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Because I'm gradually trying to reconnect with the world, and that includes online journal communities, and so on. My people, you're still out there, right?
Anyway, a movie rec.
A few weeks ago Chas, Dean and I went and saw How to Train Your Dragon (in 3D). I knew very little about it before we went. I was pleasantly astonished at how unremittingly awesome it was, not least because - at least as far as I could tell - while on the one hand it's a highly enjoyable story, on the other hand, it's also not offensive on any level I could think of.
Check it (as spoiler-free as I can make it):
- Is it sexist?
I would say no. Seriously. Because the major female character is awesome - when she's hostile, she has good reason to be from her perspective, and when presented with reasons to change her mind, she... does. She didn't have all the information, she got new information, she adapted. She's cool without being any kind of a stereotype. (The movie doesn't, for the most part, really trade in stereotypes, except maaaybe the geek - except he still gets to be awesome, too.)
- Is it racist?
Well, it's set on an island populated by Vikings, so all the characters are... Vikings. It's not exactly ethnically diverse, but given the parameters of the story, having anyone who isn't a Viking be in it at all would have required a lot of shoehorning and pure tokenism, since it's hard to conceive of why anyone else would have ended up at the remote, extremely inhospitable island inhabited by one Viking colony. They didn't do that; it's an island of Vikings. They all look Scandinavian, because they're Vikings - though the casting isn't all-white. For example, one of the lead characters is voiced by America Ferrera.
- Is it ablist?
No! The blacksmith has lost a hand and a leg. Disability such as this is not treated as the end of the world - he works around it. He's not even in a tragic retirement - as a battle rages around the village, he works in the smithy, getting everyone armed and armoured, until the battle seems to be going badly - and then he joins the fray, because he's needed. He still has vital roles to play in the village. Acquiring disability is, in this movie, treated as being unfortunate, but not something that reduces anyone's value as a person or member of the community.
It was really nice to see a movie and just enjoy it, without having to feel twitchy about blatantly skeevy Issues. I felt like it had Good Messages For The Kids. I'd go into more detail, but... spoilers.
Anyway, I recommend it.
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