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Then that comic is hilarious.

I thought there were set pictures of Dev Patel already released.

Oh I don't think anyone really thinks it's malice instead of stupidity. The issue is that Hollywood traditionally has a habit of appropriating roles with originally Asian characters and casting them as white. 21 was a recent famous example. Their belief is, as ever, that the viewers just wouldn't be able to identify with non-white non-male leads. I don't think it's because they hate Asians. I think it's because culturally that ethnicity has been relegated to a very specific set of rolls and no executive wants to buck trend in case it doesn't make enough money.
But, just because it's caused by stupidity instead of malice doesn't mean it's not wrong.

The casting calls for the leads in Airbender all called for caucasian actors. There are in reality plenty of non-white actors and I'm willing to bet lots of them are ethnically appropriate to the rolls. Are there are a lot of Inuits in Hollywood? Probably not. Are there people a lot more ethnically close than "white person who we're going to pretend is Inuit?" Hell yes. And having the actor say "well I'll just get a tan and no one will no the difference" is so against the point as to be rendered a farse.
Dev Patel was only cast after two things happened: the blow up over the racebending issue, and the original actor was going to unable to meet the schedule demands. And after that all the villains were cast as ethnically Indian, presumably to "match."

Watching the show, it's very clear which cultures are expressed and which real-world-parallels they have. Put it this way: if someone were going to make a movie about Black Panther, a character who looks black, comes from Africa, lives in an African culture and has African traditions up the wazoo....would you cast him with a white actor and say, "well we'll just give him a tan?"

Just watched Teeth. My psyche has been irreparably scarred. burning_eyes

I saw it in a 3 for $20 DVD rack last week, and Ridiculous, High-Concept B-Movies are my kryptonite, so I bought it. I actually enjoyed it, damaged psyche aside.

I saw the Book of Eli last week, too. Jesus, do I wish I heeded Creed's advice. That ending is irrefutable evidence that the director didn't give up cocaine when the 80's ended like everyone else. Otherwise it was enjoyable enough.

Out of the laundry list of movies I'm interested in that popped up at Sundance this past week, I think the two that stand out most are Hesher and Happythankyoumoreplease. The former stars Joseph Gordon Levitt, Natalie Portman and Rainn Wilson. That pretty much sold me. The latter was written by, directed by and stars Josh Radnor, from How I Met Your Mother. Once again, sold.

Also, as of last week, BURN NOTICE IS BACK. My life has meaning again. What kind of show does a mid-season hiatus from August to January? gonk On the very likely chance that you are not watching this, you should be. Bruce Campbell's in it, for god's sake!

Allright, I'm done rambling about things you probably don't care about. BACK TO MASS EFFECT 2! (Which, if I didn't mention it, is terribly, terribly awesome.)

Oscar Nominations Announced

Sam Rockwell and Moon were predictably shut out due to bad marketing, but I'm still disappointed. Pleasantly surprised to see Up getting a Best Picture nomination. Avatar got way more nominations than it deserves, but that's okay, because the Hurt Locker got just as many, and Basterds is right on it's tail.

Oh my god, please don't tell me it's a movie about v****a dentata.


NIGHTMARES~