Two Thoughts

[jesse_the_k]

Mostly, Tumblr is incomprehensible to me (even though I'm a visual thinker) but this instance about Native American/First Nations jewelry is outstanding. The Tumblr is called "My Culture Is Not a Trend" and the writer explains why mass-market Native fashion is disrespectful cultural appropriation. Then there's a helpful 9-point exploration of dos and don'ts.

•••

Saw Toy Story 3 on Monday. Wow, were we disappointed. Technically it only gets better, but there's only so long I can geek out at CGI hair and inventive character design. Disney/Pixar has used the left-behind, hitchhike-on-a-truck storyline three times now. Perhaps the repetition is reassuring to the watchers under ten, but I can't imagine the opening torture scenes would contribute to little ones' sweet dreams. I did enjoy the mean dinosaur Barney Lotso, but Swishy-Ken was plain offensive. There's millions and millions of dollars to be made with a not-particularly original sequel, but I had entertained some hope they wouldn't go there.

Ah well, we'll always have Ratatouille, which I adored for its celebration of the urban environment as it poked fun at foodies while somehow sidestepping my rat squick.

Comments

[noracharles]

I'm disappointed Ken was offensive in Toy Story 3. I haven't seen the movie, but Infinity and beyond had just about convinced me it was worth seeing for the sake of pure Ken awesome.

[jesse_the_k]

Thanks! That vid is all kinds of wonderful, and manages the task by drawing on three movies plus some behind-the-scenes features.

The thing is that Ken starts out being a funny, sarcastic riff on every "limp wristed" gay designer in popular culture, ever. Then he's all about charming Barbie with sexual come-ons. Finally he turns into a savage meanie (who Barbie gets to beat up, which is Yay!) but I can't remember a single gay character in Pixar before. Rude treatment.

[noracharles]

Boo :-(

At least that explains why Barbie was torturing him and beating him in a clip I saw on youtube. In my naiveté, I was surprised Mattel would let a Barbie doll be mean. But obviously it's okay to treat a limp wristed clothes-loving man like that, huh?

[sasha_feather]

Your point is well taken. I didn't see Ken as gay in the movie, because he and Barbie state right off that they are "made for each other" (and they literally are!). So I saw his as a foppish hetero a la Niles Crane. Also, having played with Ken dolls as a child, I know they are inexplicably devoid of sexual organs! (I guess little girls aren't supposed to see such things!)

I too found this movie disappointing-- who knew constant peril could be so boring?

[killing_rose]

Hm. I haven't managed to convince myself to watch it as of yet. However, everyone I know who did--especially sibling-thing--mentioned that it was a fitting end to what began as our childhood and ended just as we too became adults, same as Andy. Though I'd have to ask her, I wonder whether or not what disappointed you actually added to her feelings of nostalgia and loss. (She called home from the theater sobbing. I kid you not.)

[jesse_the_k]

Huh. The only anime that's made me sob is the Grave of the Fireflies.

Perhaps it's that I never brought a child's POV to the series: I saw the first one when I was 40. Too much ironic sensibility for the lose. :(

(Well, there was one cute thing: the animators did an excellent job of portraying a senior dog.)