A couple weeks ago, my boyfriend and I (yes, I'm alerting you right from the start that I'm gay--this will make sense in a bit) went to see ParaNorman. It was mainly at my request, because I still love a good children's animation film. The BF slept through most of it. And I don't particularly blame him, because it wasn't the best animated movie, but it was still fairly decent. Honestly, up until today, I'd forgotten about it.
If you haven't seen or heard of ParaNorman, it's about a kid who can see dead people (no, not that I-see-dead-people movie). After his crazy uncle--who can also see dead people--dies, it is up to him to save the town from a 200-year-old witch's curse that threatens to raise all the dead people in the town from their graves. The plot really appealed to me, but like I said, it wasn't that great. It was good, though. Here's the trailer:
Now, like that other I-see-dead-people movie, there's a twist at the end. Well, not really a twist--more a surprise. A surprise that I personally found delightful. Throughout the entire movie, the main character's sister (who is extraordinarily unlikable) flirts with his friend's older brother, a beefy jock type (one of the more likable characters of the movie). Finally, at the end, the sister asks the jock if he wants to see a movie. He replies (drum roll, please) that she'll really love his boyfriend, who is into chick flicks.
It was more funny than anything, just because the revelation really shoved it to the sister, whom I despised throughout the movie. But honestly, I didn't think much more of it. I doubt many other people in the theater that day did, either. I went home and forgot about it, along with the rest of the movie.
But the jackasses over at breitbart.com have been thinking a great deal about it. And they, along with the rest of the right-wing fringe, are just ever so pissed. Follow me below the fold.
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Yes, poor William Bigelow at breitbart.com is in urgent need of a waaambulance ride. He's outraged. Livid, even (to use a gay word). How dare the makers of ParaNorman pull a fast one on the good families of America? How dare they lure families in with their children with the promise of a hunky heterosexual jock, only to make him gay? Everybody knows gays don't play sports! And why did they have to make him so damn likable? Aren't gays menacing, perverted, and evil? Bigelow whines:
You knew it was only a matter of time before the gay community, which has successfully integrated gay characters into every possible form of entertainment for adults, targeted children. Now, for the first time, an American animated feature features an openly gay character.
Laika's stop-motion animated zombie comedy "ParaNorman" has a character named Mitch, who is, of course, a heavily-muscled jock who seems heterosexual until the end of the movie, at which time a girl named Courtney asks him if he wants to see a movie. Sure, he says, you’ll just love my boyfriend, who’s into chick flicks.
It’s a time-honored technique of the gay community to hide the fact that a character is gay until the audience has developed a real affinity for him/her, then catch the audience off-guard by divulging that the character is gay. If they really were “brave” they’d announce from the start that Mitch was gay and see just how many parents would take their children to see this movie.
Yep, the gays have officially taken over animated feature films. It's not even safe for kids to go see a movie anymore. Then again, it's not safe to go
anywhere. Now that we're not, you know, locked away in insane asylums, you just never know where we're going to pop up being all couple-y, or even (gasp)
holding hands!
And, of course, he's wrong about that "time-honored tradition" part. What is a time-honored tradition is the depiction of gays in books and films as sick, unhappy, demented, and villainous. Bigelow is just upset that Mitch the jock isn't self-loathing and on the verge of suicide. ZOMG, he's normal.
Nancy French at the National Review screeches that "parents who take children to the new movie ParaNorman might have to answer unwanted questions about sex and homosexuality on the way home from the movie theater." OH MY GOD! Anything but having to explain that...some men like other men! The poor children will be scarred for life. Or, they won't give a shit. Because children don't come predisposed to hate gay people.
Right-wingers can try to throw ParaNorman into the culture war debates all they want. People just don't care. Outside of the bizarro world of the National Review and breitbart.com, people have bigger fish to fry. And that, to me, is a positive sign. Because yes, it is kind of a big deal when a children's animated film contains a gay character. That he doesn't fit into a stereotype only sends the message that gay people come in all shapes and sizes.
So yes, conservatives. We're coming for your children's films. And nobody is batting an eyelash. Like it or not, gay people do exist, and we will be represented in film, on TV, and in books. Get used to it.
TOP COMMENTS
August 31, 2012
Thanks to tonight's Top Comments contributors! Let us hear from YOU
when you find that proficient comment.
From revbludge:
The first comment on my diary The Republican National Convention in a Nutshell was this gem from ZedMont: "The Republican National Convention IS a nutshell." Says it all.
From Unit Zero:
Desert Rose's prediction is all too likely and scares me.
From a gilas girl:
Vita Brevis captures the Clint episode beautifully in this comment from Laura Clawson's front page post on all the laughter.
From DRo:
I would like to nominate this comment by Diogenes2008 and their response to their own comment. They are a duo, the one below it makes the pair.
From Angie in WA State:
In weatherdude's penultimate offering on the #eastwooding phenomenon sweeping the InterTubes, this thread involving weatherdude and edwardssl says it all, just as simply and shortly as this (sure to become a legendary) diary did. Enjoy.
From Dave in Northridge:
In last night's Top Comments diary, indycam had this take on the "signing for the hearing-impaired" at the RNC.
From Onomastic:
You knew there were going to be diaries about Clint Eastwood conversation with an empty chair during tonight's "big" night at the Republican Convention. The RNC's "big surprise" has indeed surprised and even befuddled a number of people.
But never fear, Pope Buck I and Xapulin have clarified everything with even a little RNC help.
From Pam from Calif:
This comment by marigold highlighting President Obama's tweet is hilarious.
From voracious:
This comment from vetgrl about Romney's mention of Neil Armstrong made me laugh out loud.
From emmasnacker:
Here's a little ditty penned by jakewaters that I found in comments.
From brillig:
So Lowell boxer Mickey Ward changed his mind about endorsing Scott Brown after a half hour of googling? PorridgeGun imagines if everybody did that.
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TOP PHOTOS
August 30, 2012
Enjoy jotter's wonderful *PictureQuilt™ below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo. Have fun, Kossacks!
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