Sunday, May 2, 2010

AVATAR

Okay, okay, I know I'm about 6 months behind the rest of the world, but I finally went and saw Avatar at the movies last night. For a long time, I have been resistant to my brother's urges to go and see it. I knew there had been a lot of hype about it, but honestly- it's just a sci-fi about aliens, right?


Official Avatar Movie
(http://www.avatarmovie.com/)

Wrong.

It was amazing. Stunning, in fact. I just couldn't get over the animation and effects.
(And had a story line that would've made Walt Disney wish his company produced it.)

Set in Pandora, the film (for those who haven't seen it) is a classic- human takes over universe, in process boy meets girl, universe fights back, happily ever after.
But there are more levels than that. The sense of empathy between races, the comments on war as well as the ecological undertone all make Avatar a very layered, complex and interesting film. The connection the Na'vi, the local humanoid population of Pandora, have with their environment is profound, and one that as humans, we can learn from.
We are too immature, as a species, to forget our selfishness and learn to listen to others. We think we are boss of all, but really isn't it just a case of the smallest dog has the biggest bark?

(http://www.boncherry.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/avatar-james-cameron-movie.jpg)

At the moment we want to travel to the stars, eager to discover what we can about other forms of life. But as soon as we discover something out there we want, guaranteed we will offer little regard for whoever calls that place home and take the resources for our own benefit. As Stephen Hawkins said this week- when one country goes to another, they don't just visit and bring a tea cake. They invade.
Applying this principle, Hawkins, I think rightly, assumes that whether it is human or another species travelling to a foreign planet, when they get there it won't all be fun and games.

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMySXM0hakDLT7AreRvkirrFXYlmuzUEekeS1foNxUYbheC4FLvKZQs_vftKb8He_zdgNcXltmN_W_QQmIKgi3id3drzZ9tnbWUOj16BpHwOk39coGF8sFk5XGKhdPlhdobJRk3wRqEE/s660/Avatar+james+cameron.jpg)

Space fascinates me. Dr. Who is my all time favourite tv show. But with the way we're treating our own planet at the moment, why should we be allowed to venture out and inflict our youth on other life forms?


(http://img.verycd.com/posts/0705/post-425982-1178217025.jpg)

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