Race Card Strip Poker

Nate decided to download the movie Avatar off the internet,
(therefore the movie was stripped of all its CG grandeur that has glamored the
unsuspecting masses), and I watched bits and pieces of the film that reinforced
the basic reasons why i resisted watching the film in the first place.
(I do have to admit that Michelle Rodergize kicked some major ass!)

Sure I laughed at ridiculous nature of the "going native"
premise that was a clear cookie cutter plotline from Dances with Wolves.
We also rolled our eyes and sighed with utter contempt and frustration at the
romanticized Pocahontas/John Smith relationship between Jake and Neytiri.

I can go one and on about how painful this movie was to watch. One of my friends
warned me not to watch it because he said I would be pulling the "race card" through
out the whole movie. The "race card" term, to me, seems to be a cop out explanation
to blame someone or something on race rather than taking personal responsibility for
a specific situation. To me, the "race card" also means to see certain things that
don't exist and that are not there in the first place.

To me, I saw some things about this film that comes from my personal background
as a Native American. There is a history and a culture that I can not strip myself from when I walk into a movie theater. When I watch movies like Avatar, Indian in the Cupboard, or Dances with Wolves, I see a portrayal of my ethnic group that I know is pure BS. I can't help that and I am not trying to pull the "race card" when I see something that others do not.

I don't know if that makes sense, but watching movies like Avatar and other
stereotypical, alien, or archaic portrayals of Natives really makes me sick. I really
can't explain it, and I know this is just my own personal opinion, because there
are many Natives out there who have no problem with these films.

Anyhow, A fiend of mine said that Avatar reminded him of me, most likely because I am his only Native fiend. Am I that stereotypical? LOL. It never occurred to me that I am that token Native friend for many people! LOL. Righteous!

So I am one the few people who doesn't want to watch Avatar...

As a fellow sci-fi geek it saddens me to say that I am not will not be seeing the film Avatar. Ugh. Despite the irrefutable parallels between the Na'vi and Native Americans, Avatar is another White Savior film like Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai, or the Blind Side. I'm not a fan.

So, I have decided to save my $9 and watch the Fantastic Mr. Fox instead

Today, I came across blog today, and It basically sums my feelings about the movie Avatar.


http://io9.com/5422666/when-will-white-people-stop-making-movies-like-avatar

When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"?

 (more)