Comments on: Animated Ragdolls for Grownups: 9 Reviewed http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/2009/09/9-reviewed/ Skeptical Readings of Literature and History Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:35:47 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Dawn http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/2009/09/9-reviewed/comment-page-1/#comment-5757 Dawn Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:46:33 +0000 http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/?p=40#comment-5757 Tristan: As for tokenism then, yes, I think that having a "token" character who is a shallow representation of *Insert Underrepresented Category Here* is just as bad as not having that category represented at all. I don't think that its a compliment or does justice to that category if the creators of a book/movie/show sigh and say, "Well, it's 'PC,' so I guess we <em>have</em> to have a girl/black guy/gay person/whatever" and then neglect or misrepresent that character. I think that characters should serve the story, first and foremost. If that necessitates an all-male cast, so be it. I'm not saying that I won't pick apart the possible underlying attitudes behind the "necessity" of an all-male/all-white/all-straight/all-whatever cast ... ;) but if it has some form of creative justification (even if I don't agree with it), then I think that's better than feeling like "the PC Police are making me so here's your stereotyped representation" and feeling like that somehow solves the mis- and underrepresentation of certain groups of people in literature and film. Thankfully, there was no Jar-Jar Binks cute/silly/stupid character! :D I agree with you that the need for constant farcical "comic relief" is annoying! The visuals were good certainly. If you're looking for visuals, I don't think the movie will disappoint. For me, movies will always come down to the story and the story will come down to characters ... but I'm a writer! Of character-driven fiction! :D You're an artist, so I'm not surprised by the difference in what we look for in a movie. The originality gets a point from me as well. I'm so tired of every movie following the same tired formula or being a remake or a sequel of something that already exists. Even if <em>9</em> missed the mark a bit for me, I definitely agree that credit is needed for a brave attempt. :) Tristan: As for tokenism then, yes, I think that having a “token” character who is a shallow representation of *Insert Underrepresented Category Here* is just as bad as not having that category represented at all. I don’t think that its a compliment or does justice to that category if the creators of a book/movie/show sigh and say, “Well, it’s ‘PC,’ so I guess we have to have a girl/black guy/gay person/whatever” and then neglect or misrepresent that character. I think that characters should serve the story, first and foremost. If that necessitates an all-male cast, so be it. I’m not saying that I won’t pick apart the possible underlying attitudes behind the “necessity” of an all-male/all-white/all-straight/all-whatever cast … ;) but if it has some form of creative justification (even if I don’t agree with it), then I think that’s better than feeling like “the PC Police are making me so here’s your stereotyped representation” and feeling like that somehow solves the mis- and underrepresentation of certain groups of people in literature and film.

Thankfully, there was no Jar-Jar Binks cute/silly/stupid character! :D I agree with you that the need for constant farcical “comic relief” is annoying!

The visuals were good certainly. If you’re looking for visuals, I don’t think the movie will disappoint. For me, movies will always come down to the story and the story will come down to characters … but I’m a writer! Of character-driven fiction! :D You’re an artist, so I’m not surprised by the difference in what we look for in a movie. The originality gets a point from me as well. I’m so tired of every movie following the same tired formula or being a remake or a sequel of something that already exists. Even if 9 missed the mark a bit for me, I definitely agree that credit is needed for a brave attempt. :)

]]> By: Tristan Alexander http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/2009/09/9-reviewed/comment-page-1/#comment-5358 Tristan Alexander Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:47:40 +0000 http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/?p=40#comment-5358 Hmm, you didn't like the female character being there because it was "Tolkienism"? Er, Tokenism. If they had all been male characters, or male leaning, would you not have been upset that no female identity was represented? Was there a cute, silly stupid character? (like every single Disney movie MUST have) If not, then it gets one point from me. I still would like to see this movie. You didn't say much about the look of the movie, as the whole point is visual (in my oppinion), how was the visual part? The story sounds more interesting than many.It may have flaws but again, it seems like they tried to do something original and different. This gives it another point from me. I have seen to many stories done over and over and over... So it's no "Coroline", good, I saw that and it was good but I don't need/want to see it again in a different form. Boy, lot of oppinion for someone who hasn't seen the movie yet! :) Hmm, you didn’t like the female character being there because it was “Tolkienism”? Er, Tokenism. If they had all been male characters, or male leaning, would you not have been upset that no female identity was represented?
Was there a cute, silly stupid character? (like every single Disney movie MUST have) If not, then it gets one point from me. I still would like to see this movie. You didn’t say much about the look of the movie, as the whole point is visual (in my oppinion), how was the visual part? The story sounds more interesting than many.It may have flaws but again, it seems like they tried to do something original and different. This gives it another point from me. I have seen to many stories done over and over and over… So it’s no “Coroline”, good, I saw that and it was good but I don’t need/want to see it again in a different form.

Boy, lot of oppinion for someone who hasn’t seen the movie yet! :)

]]> By: Rick Boyer http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/2009/09/9-reviewed/comment-page-1/#comment-5355 Rick Boyer Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:30:40 +0000 http://themidhavens.net/heretic_loremaster/?p=40#comment-5355 I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future. I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

]]>