I was watching a movie with my kids over summer that had a trailer to a "cartoon) movie called avatar based on there popular TV cartoon series of the same name.
Now I read that Cameron is making a movie in 3D by the same name?
I guess it is not the same movie but does anyone know for sure?
V
Two movies. Ones a kids movie based on a tv show, the other one looks like a bastard child of WoW and bad Sci Fi.
Thanks HVC, I thought as much, looking forward to the kids movie.. the TV show wasn't half bad.
V
I own all the episodes of the TV show. In fact, I had an iTunes subscription so I could get the Season 3 episodes as soon as they came out. :blush:
It's a pretty good show, especially for something from Nickelodeon.
For three years in the mid 80s, as a teenager, I played keys in an original prog-rock outfit called Avatar.
We sucked.
Would actually look forward more to the cartoon... the writing was surprisingly well-rounded for a show whose original purpose was to prove an "original American anime" was doable; also, in a couple of seasons, the animation itself got better by leaps and bounds.
Well Cameron's "Avatar" is almost upon us;
Ebert endorses it ->
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091211/REVIEWS/912119998
Rotten Tomatoes gives it an 83% so far ->
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avatar/?page=2&critic=columns&sortby=date&name_order=asc&view=#contentReviews
Anyone excited?
G.
Cameron's Avatar is getting outstanding advance reviews and hype AFAIK. The other Avatar is an M Night Shyamalan flick, so it will almost certainly be horrible and end with a "twist" you can see coming from a mile away.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eve-online-fan.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fthemes%2Fdust514%2Fimages%2Feve-online-ships%2Fimages%2Feveships%2Favatar.jpg&hash=b61fe02a783d36c69130d6f49d0e84ae9a2ad83a)
Dildo spaceship.
Quote from: Josephus on September 11, 2009, 07:23:00 AM
For three years in the mid 80s, as a teenager, I played keys in an original prog-rock outfit called Avatar.
We sucked.
Your last line is redundant; you already told us you played Prog-Rock.
;)
Very cool though, did you ever play live shows?
Who plays Iolo?
Quote from: Savonarola on December 16, 2009, 01:29:14 PM
Your last line is redundant; you already told us you played Prog-Rock.
:mad:
Quote from: DisturbedPervert on December 16, 2009, 01:30:12 PM
Who plays Iolo?
They better not have that pompous, former game developer play Lord British.
Quote from: Grallon on December 16, 2009, 01:02:13 PM
Anyone excited?
I'll be taking the boys to see it on opening day.
Quote from: Caliga on December 16, 2009, 01:07:27 PM
Cameron's Avatar is getting outstanding advance reviews and hype AFAIK. The other Avatar is an M Night Shyamalan flick, so it will almost certainly be horrible and end with a "twist" you can see coming from a mile away.
It's based on an established story line, so hopefully not. The cartoon series was really good.
I am not even vaguely interested in seeing it and part of me hopes that it bombs.
Quote from: Habbaku on December 16, 2009, 07:15:04 PM
I am not even vaguely interested in seeing it and part of me hopes that it bombs.
Agreed. it looks incredibly stupid.
I dunno - I'm intrigued. :blush:
I might go see it depending on how much imax tickets are. Never seen a movie at one before
Quote from: Habbaku on December 16, 2009, 07:15:04 PM
I am not even vaguely interested in seeing it and part of me hopes that it bombs.
Which one?
Quote from: katmai on December 16, 2009, 09:34:04 PM
Which one?
The one who's budget could solve our deficit crisis.
*MIM brings in a bucket of cold water for the thread*
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2009-12/avatar-review-we-have-technology-now-what
Quote from: Popular Science
Avatar Review: We Have the Technology. Now What?
By John Scott Lewinski Posted 12.15.2009 at 12:30 pm 22 Comments
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popsci.com%2Ffiles%2Fimagecache%2Farticle_image_large%2Farticles%2Favatar-525.jpg&hash=c148fe5cd7f5a48c01e2380a49b176209224debe)
It's an intriguing paradox--the success of a film as technologically elaborate and ambitious as James Cameron's Avatar will come down to a simple question: Will audiences marvel at the movie's groundbreaking production methods enough to forgive Cameron's curious choice to frame everything on a script that is, almost above all else, obsessed with the evils of technology in the wrong hands?
Not only did Cameron wait more than a decade to make his more than $300 million passion project, but he spurred the invention of the cutting edge equipment to make his creation possible [read our January issue's feature on Avatar's 3-D tech here]. The construction of a new dual-lens 3-D shooting system and the development of an ever-improving motion capture and virtual camera system allowed Cameron to take his audience to the distant inhabited world of Pandora without compromising his ambitious vision for the place.
The film stars Sam Worthington as Jake Scully--a disabled corporate military veteran recruited to command a remotely controlled alien body--his avatar--in the hope of infiltrating Pandora's native humanoid species, the Na'vi. At first, his mission is a peaceful one--intended to help negotiate a peaceful settlement between the natives and the human colonial settlers. The evil techno-corporate types came to Pandora to dig up a priceless natural element, Unobtanium. Curiously, the audience is never let in on what it does, but the villains need it and they'll commit genocide to get it. Scully is the only hope to fend off what looks like unavoidable war.
Fortunately, he meets a Na'vi princess (Zoe Saldana) able to train him in the ways of her tribe. It's only a matter of time before he falls in love with his new blue teacher--a love that leads him to question his allegiance.
The soulless keepers of the bullets and bulldozers are led by Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), a one-dimensional, cliche-spouting parody of a modern Marine. If adventure films are as good as their villains, Avatar falls woefully short.
There's no point to investing too much more on plot "spoilers." Suffice to say, anyone who's seen Dances with Wolves, The Last Samurai, A Man Called Horse, Soldier, Pocohantas, Enemy Mine, or a host of other outsider stories should be able to call every plot point Avatar offers. In fact, it's astounding how similar Avatar's plot plays when compared to Kevin Costner's Oscar-winning Wolves.
But no such lack of creativity plagues the film's action sequences, art design and 3-D effects. Every penny Cameron left unspent on story development poured into the film's richly detailed world. And the details are essential as the high-def 3-D is ultimately unforgiving.
Unlike traditional 3-D techniques that allowed foreground objects "extend" out toward the audience's perspective, Avatar's image offers depth between the focused foreground and the surrounding environment. The battle scenes are packed with rapidly moving visual pieces--almost to the point of incoherence. But the 3-D invites the eye to roam the frame for its element of choice.
The CG characters are painstakingly rendered, but movie magic makers still haven't found a way to make CG players look less like finely drawn cartoon characters. When CG-dominated films can create onscreen creatures indistinguishable from real-world humans and animals (without toeing the uncanny valley), a wall will come down. For this reason, Avatar remains visually impressive but not as groundbreaking as, say, George Lucas' Star Wars, which pushed traditional special effects techniques to the next level.
Unlike Lucas' more playful science fiction epic, Cameron reaches for a heavy environmental message. Avatar is every militant global warming supporter's dream come true as the invading, technology-worshiping, environment-ravaging humans are set upon by an angry planet and its noble inhabitants. But the film's message suffers mightily under the weight of mind-boggling hypocrisy. Cameron's story clearly curses the proliferation of human technology. In Avatar, the science and machinery of humankind leads to soulless violence and destruction. It only serves to pollute the primitive but pristine paradise of Pandora.
Of course, without centuries of development in science and technology, the film putting forth this simple-minded, self-loathing worldview wouldn't exist. You'd imagine Cameron himself would be bored to tears on the planet he created.
There are no movies on Pandora, so he'd be out of a job. The Na'vi rarely visit a multiplex. They sit around their glowing trees, chanting; they don't build and sink titanic ocean liners, and they don't construct deep-sea mini-subs enabling certain filmmakers to spend countless days exploring said cruise ships.
Even with this confused message, Avatar should make a healthy profit. International audiences love spectacle, and Cameron lathers it lustily into his comeback project. But, he (and 20th Century Fox) better hope those same audiences don't think too much on the way out of the theater lest bad word of mouth does more damage to Pandora than the corporate marines.
Didn't know Monica's brother did movie reviews. Anyway, it's Dances With Wolves in space. Heh.
Hardly a bucket of cold water. I don't think anyone has particularly high hopes plot, character, or dialogue wise.
Took in the afternoon showing with the boys and I have to say I really really liked it. There are some moments when I was taken by how beautiful the movie looked.
I saw it in 3D and I was very skeptical going in. I was sure that this would just be all about the effects. But this was really well done. My advice, leave your hard bitten languish skepticism behind and go enjoy this piece of art.
Went to the 12 AM showing on Friday.
Ugh. Waste of time/money.
The Space Marines were loveable enough, but the alien sex scene made me laugh out loud.
I'm probably going to see it. I'll be sure to let you all know what I think.
Prepare to get a bunch of preachy environmentalist/mother earth bullshit forced down your throat.
I was rooting for the Marines throughout the entire movie. I am severely disappointed that Sergeant Kilgore did not proceed to nuke from orbit once it became clear that the natives were not going to comply with the Corporation's ultimatum. The first rule of the Marines is that if you get into a fair fight, you done fucked up son. OOH-RAH.
granted, i have not seen the movie, but a sergeant should never have the authority to launch a nuclear strike on an alien planet. :bowler:
Quote from: Lacroix on December 19, 2009, 02:41:32 AM
granted, i have not seen the movie, but a sergeant should never have the authority to launch a nuclear strike on an alien planet. :bowler:
He's actually Colonel Quaritch in the movie, but the character is an homage to the gung-ho officer of
Apocalypse Now named Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore (not a Sgt. my bad :blush:).
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gonemovies.com%2FWWW%2FMyWebFilms%2FOorlog%2FApocalypseKilgore1.jpg&hash=d0bc85659cc172b52eba14b0ad6471acfdc8f62a)
The Colonel was highest ranking military officer on Pandora under the authority of the Corporation's civilian administrator.
Quote from: Lacroix on December 19, 2009, 02:41:32 AM
granted, i have not seen the movie, but a sergeant should never have the authority to launch a nuclear strike on an alien planet. :bowler:
Not the only thing Fate got wrong.....
I will see it to see if 3D's impressive or not. But so far over here it's only really getting good reviews from the tabloids. The Times gave it 3 stars and the Guardian 2-3. General complaint seems to be that Cameron had no-one to rein him in so he produced a three hour vacuous love story with a preposterously simplistic political/moral fable. It's a baggy monster.
I caught it today, and can only give it two thumbs up.
Story was extremely predictable, and I'm amazed they didn't do a multicultural team of all races to really push the message all the way through like they did in 2012.
That said, I will admit that I am a sucker for that kind of story, and despite detesting it on a rational level I will admit that I fall for it every time.
Effects though were mindblowing, and in my opinion this is the kind of movie you really have to see on the big screen for the effects alone. I doubt a TV will ever do it justice. The blantant HALO inspiration alone was enough to give me a nerd-on.
To summarize, I think you're doing yourselves a favour if you go see it.
Saw it in 3d. Special effects were awesome, the plot made me want to beat things with a stick.
Quote from: Sheilbh on December 19, 2009, 10:34:04 AM
It's a baggy monster.
as opposed to all the other great movies out there. :D
This movie is stunning. Given the cost I am not sure how long it will be before we see another movie as visually stunning as this one.
So is it basically all spectacle/explosion porn/pretty scenery then? I might enjoy it best with ear plugs then when I see it. Get all the good visuals but can miss the noble savage, one with the earth-mother bullshit. :rolleyes:
Also maybe its explained in the film, but why wouldn't you just wipe out the natives with bioweapons?
I am very torn over this movie, on one side do I want to go see it for the 3d effects, but on the other hand am I not in the mood of a "Dancer with blue space elfs" kind of movie...
Quote from: Gbeagle on December 20, 2009, 12:01:20 PM
So is it basically all spectacle/explosion porn/pretty scenery then? I might enjoy it best with ear plugs then when I see it. Get all the good visuals but can miss the noble savage, one with the earth-mother bullshit. :rolleyes:
Also maybe its explained in the film, but why wouldn't you just wipe out the natives with bioweapons?
Maybe you should see the movie so that you know something about what you are posting about.
Quote from: LaCroix on December 19, 2009, 02:41:32 AM
granted, i have not seen the movie, but a sergeant should never have the authority to launch a nuclear strike on an alien planet. :bowler:
What if aliens killed all the officers and the mission's orders leave discretion regarding such matters and he feels it's needed to save Earth/humanity? :contract:
visually stunning but utterly predictable
I would still recommend seeing it but only in 3d at the theater.
Quote from: Gbeagle on December 20, 2009, 12:01:20 PM
So is it basically all spectacle/explosion porn/pretty scenery then? I might enjoy it best with ear plugs then when I see it. Get all the good visuals but can miss the noble savage, one with the earth-mother bullshit. :rolleyes:
Also maybe its explained in the film, but why wouldn't you just wipe out the natives with bioweapons?
It's not explained. Mother fucking primitives beat the Space Marine Corp with mother fucking bow and arrows.
Fuck that shit man.
Nuke them from orbit.
Or at least pull out the smallpox blankets before you return to Earth in "defeat."
Is there a 3D humping scene?
Quote from: Fate on December 20, 2009, 05:28:37 PM
Quote from: Gbeagle on December 20, 2009, 12:01:20 PM
So is it basically all spectacle/explosion porn/pretty scenery then? I might enjoy it best with ear plugs then when I see it. Get all the good visuals but can miss the noble savage, one with the earth-mother bullshit. :rolleyes:
Also maybe its explained in the film, but why wouldn't you just wipe out the natives with bioweapons?
It's not explained. Mother fucking primitives beat the Space Marine Corp with mother fucking bow and arrows.
Fuck that shit man.
Nuke them from orbit.
Or at least pull out the smallpox blankets before you return to Earth in "defeat."
The events are reasonable in a fashion. The Alien Invasion is not a governmental operation, think more like the East India Company than the British Empire.
When I left the theater I pondered the sad fact that they at most bought themselves another decade of peace, since the company will simply come back in 6-10 years time with better weapons and there's no combination of élan and Planet Consciousness that will beat orbital bombardment. :D
But that's really not the point of this movie.
Are we too jaded for anything? Seriously it seems to me no matter comes forth we've seen it all already. But I agree care should have been lavished on the script as much as on the visuals.
G.
Quote from: Grallon on December 20, 2009, 07:06:16 PM
Are we too jaded for anything? Seriously it seems to me no matter comes forth we've seen it all already. But I agree care should have been lavished on the script as much as on the visuals.
G.
I've seen people describe it as "in the post-modern age nothing is new" but frankly, this story was a bit too predictable even for that cop out.
I found myself almost word for word speaking some lines ahead of the actors, and I don't think I was served a single surprise, plot-wise.
Then again, most movies rehash the same stories in new settings so I don't really see it as a huge problem.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 20, 2009, 06:23:04 PM
Is there a 3D humping scene?
Unfortunately there was a 3D dry humping scene.
Quote from: Grallon on December 20, 2009, 07:06:16 PM
Are we too jaded for anything?
Coming from the guy who hypes every coming game and then takes the piss out of it after he buys it? You're like the Sith Lord of this kind of shit. :P
Quote from: Fate on December 20, 2009, 05:28:37 PM
It's not explained.
Actually, if you had been paying attention, it was.
First, these were not marines with the resources they might have at their disposal. These were a bunch of
ex marines who were acting as security for a company mining operation.
Second, given that it was a mining operation, the company still needed to have people on the ground to you know, mine..... so any kind of persistent biological/nuclear option was out.
Third, they did think they were going in with overwelming force so why would they have nuked from orbit?
Fourth, I have broken the Cal rule by actually responding to you.
Quote from: Slargos on December 20, 2009, 06:54:34 PM
When I left the theater I pondered the sad fact that they at most bought themselves another decade of peace, since the company will simply come back in 6-10 years time with better weapons and there's no combination of élan and Planet Consciousness that will beat orbital bombardment. :D
But that's really not the point of this movie.
Agreed. But the dialogue deals with this to a point, they had the choice of standing up to the company and taking their chances or simply rolling over and giving up.
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 21, 2009, 10:35:24 AM
Fourth, I have broken the Cal rule by actually responding to you.
I think it might be ok to respond to Fate when a thread isn't political in nature. I need more data to be sure.
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 21, 2009, 10:37:54 AM
Agreed. But the dialogue deals with this to a point, they had the choice of standing up to the company and taking their chances or simply rolling over and giving up.
Still, from what you tell us the plot is essentially accessory to the showcasing of this 'new' technology yes? But even despite the weak script I think a worst offense are the cardboard characters - like that colonel.
G.
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 21, 2009, 10:37:54 AM
Quote from: Slargos on December 20, 2009, 06:54:34 PM
When I left the theater I pondered the sad fact that they at most bought themselves another decade of peace, since the company will simply come back in 6-10 years time with better weapons and there's no combination of élan and Planet Consciousness that will beat orbital bombardment. :D
But that's really not the point of this movie.
Agreed. But the dialogue deals with this to a point, they had the choice of standing up to the company and taking their chances or simply rolling over and giving up.
True enough, and given the level of the story itself, I don't think the script writer intends for anyone to consider "what happens afterwards".
The "good" guys have won, and that's the end of the story.
Stories like these generally have a lot of holes and double-juu-tee-effs but the over all picture is not the point of the story. It's the struggle and the message, rather than the cold bleak reality.
Visual effects are the only reason to see this, really. Also, Sigourney Weaver is a total MILF.
Quote from: Slargos on December 21, 2009, 03:31:26 PM
True enough, and given the level of the story itself, I don't think the script writer intends for anyone to consider "what happens afterwards".
The "good" guys have won, and that's the end of the story.
Stories like these generally have a lot of holes and double-juu-tee-effs but the over all picture is not the point of the story. It's the struggle and the message, rather than the cold bleak reality.
Actually I'm pretty sure I read that Cameron hopes this will lead to sequels, spinoffs, etc.
Quote from: Barrister on December 21, 2009, 03:55:46 PM
Quote from: Slargos on December 21, 2009, 03:31:26 PM
True enough, and given the level of the story itself, I don't think the script writer intends for anyone to consider "what happens afterwards".
The "good" guys have won, and that's the end of the story.
Stories like these generally have a lot of holes and double-juu-tee-effs but the over all picture is not the point of the story. It's the struggle and the message, rather than the cold bleak reality.
Actually I'm pretty sure I read that Cameron hopes this will lead to sequels, spinoffs, etc.
I'm sure he does, but I don't see how they can pick this storyline up from where they left off without a pretty massive suspension of disbelief.
There's probably other ways to explore the universe though.
Quote from: Fate on December 21, 2009, 12:04:31 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 20, 2009, 06:23:04 PM
Is there a 3D humping scene?
Unfortunately there was a 3D dry humping scene.
But it was very short and unimpressive.
Quote from: Korea on December 21, 2009, 04:31:32 PM
Quote from: Fate on December 21, 2009, 12:04:31 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 20, 2009, 06:23:04 PM
Is there a 3D humping scene?
Unfortunately there was a 3D dry humping scene.
But it was very short and unimpressive.
Poor Ide always being disparaged when he isn't around to defend himself.
Quote from: crazy canuck
First, these were not marines with the resources they might have at their disposal. These were a bunch of ex marines who were acting as security for a company mining operation.
No, these poor ex-marines just have near light speed space ships, 20 foot tall mechanized battle suits, rockets, and machine guns. They'd never have a chance against 2000 smurfs with bow and arrows!
Quote
Second, given that it was a mining operation, the company still needed to have people on the ground to you know, mine..... so any kind of persistent biological/nuclear option was out.
Since when does a company bent on profit and the genocide of primitives give a shit about the radiation levels that their employees are exposed to? No wait, this is a god damn galaxy spanning civilization, let's just use orbital mass drivers to bombard the surface with asteroids without the long lasting radiation to worry about afterward.
Quote
Third, they did think they were going in with overwelming force so why would they have nuked from orbit?
You nuke from orbit once it's clear that your base defended by a legion of 20 foot tall mechanized battle suits, rockets, and machine guns has been compromised by Pocahontas and her merry band of Smurfs. If unobtainium mining is going to end, then you must exterminate the planet's population on the principle that no one fucks with the Corporation and gets away with it.
I seldom find myself needing to say this, but I am in complete agreement with Fate on this particular point of the discussion.
However, I still loved the movie.
*May contain spoilers*
The 3D was awesome. The story was almost offensively stupid. The humans are painted as genocidal monsters (the greatest glory any character can achieve is to cease to be human, and become a native) while the natives are ludicrously glorified. Their god is even shown to be real, for fuck's sake. In the end. we're invited to celebrate the potential destruction of humanity, and the ascendency of the blue hippies. The movie had a great deal of potential, but threw it away.
If you feel you have to see it, see it in 3D. Don't see it otherwise.
Just came back from seeing it. In 2D unfortunately, as my brother said 3D makes him hurl.
4 1/2 stars. The effects are seemless. The planet is fully imagined. Plotwise I was expecting a Green Peace sermon and was pleasantly surprised. No big plot holes, no jaw-dropping dialogue. Will see it again in 3D when I get back to Iowa.
SPOILERS
The plexiglas piercing arrows were a cop out. They should have trimmed the first time flying scene by 3 minutes. The giganitc BattleTech hunting knife was pretty retarded. I could have done without the shaking around the Magic Tree scenes.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 22, 2009, 05:24:57 PM
Just came back from seeing it. In 2D unfortunately, as my brother said 3D makes him hurl.
4 1/2 stars. The effects are seemless. The planet is fully imagined. Plotwise I was expecting a Green Peace sermon and was pleasantly surprised. No big plot holes, no jaw-dropping dialogue. Will see it again in 3D when I get back to Iowa.
SPOILERS
The plexiglas piercing arrows were a cop out. They should have trimmed the first time flying scene by 3 minutes. The giganitc BattleTech hunting knife was pretty retarded. I could have done without the shaking around the Magic Tree scenes.
I normally get dizzy when I see 3d or surround screens but I didnt have any trouble with this - probably because of the high quality. Your brother should give it a try.
btw I loved the shaking around the tree scene...
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 22, 2009, 05:31:07 PM
btw I loved the shaking around the tree scene...
You're a homo.
WTF? This report can't be serious can it?
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2239576/entry/12/
QuoteAvatar Rising as Potential Oscar Pick
James Cameron's latest blockbuster, Avatar, opened only last week, but it already appears poised to rake in Oscar gold. Hollywood pundits predict the epic tale will garner eight or nine nominations, according to the Los Angeles Times. But more tantalizing to amateur handicappers is the possibility that Avatar could win best picture. Judging by the buzz, " 'Avatar' seems strongly positioned to win Oscar's heart with its strong environmental and social messages, its not-so-thinly-veiled Bush bashing and, most important, its technological breakthroughs," says the LAT. The New York Times' Carpetbagger blog seconds the sentiment: "The screenings are full, the reactions uninhibited, the Up in the Air and Hurt Locker people should start sweating."
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 23, 2009, 01:29:24 AM
WTF? This report can't be serious can it?
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2239576/entry/12/
QuoteAvatar Rising as Potential Oscar Pick
James Cameron's latest blockbuster, Avatar, opened only last week, but it already appears poised to rake in Oscar gold. Hollywood pundits predict the epic tale will garner eight or nine nominations, according to the Los Angeles Times. But more tantalizing to amateur handicappers is the possibility that Avatar could win best picture. Judging by the buzz, " 'Avatar' seems strongly positioned to win Oscar's heart with its strong environmental and social messages, its not-so-thinly-veiled Bush bashing and, most important, its technological breakthroughs," says the LAT. The New York Times' Carpetbagger blog seconds the sentiment: "The screenings are full, the reactions uninhibited, the Up in the Air and Hurt Locker people should start sweating."
If Titanic could win best picture, I don't see why this couldn't.
Touche.
I agree with Tim's WTF. Avatar should not win Best Picture.
A Single Man, Up in the Air, or hell even Inglourious Basterds would be a better choice.
I liked it. It's a simple predictable movie, yes. But it's a movie that in the end makes me happy. And is probably one of the most beautiful things I ever seen, the world is simply amazing.
Quote from: Fate on December 20, 2009, 05:28:37 PM
Quote from: Gbeagle on December 20, 2009, 12:01:20 PM
So is it basically all spectacle/explosion porn/pretty scenery then? I might enjoy it best with ear plugs then when I see it. Get all the good visuals but can miss the noble savage, one with the earth-mother bullshit. :rolleyes:
Also maybe its explained in the film, but why wouldn't you just wipe out the natives with bioweapons?
It's not explained. Mother fucking primitives beat the Space Marine Corp with mother fucking bow and arrows.
Fuck that shit man.
Nuke them from orbit.
Or at least pull out the smallpox blankets before you return to Earth in "defeat."
If the space marines won, what good would the movie be as an environmentalist fable? Movies are an important social engineering tool, as we saw in the early 90s with environmentalism, and as we are seeing today with smoking.
Quote from: Kleves on December 22, 2009, 04:57:50 AM
In the end. we're invited to celebrate the potential destruction of humanity, and the ascendency of the blue hippies.
So it's like Aliens in reverse then?
Quote from: Barrister on December 23, 2009, 01:39:19 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 23, 2009, 01:29:24 AM
WTF? This report can't be serious can it?
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2239576/entry/12/
QuoteAvatar Rising as Potential Oscar Pick
James Cameron's latest blockbuster, Avatar, opened only last week, but it already appears poised to rake in Oscar gold. Hollywood pundits predict the epic tale will garner eight or nine nominations, according to the Los Angeles Times. But more tantalizing to amateur handicappers is the possibility that Avatar could win best picture. Judging by the buzz, " 'Avatar' seems strongly positioned to win Oscar's heart with its strong environmental and social messages, its not-so-thinly-veiled Bush bashing and, most important, its technological breakthroughs," says the LAT. The New York Times' Carpetbagger blog seconds the sentiment: "The screenings are full, the reactions uninhibited, the Up in the Air and Hurt Locker people should start sweating."
If Titanic could win best picture, I don't see why this couldn't.
Moreover, wasn't Tim lobbying for King Kong?
Quote from: Neil on December 23, 2009, 09:06:35 AM
Quote from: Kleves on December 22, 2009, 04:57:50 AM
In the end. we're invited to celebrate the potential destruction of humanity, and the ascendency of the blue hippies.
So it's like Aliens in reverse then?
yes, with more color
Did you guys notice the similarity between Scarface's megacopter and the Aliens II drop ship?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 23, 2009, 01:29:24 AM
WTF? This report can't be serious can it?
Dances with Wolves won best picture, so why Dances with Wolves
in Space!!!?
Quote from: Neil on December 23, 2009, 09:06:35 AM
So it's like Aliens in reverse then?
:yes: Cameron wanted to atone for endorsing the genocide of the innocent natives in the Aliens series.
Quote from: Kleves on December 23, 2009, 01:30:57 PM
Dances with Wolves won best picture, so why Dances with Wolves in Space!!!?
Dances with Wolves beat Goodfellas :weep:
Though I thought Aliens and this shared an anti-corporate sentiment. This is just more simplistic and less subtle/interesting/artistically worthwhile.
Quote from: Kleves on December 23, 2009, 01:30:57 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 23, 2009, 01:29:24 AM
WTF? This report can't be serious can it?
Dances with Wolves won best picture, so why Dances with Wolves in Space!!!?
This was much worse than Dances with Wolves. Costner started the movie a cracker and ended the movie a cracker. And he was banging a white chick, not some Pocahontas wannabe.
This Avatar guy took it too far. Cripple race traitor fucks the chief smurf's daughter by proxy and concludes this travesty of a movie by becoming a smurf.
Quote from: Sheilbh on December 23, 2009, 01:36:56 PM
Though I thought Aliens and this shared an anti-corporate sentiment.
I agree that Aliens echoed through this movie. Right down to casting Ripley.
Quote from: Kleves on December 22, 2009, 04:57:50 AM
*May contain spoilers*
The 3D was awesome. The story was almost offensively stupid. The humans are painted as genocidal monsters (the greatest glory any character can achieve is to cease to be human, and become a native) while the natives are ludicrously glorified. Their god is even shown to be real, for fuck's sake. In the end. we're invited to celebrate the potential destruction of humanity, and the ascendency of the blue hippies. The movie had a great deal of potential, but threw it away.
If you feel you have to see it, see it in 3D. Don't see it otherwise.
I hate that. Some of my best friends are humans.
Went and saw it in 3D tonight. I liked it. The picture was truly beautiful, the CGI-to-live actions were seamless, the 3D didn't make me feel sick, and while the story was simplistic, it wasn't over-the-top treehuggerish in the usual sense. In this case, being connected with nature really was being connected with nature.
*SPOILER*
Their "god" wasn't a being, but rather a center point for a pantheistic world, much like our brains for the body. For those who haven't seen it, basically, the entire world is connected through a series of neurons that allows all creatures and nature to interact with one another much like the cells in our bodies do. So by killing the trees, they were actually killing a portion of the brain of the world.
As to the complaint that the humans were fighting for survival, that's bunk. They were fighting for cash, pure and simple. The unobtainium wasn't necessary for humans back on earth to live; it was a means to make money for the company on the planet. Personally, I would have found the story much more interesting if it were necessary for humanity to survive, but as written... meh. Simplistic story with amazing pictures.
They seriously call the element they're looking for unobtainium?
Sweet Christ, even George Lucas thinks that's cliched hackery.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 23, 2009, 11:49:07 PM
They seriously call the element they're looking for unobtainium?
Sweet Christ, even George Lucas thinks that's cliched hackery.
Oh, the film is nothing if not full of cliches. From beginning to end, we're slapped with them... but it's James Cameron, the King of the Cliche'.
Quote from: merithyn on December 24, 2009, 12:09:34 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on December 23, 2009, 11:49:07 PM
They seriously call the element they're looking for unobtainium?
Sweet Christ, even George Lucas thinks that's cliched hackery.
Oh, the film is nothing if not full of cliches. From beginning to end, we're slapped with them... but it's James Cameron, the King of the Cliche'.
Slapped? That's more like getting punched.
Quote from: merithyn on December 23, 2009, 11:44:06 PM
Their "god" wasn't a being, but rather a center point for a pantheistic world, much like our brains for the body. For those who haven't seen it, basically, the entire world is connected through a series of neurons that allows all creatures and nature to interact with one another much like the cells in our bodies do. So by killing the trees, they were actually killing a portion of the brain of the world.
So basically, Gaia theory taken to its ludicrous conclusion.
I have to echo everything that's been said.
The story is cliched hackery, right down to "unobtanium".
And I still loved it.
Not sure if Avatar, or Watchmen, was my favourite movie of the year.
And now, of course, the accusation that it is just another, racist, "white messiah comes to save the savages" film....
QuoteSome see racist theme in alien adventure 'Avatar'
By JESSE WASHINGTON
(01/11/10 00:12:31)
Near the end of the hit film "Avatar," the villain snarls at the hero, "How does it feel to betray your own race?" Both men are white - although the hero is inhabiting a blue-skinned, 9-foot-tall, long-tailed alien.
Strange as it may seem for a film that pits greedy, immoral humans against noble denizens of a faraway moon, "Avatar" is being criticized by a small but vocal group of people who allege it contains racist themes - the white hero once again saving the primitive natives.
Since the film opened to widespread critical acclaim three weeks ago, hundreds of blog posts, newspaper articles, tweets and YouTube videos have made claims such as that the film is "a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people" and reinforces "the white Messiah fable."
The film's writer and director, James Cameron, says the real theme is about respecting others' differences.
In the film (read no further if you don't want to spoil the plot) a white, paralyzed Marine, Jake Sully, is mentally linked to an alien's body and set loose on the planet Pandora. His mission: persuade the mystic, nature-loving Na'vi to make way for humans to mine their land for unobtanium, worth $20 million per kilo back home.
Like Kevin Costner in "Dances with Wolves" and Tom Cruise in "The Last Samurai" or as far back as Jimmy Stewart in the 1950 Western "Broken Arrow," Sully finds his allegiances soon change. He falls in love with the Na'vi princess and leads the bird-riding, bow-and-arrow-shooting aliens to victory over the white men's spaceships and mega-robots.
Adding to the racial dynamic is that the main Na'vi characters are played by actors of color, led by a Dominican, Zoe Saldana, as the princess. The film also is an obvious metaphor for how European settlers in America wiped out the Indians.
Robinne Lee, an actress in such recent films as "Seven Pounds" and "Hotel for Dogs," said that "Avatar" was "beautiful" and that she understood the economic logic of casting a white lead if most of the audience is white.
But she said the film, which remained No. 1 at the box office domestically for the fourth straight weekend with $48.5 million and is second among all-time top-grossing films worldwide, still reminded her of Hollywood's "Pocahontas" story - "the Indian woman leads the white man into the wilderness, and he learns the way of the people and becomes the savior."
"It's really upsetting in many ways," said Lee, who is black with Jamaican and Chinese ancestry. "It would be nice if we could save ourselves."
Annalee Newitz, editor-in-chief of the sci-fi Web site io9.com, likened "Avatar" to the recent film "District 9," in which a white man accidentally becomes an alien and then helps save the aliens, and 1984's "Dune," in which a white man becomes an alien Messiah.
"Main white characters realize that they are complicit in a system which is destroying aliens, AKA people of color ... (then) go beyond assimilation and become leaders of the people they once oppressed," wrote Newitz, who is white. "When will whites stop making these movies and start thinking about race in a new way?"
Black film professor and author Donald Bogle said he can understand why people would be troubled by "Avatar," although he praised it as a "stunning" work.
"A segment of the audience is carrying in the back of its head some sense of movie history," said Bogle, author of "Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies & Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films."
Bogle stopped short, however, of calling the movie racist.
"It's a film with still a certain kind of distortion," he said. "It's a movie that hasn't yet freed itself of old Hollywood traditions, old formulas."
Writer/director Cameron, who is white, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that his film "asks us to open our eyes and truly see others, respecting them even though they are different, in the hope that we may find a way to prevent conflict and live more harmoniously on this world. I hardly think that is a racist message."
There are many ways to interpret the art that is "Avatar."
What does it mean that in the final, sequel-begging scene, Sully abandons his human body and transforms into one of the Na'vi? Is Saldana's Na'vi character the real heroine because she, not Sully, kills the arch-villain? Does it matter that many conservatives are riled by what they call liberal environmental and antimilitary messages?
Is Cameron actually exposing the historical evils of white colonizers? Does the existence of an alien species expose the reality that all humans are actually one race?
Although the "Avatar" debate springs from Hollywood's historical difficulties with race, Will Smith recently saved the planet in "I Am Legend," and Denzel Washington appears ready to do the same in the forthcoming "Book of Eli."
Bogle, the film historian, said that he was glad Cameron made the film and that it made people think about race.
"Maybe there is something he does want to say and put across" about race, Bogle said. "Maybe if he had a black hero in there, that point would have been even stronger."
Quote"It would be nice if we could save ourselves."
Yes, that certainly would be nice
The movie would have been infinitely better with Will Smith cast as the cripple space marine. :licklips:
And in honor of that article, I watched "Khartoum" this weekend.
Quote
"It's really upsetting in many ways," said Lee, who is black with Jamaican and Chinese ancestry. "It would be nice if we could save ourselves."
Have they ever saved themselves?
I can't recall right now.
Avatar was great, by the way.
The Road remains the best movie I have seen in the last 5 years.
That's just art reflecting real life. The simple fact of the matter is that the other races (saving only the Japanese) are helpless without the leadership of the white race.
Quote from: Siege on January 11, 2010, 06:34:41 AM
Have they ever saved themselves?
I can't recall right now.
Haiti, for starters.
Quote from: Neil on January 11, 2010, 08:31:07 AM
That's just art reflecting real life. The simple fact of the matter is that the other races (saving only the Japanese) are helpless without the leadership of the white race.
Star Trek TOS is an example of this. A bunch of foreigners being bossed around by an American in a chair.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on January 11, 2010, 08:37:30 AM
Quote from: Siege on January 11, 2010, 06:34:41 AM
Have they ever saved themselves?
I can't recall right now.
Haiti, for starters.
:lmfao:
Wait.
Were you serious? :unsure:
I saw it last night, it definitely doesn't merit Best Picture but it was worth the price of admission and was a fun movie. The story was horrific in a lot of ways, but it worked for what it was, to be honest as a long time fan of science fiction I've seen many stories that were worse in both film and print media (and many that were better.)
The biggest thing for me was the 3D didn't make me sick, the last time I saw a film in 3D was Terminator 2 and I had to leave the theater. I have long heard that something like up to 10% of the human population cannot properly process 3D movies because they don't have "full stereoscopic" vision (something that doesn't effect them in daily life because you can still have full depth perception without it because of other adaptations), because of my past experiences with 3D I assumed I was in that 10%. Avatar didn't give me any problems at all, so maybe the technology is just much, much better than it was in the T2 days.
The second biggest thing is the CG was very watchable.
I know a lot of people hate CG but I've always had the philosophy that it's stupid to hate any technology. To me, CG is the same idea as using sleight of hand, stunt men, squibs, et al. to portray something as happening that isn't actually happening. To make film work, there has to be some sort of trickery involved. You can't shoot someone with a real bullet, so you use squibs, you can't trust that the same people who have are actors will have the skill sets required to drive a motorcycle through a flaming building, so you use stunt men.
In the earliest days of cinema, the best actors were guys like Buster Keaton who could do all their own stunts, and did. Back then, the art was in such infancy that a stunt man could really take you out of the film because it was painfully obvious as to when they were being used. In my lifetime, by and large Hollywood has gotten so good at editing that you can't tell at all when a stuntman is being used.
CG is the same concept, it is a way to show the audience something that isn't actually happening. In the past I've disliked CG because of the same reason that 1910-1920s era stunt men sometimes sucked--CG typically was extremely obvious and took you out of the film. Even Avatar's CG isn't quite to the level where it doesn't become obvious, but it shows that we're slowly making progress. Eventually I think CG will be totally integrated into film in a way that isn't so visually jarring, and film will be better because of it. I don't have much against directors that are doing the necessary development work to get CG to that place.
You know the one thing I really hate about CG? The point when a monster roars right at a person rather than biting them or killing them in some other way. It's been showing up everywhere and it's pissing me off.
I saw it, I liked it for what it was.
Yeah the story (and visualization) were drawing on established genre tropes. I actually liked that they called it "unobtainium". No fucking around with lame pseudo-science and gobbledeegook, just straight to the point - "for the purpose of this movie, the mcguffin is some sort of mineral reasource." Done.
On another note, apparently the film is huge in China - people are lining up to go to the theatres to see it, rather than just pirating it; this is apparently unprecedented.
Quote from: OttoVonBismarck on January 11, 2010, 12:11:30 PM
I have long heard that something like up to 10% of the human population cannot properly process 3D movies because they don't have "full stereoscopic" vision (something that doesn't effect them in daily life because you can still have full depth perception without it because of other adaptations), because of my past experiences with 3D I assumed I was in that 10%.
The explanation I was given is that my reticular activiting system does not screen out as much stimuli as the majority of the population and as I result I get very dizzy in things like surround picture or 3d type movies.
Either way, I didnt have any ill effects of watching this as well. As I said in my initial review, after a while I was able to forget I was watching 3d and just enjoyed the artistry of the movie.
Quote from: Jacob on January 11, 2010, 12:35:08 PM
people are lining up to go to the theatres to see it, rather than just pirating it; this is apparently unprecedented.
That will likely change when 3d TVs become available.
As I said in the film thread this 3D was unexpectedly good.
In the cinema I went to the first 3D thing they showed was a advert for Sky TV which was made in very bad old style 3D- some statue miscoloured all pinky spinning and popping out of the screen. It looked god awful.
Then though the movie trailers started and...wow. It looks real.
At first it looked just like there were 2 or 3 plains with the Toy Story and shitty dancing kids trailiers but with Avatar it all looked full proper 3D. Good stuff.
Quotepeople are lining up to go to the theatres to see it, rather than just pirating it; this is apparently unprecedented.
3D does seem to have come at just the right time for cinema in the west.
Quote from: crazy canuck on January 11, 2010, 12:41:48 PM
Quote from: Jacob on January 11, 2010, 12:35:08 PM
people are lining up to go to the theatres to see it, rather than just pirating it; this is apparently unprecedented.
That will likely change when 3d TVs become available.
That's what I said as well :)
Though they were going to see it in imax and regular theatres as well.
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 12:50:21 PM
3D does seem to have come at just the right time for cinema in the west.
The early 1950s? :lol:
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:28:49 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 12:50:21 PM
3D does seem to have come at just the right time for cinema in the west.
The early 1950s? :lol:
eh? :unsure:
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 01:37:54 PM
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:28:49 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 12:50:21 PM
3D does seem to have come at just the right time for cinema in the west.
The early 1950s? :lol:
eh? :unsure:
3D is actually a pretty old technology. The first "wave" of 3D movies came out in the 1950s, and there have been various attempts to produce 3D flicks since then. Now Avatar (and a host of CGI technologies) may now make 3D popular and mainstream, but it's not a new technology by any stretch.
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:42:28 PM
3D is actually a pretty old technology. The first "wave" of 3D movies came out in the 1950s, and there have been various attempts to produce 3D flicks since then. Now Avatar (and a host of CGI technologies) may now make 3D popular and mainstream, but it's not a new technology by any stretch.
You're not seriously suggesting I didn't know about that here are you? :unsure:
Comparing old style 3D to the new stuff is comparing colossus to a imac.
This new wave certainly is very different to what has gone before.
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 01:45:27 PM
You're not seriously suggesting I didn't know about that here are you? :unsure:
You're the one who wrote:
Quote3D does seem to have come at just the right time for cinema in the west.
So yeah, it sure sounded like you weren't aware of it.
Now I'm not trying to beat you up. I think it was just a poorly worded turn of phrase. Avatar is clearly different than Creature from the Black Lagoon, but they are both still in 3D.
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:42:28 PM
3D is actually a pretty old technology. The first "wave" of 3D movies came out in the 1950s, and there have been various attempts to produce 3D flicks since then. Now Avatar (and a host of CGI technologies) may now make 3D popular and mainstream, but it's not a new technology by any stretch.
Is 3D a technology?
I think I understand what you are saying, but my understanding is that this version of 3D is based on a different technology than any of the others.
Is it?
It's still glasses showing different images at different times, no?
Fundamentally it's still the same - using funny glasses to show different images to each eye, thus providing the illusion of 3D. But yes I understand there's quite a few changes in how it's done (for starters the old 3D could only be viewed in 3d, without the glasses it was blurry, whereas now you can see a 3d movie without glasses and have it appear in normal 2D).
Heh, this is amusing.
http://failblog.org/2010/01/10/avatar-plot-fail/
Caught it in 3D today. It certainly improved the viewing experience, but I wasn't overwhelmed.
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:42:28 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 01:37:54 PM
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:28:49 PM
Quote from: Tyr on January 11, 2010, 12:50:21 PM
3D does seem to have come at just the right time for cinema in the west.
The early 1950s? :lol:
eh? :unsure:
3D is actually a pretty old technology. The first "wave" of 3D movies came out in the 1950s, and there have been various attempts to produce 3D flicks since then. Now Avatar (and a host of CGI technologies) may now make 3D popular and mainstream, but it's not a new technology by any stretch.
Yeah, but it's essential in cinema's war against piracy. It's pretty much the only weapon they have.
Quote from: grumbler on January 11, 2010, 01:53:32 PM
Quote from: Barrister on January 11, 2010, 01:42:28 PM
3D is actually a pretty old technology. The first "wave" of 3D movies came out in the 1950s, and there have been various attempts to produce 3D flicks since then. Now Avatar (and a host of CGI technologies) may now make 3D popular and mainstream, but it's not a new technology by any stretch.
Is 3D a technology?
I think I understand what you are saying, but my understanding is that this version of 3D is based on a different technology than any of the others.
Technology: The branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.
I think that 3D qualifies.
Yi is the new Prophet Of Doom here in Languishtan.
:pinch:
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/feature/avatar-perfection-causing-depression/story-e6frfnv0-1225819063598
QuoteAvatar perfection causing depression
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* January 14, 2010 8:04AM
AN IDYLLIC planet populated by blue aliens is an ideal setting for cinematic escapism. But the world of the sci-fi epic Avatar is so perfect people have admitted being plagued by depression and suicidal thoughts at not being able to visit the planet.
Set in the future when Earth's resources have been depleted, director James Cameron's film tells the story of a corporation trying to mine a rare mineral.
The humans clash with the natives - a peace-loving race of 7ft tall, blue-skinned creatures called the Na'vi, who exist in perfect harmony with nature.
Fans have flooded the internet with their confused feelings. On the site Avatar Forums, the topic 'Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible' has more than 1,000 posts.
In a similar forum, one user wrote: "When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed grey. It just seems so meaningless.
"I still don't really see any reason to keep doing things at all. I live in a dying world."
On another site, one fan was even more affected, admitting: "I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be rebirthed in a world similar to Pandora."
On the Avatar site Naviblue, a fan calling himself Jorba has even asked others to join him in starting a real Na'vi tribe.
The incredible visual realism of the film could mean viewers become particularly attached, the Daily Mail reports.
Dr Stephan Quentzel, psychiatrist and Medical Director for the Louis Armstrong Centre for Music and Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York told CNN: "Virtual life is not real life and it never will be, but this is the pinnacle of what we can build in a virtual presentation so far.
"It has taken the best of our technology to create this virtual world and real life will never be as utopian as it seems onscreen. It makes real life seem more imperfect."
But not everyone viewing the film has been hit by the 'Avatar Blues', as a small but vocal group have alleged it contains racist themes - the white hero once again saving the primitive natives.
Since the film opened three weeks ago, hundreds of blog posts, newspaper articles, tweets and YouTube videos have said things such as the film is 'a fantasy about race told from the point of view of white people' and that it reinforces 'the white Messiah fable'."
The film's writer and director, James Cameron, says the real theme is about respecting others' differences.
DEALING WITH THE AVATAR BLUES
On the official Avatar website, David Scott Jaggers posted:
"I can totally relate [to people feeling depressed about having to leave the world of Pandora]. I think most us can here.
"For me, getting to talk to you guys online allows me to feel closer to the movie, or maybe closer to you guys because we can share our feeling and thoughts and friendships.
"So many things from the movie, like for example the idea of brotherhood we can bring to this very real world of ours."
Saw this on EUOT, too funny.
Waterheads like that do us all a favour by ending themselves.
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 22, 2009, 05:31:07 PM
I normally get dizzy when I see 3d or surround screens but I didnt have any trouble with this - probably because of the high quality. Your brother should give it a try.
Same. Didn't have any problems. Boyo had problems watching it in contact lenses, though. :P
Is there ANY movie lately that hasn't been attacked for having a racist message?
As said in the movie thread - saw it in 3D last night. It appears that the 3D quality in the theater I was at wasn't too good (worked in some scenes well, not so well in others), as a friend remarked who had seen the movie before in a different theater. My eyes felt, despite the break, like I had worked in front of an old 14" screen, even though our seats were pretty much dead center and eye level with the middle of the screen. Could also be influenced by my normal glasses, though. I will have a chance to compare with IMAX on friday.
Yes, the movie's story was not exactly novel, but it played all its tropes and clichés well, and the visuals made it seem very fresh and new. I didn't expect much, but I was thoroughly entertained and for me it's a movie that - probably by being more visual than plot driven - stayed in my head the whole following day.
Actually, it's probably as well that the story wasn't too deep, because the visual information combined with an elaborate, intricate plot with plenty twists and turns might be a bit much. :P
Still, glitzy action adventure movies with polished CG effects and easy to follow plots come about aplenty, and yet this one seems special. Possibly because it's one of the few movies that uses its effects not primarily to create images of awe inspiring destruction (Transformers, 2012, ...) but for rather awe inspiring (yet deadly) beauty and vistas, creating an "I'd like to be there!" effect.
From EUOT:
Source (http://"http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100119/wl_asia_afp/entertainmentfilmhealthavatartaiwan")
QuoteTAIPEI (AFP) – A 42-year-old Taiwanese man with a history of high blood pressure has died of a stroke likely triggered by over-excitement from watching the blockbuster "Avatar" in 3D, a doctor said Tuesday.
The man, identified only by his surname Kuo, started to feel unwell during the screening earlier this month in the northern city of Hsinchu and was taken to hospital.
Kuo, who suffered from hypertension, was unconscious when he arrived at the Nan Men General Hospital and a scan showed that his brain was haemorrhaging, emergency room doctor Peng Chin-chih said.
"It's likely that the over-excitement from watching the movie triggered his symptoms," he told AFP.
Kuo died 11 days later from the brain haemorrhage, and the China Times newspaper said it was the first death linked to watching James Cameron's science-fiction epic "Avatar".
Film blogging sites have reported complaints of headaches, dizziness, nausea and blurry eyesight from viewers of "Avatar" and other movies rich in 3D imagery.
James Cameron - 1 Over-excitable Taiwanese men - 0
TVtropes has a comment likening Avatar's success to the first Star Wars.
Off the top of my head:
The similarities:
- well known, easy to understand story concepts and tropes
plus
- two dimensional characters (the Star Wars characters didn't really have much depth till Empire)
- splendid visions of a heretofore unseen world (at least not seen in such detail), pushing the boundaries of special effects/movie immersion
- unexpectedly strong box office success (there were plenty people predicting Avatar would quickly tank after an initially strong opening) ... can't remember many recent movies that were shown on the main screens of most multiplexes for 4 weeks in a row over here
The differences:
- budget, obviously
- marketing (the original Star Wars became known more by word of mouth than by studio driven marketing at first)
Whether or not Avatar will achieve a similarly iconic status in pop culture as Star Wars remains to be seen. My initial guess would be no, because I think on the whole the original Star Wars was more "quotable" in scenes and dialogue.
Quote from: Syt on January 20, 2010, 01:38:52 PM
Whether or not Avatar will achieve a similarly iconic status in pop culture as Star Wars remains to be seen. My initial guess would be no, because I think on the whole the original Star Wars was more "quotable" in scenes and dialogue.
I agree, Star Wars was a cultural force. The music from the movie sold in record numbers and as you referred to the dialogue was quoted far and wide - "May the force be with you" was said by everyone. I cant think of one line from Avatar the stuck with me or that I hear being repeated nor do I find myself humming an Avatar tune.
It's hard to say. The movie only came out a month ago. Did people realize how much Star Wars would resonate one month later? Were people able to quote large portions of the movie after seeing it the first time?
Quote from: Barrister on January 20, 2010, 05:14:39 PM
It's hard to say. The movie only came out a month ago. Did people realize how much Star Wars would resonate one month later? Were people able to quote large portions of the movie after seeing it the first time?
After seeing the movie all my friends and I were saying stuff like "May the force be with you" etc. and soon all the adults were doing it too. Everyone knew the theme song (I cant remember if Avatar even had one) everyone understood references to the movie (for example all you would have to do is make a heavy breathing sound and everyone understood you meant Darth Vader.) It was a huge cultural phenomenon.
Also remember this is long before the time of movie rentals. people picked up on these cultural cues not because they memorized the movie but because everyone around them was reinforcing the cultural cues.
Well, like it or not, it's the biggest movie of the decade, by far.
Bullshit.
The biggest movie is always the next Harry Potter.
Good points, CC. The only line I'd be able to quote right away would be, "I see you" and maybe some Colonel's rantings.
Then again, I never watched Titanic, but I do know the "I'm the king of the world scene", the nude drawing scene and the drowning scene. And the theme song. :x
There was dialogue in Avatar?
"How do you know that the [big yellow flying thing] has accepted you?"
"It tries to kill you."
That's all I can remember.
My problems with the film:
You see the plot from a mile away.
It is always a good idea to nuke from orbit, just to be sure.
I root for the skypeople, and I know they'll lose.
Otherwise, I was entertained thoroughly.
I still haven't seen it. Still Sold out. Unbelievable.
Checking a few random theaters and IMAX the "good seats" (mid center) in most venues seem to be sold out till mid of next week at least.
Assigned seats in movie theaters are sign of a decadent society!
Well, I don't think you can really compare Star Wars with Avatar.
I mean, this is the internet age, people don't get culturally shocked by a movie anymore. Movies are no longer that big of a cultural event. I think that for this age, Avatar is really the equivalent of Star Wars, but a direct comparisson is doomed to fail because of the obvious diferences in perception.
I, if I were to chose a movie as the most important of the decade, I would still go with the original Matrix.
Quote from: Grey Fox on January 21, 2010, 07:26:51 AM
Assigned seats in movie theaters are sign of a decadent society!
Non assigned movie seats are awful :x
Quote from: DisturbedPervert on January 21, 2010, 08:14:32 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on January 21, 2010, 07:26:51 AM
Assigned seats in movie theaters are sign of a decadent society!
Non assigned movie seats are awful :x
That's because you live in Asia, where they have no consideration for their fellowman.
It's wonderful. I always pick seats so no one is near me. And I can see at purchase if its too crowded and pick another time or another movie.
Quote from: Siege on January 21, 2010, 08:04:09 AMMovies are no longer that big of a cultural event.
LOTR and Harry Potter fans that had no qualms on dressing up for their respective opening days might disagree with that. If anything, the internet age magnifies the cultural impact of movies.
Quote from: DisturbedPervert on January 21, 2010, 08:14:32 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on January 21, 2010, 07:26:51 AM
Assigned seats in movie theaters are sign of a decadent society!
Non assigned movie seats are awful :x
Indeed; I don't want to have to beat up kids or Turks or Turkish kids when the doors open to make sure I get decent seats.
Quote from: Syt on January 21, 2010, 08:42:42 AM
Indeed; I don't want to have to beat up kids or Turks or Turkish kids when the doors open to make sure I get decent seats.
Is it possible that you guys don't have enough theatres?
I think we have 15 or so multiplexes plus a number smaller cinemas for crrent movies, plus a couple arthouse theaters, a few original language theaters (English, mostly, some French), and three theaters that focus on retrospectives, etc. Movies rarely sell out, though, unless on weekends or cheap afternoon screenings.
I think the last time I didn't have row and seat printed onto my ticket was for the Star Wars Special Editions in 1997.