Sunday Selection - Mel Gibson, Last Airbender & Movie Insults

What better way to start than with a bit of Mel Gibson.
Oh Mel.
Mel, Mel, Mel.

I wish I could remember you like this...

Instead I'm always going to think of you like this...

Oh dear.
In case you hadn't heard, Mel Gibson has offended everyone again.  Click here for the full story.  Just imagine I'm saying the word 'allegedly' a lot in this post.  I can't bothered typing it when it's all going to turn out to be true anyway.
I've been reading a lot of comments on different websites about this (bad idea by the way) and there are a few things leaping out at me that really don't sit well with me.

Firstly, his use of THAT word.  Opinion seems to be that it's just a word.  It's only offensive when put in the right (or wrong) context.... Have these people read the quote?!  I'm not sure I can think of a worse context for the word to appear in.  He wishes rape on the mother of his child by, we can only assume, people he thinks of as less than him.  Otherwise he'd be threatening to do it himself.

Next, the focus on racism.  Yes it's terrible and, given his comments about jews from the last time he opened his mouth, interesting to comment on.  Throw in the holocaust denying father and it's a great story but what about the rest?
Threatening to burn the house down followed by "but you will blow me first" just isn't cool Mel.  I've a feeling that line will become infamous.  This, along with the allegations that he knocked her teeth out adds up to some pretty disgusting behaviour.  

Mel explained away his last outburst as "the ramblings of a drunkard"  Will he try to do the same here?  I hope not.  It's much too serious for that.  People will lose patience.  How terrible do his actions have to be before he's forced to get help?

In the interest of balance, here's a question for you.  Does knowing these things about him, or any other celebrity, affect how you see them and their work?  This might be different for everyone.  I think it will with me.  My brain knows that it shouldn't matter.  A good performance is a good performance.  A good director a good director.  Actors are human and make mistakes.  Mel just doesn't seem to be doing a good job of being a human and that's something that sticks in my throat.

On to cheerier news.  You know when a film has just opened and fans are asked for their first reactions? Turns out they're not always good.  Poor Last Airbender... not the publicity they were hoping for.

Last but certainly not least, this amazing video of the 100 greatest movie insults.  It's 10 mins long and VERY sweary but brilliant.

A couple of faves...

"Hey laser lips, your mamma was a snowblower!"

"Look up 'idiot' in the dictionary, do you know what you'll find?"
"A picture of me?"
"No.  The definition of the word idiot, which you fucking are."