I found
Happy Feet
deeply, deeply disturbing. There were also some pretty major structural problems with the narrative, but they were blown away in the end by the message that the best hope for environmentalism is for wild animals to learn to be more entertaining.
During the scene where,
he's banging his head against the aquarium wall,
the little girl (8?) sitting next to me tearfully asked her mother if the movie was over. The woman tried to reassure her, saying "No honey, this is a movie for kids, there will be a happy ending" but I don't think she bought it.
I'm a lot more sensitive than I used to be to scenes of physical abuse/torture.
Me too. There were at least 4 "watch through the hands" bits for me. I coped with booze.
the message that the best hope for environmentalism is for wild animals to learn to be more entertaining.
This took my breath away. The stepnfetchit saves the day moment...I nearly swallowed my tongue.
> During the scene where, he's banging his head against the aquarium wall
This made me cry as it brought back memories of my penguin wrangler days at Sea World SD. A little too close to home, though Emperors are well known for their lack of anybody home upstairs.
eta: oops, should I have whitefonted that? Better safe than sorry.
Oh god, I really liked Pan's Labyrinth but I was squirming and nauseated and making bleating noises of terror during those scenes. If I ever see Sergi López in person, I might accidentally flip out like a mammal.
Wait, what? Happy Feet came out last year, and the DVD was released in March. Do we still need to whitefont for that?
If I ever see Sergi López in person, I might accidentally flip out like a mammal.
Which I would have done anyway after seeing WITH FRIENDS LIKE HARRY... The man gives good enthusiastic creepiness.
I was too busy shaking my fist at the screen during the monkey/propeller beanie scene and swearing "As God is my witness, I'll never pay good money to watch another French film again!" to be properly creeped out by Lopez.
Okay, now I'm thinking I might need to watch Happy Feet, just to catch the full weight of the offensiveness.
Plus, my BiL showed it to my nephew, who loved it, and now I have to be prepared for possible discussion.
Plus, my BiL showed it to my nephew, who loved it
I have the sudden urge to send your nephew
Avatar: The Last Airbender
so he can have entertainment for kids with social commentary that won't make the baby Jesus need to choke a bitch.
BTW--our friend Andy is propmaster on the Cameron Avatar, and is going to New Zealand for three months to work with WETA. Woo hoo! His wife and two kids will join him for two weeks in November. We are invited anytime we want to go, but it is not in the cards. Still, our friend! working at WETA!
