I think 2001: A Space Odyssey is the ultimate sci-fi movie. Odyssey Two tried to explain too much, and fits unevenly as a movie sequel to 2001. Although not great, it is a good movie in its own right, on its own merits.

I thought about whether or not I should come clean with this. After some soul-searching and hand-wringing, I decided that it is best that I clear my conscience. If I didn’t, I don’t see how I could ever blog here again without feeling shame for keeping a dirty little secret.

In a moment of weakness I slapped down $10 bucks and saw “Avatar”.

Forgive me fellow conservatives, for I have sinned.

My impressions of the colossal-budget movie? If you’re a tree-hugging Howard-Zinn-raised liberal, you’ll love it. If you’re a pro-war-on-terror-American-exceptionalism-muscular-foreign-policy-believing conservative, you’ll love it and feel dirty for doing so. But hey! All you have to do is suspend reality and just lose yourself in the fantasy that is the liberal worldview.

The movie’s impressive in scope and special effects, but the storyline’s just cliché-predictable….like watching Dances with Wolves in Space meets every Hollywood anti-(Iraq)war movie in the last 8 years.

Thanks James Cameron, for the overt political messages! [/sarcasm]

Also blogging:

CJ at You Served

Imagine this. At a time of political turmoil, a charismatic, telegenic new leader arrives virtually out of nowhere. He offers a message of hope and reconciliation based on compromise and promises to marshal technology for a better future that will include universal health care.

The news media swoons in admiration — one simpering anchorman even shouts at a reporter who asks a tough question: “Why don’t you show some respect?!” The public is likewise smitten, except for a few nut cases who circulate batty rumors on the Internet about the leader’s origins and intentions. The leader, undismayed, offers assurances that are soothing, if also just a tiny bit condescending: “Embracing change is never easy.”

So, does that sound like anyone you know? Oh, wait — did I mention the leader is secretly a totalitarian space lizard who’s come here to eat us?

Welcome to ABC’s “V,” the most fascinating and bound to be the most controversial new show of the fall television season. Nominally a rousing sci-fi space opera about alien invaders bent on the conquest (and digestion) of all humanity, it’s also a barbed commentary on Obamamania that will infuriate the president’s supporters and delight his detractors.

“We’re all so quick to jump on the bandwagon,” observes one character. “A ride on the bandwagon, it sounds like fun. But before we get on, let us at least make sure it is sturdy.”

I remember the old mini-series (not so much the subsequent tv series).

Apparently, the parallels to current events are striking enough, that the show is being “softened”. By way of MidnightBlue, another columnist, Tom Jicha, notes:

The teasers running on ABC offer a hint of this. “They gave us hope. We gave them our trust.” Who does that bring to mind? Of course, the Visitors (hence the title), after promising things like universal health care and peace in a one world government, turn out to be totally evil. They attempt to seize control of the media, favoring those who don’t challenge them or ask probing questions about their real agenda, which turns out to be the annihilation of humanity. The heroes are everyday people, who form a grass roots resistance movement. Supposedly, the show is being slightly re-conceptualized to soften or remove events some might interpret as negative parallels to today.

“Subtle” is fine. But don’t water down the political allegory!

Hopefully by “softening”, it just means they changed the acting role of the lead lizard from a black male actor to that of a white female (Hillary?).

“V” for “Vendetta”? No! “V” for “Visitor”? Sorta…..”V” for “Victory”? In 2010 and 2012, yes we will!

The show airs on ABC, Tuesday nights.

Trailer:

The first 9 minutes:

*UPDATE*

Check out OwntheWorld.com…’s trailer, “O”.

Watch Dayside on Fox News on Monday the 29th at 1pm, they will have the filmmakers on for an interview.