Not an Avatard...

This afternoon was spent watching Avatar and exposing my father to all things Avartarish. I will geekily admit that it was my second time watching the movie. Second screenings are rare for me; I am not commonly enraptured by a film. Choosing to watch Avatar for a second time didn't involve much of a decision: I had already planned on it midway through the first viewing in Provo. On a sidenote, movie prices are highway robbery in Las Vegas. My father spent $27.00 for some high-tech mumbo-jumbo, "Extreme HD" experience. The screen was a bit larger and the CGIs a bit more defined, oh and leather seats. For the price you'd think they'd be heated and outlined in gold and exotic jewels. I'd rather pay 10 dollars less and sacrifice the hoity-toity movie experience "enhancement." So today Provo, I might've missed you for 2 seconds while I was at the box office. The feeling quickly passed after remembering the delectable Japanese fare I had earlier for lunch. Vegas sushi trumps Provo sushi any day.

I would do a review of the movie, but I don't like to be a spoiler. I like to be spoiled, but not a spoiler-please note the difference. I will, however, comment on the popular notion that Avatar is similar in plot to the Pocahontas story. There are definitely some imperialistic undertones to the movie which draw parallels to English/Native American events. John Smith indeed fell in love with someone not of the same background as (poop, I cannot write this without adding spoilers) Jake Sully did. However, Jake Sully decides to become one of the Na'vi and does not seek to "civilize" Neytiri. In fact, he comes to embrace her culture and ultimately assimilates himself and becomes accepted as a brother of the tribe. As of date, I've never heard any reports about John Smith becoming part of the Powhatan tribe. In fact, as I recall, Pocahontas returned to England with another English dude and while there ran into John Smith. John Smith had betrayed the Powhatan tribe by not coming to their aid when they were being persecuted. John Smith...not cool man, not cool.

[I am fully aware that the Pocahontas story I am drawing from is not the most historically accurate one but the more romanticized, Disney-esque version.]

Don't you let Jake Sully tell you who's civilized and who's not