This past weekend, the kid friendly Despicable Me earned the top spot ousting the emo vampires and wolves of Twlight, but Predator’s triumphant return to the big screen only drew a modest grab for your green falling under Twilight for third place.
Boxoffice Mojo reports the estimates:
Despicable Me – $60,117,000 – Opening
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – $33,400,000 – 2wks
Predators – $25,300,000 – Opening
Toy Story 3 – $22,000,000 – 4wks
The Last Airbender – $17,150,000 – 2wks
Toy Story still respectfully holds on as the go-to film of this first half of the Summer. But it seems the negative reviews The Last Airbender has acquired didn’t overcome the pointless racial bashing the film is getting from the purists, and the movie nearly dropped out of the top 5 completely.
I don’t know that Twilight or Predators will even Rank on the Top 5, when the much anticipated Inception is released next week.
I quite expect Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me to be in there somewhere.
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I went to see Predators and I wasn’t disappointed. It exceeded my expectations, and in my view is not just the best Predator related film since the 1987 original, it practically rivals it in popcorn value.
I’m not surprised Eclipse beat it since that film has more screens 4 to 1 in some areas; I think Predators might stick around in the top 5.
I had no problem with the racial changes, even though it made sense to me to cast more Asian actors because of the series in general borrows many elements from Asian culture (IMO). I wanted to like The Last Airbender, but it was just a poor adaptation. I don’t think M. Night Shyamalan was the best choice for the movie.
I don’t feel like I’m reading too much or too little. That’s just what I noticed about the movie. Those are the facts. I don’t know if it was intentional or not but they ARE typical Hollywood stereotypes whether you like it or not. Whether it was directed by an East Indian, Asian, White makes no difference.
I’m also glad to see that Zukko does ally himself with Aang. But you do know that Zukko was initally portrayed by a white actor. Only after protests that there was a lack of people of color in the film was Dev Patel recast for the role of Zukko.
Whether this movie ended up the way it was from ignorance or by design, I don’t know. No matter how much people want to deny it, the media and entertainment have influence on people and children and how they view others. People can go see this movie if they want, no one is going to stop them. But I really don’t think it’s nonsense that there are advocates who point out and protest these negative portrayals of minorities in movies and tv and try to prevent those negative stereotypes from continueing.
The “facts” are that the characters are not from any culture or race represented here on Earth. The world of the Last Airbender is not Earth.
People like to fabricate “facts” to suit their own labeling agendas. Jessse McCartney was replaced by Patel after scheduling conflicts made him drop out. Had nothing to do with race or protests. That is a fact. What you suggest is a fabrication to support this racist agenda that does not exist.
These are NOT “typical Hollywood stereotypes” Name any badguy “of colour” and I will name twice as many who are not. Name any hero who is white, and I can name one who is “of colour”
The stereotypes are of your own perceptions, and are just not justified.
Let these people waste their time protesting. These movies are portraying PEOPLE, not their skin colours.
The only ignorance is by the design of the protesters who are seeing something that isn’t there. Should I protest that Superman was played by a Hispanic? Its what I saw. He wasn’t hispanic in the comic book. Maybe I should take offense to that! There must be an agenda at work here, and to dodge responsibility of proof I will just say its Hollywood at work and throw out “intentional or not – its racist” so that I have my bases covered.
It’s true the characters are not from any culture or race of Earth. But the world in which they live is heavily based on East Asian and Inuit themes and culture. Add on top of that every villager and extra outside of the Northern Water Tribe were portrayed by actors of color, it seemed odd that the heroes were portrayed by white actors. Even Sokka and Katara were from the Southern Water Tribe consisting of all people portrayed by actors of color except for thier grandmother. So why were all the villagers and extras from the different tribes so carefully segregated into different ethnicities in terms of actors but then when it came to the casting of the heroes they were all white if the characters are not from any culture or race represented here on Earth?
Because they “looked” the part? That’s funny, because Dev Patel looks nothing like Zukko in the show. Or was it their “superior” acting chops? If anyone watched this movie they would know how laughable that argument would be.
The official reason given by Jesse McCartney for leaving was scheduling conflict. This happened around the same time there were protests that a clearly Asian themed movie had all white leads. I don’t know if the protests had any effect or not, but even if it didn’t it still doesn’t address the fact that if there was no scheduling conflict then even the character of Zukko would have been portrayed by a white actor. So what you’re saying is basically the only reason Dev was even given a chance was because Jesse backed out.
Having white bad guys or bad guys of color in and of itself is not a racist stereotype. It’s in the way they are portrayed. Especially when as you put it, “the characters are not from any culture or race represented on Earth”. Why are ALL the antagonists portrayed by actors of color then? why are ALL the protagonists portrayed by white actors? Why was it that ALL the villages that needed saving were the ones that were portrayed by actors of color? Why make the Old Man who backstabs the heroes portrayed by an Asian actor? Why make the foot masseuse an Asian actor? Because they “looked” the part, or was it because of their “outstanding” acting abilities? Intentional or not, these stereotypes are perceptions, that have been perpetuated throughout history by Hollywood and the entertainment industry.
I have no idea if there is some kind of “agenda”, but I think it is fair for advocates to raise these kinds of issues and concerns. You may feel it’s a waste of time, you have that luxury. That’s fine. To the advocates and people of color who would like to be portrayed in Hollywood in a positive light, it is a very important issue.
“Based on” is a far cry from “IS”.
McCartney leaving WAS from scheduling conflicts… the protests had nothing to do with it. If it did, they would have tossed ALL the “white” actors and cast someone they wouldnt argue about. They still protested and they still cast the same people.
You keep repeating that the heroes were white and the villains were “of colour” but also that the good and innocent people were “of colour”.
I see LOTS of cultures there, and they looked mostly like the cartoon. You type an awful lot over a non-issue. Keep saying it. You might even convince yourself someday.
If the villagers were all white and the Heroes were Asian, these over reacting groups would be saying “oh sure, only the Asians know martial arts and have to save everybody – that’s typical!”
Again… you are INVENTING this issue where there isnt any. Your long winded reply that still says nothing new and proves nothing just proves that you are out of material and still assuming its an issue when there isnt one.
I respect alot of what you have to say Rodney. Alot of your blog entries are quite intelligent and thoughtful. So if you wish to believe racism whether it be overt, covert, or through ignorance doesn’t exist in Hollywood then that’s your perogative. Many disagree including myself. So on this issue I think we will have to agree to disagree. You have obviously convinced yourself of what you write, maybe someday I will too…
Its not overt or covert. Its not intentional or unintentional.
People will see what they want and start a war over it. This is exactly the point. There is no racial issue here aside from what the protesters are exaggerating and going out of their way to find.
Its those people who MAKE issues that are the real racists.
The racial concerns that protesters are “exagerrating” and “going out of there way to find” really wasn’t that difficult at all, the movie was riddled with them. You see no racial issue and you’re convinced of that. Some people agree, some don’t. But it’s like you said, people see what they want to see, in this case starting a war over it is a bit over dramatic.
But it’s unfair to accuse the protesters who don’t agree with you as racists. By your accusations, that would make Roger Ebert and a host of other movie critics racists aswell. So what is thier racist “agenda”? All they seem to want is fair and equal opportunities for actors of color and for people of color to be portrayed in a more positive light.
On the other hand, do you really think the establishment in Hollywood are a bunch of do-gooders always looking out for the best interest’s of everyone?
I dont see an issue because I don’t see “people of colour” I see every person is a colour.
We are all coloured people no matter where you come from and we are all people. Its the people who want to make an issue based on the tone of your skin that are the racists. Finding something in a movie where there is no racial inequality IS the inequality. THERE IS NO ISSUE, but magically they found one to protest about.
Non racists see people. Racists see racial issues and to them its not hard to find inequality because if one person is treated differently its has to have something to do with their skin colour.
These protesters are more effectively centering out people “of colour” as their cause instead of just ignoring the colour and calling them people.
That’s a very idealistic view of the world. However one can only truly live that way if they believe racism doesn’t exist in the world. We all know it does. Many people are reminded of it everyday.
Protesters of the movie like Roger Ebert acknowledge that racism still exists in Hollywood and felt the issue was worth adressing with this movie in particular. So go ahead and call him a racist, because you know better than him.
Its not idealistic. I live in a country where EVERY walk of life exists and a dozen different cultures are represented on my block. And they are all people.
You speak of how its unfair to treat people “of colour” and you are the one identifying them as separate.
Roger Ebert is rapidly becoming irrelevant in the world of film. The once respected film reviewer is now getting too cynical and resists new fangled things like 3D technology. You picked a bad cheerleader to make your point.
I hope you one day see the irony that your repeated use of “of colour” is the separation and identification that is causing this rift.
Its the protesters that continually identify these groups by their skin tones. Until they stop doing that, they are perpetuating racism.
Then I’m glad that where you live racism is over and doesn’t exist anymore. But to think racism doesn’t exist in Hollywood would be naive. Just because you don’t see it does not mean it doesn’t exist. It’s hard to ignore skin color for those who experience racism and who are reminded of thier own skin color repeatedly. So it’s odd that you would put the blame of racism on those who are affected by it the most.
You say the protesters continually identify these groups by their skin tones. But in reality it was the movie that identified each group by thier skin tones. All the protesters did was point it out.
Dismissing Roger Ebert’s message because he doesn’t like 3D is absurd. Maybe you don’t respect Roger Ebert, but thousands of other people do. Whether he is becoming irrelevant or not is your opinion and beside the point. He is not my cheerleader, he is just one of many people of ALL colors who disagree with you.
The purists/fans aren’t necessarily upset with the casting of The Last Airbernder, they are upset because the movie is just plain bad in addition it strayed so far from the source material that it was almost unrecognizeable.
But Rodney, I’d like to hear your thoughts on why you think it was pointless for people to be concerned with the racial casting of The Last Airbender.
If you saw this movie you would know it was rife with typical outdated racial stereotypes that have existed in Hollywood for ages:
-All white heroes
-Said white heroes whole village are people of color except for heroes themselves.
-All villians were people of color
-Helpless Asian villagers who need to be saved by white heroes
-Asian foot masseuse
-Asian old man who betrays heroes
I’m sure I’ve missed others but you get the point. I don’t think it’s pointless that there are concerned people out there and advocates who do not agree with this type of casting and portrayal of minorities in Hollywood.
The point is that you are reading far too much into the race of the roles.
Its ludicrous to think that because the heroes were not “of colour” that they don’t deserve the roles. Superman was played by a hispanic because he looked the part and could act. No one cared. Kingpin was played by a black man and no one cared. Lana Lang was half Asian on Smallville, and no one cared. Halle Berry played Catwoman too. The movie sucked, but not because of her race. Korean popstar/actor Rain may play Bruce Lee. Also not an issue. The man can kick ass and do the job.
But an actor plays a character that is clearly illustrated as fair skinned, and suddenly there is an agenda. All the heroes were WHITE? You know Zukko turns against the Fire Nation and allies with Aang. Maybe they will recast him with a white guy in that chapter? They would have to in order to support your racist typecasting.
Did you notice that an East Indian man did this film? Did you know that? Good thing his white agenda is present to send that clear message of racial intolerance.
Or maybe he hired the actors that he thought would best play the roles.
No. I don’t “get the point” All I see is people CREATING a problem where there is none. Its fiction not even based on real people or real places. There is no portayal of minorites. The world of the Last Airbender doesn’t have any.
While inspired by Inuit Eskimo and Asian Themes – Airbender is not Asian, nor are the characters. They looked the part just how they were drawn in the cartoon. Aang looks pretty damned white white his big round eyes and clearly pale skin tones. But cast a white kid in the role and you are racist? Jackson Rathbone looks a little fair for Sokka, but he was born in Singapore. That counts right? Nicola Peltz has olive skin and looks a lot like Katara.
That you think it was a bad movie – too far from its source material? Fine. But this is an adaptation. Its not a direct translation. Adaptation MEANS there are changes.
But this racist agenda is just nonsense. Go stand outside the theater with your sign so we can ignore you like the rest of the people trying to cause a problem where there is none.