Avatar: an appreciation

Posted on | March 18, 2010 | Comments Off

It is always fascinating to read critical analyses of popular films when the writer actually dislikes popular culture, which begs the question, why write about something you hate? James Bowman writes for the journal, The New Atlantis and his pieces are generally anti-technology and anti-pop culture. His recent article on Avatar follows the usual arguments of critics disconnected from the culture they seem bent on critiquing. Bowman describes Avatar as a flight of fantasy, dangerous because as with all fantasy films of this genre, it is both escapist and dangerously full of illusions not only about society but also about the future. Interestingly, he claims that the film doesn’t follow the Western tradition of mimesis, that is, it makes no claim to imitate reality and because of this, has no merit as art.

Ron Burnett writes about the recent James Cameron movie: less of a review and more of an appreciation of the influences on Cameron and the questions he is attempting to answer in making the film. Pointed, thoughtful and beautifully written, as ever.

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