survive. We use our power to reason and think to advance the planet or destroy the planet, it is a choice we make-we take more than we need to survive.
Wild horses origins began in N. America-when life was wiped out during the ice age, they migrated out thru the bering staits to asia and survived when other species became extinct..and came back to the americas via humans. The intelligence to survive, the will and adaptability of the wild horses is an amazing example of the survival of the species on this planet, and only mankind can and will wipe them out.
You have to admit, though, it was gratifying to see them all loaded up and shipped off of the planet–like fleas off of a dog’s back–after a flea bath.
Yeah, I hated “Avatar,” too. One thing that I have found most annoying about the movie is the chorus of praise for its “scientific accuracy.” So I thought it would be useful to just make an archive showing that the movie is not science-fiction; it’s science mixed with fantasy. I made a series about the flawed science of “Avatar.” Check it out:
http://geektwins.blogspot.com/search/label/flawed-science
I found the MOST annoying thing about this movie to be that IT HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE.
I couldn’t even stand watching the movie because it was EXACTLY like Pocahontas. Avatar is terrible and it makes me sick to my stomach to think that so many people like it..
The story of Avatar will seem like a children’s book to many adults because the story has been told many times. In 1950, the movie Broken Arrow with Jimmy Stewart has basically the same storyline. Dances with Wolves, same basic plot. The dialogue, regrettably, is weak and unfortunately Jimmy Stewart wasn’t available to play the leading role. The only thing new this movie brings is some really nice computer generated scenery. I guess the only difference in the plot of this movie is that the Indians win. The truly sad thing is not that the story is being told again, no, the truly sad thing is that it still has to be.
AVATAR would probably never have made it to the box office without the action and sensational special effects, but the good news is that the message of the movie was so well received. We are in the middle of a gigantic paradigm shift and tyrants don’t willingly give up their power, so there are bound to be clashes. The story of AVATAR is in Native American prophcey:
Gerry, please feel free to correct my spelling before taking my comment off of moderation. I see that I transposed letters in Prophecy. It is strange how you don’t see errors until after you hit the submit button. I should know better than to post after midnight.
Gerry,
Maybe I’m going through a phase but I’ve learned to accept and even embrace this reality of the human condition. Personally, I liked the movie overall and loved the technological contribution to the narrative. It seems the older I get (41), the bigger my heart grows. I really do believe in what you advocate but I also believe that if we are to get to that stage of evolution, we will have to bleed, sweat, and die to larger extents than we can possibly imagine. The eastern philosophers like to say that the way to love is through love. God bless those who can pull that off but to discount the beauty of hate, anger, jealousy and greed seems to me a rather lazy argument.
We are creatures of love and hate and express each through compassion and cruelty. I will not speak for you Gerry but I know I have buttons that can be pushed in either direction. My focus may be on the positive but one of the ways I keep the negative in check is to be conscious of it – and even cherish it. Avatar reminded me of this.
Have a terrific Christmas and 2011 Gerry – and to all your readers!
Actually, Jerry,Avatar was a stunningly subversive film masquerading as a summer block buster. It is also a fairy tale. The lovely indigenous blue being fight off the predators with the help, of course, of the newly enlightened earth hero. It’s “Dances with Wolves” in outer space.
There is no escaping the fact that this existence, as you yourself observe, is one of duality. Good/Evil. Love/Hate. Generosity/Greed. Hope/Fear. Day/Night.
There is only one way to transcend this reality. Meditate on the one light that animates all. Follow the path of Ghandi. Be the change you want to see.
Amen: Well Said. I find your comments to be right on. My son who is 37 insisted that I go see that movie. I hardly go to any movies….. I just have no desire to and did not go to Avatar in the movie theatre . Finally, a friend in my neighborhood suggested I go to her house to watch the movie on DVD. I did and I felt my time wasted. I often watch old movies on TV, and some movies that I favor I have seen three or four times. I won’t be seeing this one even a second time.
By the way Gerry: During the time of O.J.’s trial I became fascinated with you and your comments on TV. At that time I was living in Logan, Utah. I became acquainted with June Bailee who said she knew you during your childhood days. I think you lived in the same neighborhood. She showed me the books you had written and signed for her.
Thanks for being such an interesting person and for having interesting things to say. Gayla Hill
I didnt hate the movie but I saw many things in it that I didnt like and had to check my brain at the door just to be able to enjoy the computer wizardry. I completely agree with you on this. Im wondering what you think of the movie Never Let Me Go too because that has some serious moral and ethical questions in it.
Gee, I saw Avatar and appreciated it. I saw it as a vehicle to display (in animation) to the younger generation, just what mankind has become – a destroyer of humans, a destroyer of the environment. I saw the BP Oil debacle and the Department of Interior’s destruction of the wild horse HMAs by selling our public lands to gas, mining and energy interests. Exactly what we did to Native Americans over a century ago….divide and conquer.
Sure it was a cheap shot by Cameron, but you use what you have to, to get the message across.
Yes, it is a ‘story’ from the beginning of time whether it is in Egypt, China, Africa, Mesopotamia, England, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Israel, Latin America, Japan, Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya.
Guess that’s why it’s called, History.
Folks: In today’s world trial work is violent! It’s ironic that those whose main complaint is the movie’s violence have chosen this profession. I thought the movie was “fun”. Had I gone for a message I would have been dissapointed. I like chick flicks and I like cartoons-so in the words of my young grandson-“get real”.
I left a comment earlier, thinking that Gerry was somewhat off the mark, but now after studying the symbolism behind this movie I see that it is based on the doctrines of the New World Order. Gerry’s instincts were correct from the beginning.
Dear Sir, I just read your comment on why you hated the movie Avatar. In the end of your comment you stated Gerry Mr. Spence, was right all alomg. No disrespect but Gerry in my humble opinion is always right. That is one of the reasons I love that man. Besides, he is the most respectful, caring and loving human being I have ever met in my 72 years of life. My only regret is I did not meet Gerry years ago. I would be a trial lawyer, and a member of the TLC. Sincerely Bill Frenette
Spot on with this write-up, I honestly think this site needs much more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the advice!