Yeah. I didn't think the animated characters were stunningly Asian, so I'm not totally down the with the Race!FAIL. I am somewhat Martial Arts!Fail, because the kid playing Aang comes out of karate, which is about as far from airbending as you can get.

But whatever, I have ceded my bitching rights and set up my lawnchair next to amych and GC.

ION, we just got back from Up. I'm not sure what I think. My initial impressions are that it was a movie for adults, especially mid-lifers, nsm for kids. And it was kind of anvilly. And didn't need to be. And I sobbed like a baby, but didn't laugh enough to offset the sobbing. However, if the previews are any indication of what the non-Pixar world holds for kids movies, Up was freaking brilliant.

Mal seemed to like it, although parts were a little intense. He loved the house taking off, and is mulling over the dogs. He really really loved the short at the start of the movie (so did we), but I think the movie as a whole overloaded him a bit.

He's now taking solace in They Might be Giants Here Come the ABCs.

Oh, and we think the developer boss might have been a nod to Feathers McGraw from Wallace and Gromit.

And I sobbed like a baby, but didn't laugh enough to offset the sobbing.

That's a good description of how I feel. Yeah, I cried, but I know full well I was manipulated into it. I did laugh and laugh at most of the dog bits.

Yeah, I cried, but I know full well I was manipulated into it

I did make a mental note to joke that Carl needed to throw some anvils out of his house.

LOVED the dogs.

Things like this made me think of Airbender as predominantly Asian-populated.

As long as the kid isn't doing karate in the movie I don't care what art he studies in his own time.

Things like this made me think of Airbender as predominantly Asian-populated.

Oh, the world is without a doubt predominantly Asian-populated. The Air Nomads are based on Tibetan monks, and the Earth and Fire Nations are sort of a mix of Chinese and Japanese cultures. The Water Tribes are based on Inuits.

okay, this is the kind of stuff I just love.

hans solo, p.i.

[link]

I'm not at all arguing that the Avatar world is based on Asian cultures. Every detail is Asian-inspired. But I think they purposefully drew the characters to bend and mix stereotypes (that's not the right word...maybe genotypes?). Inuits don't tend to have big blue eyes, for example, nor did queue-wearing Chinese tend to sport mutton chops.

That said, I've been wondering if M. Night has opted away from East Asian actors on purpose, since Avatar's also the story of China's expansion and occupation of Tibet, from a pro-Dalai Lama standpoint.

Trailer for In the Loop, which I wanna watch *right now*. It looks freakin' brilliant.

Oh, my goodness. I need to see that.

That does look pretty hilarious. "Difficult, difficult, lemon difficult!"