Upon seeing Avatar (the #1 all-time top box office film by James Cameron) for the second time last night, this time in all its 3-D Imax glory, I was left with many questions...questions that rise above the usual ones swirling around the film, such as....Is 3D filmaking the new trend?...has Cameron raised the bar for storytelling in hollywood blockbusters?...will studios stop remaking old movies and focus on more original visions?
No, the questions I was asking were...now that Avatar has grossed approx. 2.6 billion dollars worldwide, and millions and millions of people have seen it, how will Avatar affect our lives...if at all?
Movies are very powerful when done right. I've talked to many, many people of all ages, who were fascinated and moved by the story...a story which has many layers and messages just waiting for audiences to grasp. I've talked to people who were amazed by the lush planet, the wonderful visuals, the amazing interaction between a people and their environment. I've talked to people who rooted for the Na'vi, the indigenious people uprooted by a capitalistic corporation...but do they see the parallels, or contrasts, to their own lives and world?
1. With Avatar's emphasis on "being one with the environment", "respecting nature", and "learning to understand the planet", will people take away a new sense of eco-justice and desire to save our own planet Earth? Or will it just be business as usual for us humans?
2. Will Avatar bring a question of capitalistic tendencies, especially ones that displace people and/or destroy natural parks and lands?
3. Will Avatar open up channels to a respect for other cultures, other people, who may not be like us in the modernized world, but who may have more to offer and rich histories to understand?
I don't have the answers, but am fascinated by what may come of this. Sadly, I don't hold out much hope that many of the answers to these questions will be yes.
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