Comments on: Friday Flicks: Leslie’s Netflix Instant Picks (July 23-25) http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/ Just a girl living a cheap, but not boring life Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:14:50 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Meg http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/comment-page-1/#comment-464 Meg Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:12:39 +0000 http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/#comment-464 3/5! For the *first* X-men film! As a comics fan I'm personally offended. :D There is a lot of subtext in it, although it's probably not as deep as I like to think it is. The X-men were first created as an allegory about black civil rights; Magneto is "Malcolm X" and Prof X is "Martin Luther King Jr." Mutants who are visibly so represent folks who were very, noticeably black, while people like Jean Grey are like those who were mixed-blood or otherwise light enough to 'pass' as white in certain circumstances. Nowadays, it's also used as a metaphor for gay rights and other minority groups from time to time. So a lot of the non-actiony bits are an exploration of how different people within an oppressed group experience different levels of oppression and in different ways. Sometimes that's because of things like appearance (people who 'pass' tend to have it easier), and sometimes because other experiences color the way they see the world (a Jewish man who spent his youth in a concentration camp might not be so optimistic about the intrinsic goodness of humankind). For me, one of the most striking quotes from the first film was in the helicopter, where Mystique says (to anti-mutant Senator Kelly), "It's people like you who made me afraid to go to school as a child". She, like most of the other members of the Brotherhood, was born visibly-mutated, while many of the X-men had their powers set in at puberty and can 'pass' as adults. It's interesting to think about how that might affect their views on non-mutants. 3/5! For the *first* X-men film! As a comics fan I’m personally offended. :D There is a lot of subtext in it, although it’s probably not as deep as I like to think it is. The X-men were first created as an allegory about black civil rights; Magneto is “Malcolm X” and Prof X is “Martin Luther King Jr.” Mutants who are visibly so represent folks who were very, noticeably black, while people like Jean Grey are like those who were mixed-blood or otherwise light enough to ‘pass’ as white in certain circumstances. Nowadays, it’s also used as a metaphor for gay rights and other minority groups from time to time. So a lot of the non-actiony bits are an exploration of how different people within an oppressed group experience different levels of oppression and in different ways. Sometimes that’s because of things like appearance (people who ‘pass’ tend to have it easier), and sometimes because other experiences color the way they see the world (a Jewish man who spent his youth in a concentration camp might not be so optimistic about the intrinsic goodness of humankind). For me, one of the most striking quotes from the first film was in the helicopter, where Mystique says (to anti-mutant Senator Kelly), “It’s people like you who made me afraid to go to school as a child”. She, like most of the other members of the Brotherhood, was born visibly-mutated, while many of the X-men had their powers set in at puberty and can ‘pass’ as adults. It’s interesting to think about how that might affect their views on non-mutants.

]]> By: leslie http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/comment-page-1/#comment-428 leslie Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:56:30 +0000 http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/#comment-428 @TheJetpacker: The sequel is very good as well! In both the movies, there were two stand-out scenes for me as far as action and choreography goes. The plot was pretty light in both, but that is not the reason I go to see action movies! @TheJetpacker: The sequel is very good as well! In both the movies, there were two stand-out scenes for me as far as action and choreography goes. The plot was pretty light in both, but that is not the reason I go to see action movies!

]]> By: A Fwiend http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/comment-page-1/#comment-427 A Fwiend Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:34:40 +0000 http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/#comment-427 Any cheeks in those movies? Any cheeks in those movies?

]]> By: The Jetpacker http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/comment-page-1/#comment-415 The Jetpacker Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:49:14 +0000 http://www.27andfrugal.com/2010/07/22/friday-flicks-leslies-netflix-instant-picks-july-23-25/#comment-415 I was really hoping for more on District B13. It's sad when a movie that's supposed to be all about action is boring, but there were what, like two action scenes in the whole movie? I hear the sequel is better though. I was really hoping for more on District B13. It’s sad when a movie that’s supposed to be all about action is boring, but there were what, like two action scenes in the whole movie?

I hear the sequel is better though.

]]>