night at the museum: battle at the smithsonian.
giving us a little taste of BLUE STEEL
what bothered me was the stereotypes promoted in the movie. The Pharoh, who was the evil villain, was very effeminate. he talked with a lisp, commented on peoples outfits, and was ridiculed for wearing a skirt by the civil war soldiers. the other villains, like ivan the terrible and napoleon, were not american. Al capone was an evil character in the movie, and could also be seen as foreign because he belongs to the microculture of italian american gangsters.
and one part killed me. a bunch of black pilots go up to amelia earheart and say, "you know? we were the first of our kind too. we just want to say thanks"
after all that pro america gay bashing, they had the balls to throw in one line about how great america is because of how far women and black americans have come? give me a break!
and it all seemed like an advertisement for the Smithsonian. great institution though it is, this movie should not have been made.
It is hard for me to comment because I have seen the flick but I will try anway. It makes sense that Capone was made out to be a villian because he was a criminal in our history. I realize they are mocking the stereotype that all Italians have some connection to the Mob, but again this is a saterical work of fiction. As far as the Amelia Earheart and black pilots conversation, I think that is good. From what I gather the those black pilots may have been the Tuskegee Airmen, who were the first African-American pilots to fly during World War II. Previously black men were not allowed to fly. So if that is who they were referencing then it is a good thing. You may think it to be cliche that they comment on their progression but I find it to be refreshing. This is a kids movie, how many kids even know who Amelia Earheart or much less the Tuskegee Airmen are? I think it is good they show these people are comment about the good they have done. A bit cliche yes, but a little goodwill and postive thinking can't be bad. Right?
ReplyDeleteyes yes, those are good points, kids should be made aware of the past so that those mistakes are not made again. positive comments about progress shouldn't be taken for granted.
ReplyDeletei think my biggest problem with the movie was it was very go america and boo other cultures. it had a whole manifest destiny feel to it. i dunno. i'm sure it will be free on demmand brian, haha. check it out sometime.
i disagree some of it may have been taken the wrong way, but if you want to get at ben stiller for a movie make it tropic thunder at least it had some questionable commentary in it
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