hilariousb (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hilariousb) wrote2009-02-07 09:49 pm
hilariousb) wrote2009-02-07 09:49 pm
Entry tags:
Media messages: a very angry post
Today was a bit better. Ran into Sabra who wasn't having a particularly interesting Saturday night either, which made me feel better about having no social life right now. And I talked to Nate and Harui about hanging out next week so hopefully something comes of that.
Some really awesome links I've been meaning to post from the fat acceptance blog circuit: first the thinning of classical beauties in art (the follow-up post is great too). This really irks me because my figure actually kind of resembles the curvier ladies of years past, and it boosted my self-esteem when I saw them in art galleries. Secondly, this post about the thinning of Hollywood. I forgot how beautiful these women were when they were bigger. And really, they don't look better thin. Any of them.
I'm not very familiar with Avatar: The Last Airbender, but apparently the live action version of this Asian-inspired tale is getting a total whitewash with some pretty disturbing implications. Now, I don't think it's wrong for a person to play someone who is not of their own ethnicity, it pushes boundaries and proves the universality of the human story. However, the reality is that Asian-American actors have a hell of a time trying to make it anywhere in Hollywood, and so for a story with obviously Asian characters to bypass qualified Asian-American actors and hand the parts to a bunch of white people is wrong.
Apparently to placate the haters, whoever's casting this thing has replaced Jesse McCartney with Dev Patel. Catch is Dev Patel is now the only person of color in the main cast and he's playing a villain. Hence it's now white heroes vs. scary brown man from the scary brown people clan. Well-spoken bloggers like this one can more eloquently explain why this shit is fucked up. (And may I point out the awesome icons they've made in protest, epic.) Did I mention that there's a brown hero character in the cartoon that has basically the same adorable, slightly dorky, lanky thang that Dev Patel has going on, and he's still playing the villain?
In full disclosure, my rage is somewhat fueled by my nascent crush on Patel. Adorable, slightly dorky, lanky guys are the ones I tend to fall for and it seems that Patel plays it well because he's actually like that which is awesome. (This comes from watching him on the Daily Show and elsewhere, I actually haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire and don't intend to, but that's another post for another day.) For funsies, here are some clips of him in Skins, an excellent British teen show. Watch a slightly younger Patel as Anwar on his first date, and aspiring to be a ninja.
EDIT: Also, this made me cry like a baby. Please go watch it and sign the petition to invalidate Prop 8. Please :3
Some really awesome links I've been meaning to post from the fat acceptance blog circuit: first the thinning of classical beauties in art (the follow-up post is great too). This really irks me because my figure actually kind of resembles the curvier ladies of years past, and it boosted my self-esteem when I saw them in art galleries. Secondly, this post about the thinning of Hollywood. I forgot how beautiful these women were when they were bigger. And really, they don't look better thin. Any of them.
I'm not very familiar with Avatar: The Last Airbender, but apparently the live action version of this Asian-inspired tale is getting a total whitewash with some pretty disturbing implications. Now, I don't think it's wrong for a person to play someone who is not of their own ethnicity, it pushes boundaries and proves the universality of the human story. However, the reality is that Asian-American actors have a hell of a time trying to make it anywhere in Hollywood, and so for a story with obviously Asian characters to bypass qualified Asian-American actors and hand the parts to a bunch of white people is wrong.
Apparently to placate the haters, whoever's casting this thing has replaced Jesse McCartney with Dev Patel. Catch is Dev Patel is now the only person of color in the main cast and he's playing a villain. Hence it's now white heroes vs. scary brown man from the scary brown people clan. Well-spoken bloggers like this one can more eloquently explain why this shit is fucked up. (And may I point out the awesome icons they've made in protest, epic.) Did I mention that there's a brown hero character in the cartoon that has basically the same adorable, slightly dorky, lanky thang that Dev Patel has going on, and he's still playing the villain?
In full disclosure, my rage is somewhat fueled by my nascent crush on Patel. Adorable, slightly dorky, lanky guys are the ones I tend to fall for and it seems that Patel plays it well because he's actually like that which is awesome. (This comes from watching him on the Daily Show and elsewhere, I actually haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire and don't intend to, but that's another post for another day.) For funsies, here are some clips of him in Skins, an excellent British teen show. Watch a slightly younger Patel as Anwar on his first date, and aspiring to be a ninja.
EDIT: Also, this made me cry like a baby. Please go watch it and sign the petition to invalidate Prop 8. Please :3
no subject
Patel is freaking ADORABLE, and he would make such a better protagonist than antagonist! The way he looks and smiles is too friendly and happy for a bad guy!
... OK, to be fair, he probably could act evil if he wanted, but still. I think he'd actually draw in a lot more fans if he were cast as a good guy. That was a stupid move on the part of the casting directors.
I think they could potentially get away with a white actor for Aang and not have it look completely f***ed up, if they picked the right guy; but Sokka and Katara being white is just absurd. I mean, look at them! Their skin is dark! Their faces are not shaped like white people's faces! Their hair is not freaking blonde! >.<
I haven't watched much Avatar, but many of my friends are fans, I will definitely be passing this on.
no subject
Exactly, he's such a cutie! I'm sure he could handle an antagonist role as well, but when there's a role like Sokka staring him in the face, why? XD
I think the people protesting the casting aren't protesting the presence of a white main character, but the fact that all the main characters are white. Given that this will be primarily released in the West, it would probably be a good move to have at least one white person. Making them all (or now almost all) white is whitewashing.
no subject
What Hil said. Whatever its faults (and it does have some), it's a very well-made, well-acted, well-scripted picaresque/romance/thriller/drama.
I also think it's good to watch (certain) controversial movies simply so that, if and when you criticize them, you're doing so knowledgeably and from personal experience, rather than relying on hearsay or regurgitating someone else's opinion.