credit: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Liu’s response to Quentin Tarantino was ill-advised for a few reasons. However, the fact that Disney has acted in less than honorable ways concerning representation is easily pushed into the spotlight. This is why it is one of the more tiresome arguments out there. People tend to pull from the past when they can’t argue the present.
Much of this debate started when Martin Scorsese claimed that the MCU is not cinema. Plenty of fans took the offensive immediately, which was amusing. Many fail to realize that even the words of Scorsese and Tarantino, both famous directors, can’t stop the MCU from expanding.
There are many reasons why this argument is pointless. Storytellers are sensitive, no matter how well they hide this trait. They tend to speak out when their beliefs are challenged, as expected, but quickly seek to justify their words when their own beliefs are challenged.
The idea that Simu Liu is defending Disney but vilifying Tarantino doesn’t sit well with a lot of people. Unfortunately, there are a lot of hypocrites in this debate and not enough self-aware individuals.
credit: Reservoir Dogs
The truth is that Simu Liu is right to stand up for comic book movies
One word that has come up during the debate is escapism, and this is what people use movies for. This is also why comic book movies are so popular. The fact that a few directors, including Tarantino, have taken issue with the MCU is a bit hypocritical.
Not only are these directors denying the validity of comic book movies, but they also deny the idea that these movies have stories to tell. There is a lot of flash in the MCU, but there is also substance. Unfortunately, fans and Tarantino have taken things deeper.
Disney has not always moved with the times or tried to preserve stories. Amusingly enough, neither has Tarantino. Both the Mouse House and Tarantino tell the stories they want to. Many have jumped to the idea that Disney doesn’t care about various cultural stories. This is hard to argue against, but it is possible.
Disney is a corporation designed to make money. This is the goal of any corporation, and what’s more, Tarantino knows this. He’s an astute director, but Tarantino doesn’t like sharing the spotlight.
Tarantino and Scorsese have enjoyed a following that Disney is challenging
There’s no way to deny that Tarantino and other directors who have lambasted Disney are successful. They’ve enjoyed a following throughout the years that is impressive. But Disney’s rapid growth has created a serious demand for more movies and shows.
Oddly enough, those who follow Tarantino and Scorsese’s works haven’t turned away from them due to Disney. It is entirely possible to follow more than one director and/or cinematic universe. But thanks to the fact that Disney has challenged their movies at the box office, several directors have spoken out. This speaks to an argument that has more to do with possible earnings than anything else.
It certainly doesn’t have as much to do with the Oscars since they’re still dominant in this area.
credit: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
It’s true – Disney has not always acted ethically
Stating that the Mouse House is entirely innocent when it comes to burying stories is inaccurate. Disney has decided to ignore certain stories, and their idea of representation is still kind of suspect. The live-action Mulan reboot made this evident, but what people tend to ignore is that several Disney movies still show fair representation.
On top of that, there’s still the idea that experts from various cultures could collaborate with Disney to make certain that the representation issues are addressed. On top of that, the idea of escapism means that fantasy and imagination can easily allow representation to blend and mix several cultures to create something unique. Many people don’t want to see this, as they appear to enjoy the debate instead of the resolution.
At the end of the day, Disney is not perfect, and neither is Tarantino. But the truth is that they are both successful and can coexist without the need to tear at each other.
Acceptance and tolerance are easy solutions to this issue
Strangely enough, there is a solution to this debate that Simu Liu and Tarantino don’t appear ready to employ. The idea of accepting that escapism will not show perfect representation is not hard to tolerate. There are plenty of stories yet to tell, and the acceptance of this is one of the founding tenets of storytelling.
The love of debate has clouded this issue in a big way. Simu Liu is just one of many that have decided to bull his way into the argument. Unfortunately, this might only prolong the argument instead of solving it.
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