Randall wrote: January 16th, 2023, 11:27 pmSome might say pandering, some might say reflecting reality.
And some might go back to saying "Pandering".
Especially since it's more the product of Disney/Pixar's own in-house LGBT animators, who somehow feel "insulted" or "silenced" if there's any characters in a big money-making mainstream movie that aren't exactly like their own selves.
That's why I found it so difficult to relate to an anthropomorphic bunny-girl cop in a big city...I can't pretend that's ME up there, can I?
Maybe you can't, but there are people who can .. they're generally referred to as 'furries'.
When I re-read the second sentence of your first paragraph, above, in a 'neutral' tone .. you're so close to "getting it". Perhaps more people might, someday.
Yes, but, y'see, I'm a guy. (And, perhaps, I should add, a Str8 guy.)
When I watch movies, I unimaginatively consume them as stories and/or adrenaline experiences of entertainment.
I don't go for the more feminine Yin of believing that the story is somehow
A) commenting on ME personally,
B) providing illustrated examples of role models on which to become a better person to live my life, or, conversely,
C) represent some evil propagandic depiction by the evil Majority Status Quo, to indoctrinate the public on how they want to portray public perceptions of social groups.
I like that the stories are happening to other people. Or animals, or aliens, or what have you.
Since it's all made up, they can put anyone in, and it's no crime if the movie cruelly neglected to put left-handed Lithuanian-Americans in them. And I certainly wouldn't want the movie to be "about me", and those who've met me personally I'm sure will vouch for that. At worst, I can certainly spend time with myself for free.
I'm not like children (or presidents) who won't read stories unless they think they're somehow "in" them to make them more interesting, or who thinks they now have fifteen minutes of fame because they were mentioned on the evening news that everybody saw.
Some films are about "you", and some films are about other people/species/aliens/lifeforms. But all (narrative story) films, be they about aliens or other lifeforms, are about humans, really, and the human experience. As long as I know someone like a character in a film, I can relate. If I don’t, then I can learn more.
But the issue has gone way beyond whether we have “representation”, and focused the spotlight back on WHO keeps nagging for it, and why.
Qv., the recent controversy with conservative moms upset over Disney Jr.’s “Firebuds”, where, in response to overwhelming demand (ie., not the audience’s) the writers remembered to remind us that one of the human characters has two mommies, just like America Chavez, and one of the anthropomorphic rescue vehicles has two anthropomorphic rescue-vehicle daddies…
…Okay, at this point, it’s become less about reflecting social diversity, and more like the gender equivalent of those idiots who keep interrupting social media chats to nag you to watch RRR, invest in Bitcoin, listen to K-pop, or switch to plant-based meat.
Other human beings just don’t seem to exist in their worlds.
The other problem, again, goes back to Why it keeps being asked for, as an explanation of Who:
The fact that the Representationistas were able to score “victories” on getting their big feet into the door with Lightyear, Disney and Disney Jr. Is meant to make up for the losses they suffered on their famous battles to grab a BIG piece of the mainstream pie by declaring Elsa lesbian (because she sang that song and didn’t marry into happy servitude!), have Captain America & Bucky’s wartime buddyhood take on special meaning, or have Finn bring love to the Galaxy.
Disney, Star Wars and Marvel…Any patterns here, folks? Like, why has no one pushed for Galadriel coming Out on LOTR: Rings of Power?
Again, it’s because the Community believes their members have no free will, are all on the front lines for the Noble Cause, and, after hearing about the high demographics at the animation studios and the parks, live in cronyism fantasies of “Our FRIENDS.in high places will help us!”
And, whenever the “friends” think they’re being personally progressive enough to throw them an occasional pity-bone…
EricJ wrote: January 18th, 2023, 11:55 am
why has no one pushed for Galadriel coming Out on LOTR: Rings of Power?
That's because she's supposed to be married, but they made her husband "disappear" so they could hint at a YA romance between Galadriel and Sauron. Yes, there are shippers out there who ship Galadriel and Sauron because of Amazon's Rings of Power.
Strange World
Walt Disney Animation
Total Loss: -$152.4M
It’s not enough to say that original animation is a challenge at the box office when it comes to Strange World‘s failure. The movie centered on a family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous creatures. Some might say Disney’s embrace of a gay character in the film turned off red-state audiences, while critics found the fantasy pic to be clunky and incomprehensible, and the animation retro and stale. Disney nonetheless supported the movie with a full theatrical release and dated it during their traditional five-day Thanksgiving launchpad, where it saw a record-low start for a Disney Animation title during that frame with $18.8M. Disney knew the goods were soured and had Strange World on Disney+ a month later, by December 23. Disney has done better in their first go-rounds with original IP in Wreck-It Ralph and Zootopia. However, one thing is clear: post-pandemic, it is getting whipped at the box office by Illumination with Minions: Rise of Gru and The Super Mario Bros Movie.
