If you call Avatar manipulative or brainwashing or whatever, then every damn movie is just that...
every damn movie is just that, hope this helps, starting with cartoons. I hope you didnt JUST realize that everything you see, hear shapes your brain, your personality and cognitions. Looks like you need a psychology 101 class.
Never forget some people see XxX fast and furious and star wars and find in these things the answers to all their questions. Watching a movie is like discussing with someone or reading someone's book; there's an interaction between your thoughts and those promoted in the product or character. The only problem with TV and movies is that you DO NOT PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY, you re just told, shown, what to think without any feedback from you required.
The main danger with movies and TV is that people really believe they re not BRAINWASHED , when in fact they are, especially because it's a passive activity that dont involve any action or REFLEXION. It's very close to what we call addictions. Addiction to being brainwashed.
There's a pattern here; people who are addicted to drugs, like people who are addicted to being brainwashed, WILL BOTH TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT ADDICTED. Says it all.