Thursday, March 19, 2020

Explore how gender, ethnicity, age, nation, place, events or issues are represented in Avatar Film Essay Example

Explore how gender, ethnicity, age, nation, place, events or issues are represented in Avatar Film Essay Example Explore how gender, ethnicity, age, nation, place, events or issues are represented in Avatar Film Essay Explore how gender, ethnicity, age, nation, place, events or issues are represented in Avatar Film Essay The 2009 film Avatar, directed by James Cameron, has gained widespread success, earning the accolade of highest grossing film of all time, up from Camerons last blockbuster Titanic. The film has also provoked intense discussion of a wide variety of political, cultural, religious and social themes. Science Fiction films often display the unfamiliar in context of the familiar. Avatar is no exception. However, despite the alien nature of the scenes and the science fictional setting, the imagery always relates back to mankind and how mankind relates to their surrounds. Avatar uses features common to the science fiction genre; these include spacecrafts, space stations, futuristic gadgets and alien worlds and/or creatures. More delicate visual hints appear with transformations of the human form, for instance alterations in behaviour, appearance, size etc. In order to relate the audience to the film, the vast majority of intellectual aliens represented in science fiction films have an anthropomorphous nature; possessing the same human features. Films like The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Box and of course Avatar where the aliens were close to a human appearance and were able to communicate in a common language. The film has drawn on various themes describing clashes between modern man and our surroundings; these include imperialism, corporate greed, racism, spirituality and religion, citizens processions right, the Navis right to defend their home destroyed and finally militarism vs. patriotism, an example would be when Trudy Chacà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n (Michelle Rodriguez), a pilot disgusted with Quaritchs (Stephen Lang) brutal methods begins to fight for the Navi. Avatar uses many of these themes without preaching a specific viewpoint or solution to the hinted conflicts; however the mere presence of the various issues indicates an intention by Cameron to make his audience aware of the problems, and as a means to bring the issues to our minds yet leaving it to us to judge their severity by contrasting them to the disastrous developments of his fictional tale. It can be debated whether Avatar and Camerons attitude towards the human hostility towards and the indigenous Navi is a message of support for the natives today, or alternatively a retelling of the racist myth of the righteous savage. The visual resemblance between the demolition of the World Trade Centre and the films falling of Home Tree can be reasoned to compare the Navi with western civilisation and the military as our terrorist enemies. Also, one can regard the films handling of environmental issues as supportive of alternative measures to real lifes problems and unjust actions damaging our environment. The removal of the mountaintop for mining for instance, as well as evictions from homes destined for development and the destruction of rainforests touch on parallel situations known from our own word. Together with numerous visual and other story elements the films title has also generated much discussion about its use of Hindu iconography. However, it can equally be argued that the film explores many other existing religious and mythological themes. Avatar certainly confronts the questions of faith e.g. Must the creation be governed hierarchically or ecologically? but as with the previous themes does not deliver an answer without counteracting the consequences of this decision with an opposite action or opinion e.g. the Hinduism iconography vs. other religious themes. Another example of the multi-facetted religious conflict is seen in the relationships between the Tree of Souls and the Nordic tree of Yggdrasil1, whose destruction indicates the collapse of the universe. Again Cameron leaves it to his audience to draw the conclusion of the conflicts evolving the story. However, from a slightly more ominous angle it can be argued that the racist undertone in the film conducted by the military towards the Navi strengthens the idea of a White Messiah, where the white victor helps the weak primitive indigenous, who are consequently reduced to overhauling their aspirations and verifying their hero, or perhaps that the non-whites require a White Messiah to lead their crusade. This skewed vision is underpinned by the choice to let all humanoid characters be played by white actors, whereas the Navi characters are played by African / Native American actors. Avatar is rated PG-13, based on its use of language and violence. However, the absence of blood and gore demonstrates maturity in how the story is conveyed. The film maintains its focus on the intellectual story throughout, allowing its audience to relate to current events and issues highlighted by the thematic question posed. In conclusion, however, the representation of the films exclusive themes, ideas and iconographic references are not all clear for all audiences. Some of these are dramatically visual and are distinguished clearly for any audience to understand; such as the destruction of Home Tree and the demolition of the World Trade Centre. Others require a further study and/or clear to a more sophisticated audience. It is this span which makes the film exquisite. Not only is it a high level of film making but a well-crafted action film to be enjoyed by a wider audience.

Monday, March 2, 2020

How to Use the French Expression NImporte Quoi

How to Use the French Expression N'Importe Quoi The French expression nimporte quoi,  pronounced  neh(m) puhr t(eu) kwa,  means literally no matter what. But in use, the sense is anything, whatever or nonsense. Nimporte quoi has a few different uses. Most often it means anything, as in: Je ferais nimporte quoi pour gagner.   Id do anything to win. Informally, nimporte quoi  or cest du nimporte quoi are used to convey  nonsense. A less literal translation would be What the heck are you talking about?! or the exclamatory Rubbish! Though not a perfect equivalent, nimporte quoi is also probably the best translation  for whatever, when its used as an expression of dismissal. Examples Ce magasin vend tout et nimporte quoi.   This store sells anything and everything.Nà ©coute pas Philippe. Il dit nimporte quoi.   Dont listen to Philippe. Hes talking nonsense. /  Hell say anything!Il ferait nimporte quoi pour obtenir le rà ´le. Hed do anything.  /  Hed go to any lengths to get the part.Tu dis vraiment nimporte quoi  ! Youre talking absolute nonsense !  Cest un bon investissement. Thats a good investment.Nimporte quoi  !  (familiar) Dont talk rubbish / nonsense !Je ferais nimporte quoi pour elle.  Ã‚  Id do anything for her.  Ã‚  Comme qualità ©, cest nimporte quoi.  Ã‚  Ã‚  In terms of quality / As for quality, its rubbish. Almost Famous Theres a well-known saying in French popular culture that goes:  Cest en faisant nimporte quoi, quon devient nimporte qui  (or ...que lon devient...). This expression means literally, Its by doing nonsensical things that you become nonsensical, but its better expressed as Its by doing anything that you become anyone, and its the motto of French prankster and video maker Rà ©mi Gaillard, who calls himself Nimporte qui. The phrase is a play on the French proverb Cest en forgeant quon devient forgeron (the equivalent of Practice makes perfect, but literally Its by forging that one becomes a blacksmith). Part of the NImporte Family of Expressions Nimporte quoi  is a popular  combining  form of the French indefinite expression  nimporte, which literally means no matter. It can be followed by an  interrogative pronoun  like quoi, an  interrogative adjective,  or an interrogative adverb in order to designate an unspecified person, thing, or characteristic. NImporte With Interrogative Pronouns Interrogative pronouns imply the question who, what, and which one, or qui, quoi, and lequel / laquelle / lesquels / lesquelles. These phrases can function as subjects,  direct objects, or  indirect objects. 1) Nimporte qui   anyone, anybody   Nimporte qui peut le faire.   Anyone can do it.Tu peux inviter nimporte qui.   You can invite anyone.Ne viens pas avec nimporte qui.   Dont come with just anyone.   2)  Nimporte quoi   anything Nimporte quoi maiderait.   Anything would help me.Il lira nimporte quoi.   Hell read anything.​Jà ©cris sur nimporte quoi.   I write on anything. 3) Nimporte lequel,  laquelle   any (one)​ Quel livre veux-tu  ?   Which book do you want?Nimporte lequel.   Any one. / Any of them.Aimes-tu les films  ?   Do you like movies?Oui, jaime nimporte lesquels.   Yes, I like any at all. Nimporte With  Interrogative Adjectives In this case,  nimporte  is combined with the interrogative adjectives  quel or quelle, which pose  the question what. This combined form produces  nimporte quel / quelle, which translates to  any.  Nimporte quel  is used in front of a noun to indicate a nonspecific choice, as in: Nimporte quel, quelle any Jaimerais nimporte quel livre.   Id like any book.Nimporte quelle dà ©cision sera...   Any decision will be... Nimporte with Interrogative Adverbs Here nimporte is combined with  interrogative adverbs that pose the questions  how, when, and where. These indicate that the how, when, or where is unspecified and are translated as: (in) any way, anytime, and anywhere. 1)  Nimporte comment   (in) any way   Fais-le nimporte comment.   Do it any way / any old way. (Just do it!)Nimporte comment, il part ce soir.   Hes leaving tonight no matter what. 2) Nimporte quand   anytime Ecrivez-nous nimporte quand.   Write to us anytime. 3) Nimporte oà ¹Ã‚   wherever, anywhere Nous irons nimporte oà ¹.   Well go wherever / anywhere.