(no subject)
I watched the X-Men movie yesterday, and my first instinct was to post a big long post of ranting; I liked a great many things about it, but there were so very many things that made me angry. For one thing, I was prepared for the casual racism, but not for just how much sexism there was in it, or for the 'Look! Like Mad Men, we're extremely aware of how sexist the 60's were! Isn't that awful? Aren't we so very sensitive, with how extremely unaware we are of our own GIGANTIC OH MY GOD ARE YOU KIDDING ME sexism?'
Instead I ranted by text message and email and phone, and then I thought I felt better and was ready to move on. But apparently it's going to take a little while longer.
I really did like a lot of things about it. The casting was excellent, other than Betty Draper, who played a cardboard cutout of Emma very convincingly. I've never really sympathized with Erik before, and the end really worked for me with that (for that situation, for that age; I'm still not sure how I feel about his future.) And I liked almost all of the characters. I really didn't like Hank, though, and let me tell you, that was a blow. How do you write an unlikable Hank? That makes no sense to me.
One of the things that bothered me most, though, was Raven. I really enjoyed her all through the movie; the actress was great, her interaction with most of the other characters was really enjoyable. And there was almost an unrequited love angle with Charles, fine, they dropped that in time; and there was that kiss with Erik, less fine, but whatever; and it took me until today to realize what her character arc really consisted of, and how it works as a parallel to Hank's.
Because the only thing we ever see Raven worry about, for her own benefit as opposed to Charles', is whether men can want her. I loved that they set up a familial relationship with Charles, but then they almost immediately added in romantic jealousy and could-you-want-me; she says nothing about how people might treat her when she has blue skin, only about whether the men around her -- Charles, Hank, Erik -- would think she's desirable. And that makes some sense for a girl her age. Not perfect sense, because we know she was out in the world alone as a blue-skinned kid, and she might have some concept of the fact that people are a problem even when you don't want to have sex with them. But it makes sense that she'd want to feel beautiful, loved, wanted.
Except then there's Hank, and his mutation is basically invisible when he's in public, i.e when he wears shoes. It's the kind of mutation I'd expect a boy his age to focus on a great deal as far as sexuality goes, because he's also the right age that 'how will this look to sexual partners' might well be a big part of the way he looks at himself, and unlike Raven, his mutation would only be a natural part of specific settings, i.e ones where he takes his shoes off, and sex is often one of those. But we never hear about it; a pretty girl thinking he's amazing is great, but it's not really the point. Seeming normal is the point, and the way other guys perceive him is the point. And that's nice and slashy and all, but mostly it defines what's important to men vs. what's important to women, and it's such a small part of the movie but somehow it's one of the things that seem worst. I really liked Raven; I hate that that's all we see of her. I hate that her entire journey is defined by men and how they see her, by choosing which man to be loyal to.
Anyway. I came back home and this fixit story about Darwin was the first thing on my flist, so that was great; Darwin and Angel were another thing that bothered me to no end, for all the obvious reasons. But I really want an epic, epic story where Raven stands on that beach and looks around and says, well, fuck you all, I'm starting my own group, nothing about my backstory explains why I'd be okay with trying to kill a few thousands of people other than the fact that the guy who did that told me I'm beautiful. And that's incredibly important when you've been brought up by your only friend to feel like a freak, but damn it, there are some things beyond that, and maybe it's a bad idea to team up with people who want a global nuclear war. Maybe I don't have to believe people who tell me I have to hide OR the people who tell me I should be proud and also kill people.
So I guess this really was a great long rant post in the end, but on the other hand, it would have been so much longer if I'd written it last night. Why can't things just be awesome?
Instead I ranted by text message and email and phone, and then I thought I felt better and was ready to move on. But apparently it's going to take a little while longer.
I really did like a lot of things about it. The casting was excellent, other than Betty Draper, who played a cardboard cutout of Emma very convincingly. I've never really sympathized with Erik before, and the end really worked for me with that (for that situation, for that age; I'm still not sure how I feel about his future.) And I liked almost all of the characters. I really didn't like Hank, though, and let me tell you, that was a blow. How do you write an unlikable Hank? That makes no sense to me.
One of the things that bothered me most, though, was Raven. I really enjoyed her all through the movie; the actress was great, her interaction with most of the other characters was really enjoyable. And there was almost an unrequited love angle with Charles, fine, they dropped that in time; and there was that kiss with Erik, less fine, but whatever; and it took me until today to realize what her character arc really consisted of, and how it works as a parallel to Hank's.
Because the only thing we ever see Raven worry about, for her own benefit as opposed to Charles', is whether men can want her. I loved that they set up a familial relationship with Charles, but then they almost immediately added in romantic jealousy and could-you-want-me; she says nothing about how people might treat her when she has blue skin, only about whether the men around her -- Charles, Hank, Erik -- would think she's desirable. And that makes some sense for a girl her age. Not perfect sense, because we know she was out in the world alone as a blue-skinned kid, and she might have some concept of the fact that people are a problem even when you don't want to have sex with them. But it makes sense that she'd want to feel beautiful, loved, wanted.
Except then there's Hank, and his mutation is basically invisible when he's in public, i.e when he wears shoes. It's the kind of mutation I'd expect a boy his age to focus on a great deal as far as sexuality goes, because he's also the right age that 'how will this look to sexual partners' might well be a big part of the way he looks at himself, and unlike Raven, his mutation would only be a natural part of specific settings, i.e ones where he takes his shoes off, and sex is often one of those. But we never hear about it; a pretty girl thinking he's amazing is great, but it's not really the point. Seeming normal is the point, and the way other guys perceive him is the point. And that's nice and slashy and all, but mostly it defines what's important to men vs. what's important to women, and it's such a small part of the movie but somehow it's one of the things that seem worst. I really liked Raven; I hate that that's all we see of her. I hate that her entire journey is defined by men and how they see her, by choosing which man to be loyal to.
Anyway. I came back home and this fixit story about Darwin was the first thing on my flist, so that was great; Darwin and Angel were another thing that bothered me to no end, for all the obvious reasons. But I really want an epic, epic story where Raven stands on that beach and looks around and says, well, fuck you all, I'm starting my own group, nothing about my backstory explains why I'd be okay with trying to kill a few thousands of people other than the fact that the guy who did that told me I'm beautiful. And that's incredibly important when you've been brought up by your only friend to feel like a freak, but damn it, there are some things beyond that, and maybe it's a bad idea to team up with people who want a global nuclear war. Maybe I don't have to believe people who tell me I have to hide OR the people who tell me I should be proud and also kill people.
So I guess this really was a great long rant post in the end, but on the other hand, it would have been so much longer if I'd written it last night. Why can't things just be awesome?