NotEvilJustWrong

National Post editor Peter Foster delved into the developing story of James Cameron's new historical role-environmental alarmist. Foster highlighted directors Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney's roles in the documentaries Mine Your Own Business and Not Evil Just Wrong, which debunked bad science and staunchly supported economic development.

Avatar’s most outspoken critic may well be activist filmmaker Ann McElhinney. "At the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington two weeks ago, Ms. McElhinney noted — to Tea Party cheers — that Avatar might be both beautiful and compelling, but it was also an 'anti-American, anti-capitalist, anti-mining rant.'" Aside from that, it was a brilliant extemporaneous example of blow-the-audience-away Irish oratorical form.

On Sunday, March 7, the 82nd Oscar Awards will serve up a buffet of Hollywood’s twisted views of America. This year’s star is Director James Cameron’s eco-epic “Avatar,” which portrays both the U.S. military and industrialization as Titanic villains. The bow-and-arrow wielding Na’vi who live in harmony with their world are Hollywood’s latest reversal of cowboys and Indians. John Wayne is long gone and cowboys are Cameron’s new “Aliens.” It’s “Captain Planet” with better special effects to kill Americans.

In a speech at the recent CPAC gathering, my friend Ann McElhinney, producer/director of the movie “Not Evil Just Wrong” called on Cameron to “grow up.” The film, she said, was “unbelievable rubbish” and an “anti-American, anti-capitalist and anti-mining rant.”

In other words, typical Hollywood fare. Only, in Cameron’s case, he’s made a wildly successful, technologically adept piece of propaganda. Like Michael Moore with talent. He’s twisting the minds of the young and building his fortune simultaneously. At last count, boxofficemojo.com said the movie had cleared nearly $2.5 billion.

Standing in front of a room of people who hate your guts might for the ordinary person rank amongst their worst fears, but for Phelim, to be hated is an honour, an assertion that, as a journalist, he is doing something right.

"I don't have a cause, I'm a sceptical journalist. There's no point in going into journalism to win any popularity contests," he quips, "I am a journalist first and last."